words I understand do hold forth to us a threefold gradation leading to a dissolution of the second Government called the PIT The first step is expressed in these words The land is sore bruised speaking of the representative of the land The word Translated sore bruised in the Hebrew is The land in bruising is bruised Which word properly signifies bruising 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by collision of two hard things together Jer. 10. 9. And it also implies that this bruising shall be by the exercise of the power of the sword as may appear from the Psal 2. 9. where the same word is used And that rod of iron meanes the power of the sword Revl 19. 17. So that the meaning as I conceive is this that by the power of the Militia the Representative of that land shall be sore bruised The next step is They shall be utterly broken or in breaking they shall be broken The word properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to evacuate or break a thing upon some semblance or pretence of condition which argues that there will be some condition ground or reason pretended for the breach and dissolution of the Representative of that land The third step is this The Land is quite displaced or moved out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place An argument that after the dissolution of the first Representative there will be a second But that is here said to be moved quite out of place Or as it is in the Hebrew In moving out of place it shall be moved out of place The word here used doth properly signifie to move a thing out of its place And the phrase seems to imply such a motion as from the first calling of them together to their dissolution is quite out of course and not agreeing with the ancient customes of the Representatives of that land And thus you are come to the end of the second Representative and the second form of Government together The third kind of Government which is called a SNARE followeth And you have three steps and degrees to the ablition of that Verse 20. The land shall reel to and fro like a drunkard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words shew the giddy tottering unsetled condition of the land under the third kind of Government The word signifies the nodding or trembling of the head And it argues the unstayed giddiness of the representative reeling as a man in drink sometimes this way sometime that way The next step is They shall be removed as a cottage The word Translated removed properly signifies to wander as a Vagrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Vagabond It was the curse of Cain Gen. 4. 12 14 16. A vagabond shalt thou be upon earth And now behold the woful state of the land here spoken of they shall wander here and wander there and know not where to rest The phrase I conceive doth express the consternation and dejection of their spirits under the heavy pressure of their sins as it follows in the next words and Gods just indignation against them for the same And now they are like Cain afraid of all kinds of Government having felt already the sad and woful effects and fruits of one after another and finding nothing but FEAR and the PIT and the SNARE in them all God hath so blasted all earthly Governments and the glory of them that now the poor land is afraid to make proof of them any more They are gotten into the land of NOD a vagrant condition by reason of their transgression as it is in the next words For the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it These words give us the reason of all these woes and calamities to wit their transgression and their impenitency under the same because they would not hearken to the messengers of Christ The word translated transgression doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifie such a transgression as is against light and such as is accompanyed with obstinacy and contumacy It is a compound of Pride and Rebellion Or as Aben Ezra saith it is an exemption of a mans self from a lawful power and an opposition against the same The meaning I take to be this that the land here spoken of counts it self free and exempted from the jurisdiction of Christs Laws and Statutes and assumes to it self a legislative power which is here called transgression or contumacy against the light held forth by the servants of Christ And this lies heavy upon the land as an insupportable load or burden that presseth it down For I conceive that here will be fulfilled in some degree at least the word of the Lord Rev. 14. 19. And the Angel thrust in his sicle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the winepress of the wrath of God And the winepress was troden without the City and blood came out of the winepress even unto the horse-bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs May not this City well be called the City of confusion as our English Translation reads it And now follows the third and last step under the third kind of Government It shall fall and never rise any more These words put a period to the third and last kinde of Government in that land The heavens pass away with a noise the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 10. And now will be fulfilled that word of Isaiah Isa 65. 