Bible Commentaries

Genesis 41:3 — to thirteen scarcity; when to fourteen, cheerfulness; when to fifteen, affluence; when to sixteen, abundance, as Pliny tells us. The greatest increase ever known, was of eighteen cubits, under Claudius (we read of a general famine in his days, Acts 11:28 , mentioned also by Suetonius and Josephus); Suet., in Claudio. Joseph., Antiq., lib. xx. cap. 2. Luc., lib. v. cap. 9. the smallest of five cubits, in the history of the Pharsalian wars. Such a thing might happen now, to cause this sore famine.

Genesis 41:8 — Constantinopolim captum. Manl., loc. com., p. 684. As for the deep theorems of natural philosophy, they make one learned indeed, but seldom better, ofttimes worse, nearly atheists; as these wise men of Egypt, elsewhere called enchanters, wizards. Exodus 7:11 Of these were "Jannes and Jambres" that "resisted Moses"; 2 Timothy 3:8 learned they were, and lewd, as were those philosophers. Romans 1:18-32 But there was none that could interpret. — Because God had smitten them with a

Genesis 49:26 — and communion betwixt him and us. So the cloud empties not itself at a sudden burst, but dissolves upon the earth, drop after drop. Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. — "Spiritual blessings in heavenly things," Ephesians 1:3 whereof those temporals afore promised were but types and pledges. Whence David doubts not to argue from temporals to spirituals. Psalms 23:5-6 God in the Church’s infancy fed them and led them along by earthly to heavenly blessing, speaking

Genesis 5:27 — foreseeing the flood, named his son Methuselah; that is to say, he dies, and the dart (or flood) comes . And so it happened; for no sooner was his head laid, but in came the flood. “The righteous are taken away from the evil to come.” Isaiah 57:1 And their death is a sad presage of an imminent calamity. Hippo could not be taken while Augustine lived, nor Heidelberg while Paraeus. Semen sanctum statumen terrae Junius. Isaiah 6:13 The holy seed upholdeth the state. Absque stationibus non staret

Exodus 28:17 — carbuncle: [this shall be] the first row. Four rows of stones. — According to the number and order of the twelve tribes encamping about God’s tabernacle. In all which rows, a very reverend writer Dr Taylor. hath well observed eight things: - (1.) The shining of the stones; pointing to the purity of Christ and his Church: (2.) Their price; of great value and worth; signifying what a price Christ valued his Church at: (3.) Their place or situation; they are set in the heart, and Aaron must carry

Numbers 21:7 — upon brass. Certain it is, that this cure was not wrought by anything in the nature of the brazen serpent, but by the institution and ordination of God, to be also a type of Christ; a noble and notable figure of Christ lifted up on the cross, John 3:14 or rather in his ordinances. Galatians 3:1 They that looked upon their sores, and not upon the sign, died for it; as those that looked on the sign, though but with one eye, though with but a squint eye, or but with half an eye, they were healed presently.

Deuteronomy 32:5 — so cannot be cured by any art, or washed away with any water. It is of incogitancy that the saints fall; put them in mind, and they mend all: it is of passion, and passions last not long. They are preoccupated, taken at unawares, … Galatians 6:1 They have ever God for their chief end, and will not forego him upon any terms: only they err in the way, as thinking they may fulfil such a lust, and God keep too; but there is no way of wickedness found in them. Though shaken, yet they are rooted

1 Corinthians 11:14 — καρηκομοωντας Αχαιους , Homer), who yet did not wear their hair long as women. How Cromwell handled the shag-haired ruffian, see Acts and Monuments of the Church, fol. 1083. How God hath punished this unnatural sin by that loathsome and horrible disease in the hair, called Plica Polonica, see Hercules de Saxonia; and out of him Mr Belfort in his Four Last Things, page 40. It begun first, saith he, not many years ago

2 Corinthians 6:1 — We then, as workers together with him , beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. As workers together — Not as coadjutors, but as instruments, such as God is pleased to make use of. See the note on1 Corinthians 3:9; 1 Corinthians 3:9 . The grace of God in vain, — That embassy of grace, 2 Corinthians 5:20 ; or that unspeakable gift of Christ, 2 Corinthians 9:15 , which many use as homely as Rachel did her father’s gods, -she hid them

Joshua 2:1 — encamped, Numbers 33:49 and where the Midianites sometime, by the counsel of Balaam, Satan’s spell man, outwitted the Israelites by setting fair women before them, who soon drew them into those two sister sins, idolatry and adultery. Numbers 25:1-2 ; Numbers 25:18 Two men. — Not twelve, as Numbers 13:2-3 , for those were too many by ten; and did much harm among the people. To spy secretly. — Heb., Silently. Silence is oft no small virtue; and he is a rare man who can both keep and

