Volume III Part 20 (1/2)

19 Why the Disciples being hungry pluck'd the Ears of Corn, it seee to us, who observe that men half starved betake not themselves to such supply; except we consider the ancient Diet of _Alphiton_ and _Polenta_, the Meal of dried and parched Corn, or that which was ????s??, or Meal of crude and unparched Corn, ith they being well acquainted, ht hope for some satisfaction fro pulp or ypt Exod 57, etc]

20 The inhuyptian Task-masters, who, not content with the common tale of Brick, took also from the Children of Israel their allowance of _Straw_, and forced theather _Stubble_ where they could find it, will be more nearly apprehended, if we consider how hard it was to acquire any quantity of Stubble in _aegypt_, where the Stalk of Corn was so short, that to acquire an ordinary measure, it required more than ordinary labour; as is discoverable from that account, which _Pliny_[193] hath happily left unto us In the Corn gather'd in _aegypt_ the Straw is never a Cubit long: because the Seed lieth very shallow, and hath no other nourishment than from the Mudd and Sli but Sand and Gravel

[193] _Lib 18 Nat Hist_

So that the expression of Scripture is more Emphatical than is commonly apprehended, when 'tis said, _The people were scattered abroad through all the Land of aegypt to gather Stubble instead of Straw_ For the Stubble being very short, the acquist was difficult; a few Fields afforded it not, and they were fain to wander far to obtain a sufficient quantity of it

[Sidenote: _Flowers of the Vine_ Cant 2 13]

21 It is said in the _Song of Soloood smell_ That the Flowers of the Vine should be Eive a pleasant smell, seems hard unto our Northern Nostrils, which discover not such Odours, and sions, and ested Flowers, a sweet savour may be allowed, denotable from several hu the dried Flowers of the Vine into new Wine to give it a pure and flosculous race or spirit, which Wine was therefore called ?????????, allowing unto every _Cadus_ two pounds of dried Flowers

And, therefore, the Vine flowering but in the Spring, it cannot but seem an impertinent objection of the Jews, that the Apostles were _full of new Wine_ at _Pentecost_ when it was not to be found Wherefore we may rather conceive that the word G?e???[194] in that place i and sweet Wine, wherein more especially lay the power of inebriation

[194] Acts 2 13

But if it be to be taken for soht be soht be had at any time of the year, and which, as _Pliny_ delivereth, theythe _Must_ fro, and so it kept soft and sweet for no small time after

[Sidenote: _The Olive Leaf in_ Gen 8 11]

22 When the _Dove_, sent out of the Ark, return'd with _a green Olive Leaf_, according to the Original: how the Leaf, after ten Months, and under water, should still reenness, need not much amuse the Reader, if we consider that the Olive Tree is ?e?f?????, or continually green; that the Leaves are of a bitter taste, and of a fast and lasting substance Since we also find fresh and green Leaves a the Olives which we receive from remote Countries; and since the Plants at the bottom of the Sea, and on the sides of Rocks, maintain a deep and fresh verdure

How the Tree should stand so long in the Deluge under Water, may partly be allowed from the uncertain determination of the Flows and Currents of that time, and the qualification of the saltness of the Sea, by the adether

And it nally illustrated from the like examples in _Theophrastus_[195] and _Pliny_[196] in words to this effect: Even the Sea affordeth Shrubs and Trees; In the red Sea whole Woods do live, na Fruit The Souldiers of _Alexander_, who sailed into _India_, h in some Islands, that they overflowed, and covered the Woods, as high as Plane and Poplar Trees The lower sort wholly, the greater all but the tops, whereto the Mariners fastned their Vessels at high Waters, and at the root in the Ebb; That the Leaves of these Sea Trees while under water looked green, but taken out presently dried with the heat of the Sun The like is delivered by _Theophrastus_, that sorow and bear Acrons under the Sea

[195] Theophrast _Hist Lib 4 Cap 7 8_

[196] Plin _lib 13 cap ultimo_

[Sidenote: _Grain of Mustard-seed in S_ Matt 13 31, 32]

23 _The Kingdorain of Mustard-seed, which a Man took and sowed in his Field, which indeed is the least of all Seeds; but when 'tis grown is the greatest a Herbs, and becoe in the Branches thereof_

Luke 13 19 _It is like a grain of Mustard-seed, which a Man took and cast it into his Garden, and it waxed a great Tree, and the Fowls of the Air lodged in the Branches thereof_

This expression by a grain of Mustard-seed, will not seee unto you, ell consider it That it is simply the least of Seeds, you cannot apprehend, if you have beheld the Seeds of _Rapunculus_, Marjorane, Tobacco, and the smallest Seed of _Lunaria_

But youHerbs which produce so big a Plant, or the least of herbal Plants, which arise unto such a proportion, implied in the expression; _the sreatest of Herbs_

And you rant that it is the smallest of Seeds of Plants apt to de?d???e??, _arborescere_, _fruticescere_, or to grow unto a ligneous substance, and froetable, to beco the _Dendrolachana_, or _Arboroleracea_; as upon strong Seed, Culture and good Ground, is observable in soes, Mallows, and many more, and therefore expressed by ???eta? t? d??d???, and ???eta? e?? t?? d??d???, it becometh a Tree, or _arborescit_, as _Beza_ rendreth it

Nor if warily considered doth the expression contain such difficulty

For the Parable rain of Mustard, but point at such a grain as froes, hath the success to beconitude, and acquire the like tallness

And unto such a Grain the Kingdos shall find such increase and grandeur

The expression also that it e in the Branches thereof, may be literally conceived; if we allow the luxuriancy of plants in _Judaea_, above our Northern Regions; If we accept of but half the Story taken notice of by Tremellius, from the _Jerusaleg Tree; and of another, under whose shade a Potter daily wrought: and it may somewhat abate our doubts, if we take in the advertise lesser Plants of _Milium_ and _Sesamum_ in the Babylonian Soil: _Milium ac Sesamum in proceritatem instar arborum crescere, etsi mihi compertum, tamen meionem adierunt perquam incredibile visum iri_ We may likewise consider that the word ?atas????sa? doth not necessarily signifie _ and resting in the Boughs, according as the saint_ in other places[197] as the Vulgar rendreth it in this, _inhabitant_, as our Translation, _lodgeth_, and the Rhemish, _resteth_ in the Branches