one of that captiuitie The third in the eleuenth of Zedechia and ninteenth of Nabuchadnetsar when the City temple were destroyed from which of these the 70. yeares captiuity should begin is a great question I referre it to the first for 1. Ieremy giueth but 70. yeares to Babel which are first spoken of when great Nebuchadnetzar began his raigne Ierem. 25. And by those 70. yeares of Babel hee boundeth the captiuity Ier. 29. 10. When 70. yeares be accomplished to Babel so I read not at Babel I will visit you c. 2. Those words being written to the Iewes of the second captiuity are an apparant proofe that part of the 70. yeares captiuity was then expired And thus it may well stand that Haggai saith in the sixt yeare of Darius that many there present had seene the former house Hag. 2. 3. for it was destroyed not past 67. yeares before Also Daniel was not to old to wield the Babilonian Empire in the time of Darius Medus it being but the 70. seauenth yeare of his captiuity And Ezrah whose father Seraiah was slaine when the Temple was burnt 2. Kings 25. 21. might be actiue in the seauenth of Artaxerxes Ezra 7. 8. which was 21. yeares after that sixt yeare of Darius and so 88. yeares from the death of his father All which things but by this reckoning could hardly be admitted He that pulled downe the Babylonian pride was Darius the Mede Cyrus as Zenophon also writeth was but the Lieutenant of his Armie and acknowledged him his Soueraigne For First this Conquest is euery where attributed to the Medes Esay 13. 17. Behold I will raise vp against him the Mede Ier. 51. 11. The Lord raiseth vp against Babylon the Spirit of the Kings of Media and vers 28. Prepare against her the Nations the Kings of Media her Princes and all her Nobles and all the Land of his Dominion Secondly Darius tooke of his owne authority not by any mans guift the Kingdome as soone as Belshazzer was slaine Dan. 5. 31. And hee it was whom the Angell did encourage and strengthen Dan. 1. 11. That he might ouercome the Chaldeans hee disposed of the Empire and set vp 120. Gouernours Dan. 6. 1. And in all his time no mention is made of Cyrus Thirdly Daniel reciteth his visions in order thus In the first yeare of Belshazzer Dan. 7. 1. In the third yeare of Belshazzer Dan. 8. 1. In the first yeare of Darius Dan. 9. 1. In the third yeare of Cyrus Dan. 10. 1. Fourthly Darius raigne is reckoned as distinct from Cyrus and before Cyrus Dan. 6. 29. He raigned not a yeare being 62. yeares old when Belshazzar was slaine Dan. 5. 31. and let Cyrus his Successor for Daniel in the first of his raigne vnderstood the 70. yeares to be that yeare accomplished Dan. 92. So the Prophesie of Ieremie was fulfilled that the 70. yeares Captiuity and the Babylonian Monarchie should end together ler. 25. 12. 29. 10. But it will be obiected that 2 Chron. 36 20. the captiuity lastest till the Kingdome of Persia came in Therefore that Cyrus raigned together with Darius else the Babylonian Monarchie should not end with the captiuity for the raigne of Darius Medus came betweene I answer Darius raigne was a part of the Persian Monarchy for he wrote himselfe King of the Medes and Persians and seeing the Persian name preuailed aboue the Medes and that instantly Darius dying the same yeare Ezra calleth the whole succession from the time of the taking of Babilon the Kingdome of Persia This Darius was the sonne of Assuerus of the seede of the Medes Dan. 9. 1. whom leauing to euery man his iudgement free I take to bee that Assuerus which was Queene Esters husband and that shee was not wife neither to Darius Hystaspis or any other succeeding King for First there bee but two Assuerusses mentioned in the Scripture this and another Ezra 4 6. Succestor vnto Cyrus But he raigned nothing neere 13. yeares as our Assuerus did Ester 3. 7. compared with Ester 9. 1. nor was a friend but a perpetuall enemie to the Iewes And seeing the holy Ghost doth so precisely distinguish the Persian Kings by their seuerall and proper names which bring great light vnto a Story I would not confound these things to giue two names to one and the same person that in one place he should be called Darius in another Assuerus without apparant euidence and warrant out of the Scripture Secondly the whole course of Esters Story sheweth that it was acted during the captiuity for it is not credible that after the returne of 49000. vnder Cyrus Ezra 2. there should bee left such a multitude of Iewes and of that strength as at Susis were able to kill 800. of their enemies and in the rest of Assuerus Dominions 75000. Ester 9. 12. 15. 16. nor would Mordecai and Queene Hester after the Temple built againe haue instituted the Purim Ester 9. 31. without sending to the house of God to enquire of the Lord by the mouth of his Priests and Prophets what were to be done as the people did Zach. 7. 2. 3. And in the Letters that Mordecai wrote to all the Iewes which were in the Prouinces of King Assuerus farre and neere appointing them to celebrate that day Ester 9. 20. 21. they in Iudaea would by name haue beene spoken of if at that time the people had beene come back Thirdly Assuerus Hesters husband was King of Media and Persia for hee made that great feast to the Princes of his Armies of Persia and Media Ester 1. 3. and the acts of Mordecaies greatnesse are said to be registred in the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia Ester 10. 2. But I finde not after Cyrus once came to the helme that they are at any time in holy Scripture called Kings of Media and Persia but of Persia only for being at the first a beast of two hornes the Kingdome of Media and Persia Dan. 8. 20. this latter that rose vp after grew higher than the other and tooke the honour from it Dan. 8. 3. Fourthly Why doth the holy Ghost Dan. 9. 1 speake of Assuerus father to Darius the Mede more than of the father of Cyrus or any other but for some speciall purpose And that must be in regard of the Story of Ester Fiftly Mordecaies age doth proue it his opposing against Haman and the other things he did in the twelfth of Assuerus cannot be thought to come from so old a man as he must bee if you make Assuerus to be Darius Hystaspis for from the captiuity of Ieconias when Mordecai was led away Ester 2. 6. to the twelfth of Assuerus are 83. yeares and if hee were then but 7. yeares of age which is not likely he must now be 90. neither is to be thought that hee would at those yeares begin to enter into the affaires of the State especially of such a great turbulēt State as he did Ester 10. Barzillai long before
being but 80. refused a better offer to be in Dauids Court because of the greatnesse of his age 2. Chron. 19. 33 34 35 36. This Assuerus raigned from India to Ethiopia as it is commonly translated But the Hebrew is from India to Cush Cush may bee taken as well for Arabia as Aethiopia and to some parts of Arabia his Kingdome might well reach euen whilst the Babilonians bare their greatest sway for the Kings which should subdue Babylon that is the Medes and Persians are called mighty Nations and great Kings Ier. 27. 7. And Herodotus in his first Booke doth wonderfully extoll the great power of Cyaxeres the Mede by that name Stories call this Assuerus and his father who ruled as hee saith ouer all Asia and subdued the Assyrians the Babylonians only excepted it is like his territories extended to the Indians Eastward and of the other side vnto Arabia and Nebuchadnetzars most about Babylon and in Aegypt Tyrus and the regions of Asia minor Howsoeuer it were if hee enlarged not his bounds so farre whilst Nebuchadnetzar was aliue at the least he might doe it in the time of Euilmerodach who lost much to the Medes and Persians and was at the last slaine in battaile against them That which maketh all the doubt is that Mordecai was carried prisoner frō Ierusalem by Nebuchadnetzar King of Babel in the captiuity of Ieconiah Ester 2. 6. Therefore he dwelt not vnder the dominion of Assuerus the Mede for from Nebuchadnetzar till Babel was taken by Darius none of the Medes had footing in that Kingdome Nay the Iewes by Gods ordinance were to serue the King of Babel his sonne and sonnes sonne till the yeares of the captiuity should be expired as may bee gathered by Ier. 27. 7. 2. Chron. 36. 20. And a Babylonian King if it were during the captiuitie this Assuerus could not bee for the Kingdome of Babylon was promised to Nebuchadnetzar his sonne and sonnes sonne Ier. 25. 6 7. who are named to bee Euilmerodach 2. Kings 25. 27. and Belshazzar Dan. 5. This indeed is a great obiection to the which of a certaine I can say nothing But seeing Assuerus was a King of the Medes and Persians and euen during the Babilonian captiuity there was at Susis where Assuerus kept his court Ester 1. 2. a Pallace for the Kings of Media and Persia Dan. 8. 2. Why may it not be that multitude of the Iewes dispersed themselues hither and thither into diuers Countries as they could best make shift especially in the confusion and shuffling of things when Nebuchadnetzar was throwne out of his Kingdome and Mordecai happily among the rest might transport himselfe to Susis In this City was Daniel the third yeare of King Belshazzar Dan. 8. 2. for so I hold hee was indeed and not in a vision he might bee by the riuer Vlai in a vision but when he saw that vision he was really in the Pallace at Susis Belike in regard of his great wisedome hee was sent thither vpon some Embassage or other employment for the seruice of the King his maister So vers 27. of that Chapter seemeth to import for certainely at that time Susis was of the Medes dominion The generality therefore of the people might be vnder the King of Babel for it was the Babylonicall captiuity seing the Land of Iudaea belonged to the Babylonian and no returne could be without his leaue though many of them shifted for themselues elsewhere Perhaps also the King of Medes either taking aduantage of those great changes in the state and Common-wealth that could not but fall out vpon the expelling of Nebuchadnetzar or in the loosenesse of Euilmerodachs raigne when his father was dead subdued those places in Mesopotamia about the riuer Chebar whether the Iewes of Ieconias captiuity were led away Ezech. 1. 3. 2. 25. many other things there bee which might make an alteration that are not particularly and by name expressed in the Scripture Wherefore Gods great goodnesse to his poore afflicted Church did herein maruellously shew it selfe that at one and the sametime vnder the captiuity in the middest of their greatest heauinesse Mordecai and Queene Ester among the Medes and Daniel with the Babylonians were so highly exalted After Darius death came the proclamation of Cyrus which is recorded 2 Chron. 36. Ezr. 1. That Darius was then dead appeareth by the Memorandum found among the records Ezra 6. 2. 3. made in the first yeare of K. Cyrus Cyrus made a decree c. and by the proclamation it selfe Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia God hath giuen vnto mee all the Kingdomes of the Earth c. If Darius had been liuing Cyrus would not haue written himselfe King of Persia for all Darius time it was the Medes and Persians At the least he would not haue said that God had giuen him all the Kingdomes of the earth when Darius was his Soueraigne neither would he haue beene named King of Babel at that time as Ezra 5. 13. relating therevnto doth call him which without question was Darius his during his life Dan. 5. 31. 6. 1. 2. c. Now then for the first question of the three formerly propounded from this Edict of Cyrus the time when the seauenty yeares captiuity ended begin the seauenty seauens for 1. Certainely they include the whole time of the peoples welfare so the words of the Angell sound Seauenty seauens are determined vpon thy people and vppon thy holy Citie But that was promised to be assoon as the seauenty yeares captiuity should expire Ier. 29. 10. After seauenty yeares bee accomplished to Babel I will visite you and performe my good promise to cause you to returne to this place The performance of which promise Daniel heere prayeth that God would not deferre verse 19. And the Angell telleth him vers 23. hee was heard in that hee prayed for and that the Angell was come to declare the same vnto him 2. The Angell speaketh of the going forth of the word as of a thing notorious which must needs be the word or proclamation that was to come from Cyrus for of him the Scripture speaketh by name Esay 43. 23. and other promise there was not any 3. To suspend the beginning so long as till Darius Nothus or the second Artaxerxes whom they call Artaxerxes Muemon were to make Daniel the whole Church for whose comfort this Prophesie was reuealed ignorant of the beginning And then there should haue needed another to haue interpreted the Angell and to shew when that Edict was to be published It is true the Edict was not gone forth when Daniel vsed this prayer for his prayer was in the raigne of Darius the Mede at what time Cyrus was not as yet the absolute Lord But it appeareth Dan. 9. 1 2. Daniel knew the time was now come when the same must be accomplished and Cyrus notoriously knowne to be the person that must doe it Esay 43. 23. So that of this Edict presently to be promulged
