ON SCRIPTURE METAPHORS.

A.

203 ADDER. Because (1st) it is often deaf, Ps. lviii. 4. (2nd) It is poisonous, Ps. cxi. 3. (3rd) It

Note.-It stings our and it stings to death,

stings, Prov. xxiii. 32.
conscience, Rom. ii. 15;
Jas. i. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 56.

(4th) It is to be

trodden under foot, Ps. xci. 13. Hence Gen.

iii. 15; Rom. xvi. 20.

204 ADVOCATE. 1 John ii. 1; because he is a mediator between the judge and the prisoner, 1

Tim. ii. 5.

205 ALTAR. Heb. xiii. 30. The Jewish altar may be compared to the sacrifice of Christ for many reasons. Among others, because it was a place of refuge, 1 Kings i. 50; and because it sanctified all the sacrifices laid upon it, 1 Pet. ii. 5.

206 ANCHOR. This is made an emblem of hope, because (1st) It fastens itself on something out of sight, Heb. vi. 19; and (2nd) It stays the ship in the storm, Ps. xlii. 5; Rom. viii. 24. 207 ANTS. Used metaphorically of industry, in Prov. vi. 6; of forethought, in Prov. xxx. 25; and of individual responsibility, in Prov. vi. 7, 8.

208 APPLE-TREE. Cant. ii. 3. the trees of the wood.

(1st) As chief among Hence Ps. lxxiii. 25;

John vi. 68. (2nd) As giving a pleasant shade, Cant. ii. 3. Compare Isa. xxv. 4, and xxxii. 2. (3rd) As bearing delicious fruit. Think of the sweet results of redemption.

209 ARMS. Used of God's love in Deut. xxxiii. 27 ; Isa. xl. 11; and of God's strength in Isa. xxxiii. 2; lxii. 8.

210 ARMOUR. See Eph. vi. 11.

211 ARROWS. An emblem of affliction in Job vi. 4 ; Lam. iii. 13; Zech. ix. 14: of slander in Ps.

lxiv. 3; Ps. cxx. 4; Prov. xxv. 18: of Divine truth in Ps. xlv. 5; Isa. xlix. 2.

212 ASHES. Metaphorical of frailty in Gen. xviii. 27; because worthless, and the remains of something better of humiliation in Esther iv. 1 Isa. lxi. 3 of sin in Isa. xliv. 20, because unsatisfying, and miserable to the taste.

:

213 AWAKING. Used of repentance in Rom. xiii. 11; Eph. v. 14; and of resurrection in Job xiv. 12; John xi. 11; Dan. xii. 2.

214 Ax. Jer. li. 20; Matt. iii. 10.

B.

215 BABES. 1 Pet. ii. 2.
pride and malice, Mark x. 14, 15.

(1st) They are free from

(2nd)

;

They partake of the nature of their father, John iii. 6. (3rd) They grow as they advance in years, 2 Pet. iii. 18.

216 BUCKLER. 2 Sam. xxii. 31; Ps. xviii. 2, 30. 217 BLINDNESS. 2 Cor. iv. 4; Eph. iv. 18.

218 BULLS, in Ps. xxii. 12, 13; Isa. xxxiv. 7. BEARS, in Prov. xxviii. 15; Boars, in Ps. lxxx. 13;

BEES, in Ps. cxviii. 12; BIRDS, in Rev. xviii. 2.

219 BEAM, in contrast with Mote, Matt. vii. 3, 4. 220 BONDS. Used metaphorically of sin in Acts viii.

23; Isa. v. 18: of charity in Col. iii. 14: of obedience in Ezek. xx. 37: of peace in Eph. iv. 3: of sorrow in Acts xx. 22: of punishment in Acts xxiii. 29.

221 BLOOD. Used metaphorically of wine in Gen. xlix. 11; Deut. xxxii. 14, because it is the strength of the body, as wine is of the grape : of life in Gen. iv. 10; Ezek. iii. 18, because it ends with the taking away of the blood: of sin in Ezek xvi. 6, because of its staining and defiling character.

