back to obey the will of God is to bee acknowledged as a mercy and matter of praise for such is the subject of Jonah's song compared with the former verse he will blesse the Lord not onely for deliverance but that though to his own cost he had not been permitted to prosper in a wrong way 3. Praise is that true sacrifice pointed at in the law by the thanksgiving-offerings in the Temple therefore doth hee give unto praise the name of what shadowed it out I will sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving See Hebrews 13.15 4. The truly godly under the law were taught of God not to rest upon these outward performances and offerings but to presse and seek after the spiritual duty and substance and to make use of Christ in whom alone even our best morall actions are accepted therefore doth hee hold forth that the voice of thanksgiving or affectionate praise was the sacrifice indeed See Psal 69.30 31. Hos 14.2 And withall the joyning of sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving sheweth that his praise was offered up in and by that true sacrifice 5. The Lords people in their afflictions and deliverances will be made to see great necessity of making vowes and binding themselves more firmely to their duty for Jonah in his trouble had vowed that that I have vowed which was a binding of himselfe with his owne consent more accurately to observe and follow the will and Commandements of the Lord the reason of which ingagement is because they will find when it comes to strait much short comming and little fervour in their ordinary walking which needs upstirring they will find also much obligation layd upon them by the Lords mercifull remembring of them in trouble voluntarily to take on his yoke and much sense of their owne instability needing such bonds and tyes 6. It is the duty of the Lords children being delivered not to forget their condition in trouble nor their resolutions and obligations following thereupon as if once being out of trouble they were out of Gods reverence but to study to walk answerably in their calme day to that they resolved upon in greatest extremity therefore saith Jonah I will pay that that I have vowed 7. Salvation and deliverance of all kindes is Gods perogative royal none can save or give peace when hee commands trouble and he hath the prererogative to save and deliver when reason probability the sentence of the law and all things else have condemned and given over for lost and in despite of all opposition whatsoever And it is the duty of such as have had any experience of this to cleave to it as an undeniable truth in al following extremities For Jonah having found this in his present case layes it down as a fixed ground of faith in all extremities that salvation is of the Lord the force of the Hebrew word comprehending salvation both temporal and eternal Vers 10. And the LORD spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land In the last part of the Chapter Jonah after his miraculous support by faith rehearseth the way of his deliverance that the Lord by his effectual providence as by a commanding speech made the fish to vomit him out upon the Land Whence learn 1. The Lord by the afflictions of his people is but schooling and bettering them and not seeking to destroy them whereof he can give proofe in setting them in freedome and safety from deadly dangers and extremities For Jonah being humbled The Lord spake to the fish and it vomited out Jonah c. 2. The most insensible of creatures have an ear to their Makers speech and do at least by obediential subjection obey his will and will not hinder but help forward his purposes of love towards his people for The Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry Land 3. In the ordinary paths and motions of creatures God may be bringing about especial purposes and providences as this fish is made to vomit out and deliver Jonah when it is minding no such thing but tumbling to and again much more may it be so in the ordinary wayes of men as in Ioseph's going to Bethlehem Luke 2.4 5 6 compared with Mat. 2.5 6. CHAP. III. IN this Chapter we have first Jonah's second calling to go to Nineveh and his obedience in going thither and denouncing Gods judgement against them to verse 5. 2. The successe of his preaching there appearing in a general and solemn Humiliation countenanced and enjoyned by authority to vers 13. 3. The Lords acceptance hereof and revoking of the sentence given out against them vers 12. Ver. 1. ANd the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time saying 2. Arise go unto Nineveh that great city and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee JOnah being now humbled for his rebellion and delivered from his affliction is again called to go and preach against Nineveh it being needful to have his calling repeated lest if he had gone on the first call which he had disobeyed it might have tared with him as with Israel who resenting their own disobedience would go up to the Land but without the Lord Num. 14.40 41. Doct. 1. As sin doth justly deprive men of all their priviledges which they enjoy of Gods free favour so a true penitent will not only obtain pardon but may also be restored to his former forefaulted dignities for Jonah is not deprived of his Prophetick office of which he was so carelesse Chap. 1.3 but the word of the Lord came unto him 2. No endeavours or struglings of men will free them from such services and lots as God hath to imploy them in and exercise them withal for Jonah resisting the first call is brought to obey on his own charges The word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time and his duty which he had refused is enjoyned him again 3. The servants of the Lord ought to stick close by their commission and faithfully to publish it without adding or diminishing for so is Ionah commanded Go unto that great city and preach the preaching that I bid thee Vers 3. So Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh according to the word of the LORD now Nineveh was an exceeding great City of three dayes journey Ver. 4. And Jonah began to enter into the city a dayes journey and he cryed and said Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shal be overthrown In the next place we have Ionah's obedience wherein also is recorded a description of the greatnesse of Nineveh which was of three dayes journey in circuite or if one would go through all the streets of it and a brief sum of his preaching which for a whole day going from place to place as God directed him or going through a third of the City it being in whole three dayes journey he proclaimed whereby we are neither to understand that he preached no more of the causes procuring this judgment or of
strive to amend it then the Lord will publickly in view of all the world convince and correct them by his stroaks therefore doth he call all people the earth and all that therein is to hear and see the Lord witnessing against his Church which is a bitter case when our betrothed Lord is provoked to go out of doors to the streets with his beloveds faults 5. The justice and equity of the Lords dealing with his people even when he proceeds to severity in correction is so uncontrovertedly clear as that it may be seen and read of all therefore also are the creatures called to appear as witnesses of his proceedings and that affliction is justly procured by Israel 6. If this passage from his holy Temple be understood of heaven it teacheth that however men may obstinately bear out against all convictions from men yet the glorious Majesty of God when he lets forth any rayes of it from heaven as v. 3 4. in his works it will so dazle them as they shall not be able to stand out If we understand it of the Temple at Jerusalem it teacheth that the Jewes their confiding much in the Temple should not exempt them but rather be a part of their ditty that the mercies of God manifested there and from thence unto them should effectually convince them of sin and aggravate it who have not walked answerably and that Israels renouncing of that Temple and the worship of God there shall be matter of a sad challenge which they will not be able to answer In all these respects the Lord God will be witnesse from his holy Temple Vers 3. For behold the LORD cometh forth out of his place and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth 4. And the mountains shall be molten under him and the valleyes shall be cleft as wax before the fire and as the waters that are poured down a steep place To stir them up the more and to make them heed the message he declares in general Gods purpose concerning them that he would manifest himself in his glory from heaven and trample under his feet whatever is most eminent and make high and low feel the effects of his Presence and Justice according to his infinite power which when he pleaseth to let forth will make mountains to tremble and resolve into dust and vallyes to cleave as wax melteth before a fire and as waters run with violence down a steep place Doct. 1. However the Lord do most clearly manifest his glory in heaven and Atheists and carnal men think he is shut up there yet as he is every where filling heaven and earth so will he when he pleases manifest his presence on earth in glorious effects of providence for so doth this speech import The Lord cometh forth out of his place that however heaven be in a peculiar way his habitation yet he will from thence appear in glorious majesty on earth 2. The glorious manifestations of God in the world ought to be looked upon with reverence admiration and humble wondring So much doth behold prefixed to this manifestation import 3. It is quite beside the expectation of a back-sliding Church that God should appear in severity against them and therefore such a dispensation surprizeth them so much also doth this Behold teach that to them who still dream of peace with God notwithstanding their wicked way it should be an unexpected and sudden thing to see him appear in glory to punish 4. The greatnesse and majesty of God ought to be well studied and considered upon by all those who oppose him and reject his will not to drive them yet further from him but rather to crush their obstinacy and induce them to repent for Gods Majesty is here held forth to make them tremble to be found in a way disapproved of his Word 5. Men in their declinings from God seek unto themselves false refuges whereby they think to shelter themselves against Gods vengeance but are herein deluded for there are high places of the earth whereby are signified their Idols worshipped on these high places wherein they trusted or their strong holds or high and lofty men who thought to be exempted from common judgements or generally their high and lofty imaginations all which or whatsoever else they can oppose the Lord is potent to crush He will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth 6. Greatness of opposition against God contributes to set him out more eminently by crushing thereof for He treads on the high places that is not only crushes and commands them but is the more eminently seen in so doing in that they are high their height making them conspicuous from afar while he stands upon them 7. The Lord is able to overturne what is greatest and most stable in the world and make all creatures feel his power and indignation in an effectual way this is held forth in that the mountains shall be molten under him and thevalleys cleft as wax before the fire c. 8. Sin in the people of God makes that which otherwise might be comfortable matter of terrour to them for whereas the Majesty and Power of God is comfortable to the Church in that she hath such a God to crush her enemies and wherein they deal proudly to be above them yet now because of sin it is the matter of her terror However it be so far comfortable as that all this is done to drive her to his mercy Ver. 5. For the transgression of Jacob is all this and for the sins of the house of Israel what is the transgression of Jacob Is not Samaria and what are the high places of Judah are they not Jerusalem Followeth the Lords quarrel or the cause procuring his appearing thus in glorious severity which is the hainous transgression of his people who came of Jacob otherwise called Israel and withal he declares that the Original and rise of this transgression in Israel was from the chief City Samaria while as Omri and Ahab did there erect Idolatry having translated the regal dwelling thither which was before in Tirzah 1 Kings 16.23 24. which had now in processe of time spread through the Kingdom and had daily influence from the Court and chief City and that in Iudah the City of Ierusalem had cast a Copy to all the Land and not only in sins against the Second Table but in corrupting the worship of God with their high places which Iotham tolerated and his son Ahaz proceeded to grosser abominations 2 Kin. 16.10 11. 2 Chr. 28.24.25 and so drew on the people to imitate their wayes Doc. 1. The provocations of the Lords priviledged people may bring on very remarkable stroaks for all this that is all this appearing in severity is for the transgression of Iacob 2 Albeit the Lord in his great mercy look over the infirmities of his people yet rebellion and idolatry and corrupting of his worship especially when multiplyed is that which he
constant supply of furniture Walk humbly with thy God 9. The people of God are to study constancy in their way and especially in humility and for this end the bond of communion with God and interest in him is to be kept fast and daily made use of Walk humbly with God Ver. 9. The LORDS voice crieth unto the city and the man of wisdom shall see thy Name hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it This verse contains a generall sentente given out against his people and a Preface to the following special accusations and sentences The sum is that since they made no conscience of this their duty though clearly revealed v. 8. therefore the Lord by his Prophets gives warning of another reacher to be sent unto them to wit his rods and judgements which they are commanded to hear since they will not heare his servants and to consider the author of them that they may be affected therewith and withall he declares that only the true fearers of God who are indeed the wise ones will take notice of God manifesting himself either in the admonition or in the rod. Doct. 1. Slighting of clearly revealed and commanded duties will bring a rod upon a person or people for so doth the scope import 2. The Lord doth not steal a judgement upon his people but in great mercy forewarnes them of their danger if they would make use of it The Lords voice crieth to give the alarm 3. The testimonies of the Lords servants against sin and their warnings of wrath to come in their publike Ministery is the Lords own warning-peece to the rebellious for so is the Lords voice to be understood of his voice in the mouth of his servants 4. As Cities and eminent places have greatest occasions and incouragments to serve God so when they come short their guilt is great and they share deepest in the cup of afflictions therefore the Lords voice crieth unto the City that is to Jerusalem Samaria and other cities of the land in which as the Prophets preached most so when the rod comes they are alarmed especially as those on whom it will light most sadly 5. We ought to be sensible of afflictions sent upon us as Gods Messengers sent with a Message to us and the Lord will cause the most stubborn to feel his hand in them for this Hear the rod is not only an exhortation to take the alarm and be sensible of the rod when it comes but a prediction that though they would not heare the Prophets yet they should both heare and feel this Messenger See Jer. 1.15 16.6 We ought not onely to be sensible of the smart of the rod when it comes but chiefly to look to the hand of God in it and to what he would teach by it Hear the rod and who hath appointed it 7. It is an evidence of the fear of God to take warning of a rods coming or to get Gods minde in the rod seen and to be affected with it and obey it and onely fearers of God get this use of it The man of wisdome shall see thy Name that is take up thy authority in these warnings from the Word and discern what thou manifestest of thy minde by the rod. 8. They onely are wise indeed who fear God and who learn to make use of his Word and Providences toward them for he who feares God is called the man of wisdome or substantiall wisdome that hath a being as the word signifieth all other wisdome being but empty and vain Ver. 10. Are there yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable 11. Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances and with the bag of deceitfull weights 12. For the rich men thereof are full of violence and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth To help them to understand his minde in the rod the Lord enters upon a more speciall accusation of them for the sins procuring the same here he sets before them their violation of justice and mercy and charges upon them that by wicked meanes they had gathered great treasure which proved them to be wicked who did thus enrich themselves The meanes whereby they made this purchase or at least endeavoured it and for which they are challenged are 1. Scant measures or lean in themselves and starving the buyers 2. Inexcusable deceit in the matter of weights and balances bringing in more gain to them then was right 3. Cruel violence used toward the poor 4. Fraud and circumventing of one another which was universall among them All these accusations the Lord referreth to themselves to beare witnesse of the truth of them and poseth their own conscience if notwithstanding their professions by externall sacrificing the Lord could in justice acquit them and not rather abhor and condemn and plague them Doct. 1. The Lord abhoreth those sins especially which are commited after many admonitions by such as professe much piety Are there treasures of wickednesse c saith he and that after so many admonitions and threatenings of the rod and notwithstanding your great Profession 2. It is a great signe of unsoundnesse when such as are eminent in practising externall duties of the first table can without scruple commit wickednesse against the second for saith he Are there yet after the great offers of sacrifices is there yet so much unrenewednesse as to gather up treasures of wickednesse 3. Excessive love unto and desire after riches driving men to use unlawfull meanes of purchase is a sure mark of wickednesse let the purchaser pretend to what he will and of Gods displeasure however in his Providence he may permit such to prosper for they are treasures of wickednesse in the houses of the wicked and for this the Lord challengeth 4. Deceitfulnesse in weights balances and measures is a sinfull means of purchasing riches and a clear instance of injustice which is abominable in the sight of God for so much do the words hold forth 5. Even our selves seriously considering our case may not onely see the truth of what the Word challengeth but may easily judge that God will not passe by approved grosse guiltinesse nor justifie the doers thereof whatever mask of profession they cover it withall therefore the Lord appeales to themselves both for the truth of the fact Are there yet treasures c and for the demerit of it shall I count them pure with the wicked balances c or purifie and declare them just 6. Men ought not to dallie and sooth up themselves in a dream of Gods approbation of them in their sinfull wayes Therefore he puts them to it to judge righteous judgement in this particular shall I count them pune c 7. However men study to blinde or put to silence their own consciences that so they may sin without molestation yet in the day of Gods controversie it will be mens sorest adversarie and
plead Gods quarrel most thoroughly Therefore he leaves this challenge at the dore of their own conscience as that which in due time would speak out an answer to that question shall I count them pure 8. It is a great signe of wickednesse in any person to imploy the power God hath given them above others to wicked ends for the rich men thereof that is of the City ver 9. or of the land are full of violence Because they are rich therefore they are violent and beare it out 9. Violent oppression and deceitfull circumvention are equivalent sins in Gods estimation as tending both to one end to gather riches with wronging of others and flowing from the same fountain being onely fitted for diverse times and according to the diverse conditions of the wicked for if they be powerfull they are violent and if not they supply that defect by deceit Therefore is it joyned with the other the inhabitants thereof or all ranks almost of the land have spaken lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouths that is as oft as they speak they bring out fraud and deceit Ver. 13. Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee in making thee desolate because of thy sins Lest by sparing these hypocrites they might think he was such a one as themselves therefore he gives out sentence and threatens them explaining what the rod was whereof he gave them warning He threatens that by striking and making them desolate he will make them sick that is not so much send bodily sicknesse which is a particular judgement of it selfe Lev. 26.16 with their desolation as generally that as they by oppression made others faint so he would crush them by judgements and make them as weak as a sick man Doct. 1. Sin will lay a land desolate and leave a people helplesse and friendlesse and without comfort against crosses so much do the words hold forth 2. Sin is most of all to be looked unto in our desolations and afflictions as having a greater hand therein then the power of enemies Therefore doth he mention onely sin as the cause of desolation because of thy sins 3. Judgements for sinne will not onely affect the afflicted man but be ready to make him faint and succumb for saith he I will make thee sick in smiting thee They whose hearts are effeminate with love to sin Ezek. 16.30 will prove feeble in bearing the punishment of sin Ezek. 22.14 Ver. 14. Thou shalt eat but not be satisfied and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee and thou shale take hold but shalt not deliver and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword 15. Thou shalt sowe but thou shalt not reap thou shalt trend the olives but thou shalt not anoint thee with oile and sweet wine but shalt not drink wine Followeth a particular enumeration of these judgements whereby he would make them sick and desolate The first stroak is famine flowing not from scarcity of provision but from the Lords withdrawing of a Blessing Lev 26.26 Hos 4.10 Whence learn 1. Threatenings giving out of old against sin stand in force against the same sins in all generations for the threatenings of the Law of Moses are declared to be in force in Michas dayes 2. God hath so immediate an hand in feeding men by the creatures that when he withdraweth his blessing the creatures though given in never so great abundance will not feed for thou shalt eat and not be satisfied 3. It is just with God to let such as provoke him in gathering together outward things know how far they wrong themselves while they do it on the creature forgetting the Creator Therefore against such as provoked him by gathering of wealth he threatens that all of it should not so much as keep them from starving The second stroak is their casting down to be in the midst of them that is they shall be exhausted in their own land and with intestine evils although they were secure of forreign enemies or of captivity by them Teaching that as instine troubles are a fore judgement and sharp punishment for sin so the Lord can reach a person or people in the midst of all their contentments and can abase them as low by his secret curse as by any outward enemy thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee The third stroak is that there shall be no possibility of exemption from his plagues when they shall essay all meanes to preserve what is precious to them as wives children treasures c it shall be to no purpose for what escapes at one time shall be cut off at another Whence learn 1. Humane endeavours will not exempt men from divine judgements pursuing them for sin thou shalt take hold to wit that thou mayest hold fast or pull out of danger but shalt not deliver 2. When wicked and impenitent sinners are preserved from one stroak it is onely that they may be reserved for a greater for what thou deliverest will I give up to the sword The fourth stroak threatened is their being deprived of laboured-for comforts the land being given as a prey to their enemies who should devour their provision as they had bereft others of the fruit of their labours so should the enemy or other instruments of Gods wrath deal with them they should not reap much lesse eat of what they had sowed they should not as in times of joy anoint themselves with the oile they had trodden out nor drink of their own wine See the like threatenings Deut. 28.38 39 40. Amos. 5.11 Zeph. 11 13. and the contrary promises Isay 62.8 9. Amos 9.13 14. Doct. 1. Sin provoketh the Lord however he be long-suffering and slow to execute to make mans endeavours for his own subsistence to be vaine whereof he will give proof when the cup of iniquity is full Thou shalt sowe but thou shalt not reap c. 2. The Lord doth so in deep wisdome contrive the way of his judgements as they may give the sorest dash to the wicked and may repay their sin Therefore as they by oppression and deceit reaped where they sowed not so now he will make them sowe and not reap yea he lets them sowe and tread the olives and sweet wine that having employed their paines and being filled with expectation their disappointment may be the greater Vers 16. For the statutes of Omri are kept and all the works of the house of Ahab and ye walk in their counsels that I should make thee a desolation and the inhabitants thereof an hissing therefore ye shall beare the reproach of my people Here we have another cause of Gods rod and a further accusation for their idolatry which being set up by Omri and Ahab his son who beside the golden calves worshipped Baal 1 Kings 16.25 30 31 32. was followed by the people of Israel and by Judah also by reason of the affinity that was betwixt the two Kings at that time 2
out a great winde into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so that the ship was like to be broken Followeth Jonah's correction The Lord by a violent tempest likely to break the ship pursues him till he bee found guilty and cast into the sea Whence learn 1. A storm will sooner or later overtake them who rebel against God though they were his own people for Jonah went on in his way but the Lord sent out a great wind c. 2. God is Sovereign Lord of the winds and in the sea as well as the dry land and can arm any creature he pleaseth against a rebel for The Lord sent out a great wind and caused a mighty tempest in the sea 3. To be in company with wicked men or with men in a wicked way of rebellion against God is dangerous and may involve the society in hazards with them for the ship was like to be broken and all the rest in danger of perishing with Ionah Ver. 5. Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it of them but Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship and he lay and was fast asleep In the next place we have some effects and consequences of this tempest by which at last Gods purpose in it is brought forth The first effect upon the Mariners is fear stirring them up to do all that is usual in such desperate cases for their own relief both such means as they accounted divine in calling on their gods and such as were humane in casting out of their commodities to lighten the ship all which is amplified from Jonah's security who in the mean time was sleeping Doct. 1. God can shake and by trouble will shake the hearts of stoutest men and make them fear for the Mariners otherwise stout at sea are afraid 2. Men may be afraid and much exercised about troubles whom yet the Lord intends not to hurt by them for the Mariners are afraid of the storm sent out to pursue Ionah and not them however they had their own gross sins 3. Even natures light may teach men to ascribe singular effects to the hand of a Sovereign Lord and that without acknowledging thereof there can be no safety in eminent dangers for so doth these Pagans practice teach us while in their fear they cried every man to his god 4. As natures light in corrupted man will mislead him in taking up the true God so when men turn their back upon the true God and the knowledge of him they become vain in their imaginations and endless in their seeking out of false gods and confidences therefore among Pagans even in one ship there are more false Gods then one worshipped They cryed every man to his god There is no certainty when the true God is forsaken 5. Although men ought not to be unwilling to yeild up their life to God when or wheresoever he in his providence shall bee pleased to call for it yet life is so precious that nothing worldly beside is too dear to be employed for preservation of it Natures light teacheth this to these Mariners who cast out the wares that were in the ship to essay if that could be a means of preserving their life 6. Ordinarily those who are most guilty and whom affliction is pointing at are most secure under it for all this while Jonah the guilty man was fast asleep 7. The conscience of a renewed man may after it is wounded by a grosse sin be a very dead and stupified conscience for a time for Ionah flying from his Master in the midst of the storm lay fast asleep and was gone down to the fides of the ship for that end 8. It is ordinary for guilty consciences to think to shift and sleep away challenges without essaying the true remedy for Ionah in his rebellion was gone down to the fides of the ship to sleep away his trouble Ver. 6. So the shipmaster came to him and said unto him What meanest thou O sleeper Arise cal upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not To the end the Lord may discover the guilty man and cause of this tempest as he made the Mariners sensible themselves so the Shipmaster is set on work to waken Ionah to try his interest with his God whom they knew not yet to be the true God if possibly he had more power or good will to such as worshipped him then theirs had Which is the first step to his discovery Doct. 1. A childe of God may sometimes miscarry so far through infirmity negligence and tentation that even a Pagan by natures light may see him reproveable and blame-worthy for so is Ionah reproved by the shipmaster What meanest thou c. 2. It is deeply censurable and absurd even to natures eye to be secure in trouble What meanest thou O sleeper arise c. 3. Variety of false Gods hold men in great suspense and incertainty therefore every man having cryed to his god ver 5. yet they are not setled but will have Ionah to essay his God if he be better then the rest Arise call upon thy God so much also doth that doubtful speech if so be that God will think upon us c. import in this place in part 4. Natures light will acknowledge that he who is the true God hath power to deliver in most extreme dangers for in this great tempest they assert it If God think on us we will not perish 5. Howsoever in a calme day nature conceit and boast of merit yet in a strait even natural men are forced to have their recourse onely to the favour of God for these Pagans have no ground of hope that they shall not perish but in Gods thinking or being bright and shining as the word signifies that is looking favourably on them Ver. 7. And they said every one to his fellow Come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us So they cast lots and the lot fell upon Jonah The second effect of this tempest tends to a further discovery of Jonah to be the guilty man Hee being awaked and not confessing his sin the tempest continues notwithstanding all they had done Therefore the mariners in stead of searching every man into himselfe that all might take with guilt and finde favour begin to suspect that God was pursuing some notorious guiltinesse in some of them and none voluntarily confessing it they resolve with common consent to seek it out by an extraordinary way of lots Wherein whatever fault there was yet Gods providence ordered it so as the lot fell on Jonah to awake his conscience Doct. 1. Nature may lead men so far as in great difficulties to take up sin to be the cause thereof for so much doth this consultation import which however it was true in this case