verbe singular to a nowne plurall to note that euery part and period of these seauens is precisely to hold without any fraction As for the words of our Sauiour Christ that God for the Elects sake shortened those daies they are manifestly wrested he shortened nothing of that which the Angell did foretell when he spake of 70. seauens to bee cut out but in his euerlasting counsell decreed those dayes of the affliction of the Iewes to be but short for had they beene as long as they were sore and eager the whole Nation must haue perished Wherefore I take it that by a Messiah or annointed gouernour hee meaneth a gouernour which the Iewes shall haue set vp from among themselues opposed to a forraine gouernour vers 26. For before the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes there were two Rulers of the Citie one of their owne People a Iew by profession or birth the other a stranger appointed Deputy by the Romane State The first Messiah or annointed gouernour was Nehemie whom Artaxerxes constituted Prince in the Land of Iudea in the twentieth yeare of his raigne Nehem. 5. 14. being iust 49. yeares from the Edict of Cyrus Hee built a Pallace for the Princes Court Nehem. 2. 8. and Sanballat in a Letter to Nehemie vpon his building of the walles scoffeth at him as if he meant to be King of the Iewes Nehem 6. 6. which Nehemie there worthily putteth off as a fiction of his owne deuising Nehem. 6. 8. Whether Nehemie and the rest were annointed with oyle or no I passe not no more than I doe of Cyrus or of those of whom the Psalmist speaketh Ps 105. 15. Touch not mine annointed ones and doo my Prophets no harme The Angell giueth him the name of annointed because he was of that People whom God had sanctified to himselfe These things praemised let vs see how we may make vp this number of seauenty seauens that is of 490. yeares which I would thus reckon The Persian Monarchie wherevnto men giue some 106. yeares some 125. some 130. some 190. some 220. and the Hebrewes generally but 50. did intruth endure 70. yeares and no more as I gather out of the 23. of Esay the Scripture in those vncertainties being the onely Oracle you can resort vnto In that Chapter the Prophet vers 1. forewarneth Tyrus of a threefold calamity to come vpon her one by her home seruants the second by the Chaldeans the third by Alexander the great out of the Land of Cittim The two latter he insisteth most vpon from the 14. verse Seauenty yeares she shall be forgotten meaning laid waste and desolate vers 15. euen the dayes of one King that is during all the time of the Babylonian Empire who for the dishonour of lying there so long in siege Ezech. 29. is Iosephus lib. 1. cap. 11. saith 13. yeares did beare mortall hate to her Afterwards she shall flourish againe be iolly and frollicke as the Prophet expresseth by an Apostrophe or turning of his speech vnto her vers 16. But how long must that in dure it is easily gathered out of the beginning of the 17. verse for when hee saith After seauenty yeares the Lord shall reuisite Tyrus meaning shall giue her a second blow by Alexander the great hee doth plainely shew that the continuance of her prosperity which was from Cyrus to Alexander should be 70. yeares and consequently that 70. yeares are the bounds of the Persian Monarchie And in all reason it could not bee much longer seeing Nehemie who was no babe but a Prince and a chiefe Commander among those that ascended out of the captiuity in the beginning of Cyrus raigne Ezr. 2. 2. liued to see the last Darius Nehem. 12. 22. So as if you gaue him then but 20 or 25. yeares to the Persian Monarchy but 70. he was fast vpon 100. beyond which yeares it was not ordinary for men in those dayes to liue Concerning the particular yeares of the Kings of Persia which make vp the full summe of 70. The first King was Cyrus who raigned three yeares at the least hee began the third Dan. 10. 1. The second Artaxerxes vnder whom the Iewes are said to returne Ezr. 4. 12. whose returne was indeed vnder Cyrus To him the enemies of the Iewes wrote their Letters to hinder the building of the Temple when it was yet scarce begun Ezr. 4. 12. which was the second yeare after their returne Ezr. 3. 8. wherefore hee could bee no other than Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus that raigned in his fathers absence We giue him with the Hebrewes after his fathers death 6. yeares the most that the greatest part of Chronologers bestow vpon him is but 7. The third Assverus hee is mentioned Ezr. 4. 7. and seeing Artaxerxes is proued the immediate successor vnto Cyrus this Assuerus must needs be one that came in time after Artaxerxes though in that place of Ezra hee be named before him Ezraes words haue this meaning The people of the Land discouraged the people of Iudah and troubled them in building all the dayes of Cyrus vnto the dayes of Darius for in the raigne of Assuerus Predecessor to Darius in the beginning of his raigne they wrote an acousation against the Inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem And before that in the dayes of Artaxerxes Mithredath Tabeel and the rest of their Colleagues wrote c. Wherefore Tremelius looking to the sence doth well render it As in the dayes of Artaxerxes Mithredath Tabeel c. had written I take this Assuerus to bee Smerdis the Vsurper for where it is said Dan. 11. 2. that before Xerxes three Kings shall stand vp in Persia they are not to be reckoned from Darius Medus notwithstanding he were spoken of in the first verse but from that time that the Angell spake the wordes being in the raigne of Cyrus so as in saying three Kings shall yet stand vp Cyrus cannot bee comprehended The 3. Kings therefore were Artaxerxes or Cambises Assuerus or Smerdis and Darius Hee raigned not a yeare The fourth King is Darius Ezr. 4. 5. which is Darius Hystaspis He is called King of Ashur Ezr. 6. 22. in the very same sence that Cyrus Ezr. 5. 13. And Artaxerxes Nehem. 13. 6. are called Kings of Babel for Ashur in that place is taken for Babel as it is also Esay 52. 4. Babylon by the consent of all Historians being anciently a part of Assyria and now in Darius hand all these Kingdomes ioyned together In the second yeare of his raigne he gaue leaue to build the Temple Ezr. 4. 24. and the sixt yeare of his raigne hee gaue leaue to build the Temple Ezr. 4. 24. and the sixt yeare of his raigne it was finished Ezr. 5. 6. 15. Darius that gaue leaue to build the Temple must needs be Darius Hystaspis not Darius Nothns nor any other that come long after him for 1. It was one that raigned within very short time after the 70. yeares expired seeing Zacharie in the second yeare
it not with an vpright heart God iustly punished it in his posteritie 6. Afterwards she conceiued againe and bare a Daughter and Iehouah said vnto him call her name Loruhamab for I will no more haue mercy vpon the house of Israel that I should any way forgiue them 7. But on the house of Iuda I will haue mercy and will saue them by Iehouah their God and will not saue them by bowe nor by sword nor by battaile by horses nor by horsemen 6. The second Child is a Daughter named Loruhamab that is not obtaining mercy it figureth the vtter desolation of the tenne Tribes begun by Tiglah Pileser King of Ashur when he carried away captiue the Reubenites Gadites halfe tribe of Manasse 1. Chron. 5. 26. and perfited by Salmanaser who vtterly ouerthrew the residue of the Kingdome of Israel 1. King 17. This age is compared to a Daughter because from that time forward after the bow of Israel that is all their power and strength so broken they should bee no more able to defend themselues than if they were a common-wealth of women Their misery in this behalfe you haue aggrauated two wayes First that it shall be without hope of restitution God will not haue mercy on them to pardon their sinnes and graciously to restore them after they are once carried Captiues 7. Secondly by Gods contrary dealing with the house of Iuda whom the Aramites and they confederating together did most maliciously seeke to ruine These he saith he will saue for his mercies sake sheweth how and by whom by Iesus Christ true God and true man the ground and foundation of the Couenant and of all Gods promises whom in the fulnesse of time God would send among them not by their owne forces nor by any forraine helpes The meaning is the Tribe of Iuda notwithstanding their captiuity in Babylon from the which he will set them free shall continue a Tribe still and certaine some principality and forme of Gouernment till Shiloh which is his sonne doe come and that the Gentiles beleeue in him 8. Now when she had weined Loruhamah Shee conceiued and bare a soune 9. Then said Iehouah call his name Loammi for yee are not my people neither will I be yours 10. Yet the number of the Children of Israell shall be as the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor tould and instead of that it was said vnto them yee are not my people it shall bee said vnto them yee are the sonnes of the liuing God Almighty 11. When the Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel gathering themselues together and setting ouer them one head shall come vp out of the Land for great shall the day of Izreel bee 8. The third Childe which she bare after the weaning of the former that is to say after that the patience of God had long expected for their conuersion and found no amendment but a desperate going on in sinne is a sonne 9. Loammi not my people figuring the finall reiection and casting off of the whole Nation of the Iewes for refusing the Lord of life whom the Father sent to saue them that they should bee no longer his Church and people 10. But the sharpnesse of this sentence the Prophet by way of correction of his speech doth qualifie and remper with most heauenly comforts the sweete promises of the Ghospell for First howsoeuer the whole Nation of the Iewes is thus to bee abandoned yet at the last a Church shall bee gathered of them through grace and that no small multitude but a number numberlesse when looking with sorrow and true repentance vpō him whom they haue thrust through they shall be made not his people only but the sonnes of the liuing God Secondly the Gentiles shall together with them embrace the Gospell for so is this place expounded Rom. 9. 24. 25. and 1. Pet. 2. 10. yet of necessity the calling of the Gentiles heere pointed at must be entended that which is after the Iewes conuersion but that serueth well to warrant the first inceptions of their calling to which purpose the Apostles doe there apply it Thirdly the tenne Tribes as well as Iudah shall bee vouchsafed this honour to bee called to the participation of Christ Fourthly the vnion of them into one body and one Religion for they shall all submit to one head Christ and make but one Kingdome Fiftly their returne vnto Ierusalem againe comming out of the Countries whether they were dispersed there to re-edifie and set vp his spirituall worship and seruice Sixtly the greatnesse of this worke for great saith hee shall the day of Izreel bee great in regard of their great distresse the sorest time of affliction that euer was great in regard of their great deliuery farre to be preferred before their deliuerance out of Aegypt great in regard of the great destruction of their great enemie that shall fall before them Lastly which it seemeth the Prophet heere doth specially respect great in regard of the great and maruellous encrease of the Church the plentifull seede which God will sow in the same as Esay did also prophecie Esay 49. 