Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 5 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Verſe. 1. THen Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God] i. e. Praiſed God with this Canticum euchariſticum, this gratulatory ſong as Tremellius calleth it. That he prayed in the ſhip, in the ſea, in the whales belly, we doubt not; but that he chiefly intendeth to ſhew his thankfulneſſe for the return of prayers, and the ſweet ſupport he felt in the whales belly, we do as little doubt; See ver. 2, 6, 7. yea that this was the ſubſtance (though now better methodized) of what he praied and praiſed in the bowels of the fiſh, we have cauſe to beleeve from this very verſe: and therefore alſo his deliverance is ſet down ver. 10. after his doxologie. The word here rendred pray'd ſignifieth alſo ſometimes, to give thanks, as 1 Sam 2.2. and who knowes not that thankſgiving is a ſpeciall part of prayer? This therefore: Jonah having prayed, and perceiving that he was heard, and by the goodneſſe of God preſerved ſafe in body, and ſound in mind, he growes ſtrong in faith, Rom. 4.giving glory to God: and being fully perſwaded that he ſhould yet walk before him againe in the land of the living.
out of the fiſhes belly] where though he might ſeem buried alive, and free among the dead, yet he enjoyed Gods gracious preſence, and thoſe ſtrong conſolations, that made him live in the very mouth of death, and ſay in effect as bleſſed Bradford did,Act & Mon. fol. 1476. I thank God more of this priſon and of this dark dungeon then of any parlour, yea then of any pleaſure that ever I had. For in it I find God my moſt ſweet God alwayes.
Verſe 2. And ſaid, I cried by reaſon of mine affliction] His lips did not move in affliction, like a creaking doore or a new cart-wheele, with murmuring and mutinying againſt God and men:Pſal 73.9. he ſet not his mouth againſt heaven (as the howling wolf when hunger-bit) neither did his tongue walk through the earth, curſing the day of his birth,Lam. 3.29. and cutting deep into the ſides of ſuch as were meanes of his miſery. But putting his mouth in the duſt, if ſo bee there might be hope, he cried by reaſon of his affliction. The time of affliction is the time of ſupplication: no time like that for granting of ſuites Zech. 13.9. Gods afflicted may have what they will of him then, ſuch are his fatherly compaſſions to his ſick children: he reſerveth his beſt comforts for the worſt times, and then ſpeaketh to the hearts of his people, when he hath brought them into the wilderneſſe Hoſ. 2.13. This Jonah experimented, and therefore ſaid, I cried out of mine affliction unto the Lord.
Ad Dominum aſſlicto de pectore ſuſpirando.
And he heard me] How elſe am I alive amidſt ſo many deaths? here's a viſible anſwer, a reall return: Oh bleſſed be God who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me Pſal. 66.20. Surely as the cloud, which riſeth out of the earth many times in them and inſenſible vapours, falleth down in great and abundant ſhowers: ſo our prayers, which aſcend weak and narrow, return with a full and enlarged anſwer. This was but a pittifull poore prayer that Ionas here made, as appeares ver. 4. and ſo was that of David Pſal. 31.22. For I ſaid in mine haſt I am cut off from before thine eyes: Nevertheleſſe thou heardeſt the voice of my ſupplications, when I cried unto thee. It would be wide with us, if God ſhould anſwer the beſt of us according to our prayers, yea though well watered with teares: ſith Ipſae lacrymae ſixt lacrymabiles &c. we had need to weep over our teares, ſigh over our ſobs, mourne over our griefs &c. Jonah was ſo taken with this kindneſſe from the Lord his God, that he repeates it and celebrates it a ſecond time.
out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardeſt my voice] The whales belly he calleth hels-belly, becauſe horrid and hideous, deep and diſmall. Thence he cried as David did De profundis, and was heard and delivered. Yea had hell it ſelf cloſed her mouth upon a praying Jonah, it could not long have held him: but muſt have vomited him up. A Mandamus from God will do it at any time, Pſa. 44.4. and what cannot faithfull Praier have of God? there is a certaine omnipotency in it, ſaid Luther.
