the exhortation to the Priests that they by sounding of the trumpet should call the people to solemne humiliation and he exhorts the people to tremble at this alarme of his appearing in judgement Unto which is subjoyned a general intimation that the dreadful day wherein God would infflict these plagues was at hand And this is brought in as an argument to make the exhortation effectual and is prosecuted and enlarged in the following Verses See ch 1.15 This blowing of the trumpet in Zion or the holy mountaine of the Temple is according to the direction of the Law Num. 10.3 9. wherein the Priests were to convocate the people and to sound an alarme in war by blowing of the trumpets And both of these are pointed at here They are to alarme the people and give them warning of the approaching judgement and to call a convocation for fasting as it is v. 15. Doct. 1. Whatever the Lord say to sinners by his rod when it is imminent and incumbent yet such as would have good use of it have need of the help of the Word and Ordinances with it either for prevenâ—ion preparation or use of it For the trumpet must be blown either to warne them before it come or to stirre them up to be sensible and to do duty when it cometh 2. Whoever be asleep in times of threatened or incumbent dangers yet Ministers ought especially to be awake that they may stir up others For on them is this charge laid Blow ye the trumpet 3. Ministers must be faithful in discharging their trust as becometh watchmen and they must not set themselves to please men but should faithfully point out their danger procured by sin For they must blow and sound an alarme 4. It is not enough for Ministers to point out dangers by sin unlesse they point out remedies also nor is it sufficient for people to be sensible of the one unlesse they be stirred up to the other For they are to blow the trumpet and call to fasting as it is expounded v. 15. as well as to sound an alarme yea this is but subservient to the other 5. The consideration that a people are Gods Church and do enjoy his presence is a special argument to move them to be sensible and study duty in times of calamitie For all this is to be in Zion and my holy mountaine not only because it was the place where the Priests sounded and where the people were to meet for solemne worship but that all this calamitie being on a Church whereof Zion and the mountaine of the Temple was a type therefore they should be sensible and hearken to these alarmes and invitations 6 When God threatens or inflicts judgements it becometh all to be deeply sensible and not to please themselves with formality or trifle with outward shewes but they should quake at the heart at the tokens of Gods anger and it is great courage not to harden our selves but to tremble before an angry God for the inhabitants of the land are to tremble upon the alarme and call to humiliation and repentance See Isa 66.2 Jer 5.22 7. Albeit the Lord may keep off temporal judgements upon the repentance even hypocritical of Rulers as 1 Kings 21.27 28 29 And albeit some few godly may sometime hold off wrath from a Nation as Psal 106.23 Ezek. 22.30 yet it is the duty of all to be afflicted and humbled under common calamities and where this is wanting the piety and repentance of some few will not alwayes availe Therefore is the direction general let all the inhabitants of the land tremble See Ezek. 9.3 4 5. and 14.13 14 15 16 c. 8. It is not to be sleighted but seriously laid to heart how sad it is when God makes alarmes real and stroakes to follow upon them when the day followeth upon the alarme how strong a party God is and how he will prove himself God by his judgements upon them who would not otherwise take notice of him and how dreadful a stroak will be when it is near whatever men think of it at a distance all this is imported in what is here repeated from chap. 1.15 as an argument to affect them for the day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand Verse 2. A day of darknesse and of gloominess a day of clouds and of thick darknesse as the morning spread upon the mountaines a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like neither shall be any more after it even to the years of many generations That the thoughts of this sad day may take deep impression and stir them up a description of it is held forth at large in several branches as so many arguments pressing them to repent and tremble before God The first branch of the description is that this troop of devouring creatures called a people or Nation as chap. 1.6 being armed with Gods power should come in so great a number as to cover and hide the sight of the skie and heavens as also to put the people in great trouble and perplexity which is figuratively pointed at by a dark day Isa 5.30 and 8.22 Ezek. 32.7 8. Amos 5.18 And they should so swiftly overspread the countrey as the morning light or clouds overspreads all the mountaines Amos 4.13 Joh 38.12 13. And they should be so numerous as the like had not been seen before nor should be afterward for many ages Whence learn 1. As it is the Lords way to make a time of calamity for sin very uncomfortable and full of darknesse and perplexity So this should serve to affect sinners and to humble and stirre them up to repentance For so much doth this day of darknesse c. figuratively taken import and it is propounded here as an argument to make that exhortation v. 1. effectual 2. When God is provoked to punish a people for sin he can easily multiply instruments of vengeance he can make them though small and weak of themselves prove strong he can make them swiftly and suddenly execute all his counsel and can make them hide and take away all comfort from sinners which they might expect from heaven or earth For these small creatures make this time A day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and of thick darknesse as hiding any sight of the sky or heaven by reason of their number they swiftly cover the earth to waste it all and deprive men of comforts from thence as the morning spread upon the mountains and in Gods hand they prove a great people and a strong 3. As the Lord will inflict singular calamities eâ—e he be not avenged on impenitent sinners So such singular judgements ought to affect sinners much For it testifieth Gods just and severe pursuing of sin and the necessity of trembling before God that they are a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like c. 4. The Lord is so gracious that albeit he be so provoked in