will not tolerate for this stroak is for their transgressions or rebellions their sins and high places 3. In times of defection and controversie the Lord hath a special eye upon and a chief quarrel against such as have a leading hand in bringing on or carrying on the Apostasie for these questions What is the transgression of Iacob What are the high places of Iudah imports that God observes and would have the cause of all the defection and who began it sought out 4. In universal defections eminent places and persons are ordinarily most culpable as misleading others by their example and authority for the transrgession of Jacob is Samaria the high places of Judah are Jerusalem that is iniquity abounds most in these Cities and the sins of the Land have their rise and countenance from thence 5. The Lord hath an especial eye upon his own Church and people to whom he manifests himself and marks their declinings narrowly especially in the matter of his worship for Judahs high places are especially pointed at whereas all Israels desperate defection is named in a genâ—â—al of transgression Ver. 6. Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field and as plantings of a vineyard and I wil poure down the stones thereof into the valley and I will discover the foundations thereof The Lord pronounceth a more particular sentence against Israel for their sins and particularly against Samaria that when theten Tribes should be led captive that City as being chief in the sin should have a remarkable stroak the buildings thereof should be rased to the very foundation the stones thereof cast down from the hill whereon it stood to the valley to lye as heaps of stones do which are gathered by Labourers of the ground and the place thereof should be only for planting of vineyards in it Doct. 1. Iniquity entertained will lay most eminent and strong places desolate for Therefore wil I make Samaria as an heap of the field c. although it endured a siege for three years 2 Kings 17.5 yet this threatning takes effect at last 2. Eminency in sin causeth eminency in judgements therefore Samaria is made an heap the stones poured down c. whereas other Cities of that Kingdom were not so ruined but there are some Cities of Samaria or of the Countrey about to bee inhabited 2 Kings 17.24 when it lyeth desolate 3. Wicked men prosecuting their wicked and ambitious ends may be made use of by God in an holy manner as instruments to execute his judgments upon his backsliding people and are so to be looked on by all who would have the use of their condition therefore the Lord for his peoples instruction and direction doth own the stroak to be inflicted by the Assyrians I will make Samaria as an heap of the field c. Ver. 7. And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire and all the Idols therof will I lay desolate for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot and they shall return to the hire of an harlot Samaria is threatned with further ruine in that not only her private things but her supposed sacred things should be destroyed her graven images broken that the mettal thereof might be carried away and her gifts given to Idols as harlots do to their Paramours or her riches out of which she gave these gifts and which she accounted to be the reward of her idolatry shall either be burnt by the furious soldiers or go as they came and perish as they are purchased and so her idols should be desolate Doct. 1. As it proves the vanity of idol-gods that they are obnoxious to destruction and desolation so in dayes of vengeance Gods speciall quarrel is against them to shew their frailty and the folly of all those who cleave unto them therefore all the graven images thereof shall be beaten in pieces and all the idols thereof wil I lay desolate by with-drawing respect worship and gifts from them 2. Idolatry is in Gods account spiritual harlotry and adultery for their gifts given to idols are hires such as are given unto or by harlots as the word signifieth and their riches the hire of an harlot Idolaters break that Covenant betwixt God as their Husband and them as his Spouse and doe poure out that affection due onely to God on idols and therefore provoke him in his jealousie to punish 3. As men may through Gods permission prosper in an ill way so are they ready to sacrifice their prosperity to a wrong cause and by their prospering to harden themselves in their way for Samaria's gifts bestowed on her idols or her great riches enabling her to offer she gathered it of the hire of an harlot that is shee acknowledged not God for her riches but conceived that they came to her for her unlawfull leagues and treaties with idolaters and as a reward of her idolatry and defection from the Tribe of Judah and the worship of God and therefore persevered in it See Hos 2.5 Ier. 44.17 18. 4. Riches purchased in a wrong way or abused to confirme men in a sinfull course shall come to nought for the hire thereof shal be burnâ— with fire and they shal return to the hires of an harlot Whereby wee are not so much to understand that the Assyrian Idolaters should take the riches and gifts of Samaria and abuse them as Israel had done in putting these gifts in the Temple of their Idols and acknowledging the riches as given them by their god as that it is a proverbial speech signifying that as these riches were ill purchased by Israel so they should go as they came and do them no good but vanish for an harlot purchaseth her hire ill and ordinarily it is as ill spent Ver. 8. Therefore I will wail and howle I will go stript and naked I will make a wailing like the dragons and mourning as the owls The sentence being pronounced the Prophet proceeds to set forth the greatnesse of the judgment together with that which was to come on Judah that they may be stirred up to lay it more seriously to heart in time And first hee declares what their calamity shall be by his own sorrow for it which was extreamly bitter as of dragons and owles whose horrible howlings in desert places is made use of in Scripture to expresse the condition of men sensible of great calamities Iâ—h 30.29 Psa 102.6 and by his going naked and stript of his upper garments as a signe of totall desolation Isa 20.2 3. By all which the Lord doth not declare his allowance of any bitter carnal mourning in trouble but by the Prophets practice the Lord would teach 1. When his people provoke him he can send affliction beyond expression and such sorrows as no outward signes can sufficiently vent for this bowling wailing and going naked doth import so much in the Prophet foreseeing the storme and doth foretell that
by her sins that the Lord should lay her desolate exposed to the fury of enemies without all government protection or apparent being and he may for a season in justice so deal with her lor her walls were to be built and consequently were ruined not only as a vineyard with the hedge pulled down but a city totally desolate 3. The Lord will in due time restore and make up the ruines of his destroyed Church and people for thy walls are to be built 4. Gods time is to be patiently waited upon for restoring of his Church for there is the day for doing it which he will keep and no sooner 5. As it is one of the Churches great trials to lie under the power of oppressing tyrants and strangers who by their decrees and injunctions executed with rigour do labour to ruine her and bear down the work of God So the Lord when he hath wrought his work upon his Church by such a trial will deliver them also from that yoke and set them at liberty to serve him and enjoy tranquillity without such interruptions for in that day the decree shall be far removed This the Jews had some taste of at their return from Babylon and at some times thereafter but it shall be more accomplished at their turning to the Lord when there shall be no more decrees of captivity to follow 6. All sorts of persons of all Nations have free accesse unto the Church under the Gospel and the Lord hath undertaken to make them come for in that also he shall come even to thee from Assyria and from the fortified city and from the fortresse even to the riveâ— and from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain that is generally from all quarters of the world by sea and by land which seems to be expressed with relation to the situation of Israel the borders whereof according to Gods Charter were from toward Egypt to the river Euphrates and that which they ordinarily possessed was bounded by the east or dead sea the west or great sea and by the mountaines Lebanon and Hor on the North and other mountaines in the wildernesse toward the South See Exod. 23.31 Numb 34. Josh 1.4 and elsewhere 7. In the Church of the Gospel the Lord hath determined that the Church of the Jews or Israel shall be very eminent not only as being the mother-Church of old from whence the Gospel came to call all Nations to joyn with her but as being yet to be made so conspicuous as will invite many Nations to come in to Christ and to be made a means of their Conversion In relation to both these times it is said to the Church of the Jewes in that day he shall come even to thee c. alluding to the Proselytes coming up â—o Jerusalem of old 8. The priviledges and advantages of the Church of God being rightly seen may and will prevail even with her greatest enemies and with such as have their own good accommodations to lay down their enmity and renounce all and come and share with her for he shall come to thee from Assyria her most inveterate enemy and from the fortified cities and from the fortresse by which Egypt seems to be signified which was well fortified by Nature and Art and the Hebrew word here hath affinity with the Hebrew name of Egypt and withal Assyria and Egypt are ordinarily joyned in such promises Isa 19.23 24 25. 9 The Lords meanes for gathering and enlarging of his Church is the preaching of his Gospel whereby he leads all captive unto the obedience of Christ for so much doth the other interpretation of the decree teach us the decree shall be far removed and he shall come c. Where the Gospel may be called a decree as containing Gods eternal Purpose and Ordinance concerning the salvation of sinners published in his Name to the world for sinners to lay hold upon and the efficacy thereof depending upon Gods counsel and decree 10. The publishing and prevailing of the Gospel through the world notwithstanding all impediments and opposition is a work wherein the hand and power of God is to be seen for what is already done and to be rested upon for what is to be accomplished for it is he only who can undertake that the decree shall be far removed Vers 13. Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein for the fruit of their doings Lest the people should flatter themselves in their sins a caution is subjoyned for the right understanding of this promise shewing that before the performance thereof a desolation must be because of their sins which was accomplished first by Nebuchadnezzar and again by the Romanes Doct. 1. The promises of God ought to be warily heeded and rightly understood and applied that secure sinners suck not poison from them therefore is a caution given to be taken along Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate 2. God may carry thoughts of love to his people hid in his heart for a long time and may let out much trouble on them whom he loveth and purposeth to manifest love unto for Notwithstanding to wit that he hath a purpose to enlarge her v. 12. yet the land shall be desolate See Jer. 29 10 11. 3. The reason of the Lords striking a people toward whom he hath a purpose of love is their sin for which he will plague their contentments lay their habitation desolate and make them taste of the bitternesse of their way in departing from him that so they may be humbled and fitted for his mercy and that he may cut off wicked generations and raise up others to enjoy his mercies for The land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein for the fruit of their doings Vers 14. Feed thy people with the rod the flock of thine heritage which dwell solitarily in the wood in the midst of Carmel let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the dayes of old 15. According to the dayes of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things A third ground of encouragement is held forth in an answer to the Prophets prayer who upon the mentioning of the ensuing desolation turnes himself to God or to Christ the great Shepherd requesting that he would have a care of his scattered and desolate people in whom he had so much interest and would at last bring them to enjoy the wonted sweet fruits of his Government and feed them as flocks were fed in the fruitful pastures of Bashan and Gilead Numb 32.1 Deut. 32.14 To which answer is returned in a promise that they shall get a deliveâ—ance no lesse famous and miraculous then when they were delivered of old from Eâ—ypt This promise is both spoken of the Church and to her noâ— only because she was abundantly satisfied of the first and therefore it is spoken to her to stir heâ— up to believe the other but to shew the Lords constancy in
the waters cover the sea See Ps 126.2 4. All the glorious manifestations of God against his enemies and for his people of old were but shadowes of what he manifested and doth manifest in and by Christ in the latter dayes and any effects of these his workes which appeared among his people or the Gentiles were but a taste of what the glory of God shining in Christ and made known to the world by the Gospel should produce among Jewes and Gentiles therefore this prophecy is applyed to the dayes of the Gospel Isai 11.9 as getting then full accomplishment Ver. 15. Wo to him that giveth his neighbour drink that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken also that thou mayest looke on their nakednesse The fourth branch of the controversie if we take it properly holds forth a denunciation of vengeance to come upon them for their beastly luxury and sensuality usual in the Babylonish Court that not only in their own persons but they did draw one another to drunkenness that so they might mock at their infirmities which they could not hide in their drunkenness alluding to that of Noah Gen. 9.21 22. or that they might abuse one another in an unnatural way through their drunkenness And so it teacheth 1. When men abuse their prosperity to luxury it is an evidence of a curse upon them and it so it was with the Chaldeans Wo to him that gives his neighbour drinke c. as having no other end wherfore he troubled all the world but thus to abuse himself and others 2. Sin is come to a great height and neer a curse when men do entice draw others to the same excesse of riot with themselves for Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drinke that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken also 3. It is a beastly dispofition to take pleasure in making men abuse themselves by drink a Wo is denounced against it nor is it a mark of any true kindnesse as the prophane reckon but it is done that they may look on their nakednesse and bring it out to open view 4. Intemperance is an usher to let in any other vice for when a man is drunk discovering of or looking on nakednesse will not be accounted shameful nor unnatural filthinesse an abomination But the words may also be taken figuratively and so the scope is to taxe them for their endeavours by Politick practices and faire promises to engage their neighbours in their undertakings and that as they were drunk with ambition themselves so they filled their neighbours with the like principles drunken heaps of sharing in their victories though indeed they minded nothing less but if any inconvenience should befal their Confederates they would despise them or be ready themselves upon occasion to bring them unto slavery and to make them base Thus doth the whore make the world drunken with her Idolatrous cup Rev. 17. and thus did Nineveh entice the world with her whoredom and witchcrafts Nah. 3.4 This interpretation teacheth 1 Great men in the world are ordinarily so infatuated with their hopes and projects that like drunken men they reel cannot be sober nor ruled by sound principles for the Chaldeans are thus drunken and they make their neighbours drunken also as well as themselves 2. Carnal policy and interest is the greatest Steersman of humane affaires among men which frequently brings a curse on the users thereof for Wo to him who thus gives his neighbour drink c. 3. No true kindnesse can be expected from men who walk politickly and on interests of State pretend what they will for all that such do this way to others is that they may look on their nakednesse Ver. 16. Thou art filled with shame for glory drinke thou also and let thy foreskin be uncovered the cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned unto thee and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory Whatever way we expound the challenge the Lords judgement is very equitable that all these courses should tend rather to their ignominy then their honour and that as they had been Butlers to draw others to sensuality and to intoxicate and allure them to joyne in their oppressions of the Church and the world so the Lord should bring about the Cup of his wrath to them and make them drink of it to satiety whereby they should be as contemptible as when a drunken man is lying naked and that with his uncircumcised foreskin which was an abomination to the Church uncovered or when he is polluting all his bravery or stately house with his filthy vomite Doct. 1. The sinfnl courses which men follow to advance their greatnesse would appear most ignominious to a cleer discerner and will at last be seen to be so to the conviction of all for Thou art filled with shame for glory saith the Lord. 2. The measuring of all afflictions and judgements is in Gods hand so as none can adde to them or diminish from them nor get them shifted when God layeth them on therefore they are called a Cup which is a set measure and the Cup of the Lords right hand which is irresistibly powerful See Jer. 25.28 3. As the Lord will at last bring about the storme of vengeance upon the head of wicked men who were instruments to execute it upon others so they drinking last of the Cup and therefore nearer the dregs and having been eminently wicked and withal being oft-times without the Church as the uncircumcised and so without God their stroak shall be more eminently ignominious then any others for when the Cup of the Lords right hand is turned to them after others have drunke thereof Jer. 25.26 then they shall drinke and their foreskinnes shall be uncovered and shameful spewing shall be on their glory Ver. 17. For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee and the spoile of beasts which made them afraid because of mens blood and for the violence of the Land of the City and of all that dwell therein To cleer the equity of all these judgments the Lord subjoyns and recapitulates his controversie threatning that the Chaldeans should be overwhelmed for the violence done to the Land of Israel bordering upon Lebanon or the Temple made of the wood of Lebanon yea and for the very destruction of that forrest and spoiling and affrighting of the beasts there as they came through it and cut down the timber for the siege of Ierusalem and for their beastly and bloody violence upon the Inhabitants of city and country wherever they came especially in Judea Or it may be thus interpreted that as in the forrest of Lebanon beasts are hunted affrighted and destroyed so should they be pursued and ruined because of their horrid cruelty violence and so it is the same in substance with v. 7 8. Doct. 1. It is necessary that we study over over again the Lords controversie with impenitent sinners that we may adore his equity in punishing and tremble at
defending and excusing their sins and rejecting of threatnings should be compeseed by the approaching judgement when the Lord should make another manner of sacrifice then they dreamed of wherein themselves should be the sacrifice the Chaldeans as Priests to cut them off and slay them and as they invited friends in their sacrifices of thanksgiving to a feast and the Priests got a portion so the Lord would bring the Chaldeans to take the spoil and the beasts and fowles to feed on their carcasses as Ezek. 39.17 Rev. 19.17 Doctr. 1. The greatnesse of Gods wrath against sinne is not soon seen nor easily laid to heart by them who are most concerned therefore the Lord findes it necessary to inculcate his sentence over over again unto them 2 Howsoever men going on in sin without controll readily have low thoughts of God yet in due time he will manifest himself to be God upon them and as sinners take their time of it for walking after the imagination of their own hearts so God will take his time for putting things in order therefore is the day of vengeance called the day of the Lord wherein he will appear to be the Lord Jehovah 3. As sin never so long forborn and yet continued in will at last bring judgment neer so especially sin after reformation ripens fast for speedy judgment for after Josiah had laboured in vain among them then the day of the Lord is at hand 4. As it becomes all to tremble and adore the justice of God in his stroakes so however impenitent sinners be both proud and stout-hearted when the Word threatens yet the majesty and severity of God in punishing will dash and confound them and put them from all their boasting and strike them mute then will this be obeyed Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God 5. Such as tread under foot or despise the blood of the Covenant and those ordinances which hold it out unto us and are appointed as meanes of our partaking thereof it is righteous with God to be prodigal of their blood and deal with them as they have entertained it for in recompence of their sleighting and prophaning of sacrifices which were types to point out and lead them to the blood of Christ The Lord hath prepared a sacrifice he hath bid his guests Ver. 8. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lords sacrifice that I will punish the Princes and the Kings children and all such as are clothed with strange apparel He threatens that in this bloody approaching day he will take order with the prophane Court with the Grandees royal family and Courtiers who abounded in prodigality as was accomplished 2 Kings 25 17 18 19 20 21 Jer. 39.6 Doct. 1. When the Lord commeth to plead a controversie with a land for sin as great men are found ordinarily chief in the provocation abusing their power and being effectual by their example to draw others to sin so the Lord will not spare such but reckon with them among the first for in that day of the Lords sacrifice I will punish the Princes and the Kings children saith the Lord. 2. When men of what rank or quality soever give themselves over to prodigality and hunting of fashions in apparel as studying to make that their glory which was given at first for a badge of sin the Lord may justly reckon that among the grounds of his controversie against a land and punish because of it for the Lord will punish the Princes and the Kings children and all that are clothed with strange apparel See Isai 3. from v. 16. to the end Ver. 9. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold which fill their masters honses with violence and deceit The Lord threatens in that day to punish another sin of the Court and flowing from it to wit their oppressing of the poor by their agents and servants who with great insolency invaded the houses of other as if no door should be shut against them and came back rejoycing into their masters houses to furnish them with the goods they had purchased by fraud and violence Doctr. 1. As luxury superfluity and prodigality ordinarily exhaustoth mens estates and driveth them to evil shifts to uphold what they account their greatnesse and as great men and those employed by them think that their will should be a law and that they may take what they please without controll so the Lord will in due time appeare an avenger of all such exorbitancies for they who are clothed with strange apparrel ver 8. and their agents boldly leap on the threshold of those whom they oppresse and the Lord threatens in the same day to punish all these c. 2. As wicked inferiour officers do prove a Court to be corrupt Prov. 29.12 so the Lord in a day of anger will not only reckon with the authors of oppression but with all the insolent Ministers and Instruments thereof In the same day will I punish all those that leap on the threshold which fill their masters houses c. Ver. 10. And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish-gate and an howling from the second and a great crashing from the hills From the Court great ones he cometh to threaten the chief City that it should be taken by the Chaldeans so that from all parts of the City where the enemies entered as the fish gate in the City of David toward the west the second gate at which also the Chaldeans entered Jer. 39.3 there should be a terrible noise of enemies assailing and killing all they met with of the Inhabitants howling all which should make a great echo to resound from the hilly places of the City Doct. 1. High walls and senced Cities are no shelter to hold out divine vengeance pursuing impenitent sinners but will prove as a pound or prison wherein they shall be surrounded with judgments for here the Chaldeans fall upon them in their City on all quarters A noise from the fish-gate howling from the second c. 2. As the tumults of war are very dreadful when they meet with a guilty conscience so neglect of repentance will in due time resolve in dreadful and woful wailings under the heavy hand of God for here they are threatned with it as a dreadful judgement and fruit of their sin that there should be a cry an howling and great crashing by reason of the noise of assailing enemies and pursued sinners Ver. 11. Howle ye Inhabitants of Maktesh for all the Merchant people are cut down all they that beare silver are cut off He yet threatens further the Inhabitants of a particular part of the City to wit those who dwelt in the hollow valleys of the City betwixt the hills whereon much of it stood which places did resemble a Mortar as the word signifieth here the merchants and men abounding
shall be forsaken c. And so Moab Ammon and the rest of them when Judahs remnant shall be made up as it is v. 7. Dâ—ct 2. Such as have been long injurers of the people of God and inâ—eterate enemies to them God can when he will meet with them for these Philistines had long possessed a part of Ornaan â—nd as sacred Histories tell us were vexers of the Church on all occasions and now the Lord threatens to pay them home 3. The Lord can engage with his enemies in their full strength and by his stroak undo them and put them to all disadvantages for when he engages with the Philistines in their flourishing condition of Cities and Countrey he maketh them to be forsaken and a desolation drives them out and rooteth them up and destroyeth them that there shall be no Inhabitants 4. When God is angry no place can promise an exemption to themselves from judnements strhug Cities open Countries and lurking holes in it are all alike potent to his blow for here he threatens their Cities the Nation and the Land or Countrey 5. As there may be much wo intended and purposed against them who little apprehend it till they be made to feel it in effects so the Lords Word writing sad things against a people is the begluning of their wo however for a time they may prosper notwithstanding for Wo saith he to the Philistines now flourishing the Word of the Lord is against you It portendeth wo that God hath such a word or sentence in his own purpose against them but they were visibly under wo when it was published 6. Sin as it highly provokes God and endeavoureth to trample under foot his glory wasteth fouls and consciences so when God comes to punish for it it wili lay the most fertile populous land desolate and waste I will even destrey thee that there shall be no Inhabitant and the sea-coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepheards c 7 Places of great confluence and resort are ordinarily places of much sin which draweth down remarkable judgement Therefore this countrey is twice threatned under the name of the sea-coast not only with relation to its fertility but because much repaire of many Nations treasured up much sin as fuel to insuing wrath Ver. 7. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah they shall feed thereupon in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lye down in the evening for the Lord their God shall visit them and turne away their captivity This judgement is amplified irom an event that should follow upon iâ— to wit that the remnant of the Jewes when the Lord according to his Covenant shouln manifest his favour in returning their captivity were to possesse the land of the Philisinnes as a part of their own inheritance and as the Lords flock they were to feed and dwell there securely even in the evening when it is perillous fot flocks or persons to be abroad in a wasted countrey This was accomplished partly literally when at the return of the Jewes from Babylon they possessed these lands as stories mention beside what may farther be done when the Lord saveth all Israel and partly spiritually when the inhabitants of these places were converted to the Church and added to the Lords Israel by the Gospel as is marked Act. 8.26 40. where Azotus is the same with Ashdod Doct. 1. As Gods covenant with a people may stand firme notwithstanding many afflictions so that standing Covenant will be forth-comming for much tendernesse and restitution in due time to the afflicted confederates when others shall perish in their calamities for the Lord speaks still to captive Judah in the Covenant-stile the Lord their God and when the Philistines are gone he promiseth to Judah that the Lord their God will visit them and turne away their captivity 2. Covenant-rights and promise-rights will not faile to appear in performance though after long delayes and many disappointments for this sea coast was Judah's by right which though they were long kept out of yet at last the coast shall be for the house of Judah 3. The Lord hath reserved choice mercies for his peoples lowest estate and will do that for them then which they could not do for themselves when they were in greatest power for the remnant of the house of Judah shall possesse the coast which they could not doe when they were a flourishing kingdome and when they are but a remnant yet they feed thereupon and lie down in the evening 4. When the Lord doth afflict his Church he doth not only restore her but by some special advantage doth recompense her losse by trouble This is held out to us by the remnant of Judah their getting the land of the Philistines with their own land to make up their hard captivity 5. In all the calamities wherewith the Lord afflicts the Nations he hath a singular respect to the setting forth of his own glory by bringing advantage to the Church and Gospel by these judgements so the Lord in destroying the Philistines hath an eye to the planting of Judah there and to the spreading of the Gospel in those places Vers 8. I have heard the reproach of Moah and the revilings of the children of Ammon whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border The next that God deales with are the Moabites and Ammonites whom he conjoyneth in this threatning as being both descended of Lot and so alike near of kin to the Jews and as running both one way against the Church and being often confederate together for that end Psal 83.5 6 7 c. The ground of the Lords challenge against them is their proud contemning and reproaching of his people in the day of their affliction and their boasting to encroach upon the Churches border and to possesse their land Doct. 1. No relation will tie men who are wicked to be friends to the Church and godly but all of them though never so near wil run one way to be her enemies so did Moah and the Children of Ammon though both in kin to Juda. 2. Bitter reproaches and insolent mocking of the afflicted Church is a great addition to her trial which God will take notice of as a sufficient ground of controversie against the reproacher so it is here taken notice of as Judahs trial from them and Gods quarrel-against them I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the Children of Ammon whereby â—hey have reproached my people 3. The Lords chastising of his people in anger for their sins doth not hinder his affection to take notice of the wrongs done by wicked instruments in due time to repay them Nor do reproaches cast upon the Lords people diminish any whit his estimation of them but rather increase the expression of it I have heard the reproach saith the Lord and notwithstanding all that yea so much the more they are my people 4. Nor so much as
