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

Now, because he that persuadeth or deceiveth another, endeavoureth to turn or remove him from what he holdeth or intendeth, to the contrary, therefore (as we render) this word signifies also to remove, to bring from one place to another, or from ⟨p. 281⟩one state to another. He would have removed, or translated thee Out of a strait into a broad place.

Now, because he that perswadeth or deceiveth another, endeavoureth to turn or remove him from what he holdeth or intendeth, to the contrary, therefore (as we render) this word signifies also to remove, to bring from one place to another, or from ⟨p. 281⟩one state to another. He would have removed, or translated thee Out of a streight into a broad place.

Here are two sorts of places, a strait, and a broad place: What a strait place, properly taken, is, all know. The Heb ew is, He would have removed thee out of the mouth of the strait. ¹The Septuagint render, He would have removed thee out of the mouth of the enemy. An enemy puts us to straits; and therefore the same word signifies a strait and an enemy: he would have removed thee out of a strait place; the hand of an enemy is so. But mo•e generally, by the strait place, we are to understand any kind of tribulation or trouble whatsoever. Troubles of any sort are justly called straits, for they enclose and imprison us, they abridge us of our liberty, they tie us short up, where we can scarce stir or breath. A man in trouble, is a man in straits. Some expound these words allegorically, taking the mouth of the strait for Hells mouth; they that descend thither, are indeed in everlasting straits; for, though Tophet be deep and large, as the Prophet speaks (Isa. 30.33.) yet all that are there, are in straits. Hell is la ge to take in, but strait to let out,