An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Again, Some taking the word gold here metaphorically for any precious thing, take the word North metaphorically also for any evil thing, that is, for any affliction, trouble, or sorrow which we meet with in this world; these are indeed as a cold chilling North-wind, and so they will needs give the sense of this Scripture mystically thus, Out of the North cometh precious things; that is, afflictions (which are as a cold chilling North-wind) make us more precious; or, through cold chilling afflictions, we are made more and more precious. Job saith, and this text may have such an allusion (and I give it no further) to that (Chap. 23.10.) When he hath tried me, I shall come forth gold; that is, I shall come forth precious. Whether God doth try us by the North or by the South, whether by the heat of prosperity, or by the cold of adversity, if we are under his trial, and are faithful, we come out gold, we come out more precious from our trials, than we came in. The Apostle hath a like allusion (1 Pet. 1.6, 7.) Ye are now for a season in heaviness (if need be) through manifold temptations, (that is, troubles, tribulations and afflictions) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, ⟨p. 605⟩though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise, &c. Thus Out of the North comes Gold, or this precious thing, a tried faith. That's a truth from the allegorical sense of this place; but I shall not stay upon it.

Again, Some taking the word gold here metaphorically for any pretious thing, take the word North metaphorically also for any evil thing, that is, for any affliction, trouble, or sorrow which we meet with in this world; these are indeed as a cold chilling North-wind, and so they will needs give the sence of this Scripture mystically thus, Out of the North cometh precious things; that is, afflictions (which are as a cold chilling North-wind) make us more precious; or, through cold chilling afflictions, we are made more and more precious. Job saith, and this text may have such an allusion (and I give it no further) to that (Chap. 23.10.) When he hath tried me, I shall come forth gold; that is, I shall come forth precious. Whether God doth try us by the North or by the South, whether by the heat of prosperity, or by the cold of adversity, if we are under his tryal, and are faithfull, we come out gold, we come out more precious from our tryals, than we came in. The Apostle hath a like allusion (