might feare him and receive instruction 3. Albeit God onely wise to whom all his works are known from the beginning cannot be disappointed of any expectation he hath yet this dealing with his sinfull people and the meanes he useth are such as in reason might promise and doe indeed oblige them to bring forth the fruits of repentance and reformation therefore he subjoynes to this warning from his judgements on others I said Surely thou wilt fear me thou wilt receive instruction speaking after the manner of men and shewing what his dealing did oblige to 4. True godlinesse and an evidence of true turning from Apostasie consists in an holy aw of God and fear because of our offending him or to offend him again joyned with spiritual wisdom learned from the word and from our experience of our selves and our failings or of others to carry on and feâ—d that disposition for so is their duty here described Thou wilt feare me thou wilt receive instruction 5. No stroakes on sinners ought to be a discouragement to them being penitent from comming to God or from expecting good at his hand for if they should fear him so their dwelling should not be cut off howsoever he punished them 6. Albeit true godlinesse or turning to God from sinful wayes will not exempt a people from fatherly chastisements to make them more wise and their turning yet more serious yet the penitent in these will meet with favour considering what he deserves and what such as go on in impenitency meet with for so is insinuated so their dwelling should not be cut off howsoever I punished them 7. To be delivered from going into captivity out of our own land where we should want the publick ordinances of Gods worship is a mercy which may sweeten much affliction in our own land it is a promise to the penitent Their dwelling shall not be cut off howsoever I punished them 8. Such is the madnesse of men especially where the Lord hath given them over that no example will warn them their security conceit dreaming of priviledges c. will hide all dangers from such till they light upon themselves for all these warnings wrought not they corrupted all their doings 9. The more meanes be essayed to reclaim a people without successe the worse will that people grow where meanes are not blessed they leave that curse behinde them therefore all these meanes of warnings threatnings promises and lesser stroakes being in vaine see what followeth They rose up early and corrupted all their doings they were vigilant active and earnest to goe wrong 10. It is a cleare proofe of incorrigiblenesse and a presage of certaine ruine when a people are never more mad upon sinne then when judgements are let forth for it for by this the Lord proves their incorrigiblenesse and sealeth this wo upon them that when the Nations were cut off yet They rose up early and corrupted all their doings Ver. 8. Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord untll the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdomes to poure upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie The Lord having thus accused and left the body of the Jewes under his wo he turnes now to the godly among them who could not but be affrighted with these threatnings and troubled with the thoughts of dispersion of the people therefore he propounds divers grounds of their encouragement some whereof were to be accomplished in part at their return from the captivity and all of them spiritually in the dayes of the Messiah beside what may be expected yet more fully at the conversion and saving of all Israel The first ground of encouragement is that as they had God to wait and depend upon in the time of the ensuing calamity wherein God would consume the Jewes out of his jealousie over them so there was ground of hope that the Lord having punished his Church would appear against her enemies to take the prey out of their teeth and raise up the Nations to consume them and make such havoke of them as might testifie his zeal for his people and glory which had been violated by them and therefore the godly were patiently to expect this day so much the rather as all this should tend to the advance ment of the Kingdome of Christ as is after cleared Doct. 1. The Lords just controversie against the visible Church provoking him to abandon her doth nothing diminish his affection to any godly remnant in it nor make him forget them in sad times for in the midst of all these quarrels he hath a word to them 2. God in his Church is jealous of her and of her affection toward him and for his Church against all that trouble her in both which cases his jealousie being provoked is terrible and will raise up many instruments and make a great destruction for this jealousie of God first against the Jewes which is supposed here and first in order to be understood and then against her enemies which is most expresly pointed at will arise to the prey as a roaring Lyon will assemble Nations and Kingdomes to make them scourges to the Jews and then to be plagued themselves Will pour out indignation and fierce anger and devour all the earth or Land 3. When the Lord is about to bring forth some glorious peece of his Gospel-work The Church is to expect some great shakings and vastations to make way for it for in order to what followeth in this Chapter there will be a devouring of all the earth a casting of all into the furnace that he may bâ—ing out his pure mettal 4. When it pleaseth the Lord to let judgements upon his Church arise to a captivity and a leaving of them in their enemies hand the godly are to expect a time of the trial of faith and patience before there be a change as here is insinuated that when Judah is consumed there will be need of waiting on God before a day of vengeance on enemies come about 5. Times of greatest trouble have matter of encouragement to the godly in that they have ground of present dependance on God for strength and furniture during the straite and ground of future hope that there will be an outgate and that vengeance will come on oppressors they are allowed and invited to wait on God till that other day come 6. Patience is the kindly fruit of hope and the posture wherein the godly are to expect issue and to finde present troubles easie Wait ye upon me saith the Lord till the day c. Ver. 9. For then will I turne to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent 10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia thy suppliants even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering A second
were burnt it self or that God should make the Church active to effect it as was in part accomplished when the Jewes after their captivity destroyed the Edomites as History recordeth 4. The Word of God and his Omnipotency and fidelity who speaks it is sufficient to confirm the Churches faith in the certainty of most improbable things For whatever unlikelihood be in this promise it is removed by this For the Lord hath spoken it Ver. 19. And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esan and they of the plain the Philistines and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria and Benjamin shal possess Gilead 20. And the captivity of this hoast of the children of Israel shal possesse that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephath and the captivity of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad shal possess the Cities of the South It is further promised That the Church shall not only have restitution but enlargement of their possessions enjoying all their own and possessing what had been their enemies The Jewes in the South taking in Edom with their own portion they who dwell in the plain enjoying the Philistines land as lying neerest them and all their own borders recovered not only Ephraim Samaria and Benjamin but Gilead also beyond Jordan and for further confirmation the Lord foretels that the numerous captivity of Israel should possesse their Northern border to Zarephâ—â—h or Zareptah toward Zidon 1 Kings 17.9 And that the Captives of Jerusalem and Judah in Sepharad conceived to be a place in a Chaidea should possesse their South-border Now concerning the accomplishment of this promise it cannot be said that any thing done by the Maccabees and their successors or obtained by Herod and his successors from the Romanes was the full performance these things coming far short of what is here foretold besides that the children of Israel or ten Tribes are expresly mentioned in this Prophecie Nor doth the taking the place in a spiritual sense fully exhaust the meaning there being such expresse designation of places to be possessed and of several troups of captives to possesse the several places And therefore it seems to point further at the restitution of Israel to their own land and the inlargement of their border when they shall turn to Christ in the latter dayes Rom. 11.25 26. However the Promise may teach us 1. The afflictions of the Church through Gods blessing tend to their advantage and gain For the Captivity are to get not only their own land but the mount of Esau and the Philistines and what they had not before their Captivity 2. Christ in his Church will gain ground on his enemies and possesse and reign over them either by their voluntary conversion or violent subjection and destruction For so much doth the scope of this promise being spiritually taken import 3. The priviledges of the people of God are irrevocable and immurable and will break forth in comfortable fruits after long and sad interruptions This is again signified and taught by Israels possessing the fields of Ephraim and Semaria and Benjamin with Gilead as the Original hath it of which they have been so long deprived 4. The Lord marketh every distresse and captivity of his people and what becomes of them and may manifest much of his goodness to such as he hath sore afflicted and brought down with corrections For though the Captivity was sent away with much ignominie and carried far off yet the Lord marks that they are the captivity and where they are and will restore them to their possessions and cause them to possess the gates of their enemies Ver. 21. And Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judg the Mount of Esau and the kingdom shal be the LORDS A further Promise of fit instruments to be raised up in the Church to deliver her and manage the cause of God against enemies as of old when the Lord raised up Judges to deliver Israel Whereby we are to understand not only spiritually that Christ will send to the Church his Apostles and Messengers who instrumentally save the Elect 1 Tim. 4.16 by holding forth Christ in the Word of Salvation and by their Doctrine do condemn the world but that in all Ages and especially in the Church of converted Israel God will raise up instruments of deliverance to the Church as he did also in the times betwixt the captivity and coming of Christ Doct. 1. The Church of Christ will not want fit instruments to promote her happinesse For Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion 2. The allowance of the Church of God is Salvation eternal and temporal also in so far as is fit for her to receive Therefore are the instruments sent to her called Saviours to wit in an instrumental way 3. The Doctrine of the Gospel in the mouth of Christs Servants doth reprove judge and condemne the world and all the enemies of Christ and this judgement is seconded with spiritual plagues and sometimes temporal till the day come when the World shall judge them and they receive a complete recompence according to it Thus do some of Christs instruments judge the mount of Esau 4. As the Lord is Soveraign in all the world even over his enemies So when he raiseth up instruments for the Churches good he will blesse them and by them bring his enemies to an account and execute his sentence against them For these instruments of the Churches temporal deliverance do judge the Mount of Esau when God delivers enemies into their hand as his delegates to pour his vengeance upon them The last and great promise is that God in his Christ shall have a Kingdom in his Church and among their enemies for their behoof Doct. 1. Where Christ sets up his Church there he sets up his Kingdom also and will be acknowledged as such For the Kingdom shall be his 2. No dominion or sovereignty is to be acknowledged in the true Church but Christs only he alone hath power to make Lawes binding the conscience to institute Ordinances enjoyn censures appoint Officers by his own Courts to judge his own House c. For the Kingdom shall be the Lords All other Saviours or instruments of deliverance must serve him and his Officers must content themselves with his Ministry 3. The Kingdome of Christ is matter of comfort to the true Church and godly it being sweet to live under his yoâ—k and protection for it is a promise The Kingdome shall be the Lords 4. Christ holds his kingdom by a certain and firm tenure as being made sure to him by the infallible promise of God as here is recorded in holy Scripture and upon this ground may the Church notwithstanding all opposition expect the day when the kingdomes of this world shall become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 JONAH The ARGUMENT JONAH having prophesied in Israel in or a little before the days of Jeroboam
the son of Joash 2 Kings 14.25 but with little success as may be gathered confidering the times wherein be lived is sent to preach to Nineveh the chief City of the Assyrian Empire But disobeying the command he it sharply punished by God till he was humbled for his fâ—lly And being brought to follow the second call after he had fulfilled his message God upon Nineveh's repentance spares them whereat he repining is reproved of God In sum the Prophets frailty is a preaching to all and especially to disobedient servants and the Ninevites their repentance and Gods dealing with them holds out his riches in mercy and may convince all those who are unfruitful under the plenty of preaching Albeit this be a History yet it is justly reckoned among the Prophets in respect of the Penman who was a Prophet and in respect of the chief subject of it which is a prediction of things to come And however Jonah was in some things a type of Christ Matth. 12.37 40. Yet as the confideration of that is to be remitted to its proper place so to speak of him as a type further then in what is opened by Christ is unsafe CHAP. I. THe parts of this Chapter are 1. Ionah's disobedience to the Lords call he essayed to flye to Tarshish when he should have gone to Nineveh to ver 4.2 The correction of his disobedience The Lord by a mighty storm at sea pursues him til by lot and his own confession he is found guilty and gives out his own doom which is executed by the Mariners though with much reluctancy to ver 17.3 His preservation in his correction by a fish prepared to swallow him ver 17. Ver. 1. NOw the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai saying 2. Arise go to Nineveh that great City and cry against it for their wickedness is come up before me HEre Ionah gets a commission and calling to go and preach against that great city Nineveh and stoutly accuse and threatten them for their great wickednesse which was crying unto God for vengeance Whence learn 1. The servants of God are not to be at their own disposing but to be employed in service as the Lord thinks fit for Ionah after his employments in Israel is put upon strange service of leaving his country and going to a barbarous and wicked people to carry hard tidings which might be very full of hazard in appearance 2. Great and flourishing places have ordinarily great and crying sins for The wickednesse of Nineveh that great city is come up before God 3. As abounding sin is not in a cold rife way to be spoken against but with all zeal and fervencie so the Lords servants having commission from him may and ought boldly to plead his controversie and for him against greatest persons or places For Jâ—nab is sent to cry against the great City and their wickednesse 4. Greatest sinners are ordinarily most secure and insensible Therefore also doth Nineveh whose sins are come up before God need that the Prophet should cry 5. The Lords reason for sending Jonah thither to preach was not onely to shew that God is Lord of all the earth and a punisher of sin even among Pagans or to give some essay of sending his Word unto the Gentiles but more especially 1. To leave a standing witnesse in the repentance of Nineveh against all those who obstinately contemn the Gospel as this passage is commented upon by Christ Matth. 12.41 2. To forewarne all of the removing of the Lords messengers when their message is not received Therefore was Jonah sent away from Israel which was now desperate in its backsliding see Mat. 21.43 3. To convince all that he takes no pleasure in the death of sinners Therefore though Nineveb's wickednesse is come up before God yet Jonah is sent to warn them ere the stroak come on Ver. 3. But Jonah rose up to flie unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD and went down to Joppa and he found a ship going to Tarshish so be paid the fare thereof and went down into it to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD Here we have Jonah's disobedience to this call he being surprised with the novelty of such a charge and fearing hazard or want of success or as may be gathered from Chap. 4.2 that if either on their repentance or in Gods long-suffering threatenings should not be executed he might be reputed a false Prophet and so be exposed to contempt whereof the Prophets of God had many trials in Israel it self 1 Kings 22.8 18. 2 Kings 9.11 Therefore he resolves to flee from God to Tarshish in Cilicia not that he denied his universal presence in all the world but as the original bears He fled from before the face of the Lord that is from the land where God usually manifested himselfe to the Prophets and from obeying the Lord as a rebellious servant flying from his Master in whose presence he useth to stand And this resolution he followeth and finding at Joppa a ship he sets to the journey it being safer and nearer to travel by sea then by land Doct. 1. It is an usual fault in men to examin Gods command by their owne wisdome or will and accordingly as they judge to obey or disobey for so doth Jonah here He rose up to flye c. and so do all they who look more to see a reason of Gods commands satisfactory to them then to the will of the Commander 2. Even the precious servants of the Lord have so much unmortified corruption as being left to themselves may drive them on in very high fits of disobedience For Jonah a Prophet doth avowedly resist the will of God 3. Rebellion in the children of God may not onely be a sudden tentation or a fit shortly shaken off but they may go on long in it and with great deliberation for Jonah all the while hee was going to Joppa fraughting the ship and launching out by all which the Lord tryed his abiding by it continueth in his resolution 4. Men in their rebellion are ordinarily so addicted to their own will that they are blinde and inconsiderate not pondering any inconvenience that may ensue but will hazard all rather then be crossed in their purposes This doth appear in Jonah hee who knew the Lord will disobey him and yet think to prosper hee will rather lose that great priviledge of standing before the Lord to receive prophetick revelations then want his will which is twice marked to shew his great madnesse yea hee will rather be at charges to pay the fare and hazard to Sea with Pagan men then goe among Pagans at Gods command 5. Successe in a way of rebellion against God is a snare leading on the rebell to sadder corrections Therefore Jonah found a ship ready and opportunity to launch out that he may get a sharper rod at sea where Pagans should be witnesses and not Israel Ver. 4. But the LORD sent
and it be alwayes true that sin is the root affliction springs from yet nature uses not to goe so far as to lead men to lay sin to heart in common and ordinary crosses or to look on common and ordinary sins as provocation sufficient to bring on saddest tryals for they must seek some singular cause here far lesse to look on afflictions as tryals of faith or for preventing of sin 2. Men in nature use not so much to take up and be sensible of sin from the law of God having authority in their heart as grope it in some tryal and difficulty Therefore they of whose sense of guilt we heare not before do now in their trial begin to think for whose cause this evil is 3. Prayer never so much essayed in a day of distresse will not availe till sin procuring it be searched out and taken with so much do these Pagans acknowledge while with the former meanes of prayer they set themselves to seek out the guilty and to knowe for whose cause this evill is upon them 4. Afflictions sharply pursuing may have such efficacy as to put men otherwise carelesse to it to seek out sin and not let them sleep on who gladly would and have been insensible of sin for these men are so put to it as they are willing to have the quarrel sought out and to submit themselves to a lot for that effect They said every one to his fellow Come and let us cast lots that we may know c. Afflictions will command men to turn from iniquity who would not hear such a charge in any other language Job 36.10 5. The Lords all-seeing eye perceives every secret sin and his providence over-rules most contingent and uncertain events and holily ordereth the rash actions of men so as to bring about his own purposes by them For these men acknowledg that the guilty is known though not to them and that the determination of a contingeâ—â— lot over-ruled by a Deity is a true evidence for whose cause this evil is And albeit it was a fault in them not to search every man himselfe or to consult by lots without special warrant yet God over-ruleth the lot to discover Jonah 6. The Lords controversie is sometime greater and more severely prosecuted against his own children for their miscarriages then against Pagans and gross Idolaters among whom they may be Therefore the lot guided by God fell upon Jonah signifying his rebellion to be the cause of all their danger rather then their Idolatry though openly practised in the height of their streight for 1. Rebellion is as Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 and so much the grosser as it is in a child 2. Albeit they worshipped that which was no god yet none of them had so behaved themselves toward a supposed Deity as he had done toward the true God Jer. 2.10 11. 3. God may wink at sin in Pagans but will not let his own child go on unreclaimed Amos 3.2 it being mercy to pursue them for their folly and amend them Ver. 8. Then said they unto him Tell us we pray thee for whose cause this evil is upon us What is thine Occupation and whence comest thou What is thy Country and of what people art thou The guilty man being now discovered by God is examined by the Mariners to find out the particular fact but very discreetly as supposing that possibly the sin might be somewhat whereof his Nation and people were guilty and not any particular guilt of his own And therefore concerning himselfe they enquire of his calling and journey if so be they might be unlawful and of his countrey and people if so be they were accursed Doct. 1. Men have need of full information before they give out sentence upon any for though Jonah was taken by a lot and these men not knowing him might in passion shortly have rid themselves of him who had been the occasion and cause of their trouble yet they will farther informe themselves and that very meekly tell us we pray thee c. 2. Charity even in refined nature doth not easily admit of an hard construction of any or without sure grounds Therefore they first enquire tell us for whose cause this evil is upon us as desiring to be more particularly informed and not being willing to hold him for a wicked man in his own person till they should heare further 3. As in mens callings employments country and people there is hazard of sin so by those circumstances much of mens faults may be found out Therefore is Jonah posed concerning all these For beside unlawful callings and places where it is not lawfull to haunt every particular countrey and people have their own tentations to particular sins from which sins of a generation or calling it is hard to keep free 4. Men do oftentimes following their own ends engage in courses without all consideration till a day of trouble set them to trace them back and make enquiry For these Mariners minding their own gain put none of these questions to Jonah when they tooke him aboard till the storm led them to see their folly and rashnesse 5. The Lord in pursuing for sin knowes how to order challenges so as may make sin most bitter to the guilty Therefore doth he order the Mariners moving of these questions What is thine occupation c. every one of which might be a sting to Jonah's conscience that he a Prophet should be fleeing from God coming from the holy land and the Church should be rebellious and pursued rather then Pagans that he should be on a way and not have a warrant from God for it c. Ver. 9. And he said unto them I am an Hebrew and I feare the LORD the God of heaven which hath made the sea and the dry land 10. Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him Why hast thou done this for the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD because he had told them Ionah's confession in answer to their question cleers up the matter of fact for which God was pursuing him whereat these Idolaters being dazled with the apprehension of the Majesty of God are astonished through fear admiring at and reproving his presumption Hence learn 1. God will not suffer iniquity how well soever concealed to lurk but will bring it out to light especially where he hath a purpose of mercy to the sinner Therefore is Jonah pursued till he confesse his sin even before Pagans He told them that he fled c. 2. Sin is not barely to be confessed but ought to be aggravated by every person that would be approved as sensible of it For so much doth this speech I am an Hebrew and I fear the Lord God of heaven c. implie and it was a great sin in him a member of the Church to dallie and that with such a great God 3. The true God is to be commended by all his children and set forth as they