ill conscience will waste and consume it in a day of calamity For here it makes all faces gather blacknesse See Prov. 14.30 and 17.22 Vers 7. They shall runne like mighty men they shall climbe the wall like men of warre and they shall march every one on his wayes and they shall not break their ranks 8. Neither shall one thrust another they shall walk every one in his path and when they fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded 9. They shall runne to and fro in the city they shall runne upon the wall they shall climbe up upon the houses they shall enter in at the windowes like a thief The fifth branch of the description is that these creatures shall not only waste the land and destroy the fruits and herbs but shall vexe cities and houses And as a strong and numerous armie doth assault a City in order without breaking their ranks So shall they invade Cities in orderly troops and shall enter mens houses by secret passages Yea they shall be beyond armies in this that they shall not fear the sword or any resistance but shall go through all impediments without either fear or hurt Doct. 1. The sovereigne and wise Lord can order the motions of irrational creatures to his purpose as if they were reasonable and trained and disciplined men in an army For so much doth this large description of their orderly march and assault in tearmes borrowed from Warriers teach us Of this also he gave proof in directing the motion of the Kine who brought the Ark from the land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 6.12 2. Men may expect when God is angry to have no shelter from his judgements but they will pursue them into their walled Cities and closed houses even when they are executed by creatures who usually do flee from men For so is here held out 3. Whatever be mens duty to defend themselves from injury even when God thereby is pursuing a controversie Yet where divine vengeance pursueth resistance of the instruments thereof will be to small effect For walls and houses will not hold them out nor will the sword wound them which also holds true of other instruments that such means will not overturne their projects so long as God hath service for them Vers 10. The earth shall quake before them the heavens shall tremble the Sunne and the Moone shall be darke and the Starres shall withdraw their shining The fixth branch of the description is that the calamity shall be so dreadful as to work a great alteration in all the creatures This may indeed be understood of extraordinary signes accompanying this plague such as thunder whereby the heavens seem to tremble earth-quakes ecclipses and darknesse hiding the shining lights But it seemeth rather to point at the greatnesse of the calamitie which should be such as if it were the day of judgement and dissolution of heaven and earth as it is usuall in Prophets to describe great calamities so Isa 34.4 and that it should lo change the order and condition of the creatures as men shall have no quiet in them or consolation by them more then if they hid themselves and their influences The Sunne Moon and Starres should be either hid by reason of their multitude or their light should be as uncomfortable as if it were dark and serve only to let men see their calamity and their influences should be made void by the destruction of whatsoever they produce Doct. 1. Times of calamity for sin serve to shew how unworthy man is of the earth for an habitation to him or of heavens to cover him and to shew what a disturber he is of the whole creation So much is pointed out by the earths quaking and heavens trembling 2. Whatever may be the issue of particular calamities yet they serve to put sinners in minde of a day of judgement and dissolution of all things wherein they will not escape however they wrestle through temporal judgements Therefore also is this calamity thus described 3. Times of calamity will make a strange shake and overturning of delights which seemed to be very settled even as heaven and earth and which seemed to be of constant continuance as the Sunne Moon and Starres their light and influences are 4. All created comforts and what men rest on beside God will fail a sinner when God pleads with him For neither earth nor heaven nor Sun Moon nor Starres will give quiet or comfort to him they will quake and tremble and be darke and withdraw their shining Ver. 11. And the LORD shall utter his voice before his armie for his camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible and who can abide it The last branch of the description which is by way of conclusion sheweth that all this dreadfulnesse and successe of these creatures is of God who will make it manifest that they fight under his Banner as General who gives them the word to encourage them and to fall on upon his enemies and that they are so strong because they execute vengeance in