Verſe 3. For thou hadſt caſt me into the deep] A graphicall deſcription of his wofull condition, which yet he remembreth now as waters that are paſt and is thankfull to his Almighty Deliverer. See the like in David Pſa. 116.3. and learn of theſe and other Saints, to acknowledge the uttermoſt extremity of a calamity, after we are delivered out of it. For hereby thy judgement will be the better inſtructed and the more convinced: thine heart alſo will be the more inlarged to admire, and thy mouth the wider opened to celebrate the power, wiſdome, and mercy of God in thy deliverance. As if this be not done, God will be provoked either to inflict heavier judgements, or elſe to ceaſe to ſmite thee any more with the ſtripes of a father, and to give thee up for a loſt child.
for thou had'ſt caſt me into the deep] Not the mariners, but Thou didſt it: and therefore there was no averting or avoyding it. Thou had'ſt caſt me with a force, as a ſtone out of a ſling, or as that mighty Angel Rev. 18.21. that took up a ſtone like a great milſtone, and caſt it into the ſea, ſaying, Thus with violence &c.
In the middeſt of the ſeas] Heb: in the heart of the ſea's: ſo Mat. 12.40. So ſhall the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth. And Deut. 4.11. we read of the heart of heaven that is, the middle of it, as the heart ſitteth in the middeſt of the body as king of that Iſle of Man. Now if it were ſo grievous to be caſt into the main Sea, what ſhall it be to be hurled into hell, by ſuch an hand, and with ſuch a force into that bottomeleſſe gulf, whence nothing was ever yet boyed up againe?
and the floods compaſſed me about] Aquarum confluges The Sea, whence all floods or rivers iſſue, and whereto they return (Homer calleth the Ocean foreign a river by the figure Miôſis) Danaeus here noteth that out of that gulf of the Sea,foreign. Iliad. foreign. which of Plato is called Tartarus, that is, hell, the waters do flow into the veines of the earth (as it is Eccleſ. 1.7.) loſing their ſaltneſſe in the paſſage. Here Jonah cried out as Pſa. 69.1.2. Save me, O God: for the waters are come in unto my ſoule. I fink in deep mire, where there is no ſtanding: I am come into the deep waters, where the floods overflow me. It was onelyonly his faith that held him up by the chin: and, like blown bleathers, bore him aloſt all waters.
all thy billowes and thy waves paſſed over me] All: ſo it ſeemed to Jonah, that God had powred out all his diſpleaſure upon him: but he ſuf…ereth not his whole wrath to ariſe againſt his people: neither remembreth iniquity for ever. Thy billowes or ſurges, not the ſeas but thine. God ſeemed to fight againſt Jonah with his own hand. David likewiſe in a deſertion complaines that all Gods waves and floods were gone over him Pſ. 42.7. In this caſe (for it may be any ones caſe) let us do as Paul and his company did (in that diſmall tempeſt Act. 27. when they ſaw neither ſun nor ſtar for diverſe dayes and nights together) caſt anchor of hope, even beyond hope: and then wait and wiſh for day. God will appeare at length, and all ſhall clear up: he will deliver our ſoules from the nethermoſt hell.
Verſ. 4. Then I ſaid, I am caſt out of thy ſight,] Thus thoſe ſtraits brought him to theſe diſputes of deſpair, as they did likewiſe David, Pſal. 31.22. the Church in the Lamentations Chap. 4.22. and others, apt enough in affliction to have hard conceits of God, and heavy conceits of themſelves. Whiles men look at things preſent, whiles they live by ſenſe onelyonly, it muſt needs be with them as with an houſe without pillars, tottering with every blaſt; or as a ſhip without anchor, toſſed with every wave. They muſt therefore thruſt Hagar out of doors, and ſet up Sarah; ſilence their reaſon, and exalt Faith, as did Jonas here; Then I ſaid, I am caſt out of thy ſight: Here you may take him up for a dead man; here he inclineth ſomewhat to that of Cain, Gen. 4.13, 14. and ſurely they that go down to this pit (of deſpair, as Hezechiah ſpeaketh of the grave) cannot hope for Gods truth,Eſa. 38. as long as there they ſtay.
yet I wil look again toward thine holy Temple] Here he recollects and recovers himſelf: as the ſame ſoul may ſucceſſively doubt and believe, not ſimultaneouſly: and faith, where it is right, will at length outwraſtle diffidence, and make a man more then a conquerour, even a Triumpher. When ſenſe ſaith ſuch a thing will not be, Reaſon ſaith, It cannot be, Faith gets above and ſaith, Yea, but it ſhall be: what talk you to me of Impoſſibilities, I ſhall yet (as low as I am, and as forlorn) look again towards Gods holy Temple of heaven; yea, that here on earth, where God is ſincerely ſerved, and whereto the precious are annexed. Faith is by one fitly compared to the cork upon the net: though the lead on the one ſinks it down, yet the cork on the other keeps it up in the water. The faithful ſoon check themſelves for their doubtings and deſpondency, as Jonah here; as David chides David, Pſal. 43.5 and as Paul ſaith of himſelf and his fellowes, that they were ſtaggering, but not wholly ſticking, 2 Cor. 4.8.
