1
The Proof
Now although these interpretations by their analogy with one another & resemblance to the things signified, may seem plain enough, yet that nothing be wanting to establish them, I shall further show their consent wthwith yethe scriptures, & also wthwith yethe doctrine of the ancient wthwith yethe translation of the Chalde Paraphrast & wthwith yethe received ancient doctrin of yethe Eastern interpreters (of Dreams & visions) as it is recorded by Achmet an Arabian out of yethe ancient monuments of Ægypt Persia & India. See Mr Medes account of this book p For since these nations anciently bordering upon yethe Iews Hebrews had great affinity wthwith ymthem both in Language & manners, & therefore wee scruple not to learn frōom them yethe use of words & phrases in yethe scripture, so much less need we other not scruple in like manner to learn from them yethe use of expressions & types in yethe mysticall Language of yethe Prophets. figurative expressions wherin their severall nations were much better agreed ynthan in yethe language of yethe common people. For yethe Prophets wthwithout doubt spake in a dialect then commonly known to yethe more understanding sort of men, & many of their types & figures wchwhich are unusuall & difficult to us appear by these records of Achmet to have been very familiar to those Eastern nations; at least among the interpreters. And therefore therefore esteeming it pertinent to show yethe consent of orour interpretations wthwith yethe doctrin of these interpreters next after their consent wthwith yethe scriptures: I proceed. For it is not to be doubted but that their doctrine anciently descended from men of real skill such as were Balaam, Numb 24: Pharaoh's Magicians & wise men, whose wisdom Moses hath set a value upon by counting it worth his learning Gen 41. Acts 7.22. Nebuchadnezzar's Caldeans & other Interpreter's amongst wchwhich was Daniel who besides his extraordinary gift of Prophesy had also skill in all learning & understanding, in all Visions & Dreams Dan 1.17. And yethe Magi wchwhich came from yethe East to worship orour Saviour, who seem to be of yethe same order wthwith yethe rest. And therefore since God gave yethe sacred Prophesies to be interpreted by humane skill, we cannot next after yethe Scriptures have a better guide then yethe established doctrine of yethe ancient Interpreters. I call it established, ffor such yethe exact consent of yethe afforesaid three Nations in thethese records argue it to be, since there uses not to happen any such consent in doctrines wchwhich severall nations or severall men in yethe same nation frame according to their privat imaginations. [To wchwhich consideration may their consent wthwith such interpretations areas are to be collected out of scripture may be added as a pledge of their2 their certainty legitimatenes in the rest. And forefor these reasons very great regard may be also had to yethe Calde Paraphrast.] Wherefore chosing next after yethe Authority of yethe scriptures chosing wthwith Grotius & wthwith Grotius rather a Grotius. Mr M Dr Moor. &c. modern Interpreters rather to rely rather upon yethe skill traditions of yethe ancient Interpreters then upon yethe suggestions of private Phantasy, I proceed.
1. The comparison of a Kingdom or political world to yethe Vnivers World natural worldethe new founding of yethe policalpolitical world or Kingdom of yethe Iews is exprest by planting yethe Heavens & laying yethe foundations of yethe Earth. I have put my words in thy mouth & have covered thee in yethe shaddow of mine hand ytthat I may plant yethe heavens & say unto lay the foundations of yethe earth, & say unto Zion, Thou art my people. See the Calde Paraphrast. In yethe same sence is Heaven & earth to be taken in Isa: 1.2. Deut. . Hagg: 2.21. &c
2. ethe sun Moon & eleven Stars should do obesance to him, Iacob interprets it of himself his wife & Sons comparing his Family to yethe Vnivers as if it were a little Kingdom Gen 37. The Sun immutably represents yethe King, yethe Moon the next in power to yethe King, yethe Planet Venus the Queen, the rest of yethe greater stars the great men of yethe Kingdom. Achmet. chap 167. Ind. Pers. Eg. Yet Lucifer wchwhich is yethe same with Venus does sometimes signify a King as in Isa 14.12, where yethe King of Babylon is called by this name; suppose in respect of God or yethe son of God Christ the
3. Thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my Throne above yethe stars of God. I will sit also upon yethe mount of yethe congregation in yethe sides of yethe North, I will ascend above yethe heights of yethe clouds, &c. This is spoken of yethe King of Babylon exalting himself above all Kings & earthly dominions. Isa 14.13. If a King 3 see himself as it were above the heaven where the stars are, he shall find exaltation & a name above other Kings, Achmet. c. 162. If a King dream that he sits upon yethe Clouds carried whither he will he shall rule over his enemies, & obtein victories & unexpected joy. Ach: c. 194.
4. There is nothing more usuall then to put yethe Earth for yethe Nations of yethe Earth, or for yethe common people of any great Kingdom: as in these expressions. Let all yethe Earth prais yethe Lord. He causeth the Earth & them that dwell therein to worship yethe first beast Rev. 13.12. Hear o Heavens & give ear o Earth Isa 1 2. [Sing O Heavens, & be joyfull O Earth & break forth into singing o Mountains: for yethe Lord hath comforted his people. Isa 49:13. &c.]
5. The Waters where the Whore sitteth are peoples & multitudes & nations & tongues Rev 17.15. I saw a Beast rise up out of yethe Sea. i.e. out of yethe aggregate of yethe waters where yethe Whore sitteth Rev. 13.1. How is Babylon become an astonishment among yethe nations! the Sea (i.e. yethe Kingdom of yethe Persians Medes) is come upon Babylon she is covered wthwith yethe multitude of yethe waves thereof, her cities are a desolation &c Ier 51.42. I If any man dream he is Lord of the Sea he will be successor in the whole Kingdom. Ach. c. 178. Ind. Pers. Eg. So yethe Chalde Paraphrast for waters substitutes people in Ier 47.2 & Ezek 26.19 &c
6. Hurt not yethe Earth nor the Sea Rev 7.3. that is yethe two sorts of people signified by the earth & yethe sea, as is expounded in ch 12.12: Wo be to yethe inhabitants of the earth & of yethe Sea. ffor these are two sorts of people because yethe Earth was hurt in yethe first Trumpet & yethe Sea in the second.
Much after yethe same manner yethe Egyptians are usually distinguished differenced from There is much yethe same difference usually put between yethe Egyptians & other nations in yethe old Testament.ethe old Testament are usually distinguished from other nations.
7. They shall bring all your brethren unto my holy Mountain Ierusalem Isa: 66.20. O my Mountain4 Mountain in the feild i.e. Ierusalem Ier 17.3. Let thy fury be turned away from thy City Ierusalem thy holy Mountain Dan 9.16. Whilst I was presenting my supplication – for yethe holy Mountain of my God, vers 20. [He carried me away in yethe spirit to a great high Mountain & shewed me that great City yethe holy Ierusalem Rev 21.10.] So in Dan 2 The new Ierusalem extending its dominion over the earth is represented by a great mountain wchwhich filled yethe whole Earth. I will render unto Babylon – all yethe evil that they have done in Zion – Behold I am against the o destroying Mountain saith the Lord wchwhich destroyest all yethe earth – thou shalt be desolate for ever Ier 51.24, 25, 26. Who art thou O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain i.e. yethe City Babylon Zech 4:7. The burden of Babylon wchwhich Isaiah yethe son of Amos did see: Lift ye up a banner upon yethe high Mountain Isa: 13.2 I will lay the Land most desolate & the pomp of her strength shall cease, & yethe Mountains (i.e. Cities) of Israel shall be desolate. Ezek 33.28.
7. Of Ierusalem's being called a Mountain there are many instances, as in Zech 8.3: Ierusalem shall be called a city of truth & yethe mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy Mountain. So in Dan 9.16. Let thy fury be turned away from thy City Ierusalem thy holy Mountain Dan 9.16. The like in Dan 9.20. Ier 17.3. Isa 27.13, & 66.10 &c.
So of Babylon. I will render unto Babylon — all yethe evill that they have done in Zion — Behold I am against the O destroying Mountain saith yethe Lord wchwhich destroyest all yethe earth — thou shalt be desolate for ever. Ier 51.24, 25, 26. Who art thou O great Mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain. Zech 4.7. The burden of Babylon wchwhich Isaias yethe Son of Amos did see: lift ye up a banner upon yethe high mountain. Chal. Par. upon yethe City wchwhich dwels securely. Isa 13.2.