his Name according to his threatenings against them who provoke him and they shall demonstrate his power and terrour which none shall be able to resist Whence learn 1. Judgements will be then rightly seen for our use when the Lord is seen in them as chief and as employing all instruments Therefore is the description closed with this that the Lord is General of this Army 2. When the Lords people will not hear his voice he is provoked to speak against them as an enemy attended with instruments of vengeance excited by him For The Lord shall utter his voice before his army The speech may relate to a voice of thunder Psal 18.13 or to the dreadful noise made by these creatures intimating that he sent them out to do execution or it may be understood simply that as a General on the head of his Army encourageth his souldiers and exhorts and commands them to fall on so the Lord would animate this his Army and send them out with fury 3. Albeit the Church that should be for God would not only ly by but provoke him to be an enemie yea albeit there should be no men to appear in his quarrel Yet he can easily when he pleaseth raise a numerous and strong army beseeming such a General Therefore it is added for his camp is very great so as he may owne them for his Army and send them out on service 4. The strength of any instruments of vengeance and their successe is to be ascribed to God who is so nuchangeable in his holy justice as he will execute his threatenings against the impenitent And who is Omnipotent so to do by any instruments he pleaseth for it is a reason of the strength of his Army for he is strong that executeth his word 5. Divine wrath will be found intolerable when it comes to be executed and
it in sons and daughters old men and young servants and handmaids It may teach 1. No rank or sex or condition of persons are secluded from the promise of the Spirit â—e they old or young male or female bond or free 2. The efficacy and fulnesse of the Spirit of God is such as to refresh and prevaile with all these sorts of persons young ones who are not capable of mans teaching yet are not secluded from his teaching Mark 10.14 16. Luke 1.15 The Spirit hath vertue to illuminate and subdue young men notwithstanding all the power of their corruptions 1 John 2.13 14. to keep men fresh and lively in old age Psal 92.13 14. and to make servants happy in their condition 1 Cor. 7.22 3. It is Gods sure promise to the Church of the Gospel that the knowledge of him and of his truth shall be continued and propagated therein from generation to generation For therefore is it put in the first place your sons and daughters rising up to succeed you shall prophesie Doct. 10. As for these wayes of revealing the will of God of old by prophecie visions and dreams albeit they point all at one thing and seem to be named all here to let out the fulnesse of Gospel-knowledge answering to all of them and therefore seem to be comprehended all under prophesying as it is attributed to his servants of all sorts and ages Acts 2.18 Yet seeing they are distinctly named and attributed to several sorts of persons as prophesying to sons and daughters visions to young men and dreames to old men We may from it take up some steps and degrees of the knowledge of God wherein they grow up who are under the Spirits teaching As 1. By prophesying attributed to sons and daughters we may understand simply the knowledge of divine things 2. By visions attributed to young men we may understand their clearer insight and uptaking of these mysteries then they had in their younger dayes For vision doth represent the thing revealed more sensibly 3. By dreams wherein men have their senses shut up from the world and which are attributed to old men we may understand a further degree of illumination when light received doth take hold on the affections to sanctifie and subdue them So that mens hearts are taken off the world and filled with the things of God And so this gradation will teach That the knowledge of God which is communicated unto men by the Spirit will be on the growing hand till from a common notion and remembring of it it come to be more seriously pondered and laid to heart and till it take hold upon the affections and conquer the whole heart to God Ver. 30. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoake 31. The Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD come To prevent all secure and carnal thoughts as if upon embracing of the Gospel and receiving of the Spirit men should be rid of all outward trouble The Lord foretells of great commotions which were to be in the world after the pouring out of the Spirit Whereof though there were some particular accomplishments in these primitive times and before that dreadful day of the destruction of Jerusalem Yet the prediction stretcheth forth to all ages after the pouring out of the Spirit till the second coming of Christ to judgement which is here called the great and terrible day of the LORD The expressions pointing out these commotions of wonders in heaven earth c. may be understood either literally that there shall be signes of blood fire darknesse and eclipses of Sun and Moon going before these calamities as presages thereof or figuratively that there shall be such commotions and such signes of Gods anger for sin such judgements and calamities of sword famine and sicknesses such persecutions desertions tentations heresies schismes c. as if heaven and earth were going through other the course of nature overturned and the world full of dreadfull fights of blood fire and darknesse and neither Sunne or Moon affording wonted light or comfort To dip further into what may be connceived to be