Troposchēmalogia: Tropes and figures; or, A treatise of the metaphors, allegories, and express similitudes, &c. contained in the Bible of the Old and New Testament To which is prefixed, divers arguments to prove the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures wherein also 'tis largely evinced, that by the great whore, mystery Babylon is meant the Papal hierarchy, or present state and church of Rome. Philologia sacra, the second part. Wherein the schemes, or figures in Scripture, are reduced under their proper heads, with a brief explication of each. Together with a treatise of types, parables, &c. with an improvement of them parallel-wise. By B. K

CHAP. V. Of an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (Erotesis) or Interrogation.

TO the foregoing five, we may add this Figure in Logism, viz. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies Interrogation, or asking a Question; which because it is peculiar to the Idioms of the Hebrew and Greek, of the Old and New Testatment; we will briefly and particularly treat of, (1.) With respect to its Force, Energy, or peculiar Emphasis, (2.) With reference to its use. The first we will consider according to the order of Interrogative Words.

The Interogative Particle [Who] besides its ordinary Grammatical Significati∣on, which simply denotes asking, (Psal. 15.1. & 24.3. Isa. 42.24. & 63.1, &c.) sometimes signifies an absolute Negative, when the Speech is of Persons; as Psal. 94.16. Who will rise up for me against the Evil-doers? or, who will stand up for me against the workers of Iniquity? as if he had said, No Man can help me; so have I been dealt withal: It is only God can relieve me, as ver. 17. Psal. 106.2. Who can utter the mighty Acts of the Lord? who can shew forth his Praise? that is, None can do it; yet Psal. 9.14. David says, That I may shew forth all thy Praise in the Gates of the Daughter of Sion: which Text R. Kimhi thus reconciles; viz. In the former Text we are to understand the Praise of God, with reference to those great things which he had done for his People in general: In the latter, what he had done for David in parti∣cular. We may add, that the first place may be meant of the most perfect Praise of Jehovah, in the celebrating of which, no Proportion can be stated so as to correspond with it: The latter, an earnest endeavour to return Thanks and Praise to the very utmost of humane Faculty: See Psal. 40.5. Psal. 113.5. Who is like unto the Lord our God? that is, there is none amongst Men, who can so really condole your Case, and so mightily help you; for God was, and is, both willing and able. He speaks here of a Divine Grace, Aid, and Help: There is his gracious Encourage∣ment given for our Hope in the next Verses.

Isa. 58.3. Who can declare his Generation? that is, none can, because he is eternal. Heb. 1.5. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, &c. Ver. 13. But to which of the Angels said he at any time, Sit on my Right-hand, &c. That is, he never said so to any of the Angels: See Isa. 40.13, 14. Luke 14.5. John 8.46. Rom. 8.31, 33, 34, 35. & 11.34, 35. 1 Cor. 9.7, &c.

Sometimes it does not absolutely deny, but restrictively, so that the Particle quis, who, is put for quotusquis{que} how many, which denotes fewness, or paucity; as Psal. 90.11. Who knoweth the power of thine Anger? that is, they are indeed but few, to wit, the Servants of the Lord; as Ver. 13, 16. Isa. 53.1. Hosea 14.10, &c. Sometimes it denotes the Difficulty of the Question asked: 1 Sam. 2.25. If a Man sin against the Lord, who shall intercede for him? That is, how difficult is it to appease the Lord, when he is angry for our Sins? Prov. 31.10. Who can find a Woman of Strength? (or Activity, viz. a vertuous Woman?) this does not signify that such are no where to be found, but that they are rare: See Mat. 19.25, 26. Mark 10.26. with ver. 23, &c.

The Interrogative [an, nunquid, whether] besides its common Signification, which simply and affirmatively asks a Question; Gen. 18.21. Numb. 13.19. Rom. 3.3, 5, 6, &c. sometimes denotes an absolute Negation, as Gen. 18.14. Whether is there any thing too hard for the Lord? that is, there is nothing too hard for him: Ver. 17. Whether shall I hide from Abraham the thing I am about to do? that is, I will not hide it from him; Gen. 30.2. Whether am I in God's stead, who hath with-held from thee the Fruit of the Womb? as if he had said, Can I arrogate that to my self, which is the Work of God? (that is, I can by no means do it) He made thee barren, and he only can make thee fruitful. See Gen. 50.19. Job 40.20, &c. Joel 1.2, &c.