50. 51. c. multiplying them with men as it were with flocks of sheepe Ezech. 36. 38. Ier. 31. 37. which is the number numberlesse whereof he spake in the former verse Seauenthly heerevpon a new name is giuen to this people to be called Izreel or the seede of Gods owne sowing And so by a Paranomasia or allusion of speech hee doth elegantly open another and a more sweet etymologie of that name which before serued for the threatning of Iudgement heere it is vsed to note the promises of grace from God as it is Chapter 2. 16. which place doth answer vnto this and openeth the meaning of it The receiued opinion is that the second Child Loruhamah figureth the captiuity of the Reubenites Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh the third child Loammi the captiuity of the rest of the ten Tribes But that cānot stand for First in the second Childe hee expressly nameth the whole house of Israel vers 6. Secondly he opposeth them to the house of Iuda vers 7. not to the residue of those tribes of Israel Thirdly the iudgement threatned in the third Childe is after Iehouah Christ his comming into the world by whom Iuda should bee saued whilst the other remained Captiues vers 7. Therefore the captiuity of the ten tribes must go before the third Childe borne Fourthly the reiection spoken of in the third Childe doth properly and aptly concerne the Iewes that were at Christs comming not those led away by Salmanazar Fiftly the promise of restoring Iuda no lesse than Israel sheweth that they had their part in the former threatnings Sixtly the mother of these Children is called Gomer that is to say entiertie or perfection vers 3. The very name teaching vs that the type extendeth as well to the tribe of Iuda as to
I looke vpon them 8. I met them as a Beare robbed of her whelpes and I brake the fall of their heart and I deuoured them there as a huge Lyon as a beast of the field tearing them 7. These things propounded now hee doth amplifie and enlarge each part and first the sinnes of the Israelites couetousnesse Idolatrie Pride First extreame couetousnesse in fraud and oppression 8. Reiecting all honest meanes of comming by their wealth and scorning whatsoeuer iumped not with their wicked desires 9. Albeit God from the beginning had heaped blessings manifoldly vpon them which they ought to haue rested in and not to flie vnto vnlawfull meanes 10. Yea not so onely but had made ample and large promises of further fauours by his Prophets Both which doe adde to the vnworthinesse of their sinne 11. Their second sinne is Idolatrie wherein more thorowly to conuince their benummed consciences the Prophet reasoneth with them in this sort What thinke you the men of Gilead those beyond the riuer of Iordan whom Tiglath Pileser spoyled and led captiues that they onely were guiltie of Idolatrie and you not because you remaine at home vntouched of the Assyrian Nay saith he the very entrance into the countrey Gilgall it selfe so aboundeth with Idolatrie that it is not to be doubted but in the rest of the parts of the kingdome their altars are as thicke as furrowes in the field that is to say innumerable 12. A horrible thing if it be well considered that these two places should now become the nurceries of euill which heretofore were the meanes of so great comfort to Gods people For Gilead serued as a sanctuarie vnto Iacob when hee fled from Laban 13. In Gilgall God by Iosua renewed his couenant with your Fathers after he had brought them out of Egypt by the hand of Moses and Aaron 14. But notwithstanding all that Israell hath so sinned as hath beene said and prouoked Gods heauie indignation and therefore his bloud be vpon him he shall remaine guiltie and subiect vnto punishment and must be content to take that that commeth of it CHAP. 13. 1. For this sinne of Idolatrie hath brought three fearefull iudgements vpon them First They that before were a terrour vnto all are now of no reckoning The time indeed was that if Ephraim did but speake all the tribes trembled and quaked But as soone as he offended with Baal following after Idolatrie he was no more set by then a dead carkasse 2. Secondly God in his iudgement hath giuen them vp into hardnesse of minde and to their hearts Iust that for all this suddaine change they repent not but run more and more into Idolatrie 3. Thirdly Being made very fooles at the length they shall vanish and come to nothing 4. Thus by the place and by the effects hee hath made odious their Idolatrie Now lastly he doth the same by comparing on the contrary part his couenant with them from the beginning and his former benefits euen in the wildernesse 5. Both which ought to haue beene motiues to keepe them fast vnto him 6. The third sinne is their pride and loftinesse of heart which made them to forget God and that in the middest of his blessings when they had most cause to remember him A thing that Moses warned them of before Deut. 8. 7. 8. But they went not so away with it I met with them sayth God and handled them roughly as they did deserue 9. He hath marred thee O Israell when as in me in thine helpe thou mightest haue stood 10. Where is thy King Where now that he may saue thee in all thy cities and thy Iudges of whom thou saidest giue me a King and Princes 11. I giue thee a King in mine anger and take away in my wrath 12. The iniquitie of Epbraim is bound vp his â—â—nne is layd vp 13. The sorrowes of a woman in trauell shall come vppon him he is no wise sonne for then he would not stay a what in the mouth of the matrixe 9. And so hauing done with the sinnes of the Israelites he doth now amplifie and enlarge his former inuitation vnto repentance First taking arguments from the good that thereby shall come vnto them compared with the euils that before they were in for their offences Hee saith God by his Prophet meaning the King of whom he speaketh in the next verse in whom thou puttedst thy trust Was the cause of thy Confusion Whereas in me who am thy strength and sauing health all good things are to bee found and by repentance shall come vnto thee 10. The former part is proued for that none of their Kings and Princes were able to doe them good 11. For God in his wrath set them vp and pulled them downe and in a little while made many changes and alterations in the kingdome 12. Their iniquitie which God tied vp as a man doth his purse full of money and kept in store to pay them home for it was the cause of all this 13. Yet were they so foolish that though throwes came vpon them as vpon a woman with Childe for so is their Common-wealth compared to a mother Chapter 23. yet they had no list to rid themselues out of those dangers and to put forth into the hands of God as vnto a Midwife And this may well seeme to be a prophecie of the great miserie they are now in because of the promises which do follow 14. From the power of the graue will I redeeme them from death I will auenge them where are thy plagues O death where thy destroying O graue repentance shall be hidden from mine eyes 15. For he shall bring forth fruit among the brethren after that an East winde comming a winde of Iehouah comming vp from the desert his spring shall become drie and his fountaine shall drie vp the same shall spoyle the treasure of all pleasant vessels 16. After that Samaria shall be laid desolate for that shee hath rebelled against her God After that by the sword they shall fall their infants be dashed in peeces and their women with childe ript 14. In the second part from the panges and sorrowes before mentioned he passeth presently to most sweet and comfortable promises Being of foure kindes The first promise is The deliuerie of them out of that depth of miserie wherein they were plunged and making them to flourish againe which is first set out by a double similitude One comparing their wretched estate to death and the graue Out of the which he will set them free by raising them from death to life For such and so wonderfull shall their restoring be that it is called life from the dead Rom 11. 15. And this resurrection as it were of their is an euident argument of the generall rising from the dead Ezech. 37. To which purpose the Apostle aptly and properly doth alledge it 1. Cor. 15. 15. The other similitude is from a peece of ground all dryed vp and
vers 19. Which is not meant so much of a temporall subduing as of a spirituall ioyning with them in seeking of the Lord yet so as the chiefe soueraigntie and stroke of keeping men within the lists of their subiection and obedience vnto Christ shall remaine among the Iewes And so Iames teacheth vs to expound those phrases Act. 15. 17. Where that which Amos saith that they the Israelites may possesse the remnant of Edom Iames rendreth that the residue of men may seeke after the Lord. The enemy whom indeed they shall conquer roote out and destroy after they haue groaned long vnder his hard yoke and bondage is not alwaies represented by one and the same name But sometimes more obscurely by one or other of the capitall enemies of Gods people Moab Edom Rabba that is to say the Ammonites Asshur Iauan whether because the holy Ghost would thereby note the cancred malice of that tyrant to the Church or that those which inhabit the seat of these people shall ioyn hands and fall in the same destruction Sometimes his qualities and conditions paint him out Leuiathan a Serpent a Dragon Esay 27. 1. Somtimes you haue him more plainely decyphered either by the countrey from whence he deriueth his pedegree Gog of the land of Magog Ezech. 38. 2. or else by his territorie and dominion the King of the North. Dan. 11. 40. the Dragon which is in the sea Esa 27. 1. But by all these names one and the same enemy is vnderstood which marueylously cleereth the place in Ezechiel chap. 38. 17. where the Lord by his Prophet speaketh to Gog in this wise Art thou hee of whom I haue spoken in ancient time by my seruants the Prophets of Israel which prophecied in those dayes and yeares Hee can not moane himselfe nor Daniel which was but one of his age much lesse Zacharie that came after but hee meaneth the ancient Prophets long before who spake of the same person though not by the same name These things premised we come now to the particulars wherein my meaning is not to open euery hard word or darke and obscure phrase much lesse to endeauour in euery place a full exposition of the text That must bee had from other the godly and learned interpreters But only to point at the heads of those Scriptures and that but so farre as they concerne the thing wee deale with to lead vs by the hand in the discouery of this heigh and heauenly secret for that name the Apostle giueth it Rom. 11. 25. The reader that would profit thereby I desire to haue the text before him as hee goeth The comparing whereof will bring great light to things that otherwise may seeme obscure and that he be not deceiued in the chapters and verses I follow not where any difference is the Hebrew but number them as they are in the English translation Balaams Prophesie Numb 24. 14. to the last verse of the Chapter THE Spirit of God that sate in the mouth of this wicked man mastring and ouer-ruling his tongue to speake things tending heighly to Gods praise and the comfort of his people doth heere vtter a Prophecie of the kingdome of Christ to be set vp among the Iewes in the latter end of the world It is for the maine matter one entire prophecie but broken off by seuerall proems The summe of all is that the Iewes shall destroy their enemies But themselues must before that endure a long and tedious thraldome Notwithstanding which God in the end will set them free giue them a great and glorious victory that the tyrant who keepeth them in subiection shall vtterly be destroyed 1. Wherein obserue the time vers 17. I see it that which I am to say but not now I behold it but not neere How is that He spake it plainer vers 14. I will tell thee what this people shall doe to thy people in the last dayes By which notation of time these things that were to come so long after are wont ordinarily to be expressed Ezech. 38. 16. 8. Esay 24. 22. This being the last and vttermost period of whatsoeuer the Scriptures doe foretell for hitherto and no further reach the holy Oracles of the Prophets Reu. 10. 