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SORES

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SORES

ULCERS.

Sores Or Ulcers. The symbol of sores or ulcers is very analogous to the vices and guilt of the mind. For as the habit or clothing shews the quality and fortune of the person; so the affections of the body can be used only to denote those of the soul. The proximity of the clothing is thought to be sufficient to affect the body, and the close union of the body must certainly affect the soul. Hence comes the general opinion of the Oriental nations, Pagan and Mahometan, that the dirt of the clothes makes the whole man impure; which is as old as the times of the Patriarchs before the Mosaical dispensation.

A sore therefore signifies an uncleanness, a sin or vice proportionable to the properties of the sore. This is thus proved from Holy Writ.

First, in Deu 28:35, , an eating sore is said to be the punishment or curse for disobedience. And thus, as in the Hebrew style, the work is taken for the reward, and the reward or punishment for the work; the sore may represent the guilt. And hence Job’s friends, from the greatness of his sores, did agree about the greatness of his supposed sins, and taxed him accordingly.

Secondly, a sore, leprosy, or running sore, were the visible marks which not only drove a man from coming into the presence of God, but also forced him to go out of the camp, and the society of men. And therefore a sore may very well symbolically represent that those who are plagued with it arc driven away from the presence of God, and become abominable in his sight, and unfit for the society of Christians; which we know in the Christian Religion arises not from any bodily infirmity, but from the ulcers of the soul, the sins and wickedness of men.

Thirdly, sores or ulcers symbolically signify sins, because in the Hebrew phrase and notions, to heal signifies to pardon sins, and to pardon the sin is equivalent to healing.

Thus in 2Ch 30:20, Hezekiah having prayed that God would excuse and pardon those who had eaten the Passover without being sufficiently purified, ” The Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.” Thus in Isa 53:5, by our Saviour’s stripes are we healed. And in Isa 1:6, wounds, bruises, and sores are sins, the binding up of them signifies repentance, and the healing up remission.

Agreeably to this, Philo observes, “That the leprosy is the symbol of the sins of the soul.”f1

As for the exposition of the Oneirocritics, they all say, “That sores and imposthumes signify the acquisition of riches, with envy, and to the prejudice of the supreme power, and that too with shame and by stealth.” See chaps. cv. cvi. cvii.

Sores denote also ill digested humours in the body politic, after they have broken out into overt action. Isa 1:6; 2Ch 6:28.

A sore and pain, signifies, according to Sir Isaac Newton, a durable plague of war, Rev 16:2; Rev 16:11.

Upon the same principles that sores are sins, may the leaves of a tree be the symbol of remission of sins, or Divine pardons; and so of the Divine favour consequent thereupon. And this

First, as leaves and plants are used medicinally to heal the sores and bruises of bodies.

Secondly, as they have been used in religious purgations or expiations.

In the Mosaical law there was one general kind of sacrifice commanded for purgation, which consisted of an heifer sacrificed and burnt to ashes, with which, and spring-water, a lee was made to serve many sorts of purgations. When this heifer was burnt, cedar and hyssop, with scarlet wool, were thrown into the burning; and when purgations were made with the water, a branch of hyssop was used to sprinkle it, Num 19:6; Num 19:18. Also in the purgation of the leprosy, the like branches of cedar and hyssop, with scarlet wool, were used, Lev 14:4-7. Hence, in Psa 51:9, ” Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Which ceremonial rite is symbolical, and grounded upon the abstersive or purging virtue of the hyssop.

As for the Pagans, they used herbs several ways in sacrifices and purgations. Porphyry says, “The ancient way of sacrificing was to offer grass and branches.”f2

Pliny is of opinion that the thus or frankincense, was not used in the times of the Trojan wars for a perfume or incense in religious rites; but that they used the smoke of cedar and citrus.f3 So the ancient Romans, in the times of Romulus, used the myrtle in their purgations;f4 and the bay likewise was thought to expiate;f5 and savine was used to the same purpose. f6 Hence came the use of crowns in sacrifices; and these were used not only by them who offered, but upon the statues and altars too, to make the gods propitious.f7

Eusebius also makes mention of offering herbs and leaves as the most ancient way of sacrificing among the heathens. All which practices proceeded from the consideration of the natural virtues of such plants, which by a similitude or analogy, between the ulcers or pains of the body to the sins or guilt of the soul, they applied in religious rites, as appears from Proclusf8 and Jamblichus.f9

Thirdly, leaves serve for covering, and so may be symbols of a propitiation.

Sins, when grievous and ripe for punishment, are said to be before God: what therefore covers them makes a propitiation. Upon this score, the cloud of the incense, which covered the mercy-seat when the high-priest went into the sanctuary, is said to prevent his death, Lev 16:13. God would have a kind of veil to stand before the high-priest, that he might not, as it were, see God face to face, which was a privilege only granted to Moses.

So in Psa 32:1, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is covered:” and in Psa 85:2, “Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin;” wherein pardon and covering explain each other.

Further, sin is nakedness in the style of Holy Writ, and the consequence of it is shame. Thus in Exo 32:25, when the people had committed idolatry, “Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked:” so 2Ch 28:19, “For he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord.” What therefore covers man, takes off, or at least lessens his shame. When therefore Adam had sinned, he endeavoured to palliate his shame, by covering his body with leaves or boughs. But God, who was merciful, though he cursed him in some things, yet he favoured him in others; and upon his confession, which was a token of repentance, he clothed him. It is probable that God instructed him to offer up some victims for his sin, and thereupon commanded him to clothe himself with the skins; which by that were indeed a mark of God’s reconciliation, but shewed still that the guilt was not quite so removed, but that he continually stood in need of the Divine mercy; and that his own invention of the covering of the leaves was not that which could cover his sin, but that which God allowed.

Fuente: A Symbolical Dictionary

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