On the contrary, a Negative Interrogative, as [is not] is to be understood affirma∣tively, as Gen. 13.9. Is not the whole Land before thee? that is, the whole Land is before thee; Gen. 37.13. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy Brethren feed (the Flock) in Shechem? that is, they do so: Exod. 4.14. Is not Aaron the Levite thy Brother,

whom I know to be eloquent? that is, I know that he is so: See Deut. 11.30. Josh. 10.13. Ruth. 2.9. & 3.1. 1 Chron. 21.17. (see 2 Sam. 24.17.) Job 7.1. Psal. 56.8, 13 Eccles. 6.6. Isa. 50.2. (with 59.1.) Jer. 23.24. Joel 1.16. Amos 2.11. & 5.20. Obad. 5.8, 9. Jonah. 4.11. Mat. 7.22. Mark 12.24. (see Mat. 22.29.) Joh. 4.35. & 6.70. & 11.9. 1 Cor. 10.16. Heb. 1.14, &c.

We are specially to note, that there are some Places, which affirmatively ask, in which there is an affirmative Sense, or in which the Negative Particle (No) is to be understood; as 2 Sam. 15.27. The King said unto Zadok the Priest (art not) thou a Seer? that is, thou dost perfectly see how things go; see Ezek. 8.6. 1 Sam. 2.27. 1 Kings 16.31. Jer. 31.20. & 23.23.

The Interrogative [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quomodo, how,] sometimes absolutely denies; Exod. 6. 12, 30. Deut. 7.17. Judg. 16.15. Psal. 73.11. & 137.4. Mat. 12.26, 34. & 23.33. Mark 4.13. Luke 6.42. Rom. 10 14, 15. 1 Cor. 14.7, 9, 16. 1 Tim. 3.5. Heb. 2.3, &c.

[Why, wherefore, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,] is often put for Prohibition; Gen. 27.45. Why should I be deprived of you both in one day? that is, let me not be deprived of both: 1 Sam. 19.17. Why should I kill thee? that is, let me not kill thee: See 2 Sam. 2.22. 2 Chron. 25.16. Psal. 79.10. Eccles. 5.5. & 7.17, 18. Jer. 27.13, 17. & 40.5. Ezek. 33.11. Dan. 1.10, &c.

The use of Interrogations is various, and almost serves every Affection: There is,

1. An Interrogation, which denotes Absurdity in a way of exploding it; as Joh. 3.4. How can a Man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his Mo∣ther's Womb? as if he had said, This is absurd, and in my Judgment, cannot be; Joh. 6.52. How can this Man give us his Flesh to eat? as if he had said, This is most absurd: See Ver. 60. and Chap. 12.34.

2. Admiration, Gen. 17.17. Shall a Child be born unto him that is an hundred Years old! and shall Sarah that is ninety Years old bear! This is an Interrogation, admiring the Di∣vine Power, and comparing it with his own and his Wives Impotency; as Rom. 4.19, 21. More Examples, see Gen. 27.20. & 42.28. Cant. 3.6. Psal. 133.1. Isa. 1.21. & 63.1. Ezek. 16.30. Mat. 21.20. Mark 6.37.

3. Affirmation, of which we have given Examples in the foregoing Pages.

4. Demonstration of a certain Subject, of which some thing is affirmed or predica∣ted, Ezek. 8.6. Son of Man, seest thou what they doe? as if he had said, Behold, thou art 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Spectator, or Witness of their Impiety, Idolatry, and Abomination. Mat. 11.7, 8, 9. there are certain Interrogations proposed by our Saviour, the scope of which is to shew who John was, and in his Commendation to affirm or deny some things. And sometimes in this manner the Question and Answer are joyned; both which are equipollent to a connexive Enunciation, whose Antecedent is taken from the Question, and the Consequent from the Answer: as Psal. 25.12. What Man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse. Ver. 13. His Soul shall lodge in Goodness, and his Seed shall inherit the Earth: that is, these things shall be conferred on him that fears the Lord: So Psal. 34.12, 13. Psal. 107.43. Jer. 9.12. Hos. 14.10. See also Prov. 22.29. with 29.20.