are able before naturall men that they may have no occasion to think basely of him For so much also doth this description of God The God of heaven which hath made the sea and the dry land intimating that hee onely had raised that tempest import 4. It is a fearfull condition to be found in a way of rebellion against the great and mighty God therefore these Pagans hearing of the greatnesse of God and of Jonahs fact were exceedingly afraid and said unto him Why hast thou done this c. 5. The more men see of Gods hand in judgments especially that he is pursuing for sin they will affect the more For they who were afraid before at the tempest ver 5. now when they see God pursuing Rebellion by it are exceedingly afraid 6. The light and judgment of naturall men may be more cleer in many things then the light of a childe of God under tentation For they fear exceedingly and tremble at what Jonah hazarded upon in fleeing from the presence of the Lord Why hast thou done this c. Vers 11. Then said they unto him What shall wee doe unto thee that the Sea may be calme unto us for the sea wrought and was tempestuous 12. And he said unto them Take me up and cast me forth into the sea so shall the sea be calm unto you for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you Jonah being now found out and by his own confession convicted of guilt pronounces his own sentence against himselfe that he as the cause of all their trouble should be cast into the fea in regard that it still raged testifying that Gods anger was not appeased Doct. 1. Confessing yea and repenting for scandalous sins will not sometimes exempt from such correction as may make the guilty see more of Gods displeasure and so the desert of sin For albeit Jonah had now confessed his sin and that with remorse as may appear from the confession and that which followeth here yet the sea wrought and was tempestuous as seeking him 2. It is a kindly fruit of affliction when men are taught tendernesse and humanity and a greater subjection of spirit to follow the revealed will of God under it therefore the Mariners in this strait consult with Jonah himself What shall we do unto thee as minding in humanity and compassion to do nothing without his own consent and intending to reverence what he should say as being a Prophet of God 3. A sinner truly humbled will be sensible of the huge desert of sin and will submit and reverence the righteousnesse of God in saddest punishments Therefore Jonah counsels Take me up and cast me into the sea not out of any bitterness or hatred and wearinesse of his own life but from a Prophetick spirit knowing Gods mind and from the sense of sin acknowledging the equity of the sentence in his conscience 4. It will be most sad and bitter to an humbled sinner to be accessory by his provocation to the affliction of others and to be a drawer on of common calamities Cast me forth saith he so shall the sea be calme unto you for I know that for my sake c. Ver. 13. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land but they could not for the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them Ver. 14. Wherefore they cryed unto the LORD and said We beseech thee O LORD we beseech thee let us not perish for this mans life and lay not upon us innocent blood for thou O LORD hast done as it pleased thee 15. So they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the sea and the sea seased from her raging Jonah having pronounced sentence against himself the Mariners execute it but first out of compassion toward him they used their utmost endeavours to get to any land by rowing but to no purpose for God made the sea fight against them Therefore they pray and protest that their executing of the sentence might not be imputed to them as blood-shed he being innocent in respect of them and what they were now to do being undertaken only in obedience to Gods Soveraigne providence and will revealed by Jonah himself And on these conditions they proceed to execution upon which followeth their deliverance from their strait Doct. 1. Even humanity in natural men will be tender and compassionate towards those who are in trouble though justly procured especially if they know them to have relation to God and to be sensible of their condition Therefore albeit Jonah had been the cause of their trouble yet looking on him as a Prophet of God and pitying him when they heard his confession and sentence against himself they rowed bard to bring it to land and would trouble themselves to exempt him 2. Even refined nature hath an antipathy against blood-shed and manslaughter if in justice it could be avoided This appears in their endeavours and earnest protestations before they execute a just sentence 3. The utmost endeavours of men will not frustrate the purposes of God nor free a guilty sinner from his stroak For they rowed hard to exempt him but the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them as pursuing him and them also if they did not what God revealed to be their duty 4. God in his Sovereignty disposeth of all things at his pleasure and will This do they acknowledge and see in this sentence Thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee 5. Extremest necessities give no latitude to men to do any thing but what is warranted of God For they judg that no necessity could free them from the guilt of innocent blood in casting out Jonah but only Gods revealed will For say they as a reason Thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee 6. Men are to go about actions in obedience to the Sovereign will and pleasure of God revealed to them which otherwise their inclinations are much averse from For in obedience to the Lords will They took up Ionah and cast him forth much against their own hearts 7. As God is a severe chastiser of rebellion in his own dearest children so rebellion against him deserves that the Rebel should be cut off in a violent way and that the Lords earth or sea should not carry him For so is Ionah cast forth into the sea 8. The execution of justice upon the guilty in a society is a means of turning away judgements from the rest For Ionah being cast forth the Sea ceased from her raging See Ps 106.30 Ver. 16. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD and made vowes All those passages are amplified from an effect they had upon the Mariners who abserving all that was done and having no doubt heard Ionah preach more of God then is recorded as appears from ver 10. are moved to tremble and fear the true God and testified it by sacrificing unto him whether presently they being as yet ignorant or at
endeavour speedily to flee from the enemy but to no purpose as accordingly it was besieged by Sennacherib 2 Kings 18.14 17. and 19.8 the reason of which judgment is that they having first of any in Judah received the idolatrous worship of the ten Tribes occasioned the spreading thereof even to Jerusalem Dâ—ct 1. The Lord hath in his wisdom so ordered the writing of holy Scripture as every particular passage and book hath somewhat in it for our further information which would not be so clearly had elsewhere to the end we may be allured to study it much as here we have Lachish receiving of Idolatry first which is not mentioned in the history 2. As sin will drive men from their habitations so flight will perish from the swift when God hath judgments to bring on for bind the chariot to the swift beast implies that they should be made glad to flee from their City on any terms and that they should not be saved by flight 3. To be the first occasion and a chief stumbling-block in a Lands defection brings an exemplary judgement for Lachish is shut up in her enemies hand because she is the beginning of sin to the daughter of Sion for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee Ver. 14. Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-Gath the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the Kings of Israel Lachish's further judgment is that when they should send Presents and Gifts to some Town or Countrey called Moresheth belonging to Gath of the Philistines and so is distinguished from that Moreshah in Judah or as the word signifies to the inheritance and people of Gath for aid and assistance against the enemy they should disappoint them as the Kings of Israel were by some other Confederates This Achzib with some other cities was not at first subdued by the tribe of Asher Judg. 1.31 32. And it seemes the Kings of Israel had covenanted with them for aid against the Assyrians but were deceived as Lachish was by the Philistines Achzib is only named either because the rest dpended on it and are called the houses of Achzib or because the signification of its name which is a lye doth serve to illustrate their disappointing of their friends Doc. 1. Wicked men had rather imploy any means in their strait then seek to God and so do provoke God to disappoint them for Thou shalt send presents to Moresheth Gath to wit to no purpose 2. The Lord hath given many experiences of the vanity of all humane helps when he is angry though men will not be wise to make use of them for the disappointment of Lachish is illustrated from another which might have learned them wisdom The houses of Achzib are a lye c. 3. The vanity of all refuges when God is provoked is conspicuous to an observant eye as if it were their very name and written on their forehead The houses of Achzib which signifies a lie are a lie answerable to their name Vers 15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee O inhabitant of Mareshah he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel He threatens Mareshah in Iudah Josh 15.44 which seems to have been his own City that according to the signification of the name the Lord should bring the enemy to be their heir and possesse their goods and then summarily sets forth the extent of this stroak that it should reach to Adullam which lay Southward of Jerusalem toward the border of Judah Josh 15.21 35. That which is subjoyned The glory of Israel may be understood of Adullam that it was a strong City wherein Israel gloried or that in coming to Adullam he should come to Jerusalem which was the glory of all Israel Adullam being beyond Jerusalem to the Assyrians who came from the North or by way of Exclamation O the glory of Israel being now stained by this universal overflowing scourge which went from the North to the very South-border of Iudah Doe 1. The Messengers of God ought not to let forth the minde of God partially according as affection or interest would direct them but are to publish it freely and fully without respect to friend or foe for the Prophet spares not his own City Mareshah 2. Provocation against God makes men purchase unsure and may make their enemies their heirs for I wil bring an heir to thee O inhabitant of Mareshah 3. When God raiseth up instruments to scourge a Land for sin men are not to expect that lying afarre off and out of the way will exempt them but that God will finde out those whom hee is to chastise where-ever they be for He shall come unto Adullam which was the remotest border to the Assyrian 4. Which soever of these wayes above mentioned wee understand this glory of Israels it teacheth that albeit the visible Church enjoy the great priviledge of Gods presence in his pure Ordinances which is her glory and albeit particular places have their own excellencies whereof they glory and boast yet when God is provoked and these priviledgs abused they will not keep off corrections The glory of Israel will be come unto and laid in the dust Ver. 16. Make thee bald and poll thee for thy delicate children enlarge thy baldnesse as the eagle for they are gone into captivity from thee In the last place the greatnesse of the calamity is summarily comprehended in the mournfull face of all things and the great sorrow that shall be when it comes to passe to which the body of the people or chief and mother-cities are invited and called as it were from their vices to hearken rather to the bitternesse abiding them and to consider what ruine they cast themselves upon by sin their sorrow to come is expressed in such signes as were usuall in those times such as making themselves bald even as the Eagle when she casts her feathers and polling of their hair of which see Ezra 9.3 Job 1.20 Isa 22.12 Ezek. 27.31 and the cause of their sorrows is foretold that their pleasant children were to be carried into captivity as Ashur dealt with Israel and it seems with some of Iudah and for this they who are left are to mourn Doct. 1. It is fitting that men in a sinfull time were thinking on the bitternesse that may ensue and of the wormwood that God will poure in among their delights to marre their mirth therefore doth he call to make bald and poll that is in their sinfulnesse to be thinking of such times See Isa 10.3 2. Sin will in the end resolve in bitternesse and as calamity for sin will be grievous on the Church so sin procuring it and want of reconciliation with God under it will make it sad and intolerable This is signified by these expressions Make thy self bald poll thee in large thy baldnesse as the Eagle 3. Captivity from the place of our habitation and restraint of outward liberty is a sharp triall and matter of sorrow not onely to those who are so
his delayes in executing vengeance for sin with the severity of it when it comes therefore in opposition to their devising iniquity verse 1. that they might execute it well as they thought the Lord deviseth an evil saith he that is it shall be as sore and sharp an evil as if it had been most seriously devised and all the time of delay had been imployed for that effect 4. Sin publickly acted without controlment will bring on judgments against a whole people Therefore because oppression was committed publickly against this family do I devise an evil that is against this whole Nation Amos 3.1 2. even the notorious sins of private persons much more of publick Ministers of Justice not being punished or such sins becoming universal cannot but bring judgments upon a whole Land 5. However Oppressors may think to shift the Lords visitations yet when they come they shall seize upon them and their violence shall be met with afflictions which they cannot shake off for it is an evil from which ye shall not remove your necks 6. Albeit men also dream that if they cannot exempt themselves from judgments yet they will courageously and undauntedly bear out under them yet the Lord by his rods will make the most haughty to stoop for Neither shall ye go haughtily 7. God hath our time and the revolutions thereof so in his own power as he can thereby when he will cause the stoutest to fall before him therefore it is subjoined as a reason why they shall not walk haughtily for this time is evil God shall make the times to crush them 8. Men by their transgressions do provoke the Lord to make their time bitter and evil unto them wherein otherwise they might comfortably serve their generations for because they had oppressed c. therefore this time is evil Ver. 4. In that day shall one take up a Parable against you and lament with a doleful lamentation and say We be utterly spoiled he hath changed the portion of my people how hath he removed it from me turning away he hath divided our fields Their calamity is further set forth that it should not be ordinary but the matter of a Proverb in all mens mouths and of a bitter lamentation composed by themselves to bewaile their calamities or by their enemies counterfeiting their sorrow wherein they should bewaile their utter desolation in that the Lord had transferred the possession of the holy land which he had given as a portion to his people to their enemies and had not onely cast his people out of it but turning away in anger had given it to the enemies to divide it among them and so had put them out of hope to return to it again all which relates especially to the case of the ten Tribes whose lands were thus possessed by the Assyrians 2 Kings 17.24 Doct. 1. Sinning against God with an high hand will at last make the sinner a remarkeable spectacle of justice and will end in bitternesse and lamentation for In that day shal one take up a Parable or Proverb against you and lament with a doleful lamentation 2. The sinners desert is to be utterly ruined without hope of restitution and to be left in that condition to bewaile their want and misery for this is the sum of their lamentation that they are utterly ruined put away from their land their enemies dividing it as their owne inheritance 3. The seeing of God as a party and affliction as flowing from his anger they make the afflicted's lamentation yet more bitter for so doe they lament He hath changed and removed turning away be hath divided 4. The Lords judgements upon a sinfull people will surprize them with astonishment and be more sad then any thing they did expect or dreame of when they were wallowing in their iniquities for so much doth their admiration import How hath he removed it from me Ver. 5. Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the Congregation of the LORD Their utter desolation is here positively denounced by God in confirmation of their lamentation that being cast out of their land they should want the benefit of dividing their inheritances by lot before the LORD in his Congregation as of old Joshua had done Josh 18.4 6 10. and they used to doe on several occasions especially every Jubilee when they returned to their possession but should remaine exiled and their enemies in possession of their Country Doct. 1. It is a bitter case when an hard condition is not onely feared or apprehended by us but proves in reality as sad as we imagine For here the Lord confirms their lamentation in apprehending desolation by a positive sentence Thou shalt have none to cast a cord by lot 2. Iniquity will make a Land spue out even a confederate people and detaine them in exile destitute of their wonted priviledges This is imported in that threatning Thou shalt have none to cast a cord c. 3. The causes procuring judgements are still to be taken along in our thoughts with the judgement Therefore saith he because of these sins mentioned ver 1 2. Thou shalt have none c. This will make us justifie God in his afflicting and will set the afflicted on work by repentance to make up their outward losses in God 4. Afflictions will be so much the more bitter as the mercies of which wee are deprived by them have been given unto us by a special providence and as a signe of Gods favour for so the land from which they are to be banished is a land which they had by lot in the Congregation of the Lord that is a land divided to them by especial providence of God and wherein the Congregation of the Lord was See Ps 47.4 and 137.1 Ver. 6. Prophesie ye not say they to them that prophesie they shall not prophesie to them that they shall not take shame The second accusation is for their contempt of and opposition unto Gods Word and Messengers the sense of the words which in the original are concise and short is when the wicked heard the Prophets of God threaten sin so sharply they could not endure this sound doctrine but either would have them silent as Amos 7.10 11 12 13. or would limit them to preach onely what they pleased as their false Prophets did and so some read the words Prophesie ye not let these to wit the time-serving Prophets and such as would follow their way prophesie upon this the Lord threatens to adde this to their judgements that he will take away his Prophets and hereby give them up as dogs to whom holy things are not to be cast and prevent the shame and ignominy which his Prophets suffered at their hands as Matth. 7.6 or as the words may be read by way of interrogation If they shal not prophesie unto these shall they take no shame although they were rid of faithfull messengers to warne them yet that would not hold off jugements
promoted in the end for do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly 13. The Words saying of good is indeed a doing of good not only because comfortable messages do encourage strengthen and revive the heart but also in regard of the certaine performance of what the Word saith when it is said it may be counted done My words doe good 14. The goodnesse of God to his people may deeply convince and humble them who by sin provoke him to doe otherwise Therefore is all this set forth to be in God that their sin may be seen great which causeth such strange dealing Ver. 8. Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy yee pull off the robe with the garment from them that passe by securely as men averse from war A third accusation is for their cruel robbery whereby he also sets forth the sad fruits of their contemning the Prophets and the true cause why God by their Ministery handled them so roughly The summe of the accusation is that they whose fathers had been famous for valour in Wars and defending the countrey against a common enemy were now of late turned robbers of the innocent and as cruel enemies did take away both the upper and neather garment from those who were travelling peaceably as minding no War or did so deale with them as if they had taken them in Warre and sent them away stripped as if they had been in a battell Whence learne 1. Contempt of and opposition unto Gods Word and Messengers turnes men barbarous and inhumane without all civility and men following such courses cannot expect that the Word should speak peace to them for this is a fruit of their opposing the Prophets that they were given over to such cruelty and is the cause why hard things were prophesied 2. The degenerating of men from former good wayes and the present evils of the time are much to be observed and hammered on by the servants of God for this is the subject of his accusation that even of late or yesterday they were thus degenerated 3. As declining professours are ordinarily plagued with singular profanity so profession and priviledges will serve to aggravate the guilt thereof therefore howsoever they were onely in name the house of Jacob ver 7. yet in the challenge the Lord gives them their titles my people is risen up c. that since they would be accounted so hee would make use of it to their disadvantage who would not walke answerable to what they pretended to 4. Oppression of others and for men so to carry themselves towards friends as open and violent enemies use to do is a practise not beseeming such as call themselves the people of God for this is the challenge My people is risen up as an enemy ye pull off the robe c. Ver. 9. The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever Hee insists in the accusation and gives a further instance of their inhumanity in their carriage toward women and children whom Warrs ordinarily spare they cast women violently out of their houses where they lived pleasantly and by bringing children unto slavery and misery did for ever deprive them of that dignity allowed to them by God as his people Doct. 1. There are none of the children of men but in divine providence may meete with their own share of trials and should look for them for heare very women and children are not exempted more then men 2. However the Church and particular members thereof may deserve afflictions at the Lords hand yet these same afflictions will endeere them to him at least in so farre as to be a ground of challenge against instruments that they have medled with such wherefore what-ever these afflicted ones were otherwise yet in their trouble and in the challenge against oppressers they are the women of my people 3. God the preserver of men hath a special regard to the weaker sexe and tenderer years of persons and will aggravate injuries done to them from such considerations as here ye have cast out women and taken away glory from their children or little ones 4. Pleasures and tender usage are not to be looked upon by those who enjoy them as abiding things or a constant allowance but considering them as transient they ought to look for changes when the Lord shall be pleased to call to it for so much are we taught by the experience of these tender women cast out of their pleasant houses 5. There is an especial glory allowed by God unto his Church whereby she may be separated from all people which the Lord wil maintain her in against all who would deprive her thereof this is signified by that external glory and the priviledges conferred on Israel called my glory because allowed of him which now he challenges oppressors for depriving their children of while they were put in a condition not beseeming the free people of God From their children ye have taken away my glory See Exod. 33.16 6. Perseverance in an ill way doth exceedingly aggravate the sinfulness thereof ye have taken away glory for ever that is without giving over that wicked way or ceasing to rob 7. It may also be interpreted that by making children bondmen they aimed to deprive them of their glory perpetually and so however children might be relieved from bondage yet they are reckoned with according to their aim and the nature of their work and it teacheth whatever the Lord may do in interposing to moderate the afflictions unjustly inflicted by men yet instruments must answer to God for all that the nature of their work tended to and for all they intended in it Ver. 10. Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest because it is polluted it shall destroy you even with a sore destruction The Lords sentence and threatning for this wickednesse is that as they had cast others out of their houses so the Lord would banish them from the holy Land which was given them for a rest only on condition of Covenant-keeping and that because they had polluted the Land by sin therefore it should violently cast them out Doct. 1. It is incident to men when they have committed great wickednesse yet to promise to themselves peace by reason of some external priviledges for this charge Arise ye and depart implies that notwithstanding of sin they were not thinking of removing because there land was a rest 2. Sinne doth provoke God to turne up-side-down great priviledges which are conferred upon a visible Church on condition of her obedience yea it doth provoke him to prove himself superior of whom they hold all their enjoyments and to deprive them of rest and quiet who were restlesse in sin for whereas the Land of Canaan was given for a rest Psal 95.11 now the Lord summons them to remove and threatens it should not be arest because of their sin Arise ye and depart
great Nation and that Christ in his spiritual government shall constantly rule over them in their own land after their conversion or in the Church which was prefigured by Mount Zion Doct. 1. The Lords afflicting of his Church doth in a special manner endear her to his affection and makes that she shall not be behind when mercies are a dealing for saith he I wil assemble and gather her that I have afflicted See Jer. 31.20 2. Great afflictions are no impediments to the Churches restitution when the time of it comes when Omnipotency is imployed about it and when he in love remembers them in their low estate for such as are so crushed with trouble as they are made to halt such as are afflicted driven out and cast farre off he can and will assemble and gather them and make a remnant and strong nation of them that is he wil preserve a remnant and keepe them from total ruine in trouble and at last restore and multiply them 3. The glory of a Church restored and the height of their felicity is to have the Lord reigning and acknowledged as a King in all his prerogatives amongst them therefore it is added to their restitution And the Lord shall reigne over them in Mount Zion 4. The Churches King is not subject to mortality nor such a one as may be put from his kingdom and leave them exposed to hazard but the Lord shal reigne over them and so protect them from henceforth even for ever which also imports that he will still have subjects to reigne over Ver. 8. And thou O tower of the flock the strong hold of the daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first dominion that kingdome shal come to the daughter of Jerusalem Here the Lord makes a more particular application of his comfortable promises unto the Church of the Jewes for however the Promise be of general verity in a spiritual sense being applied to the Catholick Church that Jerusalem which is from above yet the following verses cleare that it is to be understood specially of the Church of the Jewes whom he here cals the tower of the flock or Eder of which Gen. 35.21 conceived to be a place neere or in Ierusalem and in particular that part which was after called the sheep-gate and the strong hold of the daughter of Zion or Ophel of which 2 Chron. 27.3 Neh. 3 26. The first encouragement given to them for the comfort of the godly is that not only the Kingdome of Christ should first begin at them as the History of the New Testament doth evidence but that under Christ they should be restored to their wonted dignity resembling that which they had of old enjoyed under David and Soâ—omon before their rents and calamities Doct. 1. The Lord in gathering the universal Church hath an especial regard to the Jewes his brethren this doth appear in the speciall allowance given to them in the promises concerning the Kingdome of Christ of which as the Lord gave them the first offer so from them the Apostle Rom. 11. gathers that much mercy shall yet be manifested unto them 2. The Church of God is the receptacle and fold of all his true sheep wherein they gather themselves under his government and are environed with strength for safety so much is signified to us by these names given to Zion The Tower of the flock and strong hold 3. The Lords own Application of spiritual comforts is especially requisite for his afflicted people therefore the Lord counts it not enough to have propounded ample promises in general to the Church which might answer all their cases and which they were bound to be applying but he holds it also necessary to apply these to the present Church in her need 4. The glory of Christs Kingdome is as great and greater spiritually then ever the glory of David or Solomons reigne was outwardly all the valour strength and victories of David all the riches honour and wisdom of Solomon even to admiration and all the felicity of Israel under both are but shadowes of that substance therefore is it called the first dominion that is not so much the dominion at first offered to the Jewes as a dominion like the first flourishing times of Israel 5. As Christ to fulfil the truth of God did make first offer of his Kingdome and Gospel to the Iewes so in due time he wil bring them under his dominion and spiritual Government and will restore them to their wonted dignity thereby uniting all Israel in him the seede of David as they were before the rent made by Ieroboam adorning them eminently with the spirituall excellencies and priviledges of his Kingdome if not also appearing gloriously for them in outward things for saith he Unto thee shal the first dominion come the kingdome shal come to the daughter of Ierusalem Ver. 9. Now why dost thou cry out aloud is there no King in thee is thy Counseller perished for pangs hath taken thee as a woman in travel 10. Be in pain and labour to bring forth O daughter of Zion like a woman in travel for now shalt thou go forth out of the city and thou shalt dwel in the field and thou shalt go even to Babylon there shalt thou be delivered there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies The next encouragement given to the Church of the Iewes is by shewing his mind concerning her troubles that were shortly to ensue and that he may the more effectually comfort her he very pathetically propounds her trouble as if she were now under it and shewes unto her that however in outward appearance she had cause of bitter sorrow her King and Counsellers being to perish in that calamity she being to be driven from the City and Temple which were to be destroyed to sojourn a space in the fields till the rest of the Captivity were gathered and then to be carried captive unto Babylon yet upon better consideration she might finde shee had no such cause of fainting but ought rather resolutely to provide for and couragiously to bear that trouble seeing God should be King and Counseller to her and in Babylon where she might have least hope she should find deliverance and so he clears his mind to be this that by trouble she is going on toward deliverance Doct. 1. The troubles of the Church may in their houre prove very sharp and bitter as the pangs of a woman in travel crying out aloud 2. Albeit the Church of God in her trouble seeme to have reason for excessive sorrow and bitter discouragement yet really it is not so but she hath still some reason of encouragement and ought to set about it therefore whatever her troubles were yet saith he why dost thou cry out aloud as if he had said there is no reason for such excesse in anxiety and sorrow The reasons of this principal doctrine held forth in the Text are as so many doctrines all of them