Verſ. 5. The waters compaſſed me about even to the ſoul] that is, uſque ad animae deliquium, till I laboured for life, and was as good as gone.
The depth cloſed me round about] ſee the Note on verſ. 3. and further obſerve, that Gods dear children may fall into deſperate and deadly dangers, ſee Pſal. 18.3. and 88.3. & 116.3. And this for 1. prevention, 2. purgation, 3. probation, 4. preparations to further both mercies and duties. Let us not therefore cenſure our ſelves or others as hated of God, becauſe greatly diſtreſſed; but incourage our ſelves in them, as did David at Ziklag, 1 Sach. 30.6. The right of the Lord ſhall change all this.
Flebile principium melior fortuna ſequetur.
The weeds were wrapt about mine head] Alga as Alligando. The weeds which the fiſh had devoured, or whereunto the fiſh, wherein I was, had dived and lain down amongſt them. Or this might befal Jonah in the bottom of the ſea, before the fiſh had ſwallowed him: for weeds eaſily wrap about thoſe that ſwim, or are drowned.
Verſ. 6. I went down to the bottomes of the montains] that is, of the promontories, or rocks of the ſea, where the waters are deepeſt. Thus Mercer after Kimchi. The channels of waters were ſeen, and the foundations of the world were diſcovered, Pſal. 18.15. The mountains are ſaid to be under water, Prov. 8.25. becauſe their foundations are there placed.
the earth with her barres was about me for over] As if reſolved there to keep me cloſe priſoner; that though the fiſh had diſgorged me, yet I ſhould never have got to land. The ſhores are ſet by God as barres to keep the ſea within his bounds, Job 38.8, 10, 11. Jer. 5.22. Here then all the creatures ſeemed to ſet againſt poor Jonas, and (which was more then all) the Creatour too: ſo that he might ſigh and ſay, as in the Poet,
In me omnis terrae que avium que mariſ que rapina eſt:Martial.
Forſitan & coeli —
Yet haſt thou brought up my life from corruption] i. e. from the place where I was likely to have laine and rotted.foreign. Cum duplicantur lateres, venit Moſes: when things are at the worſt God appeareth, as it were out of an engine. In the mount will the Lord be ſeen Ezek. 37.11. &c. 2 King. 19.3. he ſtayes ſo long ſometimes that he hardly findes faith on earth Luk. 18. and yet comes at laſt to the relief of his poor people: viz. when they are ripe and ready for it. He is a God of judgement, he knowes how and when to deale forth his favours: and even waiteth to be gracious Eſay 30.22. See Eſa. 28.24, 25, 27, 28.
O Lord my God] ſc. by the meane and merit of thy ſon, in whom alone it is, that thou Lord art my God, and that I can call thee Abba Father. It is well obſerved by an Interpreter, that in this ſhort hiſtory of Jonah are all things contained, which may make to the ſound and ſaving knowledge of God and his will, of our ſelves alſo and our duties.
Verſe 7. When my ſoul fainted within me, I remembred the Lord] And could ſay as the Church in Eſay when at loweſt,Eſa. 63.16. Doubtleſſe thou art our Father, our Redeemer, thy Name is from everlaſting. As there is in the creatures an inſtinct of nature to do their kind: ſo there is of grace in the Saints, to run to God. Yea in the way of thy judgements, O Lord, have we waited for thee: the deſire of our ſoule is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee: with my ſoule have I deſired thee in the night: yea with my ſpirit within me will I ſeek thee early &c. Eſa. 26.8, 9. Oh Lord, ſaith Habacuc, art not thou from everlaſting my God and mine holy One. It was a bold queſtion, but God approves and aſſents to it in a gracious anſwer, ere they went further;Hab. 1.12. We ſhall not die (ſay they obruptly) O Lord thou haſt ordained them (the Caldeans) for judgement: but us onelyonly for chaſtiſement. Here was the triumph of their faith, and this was that which held up Jonas his hope though with wonderfull difficulty, held head above water. He remembred the yeeres of the right hand of the moſt High Pſal. 77.10. he called to mind his ſongs in the night ſeaſon ver. 6. his former experience, a juſt ground of his preſent confidence. He remembred the Lord, his Power and Goodneſſe, thoſe two pillars, the Jachin and the Boaz that ſupport Faith; and this fetcht him againe when ready to faint. I had even fainted, unleſſe I had beleeved to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the land of the living, Pſal. 27.13.
