border the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee and prevailed against thee they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee there is none understanding in him 8 Shall I not in that day saith the Lord even destroy the wise men out of Edom and understanding out of the mount of Esau 9 And thy mighty men O Teman shall be dismayed to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter 10 For thy violence against thy brother Iacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever 11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces and forreiners entered into his gates and cast lots upon Ierusalem even thou wast as one of them 12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children of Iudah in the day of their destruction neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse 13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity yea thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity 14 Neither shouldst thou have stood in the crosse way to cut off those of his that did escape neither shouldst thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distresse 15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen as thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy reward shall return upon thine own head 16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain so shall all the heathen drink continually yea they shall drink and they shall swallow down and they shall be as though they had not been 17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance and there shall be holinesse and the house of Iacob shall possesse their possessions 18 And the house of Iacob shall be a fire and the house of Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau for stubble and they shall kindle in them and devour them and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it 19 And they of the south shall possesse the mount of Esau and they of the plain the Philistines and they shall possesse the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria and Benjamin shall possesse Gilead 20 And the captivity of this hoste of the children of Israel shall possesse that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephath and the captivity of Ierusalem which is in Sepharad shall possesse the cities of the South 21 And Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau and the kingdom shall be the Lords 1. THe vision or Prophesie of Obadiah Thus saith the Lord Iehovah and we his Prophets from him concerning Edom. 2. We have heard that which you may take for a sentence as absolutely determined and pronounced by God himself against the Countrey of Edom as if you had seen an earthly King confirm the like by his Embassadours sent to the severall nations of the Assyrians and Chaldaeans with commission to raise up an army and come in battle against her 3. And this I have to say in his name to Edom. See and wonder at thy self what a weak and silly thing I will make thee appear to be in the account of these nations and how miserably despicable in their eies 4. For though I know thee in thy high thoughts to be otherwise perswaded yet that pride of thy heart shall at last deceive thee which promises to thy self great matters but ever falls short in the performance or rather thy idoll whereof thou art so proud and confident shall faile thee in the event I speak it to thee that art roosted in the clefts of those high rockes of Arabia Petraea and thinkest in thy heart that no power on earth can pull thee out of thy strong inaccessible places in mount Sâ—ir 4. Thou that mountest up thy self like an Eagle as if thou wouldst set thy nest among the stars I have many waies among which that of famine alone were sufficient to bring thee down from thence and lay thee low enough saith the Lord. 5. If theives and robbers had come upon thee by night and how do I see thee more than miserably undone by the sudden surpriz all of such notable shavers and cutters But had they so stolne upon thee they would have been content with the filching of so much as would have served their turn And if the grape-gatherers had come upon thee they would have left thee some gleanings But thou shalt have to do with them that will cut and sweep all away root and branch 6. Nay and thy close hoording up will be to no purpose for How narrowly will those riches that belong to Esau be searched after and what hath he so carefully hidden in the closest corners which shall not be sought out and discovered 7. When all is gone and thy self art ready to be packing into a strange land At the borders of thy countrey will thy own Confederates fairly take their leaves of thee they that be in league with thee will cheat and deceive thee they that come to thee with pretenses of peace and concord will be as ready as any other to prevaile against thee and thy entirest acquaintance that have been often entertained as friends as thy table will lay a stumbling-block in thy way to hinder all the good proceedings and proposals that may tend to thy advantage So that all that judge by the event must needs say there is no foresight or understanding in this people of Edom. 8. And shall I not then make it good by destroying those of Edom that have been so famous for wisedome And those especially of mount Seir of the posterity of Esau that have been thought to exceed all the rest in matter of deep policie and understanding shall not I turn their wisdom into foolishness and catch the wiliest of them in their own craft 9. Yes and amongst them thine O Teman the stoutest of all that use to build most upon the strength and reach of their own knowledge they shall be strangely brought under to their own amazement so that not a man of any account but shall be more then brought under they shall be utterly ruined and destroyed from their high mountains of Esau Because of that slaughter O Edom. 10. And because of that apparent injury which thou wast not ashamed to offer unto thy Brethren the Sons of Iacob when you said of Jerusalem Down with it even to the ground therefore shalt thou be covered with shame and cut off for ever from being a nation as they shall be 11. I speak of the time
when thou stoodest like one of another side while strangers carryed away all thy Brother Iacob's forces into captivity and forreigners entred the gates of most of his Cities and cast lots upon Ierusalem which of them should make the first assault against that their mother-City when all this was done thou that shouldst have been one of her best friends didst openly show thy self to be one of her greatest enemies i. one of them that had a hand in all those severall passages of cruelty 12. But thou of all other shouldst not have endured so much as to look upon the strange usage of thy brother in that heavy time much more shouldst thou have absteined from triumphing over the children of Iudah in the day of their destruction and most of all shouldst thou have feared to make thy own mouth a witnesse of thy proud and insolent insulting over their affliction in the very day when it fell upon them 13. Thou shouldst not have been so forward as others to rush into the gates of my Peoples forts and cities in that time of their calamity and then specially have made thy self a spectator of those evils that came so thick upon him like a fearfull storm in a sad and gloomy day and which is yet worse to have appeared as a party which those that laid violent hands upon his substance in that day 14. Nor shouldst thou have stood in the crosse wayes where many paths meet upon that advantage to cut off such of thy Brethren as had escaped the enemy nor shut up such as otherwise had remained free and at liberty in those distressed times 15. For after all these daies of yours the Lord will have his day too a day of vengeance And it is not long before that day will come upon all those nations about Judaea that have been so cruell to them And then as thou hast alone to others it shall be done to thee thy reward shall return upon thy own pate 16. And as you of Edom shall drink of the cup of my anger because of my holy mountain and the holy land of Judaea which you have persecuted So shall all those nations that joyned with you ever taste of the same cup till they have drunk it up and be as if they had never been 17. But in mount Sion there shall be a great deliverance from the scourge that shall then be brought upon others by Sennacherib and it shall continue a place sanctified and set apart for divine service and then shall they of the house of Iacob that secured themselves for that time in Jerusalem return to a quiet possession of their severall tenures in the land of their inheritance 18. Then you that helped to encrease the flames of those wars that set Judaea into a combustion shall find that the house of Iacob will prove a fire and the house of Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau like stubble before them And they shall kindle them and devour them till there be none remaining of the house of Esau that shall be able to do any great harm to the house of Israel For the Lord hath spoken it 19. And they of Israel shall possesse the South of Edom with mount Seir and the plain with the land of the Philistims And with them shall they possess the Countrey of Ephraim and of Samaria and Benjamin shall have Gilead for his possession 20. And those few forces of the children of Israel that return after their captivity shall possesse whatsoever belonged to the Cananites as far as Sareptah of the Sidonians And they of Ierusalem which shall return from their captivity shall possesse the parts about Sepharad or the furthest bounds with the Cities of the South 21. And they that have delivered themselves out of the captivity shall not onely come again to their antient right in mount Sion but in their posterity they shall go as Iudges and Governours into the mountaines of Esau. And then the kingdom of Israel shall be under God alone and under the power of no forreign Kings A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF IONAH CHAP. I. 1. NOw the word of the Lord came unto Ionah the son of Amittai saying 2 Arise go to Nineveh that great city and cry against it for their wickednesse is come up before me 3 But Ionah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord and went down to Ioppa and he found a ship going to Tarshish so he paid the fare thereof and went down into it to goe with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the Sea so that the ship was like to be broken 5 Then the mariners were afraid and cried every man unto his God and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it of them but Ionah was gone down into the sides of the ship and he lay and was fast asleep 6 So the Ship-master came to him and said unto him What meanest thou O sleeper arise call upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not 7 And they said every one to his fellow Come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this â—evill is upon us So they cast lots and the lot fell upon Ionah 8 Then said they unto him Tell us we pray thee for whose cause this evill is upon us what is thine occupation and whence comest thou what is thy countrey and of what people art thou 9 And he said unto them I am an Hebrew and I fear the Lord the God of heaven which hath made the sea and the dry land 10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him Why hast thou done this for the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord because he had told them 11 Then said they unto him What shall we do unto thee that the sea may be calm unto us for the sea wrought and was tempestuous 12 And he said unto them Take me up and cast me forth into the sea so shall the sea be calm unto you for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land but they could not for the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them 14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord and said We beseech thee O Lord we beseech thee let us not perish for this mans life and lay not upon us innocent blood for thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee 15 So they took up Ionah and cast him forth into the sea and the sea ceased from her raging 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vowes 17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Ionah and Ionah was in