17. who saith the old heaven and earth shall not come upon their heart They will henceforth have no more to do with earthly forms of Government but now they are prepared to submit unto Christs Government and administration according to his word alone And when thus they are ashamed and confounded for their folly in all their civil administrations and Church-administrations also then they set up Christs plain pure and perfect administrations in both And this was Christs maine scope and design from the very first mutation and change in the beginning of the Chapter which being now attained unto in some good measure in that land behold Christ takes a speedy course with that HIGH ONE and his host which have been instrumental in all these sad changes and have obstructed the work of Christ in that Nation Verse 21. And it shall come to pass in that day To wit when God hath subdued the spirits of the people and prepared them as waxe to receive the impression of a new form of Government and now they are willing the Government should lie Isa 9. 6. Isa 33. 22. upon the shoulder of Christ and are resolved Jehovah shall be their Legislator and not a Representive of their own Now I say when it is thus Jehovah will punish the hoast of that MOST HIGH ONE with that MOST HIGH ONE To wit him that in the fourth verse is called the MOST HIGH ONE of the people
tears but you shal reap in joy Psal 126. 5. 6. You are imprisoned and hated for the sake of Christ but he wil shortly appear to your joy and your adversaries shal be ashamed Isa 66 5. You hope for beleeve and pray for the coming of Christ to rule over the world in righteousness Behold it is but a little while and he that shall come will come and wil not tarry Heb 10. 37 You are now underlings to the world and now you suffer for Christ but you shal reign as Kings upon Earth Revel 5 10. Read the Sermon of the fifth Monarchy preached by Mr. Thomas Goodwyn and printed by Livewel Chapman in Popeshead-Ally Only be careful to keep your garments unspotted of the world and hold fast the word of Christs patience that no man take your crown Rev 3. 10 11. And when you see nothing but fire and sword devouring on every hand and the powers of Heaven shaken and mens harts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth Then lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Finally to conclude let me speak a word or two to my Brethren in New England I know you are â—ot the Land of which this Prophet speaks in particular yet I may analogically apply the same to you I could shew you how you have passed under two of these forms of Government in some measure and degree how sometimes you were under FEAR lest the Magistrate should have assumed too much power to themselves although it was more your fear then any reality and you took a speedy course to prevent that and now you are fallen into the PIT and have the main power residing in your Deputier Beware lest you come to another change of your own devising for that will certainly become a SNARE To you therefore give me leave to commend this word of advice and counsel as from God that you may avoid the SNARE Remember you had an old Prophet of the Lord amongst you who is now at rest and he according to the wisdom given him of God collected a whole Sistemee or body of Laws as you cal it out of the word of God with a divine stamp upon them and presented the same to your general Court to have been ratified by their professed subjection therunto which had you done it might have saved you many thousands of pounds that since have been spent in making and repealing of Laws of your own framing wheras as Christs Laws are made to your hand are unrepealable I know you wil acknowledg your own Laws are not perfect some capitals only excepted wherein you followed the advice of that antient Prophet and you wil also acknowledg that there is no imperfection in the Laws given by Jesus Christ our King Therfore I beseech you again to revise what was commended to you by that faithful servant of Christ Mr Cotton I mean and weigh with your selves whether Christs Laws be not equally as wise compleat and perfect touching the civil administrations of Judgment and Justice in the Common-wealth as in the matters that concern his Church and if so then be perswaded in the Lord to take his Laws for yours and make them your Magna charta And let all your administrations of Judgment be according to that perfect platform only that it may be said of your Judgments they are not yours but the Lords I might give you sundry arguments and motives hereunto as first from the example of that Nation whereof the Prophet here speaks which after tryal of sundry forms of Government finds nothing but FEAR and a PIT and a SNARE in them all 2ly Your solemn Ingagement before God in your Church covenants to submit your selves wholly to Jesus Christ as your King and the dangerous consequences which wil follow the breach of that everlasting covenant in so main a part of it But 3ly and principally let me press this argument as most suitable for Evangelical christians You wil hereby greatly honour the Lord Jesus your King when you own his wisdom faithfulness and perfection as wel in civils as in spirituals And you wil hereby become exemplary to all other christian Nations whose eys are upon your actings And let me tel you this that your desert herein hath greatly impeded the work of Christ with us For wel may men reason a minori ad majus that if the Laws of Christ our King be not sufficient to guide a smal colonie much less can they be thought an adaequate rule for administration of Judgment and Justice in such great and populous Nations I might have added much more but verba sapienti sat est I could have answered many Objections which are usually made by such as would grasp into their hands a share with Christ in making Laws but I judg it not fit for this place and this time And I know you have many amongst your selves that are far better able to obviate such slight pretences shadows these things I thought it my duty to recommend to you as one that hath spent upwards of 22 years amongst you and stil cordially affects the peace of your Jerusalem I may assure you of this that if old England Christians who walk in holy fellowship together had had the opportunity which you have had and still have they would ere this have set up Jesus Christ as King not only in their churches but in the common-wealth also You are a as a Beacon set on a Hil. Great things God hath done for you and great things he expects from you Do not you therfore so unkindly requite him as to dishonour his Son by withdrawing your necks from under his Yoak whose Yoak is easie and his burden light And the Lord that perswades Japhet perswade you the Sons of Japhet to dwel in the Tents of Shem FINIS