figuratively pointed at under every one of these I conceive is not very safe Doct. 1. Whatever breathing times God may allow upon his Gospel-Church yet it is her duty to look for commotions and troubles especially after times of pouring out of the Spirit and times of much light and reformation For upon the one hand Satan will bend all his power to oppose the progresse of the Gospel and will set the world in opposition to the Church and on the other hand God will poure out all sorts of calamities upon the visible Church to punish them who contemne his rich offer and do not walk answerably to such dispensations and to trie the graces of his own that they may aspire toward spiritual happinesse in heaven And he will punish secret and open enemies for the injuries they do to the Church For these causes is this prediction subjoyned to the former promise 2. It is the Churches duty not only to look for troubles but to expect that they will be great and very dreadful such as may testifie the greatnesse of Gods displeasure against sin and of mens fury against the Church such as may throughly trie the godly and bring about Gods deep counsels For there will be wonders in the heavens or the firmament and several regions of the aire and in the earth blood and fire c. 3. Whoever be employed in raising these great commotions and whatever be the designes and malice of men in them yet it is the Churches good and safety to see a supreme hand of God in all of them For saith he I will shew wonders c. 4. Though the Church in several ages may get times of breathing and tranquillity yet these will not be permanent but interrupted with sad blasts till the second coming of Christ which as it is certainly approaching so it will put a period to all stormes wherewith the godly are tossed For these things will be before the great and terrible day of the Lord come that is in all ages till that time and belike very violently immediately before Math. 24.29 30. 5. The day of Christs second coming will be great and terrible and as it is Acts 2.20 a notable or illustrious day A despised Christ will be seen great there great things will be done in that day He will then reach his full and final end of all his works All things will then be revealed and made patent the glory of God will be seen face to face the secrets of hearts the glory of Saints and the truth of promises and threatenings will then be made manifest And though the godly will then be free of all terrour yet it will be in it self a day of much state and majesty of the Lord and of great
of this sentence and command given to the executioners is that there shall be great execution made of the enemies and they shall fall without number And for the Churches greater comfort it is declared that this day of the Lords vengeance is near not when the Prophet spake this but it shall speedily come after the enemies great preparations against the Church The place of this execution is called the valley of decision or threshing which is the same with the valley of Jehoshaphat v. 2 12. and it gets this new name because there the Lord will make a great havoke of enemies which is usually expressed by threshing Mic. 4.13 Isa 41.15 2 Kings 13.7 or because it is the valley determined and appointed as the word will signifie wherein to do this execution or the place wherein God will decide this great controversie betwixt him and his Church on the one part and these enemies on the other Doct. 1. Albeit it may be matter of admiration and terrour to the Church to see so great and so many enemies combined against her yet God shall make that resolve in as great a wonder to see the great havoke made of them Therefore is it held out by way of admiration Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision 2. God will at last decide the controversie betwixt the Church and especially of Israel and her enemies and will determine the question by making many a skin pay for it For the valley of Jehoshaphat will be also the valley of decision and there multitudes multitudes shall be laid in the dust 3. When enemies are at the height of their attempts especially against converted Israel then the Lords people may expect that he will not be long in taking his day about of them wherein his glory will shine for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision Verse 15. The Sunne and the Moon shall be darkened and the Starres shall withdraw their shining This execution is further amplified that as the Church had felt before in her calamities chap. 2.10 so the enemies should at that time of their extremity be denied all comfort in the creatures from heaven or earth and that there should be great alterations in the world of which more v. 16. if not also the extraordinary signes of eclipses and darknesse presaging and accompanying the same Doct. 1. Though enemies may be insulting when the Church is in great bitternesse yet the day may and will come about wherein they shall drink of her cup if not of a worse For what was denounced against the Church ch 2.10 is now made their portion 2. Whatever be the delights and enjoyments of Gods enemies yet when he begins to reckon with them all their comforts and refuges from heaven or earth will faile them and all things will frowne and lowre upon them For so much is imported in that the Sunne and Moon shall be darkened c. These creatures shall deny them light and comfort and this shall make all things dark on earth to them and these dreadful sights shall terrifie them Vers 16. The LORD shall also roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the LORD will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Followeth a comfortable application of all