were expired Whether the Citizens would so long persevere in their repentance and if they did not whether Justice would then be showed upon them whom God seemed now willing to spare upon their present conversion and reformation of life 6. Now when the thin slight materials of Jonah his booth began to wither and fade with heat the Lord prepared a gourd or some shrub that used to grow in those parts to come over Ionah like a Canopie to shadow and defend his head from the heat of the Sun which seemed not a little to afflict him And with this refreshment under the gourd Ionah was much delighted 7. But that ease and pleasure was not long to be indulged unto him For the next day betimes in the morning God prepared also a worm which by gnawing at the lower parts of his gourd and so extracting the moisture was the cause that it quickly withered away 8. Moreover at the rising of the Sun God sent a soft and still wind the East that had little or no motion or cooling quality which was the thing that Jonah desired Besides this warm breath the son also with some violence of heat did beat upon the head of Jonah and became so troublesom that it made him ready to faint and show himself wearie of his life plainly professing that it was better for him now to die then to live Which seems to be spoken in a passion as if he thought it an injurie to be deprived of that benefit of the gourd which was gratiously afforded him for a time and considered not that this variety of means might be used to bring him to the acknowledgement of the truth of Gods judgments and the sight of his own offences and demerites 9. Therefore God said unto Jonah Is this well done of thee to discover so much anger and disturbance of thy self for a poor little gourd To which question he gives a rash impatient answer confessing that he was extreamly angry even unto death and did well to be so 10. Whereupon the Lord said again Art thou so affected at the withering of a poor vile gourd of a daies continuance which neither for the coming up nor the growth of it is any way beholden unto thee 11. And shall not I the creator and preserver of all things whose property it is to have mercy upon me above all my creatures shall not I be touched with compassion of so great and populous a City as Ninive wherein beside much cattle there are more then a hundred and twenty thousand innocent children so simple and weak that they cannot distinguish between their right hands and their left and therefore cannot be thought by any fault of theirs to call for this heavy destruction upon them Yet were they all ready to perish in the punishment of their Parents sins had not they timely repented What must you then guesse of the number of men and women of fuller growth that have appeased my wrath by amendment of life Which being done their death and ruine should not be rashly and uncharitably desired to make you seem the truer Prophet who was not to threaten any people but with this implicite condition if they forsook not their sins A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF MICAH CHAP. I. 1. THe word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the dayes of Iotham Abaz and Hezekiah kings of Iudah which he saw concerning Samaria and Ierusalem 2 Hear all ye people hearken O earth and all that therein is and let the Lord God be witnesse against you the Lord from his holy temple 3 For behold the Lord cometh forth out of his place and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth 4 And the mountaines shall be molten under him and the valleys shall be cleft as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred down a steep place 5 For the transgression of Iacob is all this and for the sins of the house of Israel What is the transgression of Iacob is it not Samaria and what are the high places of Iudah are they not Ierusalem 6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field and as plantings of a vineyard and I will poure down the stones thereof into the valley and I will discover the foundations thereof 7 And all the graven Images thereof shall be beaten to pieces and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot and they shall return to the hire of an harlot 8 Therefore I will wail and howl I will go stript and naked I will make a wailing like the dragons and mourning as the owles 9 For her wound is incurable for it is come unto Iudah he is come unto the gate of my people even to Ierusalem 10 Declare ye it not at Gath weep ye not at all in the house of Aphrah roll thy self in the dust 11 Passe ye away thou inhahitant of Saphir having thy shame naked the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel he shall receive of you his standing 12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Ierusalem 13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish bind the chariot to the swift beast she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee 14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel 15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee O inhabitant of Mareshah he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel 16 Make thee bald and poll thee for thy delicate children enlarge thy baldnesse as the eagle for they are gone into captivity from thee CHAP. I. 1. THe word of the Lord which was made known to Micah of Moreshah a City in Judaea in the dayes of Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah and which he had revealed to him in a vision concerning Samaria and Ierusalem two eminent Cities by whose example the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel were drawn into many grievous sins and disorders 2. Hear all ye people of Judah and Israel Attend to this Prophesie of mine you that dwell in any part of this land how populous and of how great extent soever it is And for my faithfull delivery of what I am enjoyned to say let God himself that sees and hears all from his holy and glorious habitation in heaven hear witnesse against you if I be at any time accused or mistrusted for concealing any part of his will and pleasure 3. For I wish you all to take notice of this that God is now coming out of those high and holy places of his to show himself in the execution of his judgements upon your nation and the highest and strongest places with the
horrible storm and tempest to the ruine and devastation of the Country of Ammon 15. Which shall be the sadder and more irrecoverable by the captivity of the King and his Princes and their titular Deitie and his Priests For Moloch himself for all his Royal title shall escape no better then the meanest of the people that must yeeld to the furie of the war For The Lord hath spoken it CHAP. II. 1 THus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime 2 But I will send a fire upon Moab and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth and Moab shall die with tumult with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet 3 And I will cut off the Iudge from the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him saith the Lord. 4 Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Iudah and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have despised the Law of the Lord and have not kept his commandements and their lies caused them to erre after the which their fathers have walked 5 But I will send a fire upon Iudah and it shall devour the palaces of Ierusalem 6 Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shooes 7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor and turn aside the way of the meek and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid to profane my holy Name 8 And they lay themselves down upon cloathes laid to pledge by every Altar and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God 9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Oakes yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath 10 Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt and led you fourty yeares thorow the wildernesse to possesse the land of the Amorite 11 And I raised up of your sons for Prophets and of your young men for Nazarites Is it not even thus O ye children of Israel saith the Lord 12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink and commanded the Prophets saying Prophesie not 13 Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is ful of sheâ—ves 14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift and the strong shall not strengthen his force neither shall the mighty deliver himself 15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself 16 And he that is couragious among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day saith the Lord. CHAP. II. 1. THus saith the Lord. Because Moab hath fil'd up the same measure of sin with the Ammonites therefore I pronounce the same punishment to them of Moab who to their other sins added that which showed their arrogance and malice to Edom in burning the bones of one of the Kings of Edom and so most inhumanely and barbarously mingling the ashes with the lime and mortar that they used in dawbing and plaistering of their walls which was an act of much pride and scorne and contempt and a contumelious way of revenge 2. Therefore I will raise up an insolent and cruell enemy against the country of Moab that shall kindle such a war as shall be the