The importance of this expression hath been opened more then once in this book, (chap. 3.5. chap: 10.21. chap. 12.22. chap. 28.3.) therefore I shall not stay upon it here; only consider, when he saith, There is no darkness nor shadow of death, by shadow of death, he means extremest darkness. If there be any darkness (as Job speaks chap. 10.22.) like darkness it self, and whose light is as darkness, that is it. The metaphor is taken from the grave, where the dead being buried, have not the least glimpse, ray, or ⟨p. 667⟩shine of light coming in to them, death wraps us up in extremest darkness. And we find in Scripture, the shadow of death put first, to express the extremest of spiritual darkness, or the darkest spiritual state, (Isa. 9.2.) The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined: that is, they that were wrapped up in the ignorance & utter unbelief of God in Christ, to these is Christ, the true light of God, the Sun of righteousness preached and openly revealed, and they pressed to the receiving of him, that their souls may live further as the shadow of death is put for the worst of spiritual evils, or to note man's natural state before conversion, so likewise, it is used in Scripture to note the worst of his spiritual evils, who (being converted) is in a spiritual state; He that is in a spiritual state, may be under great spiritual evils, great soul afflictions and troubles may fall upon him; which I conceive David intended while he showed such high confidence, (Psal. 23.4.) Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear none evil: as if he had said, Though I were in the worst of soul-afflictions, having no light of the favour of God shining upon me, nor any comfort in my spirit, though (as Heman bemoans his deserted condition (Psal. 88.3.) My soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave, though I am laid in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deep, yet I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Again, the shadow of death is often put in Scripture for the worst of outward worldly evils, (Jer. 13.16.) Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness, &c. and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death;
The importance of this expression hath been opened more then once in this book, (chap. 3.5. chap: 10.21. chap. 12.22. chap. 28.3.) therefore I shall not stay upon it here; only consider, when he saith, There is no darkness nor shaddow of death, by shaddow of death, he means extreamest darkness. If there be any darkness (as Job speaks chap. 10.22.) like darkness it self, and whose light is as darkness, that is it. The metaphor is taken from the grave, where the dead being buried, have not the least glympse, ray, or ⟨p. 667⟩shine of light coming in to them, death wraps us up in extreamest darkness. And we finde in Scripture, the shaddow of death put first, to express the extreamest of spiritual darkness, or the darkest spiritual state, (Isa. 9.2.) The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shaddow of death, upon them hath the light shined: that is, they that were wrapped up in the ignorance & utter unbelief of God in Christ, to these is Christ, the true light of God, the Sun of righteousness preached and openly revealed, and they pressed to the receiving of him, that their souls may live further as the shaddow of death is put for the worst of spiritual evils, or to note man's natural state before conversion, so likewise, it is used in Scripture to note the worst of his spiritual evils, who (being converted) is in a spiritual state; He that is in a spiritual state, may be under great spiritual evils, great soul afflictions and troubles may fall upon him; which I conceive David intended while he shewed such high confidence, (Psal. 23.4.) Though I walk through the valley of the shaddow of death, I will fear none evil: as if he had said, Though I were in the worst of soul-afflictions, having no light of the favour of God shining upon me, nor any comfort in my spirit, though (as Heman bemoans his deserted condition (Psal. 88.3.) My soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave, though I am laid in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deep, yet I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me. Again, the shaddow of death is often put in Scripture for the worst of outward worldly evils, (Jer. 13.16.) Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness, &c. and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shaddow of death;
