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A09272
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A short and svveete exposition vpon the first nine chapters of Zachary. By William Pemble
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Pemble, William, 1592?-1623.; Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.
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1629
(1629)
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STC 19586; ESTC S114328
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122,335
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198
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A SHORT AND SWEETE EXPOSITION VPON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS OF ZACHARY BY WILLIAM PEMBLE 2. PET. 1.20 No Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation Aug. de utilit Cred. ad Honorat cap. 7. Nulla imbutus poetica disciplina Terentium sine Magistro attingere non auderes Asper Cornutus Donatus innumer abiles alij requiruntur ut quilibet poeta posset intelligi Tu in sanctos libros fine duce irruis de his sine praeceptore audes ferre sententiam LONDON Printed by R. Young for John Bartlet at the Signe of the gilt Cup in Cheape-side Anno Domini 1629. To the right Worshipful Katharine the Wife of Nath. Stephens Esquire Grace and Peace Right Worshipfull ALthough the Scripture be in its selfe most a Psal 19.7 perfect both for b 2. Tim. 3.16 17. sufficiencie and c Pro. 8.9 Ps 119.105 perspicuity yet in respect of us cleere and familiar Expositions have bin even from anon after the Apostles times held of use and profite in the Church of God For the same God who gave the Scriptures to be the d 2. Tim. 3.16 Rule of Faith and Manners gave also c Eph. 4.11 12 Doctors and Pastors for the worke of the Ministry to the edifying of the Church the Scriptures to be as the materials Pastors as the f 1. Cor. 3.10 builders The Scriptures I know are dark to many because they are * 2. Per. 1.9 blinde to some because they are g 2. Cor. 4.4 blinded and to all in sundry places because our sight is dimme and but in h 1. Cor. 13.9 part A darke eye wee know hath need of a spectacle be the light ever so cleere and the letter ever so plaine and the explanations of the godly and learned on the Text are as a spirituall spectacle to helpe to perfect the imperfect sight of our minds Now the Scriptures are opened to us not onely by the publicke preaching of the Word but in its kinde and place also by the Writings and Commentaries of the Learned whose pens and hands are I doubt not guided by a sweete influence of the providence of God and some instinct of his holy Spirit this difference being ever observed That the Writers of the Scripture were so i 2. Pet. 1.11 moved by the Holy Ghost that they could not erre but Commentators and Expositors lye open to some errours they sometimes speake as men and not onely k Rom. 3.4 may but now and then they doe and l Rom. 8.28 Quia humiliores redeunt doctiores Aug. de correp grat c. 9. cum Rom. 12.3 Rainold Thes 2. sect 12 must mistake T is true that the Word of God is so briefe that none can say he wants leisure to read it and so plaine in necessaries to salvation that none can pretend hee cannot understand it but withall t is most certaine that as there are plaine places to feed us so there are obscure places to exercise us which harder bookes and places the better to understand it s our wisedome first to be qualified with a m Psal 19.7 simple and a n Psal 25.9 meeke heart and then to acquaint our selves not only with the publicke Ministry but also with the printed Expositions of such Writers as are sound and cleere Now amongst the hardest bookes of Scripture the Prophets may have place and amongst the Prophets Zachary is a Deepe wherein an Elephant may swimme and therefore I cannot but commend the wisedome of that man of God the Author of this Booke who bestowed his learning and his paines to open the mysteries of this Prophecy Death ended his dayes ere hee could quite finish his Worke and great weakenesse hindred an intended supplement t is even pitie the Church should want it any longer and therefore I make bold to publish it under your name desiring God to giue a blessing to all that reade it but chiefly to your selfe whom the Lord in mercy hath made a sincere lover of the Word of God Yours in the Lord Iesus RICH. CAPEL AN EXPOSITION VPON THE PROPHESIE OF ZECHARIE CHAP. I. IN the eight moneth of the second yeere of Darius came the Word of the Lord unto Zechariah the sonne of Berechiah the sonne of Iddo the Prophet saying 2 The Lord hath beene sore displeased with your Fathers 