So of Cities in generall: I will lay the land most desolate & yethe pomp of her strength shall cease, & yethe Mountains of Israel shall be desolate Ezek 33.28. Thou hast said, by the multitude of my Chariots am I come up to yethe height of yethe mountains Chal. Par. to yethe strong holds of yethe Cities. Isa 37.24
Sometimes a mountain is extended to signify yethe whole dition of a city as in Dan 2.35 & Isa 11.9, much after yethe same manner that a King is sometimes put for his kingdom.
8. And sometimes it signifies onely a Temple. Ierusalem shall become heaps, & yethe Mountain –
8. Ierusalem shall become heaps, & yethe Mountain of yethe house as yethe high-placesof yethe Forrest: But in the last days it shall come to pass that the Mountain of yethe house of yethe Lord shal be established in yethe top of yethe Mountains & it shall be exalted above yethe hills &c i.e. above all other temples. Mica 3.12. Micah 3.12. A voice was heard upon yethe high-places — Return ye back sliding children – in vain is salvation hoped for from yethe hills & from yethe multitude of yethe Mountains: truly in the Lord orour God is the salvation of Israel. Ier 3.21, 22. The reason of this signification of a Mountain I suppose is because Idol-temples were usually placed upon the tops of Mountains as5 as may appear out of Deutr 12.2: Ye shall utterly destroy all yethe places wherein yethe nations wchwhich ye shall posses served their Gods upon yethe high Mountains & upon yethe hills: & And also because of yethe Idols themselves were placed on high in their Temples, as is known: whence in Scripture these Temples or rather their Altars are always are frequently called high-places greatnes of the buildings & height of their Altars whence they are frequently called high places in scripture. [notwithstanding that they are sometimes in Valleys, as in Ier 7.31: They have built the high-places of Tophet wchwhich is in yethe Valley of yethe Son of Hinnon.]
[I will make Ierusalem heaps & a Den of Dragons, Ier 9.11. The noise of the bruit is come – to make the Cities of Iudah desolate & a Den of Dragons Ier 10.22.] The signification of
9. That Dens & Rocks signify buildings is obvious from yethe resemblance wchwhich Dens have to their Rooms or to yethe Cavities of their ruins, & Rocks to their outside. And moreover ytthat shall be dens forever Isa 32 this is their meaning in scripture may appear by the following instances. The multitude of – The multitude of the City shall be left, the forts & towers shall be Dens for ever Isa 32.14. I will make Ierusalem heaps & a Den of Dragons Ier 9.11 [Is this house wchwhich is called by my name become a Den of robbers? i.e. An Idol temple Ier 7.11] See also Ier 9.11 & 10.22 See also Ier 9.11 & 10.22.
The pride of thine heart (O Edom) hath deceived thee thou that dwellest in yethe clifts of yethe Rock whose habitation is high, that saith in his heart who shall bring me down to yethe ground Obad 3. * * Although this be an allusion to yethe high country of yethe Edomites, yet I take it to be meant rather of their sumptuous buildings & Palaces then naturall rocks, becaus it is made a character of their pride, & it is no argument of pride merely to dwell in a high & rocky Country. In the same sense I understand also yethe following places. Let yethe wildernes & yethe cities thereof lift up their voice the villages ytthat Kedar doth inhabit: let yethe inhabitants of yethe Rock sing let ymthem shout from yethe top of yethe mountains. (i.e. of yethe Cities) Isa 42.11 Behold I am against thee (the house of David) O inhabitant of yethe Valley & rock of the plain saith yethe Lord; wchwhich say, Who shall come down against us or who shall enter into orour habitations? Ier 21.13. Behold I am against thee o destroying Mountain (i.e. Babylon) saith yethe Lord — I will roll the down from yethe rocks & make thee a burnt Mountain. Ier 51.25. They shall destroy the walls of Tyrus & break down her towers & I will also scrape her dust from her & make her like yethe top of a rock. Ezek. 26.4, 14. ***
*** 10. To these instances of common buildings may be added those chwhich is called by my name become a Den of Robbers? i.e. An Idol-Temple. Ier 7.11 Are ye not yethe children of transgression — in yethe fire. See also Ier 19.5 & 32.35 that is under yethe Idol Temples or high-places of Topheth wchwhich they built for that purpose in yethe Valley of yethe Son of Hinnon Ier 7.31 & 19.5 & 32.35. Other instances of this see in Def the comment on Def. 64. Are ye not the children of ryourselves with Idols under every green tree, slaying the children in yethe Valleys under the clifts of yethe rocks? Isa 57.5: that is, under Idol-temples, as may6 may appear by comparing this place wthwith Ier 7 31: They have built high places of Topheth wchwhich is in yethe Valley of yethe son of Hinnon, to burn their sons & their daughters in yethe fire. See also Ier 19.5 & 32.35 &c
The High-places of Aven, the Sin of Israel shall be destroyed, yethe thorn & thistle shall come upon their Altars & they [the Idols] shall say to the Mountains & cover us & to yethe hills fall on us. Hosea 8. 10.8 The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, & yethe Idols he shall utterly abolish [gr. hide or bury them] & they shall go into yethe holes of yethe Rocks & into yethe caves of yethe earth for fear of yethe Lord, Isa 2.9. In that day shall a man cast his Idols — to yethe Moles & to yethe Bats to go into yethe clefts of yethe Rock & into yethe tops [gr. holes] of yethe ragged rocks for fear of yethe Lord, vers 21. Here yethe Idols wchwhich are to be hid in yethe rocks are called by the name of Idols, but a little before they were spoken unto as men: Enter into yethe Rock & hide thee ye in yethe dust, vers 10. And therefore since these men here spoken unto are Idols & yethe Rocks their Temples; by men hiding themselves in Rocks must be understood Idols shut up or buried in yethe ruins of their Temples.
The same may be collected from yethe reason of the thing. For the signification of Dens & Rocks is obvious from yethe resemblance wchwhich ethe Rooms & outside of stone buildings, or to yethe cavities & cragginess of their ruins. And Mountains must also here signify great buildings becaus of their falling. And ytthat 63) That Idols may be called men is according to yethe common way of7 of speaking. ffor they are Images of Men, & as we are wont to call yethe Image of a Beast a Beast & yethe Image of a Bird a Bird, so we call yethe Image of a man a man. Wherefore considering that to hide in Dens or holes of Rocks or to cover wthwith falling Mountains; that is to shut up in Buildings, or bury in theirthe ruins of them is the proper way of destroying Idols, but not a proper way of destroying men: whenever men are said to be so hid or covered we must understand Idols thereby.
But because the establishing of this is of very great moment importance for interpreting yethe sixt seal, it will not be amis to show further how much it is according to yethe custom of yethe Prophets to call Idols men: considering representing them as men wherewith yethe Church comits adultery & calling them by yethe names of those nations whose Gods they are, as may be seen in these instancesethe common way of speaking so it is yethe Language of yethe scripturs. Thou hast played yethe Harlot wthwith many lovers yet return to me saith yethe Lord – she defiled yethe Land & committed adultery wthwith stones & with stocks. Ier 3.1, 9. I will destroy her vines & her figtrees whereof she said, These are my rewards ytthat my lovers have given me – – & I will visit upon her yethe days of Baalim wherein she – went after her lovers & forgat me saith yethe Lord. Hos: 2.12. Thou pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by — thou madest thy self Images of men & didst commit whordom wthwith them – thou hast committed fornication wthwith yethe Ægyptians great of flesh – thy filthines was poured out & thy nakedness discovered through thy whordoms wthwith thy lovers & [even] wthwith all yethe Idols of thy abominations Ezek 16.15, 17, 26, 37. 8 Aholah – doted on her lovers on yethe Assyrians her neighbours wchwhich were clothed wthwith blew, Captains & Rulers all of them desirable young men, horsmen riding upon horses. Thus she committed her whoredoms wthwith them wthwith all them that were chosen men of Assyria & wthwith all on whome she doted, [even] wthwith all their Idols. Ezek 23.5. And when her sister Aholibah saw this, – she doted upon yethe Assyrians her neighbours Captains & Rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsmen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men – & she increased her whordoms, for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall yethe Images of yethe Caldeans pourtrayed wthwith Vermilion girded with girdles upon their loins exceeding in died attire upon their heads, all of them Princes to look to, after yethe manner of yethe Babylonians – she doted upon them & sent Messengers unto them into Caldea & yethe Babylonians came to her into yethe bed of love i.e. when she saw their Idols she doted upon them & sent for others to be made in their likeness & set up in her own land. vers 11.