7. and 16. 17. So this Prophecie can not bee drawen to Dauids temporall kingdome 2 Vnder the conquest of Moab and Edom he pointeth at that conuersion which shall bee of the Gentiles when the Iewes returning to seeke Christ shall subdue and bring vnder his yoke all nations that doe oppose as Esay 11. 14. Ioel 3. 19. Obadia vers 18. Zack 10. 11. To wit Moab Edom Amalek Midian noted by the Kenites and by Kaine the first father of that kindred 3. Those that shall thus preuaile and deale valiantly are Israel and of Iacob or the people of the Iewes that very people out of whom the starre Christ should spring according to the flesh This Prophecie then being of the Iewes of the destruction of their foes and that in the last dayes note in the fourth place he speaketh of bearing rule of a Scepter or a kingdome before which the enemies shall all fall as it is said Dan. 2. 44. It shall destroy and consume all other kingdomes but it selfe shall stand for euer And againe Dan. 7. 9. I saw till the thrones were taken away Which euidently pointeth at the glory and greatnes of the Church that shall be among them 5. Is enterlaced their owne sore bondage which shall be in the meane time for the second part of the 22. verse I read interrogatiuely by an admiration and apostrophe or turning of his speach vnto the Israelites How long shall Ashur hold thee ô Eber of whom he speaketh immediatly in the verses following and whose troupes and squadrons were then before his eyes captiue Notwithstanding all the glory and happines that I now foretell vnder the name of Ashur then in Balaams time the soueraigne Monarch and the first who in truth deuoured Israel comprehending the whole succession of Tyrants euen to this day who consume his very bones as Ieremie speaketh Ier. 50. 17. Wherupon sixtly hee breaketh forth into a lamentation and yet triumphing in the end Alas who shall liue when the mighty God shall order this that shippes from the coast of Cittim shall euen afflict Ashur who afflicted Eber and also he shall for euer perish Hee that shall thus perish is not Eber or the Iew as some Interpreters of great note would haue it for that crosseth the whole scope of Balaams Prophecie but it is the people that afflicted Eber and consequently this is a prohecie of the kingdome of the Iewes who shall maister and ouercome that people which is enough for our purpose But yet in so difficult a piece of Scripture wherein euery man is to haue his iudgement free giue me leaue to doe my best to bring some further light vnto it first I hold it for
then before Compare Numb 24. vers 13 to the end of the Chapter 8. The diuiding of the land and what seats shall be assigned to euery Tribe chap. 48. 1. to vers 30. 9. The elegancie of the Holy Citie newly to be re-edefied vers 30 31 32 33 34. 10. The perpetuitie of it God will abide therein for euer From that day forward the name of the Citie shall be Iehovah Shammah or Iehovah there vers 35. The truth of that which the Temple whilest it stood as a type or figure did represent This is my rest for euer Here will I dwell Psal 132. 14. Dan. chap. 2. vers 40 41 42 43 44 45. THe fourth kingdome is the Romane Empire whose leggs are of iron vers 40. The feete and toes part of iron and part of clay vers 41 42 43. are the Roman Empire yet continuing but weaker then it was before whilest it consisted of leggs of iron being now but of feet and toes And this Empire is diuided as the feet and toes are One part is the kingdom of the Pope in the West for he is the 7th head of the beast Rev. 17. 10 11. He whom we call the Emperor hath nothing to do with the Empire which was of Rome The other part is the Turke in the East before whom 3 of the hornes of the Empire are rooted out See Dan. 7. 8. It is euident that these feete and toes are part of the Romane Empire for the Image describeth onely 4. Kingdomes But if the feete and toes were a distinct kingdome from the leggs there should be fiue The kingdome raised vp in those dayes which shall not be destroyed for euer but shall destroy all other kingdomes is the kingdome of the Iewes vers 44 45. Whose Church is the stone hewen out of the mountaine without hands Till which time the Romane Empire shall endure and then wholly be destroyed Chap. 7. THE 4 beasts vers 3. are 4 kingdomes as it is expounded vers 17. whereof The first beast a Lion is the kingdome of the Assyrians extinct and gone before Daniel saw the Vision vers 4 The second a Beare is the Persian Monarchie v. 5. The third a Leopard the Greeke Monarchie or the Kingdome of the Macedonians vers 6. The fourth is the Romane Empire whose X. hornes vers 7. are 10 kingdomes not diuers from that of the beast For then there should be 5. Kingdomes contrary to that is said here vers 17. And these 10 Kingdomes are the 10 hornes of the Dragon Rev. 12. 3. The litle horne that grew out among them 1 part of vers 8. is the Turke the Dragon of the sixt Viale Revel 16. 13. Of whom onely and of the rest of the enemies that should oppresse the Iewes Daniel speaketh without any respect to the west Antichrist By this litle horne three of those hornes were rooted out 2 part of vers 8. That is a third part of the Romane Empire subdued which yet retaineth 7 hornes whereof the Turke shall neuer be Lord and Maister further then as he may by some sodaine storme for a while oppresse them This third part of the Romane Empire so to be destroyed is intended from East to West not from South to North. For therein the Turke possesseth more then euer the Romanes had This litle horne must raigne till the thrones be taken away and the auncient of dayes sit vers 9. That is till after all the kingdomes of the world destroyed the whole principalitie remaine with Christ as presently it shall after this blasphemous horne the Turke cut of And till that time the fourth beast is not to haue an end The continuance of the Turkish tyrannie shal be a time times and a diuision of times vers 25. that is a set time set times and a halfe as it is explaned Dan. 12. 7. Of what length that is may be vnderstood by Rev. 9. 13. that giueth him an houre a day a moneth and a yeare which in all accounting a day for a yeare commeth to 395 dayes A time then is 100 yeares times 200 yeares halfe a time 50 yeares So the whole space if you account from the beginning of the Turkish power which all histories place Anno 1300 will end at they yeare 1650. But that you will say commeth short of that which is in the Reuelation by 45 yeares The reason is because the Reuelation setteth downe the vttermost period of the Turkish name but the Angell here and Dan. 12. 7. noteth his first declining which shall be 45 yeares before as is apparant Dan. 12. 11 12. So Dan. 11. 44. tidings shall first trouble him and then a few yeares after followeth his vtter destruction in the land of comelinesse The distribution therefore of time both here and Dan. 12. 7. reacheth no further then to those tidings And then shall the people of the Iewes destroy him vers 26. After which shall be set vp a glorious both kingdome and Church among them vers 27. Dan. 9. 24. c. to the end of the Chapter DANIELS weekes as they are commonly termed belong in part to this Argument for in them is foretold the destruction of the Citie and Temple at Ierusalem for the Iewes contempt in reiecting the Messiah But this requireth some larger Tractate And therefore I refer it to the end of the Booke Dan. chapters 11. 12. THese two Chapters are a prophecie of the manifold oppression of Gods people the Iewes and of the happy issue which God shall send Oppressors there are fiue First the Persian Monarchie ve 1 2. Secondly the Graecians to wit Alexander the Great his foure successors the Ptolomees and Antiochus vers 3. to the 36 verse Thirdly the Romane Empire vnder the name of that King vers 36 to vers 40. Fourthly the Saracens pointed at vnder the name of the King of the South Who in the time of the end meaning towards the end of the glory of the Roman Empire hauing Mahomet for their Captaine assaulted the Roman territories out of Arabia and other meere Southerly countries 1 part of vers 40. Lastly the King of the North. That is the Turke whom the furthest northerne parts sent into the world thorough the Caspian gates 2 part of vers 40. Him you haue described First by his prospering against the Saracens Romans 3 part of vers 40. against Iudaea the land of comelinesse and other adioyning countries vers 41. Aegypt Lybia and Aethiopia vers 42 43. Secondly by his ruine and downefall Whereof two steps are noted One his first declining vpon the Iewes of the East and North countries conuerted to the Christian faith Which must needs terribly affright him being then beset before with vs Christians of the West and behinde by the new Christian Iewes vers 44. The other his vtter ouerthrow by warre in the land of Iudaea which is here described by two notes one in saying betweene the Seas meaning Euphrates which the Scripture is
wont to call a Sea and the Syrian Creeke of the Mediterranean Sea The other at the holy mount of Comelinesse as Iudaea is called the Comelinesse of all Countries Ezech. 20. 6 15. which doth explane the former and more particularly designe the place where the Grand Signior himself shal fall at the holy mountaine as Esay 24. 25. whose fall is first closely and couertly pointed at by a rare and extraordinarie word tents of the ire of his Iudgement vsed for this onely purpose to note his extraordinarie and heauy punishment 1 part of vers 45. as Esay 30. 33. Then it is in expresse words laid forth and the manner also signified how he shall come to his end there shall be none to helpe him As if he would say his ouerthrow shall come not so much from the force of man as by Gods owne arme from heauen stretched out against him 2 part of vers 45. Hitherto of the oppression of the Iewes The ioyfull and happy issue conteyneth foure things 1. A wonderfull deliuerance from the sorest time of affliction that euer was chap. 12. vers 1. 2. The full restoring of the Nation of the Iewes and the calling of them to faith in Christ meant here by their awaking out of the dustie earth 1 part of vers 2. Of the last resurrection you cannot take it For the certaine time when this shall be is defined in the 11 12 verses But withall a certaine qualification is made that some which shall awake and be so deliuered shall awake to euerlasting shame and destruction For all the Iewes shall not agree in the same truth some shall persist in their former hardnes notwithstanding all the euident testimonies that God shall giue vnto his Sonne For whom there remaineth Read Verse 45. the first part of it thus And he shall plant the tents of the wrath of his iudgement betweene the Seas c. no further promise of grace 2 part of vers 2. 3. Their glorious Church Those that are wise that is the whole companie of the faithfull shall shine as the firmament But the teachers those that make other righteous by teaching exhorting reprouing comforting as the more lightsome part of their orbe like shining stars shall beautifie this firmament vers 3. For it is said here they that be wise and do make righteous in the present not in the time past Which is a proofe that he speaketh not of the last resurrection 4. The time when all this shall be vers 4. Which time is doubly designed First in generall by an Angels question vnto Christ vers 5 6 and Christs answer with a solemne oath that the end of these marueilous things shall be at a time two times and halfe a time Which words being generall and vncertaine and to be applied to any time are in the words following reduced to one certaine and definite time namely when he shall make an end of scattering the holy people The meaning therefore is that this end shall be when the blasphemous kingdome of the Turkes is at an end that is after 350 yeares of the Turkish power which hath his expiration about Anno 1650. At what time God will leaue scattering of his holy people and of further powring out his wrath vpon them For then shall the Turkes first declining come vers 7. Secondly it is set forth in more particular manner and diuidedly vpon Daniels humble suite vers 8. yet not for his vnderstanding from whom these things were shut vp vers 9. but for the Elects sake in succeeding ages in whom these things amidst their many trials may breede constancie and sweet comfort and who about the end of these things shall be diligent to search out the truth hereof vers 10. First therefore he maketh one common beginning of the account From the daily sacrifice taken away which was done by the death of Christ and from the laying of the abhomination desolate for so I would translate these words 1 part of vers 11. By abhomination he meaneth the Iewes sacrificings which were impious and abhominable after Christ by his death had set an end to them The laying of this abhomination desolate was by the last publike ouerthrow of the legall seruice in the destruction of Ierusalem Not that by Vespasian but in the time of Iulian when the Apostata in hatred of the Christian name giuing the Iewes leaue to repaire the Temple and that at the publike charge God by an earth-quake did vtterly throw downe the old foundations that neuer afterwards any thing could be attempted in that kinde This was about the yeare 360. From hence groweth a twofold period or a double appointed terme One 1290 dayes 2 part of vers 11. that is to say yeares for morning and euening are not set downe to note them to be naturall dayes as before chap. 8. 