And it seems that this Most high one hath the command of the Militia of that land wherefore the Militia is called his Militia or host It may also be called his Militia because they have been instrumental to advance him to that height or highness and so the fourth verse seems to intimate Or if you will it may include both But take it which way you please the Lord Jehovah that gives all Beings their existence and gives a Being to all his judgements will visit the Militia of that MOST HIGH ONE with the MOST HIGH ONE You may either understand it thus that God will make that MOST HIGH ONE an instrumental cause of the Hosts punishment or that he will punish the Host in that MOST HIGH ONE as being the head and chief of them or else that he will punish them both together The phrase is very observable and though our English translation read it otherwise That God will punish the host of the high ones that are on high yet it is not so proper For 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is there used in the singular number not in the plural 2. There is affixed an Emphasis to the word the Host of that most high one And 3. The word there used signifies properly height in the abstract And is as much as if you should say in our English Idiome that MOST HIGH ONE And in propriety of speech there can be but one Most High Wherefore God assumes it as his own proper title vers 18. And David attributes it to God Psal 56. 2. Oh thou MOST HIGH Let mortal sinful men therefore tremble to arrogate such titles of God unto themselves unless God give it them The place of the punishment of this MOST HIGH ONE and his host together with the Kings of the earth it is in this world God will not respite it unto the world to come For so much is implyed in that phrase upon the earth And well it is for them if they may receive their punishment in this world onely What the kind of their punishment shall be is not expressed save onely that they shall be gathered with a gathering a prisoner for the dungeon and shall be shut up in prison Or as we use to say shall be close prisoners And whether that onely shall be their punishment or whether they shall be reserved unto further punishment afterwards is not very clear from the text Possibly if they then repent as Manasseh did God may shew them mercy Vers 23. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed The word translated confounded doth signifie to digg through the earth as men use to do untill they come to a living spring And so the word is used Gen. 26. 18. And Isaac digged again the wells of water which they had digged in the dayes of Abraham his father The meaning is God will so digg through all those earthly mouldy carnal politicks of civil Government in that land till he shew them at length the limpid clear fountain and living spring of righteousness and Judgement out of the word of Christ so that they will be confounded with shame at all their former mouldy principles after which they have walked in all their former administrations And the Sunne shall be ashamed The Churches of Christ even the most reformed shall then blush to see how far they fall short of the Primitive institution Thus will God shame them when he begins to set up the Government of his Son in this and in other of the Nations And so I come to the time when all these things shall be fulfilled when God will put a period unto all earthly forms of Government in the land here spoken of and in the rest of the Nations and when God will visit that MOST HIGH ONE and his Host and the Kings of the neighbouring Nations It is when Jehovah of Hosts shall Reign you may understand the word translated when or for either as an Adverb of time and so it shews forth the season wherein these things shal come to pass Or you may take it for a Conjunction causal and so it shew forth both the principal efficient cause of all that hath been spoken before and also the main scope and end or the main design which God had in hand and aimed at in all these mutations in Churches and Civil State to wit That Jehovah might Reign and so that word is also used And whereas it is said when Jehovah shal Reign or for Jehovah Reigneth or that Jehovah may Reign and there makes a distinction it argues there will be some beginning of Christs Reign in that Land and in the other Nations of the Gentiles before the calling of the Jews but the most glorious manifestation of Christs Kingly power both in Church and State will be reserved for his ancient people the Jews when they are called home again In brief therefore to gather up the sence of the words it is as if the Prophet should have said after Christ hath proceeded by all the forementioned gradations to dissipate the old Heaven and old Earth to wit their civil and Church administrations of their own invention and to set up new Heavens and new Earth new administrations in them both according to his Word Then Jehovah the Lord of Hosts the Lord Jesus Christ wil Reign in that Nation whereof the Prophet speaks and then he wil punish the Host of that MOST HIGH ONE and that HIGH ONE both together and so proceed to the rest of the Nations and will there rule and Reign as King in Mount Zyon and in Jerusalem in Church and Common-wealth throughout the Nations But most gloriously before his Antients the seed of Abraham to whom God hath of old promised and sworn that his Seed should possess the gate of his enemies Gen 22. 