ADMIRABLE, is often placed for difficult, or even for impossible. Sarah laughing when the Angel promised to make her Gen. xviii. 14.the Mother of a Son, he answered, Will this be admirable to God?
It is likewise taken for what is above our capacity or condition. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, I cannot attain unto Ps. cxxxix. 6. cxxxi. 1.it, Mirabilis facta est scientia tua ex me, or pro me. And in another place, I do not exercise my self in great matters, or in things too high for me, Non ambulavi in magnis neque in mirabilibus super me. There is nothing admirable before God, says the Son of Sirach; nothing is hid from his eyes. Ecclus. xxxix. 20.And the Man born blind, upon his being healed by Jesus Mat. viii. 10. Luke vii. 9. Mat. xv. 28. Judg. xiii. 18. 2 Sam. i. 26. Ps. cxviii. 23.Christ, It is admirable that ye should not know whence he is; and yet he hath opened mine Eyes. It is said somewhere, that our Saviour admired, for example, when he admired the Centurion’s and the Woman of Canaan’s faith. That is to say, he expressed himself as if he admired it; for admiration being the effect of ignorance, it is impossible that he should admire any thing. Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is admirable? It is above thy comprehension, and of no service to you to know it. My love to thee, O Jonathan, is more admirable1; greater, more ardent, than that of a Lover for the person whom he is most passionately fond of. The Stone which the builders refused, is become the head Stone of the Corner; this seems admirable to us. It is an effect of God’s power.
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Footnotes
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Translators’ note. The Author, in this passage, varies from the Text, where David describes the affection of his Friend to himself, not his to Jonathan. I confess, Errors of this nature are very inconsiderable, and not worth remarking; but few of more importance have escaped this diligent and exact Writer. ↩