and my prayer came in unto thee] q. d. Though I was ſo faint I could ſcarce utter a prayer, yet thou harknedſt and heardeſt, as Mal. 3.16. thou madeſt hard ſhift to hear, (as I may ſay) thine ears were in my prayers, as S. Peter hath it, 1 Pet. 3.12. thou felſt my breathing, when no voice could bee heard, Lam. 3.56. thou heldeſt not thy peace at my tears, Pſal. 39.12. quando fletu agerem non afflatu, yea thou heardeſt the voice of mine affliction, Gen. 16.11.
Into thine holy Temple.] Whether we take it of the Temple at Jeruſalem (a type of Chriſt) Jonah's prayer was accepted for Chriſts-ſake: and proved to no leſſe purpoſe, though made in the Whales belly, then if he had been pouring it out in Gods holy Temple. Or, if we underſtand it of Heaven, the habitation of Gods holineſſe, and of his glory, his oriſons were come up thither, for a memorial before the Almighty, Act. 10.4. and like pillars of incenſe pierced into his preſence, Can. 3.6. neither would they away without their errand, but lay at Gods feet, til he ſhould cōmand deliverance out of Zion
Verſe 8. They that obſerve lying vanities] That liſten to ſenſe and reaſon in matters of God, and make proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfill the luſts thereof, as Ionah had done to his coſt, till, having payed for his learning, he deſcried them all to bee but lying vanities, or moſt vain vanities, emptie Nothings.
forſake their own mercy.] Are miſerable by their own election, becauſe ſinners (in a ſpeciall manner) againſt their own ſouls, as were Corab and his complices, Num. 16.38. as was Pope Silveſter, who gave his ſoul to the Devil for ſeven years enjoyment of the Popedome: and as are all thoſe wilfull wicked perſons, that refuſing to be reformed, and hating to be healed, chuſe to ſpend the ſpan of this life after the wayes of their own hearts, though they thereby periſh for ever. Theſe are thoſe fools of the people, that preferre an apple before Paradiſe, a meſſe of pottage before the inheritance of heaven, their ſwine before their Saviour, turning their backs upon thoſe bleſſed and bleeding embracements of his, and cruelly cutting the throats of their own poor ſouls, by an impenitent continuance in ſinne: ſo loſing, for a few bitter-ſweet pleaſures, or paltry profits in this vale of tears, for an inch of time, that fulneſſe of felicity at Gods right hand, thorough all eternity. It is written of them who tame the Tyger, that when they have taken away the young one, knowing that preſently they ſhall be purſued by the old Tygreſſe, they ſet looking-glaſſes in the way by which they flee: whereunto when ſhe cometh and ſeeth ſome repreſentation of her ſelf, ſhe lingreth about them a good ſpace, deceived by the ſhadow, and detained in a vain hope to recover the young againe: Mean-while the hunter moſt ſpeedily poſteth away with his prey. Semblably dealeth Satan with the men of this world (ſaith mine Authour) He caſts before them the deceitfull luſts of profit, pleaſure, and preferment (the worldlings Trinity) thoſe lying vanities, being none other then ſhadows and ſemblances of good: yet are men ſo delighted with theſe, that they dote about them, having no care to purſue the enemy, for recovery of that image of God, the Divine nature, that Satan hath beguiled them of. He ſetteth them to the tree of knowledge, that they may not taſte of the tree of life. He putteth out their eyes with the duſt of covetouſneſſe, and ſhutteth their ears againſt the inſtructions of life, leſt at any time they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and ſhould underſtand with their hearts, and ſhould be converted, and God ſhould heal them, Mat. 13.15. In all which there is not any thing more to be lamented then this, that people ſhould love to have it ſo, Jer. 6.31. be active in their own utter undoing, Hoſ. 13.9. wittingly and willingly forſake God the fountain of living waters (their own mercies, as he is here called, and elſewhere, Pſal. 144.2.) and hew themſelves out ciſternes, broken ciſternes that can hold no water, Jer. 2.13.