2 Thessalonians 1:3 — our use. This, saith Luther, is sancta crapula; and it can be no hurt to have our hearts thus overcharged. Because that your faith groweth exceedingly — As corn or plants do after a binding drought. They were under persecution, 2 Thessalonians 1:4 , and gat by it. Storms of persecution beat God’s people into their harbour; make them look to their tackling, patience; to their anchor, hope; to their helm, faith; to their card, the word of God; to their captain, Christ; whereas security,

1 Timothy 3:6 — the devil — διαβολος . That is, be condemned as the devil is, for his pride. Or, lest he come under the censure of calumniating persons, who have one common name (in Greek) with the devil. See 1 Timothy 3:11 ; 2 Timothy 3:3 ; Titus 2:3 .

Hebrews 1:3 — barrel. He also keeps all in order; disponens etiam membra culicis et pulicis, disposing of everything even to the least and lightest circumstance. (Aug.) Hence that of our Saviour, "The Father worketh hitherunto, and I also work," John 5:17 ; hence that of the orator, Curiosus est et plenus negotii Deus, God taketh care of all, and is full of business. (Cic. lib. 1 de Nat. Deor.) Purged our sins — By his merit and spirit.

Hebrews 4:13 — and intentions. That is not manifest in his sight — Or in the sight of it, that is, of the word preached; but every the least fibre, the smallest string in the heart, that would escape the sight of the most exact anatomist, is hereby cut up. See 1 Corinthians 14:24 . But all things are naked and open — Naked, for the outside, and opened, dissected, quartered, cleft in the back bone (as the word τετραχηλισμενα here signifies),

2 John 1:4 — I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. I rejoiced greatly — This cheered up his good old heart more than any outward respects or courtesies whatsoever. See1 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:8 . I found — ευρηκα , I found by long and diligent observation, that which was worth finding; ευρημα . Of thy children — Not all,

Revelation 1:9 — tu hermano y compañero en la tribulación, y en el reino y la paciencia de Jesucristo, estaba en la isla que se llama Patmos, por la palabra de Dios y por el testimonio de Jesucristo. Ver. 9. En el reino y la paciencia ] Cristo tiene un reino doble; 1. De poder; 2. De paciencia. Nec nisi per angusta ad augusta, etc. No tengo ningún argumento más fuerte contra el reino del Papa, dice Lutero, quam quod sine cruce regnat, que este, que él reina sin la cruz. La gloria de la Iglesia de Cristo (dijo George

Revelation 14:10 — patientur, as the emperor said of them that sold glass for pearls: They deceived others, themselves shall be deceived much more. Without mixture — viz. Of mercy, with which God usually moderateth the cup of believers’ afflictions. SeeJames 2:13; James 2:13 . They only sip off the top of God’s cup, Illud tantum quod suavius est et limpidius: That which is so sweet and so clear. Reprobates drink the dregs. They shall have an evil, an only evil without mixture of mercy, Ezekiel 7:5 . Judgment

Revelation 6:2 — angels’ wings. A horse hath his name in Hebrew from devouring the ground by his swiftness, and was therefore by the heathens dedicated to the sun, whose "going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it,"Psalms 19:6; Psalms 19:6 . Cranzius tells us that the Saxon princes, before they became Christians, gave a black horse for their arms; but being once baptized, a white horse; with reference haply to this text. He that sat on him — Christ, Revelation 19:11

Revelation 6:4 — tragedies, bloody wars and terrible persecutions. Those ten first were so cruel, that St Jerome writes in one of his epistles that for every day in the year were murdered 5000, except the first day of January. To him that sat thereon — Christ,Matthew 10:34; Matthew 10:34 ; Zechariah 1:8 . He stands over his Church as the Agonothetes. A superintendent or director of the great public games of Greece. ŒD So he did at St Stephen’s martyrdom, Acts 7:55 . He moderates and overrules the enemy’s

Ruth 2:12 — merit monger never came who said, Caelum gratis non accipiam, If I may not earn heaven, I will never have it of free gift. Let us "look to ourselves that we lose not the things that we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." 2 John 1:8 Under whose wings thou art come to trust. — A metaphor usual in Scripture, from young birds hovering and covering under the dam’s wings. Ruth "coming to God, believed that God is, and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently