“For,” says he, “here be in my Text, twelve words, which do plainly represent the twelve hours. And one told JACOB, and said, ’Thy son JOSEPH cometh unto thee!’ And here is, besides, Behold, which is the Hand of the Dial, that turns and points at every word of the Text. And one told JACOB, and said, ’Behold, thy son JOSEPH cometh unto thee!’ For it is not said, Behold JACOB! or Behold JOSEPH! but it is, And one told JACOB, and said, Behold, thy son JOSEPH cometh unto thee.  That it is say, Behold And, Behold one, Behold told, Behold JACOB.  Again Behold and, Behold said, and also Behold Behold, &c.  Which is the reason that this word Behold is placed in the middle of the other twelve words, indifferently pointing to each word.

    “Now, as it needs must be One of the Clock before it can be Two
    or Three; so I shall handle this word And, the first word of
    the Text, before I meddle with the following.

“And one told JACOB.  The word And is but a particle, and a small one:  but small things are not to be despised. St. Matthew xviii. 10, Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones.  For this And is as the tacks and loops amongst the curtains of the Tabernacle.  The tacks put into the loops did couple the curtains of the Tent and sew the Tent together:  so this particle And being put into the loops of the words immediately before the Text, does couple the Text to the foregoing verse, and sews them close together.”

I shall not trouble you, Sir, with the rest:  being much after this witty rate, and to as much purpose.

But we will go on, if you please, Sir! to [3] the cunning Observations, Doctrines, and Inferences that are commonly made and raised from places of Scripture.

One takes that for his Text, Psalm lxviii. 3, But let the righteous be glad.  From whence, he raises this doctrine, that “there is a Spirit of Singularity in the Saints of GOD:  but let the righteous—­” a doctrine, I will warrant him! of his own raising; it being not very easy for anybody to prevent him!

Another, he takes that of Isaiah xli. 14, 15, Fear not, thou worm JACOB! &c.... thou shalt thresh the mountains. Whence he observes that “the worm JACOB was a threshing worm!”

Another, that of Genesis xliv. 1. And he commanded the Steward of the house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry:  and makes this note from the words.

That “great sacks and many sacks will hold more than few sacks and little ones.  For look,” says he, “how they came prepared with sacks and beasts, so they were sent back with corn!  The greater, and the more sacks they had prepared, the more corn they carry away! if they had prepared but small sacks, and a few; they had carried away the less!”

Verily, and indeed extraordinarily true!