11. Adding therfore 1290 to 360 there will arise 1650. which is the yeare of the Turkish power first declining and perfectly accomplished in the time times and halfe a time before vers 7. The second period or praefixed time vers 12. is 1335 dayes or yeares which addeth 45 yeares to the former and endeth at the yeare 1695. Being that space of an houre day moneth and a yeare Rev. 9. 15. when the Turkish tyrannie shall be vtterly extinct and rooted out And blessed indeed are they that attaine this time as the Angell here saith For this is the glorious resurrection spoken of vers 2. and the greatest felicitie that it is possible for Gods Saints to come vnto vpon earth HOSHEA THE three first Chapters of Hoshea and the soure last are spent in this Argument An entire explication of the whole Prophecie I purposely reserue to the end of the Booke Ioel according to the common distinction which we follow chap. 2. verse 28. to the end of the booke THE Prophet from temporall things leadeth the people to the consideration of spirituall blessings which are 1. The graces of the Spirit that vpon Christs ascension shall be powred vpon the Church for so the Apostle interpreteth this place Act. 2. chap. 2. vers 28. 29. 30. 31. 2. A holy seed or remnant to remaine among the Iewes 1. part of vers 32. 3. The Gentiles to participate of Christ 2. part of ver 32. 4. Gods mercy towards the Iewes in the last daies Setting forth First their restoring chap. 3. vers 1. Secondly the destruction of their enemies wherein are specified 1. The place The valley of Iehoshaphat which was in the view of Ierusalem 2. Chron. 20. For Gog and Magog shall compasse the beloued City and there shall fire from heauen deuoure them Reu. 20. 9. 1. part of vers 2. 2. The cause of this iudgement their ill entreating of his people 2. part of vers 2. and vers 3 3. An enumeration of some particular foes vers 4. whose hard dealing with the people is likewise reckoned vers 5. 6. and their iust retribution vers
7. for as they sold the children of Iuda and Ierusalem to the Gręcians that they might be carried farre from their borders so will God sell their sonnes and daughters into the hands of the children of Iuda who shall sell them to the Sabaeans famous Marchants that will vent them into remote Countries vers 8. whereby is intimated the sway which the Iewes shall haue in the Church of Christ by conuerting of the Gentiles as Esay 14. 2. 4 He proclaimeth open war and encourageth men vnto it vers 9. 10. 11. 12. 5. He assureth them of victory vers 13. 6. He sheweth what a multitude shall be slaine as Ezec. 39. verse 14 7. He denounceth the vtter downfall and ruine of this mightie Monarchie by such Metaphors as with the Scripture is vsuall the ruine of potent and flourishing kingdomes vers 15. 16. 8. The holinesse and sanctitie of the new Ierusalem vers 17. 9. The fruitfulnesse of the land 1. part of vers 18. 10. The aboundance of Spiritual graces as Amos 9. 13. 2. part of vers 18. 11. Other nations associate to the profession of the Gospell 2. part of vers 18. for by the valley of Shittim which was in the playnes of Moab Numb 25. 1. the Gentiles are vnderstood and their subiection vnto Christ by the laying of them waste and desolate vers 19. As Zach. 10. 11. 12. Perpetuity of the Church of God in Iudah and Ierusalem vers 20. 13. The cause of all this is expressed vers 21. Because Iehouah Christ dwelleth there Amos 9. 8. to the end of the Prophesie THese words containe the threatning of an extream desolation vers 8. 9. 10. with some comfort enterlaced in the end of the 8. verse of a little remaine to be left Secondly they containe promises of the Gospell to wit 1. The setting vp among the Iewes of the kingdome of Dauid through Christ as glorious as euer it was before in the most flourishing times of Dauid or Salomon verse 11. 2. All nations shall ioyne with them and be made partakers of one common inheritance So doth Iames Acts 15. 16. 17. expound it 3. The chiefesway soueraignty shal remain with the Iewes as Obadiah vers 19. the 2. and 3. you haue vers 12. 4. The fruitfulnesse of their land as Ioel. 3. 18. verse 13. 5. The inhabiting in their owne countrey vers 14 6. Perpetuity of their abode there vers 15. Obadiah verse 15. IT is ordinarie with the Prophets vpon occasion of the crueltie of the oppressors of Gods people to breake forth into meditation of the kingdome of Christ and the glory of the new Ierusalem so doth our Prophet here His meditation containeth 1. The destruction of the enemies of the Church in generall vers 15. 2. The time after the Iewes haue drunke of the cup of Gods wrath whereby he doth intimate their long desolation 1. part of vers 16. 3. The vtter downfall and vnrecouerable ruine of these enemies 2. part of vers 16. 4. Aremnant a holy seede that shall be left among the Iewes in the middest of their wofull desolation 1. part of vers 17. 5. That of these a Church shall be gathered at the last 2. part of vers 17. 6. They shall inherit their olde possessions 3. part of vers 17. 7. The vtter ruine of this particular enemy the house of Esau but by it is meant that by the power of the Iewes they and the rest of the Gentiles enemies to the Church tamed and subdued shall stoop vnto Christs obedience vers 18. as Num. 24. 17. Esay 11. 14. The soueraignty ouer other Nations that shall ioyne with them in the profession of Christ remaining with the Iewes 1. part of vers 19. As Ioel 3. 12. 8. Iudah Beniamin shall inhabit all their ancient bounders 2. part of vers 19. and the X. Tribes theirs verse 20. 9. The spreading of Christs Kingdome to all Nations of the world by the ministery of the Gospell as Math. 24. 31. vers 21. The 19. and 20 Verses thus I render Vers 19. The house of Iacob shall possesse the South with the Mount of Esau and the low place with the Philistims They shall possesse I say the Country of Ephraim with the Country of Samaria and Beniamin with Gilead Verse 20. And these armies of the children of Israell that are carried away Captiues shall possesse that which was the Canaanites vnto Sarepta the border of the X. Tribes the Israelites scituate betweene Tyre and Sidon at the Sea-side 1 Kings 17. 9. and those of Ierusalem that were carried away Captiues shall possesse that which is in the bounder of the gouernment They shall possesse the Cities of the South the border of Iudah Iosh 15. 21. c. Micah 7. 7. to the end AFter complaint made of the iniquity of the times the Prophet first exhorteth Gods people to faith patience and expectation of the promises vers 7. 8. 9. and then layeth downe comforts and consolations which are of two sorts the destruction of their enemies which though it be spoken but in generality yet the circumstances considered may well be thought to haue an eye to the Tyrants that now hold the Iewes in subiection vers 10. and then fauours to his Church Those fauours are 1. The building of them vp that is their heauenly calling 1. part of verse 11. Read Verse 11. thus In the day that thy walls are to be built that day shall the Decree got farre He meaneth the Decree which is Verse 14. 2. The publishing of the Gospell throughout the world vttered first generally that the Decree of God to build vp the Church and to gather a holy people to himselfe shall goe forth and be proclaimed farre abroad 2. part of vers 11. and afterwards in particular reckoning vp A shur East Aegypt South to whose name the Originall doth elegantly allude in the word which we translate fortified Cities and the Sea West as Hosh 11. 10. 11. vers 12. 3. The desolation that before that time shall befall them vers 13. 4. The inhabiting of the land againe vers 14. 5. Great and wonderfull things that God will shew for their deliuerance euen as hee did when they came out of Aegypt vers 15. Like enough he meaneth the drying vp of Euphrates fire and brimstone that shall come downe from heauen to deuoure Gog and Magog c. See Zach. 9. 12. which shal astonish all Nations and cause them to yeeld subiection to the Iewes vers 16. 17. Tsephania Chap. 3. vers 8. to the end THe Prophet here comforteth those in whom there is some grace and feare of God in the middest of corrupt and most depraued times by propounding 1. The destruction of their enemies the same that are spoken of Micah 7. 10. vers 8. 2. The generall consent of all Nations in
before Secondly the Author and efficient is God Thirdly you haue a distribution The land saith he meaning the land of Israel and Iuda shall bee emptied both of inhabitants and of all other things Euery thing shall be turned vp-side downe the inhabitants scattered and dispersed Heere are both the parts comprehended verse 1. which are afterwards distinguished in the rest that followeth to 14. verse Touching the persons or inhabitants 1. There shall be a generall destruction of all states and degrees no difference high and low rich and poore shall be dealt with all alike 2. They shall be all spoyled of their choyce precious treasures which is verified from the mouth of him that cannot lye and is able to performe his threatnings 3. They shall mourne they shall pine away and be enfeebled perish through their owne weakenesse euen the high and loftie ones shall pine away Obseruations This noble prophecie affordeth many sweet heauenly lessons 1. Iehovah First God is the Author of all iudgements Is there any euill in the Citie which Iehovah doth not Amos 3. 6. I create the destroyer to destroy Esay 54. 16. This which seemeth a lesson so easie and familiar it is most necessarie to take out that we may learne to humble our selues vnder his hand for all his workes are holy and iust and who can resist his counsels Emptieth the land 2. Flourishing States and Common-wealths how much more particular persons he is able to throw downe and lay all their honour and glory in the dust As what state or kingdome was at this time greater then the Iewes Amos 6. 2. Passe vnto Calne a famous Citie in the land of Shinear Gen. 10. 10. and see and from thence goe to great Hammath and get you downe to Gath of the Philistims Are they better then these kingdoms of Israel and Iudah or is their border larger then your borders The land 3. He spareth not his owne people when they transgresse against him yea the neerer he commeth to them in his fauours and blessings the higher he lifteth his hand to beate and to correct them when they doe amisse For great offenses God cannot in iustice but requite with great punishments Emptieth c. turneth c. 4. His threatnings are most certaine and as good as now done though they be denounced thousands of yeares before 2. And it shall be as with c. 5. Dignitie wealth cannot hinder him Doth he esteeme nobilitie or riches or any thing that fortifieth strength Ioh. 36. 19. Pouertie nor base estate findeth any fauour with him 3. The land shall be spoyled 6. Riches is a vaine thing to helpe in the time of neede which are subiect to be spoiled and taken from vs why then should we spend our time and bestow our strength vpon things that are vnprofitable Let vs rather labour for the things that cannot perish That treasure which none can robbe vs of For Iehovah hath spoken 7 How deeply soeuer we be planted though it be as Tyrus which had her biding in the Seas and if with the Babylonian we haue heaped togither riches like thicke clay Abacuc 2. 