sudden fearfull and totall ruine of Kerioth their chiefest City for such is commonly a destruction by fire And in the hurry and tumult of that war shall many of the Moabites die amidst the confused noise of the trumpets and shouts of the enemy and their own sighes and groanes and heavy lamentations 3. So will be cut off from Moab and especially from Kerioth or the chief Cities in the heart of the Countrey their eminentest Governours and Commanders and all their Princes and the greatest of their Nobility shall have their share in this punishment that shall sweep them all away saith the Lord that neither can nor will be hindred or intreated in the execution of this sentence upon Moab 4. And while these acts of Divine Justice appear among the Heathen least Judah because of the open profession of the true Religion and worship of God among them should take themselves to be in a fair way of escaping the like severe revenge that God might take upon their sins thus saith the Lord concerning his own people Because Iudah presumed to make up such a high measure of sinne as cried to heaven for Justice therefore they also shall have their doom run in the same termes Specially because they forsook the most holy lawes and statutes of God as if they contemned that to which they had promised obedience aud were chiefly led by their own phansies and lying vanities and strange inclination to idolatry as the ill example of their Forefathers and their many revolts toald them on and deluded their foolish hearts 5. Therefore Nabuchadnezar's puissant and victorious army shall raise an unquenchable fire in Iudaea that shall not end without the firing of the Temple and the Palaces and other costly pieces of building in their mother-Mother-City of Ierusalem by Nabuzaradan 6. Which severity threatned to be exercised upon the two Tribes among whom was the Temple and the purer worship of God may terrifie the kingdom of Israel and be a clear evidence of their speedier and heavier ruine Of whom thus saith the Lord. For the full measure of iniquity made up by the Israelites and running over I will make good the sad irreversible Sentence passed against them and foretold by severall Prophets The rather because of their extream and cruell Avarice which blinded their eyes and induced them not onely to circumvent and defraud but down-right to sell men better than themselves and righteous persons at poor rates as if the least summe of money or a pair of shooes were more highly to be prised than the keeping of a poor man from perpetuall servitude 7. Nor will I conceale some other of their faults In respect of their malice they are as stomachfull against the poor as if they could eat them up like bread And their pride is such that they think it not enough to throw them as low as the dust of the earth unlesse they take of that dust and cast it upon their heads as a signe of greater scorn and contempt where they cannot so insult over the poor yet at least that they may be doing of some mischief if they meet with modest humble and quiet men they disturb them in the way that is in the course of their life and occasions of their severall
corner of the Countrie to another from the entring in of Hamath near Epiphania to that which is called the river of the plain or of the wildernesse because of the barren and desert places through which it runs that you may be pursued in the very place which you boast that you have added to the Kingdom of Israel CHAP. VII 1 THus hath the Lord God shewed unto me and behold he formed grashoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth and lo it was the latter growth after the Kings mowings 2 And it came to passe that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land then I said O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small 3 The Lord repented for this It shall not be saith the Lord. 4 Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me and behold the Lord God called to contend by fire and it devoured the great deep and did eat up a part 5 Then said I O Lord cease I bseeech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small 6 The Lord repented for this This also shall not be saith the Lord God 7 Thus he shewed me and behold The Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb-line with a plumb-line in his hand 8 And the Lord said unto me Amos what seest thou And I said A plumb-line Then said the Lord Behold I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel I will not again passe by them any more 9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate and the Sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid wast and I will rise against the house of Ieroboum with the sword 10 Then Amaziah the Priest of Beth-el sent to Ieroboam King of Israel saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel the land is not able to bear all his word 11 For thus Amos saith Ieroboam shall die by the sword and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land 12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos O thou Seer go flee thee away into the land of Iudah and there eat bread and prophesie there 13 But prophesie not again any more at Bethel for it is the Kings chappel and it is the kings court 14 Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah I was no Prophet neither was I a prophets son but I was an herdsman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit 15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me Go prophesie unto my people Israel 16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord Thou sayest Prophesie not against Israel and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac 17 Therefore thus saith the Lord Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword and thy land shall be divided by line and thou shalt die in a polluted land and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land CHAP. VII 1. NOw I shall acquaint you with some afflictions which by way of punishment had fallen heavily upon the people if I had not interposed my earnest praiers as I was their Prophet For The Lord God was pleased to show me a vision It was in the Spring time when the earth was yet in her prime and glorie in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth of the fruit of the earth after the mowing of the hay or cutting down of the corn that belonged to the King Jeroboam the son of Joas Then appeared to me God himself forming of locusts that could never come at a worse time to do mischief to the fruit of the ground and were as an Embleme of his gathering a vast and pernicious armie that would quickly over-run and destroy a fruitful and pleasant land 2. And it came to passe When the locusts seemed very busie in cosuming the grasse and other fruit of the land and had done much harm already to it I said Lord God be favourable and gratious to thy people Let not these locusts that use to make the way to a terrible famine prove a Prophetical prediction of a numerous and destructive Hoste that shall for our sins invade and lay waste so rich and flourishing a Country For who shall then raise up again the Posteritie of Iacob which are already much exhausted and brought low by former calamities 3. Upon my humble petition the Lord repented of this great judgement saying it should not proceed He would alter or mitigate the intended burden of the vision by making Pul and his Souldiers be content to be appeased with money and voide the Kingdom 4. 5. I must not conceal another vision at which I was more amazed a vision and prediction of a more furious enemie that consumed all before him like a flaming fire an element that hath no mercie And in this manner it was revealed unto me by the Lord God himself Behold he called to his Angels and other Ministers for a judgement by fire to be brought upon his people This fire was so violent that it seemed to be devouring the great deep i. readie to lick up and consume manie of the people that are often compared to the manie boisterous and raging waters of the great deep and it had already devoured part of them or of the Countrie Then said I O Lord God stay thine anger For how shall the children of Iacob subsist after this Such a heavie judgement will so exhaust them that they will hardlie ever be able to recover their strength again 6. So the Lord repented of this also I will not now go on with this way of revenge saith the Lord God 7. Another time the Lord showed me a third Vision in this manner Behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by line and there was a line in his hand 8. And that I might give the more heed to it the Lord God said unto me Amos what seest thou And I said I see a line Then saith the Lord Behold I will now make use of the strict line of Iustice in examining the faults of my people Israel I will not so easily passe them by with such connivence as I did before taking little notice of many offences 9. Upon my strickt marking of what is done amisse it will soon follow that the high places of Israel erected to the honour of their false gods will be made desolate and the titular Sanctuaries consecrated to the calves in Dan and Bethel will be laid waste And before that I will rise against the house af Ieroboam the son of Joas with the sword And Zacharie his son shall perish by the sword of Shallum and in him shall that familie be extinct and the Kings of Israel decay more and more till they are quite ruined by the Assyrian 10. When Amaziah the chief idolatrous Priest of Bethel understood of