By these instances it may appear ytthat it is according to yethe use of yethe Prophets to represent Idols as men where with yethe Church com̄mmits adultery, & not onely so but to call them by the names of those men whose Gods they are or whose likeness they bear, as Ægyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Princes, Captains, Rulers, horsmen, young men &c: not much unlike their being called in the sixt seal, Kings, & great men & rich men & Captains & mighty men & bond & free. See Def .
11. The Lord hath annointed me – to give them the garment of prais for yethe spirit of heaviness that they might be called the Trees of righteousness, the planting of yethe Lord Isa 61.3. [The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down – for9 – for yethe day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one ytthat is proud & lofty – & upon all yethe oaks of Bashan Cedars of Lebanon that are high & lifted up, & upon all yethe Oaks of Bashan & upon all yethe high Mountains Isa 2.13. They shall march wthwith an Army & come against her with axes as hewers of wood, they shall cut down her Forrest saith the Lord, Ier 46.23. HowleHowl fir-tree for yethe Cedar is fallen becaus all yethe mighty are spoiled: Howl O ye Oaks of Bashan for yethe For defenced Forrest is come down. Zech 11.2.] How long shall yethe Land Mourn, & yethe herbs of every field wither for yethe wickedness of them that dwell therein Ier 12.4. See also In Rev 9.4 The Herbs & green things & Trees are ethe men wchwhich have not the seale of God in their Fore-heads are excepted from the Herbs & green things & Trees See also Isa 10.19. & 14.8. & Ezek 31.8 The vineyard of yethe Lord of hosts is yethe house of Israel, & yethe men of Iudah his pleasant Plant Isa 5.7. They shall march wthwith an Army & come against Ægypt wthwith Axes as hewers of wood, they shall cut down her Forrest Ier 46.22. Wickedness burneth as yethe fire it shall devour yethe briarsBriars & thorns & shall kindle in yethe thickets of yethe Forrest — the people shall be as yethe fewel of the fire. WchWhich last words explain yethe rest. Is 9.19. How long shall yethe Land mourn & yethe herbs of every field wither for yethe wickednes of them ytthat dwel therein Ier 12.4. The good seed (whose blade is called Χόρτος) are yethe children of yethe Kingdom but yethe tares are yethe children of yethe wicked one Mat 13.38. Every plant wchwhich my Father hath not planted shall bee rooted up. I have planted Apollos watered &c.
The Calde Paraphrast for Oaks of Basan Isa 2.13 & Zech 11.2 substitutes Princes or Governours of Provinces: for Cedars Isa 14.8 rich men: for Firs Isa 37.24 Princes: & for Herbs a defenced Forest Zech 11.2 a Country of Valiant people their strength & defence.
If one dream that he waters & prunes dresses trees, he shall be a very great man & a nourisher of yethe people. – If a King dream that he plants Trees he shall institute new magistrates. – If a plebeian dream that he gathers into his house yethe leaves of trees, he shall obtein riches from great men proportional to yethe leaves. Ach. capc. 151. [This Author is also very particular in suiting severall sorts of Trees to severall sorts of persons in c. 151. 165 & 200]
The Chalde Paraphrast for woods sometimes substitutes Armies Isa 10.18, 34 & sometimes Cities or people Ier 21.14 & .9.18. And so yethe Indians, Persians & Egyptians interpret as Achmet in c 151 affirms: If one dream that he waters & dresses trees, he shall be a very great man & a nourisher of yethe people. And If a King dream that he plants trees he shall institute new Magistrates. And if a plebeian dream ytthat he gathers into his hous yethe leaves of trees, he shall obtein riches from great men proportionall to yethe leaves &c. Ach. c: 151
What is yethe Vine tree more then any tree, — shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? – As yethe vine tree amongst yethe trees of yethe Forest wchwhich I have given to yethe fire for fewel, so will I give yethe inhabitants of Ierusalem. Ezek 15.2. Their vine is the vine of Sodom Deut 32.32.
Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel & thy garments like him that treadeth yethe winefat? I have troden yethe wine-press alone – for I will tread them in mine anger10 anger — & their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments Isa 63.2, 3. See also Ioel 3.13. Lament 1.15. & Ier 25.30. The reason of this Hieroglyphic is yethe resemblance between effusion of Blood & expressing yethe juice of Grapes.
12. Becaus Herbs & other Vegetables signify men therefore such insects as destroy them signify armies of men wchwhich in like manner prey upon countries. That wchwhich yethe Palmer worm hath left hath yethe Locust eaten & that wchwhich yethe Canker worm hath left hath yethe Caterpiller eaten – For a nation is come up upon my Land strong & without number – he hath laid my vine wast & barked my figtree he hath made it clean bare & cast it away, the branches thereof are made white Ioel 1 4.6. See also Ioel 2.2, 25. Locusts are generally referred to a multitude of Enemies — – If any King or Potentate see Locusts come upon a place let him expect a powerfull multitude of enemies there: & look what hurt yethe Locusts do yethe Enemy will do mischief proportionally Achm. c. 300. Ind. Pers Eg.
13 Wild Beasts also by reason of their feeding upon vegetables & preying upon one another signify armies. Come ye, assemble all yethe Beasts of yethe feild, come to devour. Chalde Paraph. Those that stay with yethe sword shall be assembled from all sides: Kings of Nations & their armies shall come – to spoile. Ier 12.9 The burden of yethe Beasts of yethe South i.e. Armies the Bands of Egypt Isa 30.6. I have given all these lands into yethe hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon my servant, & yethe Beasts of yethe field have I given him also to serve him, & all nations shall serve him Ier 27.6. & 28.14 I will also send wild Beasts among you wchwhich shall rob you of yoryour children & destroy your cattel & make you few in number & your high ways shall be desolate Levit 26.22. In Ier 15.2, 3. Ezek 5.17 & 14.13, 15, 1917, 19, 21; there are described four distinct kinds of plagues to befall yethe Iews, Famin, Captivity, Sword, & Pestilence whereof their captivity is described by Beasts passing through yethe land & spoiling it & making it desolate: so that11 that Beast wild beasts strictly signify forreign armies wchwhich destroy not so much by cruelty & bloodshed as by bloodshed the sword only as in civil wars but by spoiling a country & carrying away the prey. The famin also is represented by in Ier 15.3. by doggs to teare, because of yethe greediness of this Beast who usually leaves nothing behind him for others to feed upon & perhaps also becaus his tearing may represent yethe gnawing of a hungry Stomach. And in yethe same place the Pestilence is represented by ffowls of yethe heaven to destroy becaus yethe infection of the Pestilence is in the Air & seizes a man from thence.
14 Artemidorus another writer about yethe interpretation of Dreams saith ytthat Froggs signify Impostor's & Scoffers lib 2. c 3.
15 The Land is as yethe garden of Eden before them & behind them a desolate wildernes Ioel 2.3. [The fruitful place was a Wilderness & all yethe cities thereof were broken down Ier 4.26.] &c.
16 The Woman [i.e. yethe Church] fled into yethe Wildernes Rev: 12.6. He carried me away in the spirit into yethe Wilderness; & I saw a Woman sit upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of Blasphemy Rev 17.3. Authors usually interpret yethe Wilderness here of Gentilism spreading over the Christian World: in wchwhich opinion is Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen, Ambrose, Hierom, Hilary &c as may be seen in Alcazar. And perhaps yethe name may well allude to yethe woody & uninhabited places where Gentiles used to build their Temples, whence in Micah 3.12 they are called yethe high-places of yethe Forest And I take it to be nothing els but yethe Desolation, spoken of by Daniel & our Saviour, wchwhich was to be made by setting up yethe Abomination.
17 First the King of Babylon Assyria hath devoured Israel, & last this: Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones, Ier 50.17. The Princes of yethe house of Israel – eat yethe flesh of my people & flay their skins from of them, & they break their bones & chop them in pieces, as&c for yethe pot, & as flesh wthwithin yethe Cauldron i.e. by exaction & oppression Micah 3.3. So to signify the great wealth wchwhich the Kings12 Kings of yethe Medes & Persians should heap up, it is said to yethe second Beast: Arise, devour much flesh. Dan 7.5. And yethe spoiling of yethe Ægyptians by yethe Israelites is expressed by giving yethe Leviathan to be meat for them in yethe Wilderness, Psal 74.13. See also Ezek 29.5 And Achmet to yethe same purpose saith if any one seem to find or eat yethe flesh of Dragons he shall receive riches proportionally from some great King c 283. Ind. Pers. Eg. And if he eat yethe flesh of a Scorpion he shall receive yethe wealth of an enemy c. 285. The like of yethe flesh of other Beasts in c 269, 272, 274 &c And if his own flesh seem to grow plump he shall grow rich proportionally c 87. And in generall he adds ytthat flesh does universally signify riches & gold.
So the Chalde Paraphrast for: They shall eat every man yethe flesh of his own arm Isa 9.20 translates: They shall prey every man upon yethe substance of his neighbour. And so for: The fatnes of his flesh shall wax lean Isa 17.4. he translates The wealth wherein his glory consisted shall pass away.
18 Wheresoever yethe body is thither will yethe Eagles be gathered together that is where Luke 17.37. That is where yethe bodies of yethe saints are at yethe coming of orour Lord, thither will the Angels go to carry them up into the Air to meet yethe Lord at his coming. Mat 24 31 & 1 Thes: 4.17. How fowls of yethe Air are sometimes also put for infectious diseases see yethe Notes upon Def 13
19. Islands have much the same respect to yethe Sea wchwhich Mountains have to yethe earth, & therefore may in like manner signify Cities & Temples: And more especially yethe last by reason of their being separate from yethe rest of yethe Earth as Temples are from common houses. Durant de Rit. Eccl. cath. l 1. c 3. sec 2.
19. Since yethe Sea & waters signify people yethe extent of yethe Sea will answer to yethe extent of yethe possessions of yethe PeoplesPeople, & Islands to parcels of ground exempted from their possessions for sacred uses: namely to yethe Courts of Temples, & more especially to yethe [Delubra or Quares wthwithin wchwhich yethe Idols were placed] On] yethe Altars wchwhich were raised a little above yethe ground as Islands above the sea. And this interpretation is favoured by yethe custom of yethe old Romans to call those houses Islands wchwhich were on all sides disjoyned from others: whereof yethe far greater part of Rome consisted.
20 If one dream he builds ships he shall grow rich proportionally to yethe number of them. This Achmet c 180 relates as yethe doctrin of yethe Ægyptians & Persians & in yethe same chapter adds this for yethe Doctrin of13 of yethe Indians: If one dream that he builds a merchant ship he shall gather an assembly of men to celebrate religious mysteries. The reason of this Emblem I suppose is that a Temple brings profit to a Priest as a ship to a Merchant & is also separate from other buildings as ships are from one another
21 If a king dream ytthat he sees his ships sending out fire to burn other ships or Countries, he shall obtein victories over his enemies proportionall to yethe strength & efficacy of yethe fire. If he seem to see his own ships burnt it portends ruin to his forces. And if he seem to build a new Navy of many ships, proportio according to their number he shall again again rais forces more or less powerfull against his enemies. Achm c 181. Pers & EgyptEgyp.
27 Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt the great Dragon that lyeth in yethe midst of his rivers – I will put my hooks in thy chaws & I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales – & I will leave thee thrown into yethe wilderness, thee & all the fish of thy Rivers. Ezek 29.4
22 Egypt riseth up like a flood & his waters are moved like the rivers, & he saith, I will go up & will cover yethe Earth, I will destroy the City & the inhabitants thereof. Ier 46.8. Behold yethe Lord bringeth upon them yethe waters of yethe River strong & many, even yethe King of Assyria & all his glory: & he shall come up over all his channels & go over all his banks. And he shall pass to through Iudah, he shall overflow & go over, he shall reach even to yethe neck Isa 8.7 Behold waters [Chal. Par. Peoples] rise up out of yethe North & shall be an overflowing flood — & yethe inhabitants of yethe land shall howl at yethe noise of yethe hoofs of his strong horses &c Ier 47.2. Whence it appears ytthat armies wthwithin their own nation are like rivers wthwithin their Banks: 23 But when they invade other nations they are overflowing floods.
The Ægyptians will I give over into yethe hand of a cruel Lord — & yethe waters
24 And as overflowing signifies excess of military power so yethe drying up of waters must on yethe contrary signify the decay & weakning of that power: of wchwhich signification take these instances. (2) The Ægyptians will I give over into yethe hand of a cruel Lord – & yethe waters shall fail from yethe Sea, & yethe river shall be14 be wasted & dryed up & yethe — & yethe brooks of defence shall be emptied & dryed up, & yethe reeds & flaggs shall wither. Isa 19.5, 6. § 25 Where note that as Trees & Herbs in Def signify so here reeds & flaggs signify men. (1) They shall draw their swords against Ægypt & I will make yethe rivers dry & sell yethe land into yethe hand of the wicked. Ezek 30.12.
* * In Ezek 32.3. The Chalde Paraphrast for Rivers substitutes Provinces And yethe Records of Achmet compare Rivers a sometimes to men & sometimes to riches wchwhich flow to yethe King as Rivers to yethe Sea.
26 And in what sense soever Rivers are taken ffountains will most naturally signify Towns & Cities: as being the permanent heads of these flowing waters.
Since Rivers signify Armies & wandering people Fountains by Analogy must signify Towns & Cities from whence those people spring.
The Sea resembles a great King (i.e. his wealth) & as all rivers run into it so yethe wealth of yethe world to him Achm: c 178.
50 If a king dream that there is an Earthquake in his City or Land it portends war of Nations & conspiracy against him. Achm: c 144 Ind. Pers. Eg. But yethe shaking of Heaven & earth imports more then this, namely yethe subverting Kingdoms & turning things as it were up side down. For of Haggai 2.6 where it is said: Yet once more & I will shake yethe Heavens & yethe Earth, &c StSaint Paul gives this interpretation, that this Yet once more &c signifies yethe removing of those things that are shaken Heb 12.27. And Haggai himself a little after makes yethe same interpretation vers 22, where repeating the Prophesy he saith: I will shake yethe Heavens & the earth & I will overthrow the throne of Kingdoms, & I will destroy the strength of yethe Kingdoms of yethe Heathen &c. To yethe same purpose see also Isa 13.13 & 14 16 & Ioel 3.16.
28 The great stars relate to yethe Nobles & yethe rest of yethe stars to yethe whole world Ach c 167 Ind. Pers. Eg.
29 Thou shalt ascend & come like a cloud storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover yethe Land thou & all thy bands & many people wthwith thee Ezek 38.9. (2) A cloud shall cover Ægypt & her daughters shall go into captivity. i.e. a cloud of enemies, or as yethe Chalde Paraphrast interprets, A King wthwith his Army like a cloud Ezek 30 18. (1) A day of darkness & gloominess a day of clouds – a great people & a strong &c Ioel 2.2. In these instan
ces15ces a cloud signifies onely numerous armies but itits signification equally extends to any great multitude as may appear out of Heb 12.1: Wherefore seing we also are compassed about wthwith so great a cloud of Witnesses &c: WchWhich expression now grown proverbial was doubtles derived from yethe Language of yethe ancient Prophets & Wise men, or at least from the same grownds from wchwhich they derived it: wchwhich I take to be chiefly yethe resemblance wchwhich a numerous swarm of insects, as also yethe dust raised by a great multitude of people, hath to a cloud.
Sometimes clouds are put to a signify any kind of adversity, & by Interpreters they are applyed also to wisdom in regard of their sublimity.
30 Nebuchadnezzar is represented by a tree Dan 4. And yethe King of Assyria by a Cedar Ezek 31. In wchwhich chapter also yethe Kings & Princes of Israel & Iudah are represented by Cedars, Fir trees & chesnut trees & yethe holy land by yethe garden of God. So in Isa 37.24 Thou (Sennacherib King of Assyria) hast said, by yethe multitude of my chariots am I come up – – to yethe sides of Lebanon & I will cut down yethe tall Cedars thereof & yethe choise Fir-trees thereof. See also Zech 11.2. Isa 2.13 & 10.19 33, 34. Ier 22.7. Ezek 20.47 &c.