this to the Church and particularly to Israel holding forth in several promises what mercie to them shall be in their recollection of which v. 1. and in this streak on their enemies and what sweet consequents shall follow thereupon The first promise is that when the Lord shall manifest himself thus terribly against their enemies according to the predictions of his Word and out of his love to his people and when he shall make great alterations therby which is a further amplification of the calamities which are to come on enemies Yet in the midst of these confusions and terrours he will afford hope and strength to his Church and people Whence learn 1. When God manifests himself against his Churches enemies and specially against Israels adversaries he will be very terrible and dreadful And his being a party will make all the creatures to deny comfort and will adde to the bitternesse and terrour of such a desolate condition for the Lord shall roar like a Lion see Zeph. 2.11 Isa 42.13 14. And beside their desolate condition v. 15. the Lord also shall roar to imbitter that and as the cause of it as is after cleared of the shaking of heaven and earth 2. Gods executing of vengeance will be according to the predictions uttered in the Church and these will be found terrible in execution what ever men thought of them before for the Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem imports that God from out of Zion had spoken against them by his Word and that now his speech going forth in execution shall be found terrible as the roaring of a Lion 3. God will make his presence with and love to his people conspicuous by his indignation and severity against their enemies for the Lord shall roar out of Zion c. imports also that he is present there and that he evidenceth his respect to his habitation by his dreadful thunderings against the enemies thereof 4. As God is powerful to overturne heaven and earth when he pleaseth So his subduing of enemies may bring great alterations and overturnings in the world for when he shall roar the heavens and the earth shall shake which together with what is said v. 15. maketh a compleat parallel with the condition of the Church chap. 2.10 and it imports such an alteration of affairs as if there were a dissolution of the world and overturning of the course of nature And it is no wonder if they who are so well rooted in the world cause it to shake hefore they be cast out of it and if they who are so universally spread through the earth need general commotions to make them miserable 5. When God is shaking the earth to overturne enemies Gods people may be exercised with many fears and apprehensions that the storme will break upon them Therefore they need a promise to secure them against this 6. Nothing will be able to secure the hearts of Gods people against the terrours of a time of great commotions but God only and what they finde in him and from him Therefore doth the promise remit them to what the Lord will be unto them 7. In times of great confusion the Lords people may expect that he will be a place of refuge to hide them in that he will furnish them who come to him with ground of hope for the future and with strength and courage to bear out till the accomplishment come for that which is propounded here iâ— hope or a refuge and strength and God undertakes not to disappoint them of these the Lord will be the hope of his people c. he
full enjoyment come he will give unto them such beginnings and tastes of his bounty as may be a pledge and ground of hope of getting more This promise is amplified from an effect that Gods bounty should make them rejoyce and sing as of old at the red Sea Exod. 15.1 c. Doct. 1. The Lord will comfort his people not only with ample promises but in due time also with real effects of his love in performing promises Therefore is this promise subjoyned to the former of speaking comfortably v. 14. 2. The Lord can and will make the troubles of his reconciled people have a notable end and restore them to their enjoyments which were lost by reason of sin For I will give her her vineyards from thence albeit these were cut off for sin v. 12. yet now they are recovered and they are given from thence or from the wildernesse out of which they entered into the possession of these 3. Albeit the Lord do not at first satisfie his peoples expectations and desires nor give them all he promiseth when he begins to appear for them yet he will not faile to let out pledges of his love which may support them and be a pledge of what is coming and whereof they should make use for that end For he will give them the valley of Achoâ— of which Josh 7.24 25 26 and that for a door of hope as discovering ground of hoping for more and allowing them to do so as 1 Sam. 7.12 This valley though it got the name from Achans troubling them yet was a door of hope because it was the first place they possessed after they passed over Jordan and was given them as a pledge of possessing the whole And the fruitfulnesse thereof of which Isa 65.10 was a pledge to them what the whole land should prove Thus the godly have the Spirit as the earnest of their inheritance and some help from some straits as a pledge of the sweet issue of all of them and converted Israel will be restored to some beginnings of Gods wonted bounty assuring them of more 4. The Lords dealing with his reconciled people is such as will furnish them cause of joy and the Lord will refresh them by it For it is his promise she shall sing 5. Not only ought Gods people to rejoyce when all things are performed according to promises but beside what is required of glorying in tribulations Rom. 5.3 when the Lord gives any pledge of