make him famous and precious as an ointment poured out to invite others to come under his yoke and it is his prerogative to have an universal Government and Kingdom over Jewes and Gentiles throughout the earth which he will still prosecute till he obtain all that is in his Charter for He shall be great to the ends of the earth imports all these See Zech. 8.23 7. The Conversion of souls unto Christ and bringing them under his yoke tends to the setting forth of the greatnesse of Christ and the conversion of many doth set out his greatnesse the more who doth draw all these doth care for them and to whose fulness they flow and depend upon and it should be the care of all who are converted in their expressions and carriage to commend and set him forth as great and superexcellent therefore is the enlargement of his Kingdome described from this effect of it He shall be great to the ends of the earth 8. Whatever is promised in the Word is to faith so certain as if it were then performed and ought to be looked on as coming speedily the Lords choosing of times and seasons for performing his promise being no delay in a believers eyes nor impediment unto his faith to feed upon it as present for this cause it is said now shall he be great Gods keeping his appointed time is great haste to the believing man Isa 60.22 and the promise apprehended by faith giveth the thing promised a present subsistence to his use and comfort Vers 5. And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land and when he shall tread in our palaces then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men 6. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our land and when he treadeth within our borders Followes some special fruits of Christs governing his Church such as peace and means sufficient not only to oppose the disturbers thereof such as the Assyrians were to Israel of old but to offend them also and so they shall be delivered However this promise spiritually considered belong to the whole Church and literally also in so far as is for her good yet it seems to have a special relation to the Church of Israel when they shall be converted and restored to their land Doct. 1. Christ is the only Author and Maintainer of the Churches Peace for this man or this one the word implying a demonstrating of him to others as one remarkable shall be the peace He pacifies Gods anger towards us establisheth our hearts in the faith thereof in him only have we true peace among our selves for luke-warmnesse breeds divisions and he it is that maketh peace in his Churches borders and creates a cloud over heâ— 2. The Church will not want enemies of her peace and such as will study to disturb it and may seem to prevail much at some times for the Assyrians or such enemies as the Assyrians were of old and the Babylonians or the land of Nimrod v. 6 shall come into our land and tread in our palaces she must resolve to have peace with continual baâ—tels 3. The Church hath her peace secured in Christ in the midst of trouble and through him will have means sufficient to oppose her enemies and maintain her peace for he shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come and there are seven shepherds and eight principal men to raise against him or a sufficient number of leaders seven being a number of perfection and eight yet more with armies to oppose him 4. It is a great blessing upon a land when the Lord furnisheth them with able men for government and rule in all exigents for that is Israels mercy to have such to employ and they are the means of their peace and safety We say they shall raise or call and send out she herds and principal men where their Princes are called shepherds with relation to the people as a flock 5. The enemies of the Church do oppose her alwayes to their own great disadvantage in the end for the Church shall not only defend themselves but they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof or their borders or with their own swords Babylon is here called the land of Nimrod because he founded that Kingdome Gen. 10.9 10 11. and was a great oppressor as his successors were 6. The inconveniencies which the Church sustains by her troubles do not prove so great as they may seem to be for however he tread in our palaces ver 5. yet ver 6. it is but treading within our land and borders See 2 Cor 4. 8 9. and 6.9 7. As the Church is sure to be delivered from her enemies so the glory of all heâ— enterprises and victories by them are to be ascribed to Christ only whatever be the part of instruments in bringing them about therefore albeit they raise up shepherds c. ver 5. yet ver 6. Thus shall he deliver us Ver. 7. And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD as the showres upon the grasse that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men The similitude of Dew made use of here leads us to a two-fold interpretation of this passage 1. That the Lords blessing of the rest given by these deliverances to the Church of Israel shall make her to multiply and flourish marvellously as the dew and rain fals down in great abundance suddenly and unexpectedly without humane industry and thus the similitude is used 2 Sam. 17.12 Psal 110.3 2. That the Church of Israel shall not only flourish themselves but be instruments of the flourishing and increase of the Church among the Nations as the Lord is the principal refresher and fructifier of his Church and therefore his operations are compared to dew and raine Hos 14.5 Psal 72.6 So they shall be instrumentally as dew and raine to many Nations that is being furnished with the Spirit from above and with refreshing doctrine they shall water them therewith as dew and raine doth the ground and so conquer them to the Kingdom of Christ and be instruments of their fruitfulnesse and blessings to them Both these interpretations agree in one to hold forth the miraculous increase of the Church either of Israel her self or of the Gentiles also by her means as another fruit of the government of Christ over them and may safely be taken both in here From the first interpretation Learn 1. That afflictions may make many sad and sore breaches on a Church before they recover out of them for they are now brought to the remnant of Jacob. 2. The Lord can easily when he pleaseth restore his broken people and make them increase as admirably and incredibly as
their decay was singular and wil so do when they return to him for the remnant shall be as a dew c. 3. The Lords singular dispensations towards his afflicted people will make them admirable and remarkable to all people and above them for they shall be as dew in the midst of many people imports that they should be conspicuous and exalted above all the people about thereby See Deut. 33.29 4. Rest and deliverance from troubles is then a blessing to the Church when it is followed with fruitfulness and increase of the Church for so this promise is subjoyned to that ver 5 6. as a compleating thereof See Act 9.31 From the second interpretation Learn 1. The Church of God is a blessing to the world if they forsake not their own mercy partly in that she is a means of bringing blessings on every place where she gets shelter and protection and partly in that she is by her Ministery a means of mens conversion begetting still more and more to Christ for which there is a promise here She shall be in the midst of many people as dew c. See Isa 19.24 2. The greatest good that can be done unto the world is to be a means of their conversion and of bringing down spiritual blessings upon it for so is here implied that the Church shall be as dew and rain upon them which are choicest blessings 3. All the spiritual felicity of a people and the efficacy of the means bringing it about is of God and from above for it is as the dew and showres that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men that is that depends not on humane industry See 1 Cor. 3.6 4. The means of Conversion especially the Word preached and accompanied with the power of the Spirit which God hath placed in his Church are as dew and showres 1. Because as dew is the presage of a fair day so these means do flow from the favour of God toward the Elect and are an evidence thereof 2. As dew and small rain are but small things and yet have great effects so is it also with the Word Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.21 3 Dew and raine cannot be hindered by men no more doth the power of the Word depend on mens consent 4 Dew and rain makes fruitful so is every true Convert made by the Word and Spirit Doct. 5. A converted person or people joyning themselves to the true Church come under a sweet yoke and under the drop of many blessings for so doth the similitude also teach that as their conversion is by this dew so being converted they shall constantly enjoy thereof and their fleece shall be wet with his dew when other places are dry 6 Israel being converted to Christ shall be the means of blessings and of much conversion to the Lord among the Gentiles for it is the remnant of Jacob that shall be in the midst of many people as dew c. Verse 8. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forrest as a young lion among the flocks of sheep who if he go through bâ—th treadeth down and teareth in pieces and none can deliver 9. Thine hand shall be lift up upon thine adversaries and all thine enemies shall be cut off Another fruit of the government of Christ over Israel and a fruit of their deliverance ver 5 6. is that all their neighbour-enemies who are not brought in they shall be dreadful to them as a Lion is to other wilde beasts who tears his prey and none dare interpose This being spoken of the Church in borrowed termes v. 8. is again spoken to her in plain language v. 9. for her greater encouragement wherein she is assured that she shall be above all her enemies and that they shall be so far crushed at least as they shall not dare to professe their enmity Doct. 1. The Church in her most thriving times will not yet want enemies nor will she be as dew and a savour of life to all for so is here imported 2. There is as great oddes betwixt the Church of God when he is pleased to arm her with his strength and all her enemies how potent soever as is betwixt a Lion â— beast not so big as many others yet God hath imprinted some stamp of Majesty upon it and other beasts or weak sheep whom he easily and without resistance destroyeth for so much doth this comparison teach us 3. The Lord requires that his Churches heart be setled in the confidence of his giving her victory in due time over enemies so much the rather as it is hard to get it believed for this repetition of the promise ver 9. doth teach the difficulty of believing it and his will notwithstanding that she should be established 4. The Church of God needs expect no lesse then that in due time even all her enemies shall be cut off and so may be assured of compleat victory and converted Israel shall get a special proof of this within time in being above her adversaries and their enmity against her crushed Thine hand shall be lift up upon thine adversaries and all thine enemies shall be cut off Verse 10. And it shall come to passe in that day saith the LORD that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee and I will destroy thy charets 11. And I will cut off the cities of thy land and throw down all thy strong holds 12. And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand and thou shalt have no more soothsayers Ver. 13. Thy graven images also will I cut off and thy standing images out of the midst of thee and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands Ver. 14. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee so will I destroy thy cities 15. And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen such as they have not heard A further fruit of Christs Government in his purging his Church from these evils whereby they were corrupted of old shewing the posture and condition wherein he will put them to fit them for these deliverances and victories He forâ—â—els 1. The taking away of all their humane confidences such as horses chariots cities and strong holds wherein they confided of old and despised his threatenings 2. The cutting off of devillish arts and idolatrous confidences such as witchcraft divinations idols and groves for worship which were much used in Israel of old these were all to be destroyed and purged away by judgements to come on Judah and Israel shortly after this prophecie and in the time of their restitution it is promised here that Israel shall be a people stript of all confidences that they may depend on God and a people worshipping the true God only in a pure way and being put in that condition he promiseth remarkable victories over the heathen their enemies Doct.
which he proves by purging himself of any wrong done to them shewing that they had nothing to say against his dispensation toward them and nothing to lay to his charge wherefore they should have forsaken him charging their consciences that as he had called the mountaines to witnesse against them so they would declare if they had any injury on his part to complain of and would bring out any thing they had to say to clear themselves of that crime of ingratitude Dect 1. It is the Lords love to his people that maketh him challenge them for forsaking him and this should make the challenge affect their hearts and will aggravate their guilt if it do not So much doth this stile O my people prefixed to the challenge teach us 2. The Church of God by her backsliding doth raise an evil report on God as if he dealt not well with his people and as if he were not easie to serve for his enquiring what have I done unto thee wherein have I wearied thee imports that their backsliding said in effect he had done them injury and wearied them with rigorous service 3. However our corruptions do snuffe and weary in Gods service as Mal. 1.13 yet there can be no true cause shewed why any should choose to forsake God but rather should cleave unto him seeing his commands are not grievous his yoke easie trials sent by him not above measure punishments not above deserving and a Mediator ready to undertake for his people in all exigents Therefore the Lord will have it disputed and will have the consciences of backsliders to clear him wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me See Jer. 2.5 3. 4. To forsake the Lord without cause and when men have nothing to lay to his charge wherefore they do it is great ingratitude for this is the scope of the challenge that fince they could lay nothing to his charge and yet turned away from him they could not shun the crime of ingratitude Vers 4. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam A further proof of his challenge for their ingratitude is taken from his mercies towards them whereby he further vindicates himself and proves that they were so far from having any harsh usage to lay to his charge wherefore they did forsake him that on the contrary he had manifested many rare and singular favours toward them which did aggravate their fault This proof he cleares from several instances The first instance is his redeeming them from Egypt and that when Egypt dealt most hardly with them and had made them bond-men although the Egyptians themselves ought rather to have been slaves as coming of cursed Cham Gen. 9.25 A second instance is taken from his conducting them through the wildernesse giving unto them a well-setled government and faithful Governours such as Moses in the State to give laws from Gods mouth and to conduct the people Aaron to be Priest and Meriam their sister to instruct the women in that extraordinary time Exod. 15.20 Doct. 1. Mercies received do contribute much to aggravate the defection of a people so much doth this instancing of mercies in a time of defection teach See 1 Sam. 15.17 c. 2. Our delivery from bondage spiritual or temporal inward or outward that we may serve the Lord ought to be an eternal bond upon the delivered to be for God therefore their bringing out of the land of Egypt a shadow of spiritual deliverance by Jesus Christ wherein God had manifested himself gloriously is brought to remembrance though past and done long ago as yet obliging if it were well considered I brought them up out of the land of Egypt c. 3. The Lords conducting and guiding of his people in this world under a sweet and orderly government and honest governours in Church and State working to others hands for advancing Gods honour and the good of a people is a singular and obliging mercy though the people enjoying it were otherwise in a wildernesse for it aggravates their ingratitude that he sent before them Moses who received Gods minde in Lawes to them Psal 103.7 who was singularly meek Numb 12.3 and vehement in his affection to that people Exodus 32.31 c. Numb 14.13 Aaron who was the Saint of the Lord Psal 106.16 and Miriam though a weak woman and extraordinarily employed and not to be imitated in ordinary yet the sense of the mercy should not have died with her Verse 5. O my people remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Bâ—â—r answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the righteousnesse of the LORD A third instance of mercy is taken from a particular passage of his goodnesse in the wildernesse turning Balaks intended curse into a blessing and causing Balaam against his own inclination to blesse the people and publish Gods good will toward them See Numb 22.5 and 23.7 and 24.1 14. Deut. 23.4 5. This instance is yet further enlarged that when Balaam had counselled Balak to tempt Israel to whoredom and idolatry at Shittim that so God might turn their party Rev. 2.14 Num. 25.1 yet the Lord spared them and justly brought Balaam to a violent death Josh 13.22 Numb 31.8 He gave them victories over Og and Sihon Numb 21. he brought them unto the promised land and in Gilgal renewed the Covenant by circumcision and the Passeover Josh 3.1 and 5.2 c. By all which they might be sufficiently convinced of his fidelity in keeping promise in every thing Doct. 1. Forgetfulnesse of mercies is the cause why they take so little effect and produce so small fruit Therefore he calls them to remember now 2. The Lord in assuring his people that he takes pleasure in their prosperity is pleased so far to condescend to our capacity as to expresse himself as one whose heart warmed at the remembrance of wonted familiarity and consequently would be content to have it renewed therefore upon rehearsal of this benefit he repeats again O my people as if his affection were kindled and revived by the rehearsal See Jer. 2.2 much more should it so work upon us 3. As the Lord hath the power of cursing and blessing in his own hand however men be disposed so doth he turn intended curses against his people into blessings he can when he will protect them against the fraud as well as the violence of enemies yea and make their very enemies befriend them for so much doth that history of Balaam and Balak here pointed at teach us 4. The Lords sparing mercies his goodnesse striving with his peoples wickednesse and his keeping and renewing of a Covenant when their sins deserve that it should he broken and his just judgements upon their violent and fraudulent enemies ought to convince and engage his peoples hearts much to him therefore ought they to remember for their
this sentence the Lord propounds all the vaine confidences of Nineveh and the Assyrians and declareth that they should not be able to deliver them from his hand Her first vain confidence is her strong holds which he threatens shall be as easily taken by the enemy as ripe figs fall from the fig-tree when it is shaken into the shakers mouth that is to say they shall be rendered up at the very first assault Whence learn 1. Men in a wicked way are ready to delude themselves with many vain thoughts of safety Therefore is all this pains taken to refute the vain imaginations of Nineveh 2. Strong holds are too weak fortifications to hold out Gods controversie against sin for as the sins of the owners ripen them for ruine and as they are much desired by enemies so will they be easily taken so doth this similitude teach us Vers 13. Behold thy people in the midst of thee are women the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies the fire shall devoure thy bars Her second vain confidence is her formerly valiant men concerning whom the Lord declares that though they were enclosed in fortified cities and strong holds which may make cowardâ— stout and in their own cities and countrey which they ought resolutely to defend yet they should prove timorous and faint-hearted like women and so should yield up what they ought to defend See Jer. 50.37 and 51.30 Doct. 1. Men will prove no longer stout then the Lord is with them in mercy or by them is doing some work in the earth for the lion-like Assyrians shap 2.11 are now to admiration become feeble Behold faith he thy people are women 2. No outward encouragement or consideration will put courage into such as God hath madâ— faint for thy people even in the midst of thee are women A third vain confidence the vanity wherof dependeth upon the former is their frontier garrisons which they no doubt observing that others had been destroyed by themselves through improvidence that way had fortified as the gates of their land and as bars to hinder the enemies progresse into the countrey concerning these the Lord threatens that through the cowardise of their souldiers they should be set open to the enemies as if fire had burnt them up It teacheth that no politick courses of men learning wisdom from the folly of others or fortifying themselves where others through weaknesse have been overcome is sufficient to secure a people from Gods vengeance The gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies the fire shall devoure thy bars Vers 14 Draw the waters for the siege fortifie thy strong holds go into clay and tread the morter make strong the brick-kill 15. There shall the fire devoure thee the sword shall cut thee off it shall eat thee up like the canker-worm make thy self many as the canker-worm make thy self many as the locust 16. Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the starres of heaven the canker-worm spoileth and floeth away The vanity of all the former confidences is yet further held forth in an holy mocking of all their preparations which should not avail for albeit they should use never so much diligence to defend their cities and for that end should draw water and diligently repair their strong holds with brick under which other things needful for enduring a siege are to be comprehended yet in their greatest strength the sword should destroy them and the judgement of God consume them like fire and as canker-wormes eat all green fruits and albeit both the King and the City Nineveh for the Original seemeth to direct the speech to both should multiplie armies both of their own people who were most part merchants and of their confederaâ—â— who traffiâ—ked with them and that in as great numbers as if they were swarmes of locusts or canker-wormes or as the starres of heaven yet thereby should they not be delivered but as the canker-worm having spoiled all that there is nothing to eat doth then flee away so their souldiers consederates and their own merchants should desert them when there should be no commodity to be had by them and should waste and take from them but do them no good Doct. 1. The Lords power is so far above mans that he will so to say defie man to avert his judgments by his endeavours for here he bids Nineveh do her best draw the waters for the siege c. and make thy self many as the canker-worm c. 2. Presumption may continue with carnal men even till their ruine for Nineveh is preparing for the siege and gathering men when she is to be destroyed not but that it is lawful to use lawful means to prevent destruction when it is threatened but her sin was to confide in these means without looking to God or his controversie 3. Stroaks from the Lord may readily light on men where they think themselves most secure for there that is in thy strong holds fortified and manned by thee shall the fire devoure thee the sword shall cut thee off 4. Wrath from the Lord is a sore party to deal with as destroying totally without mercy for the wrath of God against Assyria executed by the Caldeans devoureth as fire and eats up like the canker-worm 5. Multitudes of men will not aveil nor help in the day of the Lords vengeance yea such helpers may hurt when God is angry for however she make her self many and multiply merthants above the starres of heaven yet the canker-worm spoileth and fleeth away and so do they 6. As men usually respect one another or publick interests not sincerely but for their own ends so do they desert what they seemed to affect according as the wheel of prosperity turns about for their merchants as the canker-worm do spoil and when there is nothing left to spoile or reap benefit by then they flee away Ver. 17. Thy crowned are as the locusts and thy captains as the great grashoppers which campe in the hedges in the cold day but when the Sun ariseth they flee away and their place is not known where they are 18. Thy shepberds slumber O King of Assyria thy Nobles shall dwell in the dust thy people is scattered upon the mountaines and no man gathereth them A fourth vain confidence is their great men their counsellors and valourous commanders concerning whom the Lord threatens that some of them being only for eating and idle effeminate wasters as locusts and grashoppers are and having made a shelter of Assyria for their own advantage shall whenever a storm appears not only be easily terrified but seeing some sun-shine of a deliverance and that they may live without Assyria's favour they shall quite desert them and run away And this seems to be spoken of their tributary Kings and Princes or hired officers he threatens also that others of them which agreeeth most properly to their own Counsellors Princes and Commanders should become stupid base and carelesse
Admirers of the hand of God against her both these are held forth in that Preface Behold ye among the Heathen and regard and wonder marvellously for I will work a work c. as hath been before explained 4. It is usual that when judgement cometh upon an impenitent people they attain not to any right use of it but are surprised with admiration and astonishment under it for so is fore prophesied even of the Jewes that they shall behold and regard and wonder marvellously at their own calamity and go no further 5. This stupid disposition as it flowes from former contempt of Gods Word which hath so stupified them as judgements cannot pierce so it will prove fruitlesse and doth portend the further ruine of such as continue in it so the Apostle citing this place Acts 13.41 makes clear that they are despisers who wonder as is also clear from v. 4. and that they wonder and perish or vanish that is as their admiration and astonishment usually vanisheth and cometh to nothing without any fruit so such a disposition portends ruine and such a stroak will undo a people they not being able to endure and bear out under both the stroak and fearful astonishment accompanying it 6. As the Lords judgements upon the Church may be far beyond the expectation of the Heathen and her very enemies Lam. 4.12 so it is just with God that those who doting on their priviledges do contemn the Word should meet with unexpected and incredible judgements for so saith he to these prophane Jews I will work a work which ye will not belive though it be told you 7. Divine indignation against sin is more terrible and will appear more sad when it is inflicted then secure sinners do ordinarily imagine so much also is intimated in that this work will be above belief Ye will not believe though it be told you See Psal 90.11 8. The contempt of the Gospel and the rejection of Christ offered unto lost man is the height of iniquity and draws on all the judgements that at any time have been threatened against any sin therefore the Apostle Acts 13.41 denounceth the same judgement here threatened for contempt of the law and sins against the second Table to come upon the Jews who opposed the Gospel and rejected the Messiah as being then fully accomplished when wrath came upon them to the uttermost for casting off of Christ Ver. 6. For lo I raise up the Caldeans that bitter and hasty Nation which shall march through the breadth of the land to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs The Prophet subjoynes a particular description of this calamity in describing the instruments of it the Caldeans under Nebuchadnezzar their King whose disposition furniture and proceedings are so exactly set down as may confirme the truth of the prediction may set forth the justice of God in repaying the Jewes in their own coine may be terrible to the stout-hearted among them and may confirme the godlies hope of a deliverance from the way of the Caldeans their managing that work This description is contained in several particulars the first is that they are a Nation of a bitter cruel fierce and active temper who therefore to satisfie their ambitious covetousnesse should speedily and without fear over-spread the land of Judea not only to over-run it but to make a Conquest thereof for themselves Doct. 1. When God hath a controversie against a people he will not want instruments by whom he may prosecute it or he can fetch the Caldeans from afar who being already satiated with victories and conquests needed not otherwise much to have minded so remote a corner as Judah 2. Instruments of vengeance upon the Church would be looked upon as imployed by God and therefore the Churches eyes would be more on God then on them for Lo I raise up the Caldeans saith the Lord. 3. It is usual for the Lord to give up troublers and oppressors of the world to meddle also with his Church that it may hasten their ruine however the Church be sinfull therefore the Church is to be chastised by the Caldeans who were the hammer of the whole earth Jer. 50.23 that this might hasten the filling of their cup. 4. The Lord can make holy use even of the sins of creatures imployed for executing of his judgements for He raiseth up the Caldeans that bitter and hastie Nation and makes use of this their temper without any imputation to his holinesse 5. When the Lord armes any instruments with vengeance against a sinfull people they will not want dispositions and successe for attaining his end for if God raise up the Caldeans against the Church then they are not only bitter and fierce but a hastie or active Nation and will march through the breadth of the land without opposition or fear and will not only overcome but so carrie all before them as they may possesse the dwellings that are not theirs without molestation 6. The Lord in executing vengeance doth righteously proportion mens sins and his judgements and pay home transgressors in their own coine therefore the Jews who had been cruel meet now with bitter adversaries and they who had used spoiling and violence towards others v. 2. are now over-run and cast out of their own possessions The like also may be read in the following purpose 7. However men account it purchase good enough when they are able by power to overturne others and sit down in their room yet the Lord doth not so reckon but will put a difference betwixt mens power or possession and their right for albeit the Caldeans conquered Judah yet in the Lords account They possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs Verse 7. They are terrible and dreadfull their judgement and dignity shall proceed of themselves The Caldeans imployed in this work are yet further described that being armed with divine vengeance emboldened with former victories and exercising the same cruelly they should fill the land with terrour and dread of them which they should also tyrannically improve and be their own carvers in all matters of advantage and honour standing to no law either of Nature or Nations in their dealing with a terrified and subdued people but meerly following their own will armed with power Doct. 1. Divine indignation pursuing sinners will take away their heart and courage in a strait and make their enemies terrible to them for so are the Caldeans to the sinfull Jewes terrible and dreadfull 2. When a people do not stand in awe of God speaking from his Word to them he doth righteously send judgements upon them which will cause their hearts to faint for the Caldeans are terrible and dreadfull to these wicked Jews who sleighted the Law God Almighty speaking in it v. 4 3. It is a great height of impiety before the Lord when besides the unlawfullnesse of a war in general and many particular acts of injustice in the heat of hostility a Conquerour even in