6. let vs yet feare when the mouth of God doth speake For his words are not in vaine Doth he say and shall be not do it Numb 23. 23. 4. The haughtie c. 8 The highest must learne to stoope when he threatneth For he bringeth leannesse vpon the fat ones maketh the plump to pine away and sendeth heauinesse into their soules 5. For the land is defiled vnder the inhabitants thereof because they haue transgressed the lawes changed the ordinance disanulled the euerlasting couenant 6. Therefore shall the curse devoure the land and they that dwell therein shall be desolate Therefore the inhabitants of the land are burned vp and few men are left EXPOSITION COme we now to the causes the second and vnder-causes of so heauy iudgements which the Prophet here avoucheth to be the sinnes of the people But what sinnes First in generall such and so great that the land is defiled vnder these wicked persons Secondly these sinnes are set forth in three particulars The first they haue transgressed the lawes naturall and morall of duties to God and to their brethren The second is they haue changed the rites and ceremonies instituted of God from the right vse for the which they were ordained whilest they see not Christ in them the substance of those shadowes Heb. 9. 11. Coloss 2. 17. For they all do looke to him as the Cherubins did looke with their faces to the mercy-seat Exod. 25. 20. The third is the disanulling of the Couenant founded in Messia Christ when comming vnto his owne his owne receiued him not This third is amplified by the effects the curse that it bringeth with it But aboue all marke the curse here spoken of that which the Iewes so called and cryed for His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children Math. 27. 25. And therefore saith the Prophet it shall most iustly come vpon them and as a fire shall deuoure and consume them Obseruations 5. For the land 9 Sinne is the proper and immediate cause of all affliction For affliction as Eliphaz telleth Iob. Iob 5. 6 7. commeth not out of the dust neither doth vexation spring out of the ground But man is borne to trouble as the sparkes of burning coales flie vpwards That is to say we are not to ascribe trouble and calamitie to chance or other blinde causes but to the sinne that sticketh in vs. Why then are we so cruell and vnmercifull to our selues to pull by such meanes wrath and iudgement vpon our owne heads Defiled 10 Marueilous is the pollution of sinne that not onely staineth and infecteth the whole man soule and bodie but defileth the ground we tread vpon and maketh the land to groane vnder the burthen of vs. They haue transgressed 11 The law of God is the rule and square of all our actions His commandements are as bounds and banks which we may not transgresse or goe beyond though it be with neuer so good intention The lawes 12 There is a double and threefold cord to tie vs to the obedience thereof One because they were not onely written in our hearts by nature but renewed by the voice of God from heauen when mans corruption had obscured the brightnes of the same Another for that they conteine a perfect comprehension of all duties whatsoeuer which we owe to God or one vnto another Aptly therefore and properly doth the Prophet call them lawes in the plurall Changed the ordinances When we apply the holy things especially the rites and ceremonies that he hath instituted to an other end then for the which they were ordained we change the nature of them and of Gods ordinances do make them ours Strange things which God esteemeth not Hosh 8. 12. The excellent things of my law which I praescribe vnto them are reckoned as a strange thing Couenant 13 Wonderfull is the
in place of it is come mourning and complaint pining away for the calamitie and hard estate which their grieuous transgression hath brought vpon them But as the punishment is most heauy so the sinne here pointed at is a sinne of all sinnes the most superlatiue degree of sinne Such a transgression as exceedeth without comparison all other transgressions that euer were Detestable aboue and beyond all the sinnes whatsoeuer of all ages in the world What is that The crucifying of Christ the Lord of Glory vpon a desperate and deepe malice adding to the same so many circumstances of most notorious contumacie and ingratitude Obseruations 14. These shall lift vp their voyce and sing For the excellencie c. 21 The children of God haue their eyes open to see an excellencie of wisedome iustice goodnesse where the world is blind and can discerne nothing but deformitie and confusion Wherefore though their mouthes be stopped vp and mousled that not a word can come from them to the honour and praise of God yet the godly finde matter not onely to speake but to lift their voyce aloud yea to sing and shout There is a difference betweene Gods children and the wicked in obseruing the workes of God For the wicked themselues are forced to acknowledge Gods iustice As I haue done so hath God rendred vnto me Iudg. 1. 7. But Gods children behold an excellencie in Gods workes which maketh them with cheerefull and ioyfull hearts to magnifie his name The deformities that are in the world which seeme to minister nothing but iust complaint and discontent fill their mouthes with songs and hymnes For they with spirituall eyes discerne that excellencie of Gods worke such an aboundance of wisedome power goodnes holinesse truth iustice that maketh them perforce to breake forth into his praises And this is a holy vse of singing and vsing mirth when it tendeth as Dauids Psalmes to the glorifying of the high and mighty workes of God which he would haue to be had in euerlasting remembrance In the Iles of the Sea 25 No place should discourage vs from seruing God the solitarie wildernesse the Iles that are most comfortles What and how noble visions did God reueale to his seruant Iohn in the I le of Patmos when vpon the Lords day he gaue himselfe in that barbarous place to heauenly meditations Glorifie yee Iehovah 26 It is an excellent and a holy dutie to quicken others in pietie and godlinesse as God by his Spirit hath quickned vs. Psal 122. 1. I was glad of them that said vnto me Let vs goe to the house of Iehovah Zach. 8. 21. The inhabitants of one Citie shall say vnto another Let vs go diligently to be sutors to Iehovah and to seeke Iehovah of Hoastes I also will goe And where the zeale of God warmeth at the heart it will breake forth as fire to the kindling and inflaming of others The God of Israel 27 The true God as he reuealeth himselfe in the Church is he that we must honour and serue The memoriall of whose name is alwaies one and the same Heretofore knowne to his people by the name of the God of Israel but now manifested vnto vs more clearely in his Sonne Christ Iesus who with the brightnes and excellencie of the New Testament obscureth and drowneth the former couenant And here haue you the very marke of the true Church which is to celebrate and professe the great and glorious name of the true God the God of Israel the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 15. Sea valleys 30 In what place of the world soeuer any such may be found though lurking and lying hid in the middest of most barbarous and sauage Nations they are to be acknowledged the liuely members of the Church invisible From the skirt of the land we haue heard Psalmes 31 It is a holy and sweet musicke in Gods eares when as his benefits are generall so generall thanks is giuen of many 2 Cor. 1. 11. 16. Comelines to the iust 32 A land flourisheth and it is well with them when they feare God and walke in his commandements Contrariwise the rejecting and setting light by Gods mercies offred vnto a people is the cause of ruine and destruction of flourishing States and Kingdomes Neuer did any people flourish more then the Israelites when they kept close to Gods ordinances Neuer was there example seene of such a fearefull desolation as befell them when they fell from God which Moses had before threatned Deut. 32. and all the world hath seene to come to passe That in them as in a picture you may behold the truth of that which Solomon saith in his Prouerbes Prov. 14. 34. Righteousnes exalteth a Nation But sinne is the reproch of people To the iust one 34 The cause of the blisse of a whole State is for the iust that are among them Contrary to that the world esteemeth which ascribeth the growth of Kingdomes to the wisedome policie and power of the State yea thinke the seruants of God many times the cause of the calamities that light vpon them as appeareth in many of the Edicts of the first Heathen Emperors Who notwithstanding haue beene oft driuen to acknowledge that God blessed them for the Churches sake that harboured in their kingdomes Most treacherous treacherie 35 What a fearefull sinne it is to lend a deafe eare to Christ For if it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of Iudgement then for those that despise his Ministers what shall be thought of those that do despise himselfe This is to be noted because of the steps whereby men climbe vp to the height of sinning For those that make no conscience of Christs Ordinances nor to entertaine the Prophets whom he sendeth will at the last make no conscience of killing Christ himselfe if they might come by him All sinnes therefore are not equall neither is there an equalitie of punishments Mans nature is so dull and heauy so vncapable of holy admonitions that they had neede to be beaten vpon againe and againe with varietie and heape of words and particularizing of Gods iudgements so to fasten them into their hearts as with goades and nayles Eccles 12. 13. 17. Feare and the pit and the snare shall come vpon thee O inhabitant of the Land 18. For it shrll be that he that fleeth because of the noise of the feare shall fall into the pit and he that getteth vp out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windowes from on high shall be opened and the foundations of the earth shall shake 19. The land shall be vtterly broken downe the land shall be cleane dissolued the land shall be moued exceedingly 20. The land shall reele to and fro like a drunken man and shall flit like a lodge and the transgression thereof shall be heauie vpon it so that it shall fall and rise no more EXPOSITION FIftly and lastly the threatned iudgement is