his love or begun evidences of it they ought to cherish it by joy and praise though full fruition be wanting For even there on the border of her wildernesse in the valley of Achor she shall sing 6. The Lords ancient kindnesse and the Churches joy of old is recorded in Scripture as a pledge of what she may yet expect when she is reconciled to God and the joy of Israel after their conversion shall come behinde with no song that at any time they have had For she shall sing as in the dayes of her youth that is in the day when he first married her and entered in Covenant with her Jer. 2.2 3 Exek 16.60 and so it is expounded in the following words and as in the day when she came up out of the Land of Egypt 7. That vocal singing to the Lords praise is a Gospel-ordinance may appear in part from this place wherein it is promised as a Gospel-practice and the practice of converted Israel that they shall sing as of old at the Red-Sea Though musical instruments and dances which wera used then also are abolished as being ceremonial Ver. 16. And it shall be at that day saith the LORD that thou shalt call me Ishi and shalt call me no more Baali 17. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth and they shall no more be remembred by their name The third ground of consolation is held out in a promise of through reformation making them so to cleave to God in the exercise of the true Religion as they shall renounce all corruptions even the very names that had been abused to Idolatry And this the Lord himself undertakes to effectuate and to root out Idols Albeit the names Baali and Ishi signifie both of them an husband though the first signifie chiefly an husband under the notion of authority and the other of love And albeit Baali might be said of God as for any thing in it self as it is Isa 54.5 yet since it had been abused and given to Idols he will have it no more used Doct. 1. When the Lord delivereth and is kinde to his people it is their duty to prove their thankfulnesse by embracing of Christ and cleaving to him and his pure service and by zeal in Reformation and deliverance is then blessed when this accompanieth it Therefore is this promise subjoyned to the former 2. The Lord will be unto his people what a faithful husband is unto his wife and they are allowed to expect and in the faith thereof to professe and avow him in the exercise of true Resigion For thou shalt call me Ishi or avow me for thy husband as thou art warranted to do 3. The Lord is so tender of the matter of his worship and service that he will allow no mixture in it nor halting betwixt it and Idolatry yea not so much as names of Idols are to be remembered with their worshipping of him nor an abused name to be made use of in his religious worship For thou shalt call me no more Baali nor use that name though in my service and the names of Baalim must be taken away out of her mouth and they no more remembered by their name to wit in any Religious State especially She must be so far from her former Idolatry as their very names must be forgotten 4. Our hearts are naturally so averse from true Religion and so prone to what is wrong that it is Gods work alone to draw us to the true Religion and root out the false and he will so do to his people and in particular to Israel being converted For it is a promise Thou shalt call me Ishi c. for I will take away the names of Baalim c. Vers 18. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bowe and the sword and the battell out of the earth and will make them to lie down safely The fourth ground of consolation is outward peace Gods favour and Covenant shall secure them from hurt by any of the creatures as if a Covenant were made with them for that effect and shall give them peace and security from warres As for the extent of this promise we may compare what is observed on Mic. 4.3 4. It seemeth to have a special relation unto the state of converted Israel of which Ezek. 38.8 Doct. 1. All the creatures of
8. The fifth property in faithfulnesse if we take it more generally for firmnesse and stability and real truth of a thing as it is when joyned with mercy as Psal 57.3 it teacheth that however there be many impossible like things promised in the Covenant and all of it depending on free-mercy and however the confederate may be oft-times ready to faile and doth faile on his part yet considering the fidelity of God and that he undertakes for both parties it shall prove a firme and stable Covenant But if we understand the word more particularly for faith as it is used Hab. 2.4 then it teacheth that the condition required on mans part in this Covenant is true faith whereby he renounceth himself and layeth hold on the offer and by resting on the Word wherein the offer is made cometh at length to real performance of what is promised in the Covenant as Luk. 1.45 9. That which is subjoyned and thou shalt know the Lord may comprehend both Gods undertaking to work in them what the Covenant requires whether faith as this word imports Isa 53.11 or all other Covenant-dispositions or fruits of saving faith as Jer. 31.34 and the effects of their embracing the Covenant in experimental tasting what he is And so it teacheth 1. God is the undertaker for and worker in his people of all that is required on their part for entring in and keeping Covenant with him It is his promise thou shalt know the Lord. 2. A right and sanctified knowledge of God is the root and companion of all sanctified graces and Covenant-dispositions Therefore all are comprehended in this to know the Lord Faith gets that name not only because of the certitude and evidence it brings with it but because it is begotten by his Word and knowledge