cold blood hath no respect to right or wrong whereas the fear of God should be a law to men had they never so much power Therefore it is the Caldeans sinne that their judgement and dignity shall proceed of themselves 4. It is righteous with God to punish corruption in Judicatories and perverting of justice and wilfull stubbornnesse in sin with unjust oppression from enemies and to send a Conquerours sword to give laws to such as have perverted justice for because the law is slacked and judgement doth never go forth c. ver 4. therefore he sends the Caldeans whose judgement and dignity shall proceed of themselves Ver. 8. Their horses also are swifter then the leopards and are more fierce then the ravening wolves and their horsemen shall spread themselves and their horsemen shall come from farre they shall flie as the Eagle that hasteth to eate It is thirdly declared in this description that the Caldeans shall not want meanes wherewith to prosecute their designes and enterprizes which is instanced in their horses who are swifter then fierce leopards and more fierce or sharp to go whither they are employed and tread down opposition then wolves that are hungry through fasting all the day and therefore run suriously to their prey at night so that their fierce riders may easily and in a short time be in every part of the land being also many of them to over-spread the land and though the Caldeans be farre off yet their swift horses shall speedily bring them to Judea and bring them as swiftly upon their desired prey as an Eagle flieth to the carcase See Jer. 4.13 and 48.40 Doct. 1. The Lords hand would be remarked in furnishing the enemies of his sinful people with all necessaries for carrying on their enterprizes for therefore are the number and swiftnesse of the Caldeans horses to carry them so long a journey and make such speedy execution recorded Their horses also are swifter then the leopards c. 2. The fiercenesse of divine anger against sinne may be read in the celerity and activity of instruments executing the same therefore are the Caldeans described as speedily spreading themselves in all places as coming from far and flying as the Eagle to get prey as if divine displeasure furnished them with wings and could forbear no longer 3. It is in vain for impenitent sinners to lean upon any apparent ground of security or confidence when God ariseth to plead with them for Their horsemen came from far they spread themselves and flie as the Eagle that hasteth to eat shewing that distance of place betwixt the enemie and them or having of their goods and themselves out of the way should not availe them Vers 9. The shall come all for violence their faces shall sup up as the East-winde and they shall gather the captivity as the sand It is fourthly declared that the enemie shall be so confident that they shall not much minde fighting in this expedition but only to spoile and prey on a base people wherein they shall not be disappointed for their very coming and presence shall overwhelme and blast all like an East-winde which was violent in these countreys Isai 27.8 Jon. 4.8 and they shall not only destroy peoples substance but shall lead innumerable people into captivity Doct. 1. As it is righteous with God to repay violence with violence so it is a very great sinne to engage in war whereby men and countreys are destroyed without a just quarrel but meerly for the satisfaction of mens lusts therefore do they come all for violence in Gods righteousnesse to punish the oppressing Jewes and yet they sinned in their quarrel and way as minding only to runne them down and to satiate themselves 2. The Lord seeth it fit sometimes to wink at the sinnes of evil men and let them have successe in their evil cause when he hath his Church to punish by them therefore albeit the Caldeans be both insatiable and presumptuous in that they come all for violence yet it succeeds with them their faces or presence sups up as the East-winde raising a tempest and carrying all before it and they gather captivity as the sand 3. The Lords justice is to be seen and adored in the ignominious stroaks which he inflicts upon his incorrigible people for so doth this stroak by the Caldeans import that they should come against Judah not as a people to be fought with but preyed upon and that at their coming or face they should destroy all and gather captives possibly more then themselves are so base are Gods people when he deserts them for their sinne though invincible while he is with them 4. It may be the lot of the Lords Church not only to suffer the calamities and desolation of warre but to lose her liberty which she so much abused and to be carried into captivity and bondage for the Caldeans faces shall sup up as the East-winde and they shall gather captivity as the sand See Deut. 28.47 48. 5. The consideration of the cruelty of men and of the calamities that attend warre and conquests ought to invite sinners not to provoke God to give them up thereunto ought to terrifie such as fear not the threatenings of the Word and ought to point out unto those who are under such a lot the bitternesse of departing from God for for these ends are the Caldeans cruel deportments recorded both for the use of the Jewes while they yet continued in their present condition and with reference to their case when the threatening should be accomplished Ver. 10. And they shall scoffe at the Kings and the Princes shall be a scorne unto them they shall deride every strong hold for they shall heap dust and take it It is yet further declared that no opposition shall hinder them from effecting what the Lord had threatened should be done by them they shall sleight and contemne all the power authority and opposition of the Jewish King and Princes or any of their Confederates and having conquered them shall use them ignominiously as was accomplished 2 Kings 25.7 19 20 21. and they shall easily take in their strong holds by raising up mounts against them In the Original this is spoken in the singular number of the Caldeans pointing at their King who was chief and head in this enterprize Doct. 1. All opposition against God pursuing for sinne will prove vain were it Kings Princes or strong holds as here we see 2. It is not an easie thing to put men from their carnal confidences that they may humble themselves before the Lord for all these things did the Jewes oppose to the threatening to keep themselves from being affrighted and all these doth the Lord declare to be empty that they may stoop 3. It is just with God to expose the greatest of men to contempt and ignominious usage when they provoke him and do not employ their power and authority for him for the Caldeans in executing Gods controversie
most part in general denunciation of Gods vengeance upon gross and impenitent sinners such as the Chaldeans were wherein the Lord threatneth wrath and sad judgments to come upon them for the grosse abominations such as ambition covetousnesse oppression sensuality carnal policie idolatry c. which abounded amongst them This controversie the Lord layeth out in several branches sometimes repeating the same things in substance and amplifying them from several considerations to the end there may be a more distinct clear sight of the sinfulnesse of their sin of the vanity of the pretences they founded their courses on and of the equity of God judgments subjoyned to every branch The first branch of the controversie is that the Chaldeans and in special their King being given to sensuality and ambition or drunk with pride and ambition as with wine was insatiable in his Conquests like death and hell or the grave of which Pro. 30.15.16 Isa 5.14 and not being content with his own portion did labour to adde one Kingdom after another to his dominions Doct. 1. As the godlies honest wrestling through an evil time by faith is an evidence that God wil reckon with their oppressors so the Lords reproving and punishing the Apostasie of any within the Church may assure men that he will not spare wicked enemies for this is subjoyned to what was said ver 4. with a Yea also or How much more importing that when he made the just to live by faith he would also reckon with the Chaldeans and if he discovered and punished the listed up soul how much more the Chaldeans See Jer. 25.29 1 Pet. 4.17 18 2. The most part of unrenewed great mens actions and enterprises are consecrated to the service of their vile lusts For Because he transgresseth by wine and is proud he keeps not at home his great enterprises are undertaken to satisfie sensuality and ambition 3. Men once inslaved to the service of their lusts do become brutish and in a manner renounce their very reason for so may the words also be read The proud man transgresseth as through wine he is drunk with ambition as with wine which depriveth men of the use of sense and reason 4. It is a sin flowing from ambition a violence offered to nature which is content with little when men cannot acquisce in their lot and portion assigned them by God especially when it is competent but doe by all means hunt after more for it was the Chaldeans sin and ambition that having a Kingdom yet he keeps not at home 5. It is the Lords judgement upon ambitious men that the more they go beyond bounds to satisfie their lusts they become the more insatiable the more they drink they are the more thirsty for such an one enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathereth unto him all Nations and heapeth to him all people Vers 6. Shall not all these take up a parable against him and a taunting Proverb against him and say Wo to him that encreaseth that which is not his how long and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay The Lord threateneth that because of these their sins his judgments should make them contemptible and matter of derision insomuch that even those whom they had oppressed should insult over them and mock them and declare them accursed in their unlawful Conquests which however they had groaned under them could not endure long and in their overcharging and burdening themselves with the dross of this world Doct. 1. Even the consciences of wicked men if they were awake or suffered to speak would give out doom and sentence upon them and subscribe to the righteousnesse of Gods judgements for here he appeals to themselves Shall not all these take up a parable c. So also v. 7.2 When men sinfully endeavour to satisfie their pride and ambition it is rightâ—ous with God to make them most contemptible and ignominious for the proud man v. 5 meets with a parable and taunting proverb or becomes a matter of publick derision 3. However the oppressed and subdued may seem to be far behinde with Conquerors and Oppressors yet the Lord will in due time cleare that there is but little cause for such an apprehension and greatest oppressors wil meet with their own stroak wherein the lowest may insult over them and they shall be rather the object of pitty then of envy or on whom any would wish more cruelty for All these to wit the nations subdued by him v. 5. even all of them and those who were sorest smitten shall take up a parable against him and a taunting proverb against him and say Wo to him See Isa 14.4 12. 4. As unjust Conquest gives a man no right to his Purchase so it brings on Gods curse and at last makes the Purchaser an object of derision Wo here may be taken both for an insulting expression a declaration of a curse upon him Wo to him or Wo he by way of triumphing over him and laughing at him that encreaseth that which is not his 5. Though the oppressed ordinarily groan under the oppressor and wish his end admiring at Gods patience toward him yet it may be concluded that oppression shall not continue so long as either the oppressed or oppressor might expect and that disappointment of the oppressors hopes of continuance in his way shal be matter of derision for all this is imported in that part of the proverb How long 6. Albeit oppressors promise to themselves much ease contentment pleasure and happinesse in their great enjoyments yet they are iniserably disappointed for riches are in themselves but base and great abundance of them beyond that which is needful is to the ambitious but a burden and matter of vexation drawing down the soul from God and intangling and polluting it and this may point out the misery of those who hunt so much after these things Wo to him that ladeth himself with thick clay that is base riches which do but burden pollute and intangle him Ver. 7. Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall vex thee and thou shalt be for booties unto them 8. Because thou hast spoiled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoile thee because of mens blood and for the violence of the land of the City and all that dwell-therein The Lord yet declareth his mind concerning these sins and threatens yet farther that he will pay them home as they had served others for as the Chaldeans had ranged up and down the world like ravenous beasts so he would suddenly raise up the Medes and Persians who for present were little dream't of to trouble and devour and prey upon them v. 7. And as they had robbed and spoiled many nations so he would stir up the remnant of the nations either such nations as had been reserved from their sury or the remainder of the nations which they had ruined who should
without contending and make them forbearing of it till Gods prefixed time of deliverance come for the Prophet supposeth that the appointed yeares of the Captivity were to come and doth not quarrel as formerly but prayeth that the Church may be borne through in that time This were a way to make many a crosse easie which our quarrelling makes insupportable See Jer. 29 5.6 4. The people of God are sometimes left to lie under a long continued tract of trouble to the end they may be narrowly tryed and may have much sorrow to be repayed with joy Psal 90.15 for this trouble did endure for years even seventy of them 5. Besides the Lords general relation to all his creatures as his handy work he hath a peculiar relation to his Church and people whose calling to be his people and their building up and establishing in that priviledge is his own peculiar worke and amongst whom his elect are made anew by him in a worke of redemption and regeneration so that they become new creatures and the worke of his hands Isai 45.11 In the midst of whom also he hath a work of his Ordinances and Kingdome to be preserved and carried on Which relation as the Church ought to acknowledge it and hold all she hath of him and make his worke the matter of her chiefe care in trouble so this interest doth indeare the Lords people to him and is a cause why he will not let them go to ruine and so lose all that himselfe hath done for so doth the Prophet reason revive thy work 6. The Lords people and worke may by reason of long and sore Captivity and possibly desertion accompanying it be redacted into such extremities as all may seem to be in peril of ruine and the faith of the godly in peril to faint and give it over There may be such low ebbes as may put the godly to pray O Lord revive or preserve alive 7. As the Lord both can and will preserve his work and people who wait on him from ruine and that in the midst of extremities so the Lords doing of this ought to be much esteemed therefore the Prophet resolving on Captivity maketh it his suite which he hath warrant and ground of hope to aske and the granting whereof will be refreshful though the trouble otherwise be pressing O Lord revive thy work in the midst of thy yeares 8. It is a very refreshful dispensation and which the people of God have warrant to look for that the Lord will season and sweeten their times of trouble with some evidences of his favour either in their bosomes or by some token for good in his providence Therefore the Prophet is directed to pray further in the midst of the yeares make known to wit his wonted favour by some manifestation and was answered in the Lords raising up of Prophets to them in Babylon and by raising up the head of their King about the midst of the yeares of their Captivity 2 Kings 25.27 c. as a pledge of their future liberation and by other favours bestowed upon them 9. As the Lords proceeding in wrath against his people would undoe them so the apprehension of Gods just anger against them for their sinnes is a great hinderance to them in their prayers Therefore the Propher when he thinks on wrath is made abruptly to cut his prayer that he may runne and deprecate it make known saith he not expressing what in wrath remember mercy 10. As the Lords just indignation against sinne doth not so transport him as that he will forget mercy or that he will deal in strict justice without all moderation with his afflicted people so this may give warrant to all those who are sensible of sin and of wrath due or inflicted for it to flee to his free favour and to pray with the Prophet In wrath remember mercy And teacheth all to magnifie God when this prayer is answered in any sort and that God doth mixe a cup of wrath with any mercy or moderation Ver. 3. God came from Teman and the holy One from mount Paran Selah His glory covered the heavens and the Earth was full of his praise Ver. 4. And his brightnesse was as the light he had hornes comming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power The Prophet that he may strengthen his own the godlies faith in assurance of an answer to his prayer gathereth together several grounds whereupon he expects it which are taken from the manifestations of God in delivering his people from Egypt in carrying them through the Wildernesse and setling them in the promised Land expecting by faith that the Lord being unchangeable still the same and the people still his will repeate these in their future delivery and so lifts up his heart above all difficulties in the captivity or that might impede their restitution as looking to what had been done as pledges of what God would do before his Word failed or they perished Gods glorious manifestations of old among and for his people are branched out in several particulars whereof the first agreeing much with Deut 33.2 is the Lord manifesting of himself on Mount Sinai at the giving of the Law and on the hills adjacent in the desert through which he marched after giving of the Law before his people as their consederate God in glory and Majesty like himselfe insomuch that the splendor wherwith he was invironed filled heaven earth was bright as any light though these rayes like horns which shined forth from his hands or sides when he appeared did point out his power yet but darkly as being but a veile cast over his glorious power which in it selfe is incomprehensible as that light could not be stedfastly looked upon by the infirme and easily dazled eyes of man Doct. 1. It is a thriving way in prayer not only to put up desires to God to perswade him but to gather arguments whereby to confirme our own faith in the hope of speeding which will make us both cheerful in prayer and quiet having done our duty Therefore though all this exercise be called prayer ver 1. yet after a short suite ver 2. the Prophet makes the study of arguments of faith his chief work here See 1 John 5.14 15. 2. The Church is a storehouse of experience for a time of need she hath treasures of instances of what God hath done ready to be repeated againe in a new extremity for the Prophet repeats here works done of old which he lookes upon as pledges of the like in this new strait 3. Gods glorious manifestations of himselfe in and for his Church ought to be joyned with the consideration of his holinesse and his glory and splendor ought to set out his perfection in purity that the Church may fall in love therewith and study conformity thereto for appearing thus he is God the holy one 4. The Lords glory amongst his people may shine brightly in a Wildernesse which
will not obscure it when he lets it out for all this glory shined in the barren desarts of Teman or the South which is a part of Seir or Edom Obad. 9. Amos 1.12 Deut. 33.2 Judges 5.4 and mount Paran a place also neere to Seir Gen. 14 6. where Ishmael dwelt Gen. 21.21 and where Israel encamped shortly after they came from Sinai Num. 10.12 and 12.16 and therefore joyned with the former Deut. 33.2 5. The glory of God revealed unto and for the Church is not to be looked upon in a transient way but ought gravely and seriously to be considered till our hearts be affected and warmed with it Therefore is Selah no where used but in the Psalms and this Chapter subjoyned to shew the weight of this matter and how our hearts should pause and dwell upon it till it grow upon our hands yea to shew that a sight of him indeed will give our hearts such a set as they must stand and breath a while 6. As the excellency of all the creatures is from God and doth daily set out his glory so when he is pleased to appear in any specicial manifestation it doth obscure all glory beside and set him out as onely praise-worthy for in this progress His glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise in a singular way beside what ordinarily appeareth of his glory in these which this dispensation did in a sort obscure and transcend 7. We ought to commend the infinite wisdom of God and his tender respect to fraile man that he hath chosen fit means and instruments of Ministers and Ordinances whereby to make himself known as we are able to bear considering that immediate manifestastion of him who dwelleth in light inaccessible would but undoe us while we are in our mortal bodies for when he appeared his brightnesse was as the light filling heaven and earth as if it had been all a sun This was acknowledged by Israel when they could not endure this glory nor hear God speak Exod. 19.16 20.18 19. And by Eliah in wrapping his face in his mantle when God appeared to him 1. Kings 19.13.18 The Lords most glorious manifestations of himself to mortal creatures are but as vailes cast over his infinitly glorious essence and attributes and so to say an obscuring of himself that he may reveale himself to their capacity yea it much commends the glory of God and may help our faith if we consider that the most glorious effects of his power are but as a vaile cast over his glorious omnipotency who can do far above what we ask or conceive for he had hornes come out of his hands or glorious manifestations of his power shining in these glorious rayes wherewith he arrayed himself on every side and yet there was the hiding of his power 9. The Lords taking his Church by the hand when she came out from the pots of Egypt and entring with her in a Covenant of marriage and that in so glorious state as testified what estimation he had of her and what respect he would put upon her gives warrant to the Church in all ages to believe that the glorious Lord will not despise her in her low estate but notwithstanding his great Majesty and her basenesse he will appear for her will deliver her out of trouble will let out tokens of favour to her by which he will put respect upon her and will renue his covenant with her Therefore the Prophet by faith looks to all this as forth-comming for the Church in her second captivity Vers 5. Before him went the pestilence and burning coales went forth at his feet The Second branch of the description of Gods glorious manifestation is taken from his attendants for executing his judgements he had the Pestilence and burning coals that is destroying lightnings as Psal 18.12 78.48 or pestilential burning diseases as Dâ—ut 32.24 which as Lackeys ran before him and at his feet wherever he went ready to be hunted out at his command at which both the Egyptians and themselves in the Wildernesse had proofe Exod. 9.3.23.24 Num. 11.1.43 44 45 46. and elsewhere and in naming of these plagues as being most devouring other plagues are not to be excluded but understood Doct. 1. The glory of the Lord doth shine and is to be seen and adored in his works of judgement as well as in other acts for The Prophet brings it in here to set out his glory that before him went the Pestilence c. 2. It is a farther manifestation of Gods glory and ought to be a ground of the Churches faith that he can and will when he pleaseth find wayes to plague enemies though second causes and probable meanes faile so doth the Prophet reckon while he brings in Pestilence and burning coales as ready to do that work 3. It is a part of our duty in glorifying God to acknowledge all afflictions to be as his pages ready to come and go at his command that so our eyes may be most on him under them for so doth the prophet set out his glory that these plagues went before him and forth at his feet attending on his progresse 4. Faith may safely gather from judgements executed for sinnes of old that judgement shall be executed for the same sinnes againe committed and from judgements inflicted on the Church when she sinnes that undoubtedly the sinnes of enemies will not be past over Therefore the Prophet recordeth what had been done on Egypt and themselves as a certain pledge of Babels ruine that the Church may be delivered Vers 6. He stood and measured the earth he beheld and drove asunder the nations and the everlasting mountains were scattered the perpetual hills did bow his wayes are everlasting A third instance of his glory of old appeared in his dividing the Land of Canaan by Moses and Joshuah to the twelve Tribes which he stood and measured that is not onely fixed their rest when they came there after they had long wandered with the Ark of his presence but he openly manifested himselfe to be a soveraign Lord and their God in doing of it and that he needed not any deliberation or time to it His glory also shineâ— in putting them easily in possession of that Land scattering the Nations with a look of his countenance in anger whereby the Lord who can if he please remove fixed mountains did overthrow and subdue the inhabitants of that hilly country whose possession had been ancient and of old as the hills which they possessed and whose stable condition like the hills also did promise them a perpetuity And no wonder for his wayes and purposes concerning his people Deut 32 8. were more ancient then their possession and God being eternal and stil the same will yet be forth-comming in the like need Doct. 1. God who is the soveraign King of all Nations and who casts down and lifts up whom he pleaseth will manifest himselfe in carving out even the outward lot and
condition of his people according to the tenour of his Covenant with them for that purpose for so he proved when he stood and measured the earth or the Land to his Israel to whom he had promised it and so made them hold it by the sure tenour of his free gift And so doth the Prophet expect the Lord will do yet 2. It is a notable encouragement to faith and sets out Gods glory that look what is most difficult in mens sight and may redact them to greatest extremities yet is most easie to God when he puts hand to it for he stood of old and designed a Land he but beheld and drave asunder the Nations and albeit their possession was neer as ancient and appeared as stable as the everlasting mountains and perpetual hills yet they were scattered and did bow 3. The Lords eminent appearing in bringing about a mercy for his people according to the tenor of the Covenant gives a ground of claime when it comes in hazzard againe and is a pledge that God will assert and maintaine his own glorious purchase though for a time it seeme to bee plucked out of his hand for so would the Prophet gather that the Lord who had not onely promised but gloriously put his people in possession of that land would bring them back to it againe in due time And to this purpose doth Jehoshaphat also reason 2 Chron. 20.11 4. Albeit that mens having a long and firme-like possession of what is the Churches right may be great trial of faith yet the study of Gods unchangeable nature and his eternal and irresistible purposes will strongly support faith Therefore the Prophet in opposition to the Chaldeans power and long possession Is 49.24 holdeth forth Gods eternal purposes concerming the Church which as of old they had overturned the Canaanites so yet they would take place in all generations Psal 33.11 In both these respects his wayes are everlasting as being more ancient and sure then the Cananites possession and yet the same unchageably to overturne the Chaldeans Vers 7. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble A fourth instance of this glory shined in the terror which Gods presence among his people put upon their enemies and all round about instanced in these of Cushan and Midian whose habitation was in tents and under curtains This was accomplished partly when in Israels march through the Wildernesse all these Arabians descended of Cush as well as the Ethiopians on the other side of the red sea and Midianites who lived thereabout were affrighted as not knowing on whom they would fall which feare also took hold on other Nations Exod. 15.14 15. Num. 22.3 4. Josh 2.9 10.11 and pur them in great affliction and terrour and partly it was accomplished in that norable defeat of Cushan Rishathaim by Othniel Judg. 3.8.9.10 and of the Mâ—dianites by Gideon Judg. 7. All this the Prophet looks back upon by faith and seeth the Lord ready to do the like Doct. 1. It serveth to illustrate Gods glory and strengthen the faith of his Church in beleeving promises to consider that God can discover the vanity of creatures by making stout-hearted nations to tremble that he can fight against men with his terrour and can discover himself terrible in and for his Church when shee is in a Wildernesse and low estate for this is aray of his glory and a ground of the Prophets faith that the tents of Cushan were in affliction or under vanity which this terrour discovered to be in them and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble 2. It is a notable way to strengthen faith when we consider how satisfactorily God at any time hath made good his word and when we study much such grounds and props held out to our faith by God till we come to a full assurance for faith the Prophet I saw the tents c. that is not onely the Church in whose name he speaks did at that time see God clearly performing his Word and therefore should not doubt in a new strait but by this practice he teacheth every beleever to look back on what Ged hath done and study upon it till the sight of it afford ground of comfort in new troubles and till they see ground to expect the like if need be Ver. 8. Was the LORD displeased against the rivers was thine anger against the river was thy wrath against the Sea that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy charets of salvation Thy bowe was made quite naked according to the oathes of the Tribes even thy word Selah Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers A fifth instance of this glory shined forth in two very contrary effects of dividing the red sea and Jordan to give way to his people Exod. 14. Josh 3. and of making hard rocks to furnish water to quench their thirst Exod 17.6 Num. 20.8 11. The first of these is amplified from Gods great love and fidelity appearing in it in that when he had no quarrel against the sea and rivers yet he would trouble them and march through them in state on his horses and chariots of the pillar of cloud and fire opposed to Pharaohs chariots and horsemen for the safety and protection of his people and did draw forth his weapons against his enemies to prove his fidelity and the truth of his Word frequently repeated and confirmed by oath to the tribes of Israel The second is amplified from Gods liberality in giving them water in abundance so that it clave the ground and cut it self a channel and followed them in rivers Numb 20.11 Psal 78.15 16. 1 Cor. 10.4 Doct. 1. Variety of contrary trials and difficulties on the right hand and the left cannot exhaust that fulnesse of sufficiency and love that is in God toward his people for if seas and rivers trouble them then he can turn them into dry land and make a way therein for them to passe through If againe want of water trouble them he can makrocks furnish and afford it 2. It is a point of spiritual wisdom to read and observe Gods minde and scope in his works and what his thoughts are toward the creatures he works upon or about that so none may mistake or stumble and that his people may more distinctly read his love to them therefore is a question which includes a denial thrice propounded that none might be so foolish as to think that his dealing spake any anger against these creatures but rather proclaimed his love to his people 3. Gods great anger against wicked men sinfully troubling his people may appear from considering his dealing with insensible creatures who are not properly objects of Gods anger as having never sinned but onely accidentally when God troubles them for the good of his people or plagues sinners by smiting them when in their ordinary course they stand in the way of his peoples well-being for thus would the Prophet have the