3 Therefore say thou unto them Thus sayth the Lord of Hostes Turne ye unto me sayth the Lord of Hostes and I will turne unto you sayth the Lord of Hostes 4 Be ye not as your Fathers unto whom the former Prophets have cryed saying Thus sayth the Lord of Hostes Turne you now from your evill wayes and from your wicked workes but they would not heare nor hearken unto me sayth the Lord. 5 Your Fathers where are they And doe the Prophets live for ever 6 But did not my Words and my Statutes which I commanded by my servants the Prophets take hold of your Fathers And they returned and sayd As the Lord of Hostes hath determined to doo unto us according to our owne wayes and according to our workes so hath he dealt with us 7 Vpon the foure and twentieth day of the eleventh moneth which is the moneth Shebat in the second yeere of Darius came the Word of the Lord unto Zechariah the sonne of Berechiah the sonne of Iddo the Prophet saying 8 I saw by night and behold a man riding upon a red Horse and he stood among the Mirrhe Trees that were in a Bottome and behind him were there red Horses speckled and white 9 Then said I O my Lord what are these And the Angel that talked with me said unto me I will shew thee what these be 10 And the man that stood among the Myrrhe Trees answered and said These are they whom the Lord hath sent to goe thorow the World 11 And they answered the Angel of the Lord that stood among the Myrrhe Trees and said We haue gone thorow the World and behold all the World sitteth still and is at rest 12 Then the Angel of the Lord answered and said O Lord of Hostes How long wilt thou be unmercifull to Ierusalem and to the Cities of Iudah with whom thou hast been displeased now these threescore and ten yeeres 13 And the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words 14 So the Angel that communed with me said unto me Crie thou and speake Thus sayth the Lord of Hostes I am jealous over Ierusalem and Zion with a great zeale 15 And am greatly angry against the carelesse Heathen for I was angry but a little and they helped forward the affliction 16 Therefore thus saith the Lord I will returne unto Ierusalem with tender mercie mine House shall be builded in it sayth the Lord of Hostes and a Line shall be stretched upon Ierusalem 17 Crie yet and speake Thus sayth the Lord of Hostes My Cities shall yet be broken with plentie the Lord shall yet
force or feare the Temple sometime polluted many Massacres committed upon the Inhabitants Idolatry sometimes established by force Tribute imposed upon the Country with other Miseries during most part of the time that these Syrian and Aegyptian Kings reigned and contended And after that both were 〈◊〉 in pieces by 〈…〉 the Romanes themselves set foote in Iudaea and made it a tributary Province till its utter desolation which also they governed by Praesidents that were Romanes borne And then was the supreme Governement of the State administred by the Romane Deputies not by the Naturals of the Countrey who till that time were chiefe Rulers of the Iewish Affaires though with some reference and subordination to one forraine Prince or other for the most part For sometimes also they defended themselves as a free State fought against their Enemies over-came them and also much enlarged their State and Territories Wherefore I take it that such a kinde of Oppressour is here understood as the Iewes had formerly felt namely who should utterly ruinate the Countrey and carry away the People captive as the Assyrians had done And such a one should passe thorough them no more i. e. not a long time or with condition so long as they were obedient to God for so that Phrase is often to be taken in Scripture Now this is true that though the Iewes State had many sore plunges yet it held up its head was honourable and flourished even among so many afflictions and for the space of almost five hundred yeares till a few yeares before the comming of Christ had Lawes and Governours of its owne and was in a manner a free State though in dependance upon others And therefore when the Romanes had swallowed Syria and Egypt yet they yeelded not but upon conquest And after Christs time thought themselves strong enough to rebell which wrought their finall Ruine If this bee not the meaning I know not what to say of it it were a labour worth the undertaking to compile a short History of the times from the Captivitie to Christ comparing the passages of Story with the Prophecies It would give much light especially to the three last of the smaller Prophets Story is yet very defective in this particular 3. By the Cause of it Gods favourable respect unto