of him in it and is cherished and confirmed by taking him up still more as he is revealed there as Psal 9.10 2 Tim. 1.12 and other graces flow from this faith and are cherished by studying to know him with whom we have to do 3. When sinners get grace to close with God in the Covenant then he will communicate himself his hid Manna and rich love unto them the nearer they come to him they shall know the more of his excellency and fulnesse and they shall experimentally know what a partie he is with whom they are confederate how like himself in his dealing and how far above their shallow conceptions For then they shall know the Lord indeed See Num. 23.19 2 Sam. 7.19 Isa 55.8 9. Hosea 11.9 Vers 21. And it shall come to passe in that day I will hear saith the LORD I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth 22. And the earth shall hear the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Jezreel The sixth ground of consolation is a promise of plenty and outward meanes of subsistence which is a fruit of Marriage when he communicates as it were of his estate with her whom he betrotheth The Lord promiseth that all the creatures should so to say concurre to seek to be employed to furnish Israel and God should so blesse the order and influence of second causes as they should evidently see God blessing them who had been Jezreel the scattered of the Lord but will be then Jezreel the seed of the Lord as the next verse intimateth Whence learne 1. While the Lords people are within time they may read their own frailty in needing so many things to uphold even their outward man For they need a blessing upon heaven and earth to furnish food to them It were good so to be comforted by the promises as to read them still speaking humility to us 2. Outward mercies do so far follow on the Covenant as the confederate may be free of fear and anxiety about them For so much doth this promise assure all beside what it may promise to Israel after their conversion or what the Lord may give to his people at some time Albeit the Lord do not alwayes see it meet to heap plenty of corne and wine and oyle upon his people yet they get still as much as with godlinesse and contentment makes them not only subsist but be as well as when they have most and they may be as free of anxiety in greatest wants as if they had greatest plenty For when they seek the best things other things will certainly be added Matth. 6.33 when God hath given them his own Son he will not deny lesser things when they are needed Rom. 8.32 and his providence in hearing the need of creatures may ease them 3. God is so tender a respector of necessities that he hath an ear to hear the dumb cries of very insensible creatures in their need and that they may be useful one to another especially for the good of his people For when the heaven is made iron it hath a cry which he will hear for the good of inferiour creatures and of his people I will hear saith the LORD I will hear the Heavens The repetition holdeth forth the certainty of it 4. Gods reconciled people are to read not only Gods love in their plenty but that all the Creation which groan under mans sin do in their kinde with a good-will concurre to serve him who is now at peace with their Maker So much may be gathered also from their calling one to another in their order and to God that they may be blessed for the good of his people 6. The Lord sets a mark of excellency upon man and especially on his Church in that so many things concurre to serve them and provide for them For here heavens and earth concurre for this end 6. Whatever it be that one creature affords unto another or may be in the course of nature expected from it yet every creature in it self is empty and must be supplied by God before it satisfie any For let the Earth call to the Heavens for ordinary rain and influence yet they cannot afford it till God hear them 7. As the Lord is not to be tempted but waited on in his established order for any thing as here they must expect to be fed by corne and wine and oyle coming in Gods established course of nature So we are not to rest on any such order or course of nature but to see Gods hand in it who establisheth and blesseth it for such ends For the corne and wine and oyle hear Jezreel not answering any prayers made to them but supplying these necessities which they are appointed for and the earth doth bring forth these and the heavens give influence for that end yet so as it is God who maketh all these so to do and he is to be seen doing so Not that he hears only the heavens and then they hear all the rest of second causes but that beginning at the heavens he blesses their plenty in all the steps of second causes even to the putting a blessing in it when it is produced For
mighty streame that runs and carries all that is in the way with it and before it Verse 25. Have ye offered unto me sacrifice and offerings in the wilderness fourty yeers O house of Israel 26. But ye have born the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images the star of your god which ye made to your selves 27. Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus saith the Lord whose name is the God of hosts Their third carnal confidence is antiquity and their fathers in whom and whose customes they gloried In answer to which the Lord speaks to them as one body of a people with their fathers and declareth that in the Wildernesse their fathers did not worship him with their sacrifices but did even there worship Idols and Images For which he threatens that they being heirs to their fathers guilt and Imitaters thereof in their Idolatry should go into captivity in far countries For clearing some difficulties in this text Consider 1. This not offering of sacrifices unto God for the space of forty yeares in the Wildernesse is not necessary so to be understood as if except what they did at mount-Sinai when they entered in Covenant sacrifices were generally omitted in the Wildernesse as we finde Circumcision was Josh 5.4 5 6 7. But it may as well be understood thus That though they did sacrifice and intended to offer it unto God Yet since beside the Idolatry of the golden calfe and such like rites of their own devising and their want of sincerity and true conversion and reconciliation unto God they joyned grosse Idolatry worshiping the of stars and host of heaven with it and their hearts and eyes were after these their Idols Ezek. 20.15 16 24. Therefore the Lord expounds all their sacrifices as not offered unto him but to their Idols whom they respected so much see Isa 43.22 23. Deut. 32.16 17. 2. This bearing of the Tabernacle of their Moloch as we are helped to read it from Act. 7.43 and not Siccuth your King is to be understood thus That though they carried about the Lords Tabernacle with them as pretending to honour him and that it was their glory to have him present among them Yet they had also Images and representations of thâ—se Idol Gods as the text imports which they carried about in some little tents like chappels 3. As for these Idols and the difference betwixt this text and that place Act. 7.42 43. some whereof I remit to the doctrines we may Consider 1. That Moloch was an Idol of the Ammonites as is frequently recorded in Scripture 2. That which is called Chiun here and Remphan Act. 7.43 is one and the same Idol or supposed deitie and is called Remphan both by the Greek Interpreters of the old Testament and afterwards by Stephen because that name was better known to the Egyptians where the Old Testament was translated and to the Jewes in these daies then the other of Chiun 3. These supposed deities whom they acknowledge under these names were nothing else but the stars or planets as is expresly cleared Act. 7.42 where they are called the host of heaven and here the star of your God An Idolatry to which they were much addicted afterward Zeph. 1.5 Jer. 44.17 c. It is not needful to determine what particular planets are signified by these names though most probablie by Moloch is meant the Sun which as the word signifies is King of the planets and hath dominion over sublunary things And by Chiun or Remphan Saturne 4. They worshiped these Idols not onely immediatly but mediatly in and by Images representing them As is marked Act. 7.43 Figures which ye made to worship them and here mention is made of their Images which it seemeth they carried about with them and the star of your God whereby I conceive is not onely ment your God the star by way of direction and scorn of their folly in choosing such a deitie but that either they made their Images in likenesse of a star or with the signe of a star upon them to testifie what they represented Lastly it would be considered that however this change shall be general Yet it is not to be understood of every one in Israel whereof many were godly but of the body of the people Doct. 1. Such as would profit by the Scriptures and know the minde of God revealed therein should be conversant with all of it whereby they will finde that in one place which is not to be found in another As here we finde somewhat concerning Israel in the wildernesse which is not so clearly in all the History 2. God will not account much service to be offered unto him which is pretended to be so Nor will he accept of service as done to him when men do not offer themselves to God with their service nor do keep close by his way and rule And such is the service that God gets even of many whom he chooseth to be his peculiar people for this cause doth the Lord say of Israel that they offered not sacrifices to him as is before explained 3. This carriage of the Lords people is yet the more hainous when it is performed after glorious deliverances and is of long continuance and in the midst of new exercises and gracious providences for that they neglected this in the wildernesse and forty yeares it doth not onely import that Israel was soone at these courses which the present generation followed But that it is grievous they should do so in such a time and place 4. A present generation imitating the defections of their progenitours have much old debt opon their head which will be laid upon their account Therefore is this ' laid to the present generation as their sin seeing they were one body with their progenitours and did follow their courses Have ye offered unto me c. O house of Israel 5. Let men do what they will ro stupifie their own consciences yet they have not security of them but when they least expect they will leap in their throat And e're all be done God will have the most obdured man pronounce his own sentence with his own mouth Therefore doth he as often before put their own consciences to it and pose them Have ye offered c to intimate that they had no true peace of conscience in the matter and that their consciences would at last turn their saddest party 6. God will have no communion with Idols nor will he approve or accept of even his own institute worship when men joyne Idolatry therewith for it was because of their serving Moloch and the rest of their Idols that God declareth their offerings were not offered to him 7. The visible Church may backslide so far as to be guilty of grossest Idolatry And God is provoked to give her up thereunto when she sets up her own inventions in his worship for Israel carried the Tabernacle of Moloch and Chiun c. And this is the fruit