thresh the Heathen in anger A second instance of Gods glory in that work appeared in his speedy and sore destruction of the Canaanites against whom he was highly offended as being Heathens and enemies to him and to his people His chariots went speedily through them and trod them down as corn is threshed out by the feet of beasts Doct. 1. Gods anger against wicked enemies whether Pagans or such whose carriage towards his Church is Pagan-like is a sore party and will make great havock of them and a short cut of long work for however the Canaanites were many and potent yet saith he Thou didst march through the land in indignation thou didst thresh the people in anger 2. God is alone the subduer of enemies to his people though sometimes he may employ more instruments sometimes fewer or none at all and as he is to be seen in what is done so is he to be looked to for what is undone for Thou didst march through c. saith the Prophet acknowledging what was past and expecting the like to come Ver. 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people even for salvation with thine Anointed thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the neck Selah Ver. 14. Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages they came out as a whirlewind to scatter me their rejoycing was as to devour the poor secretly He further instanceth the Lords glory in this worke and in several others as in Egypt under the Judges David c. as shining 1. In his design in all these works which was to bring salvation to his people by his anointed instruments Moses Joshua David c. as types of Christ and of eternal salvation by him 2. In the remarkable judgements inflicted upon enemies in that he did destroy the heads and rulers of those wicked societies as was verified on Pharaoh and other Kings who troubled them after they were setled in the land and overthrew not only the Kings of Canaan but all the Soveraignty and power that was in that land and opposed Israels possession yea further he not onely cut off the the head of soveraignty in the persons of rulers but rooted them out in their subjects by overturning ignominiously their stable condition as a house when it razed from the top to the foundation or as a mans body which supports the head when it is made bare from the heel which is the foundation he stands on to the neck and by cutting off their soveraignty not only in Cities but even in inferiour villages and the rulers thereof And this he did even by these same means which they employed against the Church this was accomplished in the sad stroaks that befel Egypt with Pharaoh especially at the red sea in the stroaks that many times came upon the subjects of Israels oppressors and the invasions and conquests made of their territories under David and others but especially in the entire conquest of the land of Canaan wherin the people were not only subdued and put under the power of Israel but the very root of the Heathens Soveraignty over that land was rooted up by the utter extirpation of the inhabitants in cities and villages except the Gibeonites and such as they sinsuily spared that Israel might possesse their habitation 3. Gods glory shined in these works in frustrating the proud hopes of enemies for the Lord did thus destroy them when they were both violent and confident of victory and when they thought to overwhelm the weak Church as with a tempest and made it their delight by craft and cruelty to devour her Doct. 1. Unto such as are the Lords people salvation is his scope and will be the result of all his enterprises for it is twice marked that he went forth for the salvation of his people 2. Christ is the ground of all salvation to his people every deliverance they get is a pledge of eternal salvation by him for he went forth for salvation with his anointed These fitted instruments whom the Church will never want in her need were but types of Christ and imployed by him from whom all safety cometh and these deliverances were shadows of his saving to the uttermost those that come to God through him And although the possession of Canaan was in a peculiar way typical yet the godly in all times may look on temporal mercies as pledges of better 3. As in wicked Nations or combinations those who are chiefe in authority are ordinarily most eminent and instrumental in evil so the Lord will break the combination by cutting off those which no greatness nor eminence shal be able to avert for Thou woundeast the head out of the house of the wicked 4. As wicked States and Nations adding opposition to the Church to all their other wickednesse do deserve that God should root but such States and Nations by utter extirpation so the Lord hath given proof that he is able and will not spare so to doe when he seeth it fit and when his peoples need calls for it for he discovered the foundation to the neck and did strike through the head of his villages 5. The Lord will doe that in due time to his implacable enemies which may afford matter of serious thoughts to themselves and others and such dispensations of his are wisely to be considered therefore Selah is againe subjoyned to this purpose 6. When the Lord hath enemies great and smal to root out he need no other means but their own weapons or the very designes whereby they think to thrive best and to ruine the Church for Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages This was the issue of Pharaohs pursuing Israel at the red sea of all the Canaanites enterprises against them and was more clearly verified on the Midianites Judg. 7.22 on the enemies of Judah in Jehoshaphats dayes 2 Chron. 7.22.23 and others 7. As the Church hath still been exercised with violent cruel and unsatiable enemies and must still expect to meet with such so the Lord will repay this and that even when their hopes and earnestnesse to carry their designes are greatest for it was both a cause of their destruction and the time of it when they came out as a whirlewinde to scatter me saith the Prophet in the name of the Church or violently to overrunne her and destroy her and when their rejoycing was to devour the poor secretly or in secret and hiddden places that is they took pleasure not only to overthrow them with great Armies coming like a tempest upon them but also to surprize them with sudden incursions when they were exhausted and had fled to secret holes for shelter and refuge This doth well agree with the condition of Israel under Midian Judg. 6 2 3 c. under the tyranny of the Philistines 1 Sam. 13. 14. and at divers other times as at the red sea Exod. 15.9
the Churches trouble to blast and lay aside all matter of confidence in any thing beneath God for this is no idle or impossible supposition but what the Church may expect in her afflictions that the figtree shall not blossom c. 2. Faith never gets right footing or exercise so long as the believer would set bounds and limits to trouble that it may come hitherto and no farther and doth not see through and condescend submit to the worst that possibly may come for thus the Prophet supposeth that the very course of nature for mans preservation may faile to the end he may cast himself wholly and cleanly upon God 3. As the promised mercies of the Church are surer then the very course of nature so faith apprehending these promises will out-live the worst of stormes without fainting for Although the fig-tree shall not blossome yet will I rejoyee in the Lord saith the Prophet in the name of the Church 4. Faith in hard times gets sure footing when it considereth that God who is omnipotent and alsufficient liveth whatever come or go and that it is so usual for God to give deliverance according to the Covenant when all means faile and for Saints to get it in such away and at such a time and not before as God hath this as a title whereby he is known in his Church for so doth the Prophets faith fix on Jehovah the God of our salvation 5. Faith is given in hard times not onely for bearing up but to furnish matter of joy and gloriation which should be endeavoured after as honouring God as evidencing that we got more in him then trouble can take from us as being a means to make trouble easie by avoiding the extremity of discouragement to which it drives us and a testimony that we expect good by trouble and somewhat that is without the reach of it therefore the Prophet resolveth to rejoyce and joy in the midst of his calamity Ver. 19. The LORD God is my strength and he will make my feet like Hindes feet and he will make me to walk upon mine high places To the chief singer on my stringed instruments The Prophet by faith speaks out positively what he expects from God as the matter of his joy in reference both to subsistence during the time of the captivity and to issue from it to wit that God would be the Churches strength when all means failed that he would gather and bring them back after scattering and make them nimble to overcome all difficulties in their way as a Hind skips over mountains and inaccessible places till they come to possesse their own country again which was for the most part hilly and to enjoy communion with God in the Temple which was situate upon the holy mountains Ps 87.1 and the Prophet to avow this his confidence and edifie the Church giveth out this exercise to be publickly sung by the Musicians of the Temple and plaid upon fit instruments prescribed by him and therefore called his Doct. 1. It is a singular proofe of love and ought to be the matter of joy to the afflicted Church when she is supported and kept from fainting under her trouble although she have no more for here the Prophet ioyeth in that he hath strength See 2 Cor. 12.8 9 10. 2. When all props and grounds of encouragement on Earth do faile there is abundance of furniture to support Gods people and make them subsist do or suffer as he calls them which will be forth-comming for the self-denyed who wait on God for of doth the self-denied Prophet reckon Jehovah the Lord is my strength See Isai 40.29 30 31. 3. The Lords people are not utterly undone and past hope even when they are brought into captivity out of their own land and under the power of others for the Lord can return their captivity as here the Prophet expects 4. The promises of the Lord are so certainly to be accomplished as every promise of a mercy is also an undertaking for the removal of every impediment that may stand in the way of it He will make my feet like Hindes feet saith the Prophet carry me over all impediments and make me to walke upon my high places 5. Though Gods mercies be oft-times little thought of when they are enjoyed yet the want of them will discover how rich they were and make the restitution of them sweet and to the godly man enjoynment of God in his ordinances is far above any lot beside therefore doth the Prophet call the land and mountain of the Temple mine high places to shew that albeit it was a hilly land in comparison of pleasant Babel yet it was his choice above all the world beside that it should be sweet to be restored to it again with liberty 6. Albeit faith may be oft-times conjoyned with much fear that the believer may be afterward ashamed if he utter any thing of his confidence yet what faith gathers from the Word may be boldly avowed so doth the Prophet avow his exercise and make it publick To the chiefe Singer c. 7. Faith having in an hard time apprehended God for strength and a blessed issue ought to stir up to praise in hope in the midst of the trouble therefore the Prophet directs this to be sung To the chiefe Singer on my stringed Instruments ZEPHANIAH The ARGUMENT THis Prophet exercised his function in the dayes of Josiah as appeareth from the Inscription of the Prophecy and after the reformation begun by him as may be gathered from Chap. 1.4 where the land is threatned for the remnant of Baal and so he hath been contemporary in part with Jeremiah and among the last who prophefied before the captivity His scope in a great part is to confirme and enlarge that sad sentence 2 Kings 23.26 whereby if it were possible some might be yet excited to repentance and however the impenitent might be rendred yet more inexcusable And therefore having to do with an obdured people who were neither bettered by Jeremiahs doctrine nor by Josiahs example and endeavours he begins with a denunciation of Gods sore-judgements which were to come upon them for their sins Chap. 2. exhorting them to repentance considering the judgements that were to be inflicted on the Nations round about them Chap. 2. And having given them up as incorrigible he makes ample promises concerning his Church under the Gospel for the comfort of any remnant who feared God Chap. 3. CHAP. I. IN this Chapter after the Inscription of the Prophecy v. 1. we have a denunciation of the general desolation that was to come upon the land v. 2.3 because of the gross iniquities that abounded among them v. 4.5 6. And to presse this sentence yet more home he sets before them 1. The propinquity of that bloody day v. 7. wherein he would punish the dissolute Court v. 8. and the instruments of oppression v. 9 and would render up the City to the Chaldeans v. 10. who should
make their rich men and Merchants to howle v. 11 and spoile Epicures of their wealth v. 12 13. 2. He sets that sad approaching day yet before them in its terriblenesse making the stoutest to cry v. 14. the wrath of God bringing men in distresse without any comfort v. 15. affrighting them with the alarms and assaults of their enemies v. 16. leaving them void of counsel in their greatest calamities v. 17. and destitute of all reliefe wherein they trusted to be suddenly consumed v. 18. Ver. 1. THe word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the sonne of Cushi the sonne of Gedaliah the sonne of Amariah the sonne of Hizkiah in the dayes of Iosiah the son of Amon King of Iudah The Inscription holds forth 1. The messenger employed in this service who is described from divers of his Progenitors who were either Prophets themselves or men of note in their time for so is generally conceived when the Progenitors of the Prophets are recorded 2. His commission from God and the authority of his doctrine which he devised not of his own head nor learned by ordinary meanes but received it by immediate inspiration And 3. The time when he was employed Whence learn 1. Though the persons of men adde nothing to a divine message but God can employ the meanest and make them honourable by employing them yet sometime it pleaseth him to make choice of men of eminency to clear that it is the honour of the greatest to be his Ambassadours to his people yet further to make them inexcusable who contemn his message for the meannesse of the messenger therefore he employeth this Prophet Zephaniah the sonne of Cushi the sonne of Gedaliah c. whose Parents in many generations had been of eminent note amongst that people and consequently himself famous for descent and pedigree 2. People through long obduration in sin may come to that height as no endeavours of pious rulers will bring them to repentance whereby they might prevent sad threatnings judgments for this word of sad denunciations is sent in the dayes of Josiah a pious King and zealous reformer but the son of Amon who by his corrupt wayes following his father Manasseh had made that people incorrigible 3. In a time of general and continued defection the Lords long-suffering is so great as to multiply messengers and warnings before he strike that so men may be reclaimed or made inexcusable for this end was the Prophet sent out with many others about the time of the approaching captivity See 2 Chro. 26.15 16.4 As the divine authority of God is alwayes to be studied and seen in messages in the mouth of his servants so especially when the Word speaks sad things it is good to see God our party and how little cause we have to fix on messengers or their humours as the cause of such unpleasing doctrine therefore when the Prophet brings out this message it is avowed and held out to be the Word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah Ver. 2. I will utterly consume all things from off the land saith the Lord. 3. I will consume man and beast I will consume the fowles of the Heaven and the fishes of the Sea and the stumbling blocks with the wicked and I will cut off man from off the land saith the Lord. The Lord begins here as with a closed processe that needs no more but to pronounce the sentence and therefore this people having been abundantly warned and convinced by former Prophets he threatens them with a general desolation of the land by the destruction and taking away of all things in it not only of men who had sinned but of the creatures which they had abused to satisfie their lusts insomuch as the beasts should be cut off and destroyed yea the very fowles should be driven away and the fish exhausted from their ponds lakes or rivers as it is usual in countries infested with wars By which judgment the Lord threatens to make short work with the sinner his abused riches or his Idolatry which no reformation could purge from him Doct. 1. The Lords spirit will not alwayes strive with his sinful people but will at last give out his sentence according to their ways so much doth this abrupt falling on threatning without any previous dealing import 2. A publike reformation never so piously intended and zealously prosecuted by Rulers after much defection will be so far from keeping off wrath when the people are not cordial and thorough in the reformation as by the contrary it may ripen a people faster for a stroak for though Josiah was a pious and approved reformer yet considering that the people did but dissemble in the matter and dally with God as is marked Jer. 3.6 10. and appeared suddenly upon Josiahs death in that in three moneths they went all wrong with the succeeding King 2 Kings 23.31 32. therefore the Lord gives them up as desperate and begins I will utterly consume all things c. 3. When men will not read the greatnesse and dreadfulnesse of divine displeasure against them from the greatnesse of their sin or from the threatnings of the Word it is righteous with God to write it in legible characters of extreame desolation as here he threatens to do to this incorrigible people by utterly consuming all things from off the land man and beast c. 4. Sinful man is a great burden to the Creation in his abusing of the creatures to fight against God with them and provoking God against them not for any fault of their own but that he may punish man for whose use they were created by smiting them for Judahs sins make all things be utterly consumed from off the land and bring stroaks on beasts fowles of the heaven and fishes of the sea where by the sea we may understand any gathering of waters in ponds rivers or lakes for in Scripture the very Laver in the Temple is called A Sea because it conteined much water 1 Kings 7.23 so also the lake of Generazeth and Tiberius Matth. 8.24.27 John 6.1 See for this doctrine Jer. 4.25 and 12.4 Hos 4.3 5. As wicked mens prosperity proveth the neck break of their souls by their abusing of it and hardening themselves in sin thereby and as Idolatry will certainty end in the eternal ruine of the impenitent Idolater so these sins are oft-times so rooted in the heart and estimation of sinners that there is no ceasing to sin that way till the sinner cease to be and in this case the Lord will not spare seeing there is no remedy so here after that reformation had essayed them in vain either as to removing their Idols from them or making them to cease from abusing the creatures to sin in which case they are stumbling blocks as well as Idols God threatens to cut off the stumbling blocks with the wicked and so put an end to their sin by destroying themselves 6. In a time of general calamity on all the
creatures man is bound to look upon himselfe as the chiefe and only Delinquent and to see the controversie pursuing him therefore is he twice pointed at here I will consume man and beast and again I will cut off man from off the land saith the Lord. Vers 4. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Iudah and upon all the Inhabitants of Ierusalem and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place and the name of the Chemarims with the Priests 5. And them that worship the hoste of heaven upon the house tops and them that worship and that swear by the Lord and that swear by Malezham 6. And them that are turned back from the Lord and those that have not sought the Lord nor enquired for him The Lord proceeds to declare more particularly upon whom this desolation was to come to wit upon Judah which was the head of those that were left after the captivity of the ten tribes particularly upon the chief City Jerusalem and he cleareth up the causes of this sentence by pointing at the particular sorts of sinners whom he would cut off These he instanceth in several kinds especially against the first Table of the Law As 1. Grosse Idolaters of all sorts as these who notwithstanding Iosiahs reformation still held up some remnant of Baals worship which was an Idol of the Zidonians the worship whereof was of old followed by Israel in the dayes of the Judges after that was brought into Israel by Jezebel 1 Kings 16.31 and from thence it came into Judah These the Lord threatens to cut off together with the Ministers of Baal both Chemarims who are mentioned also 2 Kings 23.5 Hos 10.5 in the original and seem to have been some inferour order of artenders on the Idol much resembling Monks in Popery and Priests of a superiour order As also he threatens to cut off another sort of Idolaters who imagining a Deity in the stars and planets because of their splendor or influences did worship them on the tops of their houses which were flat in those countries as intending to do them homage in their own view 1. Such as halted betwixt God Idols who made a profession of worshipping the true God a part of whose worship is swearing by his name or having sworn obedience to God in that Covenant renewed by Josiah yet did mixe his worship with the service of Idols particularly of Malcham or Molech the Idol of the Ammonites 1 Kings 11.7 3. Apostates who after their vowes and Covenant and begun reformation had fallen back from God to Idols 4. Atheists who had no respect to God nor his worship whether they followed Idols or not Doct. 1. No former stroak inflicted upon the Church and no priviledge will exempt impenitent sinners but if they goe on in their way the last stroak will be sorest for though Judah was not only left of all the children of Israel and Jerusalem had God dwelling in the midst of her yet the Lord will plague Judah and all the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and that not in an ordinary way but will streth out his hand upon them which imports a stroak beyond ordinary Exod. 3.20 and 7.5 Deut. 4 34. even that which is mentioned here v. 2 3. 2. When the Lord plagueth a land the controversie must be of his discovering least we miscarry in taking it up therefore when the Lord threatens to strike he also cleareth wherefore it is 3. Albeit common calamities comes indifferently upon all albeit the godly who study to keep their garments ought to be sensible in such a time and to renew their peace with God yet it is ground of comfort to them that the stroak is not principally for their cause nor the wrath pursuing them therefore the Lord enumerates the grosse sinners who are his party that the godly whatever their lot were might see their names out of that roll 4. Mens hearts are naturally so besotted addicted to Idolatry as it is hard to get a thorough reformation of it where once it hath place and God is so jealous of his glory as for the least transgression of this kinde he may justly destroy a land for here after Josiahs reformation there is the remnant of Baal Chemarims and Priests and they who worship the host of heaven for which he will consume all things that he may cut them off 5. It is too usual for men that when they see any excellency in the creatures or finde any advantage by them their hearts doat on them and are drawn from God by them for upon these grounds did they worship the hoste of heaven upon the house tops and many do yet doat on some creature or other though that grosse Idolatry be removed 6. The Lord cannot endure any halting in his matters or any mixing of true Religion and his worship with creature worship or Idolatry but will make that a ground of controversie against a land as well as for grosser Idolatry for they that worship and that swear by the Lord and that swear by Malcham are here put in the roll to be cut off with the remnant of Baal and them that worship the host of heaven 7. Oathes are a part of divine worship wherein is ascribed unto God the glory of Omniscience and of power to avenge false swearers and he is called upon for that effect therefore are not lightly to be used nor to confirme a falshood nor is this glory to be given to any creature to swear by them for swearing by the Lord is subjoyned to worshipping him as a chief part of it 8. Apostasie from professions and engagements is a land-destroying sin and a great aggravation of sin whatsoever it be that the decliner turnes to for so these words also may be read They swear to the Lord to wit in renewing the Covenant and yet swear by Malcham and clearly v. 6. they that are turned backe from the Lord are put in the roll to be cut off 9. As it is usual in times of reformation where diversity of wayes of Religion are justling out one another that there arise a generation of Atheists who care not for God or any Religion at all so such are abominable and in a day of vengeance will be ranked with the grossest corrupters as here Those that have not sought the Lord nor enquired for him bringing upon the reer of them whom God will cut off Ver. 7. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God for the day of the Lord is at hand for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice he hath bid his guests To make the preceeding doctrine take the deeper impression the Prophet to v. 14. resumeth the threatning and holds out the judgement as neer at hand to come on both Court chief City and withal cleareth up yet more causes of his sentence especially in sins against the second Table In this verse he threatens that all their opposition to the Prophets doctrine by
