The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

This vision I say, given to the Prophet, and by the Prophet preached to the people, when they thought that God had utterly forgotten them, compelled them more diligently to advert, what the former Prophets had spoken. It is no doubt, but they carried with them, both the prophecy of Isaiah and Jeremiah, so that the Prophet Ezekiel is a Commentary to these words of Isaiah, where he saith. Thy dead, O Lord, shall live, with my body they shall arise. The Prophet bringeth in this similitude of the dew, to answer unto that part of their fidelity, who can believe no further of Gods promises, then they are able to apprehend by natural judgement; As he would say, Think ye this impossible, that God shall give life unto you, and bring you to an estate of a Common-wealth again, after that ye be dead, and as it were raced from the face of the earth. But why do ye not consider, what God worketh from year to ⟨p. 115⟩year in the order of nature, sometimes ye see the face of the earth decked and beautified with herbs, flowers, grass, and fruits. Again, ye see the same utterly taken away by storms, and vehemency of the Winter. What doth God to replenish the earth again, and to restore the beauty thereof. He sendeth down his small and soft dew, the drops whereof, in their descending, are neither great nor visible, and yet thereby are the pores and secret veins of the earth, which before by vehemency of frost and cold were shut up, opened again; and so doth the earth produce again the like herbs, flowers, and fruits. Shall ye then think, that the dew of Gods heavenly grace shall not be as effectual in you to whom he hath made his promise, as that it is in the herbs and fruits that from year to year buddeth forth and decayeth? If ye do so, the Prophet would say your incredibility is inexcusable, because ye do neither rightly weigh the power, nor the promise of your God.

This vision I say, given to the Prophet, and by the Prophet preached to the people, when they thought that God had utterly forgotten them, compelled them more diligently to advert, what the former Prophets had spoken. It is no doubt, but they carryed with them, both the prophesie of Isaiah and Ieremy, so that the Prophet Ezekiel is a Commentary to these words of Isaiah, where he saith. Thy dead, O Lord, shall live, with my body they shall arise. The Prophet bringeth in this similitude of the dew, to answer unto that part of their fidelity, who can believe no further of Gods promises, then they are able to apprehend by naturall judgement; As he would say, Think ye this impossible, that God shall give life unto you, and bring you to an estate of a Common-wealth again, after that ye be dead, and as it were raced from the face of the earth. But why do ye not consider, what God worketh from yeer to