Verſe 9. But I will ſacrifice unto thee with the voice of thankſgiving,] q. d. Let others do as they think good: let them make a match with miſchief till they have enough of it. Let them walk till they have wearied themſelves, in the wayes of their hearts, and in the ſight of their eyes: but let them know (I ſpeak it by wofull experience) that for all theſe things, God will bring them to judgement, Eccleſ. 11.9. The beſt that can come of ſinne is Repentance: and that's not in mans power, but in Gods gift, 2 Tim. 2.25. If he had not melted mine hard heart, and brought me back to himſelf with a ſtrong hand, I had pined away in mine iniquities, and periſhed for ever. But now having been ſo miraculouſly delivered from ſo great a death, I will ſacrifice unto the Lord with the voice of thanksgiving. I will ſet up my note and ſing aloud unto God my Saviour, who hath thus beyond all deſert, delivered ſuch a miſerable wretch, rebell, and runagate as my ſelf.
I will ſacrifice] Heb. I will ſlay, ſc. thoſe birds and beaſts in uſe for feaſts and ſacrifices at Jeruſalem. with the voice of thanksgiving.] Heb. of confeſſion, that is, I will confeſſe and acknowledge God to be what he is, to do what he doth, and to give what he giveth. Now to offer a ſacrifice, at ſuch a confeſſion, or thankſgiving, added much to the ſolemnity thereof; and made it more, honourable in it ſelf, and more acceptable to God. To theſe gratulatory ſacrifices the word ſlaying is attributed, as here: to ſhew, that even in gratulation, expiation muſt bee made: and that by the blood and ſacrifice of Chriſt all our offerings are accepted in heaven.
I will pay that I have vowed,] Not my generall vow onelyonly as a Covenanter, to devote my ſelf to his fear and ſervice all my dayes; but thoſe particular, perſonall, voluntary vowes made in my diſtreſſe: ſuch as was that of Jacob, Gen. 28.20. Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.11. David, Pſal. 132.1, 2 &c. In affliction men are wondrous apt to promiſe great matters, if they may but be delivered. See Pſal. 78.36. Pliny in an Epiſtle to one of his friends, that deſired rules from him how to order his life aright; I will, ſaith he, give you one rule, that ſhall be inſtead of a thouſand. Ʋt tales eſſe perſeveremus ſani, quales nos futuros eſſe profitemur infirmi. That you be ſure to be the ſame when well, that you vowed to be when you were ſick. But this is few mens care. See Jer. 34.10, 11. Sonnes of Belial break theſe bonds (as Sampſon did the green withes) and caſt away thoſe cords from them; if they could at leaſt. being worſe herein then thoſe Mariners, chap. 1, then Saul, that made great conſcience of violating his vow, 1 Sam. 14. then Turks and Papiſts, who are ſuperſtitiouſly ſtrict this way Jonah knew it to be as bad, if not worſe, then perjury, to vow and not to performe, Num. 30.3. and that God is the avenger of all ſuch, Deut. 23.21. He therefore, not merely for fear of puniſhment, but chiefly for hatred of that ſinne ſaith, I will pay that I have vowed,] The Hebrew word Aſhallemah ſeemeth to imply two things. Firſt, that his vow, till paid, was incompleat, it was an imperfect thing; the better part of it was yet wanting. Next, that till that chare were done, he could not be at peace within himſelf, he could not be quiet: for vowes are debts: and debts, till they be payed, are a burden to an honeſt minde, and do much diſeaſe it.