The Chalde Paraphrast for Cedars & firs substitutes Kings Princes & great men in Isa 14.8, & 37.24. & Ezek 31.5, 8. For Oaks of Basan Princes of Provinces Isa 2.13 Zech 11.2. For yethe ffir & Mirtle Iust & good men Isa: 55.13, & for Briars & Thorns wicked men Isa 55 13 & 9.18. And so Achmet in c 151, 165 & 200 is very particular in sorting severall kinds of trees to severall sorts of men.
31 It is usually supposed that yethe Vices of nations were yethe reason why in Daniel & yethe Apocalyps they are represented by Beasts and although this may be sometimes allowed for a secondary reason especially in the Apocalyps but I cannot think it yethe authentic reason becaus a beast may as well be taken in a good sence as in a bad one. For christ is represented by a Lyon as well as Nebuchadnezzar, & some of yethe 12 Tribes 16 are characterised by Beasts in ethe 4 Monarchies in Daniels visions. And therefore I must rather derive this Type from Armies whereby Kingdoms are usually founded & uppheldupheld. For since Armies are repre wild beasts by Def , it is thence very naturall to put a Beast for a any Kingdom wchwhich was originated from Armies & frequently imploys them like a ravenous Beast to ethe prey & being prince of yethe Tribes, Issachar an Ass from his being in slavery, Dan a serpent from laying stratagems & Benjamin a wolf from ravening & devouring yethe prey. And so yethe descriptions of yethe 4 Beasts of in Daniel almost wholly respect their pugnaciousnes excepting what is said of the little horn. And in yethe Apocalyps although yethe two-hornd Beast be not represented pugnacious, yet its merchants (chap 18) supply the place of Armies, since they prey upon yethe Kings of yethe earth by their sophistical merchandise no less then yethe other by force.
32. A Dragon signifies yethe person of a hostile King, & serpents according to their bignes the persons of other greater or lesser enemies Achm: c 283. According to wchwhich doctrin yethe Apocalyptic Dragon is a very proper emblem as well of yethe Roman Kingdom wchwhich was so great an enemy to yethe Church, as of yethe Devil that arch-enemy to mankind. But there seems to be in this emblem a further mystery; namely to insinuate a comparioncomparison of yethe oppression of yethe Church under yethe Roman Empire to yethe Egyptian Bondage, as if that were a type of this. For it is observable that although yethe Iews had many enemies yet none but Pharaoh is represented by a Dragon in yethe old Prophets. And he is so represented as may be seen in Ezek 29.3. Isa 51.9. Psalm 74 13, & Isa 27.1. In wchwhich last places Pharaoh in respect of yethe overflowing Nilus is also called Leviathan as if he were a water Dragon like ytthat in yethe Apocalyps who cast out of his mouth water as a flood. And so in Psalm 74 he is represented wthwith many heads like yethe same Apocalyptic Dragon. But for yethe fuller analogy of these two Dragons I must refer you to yethe comment on17 on Rev 11.8.
33 Heads are sometimes collaterall parts of a kingdom, as yethe four heads of yethe Leopard in Dan 7.6. But if yethe kingdōom be divided into both collaterall & successive parts, then may the successive parts be represented by Heads, as in yethe Apocalyptic Beast whose seven heads appear to be successive by the saying that Five are fallen & yethe other is not yet come Rev 17 10.
34 Horns if they appear together, denote collaterall parts of a Kingdom or of ytthat head of it upon wchwhich they grow, as yethe four horns of yethe Gote Dan 8.8 & yethe 10 horns of yethe Beast Dan 7. Rev 17.12. But If yethe Horns Heads & bodyBody of a Beast be ethe horns as being yethe most exalted member will chiefly respect Kings or successions of them, yethe Heads yethe Nobles & great men & yethe Body yethe rest of yethe Kingdom. But becaus a King is sometimes put for his Kingdom, thence it is that a horn is also sometimes used in yethe same signification.
35. Eyes being yethe most pro chief organs by wchwhich a man acquires knowledg, are yethe most proper emblem thereof. And hence was ytthat ordin known Hieroglyphic of yethe Ægyptians: A scepter wthwith an eye on yethe top of it to signify yethe policy & foresight requisite in a King.
36. The signification of Mouth is plain from hence ytthat yethe 4th Beast had a mouth speaking great things – even great words against yethe most high, & should think to change times & laws, Dan 7 & wchwhich & they for a while & they should be given into his hands for a while Dan 1.20, 25.
3637. Teeth I must signify great men becaus they are in yethe head, & those souldiers becaus they are yethe chief instruments wherewith a Beast fights. Hence to expres yethe fortitude of yethe fourth Beast, it is described wthwith great iron teeth. And so yethe Locusts Ioel 1.6 & Rev 9.8 are represented wthwith gre teeth of Lyons. And probably the Author of yethe fable of Cadmus had respect to this signification of teeth when he made yethe Dragons teeth to be yethe seed of armed Souldiers.
38 The feet very fitly represent common souldiers. For as they are the most active members, & yethe lowest ꝑparts of Beast, & serve to support him, & to move upon & to18 to fight with: so Armies are much in motion, & yethe lowest of yethe people, & yethe support of yethe kingdom, & by them Kingdoms are translated to & fro, & they are yethe members wherewith Kingdoms fight. This interpretation is also evident by yethe Visions of Daniel. For yethe ten horned Beast to signify yethe use & power of his feet in fighting is represented wthwith nails of Bras & said to stamp with his feet what he devoured not wthwith his teeth: wchwhich is as much as to say, ytthat what whatwhat yethe Commanders left yethe inferior souldiers spoiled. And so yethe he-Goat stamped upon yethe Ram & therefore fought wthwith his feet. And that of Ezek 32.2 Thou troubledst the waters with thy feet, the Chalde Paraphrast renders thus: Thou troubledst yethe disquietedst the peoples with thy armies.
39 The tayle also, at least where feet are not considered may properly represent Armies, as being the train & hinder end as it were of a kingdom. Achmet c. 152 saith: If one dream he rides on Pharas (i.e. a generous steed) having a thick set & long tail, he shall have a train of attendants or followers answerable to yethe fulnes & length of yethe tail, c 152. And by analogy the tail of a pugnacious Beast must be a train of souldiers. And this is confirmed in that yethe Euphratean Horsmen were said to do hurt wthwith their tails, ytthat is to fight wthwith them, & therefore least that should seem improper their tails are described to be like serpents to represent them capable of fighting with them. And for yethe same end yethe Locusts are described wthwith stings in their taylstails.
40 Of yethe Body of yethe Beast see yethe comment on Def 34
Besides these there may be other ways of representing a kingdom, as if the Sea a great fish be put for a King & num lesser fishes for his subjects, or a great fish for a King & lesser fishes for his subjects Ezek 29.4. or yethe Sea for a King & rivers for his subjects &c
19
55. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O most mighty, with thy glory & thy majesty, & in thy Majesty ride on prosperously Psal 45.4. The Hebrew is prosper & ride; wchwhich yethe septuagint translates, Go on prosperously & reign; & the Chalde Paraphrast, that thou mayst ride upon yethe throne of yethe Kingdom. In like manner riding is put for reigning in Deutr 32.13. Isa 58.14. Psal 66.12 And so yethe woman's riding upon her Beast is interpreted her reigning over the Kings of yethe Earth Apoc 17. And Achmet delivers it for the doctrin of yethe Indians Persians & Egyptians, That a generous Steed denotes eminence & dignity, & vulgar horses inferior nobility & glory And if one dream he rides on a nimble & mettlesome hors, he shall acquire amongst yethe people fame & great renown, & eminence & honour. – And if he seem to ride armed on a generous steed he shall obtein power & renown according to his armour. chap 233.