17. And indeed God shewed to Abraham as in a Type or shadow what he would do in the ends of the world in subduing all the four Monarchies and giving the Kingdom and greatness thereof to Abrahams seed For in the 14 of Genesis you read of four Kings to wit Amraphel King of Shinar Ariech King of Elleaser Chederlaomer King of Elam and Tiddal King of Nations whom Abraham pursued to rescue his Kinsman Lot and overcame them and slew them These four Kings were the root as I may say of the four Monarchies which in after-times became afflictive to the Church of God And the fal of these was prefigured in the overthrow of those which Melchisedeck doth so congratulate with a blessing from the most High God possessor of Heaven and Earth In Mount Zyon and in Jerusalem I wil not deny that Mount Zyon and Jerusalem are here literally meant for it is an undeniable truth that Christ wil Reign there But withal I take it that by Mount Zion and Jerusalem is here intended the Church and civil State not in Jury only but in all other the Nations For Mount Zyon is often put for the
THUNDER From HEAVEN Against the BACK-SLIDERS and APOSTATES Of the TIMES In some Meditations on the 24 Chapter of Isaiah By W. A. Amos. 3. 8. The Lyon hath roared who will not feare The Lord hath spoken who can but Prophesie Jer. 23. 8. Then I said I wiâ—◠〈◊〉 â—ake mention of him nor speak any more in his nam◠〈…〉 word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up 〈…〉 and I was weary with forbearing and I could 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman and are to be sold at the Crown in Popes-head-alley 1655 THE AUTHOR TO THE Reader THE words of Jehovah are pure words as silver tryed in a furnace of earth purified seven times Psal 12. 6. They are also precious and more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold Psal 19. 10. And as it 's with purified silver or gold each grain is precious and hath its weight so is it with the word of God Each word syllable and letter yea each vowel and accent hath its worth and weight as in part I have shewed in a little brief explication of the seventh of Daniel Which poor labour hath received some squint blows that are not worthy the answer in as much as they contain more words then weight and leave too much upon humane authority though none of them would be thought so to do and without which their strength would faile as hereafter I may possibly manifest in some meditations upon the eighth of Daniel a place very much mistaken by some good men for want of due attendance to Scripture-language And now I do here present thee with some meditations upon the twenty fourth of Isaiah in which Chapter are contained many sad predictions of sore calamities to befal a Land to which the Prophet gives no name Wherefore I have took occasion at vacant hours to weigh the words and circumstances in the text for my own private help to understand the Counsel of God therein And perceiving many things therein if duly attended might be both publikely and privately useful I durst not conceal it within my own brest lest I should incur the guilt of unfaithfulness if having but one poor Talent I should go hide it in a napkin And though the Prophet apply it not to any particular Land by name neither dare I presume to make particular application thereof wanting a clear word for my warrant yet forasmuch as Scriptures may be Analogically applyed and so become useful to all succeeding times nations and persons I thought it would not be unuseful to explicate the words of this Prophesie according to the property of the language wherein they are written as Master Ainsworth hath done upon the books of Moses and other Scriptures That so every one that reads may consider how far they are or may be concerned therein and make a profitable use thereof for themselves For this let me say to thee whosoever thou art If thou fall under the guilt of these sins of Apostacy hypocrisie and Covenant-breaking c. mentioned in this Chapter be assured God hath reserved FEAR or a PIT or a SNARE for thee to wit variety of punishments of such a nature to humble thee withall But beware of making mis-applications of what the Prophet speaketh and is here briefly unfolded lest these evils be thy portion And though many who minde not the things of God and his threatnings will much less minde any thing I have said in this little Treatise yet the poor flock of Christ for whose sake I have chiefly penned it will incline their ears and listen and if they perceive the voice of Christ breathing therein they will soon discern it from the voice of a stranger When they hear the Lyon of the tribe of Judah roar they will tremble and when he invites them with an amiable compellation as indeed he doth Isa 26. 