Troposchēmalogia: Tropes and figures; or, A treatise of the metaphors, allegories, and express similitudes, &c. contained in the Bible of the Old and New Testament To which is prefixed, divers arguments to prove the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures wherein also 'tis largely evinced, that by the great whore, mystery Babylon is meant the Papal hierarchy, or present state and church of Rome. Philologia sacra, the second part. Wherein the schemes, or figures in Scripture, are reduced under their proper heads, with a brief explication of each. Together with a treatise of types, parables, &c. with an improvement of them parallel-wise. By B. K

Parallels.

THe Sea is a great Convention, (as one words it) or a Multitude of Waters; The gathering together of the Waters called he Seas:* 1.1 So the Wicked are a Multitude of People.

II. The Sea sometimes swells, roars, and rises very high, threatning the Earth as if it would swallow it up immediatly: So the mighty Concourse of the wicked and tyrannical Powers of the Earth, many times swell in Pride and Arrogancy, and make a fearful Noise, as if they would in a moment swallow up the Lord's People.

III. The Sea hath its Bounds set by the Almighty: He hath shut up the Sea with Doors,* 1.2 &c. and hath said, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further; and here shall thy proud Waves be stayed: So the Lord sets Bounds to the Wrath and Rage of the Un∣godly; no Creatures can go further than God permits them. As he that made the Sea, can master it; so he can soon put a Stop and Curb to the proudest Oppressor and Persecutor in the World. Let Men be as angry as they will, let them be as stor∣my as the boisterous Seas; yet the Lord hath said, Hitherto shall ye come, and no fur∣ther.* 1.3 He stilleth the Noise of the Seas, the Noise of the Waves, and the Tumult of the People. Nay, the Devil himself is like a Sea shut up, he cannot do what he would, he hath Bounds set him, &c.

IV. The Sea at God's command is still; The Wind and Seas oby him: So with one Word speaking (as it were) he can quiet the Wicked, and make them silent in Darkness;* 1.4 He can make this Sea and frightful Storm a Calm, and cause the proud Waves to be still.

V. The Sea produces or brings forth many strange Monsters: So the Multitude of the Wicked, this metaphorical Sea, hath brought forth many a vile and strange Mon∣ster. See Dan. 7.3. And four great Beasts came up from the Sea, diverse one from the other; the first was like a Lion, and had Eagles Wings, &c. These four Beasts signified the four Monarchies of the Earth; what a Monster the fourth hath been, all the World hath had full Experience of, that had great Iron Teeth, &c. What Devils incarnate were many of the Roman Emperors, particularly Nero, who ripp'd up the Belly of his own Mother! &c. And what a Monster hath the little Horn been, I mean the Papal Power! what a mighty Mass of innocent Blood hath the Beast and Whore devoured! &c.

VI. The Sea is very restless, it ebbs and flows, and seems to be continually trou∣bled: So the Ungodly are always restless in their Spirtis, like wicked Haman, they never cease Plotting against the Just. Tho they have very great Power, Riches, and Honour, yet because God's Mordecai's will not bow down their Souls for them to go over, all seems as nothing to them; they have Riches, much Gold and Silver, but not satisfied; they enjoy all the Delights and Pleasures the World can afford them, but yet are like the troubled Sea: Many times also their Consciences sorely disquiet them. What Rest soever they may have, yet certainly they are continually void of the true Peace of God, and in this Sence there is no Peace to the Wicked, &c.* 1.5

VII. The Sea continually casteth forth Mire and Dirt: So the Ungodly never cease casting forth their abominable Wickedness.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 1.
• * 1.2

  Job 38.8, 11.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 65.7.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 107.29.
• * 1.5

  Isa. 57.21.