his People and Church For now I have seene * Taken good notice of it with mine eyes scilicet their Captivitie and grievous Afflictions past and now my favour shall bee shewed unto them for the time to come See the like Phrase Exodus 2.25 And the Paraphrast to the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. For I have now revealed my power to doe them good That conceit of Aben Ezra that these are the Prophets words saying that he had now seene all this in a manifest Vision is not worth the mentioning or confuting 2. A Prophecie of the Comming of Christ of his Kingdome and the manifold benefits which the Iewes had and should enjoy by that expected Messias And it is fitly annexed to the former Prophecie to shew them by what meanes and from whom all comfort was to bee expected This Prophecie full of much difficultie reacheth to the end of the tenth Chapter from the ninth Verse of this containing a large Description of the Times of the Messias of the Nature and Benefits of his Kingdome and Government The Parts of the Prophecie are 1. A Promise of the speedy comming of the Messias whose approach should bee in that qualitie under which they expected him viz. as a King The Prophet sets it downe Emphatically Behold thy King i.e. the Messias who shall be a King though of another kinde than the Iewes imagined commeth unto thee very shortly hee is even as it were upon the way and will bee here speedily appearing in the flesh And hee amplifies this by the Effect which the Hope and Promise of Christs comming should worke in the hearts of his People viz. Singular joy and rejoycing notwithstanding the present Miseries which now lay heavie upon the Church Rejoyce and that greatly O Daughter of Zion the Church * Exod. 32.17 18. shout make an open Declaration of the joy thou conceivest O Daughter Ierusalem eyther Synonymicè to the former the Church or haply the State for both have singular Benefit by Christs Kingdome and generally CHRIST is all our joy 2. A three-fold Description 1. Of the Person of the Messias what a manner of King hee should be whom they expected Hee is described by three most excellent Properties of a good King 1. Iustice He is just most strict and equall in his Government not favouring his People in their offences See Esay 11.3 4 5. 9.7 Exod. 23.21 2. Protection and Safegard of his Subjects And hauing salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not taken passively in Niphal for Servatus but actively for the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servator a Saviour So rendred by the Paraphrast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liberator Salvator See Mat. 1.21 Some turne it and saved himselfe And so the French Et qui se garentit de pau soy mesme which is true that his owne Power saved himselfe from being overcome by death c. but yet this rendring is too narrow for the sense That conceit of Aben Ezra He is just and by his justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee shall bee saved from the Sword of God and Magog is a Iewish dreame of Christs temporall Kingdome 3. Humilitie lowly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflictus humiliatus pauper Mat. 21.5 and the Seventie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humilis Mansuetus Meeke The first Interpretation of the word respects the Povertie and Meanenesse of Christs outward state and so the Paraphrast takes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Afflectus Iunius and our old Translators Poore And the French Abject The second Interpretation respects the inward Lowlinesse of Christs heart as farre from Pride as his State was from all Pompe and so our new Translators take it according to Matthew Let us take it in both senses for both agree to Christ who was both poore and humble A King quite of another Condition than the magnificent and proud Monarchs of the World are This lowly Mind and meane Estate of the Messias as it appeared through the whole course of his life from his birth to his death so was it then very remarkeable when above all other times hee seemed to take greatest State upon him namely when hee made his solemne Entrance into his Citie of Ierusalem which is here fore-shewen unto Zacharie by the Propheticall Spirit For albeit at that time the Acclamations and Honour the People gave unto him as unto a King were not small yet in regard of outward Magnificence they were farre inferiour to the Pompe and Statelinesse which earthly Potentates make at their Entries into the head Cities of their Kingdomes The Manner of his Entrance in all humble and lowly sort is set forth by one speciall Circumstance of