10. Come my people they will attend his voice and enter into their chambers and draw neer to God and wrestle with him as Jacob did for mercy in behalf of themselves and of the land wherein they live that the anger of the Lord may be turned away from them Read therefore and consider and let not the obscurity and tenuity of the Author make thee to slight it but consider the Majesty and Authority of the word of the Lord and receive that and nothing but what agrees thereunto As touching the particular time and season when the words of this prophesie are to be accomplished the text doth not speak to it nor dare I onely this is evident that all these sad predictions shall receive their accomplishment at or a little before the glorious raign of Christ Jesus before his ancient people the Jews Which as I have elswhere observed will not be above nineteen yeers yet to come I mean the first beginning of the Jews return Wait therefore and stand having your loins girt For he that will come will come and will not tarry Prae-monitus prae-munitus A Premonition of sundry sad Calamities yet to come Grounded upon an Explication of the 24 Chapter of Isaiah 1 BEhold Jehovah maketh the land empty and maketh it waste and perverteth the face thereof and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof 2 And it shall be as with the people so with the Priest as with the servant so with his master as with the hand-maid so with her mistresse as with the buyer so with the seller as with the lender so with the borrower as with the taker upon usury so with the lender uppon usury 3 The land shall be utterly emptied and shall be utterly spoiled for Jehovah hath spoken this word 4 The land mourneth fadeth the world languisheth fadeth the HIGH ONE of the people of the land do languish 5 The land is defiled under the inhabitants thereof for they have transgressed the Law changed the Statute and broken the everlasting Covenant 6 Therefore the curse hath consumed the land and they that dwel therein are guilty therefore the inhabitants of the land are inraged and the poor little man left 7 The new wine mourneth the vine languisheth all the merry hearted do sigh 8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth the noyse of them that rejoyce is left off the joy of the harp ceaseth 9 They shal not drink wine with a song strong wine shal be bitters to the drinkers thereof 10 The Citie Tohu is broken every house is shut up from going in 11 There is crying for wine in the streets all joy is darkened the mirth of the land is gone 12 In this citie is left astonishment and the gate is smitten with destruction 13 When thus it shal be in the midst of this land among the people as it were the shaking of an Olive tree as the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done 14 These shal lift up their voyce they shal sing in the majesty of Jehovah they shal shout aloud for joy from the sea 15 Wherefore with VRIM glorifie ye Jehovah in the Isles of the sea
the name of Jehovah the God of Israel 16 From the wing of this land we have heard songs glory to the righteous but I said my leannesse my leannesse wo unto me the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously 17 FEAR and the PIT and she SNARE upon thee O inhabitants of that land 18 And it shal come to passe he that flies from the noyse of the FEAR shall fall into the PIT and he that ascends out of the middest of the PIT shall be taken in the SNARE for the windows from the MOST HIGH are opened and the foundations of the land do shake 19 The land is sore bruised the land is utterly broken the land is quite displaced 20 The land shal reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage for the transgression thereof shal be heavy upon it and it shall fall and never rise any more 21 And it shal come to passe in that very day Jehovah will punish the Militia of that HIGH ONE with that HIGH ONE and the Kings of the earth upon the earth 22 And they shall be gathered together with a gathering a prisoner for the dungeon and very many dayes shal they be punished 23 Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed for the LORD OF HOSTS shal reign in mount Zyon and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously THis Chapter and the three subsequent Chapters are exactly calcualted for this very Age wherein we live as in the ensuing Discourse will more fully appear But this 24 chapter doth in a speciall manner contain the sad and inexâ—â—icable calamities that will befall the unbeleeving world towards the end of their worldly governments a little before the glorious coming of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus which in the later end of the fourth Monarchy will be slighted and yet dreaded insomuch that men will be troubled to hear of it as sometime Herod was and the carnal Church also when it was reported that this King Jesus was born Mat. 2. 3. But let men of earthly spirits who mind more the Mammon of this world and the dignities thereof then the coming of Christs kingdom which he taught his disciples to pray for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6. 10 I say let them deem as they please and make a scoff at it as Peter tells us they will 2 Pet. 3. 3. in the later end of dayss saying Where is the promise of his coming which is spoken of this very age wherin we live yet let such know that for all this God will bring them to judgement Eccles 11. 9. And the day of Christs coming which now they slight wil be to them as a thief in the night 2 Thess 5. 