his anger is little seen or laid to heart till it appear in sad calamities therefore is that day called a day of wrath 3. In a time when God is pursuing a land for sin none are to expect case but in some measure or other to be put to it and to taste of calamities for that day will be a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastenesse and desolation to persons and places 4. As judgements inflicted for sin or sin and wrath for sin meeting together will make a black representation of affaires will hold out the judgement in its saddest colours and discover many clouds betwixt the sinner and Gods countenance so it is the capestone of a calamity when spiritual comfort or some favour from God is denyed or hid under it when he smites and hides himself it speaks wrath indeed for this makes the day terrible that when all this is on it is withal a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse Ver. 16. A day of the trumpet and alarum against the fenced cities and against the high towers A third instance that wrath pursuing them for sin should make the alarme given to stir up souldiers against them terrible and make their enemies successefull against their most fortified places Whence learn As the alarmes and calamities of War cannot but be affrightful and sad to the most godly Jer. 4.19 So it is a great addition to its terrour when guilt makes men read Gods wrath in it especially when wrath from the Lord lets it not prove a false alarme but makes the enemy so successeful as nothing stands in his way nor can pursued sinners finde any place of safety or shelter for being a day of wrath ver 15. this adds to the terrour that it is a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities and high towers Ver. 17. And I will bring distress upon men that they shall walke like blinde men because they have sinned against the LORD and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung A fourth and fifth instance is that the distresse shall be so great because of sin as to leave them destitute of all counsel not knowing what to do more then blind men know whether to walk and that they shall be cut off with the sword their blood poured out in as great abundance with as little regard as the dust they tread upon and their carcasses left like dung on the ground Doct. 1. As it is a dreadful condition in a day of strait to be void of light to direct men what to do so howsoever finful men trust much to their own policy in a calm day yet a day of wrath will overturn all their designs leave them destitnte of counsel for I will bring distresse upon men that they shall walke like blinde men 2. When judgements are accompanied with darkness and perplexity Gods hand is to be eminently seen in that stroak and he is to be justified by our reading the bitter fruit of sinne in it for saith the Lord I will bring distresse that they shall walke like blinde men and that because they have sinned against the Lord. 3. It is just with God when he hath pursued sinners with judgements in this life to cut them off also in their iniquity and send them out of the world to receive their full reward yea and to testifie his displeasure on their very dead bodies for so it is threatned their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as dung 4. The gredinesse and cerriblenesse of divine wrath against sin may be read in the measure of a calamity in the ignominy of a stroak and in Gods not owning nor evidencing that he pitties in affliction for all these are in this stroak to be matter of terrour to them their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as dung Ver. 18. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORDS wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land The terriblenesse of this day doth appear further in this that all helps shall prove vain and their riches wherein they trusted or whereby they might think to ransome their lives should not be able to deliver them from wrath nor hinder the Lord in his kindled jealouâ—â—e to make short work in wasting the land and consuming the Inhabitants Doct. 1. Many are the false confidences whereby men think to secure themselves against a day of vengeance which it is no easie work to refine that wrath may be seen in its terriblenesse for after all their imaginations that this evil day was far off that it should be light that their fenced Cities would shelter them c. which have been declared uselesse in the former purpose there remaineth yet their riches to be declared vaine 2. The wrath of God pursuing sin is so dreadful as no riches or treasures wherein men trust can ward off the stroak nor any thing else save the blood of Christ fled unto by the selfe-condemned sinner for neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath See Prov. 11.4 Ezek. 7.19 3. When Gods love toward his people is provoked unto jealousie by their breach of mariage-duty and embracing strange lovers it produceth most sharp and violent judgements and acts as a fire which speedily consumeth all before it and with which no paction or treaty can be made for the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the Land CHAP. II. THE Lord having thus threatned his sinful people comes now to exhort them to make right use thereof by inviting the body of the land to repent before the sentence were executed vers 1 2. and the godly remnant to seek God and follow their duty in hope of favour when the evil day should come v. 3. and that these exhortations may be more effectual he sets before them the sad judgements that were to come upon the Nations round about such as the Philistins vers 4 5 6 7. Moabites and Ammonites vers 8.9.10.11 the Ethiopians vers 12. and the Assyrians with their chiefe City vers 13 14 15. Vers 1. GAther your selves together yea gather together O Nation not desired 2. Before the decree bring forth before the day past as the chaff before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you before the day of the LORDS anger come upon you The sum of the first exhortation directed to the impenitent body of the Nation is that no wever they were not a people deâ—irous of their own good nor worthy of any favour yet the Lord would make offer of it and therefore invites them to make a serious
enquiry and fanning of themselves and one of another and that for this end they would gather and recollect themselves and meet together in solemne Assemblies for humiliation and repentance and that they would do this timously before he decreed vengeance which in Gods long-suffering had been yet suspended break forth and before a day of patience pass over swiftly as the chaff before the wind or before the day come wherein they should be as chaffe before the wind and the decreed vengeance should break forth in execution suddenly and easily and wherein the great fierce anger from the Lord should inflict judgement without mercy Doct. 1. When the Lord speaks in hardest tearmes to his sinfúl people yet they are to read in it an invitation and allowance to come to him by repentance and not that he is putting them away from any duty of that kinde Therefore though the Lord had uttered his sentence as a concluded business chap. 1. v. 2. yet here he sheweth what use they should make of it in turnning to him by repentance 2. Repentance is not acceptably endeavoured where there is not a thorough and harrow search enquiry made into our own hearts and wayes and an helping one of another in our stations to perform that duty that so our consciences from clear conviction may charge upon us those sins for which the Word threatens and the sinfulnesse of them and may stir up to turn unto the Lord for so the words in the Original may be rendered search narrowly into your selves and search as men do after stubble scattered here and there as the word is used Exod. 5.12 or after what is lost amongst it that is search and search again while ye are thus employed about your selve stir up and help others to search for so the original construction doth import 3. For stirring up to this duty of searching and making it effectual it is necessary that every man recollect his wandring thoughts whereby he hath snuffed up the winde at his pleasure and hunted after vanities and that the communion of Saints be entertained particularly in solemne and publick humiliations for so doth the Word signifie according to the translation gather your selves together yea gather together See Joel 2.15 16. 4. As this duty of repentance and self-searching is of great importance and concernment in all times and cases and especially when God declares himself to be angry so it is a duty to the performance whereof there is need of much stirring up from the Lord so much also doth the doubling of exhortations gather yea gather import 5. It is necessary for our humiliation and for setting forth the freedome of Gods love and how much he tendereth our wellfare that we know our selves well and what we are to whom the Lord gives invitations or makes gracious offers for this end is it declared here that the Lord invites to repentance a nation not affected with desire to wit of turning to God or of their own good and not desired or worthy to be beloved of him the Original word will import both 6. It is a great addition unto and aggravation of sin when it is general and overspreads a land either by general corruption or by rulers their connivence at sins of particular persons which brings guilt upon the whole land or by private persons their not mourning for the abominations of the time which involveth them in the guilt thereof All which also may contribute to commend Gods kindness in following such a crew and to hold forth the necessity of repentance when the disease is so desperate for this cause it is marked that they were a Nation not desired especially by reason of overflowing sin 7. As the Lord in his long-suffering doth not always execute vengeance immediately upon his purposing or threatning so to do but alloweth some time for bringing forth of that conceived birth as the word in the original imports so the Lords most absolute threatnings do not seclude the penitent from hope but rather invite to speedy repentance so are we taught here gather your selves before the decree bring forth as giving time to them to repent and ground of hope if they should so do for however the Lords eternal purposes be unalterable yet his threatnings which are his pronounced decree or sentence according to the law when most absolutely pronounced to exclude the exception of repentance Jon. 3.4 10. The Lord threatning so sharply that upon our perverting of him he may not execute it as on the contrary he promiseth that he may fulfill And when his threatnings do hold forth even his irrevocable purpose to send outward land-judgements notwithstanding the repentance of any as 2 Kings 23.26.27 yet repentance before it be executed is to good purpose for removing the penitent before the evil day come as was done to Josiah for moderating it to him if he be continued as Jeremiah and the godly remnant found Jer. 15.11 for taking off wrath out of whatsoever they shal taste of the cup. 8. It is an horrid iniquity to despise the patience and long-suffering of God or to neglect the setting up of our furnace of examination self-searching when he threatens and will provoke him to set up his furnace of judgment so much the hotter that it hath been long forborn for if they let the decree bring forth and a day of patience blow over without repentance and fanning themselves he will make the day pass and drive them as chaff and will send his fierce anger upon them 9. None who do believe divine wrath how forcible it is and how weak themselves are to resist but they do proclame their own madness if they set not about repenrance when God threatens Therefore it is thrice held out what this day will be that it shall pass as chaff that the fierce angers of the Lord the day of the Lords anger shall come upon them as sufficient to move any who were not quite bereft of sense to gather together before the decree bring forth Ver. 3. Seek ye the LORD all ye meeke of the earth which have wrought his judgement seeke righteousnesse seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORDS anger There being little hope of the body of the land that they would be repentance avert a day of anger Therfore the Lord turns to the godly remnant in the land who are humbled and made meek under the sense of sin and Gods hand and who have studied to make conscience of their duty enjoyned in the word These he exhorts to go on in seeking the Lords face and favour and to grow in humility in meeknesse and in righteous walking and in making use of the righteousness of Christ as being the certain way to be hid from wrath to come the only way giving any ground of hope to get safety in outward judgements though he will not make them absolutely sure of it for this sort of speech see on Jon.
3.9 Doct. 1. In declining times the Lord hath a peculiar eye to the godly and expects much from them Therefore leaving the wicked Nation he turneth to them with exhortations and promises 2. The truth and reality of grace will manifest it selfe in mens being of subdued meek and humble spirits stooping to the Word abasing themselves trembling under judgements and tender towards others and in their not giving way to discouragement from duty however they be humble but stirring up themselves to seek God for himself and adorning their profession with righteous conversation respecting Gods commands whatever their own natural inclinations be Thus are the Godly described here to be seekers of the Lord the meek of the earth or of the land which have wrought his judgment or obeyed his righteous ordinances enjoyned to them 3. Though it be incident to the godly to fall into some decay in a time of general defection and to be discouraged from their duty by the evil example of others yet the truly godly ought to prove themselves to be such by their perseverance and needing and seeking more of what they already have and of Christs righteousnesse to cover all and especially they ought to be on the growing hand if they would beare out and finde favour in an evil time therefore in such a time is this exhortation given seek ye the Lord seek righteousnesse seek meeknesse the repeating of the exhortation shewing the necessity of the thing exhorted to 4. As it is the Lords great mercy toward such as fear him that he puts the remission of their sins and their eternal happinesse out of all doubt so also he is able when he pleaseth in hardest dayes to give them proofes of love in temporal favours by taking them into his protection and either delivering them from trouble or moderating it for here there is no doubt made of the first and even in the second it is declared possible it may be ye shall be hid 5. The Lord seeth it fit to exercise his dearest children with great uncertainties what their lot may be in common calamities not that they should doubt of his power or good wil but that they may be sensible of the difficulty of the thing it self and that in so great overflowing calamities the righteous shall scarcely be saved that so iâ— may appear to be a singular favour when God doth it that the godly having done their duty may yet humble themselvs before the Lord as not meriting any such thing as hiding That they may be excited yet to more diligence that they may learn to expect the free reward of piety in temporal things with much submission and that amidst all improbabilities and incertainties the seeker of God may learne by faith to venture much on God and absolutely rely on his goodness and tendernesse who will not withhold any good thing from his own Ps 34.10 and 84 11. For these causes it is that this exhortation is seconded with so uncertain-like an encouragement it may be ye shall be hid c. 6. Whatever uncertainty seekers of God may be put to as to receiving of temporal favours yet they ought to be fixed in this That seeking of God is the shortest cut and onely way to speed even in these things for though they get but a may be yet upon that they are exhorted to seek the Lord as the only way to be sure and their getting but a may be puts it out of all doubt that they who turn aside to crooked ways may expect nothing of that kind See 1 Pet. 4.18 Vers 4. For Gaza shall be forsaken and Ashkelon a desolation they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day and Ekron shall be rooted up 5. Wo unto the inhabitants of the sea coast the Nation of the Cherethites the word of the Lord is against you O Canaan the Land of the Philistines I will even destroy thee that there shall be no inhabitant 6. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks To make the preceding exhortation have the more effect the Lord subjoynes a denunciation of sad judgements to come upon the enemies of the Jews on all hands of them intermixing some promises that these stroaks should tend to the advantage of truth and the Church The first he begins at are the Philistines on their west side wherein he first threatens four of their great Cities with being made solitary and desolate with being openly and violently stormed and the inhabitants led into captivity when it should be impossible to travel for heat and with total extirpation which judgements are expressed in the first language with fit allusions to the names of the Cities v. 4. and Gath the fifth principal City of the Philistines is omitted in this sentence either because it was then in possession of the Jews or because it is comprehended under the rest as Amot 1.8 2. He threatens the inhabitants of the country about lying upon the sea coasts who were either Cherethites of whom see 1 Sam. 30.14 Ezek. 25.16 or Philistines properly so called who descended of cursed Cham. Gen. 10.6 13 14. These he threatens with his wo a purpose against them to lay them desolate so that their fertile and populous Country should be turned into a place of pasture and for flocks and herds to dwel in v. 5 6. The ground of this sentence is insinuated in that they are called Canaan that is not only of his posterity but possessors of a part of the land of Canaan which belonged to Israel Josh 13.2 3. And these judgements were inflicted on the Philistines partly by Pharach Jer. 47.1 Partly by the Babylonians Jer. 47.2 3 4 5. and partly by the Jewes the mselves after their return â— and afterward by Alexander the Great as histories do record Dect 1. It is a profitable meanes for stirring up the visible Church to repentance and the godly to perseverance in an evil time to consider the hand of God upon nations about and enemies to the Church therefore are these threatnings brought in upon the back of the former exhortations and subjoyned to them with the particle for as pointing out his scope in the subsequent purpose to be for their stirring up and we may conceive the dependance thus 1. Judgments threatned or executed upon others ought to stir up the wicked in the Church to repent Gather your selves for Gaza shall be forsaken 2. The godly may perceive Gods tender care of them in calamities whereof they taste when they look upon the full measure which he meets our to others seekers of God will see themselves hid in all their troubles when they look on Gaza forsaken Ashkelon a desolatiâ—â— 3. It is an encouragement to persevere in godlinesse notwithstanding any trouble to consider that God will recompence men for all the wrongs done to the godly and will yet restore them and make all tend to their good Seek the Lord saith he for Gaza
wicked proud boasting and wicked enterprising far more wicked acting against the Lords people their land and rights but it will in due time be reckoned for for it is put upon these enemies score that they magnified themselves against the border threatning to possesse it Ver. 9. Therefore as I live saith the LORD of hostes the God of Israel Surely Moab shall be as Sodom and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah even the breeding of nettles and salt pits and a perpetual desolation the residue of my people shall spoile them and the remnant of my people shall possess them 10. This shall they have for their pride because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hostes Follows the judgement threatned for this sin and confirmed by an oath that these enemies should be made as Sodom and Gomorrah not for the way of their destruction but for Gods rooting them and their memory out and laying their land utterly desolate as a salted land which makes it barren to bear onely weeds and that for a long time if not for ever as to them though there be a promise of their restitution especially spiritual Jer. 48.47 49.6 And whereas they encroached upon Judah the Lord threatens to make Judah spoile and possesse their land v. 9 which is to be understood as that promise v. 7. is and that they may know the cause of this stroak the Lord repeats it againe that all this should come upon them for their proud insolency against and reproaching of his people v. 10. Doct. 1. The Lord is in great earnest that he will meer with the Churches enemies as having both power and reason so to do he being the Churches Protector in Covenant with her though it be little believed either by the Church or his enemies therefore he assures them of it by his oath and takes unto himself titles of power and interest As I live saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel 2. Though the Lord think is not fit to smite every sinful Nation with immediate judgements from heaven or to make their countreys utterly and for ever unuseful as Sodom and Gomorrah were yet his displeasure is no lesse against the enemies of his people then against those he hath so smitten and he will in due time evidence it by sore desolation and of long continuance being compared with the Churches lot therefore is the Lords wrath on these Nations compared with that which he let forth on Sodom and Gomorrah Surely Moab shall be as Sodom and the Children of Ammon as Gomorrah even the breeding of nettles and salt-pits and a perpetual desolation 3. Though the Church may oft times be exposed as a prey to her enemies yet the day may come when the Church will be employed to do that to enemies which they threatned to do to them and in part attempted to do for whereas Moab and Ammon magnified themselves against Israels border v. 8. now the Lord threatens that the residue of my people shall spoil them and the remnant of my people shall possesse them 4. In a time of judgements upon enemies there will be need of frequent inculcating of Gods controversie if they would have a blessed use of stroaks in turning to God and that so much the rather as they will be ready to see many things before they see their injuries done to the Church as a cause of their calamity tharefore is this quarrel again repeated This shall they have for their pride c. 5. Pride and insolency will not misse a fall and stroak in due time especially when pride leads men to act sin and wrong not out of infirmity or ignorance but with an high hand and that against the Church for This shall they have for their pride because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord. 6. A chiefe cause of the Lords appearing for his reproached and wronged people is that the wrongs done to them seem to reflect on him as if he were not keeping Covenant with them or not able to defend or redresse their wrongs and therefore as he affects them even in troubles so he will in due time by visible acts set out his power for them and his love to them therefore this stroak is threatned because they were infolent against the people of the Lord of hoasts where both his power and his interest in Israel are asserted as rubbed upon by them and to be cleared in the judgement to come upon them Vers 11. The LORD will be terrible unto them for he will famish all the gods of the earth and men shall worship him every one from his place even all the Isles of the Heathen This stroak is farther illustrated from an effect that when the Lord shall thus terribly plague enemies and vindicate the wrongs done to his Church he will consume the idols of the Nations also by blasting their reputation that could not help their worshippers whereas God helps his people and shal withdraw worship from them as useless things and so famish them of their food and oblations and make them lean whereby way shall be made for spreading of the knowledge of the true God especially in the dayes of the Gospel wherein without distinction of place John 4.21 or of Nations Acts 10.34 35. all the remotest Nations lying beyond the sea to Judea and the Iflanders shall serve him and yet more particularly in the day of the saving of all Israel which shall be life from the dead to the generality of the Gentiles Rom. 11.15 the fame of Gods doing for them inviting all Nations to renounce their idols and serve him Doct. 1. God is a dreadfull Party for weak man to provok and albeit he be oft times little regarded of the secure siuner yet in a day of anger he will be found terrible The Lord will be terrible unto them 2. As idolatry is a great cause of Gods anger against a people provoking him to smite them so people are ordinarily so addicted to idols that they are undone before they cease to esteem of them so much doth the conexion of these two import The Lord will be terrible unto them for he will famish all the gods of the earth he will terribly destroy them because he hath a mind to bring down their Idols 3. As it is a sweet fruit of judgements when they bring down Idols as well as lay other things waste so howsoever the Lord doth suffer idolatry for a time yet at last by judgments on idolaters and by mercies toward his people he will abolish idols and exalt himself as the only true God to be chosen and served by the world for He will famish all the gods of the earth and men shall worship him 4. It is the priviledge of the new Testament and a part of the glory of Christs Kingdome that the Lords worship is not confined to a Temple at Jerusalem nor to the Nation of Israel and such
by his word will teach and allow his afflicted people to apply general promises to their own case as if they had been only intended for them therefore doth he apply that general promise of manifesting power and love to the particular strait of their captivity I will gather c. that is I will employ my power and love to help thee in thy particular distresse 3. As the Lords people do oft times provoke him justly to deprive them of publick Ordinances and to scatter them into corners so the want thereof will be a sad affliction to sensible soules as depriving them of the most lively representation of heaven on earth as obscuring much of Gods glory which is seen and spoken of in the Sanctuary and as secluding the godly from the mutual and comfortable fellowship one of another in his ordinances and from much refreshment and help which they had by those meanes for here they are sorrowful for the solemn Assembly wherein the Jewes used to to meet at the Temple to worship God 4. Such is the insolencie and cruelty of the Churches enemies that the godly may not only look to be deprived of solemn Ordinances where such have power but to have their burden and grief augmented and to be in peril of being crushed with insolent reproaching of their religion and worship for here it is added to the former the reproach of it was a burden 5. When the Lord hath brought his people lowest for their sin and enemies have got most of their will in crushing them yet they are not without the reach of his help he can and in his appointed time will bring them out of all their captivities and troubles for notwithstanding all these afflictions I will gather them saith the Lord. 6. As it is the duty of the godly in times of calamities to be most affected with what concerneth Gods honour and seems to suffer prejudice so such do lie nearest promises for the publick or for themselves either for they that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly are of thee that is thy true and kindly children and they get the first promise I will gather them and the Church for their sake Ver. 19. Behold at that time I will undoe all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame The Lord confirmeth this gracious promise of their return and undertaketh to remove all impediments that might arise from themselves or others to hinder their gathering and restitution As for outward opposition he promises to ruine her oppressors and for her self although by her affliction and captivity she were so broken and crushed like a disjoynted body that she was not able to move yea so scattered as the torn members of a body cast here and there into corners that there is no probable hope of her gathering yet he promiseth not only to make a resurrection from the dead to strengthen her who halted that she may return and to cause the driven out to be gathered but that by so doing he will take away their reproach in view of all people among whom they had lurked with ignominy Doct. 1. There is so much which the afflicted Church may have in probability and to sense to object against the truth of promises that the performance of them will be wonderful and to be admired for here we are called to admire the Lords bringing about of his purpose notwithstanding so many seen impediments Behold at that time c. 2. The promises made to the Church speak much wo to her opposers and will come to effect over the belly of all opposition they can lay in the way I will undo all that afflict thee and I wil save c. 3. The Lords people may be so crushed by their troubles and disabled to doe any thing for themselves or their own help and so cast out from all their enjoyments and so scattered from the society one of another and from having the face of a people that it may seem impossible to sense that they shall be recovered although there were no enemies against them for its a new impediment to their faith that they halted which is a crush disabling from any activity or motion and were driven out 4. They may be brought to a very low and desperate condition by trouble whom yet the Lord will not onely preserve from ruine but raise up as it were from the dead and bring them to a full fruition of what he hath promised I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out saith the Lord. 5. Albeit reproach be a great addition to trouble yet the Lords people waiting on him may expect to have it rubbed off with advantage and that by his mercies toward them he will make them honourable in the sight of all those who despised them because of their low estate I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame Vers 20. At that time wil I bring you again even in the time that I gather you for I wil make you a name and a praise among all the people of the earth when I turn back your captivity before your eyes saith the LORD The Lord yet insists upon the former promise and because it was hard to beleeve so great a change being as a resurrection from the dead after so many years burial and as it were rotting in their graves therefore he repeats and by subscribing his own name confirmeth the promise of gathering and bringing them back and of making them famous throughout the world when he should return their captivity visibly and to their own satisfaction He mentions the turning back of captivities in the plural number as it is in the Original with relation to their being led captives at several times as under Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.11 under Jehojakim 2 Chron. 36.6 under Jehojachin 2 Chro. 35.10 with every one of whom some of the people suffered and under Zedekiah and with relation to their being scattered into several places in their captivity frō which they were to be returned as so many troups of captives if not also to their long dispersion since the Messiah came as well as to the former in Babylon Doct. 1. Greatest difficulties in the way of performance of promises ought not to cause the Church to doubt any thing of the certainty of them therefore is the promise again again inculcated upon these fainting-Jewes as a most certain truth whatever they had to the contrary whereupon to reject it At that time will I bring you again 2. One act of Gods power and love manifested for his people doth but make way for another to perfect it and when the Lord begins a work with them they may expect he will not leave it unperfected so much doth the way of making this promise import that when he gathers them in their exile as he did under Zerubbabel and Ezra he will not leave them till he safely bring them back At that time will I bring you again even in the time that I gather you 3. The Lords appearing for a people and doing for them is their greatest honour before the world considering what it speaks of their interest in so great a God what respect he carries to them in their low estate and how glorious he will make them by doing for them and the Lord will in due time do for his people that he may put his honour on them therefore it is here subjoyned as a fruit of his work and his end in working I will bring you again for I will make you a name and a praise among all the people of the earth when I turne back your captivity 4. The infinite fulnesse of God is sufficiently able to answer all his peoples wants will not leave his work undone to their contentment were their difficulties never so many for whereas they had been often led captives and scattered into divers places he promiseth I will turne back your captivities and do it before your eyes or to your full content and satisfaction 5. The former proofs which God hath given of his power to give a being to what he saith in greatest extremities is a sufficient ground for the Churches encouragement to lean to his promises in new difficulties therefore to confirme all he subscribes his name Jehovah by which he had been known in their deliverance from Egypt Exod. 6.3 as a sufficient ground for their faith in this second captivity I will turne back your captivity saith the Lord or Jehovah Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.36 FINIS Mr. HUTCHESON on the Lesser Prophets Mr. Hutcheson's Exposition on the three last Prophets