56. If one seem to hold a bow & Arrows he shall wthwith joy triumph over his enemies. Achm: c 249. Pers. Æg.
57 Some have supposed that yethe Ballance in yethe third Seal might be an emblem of famin, but wthwithout ground, there being no authority for it either in scripture or other authentic writings that I have met with for such an interpretation. There are other ways of expressing famin; as by the tearing of Doggs Ier 15.3: & when yethe Ballance is frequently used to express justice mentioned in scripture it is either with respect to Iudgment as in Iob 31.6. Psal 62.9 Dan 5.27. or to Iustice as in Hosea 12.7. Micah 6.11, Prov 16.11 &c. And therefore it is more likely that the Ballance should be appropriated to judgment & justice: For further further confirmation of wchwhich we may further add yethe doctrin of yethe Indian Interpreters. to the same sense is the Doctrin of Interpreters, wchwhich runs thus. If in a dream one see a Ballance poised in any place let him understand it of a Iudg. And if he have a caus & see yethe ballance equally poised he shall obtein his right. — And if he see yethe Ballance exact & clean let him know ytthat yethe Iudg of that place is just, but if it be broken & out of order he20 he is unjust. Achm: c. 15. Ind. The Author also further relates how they compare yethe scales to yethe ears of yethe Iudg & yethe weights to yethe matter pleaded on both sides &c. – And adds that measures have yethe like interpretation, but are to be understood of inferior Iudges.
58. Martyrdom is a kind of sacrifice, for yethe sacrifices under yethe Law were but a type of orour Saviours death. And hence StSaint Paul when his martyrdom approached said: I am now ready to be offered (gr: sacrificed) & yethe time of my departure is at hand. 2 Tim 4.6. And to yethe same sense is ytthat to yethe Philippians: Yea & if I be offered upon yethe sacrifice & service of yoryour faith, I joy.
The marriage of yethe Lamb is come & his wife hath made her ready. Rev 19.7. To the same sense runs yethe whole book of Canticles, &c.
59 The Temple of God is holy wchwhich Temple ye are i Cor 3.17. What agreement hath yethe Temple of God wthwith Idols? for ye are yethe Temple of yethe living God 2 Cor 6.16 The man of sin —– as God sitteth in yethe Temple of God 2 Thes 2.4
60 The marriage of yethe Lamb is come, & his wife hath made her self ready Rev 19.7. To the same sense runs yethe whole Book of Canticles &c
A 61. To assimilate sharp affliction to yethe pains of a woman is sufficiently obvious whence if ytthat woman be yethe Church her pains in travail must signify be an emblem of her persecution. Thus orour Saviour in Mat 24.8, 9 & Mark 13.9 describing yethe persecution of yethe church calls them ὠδινας. So Isaiah ch 66.7 speaking of the Iewish church saith before shee travailed she brought forth before her pain came she was delivered of a man child. Which yethe Chalde Paraphrast thus interprets Antequam veniat ei tribulatio redempta erit, antequam veniat ei tremor sicut dolores parturientis revelabitur Rex ejus. Ieremiah also in ch 30.6, 7 interprets this figure plainly. Ask ye now, saith he, & see whither a man doth travail wthwith child: wherefore do I see every man wthwith his hands on his loins as a woman in travail, & all faces are turned into paleness? Alas for that day is great so that none is like it, it is even yethe time of Iacobs trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.
B61 The Idolatry of yethe Iews is almost every where in scripture called going a whoreing after other Gods See Isa 3. & Ezek 16 & 25 &c. And though all their neighbours were Idolaters more then they Church yet none but they are reproved for it under yethe character of going committing whoredom. And the reason is plain. ffor as ytthat they were considered as married to yethe true God, Ier 3.1, 8, 14 Hosea 2.1, 7 &c so yethe other nations had as it were contracted wedlock wthwith fals Gods, insomuch that they are called yethe Gods of those nations as yethe true God was yethe God of yethe Iews. Yet Nineveh is once called a harlot (Nahum 3.4.) but not for Idolatry.
62 That Idolatry is sometimes termed Blasphemy may be seen in these instances. In this your Fathers have blas
21 blasphemed me in that they have committed a trespas against me. For when I had brought them into yethe Land – – then they saw every high hill & all the thick trees, & they offered there their sacrifice. Ezek 20.28. Your ffathers — have burnt incense upon yethe mountains & blasphemed me upon yethe hills. i.e. by invoking other Gods. Isa 65.7 And so in yethe Apocalyps, although Blasphemy need not there be wholly limited to Idolatry, yet yethe names of Blasphemy upon yethe Whore's Beast are well interpreted by Grotius to be yethe names of Idol-Gods by wchwhich yethe true God is blasphemed whilst men attribute that to them wchwhich is due onely to him.
66. What is meant by ascending out of yethe Abyss or bottomles pit may be seen in Rev 20: where yethe putting an end to delusions & fals religions is exprest by shutting up yethe Dragon in yethe bottomless pit that he should deceive yethe nations no more till yethe thousand yeares should be fulfilled; & yethe springing up of new delusions at yethe end of that time, by his being let out again to deceive yethe nations
67 A Potion or Drunkenness sometimes signifies great affliction & misery. as in Ier 25.15. Ezek 23.33. Rev 14.10. And sometimes error as in Isa 29.10: They are drunken but not with wine, they stagger but not with strong drink, for yethe Lord hath poured out upon you yethe spirit of deep sleep & hath closed your eyes. And so accordingly in Rev 17 by the inhabitants of yethe earth being made drunk wthwith yethe wine of yethe Whores ffornication, must be understood their being infatuated & seduced to Idolatry by her delusions. For it is said in ch 18.23 that by her deadly poison Potion (ἐκ του φαρμακου) were all nations deceived. thatThat is by the wine of yethe poison of her fornication ἐκ του ὀίνου του θυμου, as it is called in vers 3 & 8. For θυμὸς signifies as well poison as wrath, & her Cup is to be supposed, as it were, a Philtre or love-Potion, such aas Whores were said to administer for inciting love, & for that end to compose it of such poisonous medicaments as might work by stupifying & infatuating those to whome they gave it.
68 Where yethe Iewish Nation is represented as a Whore her 22 threatned distress & desolation is often expressed by making her naked as in Ier 13.22, 26. Ezek 16.37 & 23.26 & Hosea 2.3 & the like of yethe Virgin daughter of Babylon in Isa 47.3.
3 Thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my Throne above yethe Stars of God, I will sit also upon yethe mount of yethe congregation in the sides of yethe North, I will ascend above yethe heights of yethe clouds &c. This is spoken of yethe King of Babylon exalting himself above all Kings & earthly dominions. Isa 14.13. Thy greatness [O Nebuchadnezzar] is grown & reacheth unto yethe heaven Dan 4.22. And thou Capernaum wchwhich art exalted unto heaven Mat 11.23. How hath yethe Lord – cast down from heaven to earth yethe beauty of Israel Lam 2.1. If a king see himself as it were above yethe heaven where yethe stars are, he shall find exaltation & a name above other Kings Achm. c 162 Ind. Pers. Æg.. By all wchwhich it may appear that Heaven signifies any high & exalted estate, & earth a low one.
41 That ascending up to Heaven in a cloud signifies great exaltation may appear by Def the notes on Def 3.
42 And becaus clouds signify multitudes of people by Def 29 therefore ascending in a cloud will signify exaltation in or by a multitude, & riding on yethe clouds yethe subduing & reigning over much people. If a King dream that he sits upon yethe Clouds carried whither he will, he shall rule over his enemies & obtein victories & unexpected joy Achm c 194. Pers. Eg.
43. And so covering y ethe sun with a cloud or smoke will signify oppression of a King by advers armies. Thus God threatning the overthrow of Pharaoh by Nebuchadnezzar saith: And when I shall put the out – I will cover yethe Sun wthwith a cloud — & set darknes upon thy Land. wchwhich yethe Chalde Par: renders thus: I will A King wthwith his Army shall cover thee as a cloud wchwhich ascends & covers yethe sun. Ezek 32.7. The same is to be understood of obscuring a Kingdom by smoke as in Isa 14.3123 14.31. Thou whole Palestina art dissolved for there shall come from yethe North a Smoke &c.