2. And these mockers of what rank soever shal cry to the mountains and to the rocks to fall upon them and cover them from the wrath of the Lamb and him that sits upon the Throne whom now they persecute in his poore members Rev. 6. from v. 12. to the end of the chapter Therefore be wise O ye Kings be instructed O yee Judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Now ere I come to the words of the explication of this Prophesie let me premise these three things to be considered 1. That there is no prediction of judgement nor promise of mercy in Scripture but it relates to some particular thing person nation or time or else generally to all things persons nations and times under the same or the like condition 2. That whatsoever is particularly applied to some particular thing person nation or time may be applied Analogically and by way of proportion unto any other things persons nations and times upon the same or the like terms 3. That particular judgements threatned in case of repentance may be obviated and prevented in whole or in part and so also mercies in case of apostasie and backsliding These things premised I shall briefly come to a particular disquisition of this Prophesie which nameth no particular person nation or time and explicate as I go along what is most obstruce without just offence to any submitting what I shall hold forth to the judgement of those who are able to judge of spirituall things and willing to weigh all things in the ballance of the Sanctuary In this Prophesie of Isaiah as in other of the Prophets you may observe particular Prophesies against particular countries As against Babylon in the 13 14. 21. and 47. chapters Against Moab in the 15 and 16. chapters against Damascus in the 17. chapter against Ethiopia in the 18 chapter against Egypt in the 19 chapter and against both of them in the 20 chapter against Edom and Arabia in the 21 chapter against Ephraim in the 28 chap. against Judah Jerusalem in the 29 30 31 chapters against the Idols of Babell chapter 46. All which may be applyed by way of proportion against any other Idols Persons Nations and Places in any other age upon the same or the like termes This 24 chapter is a Prophesie against a particular Land or Nation as hereafter will more clearly appeare but giveth no name to it And probably it may be thought that the Land whereof he speaks was not at that time peopled nor subjected to Government and therefore not named If any should suppose it to relate to Tyrus of which mention is made in the chapter foregoing I conceive it cannot be so for these Reasons 1. The Prophet in the close of the foregoing chapter foretells the restauration and flourishing state of Tyrus after her visitation and therefore what he speaks of this Land cannot well be understood of Tyre 2ly The Land here spoken of is an Island or Islands environed with Sea as appeares from the 14 and 15 verses whereas Tyrus is an haven town upon the main Continent 3ly The judgement denounced against Tyrus was long since executed whereas the judgements here threatned to befall this Land shall be in the latter dayes not long before the Conversion of the Jewes and the coming of the glorious Kingdome of our Lord Jesus wherefore I take it to be a Prophesie of or concerning some particular Land or Islands in these latter times But ere I come to a particular examination of the words in their order I shall give you this brief Analysis of the Prophets method in this chapter First he shews the various changes and alterations of Government in that Land in the soure first verses 2ly The ground and cause thereof to wit their hypocrisie and apostacie in the 5 verse 3ly The sad consequents both of their sin and of those alterations from the 5 verse to the end of the 12. 4ly Gods reservation of a remnant which shall glorifie him in those Islands ver 13 14 15 and part of the 16.
5ly The treachery of the instrumens who were bestrusted by the Nation and were active in all these changes verse 16 17 18. 6ly The dissolution of their severall formes of Government verse 19 20. 7ly The punishment of the Instruments verse 21. together with the punishment of the Kings of the neighbouring Nations verse 21 22. And lastly the principal Efficient of all these mutations Jehovah the Lord of Hosts and the end he aimed at to wit the setting up of his Sons Kingdome in all the Nations but more especially amongst his Ancient people verse 23. Ver. 1. Behold This word of attention is prefixed to quicken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up the hearts of Gods people to a serious attention of what the Prophet is about to deliver and to a deligent search after the minde and counsell of God therein And it implies that there is something more then ordinary to be treated of some remarkable occurrence of Providence not elswhere touched by him Wherefore the Prophesie being for a long time then to come and vailed with many Metaphors and the name of the Land or Islands concealed the Spirit of God thought it meet to give this note of attention least otherwise his Councell therein should not be perceived Ver. 1. Jehovah emptieth the Land The word wich is translated emptieth and the other word translated maketh it waste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both Participles of the present tense as if he should say the Lord is emptying and making it waste Which holds forth to us two preparatory Acts of God making way for the ensuing changes of Government in that Land or in those Islands And when the Prophet saith Jehovah did empty the Land c. It implies Gods approbation of it and that he had a designe of his own in hand whilst he is about this work and what that designe was will be spoken of hereafter Emptieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word properly signifies such an emptying as when one emptieth a narrow mouthed bottle which they call Bakbuk from the bubling noise it maketh in emptying So that the word imports some murmure of the people when God thus begins to empty the Representative of the Land some approving some disapproving the Action The Land The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word signifies Earth or Land And sometimes is put for the whole dry land or habitable part of the world as Gen. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it may be derived from a word that signifies to run up and down about their occasions and negotiations Or else it is put for some particular Region or Country and the Jurisdiction thereof as its most usuall and so it may be derived of a word that signifies a voluntary choise because men voluntarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject themselves to such a Government And in that sence I take it here in this Prophesie Understanding the Representative of the land to be put Synechdochically for the whole land Now for as much as the Prophet hath given no name to this land neither shall I apply it to any one land or other peculiarly saving only by way of proportion in the close of this discourse Yet for the better opening and applying of this Prophesie let me adde these few considerations more touching this land First that it cannot principally be meant of any land or country upon the main Continent because it is called Islands of the Sea ver 15. And Islands of the Sea are distinguished from inland Countries Isa 11. 11. Such as were Assyria Egypt Pathrosh Gush Elam Shinar and Hamath All which Countries in Scripture phrase are called Islands as Isa 20. 6. But then they are called Islands simply as in the place next forementioned or else Islands of the Gentiles as Gen. 10. 5. Zeph. 2. 11. Not Islands of the Sea as in this place Secondly It is spoken of such a land Government as extends it selfe to more Islands then one as will be shewed more at large in the 15 ver of this chapter Thirdly It is such a land as aboundeth with much Heavenly light as will be shewed upon the 15 ver aforementioned Fourthly It is such a Country as passeth under various and sudden changes of Government expressed by sundry Metaphoricall phrases as will be opened ver 17. And lastly it is such a Land as hath one most High-one who hath the Command of the Militia and is instrumenticall in those alterations of Government which may suffice to give some light what the Prophet means by this land so far as the circumstances in the text doe lead us And maketh it waste The word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat dissipare et effiingere quodclausum et munitam erat ut omnium injuriis patet Merc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buxtorf here used imports such an act as breaketh down or infringeth the priviledges and immunities of the peoples Representative and thereby exposeth them to injury and waste as will appear in the two ensuing Acts which I call perfecting Acts. He perverteth the face thereof The word translated perverteth * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify to winde and turne a thing about secretly but strongly Which argues that the liberties being once infringed there will be some instrument or other which will by power and policy turne about the face of the Government Or to speak in souldiers language will make them face about and having thus done he doth at length Scatter them abroad which is the fourth Act and these two last Acts are put forth by a power Paramount to the Representative of the land These I call perinfecting acts becaus the power that formerly was resident the Representative of the land upon their dissollution and scattering devolves into the hand of that power that dissolved them Hitherto God owns the actions as approvable in his sight sobeit the power spoken of and the instruments improved by him do with simplicity and integrity carry on Gods design for setting up the kingdome of his Son in that land seeking the publick peace and tranquility of the State without any squint looks or secret designs to advance their own private interests For now the nation stands in such a posture as renders it capable of new forming and setling upon a firm Basis under the subjection and protection of that blessed and onely Potentate the Lord Jesus 1 Tim. 6. 15. which would have been the happines of that nation But here alas begins the woe and misery of that poor land through the treachery of the instruments which the Prophet so sadly laments in the 16 verse of this chapter For they having broken the everlasting covenant of professed subjection to the Lord Jesus onely he now subjects the nation unto that most High One of the people spoken of in the 4. verse and so they are taken in the same snare from which they fled under the terror of tyranny of
instrumental in all the changes and calamities aforementioned he breaks forth into a most bitter lamentation for the same crying out My leanness my leanness wo unto me the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously The prophet was so deeply affected herewith that he pined away with grief crying My leanness my leanness And the reason of this his bitter complaint is because those that were betrusted by God and by the people of the land to have rescued them out of the hands of the Tyranny of the first Government and to have set up the Government of Christ when the first Government and also the second were dissolved have betrayed their trust and dealt perfidiously from first to last carrying on a secret design of their own and have improved their power and trust to ensnare the land Verse 17. FEARE and the PIT and the SNARE are upon thee c These words I take to be Metaphorical expressions to hold forth unto us the various forms of Government in that land and the nature of them For I finde these phrases used in the like sense Jer. 48. 