and as it were be held in prison by the hand and power of God that they shall not be able to hurt his Church which shall be about the yeare of our Lord 1650. The other expressed by the name of visiting both here and Ezechiel 38. 7. which for cleerenesse sake we translate punishing noteth their vtter ruine and ouerthrow following some 45. yeares after the other as Daniel also doth distinguish them Dan. 12. 11. 12. See Reu. 9. 15. Obseruations 21. In that day 46. The calamities of Gods people are not perpetuall Hee chideth not euerlastingly nor reserueth wrath for euer Psal 103. 9. When their case is most desperate and all humane help faileth then is Gods help ready at hand for them As in the deliuerance at the red Sea and in many other stories is euident to be seene When God hath done afflicting of his children by the hand of the wicked and vngodly he will cast the rod in the fire and render affliction to those that afflict vs 2. Thes 1. 6. Esay 10. 5. c. Woe to Ashur the staffe of my wrath c But when the Lord hath accomplished all this worke in Mount Tsion and in Ierusalem I will visit the fruit of the greatnesse of the heart of the King of Babell and vpon the glory and haughtinesse of his eyes There is an end and period that God hath set to the tyrannle of the wicked Psalm 125. 3. The rodde of the wicked shall not rest vpon the lot of the righteous least c. The day and certaine time is determined how long it shall be giuen them to preuaile against the Saints and then to haue an end He that set the bounds to the raging Sea saying Hether shalt thou come and no farther and here shall the shore set it selfe against the pride of thy waues Iob 38. 11. hath also set the bounds of their preuailing Visit the hoast 50. There is no strength no power against the Lord how loftily soeuer the wicked looke and how deepely soeuer they be rooted Gods hand will fetch them downe and plucke them vp as rotten and vnprofitable branches In the lofty place 51 Yea in their very loftinesse he will be as lofty as they as good Iethro said of the Aegyptians in that very thing wherein they were proud he Iehoua was aboue them as if he should say too good for them Exod. 18. 11. The King 52. They that will take part and haue their hands in the sinnes of the wicked must be content to haue a part in their plague punishment And here we see the truth of that which Salomon hath in the Prouerbs Let hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not be vnpunished Prou. 11. 21. In this very land 53 God to abate the pride of the wicked and that men may bee warned from walking in their steps when they see how much God detesteth the loftiness of the haughty punisheth them by such base meanes as they most of all do scorne What a thing is it the Turke his gallant Princes his Begs Bashawes to fall in the land of Iudaea a land so base and contemptible in their eyes 22. They shall be gathered as a prisoner into a pit c. 54 Oh the patience of God in bearing with the wicked he goeth euen towards them with a leaden heele to punishment that two manner of waies in the measure and in the time For the measure first hee curbeth and bindeth their hands from hurting his Church and people fettreth their strength and power and holdeth them vnder bonds then when that will not profit he taketh all strength away He first giueth a taste of his power to shew what he is able to doe making them to totter and decline But when they goe on still in mischiefe against his Church hee sweepeth them cleane from the face of the earth After many daies shall be punished 55. For the time hee spareth them long many daies The Amorites he bare with 400. yeares after their iniquity was grown to a great head because it was not as then fully accomplished Gen. 15. 16. Which must make vs not despaire nor cast off our faith in Gods promises for the subuersion of the wicked though they be long a comming Abac. 2. 3. If he stay waite for him Contrary to that the vnbeleeuers say in Ezechiel The daies are lengthened and all vision perisheth Ezech. 12. 22. For we runne by nature headlong in our owne desires and are impatient if God come not when wee would haue him This therefore serueth to exercise our faith that wee faint not in our prayers as we are prone to doe The fault which our Sauior noteth Luk. 18. 8. when God commeth in the performance of his promises and to the succour of his children shall he finde faith vpon earth 23. And the Moone her selfe shall blush and the Sunne it selfe bee ashamed when Iehouah of hoasts shall raigne in mount Tsion and in Ierusalem and before his elders gloriously EXPOSITION AFter the Turke once destroyed commeth the kingdome of Christ to be set vp among the Iewes as it is also certaine by Ezechiel Daniel and the booke of the Reuelation which is the second degree of their restoring This Kingdome the holy Ghost doth here describe by the person of the King the Scepter which he weldeth the place where his throne shall be the forme of administration and the glory of the kingdome The King is Iesus Christ the Lord of Hosts Soueraigne commander of heauen and of earth and of the armies and powers of them both that nothing can be lacking to those that haue such a King The Scepter is his word the word of the Gospell wherby he ruleth and raigneth in the middest of his people for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. 16. The spirituall armor powerfull and mighty from God to cast downe strong holds and euery high thing exalted against the knowledge of God as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 10. 4. Psal 110. 2. The rodde of thy power will Iehouah send out of Tsion saying Rule thou in the middest of thine enemies The place where his throne shall be is Tsion and Ierusalem whether the Iewes shall once againe repaire not to set vp the legall ceremonies but to institute the true spirituall worship and seruice of God Ezech. 36. 24. and 37. 12. 14. 25. Esay 61. 8. The forme of the Church pollicy and gouernment you haue pointed at vnder the name of Elders Comprehending Pastors Teachers and other gouernours of the Church The glory of the Kingdom shall be so great that in comparison of it the Sunne and Moone shall cast no light of the glory thereof reade Esay 54. 11. c. and 60. 1. 2. 3. 13. c. Dan. 12. 3. What if by the Sunne and Moone hee meane heere the Churches of the Gentiles who shall blush to see their zeale and loue of
the ministerie and preaching of the Gospell that the subiects of the King of glory may come in multitudes of their brethren the Iewes to flock euery day to the Lords Assemblies All this by an Apostrophe or turning of the speech to those doore-keepers the Lords Remembrancers Thirdly are mustered their heauenly and spirituall graces fiue in number 1. Righteousnes both imputed and renewed 2. Faith which is the hand or instrument whereby they apprehend this righteousnesse of God in Christ and make themselues true owners and possessors of it Wherein the better to expresse the measure of their faith he calleth it faiths in the plurall as Peter hath godlinesses 2 Pet. 3. 11. The same perhaps which Paul in another case expresseth by the name of all faith 1 Cor. 13. 2. 3. Constancie and perseuerance in this grace wrestling for the faith as Iude speaketh vers 3. And holding of it fast which was the Apostles reioycing 2 Tim. 4. 7. I haue kept the faith 4. The ground of all this a new birth To a frame saith he a heauenly frame one framed and fashioned from aboue that of a wilde Asse colt is made a man by spirituall regeneration as Tsophar speaketh in the booke of Iob. Iob 11. 12. Thou doest reserue c. 5. Trust and confidence with all ones heart soule and thoughts resting and relying vpon the power of God in Christ vpon his strengthning and corroborating Spirit into whose hands God hath committed all things that it is impossible any should perish that betake themselues to him For all our endeauours are able to do nothing It is God alone by whom we are garded walled in and fensed vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1. 5. The fourth remarkable thing in this part is the happinesse and felicitie which God bestoweth vpon his people thus furnished and fitted of heauenly graces peace peace all manner of good things so farre as is for their good Which first shall be most plentifull and aboundant then constant and perpetuall not reserued onely and laid vp in store but kept and preserued firme for euermore by him that is the surest and most faithfull keeper But this peace especially comprehendeth peace of conscience that passeth vnderstanding and is a continuall feast to those that haue it So doth the Prophet expresse in this place that which the Apostle writeth to the Romanes Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is righteousnes and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Obseruations 1. In that day The time of Gods mercies ought to be the time of our thanksgiuings We are not to take day for it Song Herevnto we must stirre vp our selues by all good meanes to quicken our dulnes and to set an edge vpon our praises thanksgiuings vsing Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Songs For the voyce and melodious tune is fit to stir vp the affections of the heart and to beget much spirituall and inward joy So shall we vse holily and aright the things that God hath giuen for the comfort and solace of our life In the land Publicke benefits are publikely and of all to be acknowledged Herewith is God well pleased when a whole Nation lifteth vp their voyce topraise God for mercy in common appertaining to them all Of Iehuda The Church onely is capable of this dutie Prophane men and worldlings like swine receiue many blessings but neuer looke vp to the hand that gaue them Of the 10 Lepers that were healed onely one returned to giue glory vnto God Luk. 17. 2. A strong The Church of God is of invincible strength and power Hell gates cannot preuaile against it To vs This is for the comfort of all the faithfull For the promises made to it extend to all the members citizens of the same And thus must we learne to apply to our owne good whatsoeuer we finde written of the Church or of those that dwell therein God hath set But this strength neither Church nor any member haue of themselues or by their owne in herent vertue All commeth from Gods grace and power onely We are weake and sillie wormes to encounter with so great and mightie foes as fight against vs on euery side It is he that doth set his fense about vs and guards our walls and bulwarks Psal 60. 14. Through God we shall doe valiantly and he treads downe our foes Saluations We neede not feare in anything For it it is not slight and small succours we haue from him Saluations all manner of health and safetie he doth minister If one helpe will not do it he is ready with an other Sathan can not haue so many meanes to foylevs as He hath meanes to keepe and hold vs vp 2. Open The preaching of the Gospell is the gate to let in Gods people into the Church and to make them Citizens of the beauenly Tsion Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing This gate must be vnlocked and kept wide open by the Ministers to whom God hath committed the keyes of the house of Dauid to open and to shut For they are set as vpon a watch-towre to keep out enemies that the true Citizens may come in Wherefore a continuall diligence and attendance is to be looked for of such that night and day they stand vpon their watch As that faithfull watch-man professeth of himselfe he did Esay 21. 8. How much are they to blame that neglect so holy a dutie imposed of God vpon them May enter in But as they are thus carefully to attend so it is the peoples part to lye at this doore as the multitude did at the poole of Bethesda Ioh. 5. ready to goe in with the first entrance that they finde Dauid Psal 110. 3. writing of these very times when Gods people shall be wonne to Christ sheweth what ardencie and zeale shall be in them to enter in at these gates Thy people shall flocke most willingly in the day of thy troopes in the comely places of holinesse euen from the wombe from the morning to thee shall flocke the dew of thy youth Righteous The badge and liuerie of Gods people is righteousnesse and holinesse whereby as by a coguisance men may know the Maister whom they serue for this praise belongeth to them alone And here is a true definition of the Church of God and of their liuely members Whatsoeuer faire vertues are to be seene among the worldlings it is but a glosse that quickly fadeth an outside onely that neuer taketh roote Faith For lacking faith that onely purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. it is impossible that they should haue any sound or solide vertue The righteousnes of faith is the onely true righteousnesse In vaine doe men seeke for righteousnes where it can not be had as Pharisees and Iustitiaries doe in their owne perfections For which cause the Apostle rejecteth the Iewes in his time from being the Church of God Rom. 10. 3. Seeking to set vp their owne righteousnes they haue not beene subiect to the righteousnesse of God But when God