44 I will caus your sun [O Israel] to go down at noon day, & I will darken yethe earth in yethe clear day, & I will turn your feasts into mourning Amos 8.9. She [Ierusalem] hath given up yethe ghost, her Sun is gone down while it was yet day. Chalde Par: Her Glory is passed away in her life time Ier 15.9. Thy sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self, for yethe Lord shall be thine everlasting light, & yethe days of thy mouningmourning shall be ended. Chal. Par. Thy Kingdom shall no more cease neither shall thy glory be taken away &c. Isa 60.20. The day of yethe Lord cometh cruel both with wrath & fierce anger to lay yethe Land (i.e. yethe Kingdom of Babylon) desolate, & he shall destroy the sinners out of it: for yethe stars of Heaven & yethe constellations thereof shall not give their light, & the Sun shall be darkened in his going forth, & the Moon shall not caus her light to shine — Behold I will stir up yethe Medes against him Isa 13.10. When I shall extinguish thee [O Pharaoh King of Egypt] I will cover the Heaven & make yethe stars thereof dark, & I will cover yethe Sun with a cloud, & yethe Moon shall not give her light. All yethe bright stars of heaven will I make dark over thee, & set darknes upon thy land – – For thus saith yethe Lord God, the sword of yethe King of Babylon shall come upon thee. Chal. Par. When I shall extinguish yethe splendor of yethe glory of thy Kingdom out of Heaven, tribulation shall cover thee &c. Ezek 32.7. When I Get thee into darknes O daughter of yethe Caldeans, for thou shalt no more be called yethe Lady of Kingdoms Isa 47.5. See also Ioel 2.10, Isa Darknes & sorrow Isa 5.30. See also Ioel 2.10. Ier 13.16 &c.
If one dream that he sees the Sun in Heaven wthwithout rays &24 & light it betokens calamity & dishonour to yethe King — If he dream that it is Eclipsed it betokens affliction & war to yethe King. — If in his dream he see yethe Sun Moon & Stars gathered together wthwithout light, if he be one of yethe Nobles that darknes betokens his own destruction; but if the King, he shall be invaded on all sides by war & fall into affliction Achm c 167. Ind. Pers. Eg. And If one dream ytthat yethe stars are very dim, cast down, scattered & cloudy, it betokens yethe calamity of Princes Nobles & rich men Achm: c 168. Pers. Eg.
45. Yet the celestiall bodies are not to be interpreted so strictly of yethe persons of Kings & Princes but that yethe Sun & Moon may sometimes be used to signify in generall yethe spendorsplendor & glory of a kingdom, for in as much as yethe sun is yethe glory of yethe world byby day & the Moon by night. For thus the Chalde Paraphrast interprets them in Ier 15.9, & Isa 60.20. And so where yethe Woman is said to be clothed wthwith yethe Sun, & yethe Moon under her feet Rev 12, the Sun & Moon signify yethe glory of yethe righteousnes of Christ wherewith yethe church must be clothed, & of her own righteousnes wchwhich borrows she must put of but yet be supported by it as it borrows splendor from that sun & shines as it were by reflexion. And so where yethe sun is turned into blacknes & yethe moon into blood Ioel 2.31 & Rev 6.12 I had rather understand it in generall of yethe splendor of yethe Kingdom put out & the glory turned into bloodshed, then interpret it onely of yethe King & yethe next in dignity. For the perishing of those two persons infer not yethe overthrow of yethe Kingdom: whereas in Ioel the turning of yethe intoSun into darknes & yethe Moon into blood is made yethe description of that universall overthrow of yethe Gentile Kingdoms & mighty slaughter of all their Armies wchwhich is to happen at yethe great day of God almighty, as is at large described in yethe next chapter.
As for yethe Moons being turned into blood yethe expression seems borrowed from yethe dusky reddish colour of yethe Moon in a partiall Eclips which is here rather alluded unto then the darknes of a totall Eclips, that by yethe great slaughter of yethe nations may be exprest by calling it the colour blood. ffor that this word was intended for an expression of their bloodshed is plain by the precedent sentence. I will shew wonders in yethe Heavens & in the Earth, blood & fire & pillars of smoke (i.e. slaughter & war) To wchwhich is subjoyned by way of explication: The sun shall be turned into darknes & the Moon into blood before the great & yethe terrible day of yethe Lord come.
65 The falling of yethe stars & departure of yethe heavens according to yethe precedent assigned signification of stars & Heavenethe departure of yethe glory of a Kingdom. And becaus Idols are sometimes considered as men by Def 63 therefore this emblem may be applyed either to a Kingdom of Idols or to a Kingdom of men, as the circumstances shall require. Thus StSaint Stephen calls yethe Idol of Rempham a Star, saying: Ye ethe Tabernacle of Moloch & yethe Star of your God Rempham figures wchwhich ye made to worship them. Acts 7.43. It is indeed less usuall to represent Idols by the stars but it is more proper, becaus they being the Idols Images of supposed celestial Gods, & were thence in scripture called Gods & yethe host of heaven: & the analogy between yethe Vnivers & a kingdom will be more perfect when thethings host of wchwhich relate to heaven are represented by the heavenly bodies, & yethe terrestriall parts of a Kingdom which respect the earth by things on yethe Earth then when they are confounded together: Yea this yethe scripture seems to insinuate when it calls Idols as well as stars the host of heaven And therefore we need not doubt to interpret stars of Idols & Heaven of their honour & dignity or rather of yethe (high places where they were set up & of yethe) orbicular roofs of their Temples, whenever that interpretation will best agree wthwith yethe circumstances. And thus it happens in this definition. For here the allusions to yethe falling of Figs from a fig-tree & to yethe rolling of a scroll together, do by striking yethe imagination wthwith an Idea of local motion make it a more lively representation of yethe ruining of a Kingdom of Idol-Gods then of a Kingdom of men. For yethe stars falling unto the earth as figs fall from a fig tree do most lively represent falling Idols, & Heaven departing as a Scroll when25 when it is rolled together, yethe roof of a Temple gradually taken off, or cleaving asunder at its being thrown down.
As for yethe use of this emblem there are but two places where it occurs, viz: Isa: 34.4 & Rev 6.13, 14: The first of w-sup-chthese seems to respect that universall overthrow of yethe Gentiles so often prophesied of in Scripture; at wchwhich time Idolatry is to be universally & forever demolished, as may hereafter appear by comparing Rev 9.20 & 11.15 with Isa 2.17, 18, 19 & Zech 13.2 &c. And concerning this place it is maymay be observed that the stars wchwhich fall down are not called yethe stars but yethe host of heaven wchwhich is yethe same name by wchwhich Idols are often called & therefore it may as well signify Idols as stars. The other place is at yethe sixt Seale when Idols were to be universally abolished but not for ever: of wchwhich more hereafter.
64 In Def 10 & 63 we shewed ytthat yethe Prophets put men for Idols, & Dens & Rocks of Mountains for their Temples: & yethe reason of yethe thing requires that here they should be thus interpreted. For Rocks & Mountains must here signify buildings becaus of their falling, & Men must signify Idols becaus to hide in Dens & Rocks of Mountains or holes of Rocks or to cover wthwith falling mountains that is, to shut up in buildings or bury in the ruins of them is yethe proper way of destroying Idols but not a proper way of destroying men. But yethe use of these expressions will best appear out of scripture where they are appropriated to yethe demolishing of Idolatry. The high places of Aven the sin of Israel shall be destroyed the Thorn & Thistle shall come upon their Altars, & they shall say to yethe mountains cover us & to yethe hills fall on us Hosea 10.8. The Lord alone shall be ex
alted26alted in that day & yethe Idols shall he utterly * * gr. hide or bury them. abolish, & they shall go into yethe holes of the Rocks & into yethe Caves of yethe Earth for fear of yethe Lord Isa 2.19. In that day shall a man cast his Idols — to yethe Moles & to yethe Bats to go into yethe clefts of yethe Rock & into yethe * gr: holes. tops of yethe ragged rocks for fear of yethe Lord vers 21. Here the Idols wchwhich are to be hid in the rocks are called by yethe name of Idols but a little before they were spoken unto as men. Enter into yethe Rock & hide thee in yethe dust vers 10. And therefore since the men here spoken unto are Idols, & yethe rock by men hiding themselves in rocks must be understood Idols shut up in their temples or buried in yethe ruins thereof.