43 44. where the prophet speaks of the various mutations of Government that should come upon Moab And Lam. 3. 47. where he also speaks of the changes that befel the Kingdom of Israel after the death of Josiah and so I take it in this place And you shall observe how the prophet Marshals them in order The first form of Government he calls FEAR which implies the terror and Tyranny of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Government putting the effect for the cause by a Metonymie The second he calls a PIT The word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly such a pit as is digged under ground which implies that this second form of Government was purposely contrived to obviate the Tyranny of the first And it is called a PIT to shew that it is of a lower constitution then the former was Yea such a pit it is as may yield some shelter or hiding-place from the pursuit of a Tyrant as may appear from the use of the same word 2 Sam. 17. 9. where Hushai speaking of David when he was pursued by that Tyrant Absalom he saith Behold he is hid in some pit And the third form of Government he calls a SNARE The word properly signifies such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snare as fowlers use to lay to catch the birds withal either by the foot or by the neck from which they cannot deliver themselves Which snare the fowlers use to cover with chaff or some such thing so as the birds shall not see the snare till they be taken in it Which doth imply that this third form of Government in that land for the nature of it shall be a snare And for the manner of errecting the same it shall be secret and hidden covered over with such specious and fair pretences that men shall not discerne their Snare till they be taken in it And being once taken it will be difficult to rescue and deliver themselves such will be the strength of it FEAR and the Pit and the SNARE are upon thee O inhabitants of the land He doth not say Oh inhabitant but Oh inhabitants in the plural number to shew that universally all of them and particularly every of them shall be taken in this Snare Vers 18. And he that ascends out of the midst of the PIT shall be taken in the SNARE This ascending argues that the form of Government is of a higher constitution in regard of the external pomp and glory of the fame then the Government foregoing was And such will be the subtile and curious contrivement of the same as they will catch all men in snares that resist them and such as cannot comply with their new-devised power So the Prophet hath done with the threefold form of Government in that land and the treachery of the instruments And in the words ensuing tells you that God looks on all this while though men drive on their designes in all that foregoeth yet God will at length turn about their actings to accomplish his grand design For saith the prophet The windows of that MOST HIGH are opened The most high here mentioned is the Lord himselfe who only is the MOST HIGH Psal 56. 2. It is Gods attribute and therefore let mortal men tremble to assume Gods title to themselves except God give it them The windows from this MOST HIGH are opened As who should say God looks out of his lattesses speaking after the manner of men and he sees the treachery of the instruments in all these mutations and therefore he resolves to overturn all those earthly mouldy forms of their own devising and by certain steps and degrees to make way for an utter abolition of them all Now the steps and degrees God taketh for removal of those three sorts of Government in that land are in number seven to wit shaking bruising breaking displacing reeling removing falling And all of them do aptly express the several steps and gradations which God taketh towards the removal and utter abolition of the old heavens and old earth in that land The first I take to relate unto the first and ancient Government of that land The three next steps unto the second And the three last have relation unto the last form of Government We may not suppose that the Prophet affected to shew his elocution in Rhetorical strains of speech For that would not become the holiness of the Prophet nor the matter in hand Neither is it likely that he heaps up words by way of Exegesis and amplification onely For then he could have chosen sundry more words or other words that would have been very comprehensive also But I take it that the Holy Spirit that guided him did not call out such choice expressions as would most aptly hold forth the several steps which he intended to make in removal of their earthly forms of Government and yet with such a Divine elegancy as no art of Rhetorick can exceed it if you consider the words in their proper language I shall therefore give a brief touch of them all in their order And first of the first word The foundations of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do shake or are shaken This I conceive doth relate unto the first and ancient form of Government which the Prophet calls FEARE and here he makes his pause or full point to intimate that this shaking of the foundations put a period to that Government And so the Apostle interprets the word shaking Heb. 12. Where he saith It signifies the removal of those things that may be shaken So then the shaking here spoken of signifies a removal of that first Government as hath been said And the shaking of the foundations doth import no less Vers 19 The land is sore bruised the land is utterly broken the land is quite displaced These