from the dayes of eternity for who can declare his generation 3. Therefore will he give to them of Judah what he hath promised i. a safe return out of their captivity and a place of abode again in their own Countrey till the time wherein she that is to bring forth the Messias shall bring forth that happinesse to the world and till the residue of his brethren for with that title shall he honour the lost sheep which he shall come to seek and reduce to his fold till they shall be converted and united to the rest of the children of Israel and so begin all to make one flock under one Shepherd 4. And he shall never cease to feed and govern that flock by no lesse than a divine power being advanced thereunto in no other name and authority then that of the great Iehovah his God as he shall then stile him when he hath humbled himself to that brother-hood which we named before under that care and government shall that flock of his dwell in joy and safety And good reason because from henceforth this our Prince and Messias shall be magnified and renowned not in Jurie onely but to all the ends of the earth 5. And this peace and prosperity of our nation shalt thou begin and not till then when the Assyrian shall have often entred into our land sometime of himself sometime as an auxiliarie of the Chaldaeans For he shall enter in a proud and hostile manner trampling down our fairest Palaces But this pride and malice shall be the occasion of his utter ruine and so of our more setled peace For we shall at last so far prevaile over the Assyrian by the assistance of Almighty God and his blessing upon our prayers and patience that we shall be the meanes of as great a tyranny over him to be exercised by many severall Governours great Princes and Commanders over men that shall lead them and rule them as easily as Sheep are by their Shepherds 6. And if these may be called Shepherds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as other Kings and Rulers are they shall be such as shall subdue and govern their stocks of Assyrians by the sword and the successors of Nimrod in Babylon with her own naked and terrible weapons Thus shall God punish them and give us a sure peace by delivering us from further fear of the Assyrian and letting us be revenged of him because he would needs enter so cruelly upon our land and so proudly trample us under him in our own borders 7. After this the remnant of Iacob being freed from all such tyranny shall be accounted by many other nations among whom they are seated as the dew which falls from heaven and as the drops of rain upon the grasse which expect not the power or pleasure of man or any son of man for their accesse or recesse from this or that place but are sent thither and blessed there by the sole power and favour of Almighty God 8. And in processe of time the posterity of this remnant of Iacob specially in the time of the Maccabies shall be in respect of their power and authoritie and command among the Gentiles and in the midst of many people as the Lion is among the beasts of the forrest and the young Lion among the flocks of the sheep who when he is pleased to passe thorough them doth tread them down and tear them in pieces without controule of any other that is able to rescue and deliver them in that distresse 9. Thus prosperously shall it fare with thy children and with thee O Israel when thy hand shall no sooner be lift up against thy enemies but they shall be cut off and fall before thee All which about the times of the Maccabies shall be but a figure of greater conquests that they shall have over all nations when after the dayes of the Messias they shall begin to subdue them and reduce them to his spirituall kingdom 10. This mention of Israels prosperity in these times must be accompanied with the Prophesie of thy ruine O Babylon For thus saith the Lord I will cut off the strength wherein thou makest thy boast the multitude of thy horses and chariots Them will I destroy with the riders that were so expert in managing of them both 11. And the best Cities of thy land will I lay waste and throw down all thy strong holds 12. And I will down with thy witch-crafts and thy magicall divinations And thy Soothsayers that were so cunning at them shall have no more to do within thee 13. Thy graven images and thy rich statues will I remove from the midst of thee so that thou shalt give no more worship to those vanities the workmanship of thy own hands 14. Thy superstitious groves and thy wealthy Cities will I utterly destroy 15. And in the fiercenesse of my anger will I revenge my self upon those nations which shall not then hear and obey those Conquerors and Governors which I shall please to set over the kingdom of Babylon CHAP. VI. 1. HEar ye now what the Lord saith Arise contend thou before the mountains and let the hills hear thy voice 2 Hear ye O mountains the Lords controversie and ye strong foundations of the earth for the Lord hath a controversie with his people and he will plead with Israel 3 O my people what have I done unto thee wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me 4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam 5 O my people remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the righteousnesse of the Lerd 6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul 8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God 9 The Lords voice crieth unto the City and the man of wisdom shal see thy name hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it 10 Are there yet the tresures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable 11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances and with the bag of deceitfull weights 12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth 13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee in
you that while you think to escape from one you shall be overtaken by another As if a man should run from a roaring Lion that hath him in pursuit and in the way meet with an angry Bear with open mouth ready to devour him and tear him in pieces or if he should make shift to fly from the Bear too and get safely to his own house as his Castle of defense against all such wild beasts and there resting his weary body or leaning his hand on the wall instantly a serpent should come out thence and bite him and take him quite away by a present death 20. Will not that be a fearfull horrid dismall day and without any hope of light and solace for that time which will have such varieties of danger that can be no way prevented and must end at the last in the ruine of a flourishing kingdom and the slaughter or captivity of many thousands of men women and children 21. To prevent this sad day of the Lord the time of his vengeance upon impenitent and obstinate sinners make your peace with him In your own day while you may call it your day by amending your lives and ordering your conversation aright And do not think without that to please Him with your Sacrifices or Ceremonies or any outward Act of seeming Obedience that proceeds not from a faithfull and pure Heart For will you hear what the Lord himself saith of them I was so far from taking pleasure in them that I ever hated and abhorred your Festivall Dayes And your sweet incense or what else you offered in my house at the time of your solemn assemblies was not accepted by me as any sweet savour unlesse with all Piety and sincerity and integrity of life did commend you unto me 22 You thought that you did me great service in your Holocausts and other oblations but they never moved me so much as to look favourably upon them because you did not with them offer your selves your soules and bodies as a reasonable and lively sacrifice unto me That 's the oblation and holocaust which the other were but to figure and put you in mind of And for your fat peace-offerings which should have been the Interpreters of your thankfull hearts they never gained any good liking from me because the heart and life of them was wholy wanting 23. Away with the bawling noise and tedious iteration of your Songs and Hymnes that you do not sing with the spirit and with understanding as if you were truely affected with what you sing And such have yours commonly been The like I may say of your Psalteries and Harps and other Instruments which being accompanied with sweet voices you presented before me as rare melodious Musick But it was contradicted with such a discord in your lives and actions that it came into my eares like a harsh sound not to be indured For it is the harmony of good hearts and the constant exercise of holy Vertues that I account the sweetest Musick 24. Especially the constant execution of Iustice and Iudgement To see them passe smoothly and faeirly on in your publick Courts not like water onely but like a mighty torrent with such plenty and facility that every cause might have a just sentence freely and heartily delivered without bribes without delaies and unnecessary demurrs This would please me above all Musick above all Sacrifice 25. But how often did you offer me any such sacrifice and oblation in the time of your fourty yeares safe conduct about the wildernesse O house of Israel when I fed you and protected you from all evill though you many a time rebelled against me The wildernesse indeed could not often supply you with outward and legal sacrifices but who hindered you from offering the inward and spirituall sacrifice of Piety Obedience and Thankfulness which is the service that I chiefly desired For the main intention of your other sacrifices was onely to keep you from Idolatry and to exercise your obedience and thankful acknowledgements unto me 26. Though on the contrary many of your nation at that time in the wildernesse were exercised in flat disobedience and Idolatrie For you carried about with you the shrine of Moloch a King and Idol of the Moabites and Chiun or Remphan one of those Images which you represented in a star peculiar to them These were the types these the Deities which you made to your selves after your own idle fancies forgetting the true God that made you and those Creatures to which you exhibited divine honour 27. For those impieties I will cause you to be carried away captive not to Damascus or any place so near your own Countrey whence you have the more hope to return but far beyond Damascus saith the Lord whose name is the God of Hostes whose will and pleasure cannot be resisted CHAP. VI. 1. WOe to them that are at ease in Zion and trust in the mountain of Samaria which are named chiefe of the nations to whom the house of Israel came 2 Passe ye unto Calneh and see and from thence goe ye to Hemath the great then go down to Gath of the Philistins be they better then these kingdomes or their border greater then your border 3 Ye that put farre away the evill day and cause the seat of violence to come neer 4 That lie upon beds of Ivorie and stretch themselves upon their couches and eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall 5 That chaunt to the sound of the violl and invent to themselves instrument of musick like David 6 That drinke wine in bowles and anoint themselves with the chief ointments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph 7 Therefore now shall they goe captive with the first that goe captive and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed 8 The LORD GOD hath sworne by himselfe saith the LORD the GOD of hosts I abhorre the excellencie of Iacob and hate his palaces therefore will I deliver up the citie with all that is therein 9 And it shall come to passe if there remain ten men in one house that they shall die 10 And a mans Vncle shall take him up and he that burneth him to bring out the bones out of the house and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house Is there yet any with thee and he shall say No. Then shall he say Hold thy tongue for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord. 11 For behold the Lord commandeth and he will smite the great house with breaches and the little house with clefts 12 Shall horses run upon the rock will one plow there with oxen for ye have turned judgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlock 13 Ye which rejoyce in a thing of nought which say Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength 14 But behold I will raise up against you