47. To expres yethe ruin of old Babylon Ieremiah commanded Serajah saing: When thou hast made an end of reading this book thou shalt bind a stone to it & cast it into yethe midst of Euphrates, & thou shalt say; Thus shall Babylon sink, &c Ier 51.63. So to expres yethe ruin of new Babylon a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great Milstone & cast it into yethe sea, saying: Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down &c. Rev: 18.2221. And to these two places yethe casting of yethe great Mountain into yethe sea Rev 8.8 seems to allude: For especially since that Mountain signifies also a City by Def & I shall further show hereafter not to mention here ytthat it is yethe very same city wthwith new Babylon. And so by Analogy yethe falling of yethe great star upon the rivers Rev 8.10 must signify yethe ruin of some great Prince. To wchwhich purpose yethe Indian Interpreters teach us: If one dream he sees yethe stars fall into yethe sea, let him understand thereby a slaughter of men to be caused by yethe King, & if yethe King have this dream he shall see a very great slaughter or mortality of his people. Achm. c: 170.
46. Since waters signify people, yethe turning of them to blood must signify slaughter of the people. Thus yethe desolation of Moab is27 is exprest by saying: The waters of Dimon shall be ful of blood. Isa 15.9. Compare this with Def:
69. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel & thy garments like him that treadeth yethe winefat? I have troden yethe Wine-press alone – for I will tread them in mine anger & – & their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments Isa: 63.2, 3. See also Ioel 3.13 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles, Prepare war &c Put ye in yethe sickle for yethe harvest is ripe; come get ye down for yethe press is full, for the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, Multitudes &c Ioel 3.13. See also Ier 25.30 The lord – – shall give a shout, as they that tread yethe grapes, against all yethe inhabitants of yethe Earth – he will plead with all flesh, he will give them that are wicked to yethe sword. Ier 25.30 See also Lament: 1.15. Ezek 15.2 & Deutr 32.32.
The reason of this figure is yethe resemblance between effusion of blood & expressing the juice of grapes.
48 Fire is put to signify war becaus men are represented by things combustible as Trees, Ships, Beasts &c; And as these things wast in yethe fire so men are destroyed in war. And then this figure there is scarce any more frequently used in Scripture. Say to yethe Forrest of yethe South, ethe South to yethe North shall be burnt therein Ezek 20.47. The house of Iacob shall be a fire & yethe hous of Ioseph a flame, & yethe house of Esau for Stubble, & they shall kindle in them & devour them Obad 18. In that day will I make yethe hous of Governours of Iudah like a hearth of fire among the wood & like a torch of fire in a sheaf, & they shall devour all the people round about. Zech 12.6 The strength of yethe Battel – hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not, it burned him yet he laid it not to heart. Isa 42.25. The Lord called thy name a green Olive tree – – with yethe nois of a great tumult he hath kindled a fire upon it28 it. Ier 11.16. See also Isa 66.15, 16. Ier 21:14 & 48, 45, & Ezek 19.12 & 30.8 &c.
The Chalde Paraphrast for burning substitutes slaying Isa 42.25 & for fire & flame, armies of enemies strong & powerful as fire Ier 11.16 & 48.45 &c.
If one dream ytthat he is burnt by a flame he shall perish in war Achm c 159. If a king seem to see yethe Pillars of his Palace on fire, it signifies yethe dominion of another & yethe destruction of yethe great ones wchwhich he hath constituted. – And if he see his hair on fire he shall loos his people in war c 160. [If he seem to see his Ships sending out fire to burn other ships or countries, he shall obtein victoryvictories over his enemies proportionall to yethe strength & efficacy of yethe fire. If he seem to see his own ships burnt, it portends ruin to his forces c. 181.]
Sometimes fire signifies triall & purgation by consuming what is evil, as in Mal 3.2.
49 If one dream ytthat yethe Sun hath scorched him much he will be punished by yethe king proportionally to that scorching. Achm. c 167. Ind. Pers. Eg. This respects a single person, & hence it is easy to collect ytthat if a nation be much scorched by yethe Sun, yethe affliction wchwhich it portends must be through wars raised by the king; as well becaus burning or scorching denotes war by yethe precedent Definition, as becaus there is no means whereby a king may afflict a whole nation so easily & so much as by war.
50 If a king dream that there is an Earthquake in his city —
52. The four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea. i.e. the wars of Nations whereby yethe Beasts arose Dan 9.1. The wind shall eat up all thy pastures & thy lovers shall go into captivity Ier 22.22. I will rais up against Babylon – a destroying wind Ier 51.1 Vpon Elam will I bring yethe four winds from yethe four quarters of heaven & will scatter them towards all those winds, & there shall be no nation whither yethe outcasts of Elam shall not come. For I will caus Elam to be dismayed before their enemies. Ier 49.36 The wind shall carry them away & yethe whirlwind shall scatter them Isa 41.16 I scattered them wthwith a whirlwind among all yethe nations. Zech 7.14. See also The king of yethe north29 north shall come against him like a whirlwind, Dan wthwith chariots &c Dan 11.40. A great whirlwind shall be raised up from yethe coasts of yethe earth, & yethe slain of yethe Lord &c Ier 25.22 Chalde Par: Many people shall come openly from yethe ends of yethe earth. So in Ezek 19.12 for: The East wind dried up her fruit: yethe Chalde Paraphrast substitutes, A King strong as a parching wind doth slay slew her people
If a king see yethe sea much troubled by wind from a known quarter he will be molested from by some nation from that quarter, but if he see yethe sea calm he will peaceably injoy his kingdom. Achm: c . If he seem to be taken up & carried to & fro by a wind from place to place by a wind, he shall undertake a long expedition wthwith success proportionall to yethe strength & quickness of yethe wind. c 165 Ind. If a King in a journey seem to be hindred by a wind, he shall receive a messenger from a remote Kingdom by wchwhich he shall be troubled. c 166, Pers & Ægypt Eg.
53 The Lord thundred in yethe Heavens & the highest gave his voice: Hailstones & coales of fire. Yea he sent out his arrows & scattered them, & he shot out lightnings & discomfitted them Psal 18.13. The Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard & shall shew the lightning down of his Arm with yethe indignation of his anger & with yethe flame of a devouring fire, wthwith lightining & tempest & hailstones. For through yethe voice of yethe Lord shall yethe Assyrian be beaten down Isa 30.30. I will camp against thee round about & will lay – seige against thee —– & yethe multitude of yethe terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away, yea it shall be suddenly. Thou shalt be visited of yethe Lord of hosts wthwith thunder & wthwith earthquake & great noise, wthwith storm & tempest & yethe flame of devouring fire. Isa 2930 Isa 29.1, 6. The Philistins drew near to battel against Israel, but yethe lord thundred wthwith a great thunder that day upon yethe Philistins & smote them untill they came to Beth-car 1 Sam 7.10. See also 1 Sam 2.10 & Isa 28.2 & 60.15. So Ioel describing yethe Battel of yethe great day saith: The Lord shall roar out of Zion. i.e. Thunder with a roaring thunder. ch 3.16.
If one dream that hail falls on a place, he may expect a violent incursion of yethe enemy; and if he dream ytthat yethe hail hurtshurt yethe stalks of corn there shall be slaughter of men in that place proportionall to yethe breaking of yethe stalks. Ach c 191 Ind. Pers. Eg. If one dream he sees a Dragon struck with lightning, it portends war & ruin to some other King wchwhich is an enemy to that country c 283 ex Ind. Pers & Æg.
As for yethe mixing of fire with Hail, that figure may seem borrowed from yethe Egyptian plague of thunder & Hail wthwith fire mingled. Exod 9.23. But I had rather suppose that it alludes also to yethe frequent mixture of Hail wthwith lightning wchwhich happens in hot countries although in orour Northern regions it is unusuall.
54 My doctrin shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew, as yethe small rain upon yethe tender Herb & as yethe showers upon yethe grass Deutr. 32.2. He shall come down like rain upon yethe mown mown grass, as showers water yethe earth. In his days shall yethe righteous flourish & abundance of peace so long as yethe Moon endureth Psal 72.6. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek yethe Lord till he come & rain righteousnes upon you. Hosea 10.12. See also Isa 55.10. Hos 6.3 &c
Rain is to be interpreted of God's mercy & granting orour prayers. Ach: c 171 Ind.
The same is to be understood of watering any place to make it fruitfull, or of giving water to drink. Whence water is often 31 put for true doctrin & grace, & springs of water for eternall life. Iohn 4.14. Isa 12.3 & 44.3 & 58.11 &c
70. The harvest is yethe end of yethe world. Matt 13.39.