222 BONE. Prov. xxv. 15. Illustrated by Abigail, 1 Sam. xxv. 24, etc.

223 BOOK. Used metaphorically of God's omniscience in Ps. lvi. 8; Mal. iii. 16: of God's providence in Rev. v. 2: of God's election in Phil. iv. 3; Rev. xx. 12.

224 BRANCH. It is applied to the human nature of Christ in Isa. xi. 1: to the Christian in John

:

xv. 2: to the king of a great empire in Ezek. xvii. 3 to children in Job viii. 16; compare Ps. cxxviii. 3: to the Jews in Rom. xi. 21: and to the church in Isa. lx. 21.

225 BRIDEGROOM. Matt. xxv. 5, 6. BISHOP. 1 Pet. ii. 25. BREAD. John vi. 48.

226 BROOKS. Used metaphorically of wisdom in Prov. xviii. 4: of prosperity in Job xx. 17: of consolation in Ps. xlii. 1; cx. 7.

227 BALANCES. Dan. v. 27.

C.

228 CROWN. Used for immortal life in Jas. i. 12; Rev. ii. 10: for eternal glory in 1 Pet. v.

and for heavenly purity in 2 Tim. iv. 8.

4:

229 CANDLE. Signifies the soul of man in Prov. xx. 27: the favour of God in Job xxix. 3: and spiritual gifts in Matt. v. 15.

230 COVER (verb). Used for protecting in Ps. xci. 4; and for pardoning in Ps. xxxii. 1.

231 CANDLESTICK. Used metaphorically of the church of God in four particulars :-(1st) Because the church is set up to be a light in the midst of darkness, Eph. v. 8; (2nd) because it consists

of
many branches, all in union with one centre,
1 Cor. xii. 20; (3rd) because, as its branches
were adorned with flowers (Exod. xxv. 33), so the
church is with graces (Tit. ii. 10); (4th)
because as the high priest dressed it daily
(Exod. xxx. 7), so Christ sustains his church
with the oil of heavenly grace, Phil. i. 19.

232 CAPTIVITY. Used of affliction in Job xlii. 10; and of the power of sin in Eph. iv. 8, and Rom. vii. 23.

233 CLOUD. Used for a great multitude in Isa. lx. 8, and Heb. xii. 1; for the infirmities of old age in Eccles. xii. 2. Also for a false and hypocritical profession of religion in Jude, ver. 12, and 2 Pet. ii. 17, because (1st) it is shifting and inconstant; and (2nd) it promises rain but often gives none.

234 CORD. Is associated with death in Eccles. xii. 6; ruin in Jer. x. 20; strength in Eccles. iv. 12; enlargement in Isa. liv. 2; love in Hos. xi. 4; affliction in Job xxx. 11, and xxxvi. 8; sin in Prov. v. 22, and Isa. v. 18.

235 COUNSELLOR. Isa. ix. 6; because (1st) he pleads, and (2nd) he advises.

236 CEDAR. It denotes a king, 2 Kings xiv. 9; an empire, Ezek. xxxi. 3; the faithful people of God, Ps. xcii. 12.

237 CHAFF. Used of false doctrine, Jer. xxiii. 28; and of the destruction of the wicked in Ps. i. 4; Isa. v. 24.

D.

238 DOGS. Ps. xxii. 16; Matt. xv. 26. This metaphor possesses its force from the contempt in which dogs are held in Eastern towns :-(1) Dogs snarl and gnash with their teeth. So the wicked, Ps. xxxvii. 12. (2) Dogs have to be shut out of doors. So the wicked from heaven, Rev. xxii. 15. (3) Dogs are greedy and dissatisfied. So are the wicked, Isa. lvi. 11. (4) Dogs are foolish, Prov. xxvi. 11. (5) Dogs are to be avoided, Phil. iii. 2.