5. In a matter of Doubt; Gen. 18.12. Therefore Sarah laughed within her self, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have Pleasure? these words denote diffidence and doubt, and the unlikelihood in her Judgment of what was promised, as the follow∣ing words of the Lord manifest. Rom. 10.6. But the Righteousness which is of Faith, speaketh on this wise, Say not in thy Heart, who shall ascend into Heaven? Ver. 7. Who shall descend into the Deep (or Abiss?) These Interrogations of Doubt, are brought to denote the uncertainty of self-Righteousness, which Righteousness by Faith wholly takes away; consult the next Chapter.

6. Exaltation and Extenuation. Rab. Kimhi in his Comment on Jer. 22.23. says, that the Interrogative Particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (quid vel quam, what, or how,) is used in a double Signification, viz. to exalt a thing, as Psal. 31.19. O how great is thy Good∣ness? Psal. 139.17. How precious also are thy Thoughts unto me, O God? Or to extenu∣ate a thing, as Psal. 8.4. What is Man, that thou art mindful of him? that is, how in∣considerable, and unworthy is he of thy Grace and Favour? So Psal. 144.3. See also Isa. 2.11, to 22. with Psal. 146.3, 4. 1 Sam. 9.21. 2 Sam. 7.18. Gen. 23.15. Exod. 3.11. 1 Kings 9.13, &c.

7. Expostulation, Accusation or chiding.] Gen. 12.18. Pharaoh chid Abram, What (is) this (that) thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy Wife?

Ver. 19. Why saidst thou, She is my Sister? So Gen. 31.26, 27, 30. & 44.4, 15. Other Examples are, Psal. 11.1. Psal. 50.16. Isa. 5.4. & 58.3. Ezek. 12.22. Dan. 3.14, &c.

8. Indignation] as Psal. 2.1. Why do the Heathen rage, and the People meditate vain things? That these are words of Indignation, appears, Ver. 5. Mat. 17.17. O faithless and perverse Generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? this was an Apostrophe to the Apostles by way of Indignation, as appears from Ver. 10.

9. By way of Insultation and Irony,] as Psal. 42.3. While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? So Psal. 79.10, &c. More Examples see Jer. 22.23. & 23.33. with Ver. 36. Joh. 18.38.

10. By way of Lamentation,] as Psal. 3.1. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? (or, Lord, how numerous are my Enemies?) Psal. 22.1. Lam. 2.20. Psal. 77.7, 8, 9. Hab. 1.17.

11. By way of Commiseration or Pity,] as Lam. 1.1. How doth the City sit solita∣ry that was full of People, &c. Lam. 2.1. How hath the Lord covered the Daughter of Sion with a Cloud in his Anger? &c. so frequently in the Lamenations.

12. By way of Negation, concerning which we refer you where we have spoke a little before of the Emphasis of an Interrogation.

13. By way of Wishing,] as 2 Sam. 23.15. Who will make me drink of the Water of the Well of Bethlehem? That is, O that some body would make drink: See Rom. 7.24.

14. By way of Prohibition, or Disswasion from a thing, of which you may see the fourth and fifth Paragraphs before going.

15. By way of Rejection or Refusing,] as Numb. 23.8. How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? and how shall I defy (or detest,) him whom the Lord hath not defied (or detested?) As if he had said,— I neither can, nor dare do this thing; see Judg. 11.12. 2 Sam. 16.10. 1 Kings 17.18. 2 Kings 3.13. Hosea 14.9. Joel 3.9. Matth. 8.29. Mark 5.7. Luke 8.28. Joh. 2.4.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to ask, or que∣stion.
• Psalm 94.16.
• Psalm 106.2.
• Isaiah 58.3.
• A Negative Interrogative.
• Observation.
• How.
• The use of In∣terrogations.
• Absurdity.
• Admira••ion.
• Affirmation.
• Demonstra∣tion.
• Doubt.
• Exaltation.
• Expostulation.
• Indignation.
• Insultation.
• Lamentation.
• Miseration.
• Negation.
• Optative or wishing.
• Prohibition.