a nation O house of Israel saith the Lord the God of Hosts and they shall afflict you from the entring in of Hemath unto the river of the wildernesse CHAP. VI. 1. WOe be to you both of Iudah and Israel that taking no pitie upon others in great want and distresse nor abating any thing of your jollitie and luxurie to relieve them nor so much as being thankful to God for what you enjoy do live in ease and security in Sion and Samaria never troubled with any remorse for your sins or any fear of the punishment that hangs over your heads You that trust not in God but in the strength of Mount Sion and the mountain of Samaria securing your selves in that you have found out a shelter in Syria Egypt and other conntries and are called by the names of the chief of those great men in other nations to whom the house of Israel use to apply themselves as to their noble Patrons and Protectors in time of danger 2. That you may know how you do but flatter your selves in relying upon such forein hopes go to Chalne a famous Citie in Assyria and Hamath the great once the glorie of Syria Thence come nearer unto Gath the chief strength of the Philistims Inquire first what happened to them then let this question be asked of your selves Are you in a better estate then these eminent places in those Kingdoms or do you extend your borders wider then they did have you larger possessions then they had Why then do not you admonish your selves by their example that your glorie may be laid in the dust as theirs was 3. Wo be to you that perswade your selves the time of affliction is far enough from you and therefore you may be the bolder with your too-much authority over others and domineer as in a throne of ease and liberty and oppression 4. Wo be to them that lie upon sumptuous and large Ivorie beds where they have room enough to stretch themselvss in wantonnesse and lazinesse And after that ease are wont to pamper themselves at a full and costlie table feeding upon the tenderest choicest lambs that can be found in all the flock and calves purposely fatted for them in the stall 5. Wo be to them that spend too much of their time in mirth and jollitie singing division to the sound of the Psalterie and other rare instruments of Musick which they have made special choice of for themselves And to which they think they have as fair a pretense in the abuse of Musick as King David had to delight himself in his Heavenlie Hymns or otherwise to recreate and refresh himself with it when he was tired with his more serious employments 6. Wo be to them that make too much of themselves and show no pitie of others drinking their wine not in little cups as others do but in great bowls to drown the memorie of all sorrow and annointing themselves with costly ointments not moderatelie for health and neatnesse as is the custom in the Eastern parts but wantonlie in excesse As not ashamed to show their vanitie and profusenesse in expenses upon themselves while they spare litle or nothing for the relief of their own countrymen that are in need and miserie 7. Therefore after a little while they shall go in the head of the captives among them that are first carried into captivitie because they were ever ready to be the first ringleaders to all sin And there will be a speedy end of all the banquets even the funeral banquets of those luxurious feasters that stretched themselves as they pleased upon their beds 8. For the Lord God hath sworn by Himself saith the Lord God of Hosts i. He himself hath assured us that He hath passed this as an unchangeable decree saying I abhor the pride of all the children of Israel and whatsoever they use to boast of though it be the Temple it self Therefore not that onelie but their Palaces and greatest buildings raised out of briberie and extortion and for that cause hated by me Their Cities also and People or whatsoever it is wherewith they are now plentyfully stored will I when I see my time give up into the power of a cruel enemie 9. And if it chance that some few escaping the furie of war be left in one house they also shall perish by famine or pestilence or some other untimelie death 10. Then if the Vncle or any near kinsman to one that dies in the house shall come thither to order that the dead corps may be thence removed and burned to prevent the infection of others If he shall say to any one that is within the house Be there any more left alive with thee One of the house shall answer None are left they are all dead or unlikelie to live Then he shall reply Say no more if that be the case of them Leave thy tears and complaints and be quiet and patient It is too late for us now to betake our selves by praiers to the name of Almighty God This is the time of his just vengeance for our mentioning him so little before and having our idols so often in our mouths 11 Now we must all look for a heavy blow For God will command our enemies the executioners of his wrath to smite all houses Palaces and Cotages alike with such breaches and ruines as shall not easily be repaired utter ruines will be seen in Israel and great breaches in Judah 12. But I prophesie to them that have no ears to hear nor hearts that can be mollified It is as hard and unlikely a thing to move them to repentance as to make horses run upon slipperie rocks or oxen plow there with good successe He must change the course of nature that can do so And he must work as great a miracle that will prevail with them for repentance and satisfaction that have turned Iustice and Righteousnesse the sweetest of all vertues into tyrannie and oppression which are as bitter and unwelcome to the honest afflicted heart as gall and wormwood to the taste 13. Wo be to you that from the root of pride have brought forth such cruelty and injustice and yet are not humbled at the reproof it You triumph in your own wealth and puissance and command which are as a matter of nothing For you say Have not we by our own strength and power pushed down the strong forts of our enemies as it were with horns which they were not able to resist and so made our selves glorious conquerours But this arrogance will not arme and defend you against such adversaries as I shall send 14 For behold I will raise up against you the Assyrians a fierce and potent nation O house of Israel saith the Lord God of Hosts And as you have persecuted and oppressed the poor righteous man so they shall oppresse and hunt after you and drive you before them from one
Israel are not you in that point the same to me saith the Lord as any other as they for instance that came from the Cushites a base and servile nation in your account To me your Creator and Lord you are the same though you may be more excellent in respect of some other people that have not receaved so much from me as you have There is nothing in your selves but in my favour onely that distinguisheth you from all others Nor have my favours been wanting to others though they have exceeded towards you For as I brought you out of Egypt where your servitude though you have almost forgot it was greater then that of the Cushites so I brought the Philistims also from Caphtor or Cappadocia and the Syrians from Kir or that part of Media that lies by the river Cyrrus 8. My care and providence hath extended to others but much more to you that have been most ingratefull and disobedient Yet have you larger promises of mercie then any other For Behold and you have great reason to take notice of it The eies of the Lord God that created and governs all and sets up or puls down kingdoms at his pleasure are intent upon every sinful kingdom to destroy it from the face of the earth unlesse they repent Yet for my promise sake to your Forefathers I will not utterly destroy the whole nation and people of Israel saith the Lord. 9. I will indeed by my own command so order it that the Israelites for their sins shall be dispersed and tossed about among the nations as corn is shaked and moved about when it is sifted in a sieve or winnowed with the fan but the chaff onely shall flie away the least grane or scruple shall not fall to the earth Afflictions may purge or trie the best amongst them but they shall not consume them 10. The worst and most obstinate of my people I shall cut off by the sword that amend not their lives upon fair admonition and yet presume that God will not let the evil day so hastily overtake and prevent them but that God will deliver them at last as he hath done their forefathers in many feares and dangers which they have fallen into 11. Their securitie may undo them But there is a day coming wherein I will By Zorobabel restore the state of the Church and kingdom of David and whatsoever under his Successors was gone much to decay Which you may look upon as a type of the kingdom of the Messiah and setling of religion by him Which will be the true repairing of all breaches and raising up the ruines made by Scribes and Pharises and other enemies of the Church and building up the Kingdom of the true Israel of God in greater perfection then ever it saw before 12. That my people or they that are called mine i. my Apostles and Servants and their Successors whom I shall use in the restauration of the Church may take a kind of spiritual possession of the Gentiles in my name bringing them within the pale of the Church and fould of the great Shepherd of our souls Even of the greatest enemies of the Church as the Edomites were to the Iews At least of a remnant of them i. so many of them as shall return by true repentance and obedience from their opposing of the truth So saith the Lord Himself that will be the main Agent in this great work and make use of his Messengers as instruments for that purpose to effect what he hath often and most gratiously promised for the restoring and enlarging of his Church by the conversion and accesse not of Gentiles onely but of enemies too to be incorporated into one mystical body whereof the Messias shall be the head 13. Behold that joyful time is at hand wherein the abundance of Gods spirituall graces shall be prefigured in the plenty of all outward blessings The harvest shall be so long that it shall extend till the time of plowing the earth again And from the beginning of vintage to the sowing of new seed there will be employment enough in gathering of grapes and treading the Winepresse and furnishing all the Cellars with wine Of which there shall be such store as if the mountains dropped and distilled sweet wine and the hills that use to be drie and barren were resolved and moistened with the overflowings of milk Which may figure the plenty of spiritual food and heavenly comforts that shall attend the coming of