of that Darius raigne bringeth in the Angell speaking thus Zach. 1. 12. How long wilt not thou haue mercy on Ierusalem and on the Citties of Iuda with whom thou hast beene wroth these 70. yeares and Zach. 7. 5. the Prophet saith When you fast and mourne in the fift and sixt Moneth and these seauenty yeares Which was spoken in the fourth yeare of that Darius The Phrase these 70 yeares must needs import that they were not long before ended 2. The age of Ezra and of those to whom Haggai speaketh Hag. 2. 3. Which of you saw the former house will not suffer you to referre it to the times of Darius Nothus Histories giue this Darius 20. yeares and so much the Computation of the 7. weekes doth warrant The fift King was Artaxerxes Ezr. 7. whom I take to be sonne to Darius Hystaspis This is that worthy Prince vnder whom Ezr. first found fauour for the house of God Ezr. 7. and after him Nehemie had commission to build the Citie and to settle a gouernment there Nehem. 1. Some 33. yeares of his raigne are set downe Nehem. 13. 6. In the 32. yeare of Artaxerxes King of Babylon I had returned to the King onely at the end of a yeare I got leaue of him is meant Ezr. 6. 14. they built and brought it to perfection by the aduise of the God of Israel and by the aduise of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes King of Persia Artaxerxes is there by anticipation ioyned to his father Darius Hystaspis because the purpose of the holy Ghost was to set downe all the furtherers of the worke together for albeit the structure and edifice of the house was made an end of in the sixt yeare of Darius yet Artaxerxes by his decree furnished the sacrifices and the vessels for the ministery of the house and other necessaries As it followeth in the next Chapter Ezra 7. And so was a coadiutor for the perfitting of the Temple Such anticipations are common in the Scripture See Exod. 16. 33. 34. 35. This decree of Artaxerxes was in the seauenth yeare of his raigne Ezr. 7. 7. which is not to bee taken the next yeare after the structure of the Temple finished in the sixt of Darius Hystaspis as if by that it might bee gathered that Darius and Artaxerxes were all one but some yeares after for the very first verse of the seauenth Chapter of Ezra giueth some kinde of inckling that there beginneth a new Story in the daies of another King Now after these things in the raigne of Artaxerxes King of Persia Ezra the sonne of Seraiah c. went vp from Babilon Further of the Kings of Persia you finde nothing saue that Nehem. 12. 22. the Catalogue of the high Priests is reckoned vp till the Kingdome of Darius King of Persia which was the last Darius whom Alexander the great did conquer for Iaddua the high Priest there mentioned is he that met Alexander Therefore to the Kings that succeede Artaxerxes I giue among them the remainder of the 70. yeares namely 26. Great Zerxes I put not in this number who spent his time in warres abroad whilst Artaxerxes did all at home And therefore the holy Ghost hath him not in his Catalogue Dan. 11. 2. hee is named a fourth King but that is in respect of the Grecians And were he King or no King all his yeares are swallowed vp in Darius his fathers and his successors The next difficultie is in the Greeke gouernment more vncertaine than the former for here we lacke the light of the holy Scripture to go before vs. And all other accounts whether taken from Historians in the succession of the Syrian Kings the high Priests the Macchabees or the Ptolomies of Aegypt c or from Astronomicall obseruations and the Ecclipses reckoned vp in Ptolomie or from the Olympicke games which crosse this accompt of 490. yeares from the first of Cyrus to the destroying of Ierusalem that is the word of truth vttered by the Angell are vaine and not to bee beleeued This is certaine that the first 70. yeares the last 73. being knowne as they are one as I haue shewed by Esay and the bookes of Ezra and Nehemie the other by the new Testament and Ecclesiasticall Storie the interuenient time cannot bee vnknowne though how to reckon each particular in so great variety of Greeke and Latin Historians it be a thing impossible wherefore let the Greeke gouernment accompting it to beginne with Alexander and to expire at Cleopatraes death haue 321. yeares Betweene Cleopatraes death and the time that our blessed Sauiour was borne are commonly reckoned 26. yeares Christ liued 33. yeares and somewhat more from his death to the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes are 40. yeares So then vpon the whole matter the 70. seauens that is 490. yeares are thus made vp The Persian Monarchie held 70. yeares The Greeke gouernment was 321. From Cleopatraes death to the birth of Christ are 26. Christ liued 33. yeares From this death to the destruction of Ierusalem 40. yeares Totall 490. A word now or two for a particular explication of the Text. Wherein the Angell first layeth downe the summe of all verse 24. That instead of 70. yeares captiuity wherein the Land lay desolate and kept her Sabbaths they shall dwell in the Land 7. times 70. yeares before the Citie and Sanctuary shall haue an end so farre doth the mercy of God exceed his wrath within the compasse of which time and euen vpon the point of the expiration of it some forty yeares before Christ the King Priest and Prophet of his Church shall performe the worke of our redemption for hee was to come the second Temple standing Hag. 2. 9. The power of his Kingdome euident in abolishing sin and bringing in euerlasting righteousnes Sinne he doth abolish by mortifying and subduing the power of it by his death by pardoning and forgiuing both the guilt and punishment by the full and all-sufficient satisfaction that hee hath made vpon the Crosse who is the propitiation for our sinnes righteousnes euerlasting righteousnesse which shall make vs accepted of God for euer and neuer can be lost as Adams was hee doth bring in first by the reckoning and imputing of his owne righteousnesse vnto vs making it ours through faith whereby wee are iustified or held iust and righteous euen in the strict and most exact Iustice of God himselfe Secondly by making vs new creatures by the vertue of his resurrection Againe he is our Prophet by whom onely God speaketh vnto vs in these latter dayes and in whom all visions and reuelations haue an end Heb. 1. 1. Lastly he is our Priest a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pight and not man who by his owne blood entred once into the holy place heauen it selfe purchasing euerlasting redemption and abolishing thereby the vnction of the Law Hebr. 8. 2. 9. 8. 12. The summe of all being thus laid downe the
Children of Israel and they looke to other Gods and loue flaggons of wine 2. So I bought her me for fifteene shekels of siluer and for an homer and a halfe of Barley 3. And I said vnto her many dayes shalt thou abide for mee play not the harlot nor bee another mans likewise will I for thee 4. For many dayes shall the children of Israel abide without a King and without a Prince and without sacrifice and without a statue and without an Ephod and without Images 5. Afterwards shall the children of Israel returne and seeke Iehouah their God and Dauid their King and fearefully shall come to Iehouah and his goodnesse in the last dayes 1. The second Type not much vnlike former together with the declaration of the Type are both in this Chapter For the Type hee taketh a woman espoused and to bee married but long put off for her adulteries As God hath loued and betrothed the Israelites but for their idolatries a great while neglected them whom yet in the end hee will be pleased to ioyne to himselfe in spirituall marriage It riseth in these degrees First God in bidding the Prophet to loue a woman that had plaid the Adultresse intimateth his loue and purpose to call them home euen when they went a whoring after strange Gods forsaking the true worship seruice of God in Christ That is meant after the manner of those times by looking to other Gods and louing bottles of wine for in those Sacrifices to Idols the manner was to drinke wine aboundantly Secondly the Prophet bought her which I interprete to bee the setting apart of a remnant whom hee would afterwards call with a holy calling and marry vnto himselfe 3. The price he paid 15. pieces of siluer and an homer and a halfe of Barley vnder that the Law requireth for a bond slaue Exod. 21. 32. and slaues onely were saleable noteth her vilde and base condition at the time worse then any slaue whether you consider her spirituall thraldome or miserable dispersion among the nations for of all people in the world they are now the basest most contemptible 3. Fourthly the long continuance of this their slauery hauing beene in that estate almost 1600. yeares since the destruction of their Temple and Citie by Uespasian Fiftly the vtter desolation which shall bee among them all that while by allusion to the law Deut. 21. 13. Sixtly Gods promise to call them home by faith and true repentance at the last in that hee is pleased to stay for them till the time that they also shall be ioyned in spirituall wedlocke 4. Thus farre of the Type The signification of the Type expresseth cleerely First their long desolation and miserable state of things all that while in that they shall haue no forme nor face of Church or Common wealth no not of a corrupt or depraued Church 5. Secondly the promise of their conuersion that in the last dayes or last yeare as Ezechiel hath it Ezech. 38 8. they shall embrace Christ their King who is called heere Iehouah and Dauid kisse the Sonne and with feare and trembling submit themselues vnto his Kingdome for all the while they reiected him they were without God in the world Ephe. 2. 12. CHAP. 4. 1. Heare the word of Iehouah yee children of Israel for Iehouah hath a controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no faithfulnesse nor kindnesse nor knowledge of God in the Land 2. By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they doe breake out that murders touch one another 3. Therefore the Land shall mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall become feeble both the beasts of the field and the foule of the heauen yea also the fishes of the Sea shall bee taken away 4. Yet let not a man contend neither let a man rebuke for thy people are as they that contend with the Priest 5. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day and the Prophet shall also fall with thee in the night and I will cut off thy Mother 6. My people shall be cut off for lack of knowledge because thou hast reiected knowledge I will also reiect thee from being a Priest to me and seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children 7. As they were encreased so they sinned against mee I will changs their glory into shame 8. They eate vp the sinne of my people Therefore vpon their iniquitie doe they set their heart 9. Wherefore there shall bee like people like Priests when I shall visite his wayes vpon him and render vnto him his doings 10. For though they eate yet shall they not haue enough though they commit fornication yet shall they not breake forth in multitude for they haue left of to obserue Iehouah 11. Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart 12. My people aske counsell at their stock that their staffe may tell them for the spirit of fornication causeth them to erre that they goe a whoring turning from their God 13. They sacrifice vpon the toppes of the mountaines and burne incense vpon the hilles vnder the Oake and Poplar and Elme because the shadow thereof is good therefore your daughters play the harlots and your spouses commit adulterie 14. Should I not visite your daughters because they play the harlots and your spouses because they commit adultery Because these with harlots doe separate things which they may sacrifice with whores yes verily the people that doth not vnderstand shall bee ruined 1. Hitherto of the typicall part of this Prophesie That which is declaratiue of the Type standeth vpon two parts as the Type it selfe doth First the sinnes of the people and Gods iudgements vppon them for the same Secondly the promise of grace peace and reconciliation to a little remnant The former of the two hee comprehendeth in three Sermons Whereof the first in this fourth Chapter hath a notable reproofe of the Israelites sinnes three in number vnfaithfulnesse inhumanitie ignorance of God and an enterlaced threatning of Iudgements for the same Both first propounded and afterwards amplified and enlarged 2. Their vnfaithfulnesse and perfidious treachery breaking all the duties of the second Table in most outragious manner like a current or a streame that cannot bee kept within any bounds insomuch that euen bloudshed and murder were growne so common that dead carcases lay by heapes one vpon another 3. But the punishment should bee a wofull calamitie and generall plague vpon the whole Land all the commodities of it 4. Their barbarous inhumanity noted to bee so great that they can abide no reprehension so as it were but lost labour to goe about to admonish them They are so fierce that there is no dealing with them but they doe all manner of wickednesse obstinately and with an high hand and therefore are in as great fault as those that hearken not to the Priest 5. But