Salvation is of the Lord.] Salus omnimoda, as the Hebrew word (having one letter more then ordinary in it) importeth:Jeſhugnathah. all manner of ſalvation full, and plentifull deliverance, is of the Lord; who is therefore called, the God of ſalvation, unto whom belong the iſſues from death, Pſal. 68.20. A quo vera ſalus non aliunde venit. This Ionah ſpeaketh, as he doth all elſe in this holy Canticle, not by reading, or by rote, but out of his own feeling, and good experience: his whole diſcourſe was digg'd out of his own breaſt, as it is ſaid of that moſt excellent 119. Pſalme, that it is made up altogether of experiments; and it therefore hath verba non legenda ſed vivenda, words not ſo much to be read, as lived, as One ſaid once of it. Dives thought that if one went from the dead to warne his wicked brethren, they would never be able to reſiſt ſuch powerfull Rhetorick. Behold, here is Ionah raiſed from the dead, as it were, and warning people to ariſe, and ſtand up from dead courſes and companies, that Chriſt may give them light: why do they not then get up and be doing at it, that the Lord may be with them? Shall not the men of Nineveh riſe up in judgement with this evil generation, and condemn them, becauſe they repented at the preaching of Jonas: Mat. 12.41.but theſe do not, though they have many Jonas's, that both preach and practiſe, non verbis ſolum praedicantes ſed & exemplis, as Euſebius ſaith Origen did, that live ſermons and not teach them onelyonly?
Verſe 10.Dci dicere eſt facere. Aug. And the Lord ſpake unto the fiſh, [He ſpake the word and it was done: He is the great Centurion of the world, that ſaith to his creature, Do this, and hee doth it. Yea, he is the great, great Induperator, to whom every thing ſaith. Iuſſa ſequi tam velle mihi quàm poſſe neceſſe eſſe. Lucan.I am wholly at thy beck, and check. Jonah ſpake to God, and God to the fiſh. It may be ſaid of faithfull prayer, that it can do whatſoever God himſelf can do: ſith he is pleaſed to yeeld himſelf overcome by the prayers of his people, and to ſay unto them cordially, as Zedekiah did to his Courtiers colloguingly. The king is not he that can deny you any thing. Prayer is of that power, that it can open the doors of Leviathan, as wee ſee here, (which yet is reckoned as a thing not feiſible, Iob 41.14.) yea of the all-devouring grave, Heb. 11.35. If the Lord, pricked on by the prayers of his people, ſet in hand to ſave them, and ſhall ſay to the North, Give up; and to the South, Keep not back, bring my ſonnes from farre, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, Eſay 43.6. they ſhall come amain, and none ſhall be able to hinder them: Come therefore (with thoſe good ſouls in Hoſea, who had ſmarted for their folly, as well as Ionah) and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, Hoſ. 6.1, 2.and he will heal us: he hath ſmitten, and he will bind us up. After two dayes will he revive us: in the third day he will raiſe us up, and we ſhall live in his ſight. A time we muſt have to be in the fire, in the fiſhes belly, as in Gods Nurturing-houſe; but hee will take care that wee be not there overlong: what's two or three dayes to eternity? Hold out faith and patience: Yet a very little, little while, Heb. 10.and hee that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry.
and it vomited up Ionah upon the dry land.] And here Death was defeated and wiped: it was much more ſo, when it had ſwallowed up Chriſt;Quantum in devoratione mors laetata eſt, tantum luxit in vomitu; Hieron. and little dreamt that it ſelf ſhould have been thereby ſwallowed up in victory. But then was fulfilled that of the Prophet, O death, I will be thy death. And as there ſo here in a proportion, and as a type, omnia jam inverſa, ſaith Mercer, all things are turned t'other way. Before the fiſh was an inſtrument of death; now, of life, and ſerves Jonah for a ſhip to bring him to dry land. This fiſh uſeth not to come neer the ſhore, but to ſport in the great waters: howbeit now he muſt, by ſpeciall command, vomit up Ionah upon the dry land. Why then ſhould it be thought a thing incredible with any, that God ſhould raiſe the dead? The Sea ſhall ſurely give up the dead that were in it: and death and hell deliver up the dead that were in them:Acts 26. S. Sen. Nat. quaeſt. l. 3. c. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. and they ſhall be judged every man according to his works, Rev. 20.13. This, ſome of the Heathens beleeved: as Zoroaſtres, Theopompus, and Plato. And the Stoikes opinion was, that the world ſhould one day be diſſolved by fire or water: and all things brought to a better ſtate, or to the firſt golden age again. But we have a more ſure word of Propheſie: and this that is here recorded may ſerve as an image and type of our preſervation in the grave, and our reſurrection from the dead, by one and the ſame Almighty power of God.