the Messias 14. And I will bring the captives home again i. such as have been detained under the power of sin and Satan and they shall rebuild the waste Cities and re-inhabit them i. restore and settle the true worship of God where it was neglected And they shall plant Vineyards and drink the wine thereof i. found Churches and tast the fruit of their labours bestowed upon the Church and they shall make gardens and eat the fruit of them i. the maledictions of the Law being taken away they shall be blessed in propagating the Gospel and the true service of God for the increase of those spiritual graces that are like fragrant flowers in the garden of the Church 15. And I will plant them upon their land which I will give them out of which they shall be no more plucked up again i. In the Paradise of the Church they shall be like Trees of Righteousnesse so planted that they shall take deep and firm root Nothing shall separate them from the love and service of God Neither shall the gates of hell the extreamest dangers or terrors be able to prevail against them Thus saith the Lord thy God to thee O Amos or to thee whosoever that art in the number of the true Israel of God Thou maist safely believe it and undertake that all these things shall certainly come to passe A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF OBADIAH 1. THe vision of Obadiah Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom We have heard a rumour from the Lord and an Ambassadour is sent among the heathen Arise ye and let us rise up against her in battell 2 Behold I have made thee small among the heathen thou art greatly despised 3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock whose habitation is high that saith in his heart Who shall bring me down to the ground 4 Though thou exalt thy self as the Eagle and though thou set thy nest among the stars thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. 5 If theives came to thee if robbers by night how art thou cut off would they not have stolne till they had enough If the grape gatherers came to thee would they not leave some grapes 6 How are the things of Esau searched out how are his hid things sought up 7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the
desolate I made their streets wast that none passeth by their cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is none inhabitant 7 I said Surely thou wilt fear me thou wilt receive instruction so their dwelling should not be cut off howsoever I punished them but they rose early and corrupted all their doings 8 Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord until the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the nations that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie 9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering 11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against me for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoyce in thy pride and thou shalt no more be haughty because of mine holy mountain 12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. 13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speaks lies neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth for they shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid 14 Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all the heart O daughter of Ierusalem 15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgements he hath cast out thine enemy the king of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evil any more 16 In that day it shall be said to Ierusalem Fear thou not and to Zion Let not thineâ— hands be sâ—ack 17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing 18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burden 19 Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame 20 At that time will I bring you again even in the time that I gather youâ— for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. CHAP. III. 1. BUt that Israel applaud not themselves too much in the ruine of their enemies royal City let them now hear the woes pronounced against their own Jerusalem Wo to the City that grew fat with her gluttony and polluted with all those sins that accompanie a full table and with all kind of rapine and oppression that were made the means to maintain it 2. She would not hear the voice of those that foretold her ruine if she did not amend She would not entertain any such good instruction before the blow came Nor would she trust in the Lord Iehovah and make her devout approaches and addresses unto her God in the time of her extremities but to the Egyptians and Assyrians and who not rather then to him that was ever her surest friend in the time of trouble 3. And to say somewhat again of that oppression that we named before The threats and menaces of her Princes and Governors within the City were grown to be as high and terrible as the roaring of a lion and her Iudges that instead of doing justice put these unjust threats in execution became like those ravenous wolves that seek out for their prey in the evening when their hunger makes them to be more greedily and fiercely set upon it so that what they lay hold on is presently devoured they leave not so much as a bone to be gnawed and examined again in the morning 4. Their pretended Prophets for their lives and for their opinions too are as various and inconsistent as water that will not stay long in his own bounds but must be kept in by some other bodie that is not so fluid as that And which is yet more they are persidiously wicked persons in betraying that trust which is reposed in them that should be the patternâ— and maintainers of true religion and not the bare outward professors of it for their own private interests And the Priests come not much short of the Prophets for instead of hallowing they pollute the Sanctuary and all holy things and instead of keeping and expounding they do most violently both in their actions and expositions wrest and abuse the sense of the law to what it was never intended by the Law-maker 5. But the righteous Lord whose Laws and Sanctuaries are thus abused observes all that is done in this wicked City and He will not deflect from doing right as they do that should be the Patrons of right and justice in his stead Every morning will he show some examples of his justice upon them that should every day be the executioners of it upon others Thus will God never fail to show his justice And yet the unjust and wicked men that know this are so past shame and fear that they will not repent when they see my judgements upon their own and their neighbour Countries saith the Lord. 6. But when I destroyed those Gentiles for so I may call your ten tribes that had nothing in them of Israel I made their strong towers desolate and their populous streets I laid wast and left none to walk about them Even upon their greatest Cities did I bring that solitude and desolation so that there was not left a man nor any of mankind to dwell within them 7. You should have learned to take heed by their punishment And so I said within my self Surely thou my land of Iudah wilt thence at least learn to fear me by what thou seest inflicted upon Israel Their correction will be thy instruction that the Cities of Judah and other places of her habitation may not be cut off in the same manner but that all the good that in my best and kind visitations I have made profer of may come upon her But they deceived my expectation and instead of rising early to seek me they rose early to currupt their own waies more and more as if they were so eagerly set upon mischief that they would break their sleep to be at it 8. Therefore after my expectation deceived I will give you an item before hand to expect that which you shall not be deceived of i. my rising to answer yours and my rising out of the place
the building and adorning of your own private houses So your neglect of me and my service produced my neglect of you and your profit 10. That is the reason why the Heavens that are above you were prohibited to supply you with that dew which should help on the growth of those things that spring out of the earth And the earth that is under you had the like prohibition from affording her usual increase of fruit 11. And I commanded a drought and barrennesse to come upon all the land specially upon the mountainous and most eminent parts A barrennesse both of the corn and the new wine and the oyl And this barrennesse extended to all that which is brought forth of the ground or of men or of cattel and so to every thing that mny be esteemed as a fruit of the labour of your hands So that nothing that you went about did any way seem to prosper 12. These words of the Prophet wrought so with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Iosuah the son of Iosedech the High-Priest and the remnant of the Iews that returned out of the captivity that they readily obeyed what God had injoyned them to do and to what his Prophet Haggai had delivered to them they gave great attention and respect because the Lord their God had set him upon that message And so the people humbled themselves in the fear of the Lord and submitted to what had been said against them and to what was not required of them 13. Whereupon Haggai that had delivered the former message from the Lord spake again to them by vertue of a further commission and deputation from God himself and said I will be with you saith the Lord not onely to pardon all that is past but to prosper also what you readily undertake for the reedifying of my Temple 13. In prosecution of which promise the Lord stirred up the spirit i. the will and courage of Zorobabel the son of Shealtiel Governour of Iudah and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedec the High-Priest and the spirit of all the Jews that remained after the captivity of Babylon And they began to compose and prepare themselves for that work in the house of the Lord of Hosts their God 15. And what was thus resolved on was accordingly begun upon the 24. day of the sixth moneth which hath part of our August and part of September in the second year of Darius the King CHAP. II. IN the seventh moneth in the one and twentieth day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by the Prophet Haggai saying 2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel governour of Iudah and to Ioshua the son of Iosedech the high-Priest and to the residue of the people saying 3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory and how do ye see it now is it not in your eies in comparison of it as nothing 4 Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel saith the Lord and be strong O Ioshua son of Iosedech the high-Priest and be strong all ye people of the land saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of hosts 5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt so my spirit remaineth among you fear ye not 6 For thus saith the Lord of hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land 7 And I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hosts 8 The silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts 9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of hosts and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of hosts 10 In the four and twentieth day of the nineth moneth in the second year of Darius came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet saying 11 Thus saith the Lord of hosts Ask now the Priests concerning the law saying 12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or pot age or wine or oyl or any meat shal it be holy and the Priests answered said No. 13 Then said Haggai If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean and the Priests answered and said It shall be unclean 14 Then answered Haggai and said So is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean 15 And now I pray you consider from this day and upward from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord. 16 Since those daies were when one came to an heap of 20 measures there were but ten when one came to the presse-fat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press there were but twenty 17 I smote you with blasting with mildew with hail in all the labour of your hands yet ye turned not to me saith the Lord. 18 Consider now from this day and upward from the four and twentieth day of the ninth moneth even from the day that the foundation of the Lords temple was laid consider it 19 Is the seed yet in the barnâ— yea as yet the vine and the fig-tree and the pomegranate and the olive-tree hath not brought forth from this day will I blesse you 20 And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four twentieth day of the moneth saying 21 Speak to Zerubbabel governour of Iudah saying I will shake the heavens and the earth 22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen and I will overthrow the chariots and those that ride in them and the horses and their riders shall come down every one by the sword of his brother 23 In that day saith the Lord of hosts will I take thee O Zerubbabel my servant the son of Shealtiel saith the Lord and will make thee as a signet for I have chosen thee saith the Lord of hosts CHAP. II. 1. IN the seventh moneth which consisted of part of our September and part of October and in the twenty first day of the moneth the Lord spake again to the Prophet Haggai and by him to the people of the Jewes to this effect 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel the Son of Shealtiel Governour of Iudah and to Ioshua the Son of Iosedech the High-Priest and to the People that are returned from the captivity of Babylon and say unto them 3. If there be any of you left of the captivity that hath seen the Temple which was formerly built in this place in the rich and glorious state and beauty which then it had being a work of much time and cost
that the enemie should have had such a blow given them by the subtle and potent Tyrians as should have freed them from the fear of all danger Gaza after this shall no longer be ruled by one that shall live in the state of a King rather then the Commander of such a little compasse of ground And Ashkelon shall be laid wast and for a long time after this not be inhabited 6. Then shall Azotus be possessed by a kind of bastard-brood a mixed and mungril people out of the conflux from several Nations And all the neighbour parts of Palestine shall have such a share in this calamity as shall take down their haughty pride and insulting over my people Israel 7. And I will take away the bloody and abominable language out of the mouth of the domineering Philistims who delight as much in horrid and cruel threats as if it did them good to chew upon them and please themselves while they keep it between their teeth as if they would set their teeth on work too with devouring of others that are better then themselves But the remnant of this fierce and boasting Nation shall come at last to be subdued and united with the people of Israel and so brought to the service of the true God And as the Iebusite being first become a Proselyte was thereupon made capable of places of dignity and command amonst the people of God so shall it be with the Philistine and so with the Ekronite that in that captivity shall be in a fair way to become as one of the Princes and Rulers of Iudah 8. And I will make my Angela encamp about my Temple to preserve it from all hostile and violent attempts and sodain incursions of such as may go or return any way near unto it And none shall be suffered to have any passage hereafter toward those parts with power to tyranise and usurp upon them For mine eyes are now and ever open to observe and prevent the dangers which otherwise might fall upon this holy place as I promised that I would be at the consecrating of your first Temple 9. And when I cast my all-seeing eye upon times yet more remote from your daies then I may well say of your deliverance from spiritual and greater enemies Rejoyce exceedingly O Daughter of Sion shout and sing aloud for joy O Daughter of Ierusalem For the Messias thy long-expected King of whom the best of all thy Kings heretofore were but types and figures comes to deliver thee from thy invisible enemies He is just and merciful and in his Justice and Mercy brings salvation to you that shall be justified through him Though he come not in the pomp of regality but poor enough in outward show and not in the flourish and noise of military forces and horses prepared for war but riding upon an asse even upon a colt the foal of an asse which is a beast that you use for more peaceable and quiet journies 10. Then will I take away all the need of chariots and horses and other outward military forces from Ephraim and Judah or her Metropolis of Ierusalem and the bow with other weapons of war will I knap in sunder And this King your Messias shall preach true peace to the nations of the world And his spiritual kingdom shall be inlarged from Sea to Sea and from the Rivers to the ends of the earth 11. And as for thee also O my Church by the blood of the covenant that I have made with thee I will redeem and deliver thy prisoners from the infarnal pit wherein is no water no hope of refreshment 12. Therefore repent and apply your selves unto God your onely help and refuge you that are such prisoners as are not without a good hope and modest assurance of divine succour and relief For I declare to you and assure you this very time wherein I have showed the fruit of your Messias his coming in such humility that I will return what he shall merit in a double testimony of my love to every one of you that shall not onely have deliverance from what ye might fear but the assurance too of eternal felicity 13. To make way to this by the publick preaching of the Gospel for subduing the Nations to my spiritual kingdom I will pick out my first Champions from among you of Iudah so that Iudah shall be like my bow that I bend and make ready against mine enemies and Ephraim like my quiver which I will fill full of arrows to be shot against all opposers And I will raise thy Sons O Sion against thy Sons O Graecia i. the first Preachers that shall be Iews to reduce the Graecians with the first under the easie yoke of the Messias And I will make thee O Sion to be like the sword of a mighty Commander for by my word in thy mouth which is my spiritual sword I will reduce other nations unto my kingdom 14. And the great Iehovah shall easily be seen to be a defence over these Champions of Iudaea and to fight for them as out of a tower and fortresse higher then their enemies His arrows and other instruments of this warfare shall go forth as quick as lightning The Lord himself shall be amongst them and sound the trumpet to give the sign of battel and shall set upon his enemies with storming like the violent Southern tempests that lay all even before them 15. Even the Lord of Hosts himself shall be their shield and buckler to defend them and they shall feed upon the spoiles of their enemies And as David did Goliah with little stones out of his sling so shall they by weak and unliekly means vanquish and subdue the greatest that come against them So that they shall be like those Conquerors that have their revenge satisfied with the blood of their enemies and therefore shout and triumph like those that are filled with storng wine For they shall drink their fill of it till they are as full as your silver bowls in the Sanctuary replenished with the holy offering and the horns of the Altar whereon the blood of the sacrifice is so plentifully poured 16. For in those daies their God the great Iehovah shall save and protect his Souldiers in these spiritual combats as the sheep of his flock and his own people that are the sheep of his pasture And these sheep shall prove Lions and Conquerors for the Lord of Hosts in his land And the Ensignes carried before them shall be with crowns set with pearls an embleme of the last reward of these holy Victories specially to be set upon the head of those that are great Actors and sufferers in so great a work 17. For how great is the goodnesse of Him that is the Lord of these mighty Hosts and how great is the beauty of his glory that will chear them up at last and put such joy into
and connivence as I have formerlie used toward them 3. And their merrie songs in their stately Palaces shall be turned into fearful howling in that day saith the Lord God And many bodies of dead men shall want the honour of the wonted funeral rites being privily cast aside by them that will endeavour to conceal their miserie least their own men should be too much disheartned or the enemie encouraged by seeing what a number perish by famine pestilence or discontent before the sword come near them 4. It will highly concern you to take notice of this prophesie and vision that are are come to so high a degree of covetousnesse and oppression that you are ripe enough to be taken off from any further benefit of life You that could find in your hearts to devour the poor and meek and humble men and quite obliterate the name and memory of them from the earth that you alone might injoy the good things of this life 5. You that say When will the New Moon and the Sabbath be gone we like not these Festival daies they are prejudicial to us that might every day make our markets It were not amisse if they were quite put out of the Kalender that we might be wholly employed in selling our corn and opening our granaries of wheat and practising the art we have in making our measures lesse and raising the value of our coin and falsifying our weights by sleight and deceit 6. That when we have by these tricks cheated and beggered the poor we may have an easie purchase of them and their goods and all that they have for a little sum of money or for as poor a thing as the present supply of a pair of shooes when they are cold and needy or by putting off to them at our own price the very refuse of our wheat that we know not otherwise how to dispose of 7. Therefore the Lord in his justice hath fully resolved and sworn by Himself whom all will acknowledge to be the glorie of his people Israel that since they so often forget the interest that they have in this high title or abuse it by making themselves guilty of such wicked deeds I will not forget to punish any of their evill courses I will surelie do it saith the Lord. 8. For Why should I not make the land tremble and all her inhabitants mourn for these things Why shall not this deluge of sin in this nation make her punishment overflow and overwhelm her in every part as the River Nilus in Egypt ascends by degrees and at last ovorflows her banks and covers all the face of Egypt with her inundations 9. When that day of revenge riseth upon them saith the Lord God I will make all their joy and comfort to vanish on a sodain as if the Sun of a clear day should set upon them in a dark and dismal cloud before he had run half his course 10. And I will turn your merry festivals and gaudy daies into daies of mourning and your pleasant songs into doleful lamentations your rich and loose apparel into course sackcloth girded about your loines and your neat heads of hair into bald pates that your outward garb may speak your inward sorrow for your heavy calamitie Nay I will bring the land of Israel to that passe and that high degree of mourning that in all the chiefest places men shall be found in as sad postures and bitter exclamations as a tender Mother useth to expresse in the funerals of her onely son And how jolly and chearful soever they have been they shall close up their last times in great bitternesse of woe and miserie 11. There is yet worse news behind if it were rightly apprehended Behold the time is coming saith the Lord God wherein I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread onely or a thirst of water but a want of spiritual food too and of the water of life a scarcity of the word of God specially of the word of prophesie which you neglect when it is offered and therefore it will not be heard when you long for it 12. For they that are now so coy and dainty that no Prophets can please them shall then compasse about from Sea to Sea They shall run to and fro from one corner of the Country to another to seek the word of the Lord purely and sincerely taught and shall not find it 13. Then shall even the succulent bodies of fair damsels and proper young men in the flower of their age be ready to faint and wither away for thirst 14. This shall happen to them that swear by the idols of Samaria near Bethel as if they had no true Deitie to swear by To them that have this form of oath as thy Diety lives O Dan in imitation of their former oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they Lord lives To them that swear thus as the living God is rightly worshipped in that kind of service which is used in Beersheba or as I wish that the course and religious way of Beersheba may thrive These men shall fall from their former prosperous estate and shall never be restored to that or so much as to their Country again CHAP. IX 1 I Saw the Lord standing upon the Altar and he said Smite the lintel of the door that the posts may shake and cut them in the head all of them and I will slay the last of them with the sword he that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered 2 Though they dig into hell thence shall mine hand take them though they climbe up to heaven thence will I bring them down 3 And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea thence will I command the serpent and he shall bite them 4 And though they go into captivity before their enemies thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil and not for good 5 And the Lord God of Hosts is he that toucheth the land and it shall melt and all that dwell therein shall mourn and it shall rise up wholly like a floud and shall be drowned as by the floud of Egypt 6 It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven and hath founded his troup in the earth he that calleth for the waters of the sea and powreth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his Name 7 Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me O ye children of Israel saith the Lord have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt and the Philistins from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir 8 Behold the eies of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom and I will destroy it from
off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord. 9 For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth 10 All the sinners of my people shal die by the sword which say The evill shall not overtake nor prevent us 11 In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his cumes and I will build it as in the daies of old 12 That they may possesse the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen which are called by my Name saith the Lord that doth this 13 Behold the daies come saith the Lord that the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the tâ—eader of grapes him that soweth seed and the mountains shall drop sweet wine and all the hills shall melt 14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine thereof they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them 15 And I will plant them upon their land and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the Lord thy God CHAP. IX 1. I Come now to a vision that chiefly concerns Ierusalem and the two Tribes I saw in the spirit a glorie representing the Majesty of God not appearing between the Cherubims as formerly he used to do but nearer the end of the Temple as if he were departing from that sacred place and leaving his Sanctuary by degrees For I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar of the Holocausts as ready to slay those wicked men of Judah that had highly provoked his Justice and Anger to be showed amongst them and to make such a sacrifice of them as he never calls for but when he comes to be revenged of great sinners And he said to some Angel attending at that time or as exciting the army of the Chaldaeans Smite the lintel of the door in such a manner that the posts may shake which signified a great blow by his own command to be given to them that were thought to be most eminent and most able to support and give aid to the Temple and the whole nation to whom it belonged He said moreover Cut them all or strike all through in thâ— head piece q. d.. Let them that are in the highest place the guides and governours of the people have the first and greatest blow that in them others may see their doom And after that I will slay the last of them also the lowest of the people with the sword of a cruel enemie and with such a slaughter that He who thinks to secure himself by flight or any other way of evading the stroke of the enemie shall no way escape that unlesse he fall into their power for a worse punishment of long captivity Which doth not yet exempt him from their striking hand when they shall have a mind to command his life 2. And if there were any way to escape the enemie yet none of them should escape me For who can run so far or so fast that divine vengeance shall not overtake him Where is such a secret corner to be found wherein that will not find him out If any of them could dig as deep as hell to fit themselves with a dark and obscure lurking place thence should my powerful hand pluck them out If they could climb as high as heaven far enough out of their enemies reach thence also would I tumble them down 3. If they could lie scouting and sculking in the unfrequented caves and holes upon the top of high Carmel where no enemy would search for them yet there would I hunt them out and cast them down from thence If it were possible that they could conceal themselves from my sight in the bottom of the sea I have Whales and Serpents of the deep that should pursue them and bite them and fright them out of that refuge 4. Could they be so subtle as to prevent the captivity of their enemies and be gone into theirs or some other land before they come near them yet thither will I bring the sword of those verie enemies to cut them off and spoil all their plots For the eye of my favour and providence shall not watch over them for good I will rather be intent upon what may help on the just and severe punishment of all their sins 4. Where then shall they think to be safe in the time of his anger that offend such a powerful God whom nothing will be able to resist He is the Lord God of Hosts whom all things obey as an Army ever ready for the execution of his mercie or justice of such power that if He do but touch a land with that touch he can make it melt like wax before Him and all the inhabitants of the land miserablie and lamentably to fade away and consume by some calamity that shall overwhelm them and drown them in sorrow and destruction with a sodain inundation like that of the River Nilus in Egypt when it breaks over ' all the banks 6. He fills Heaven and earth with the Majesty of his Glorie In Heaven he hath built his several Ascents by which we may climb to the speculation of it The nearest to us are the heavenly Orbes that are created and moved by Him and their peculiar degrees of elevation one above another Over those Orbes is his spacious Court and glorious Palace in a higher Heaven and in that his Royal Throne where he sits as in the highest Ascent of Majestie Vpon the earth if we consider not the whole globe together as one bundle and a little one too or a little handful in the eye of God we may observe the several bundles of united creatures that he hath placed over the earth which is as it were the foundation of all the rest As first that of the Elements that have their proper bounds then out of them that of the Vegetables and sensible and rational creatures that have their several waies of combination yet altogether make but a little handful before him that can measure the heavens and the earth with a span He calls for the waters of the sea in his anger by a deluge or in his love to ascend up in vapours that he may poure them down again into the lap of the earth to make her fruitful in all manner of store He that doth all this well may he have the name of the Lord and Commander of all 7. Therefore account not your selves onely to be the servants For in that respect what priviledge have you above all his creatures or above all other nations You that descend from