Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 1
Verſ. 1. I will ſtand upon the watch, and ſet me upon the Tower, and will watch to ſee what he will ſay unto me, and what I ſhall anſwer when I an reproved.
IN this Chapter God anſwereth all the Prophets grievances, and it containeth two parts.
1. The Prophets attendance upon God for his anſwer, verſ. 1.
2. The Lords anſwer in the reſt of the chapter.
In the firſt,
The Prophet having diſputed with God, and as his name importeth, having wraſtled with him, doth reſolve,
I will ſtand upon the watch, and ſet me upon the tower, alluding to the military practice of ſouldiers, who appoint ſome in ſome eminent place to obſerve the enemie, and to give timely warning of their doings.
And ſeeing God hath declared himſelf an enemy to the Iews, by all thoſe evils which he hath threatned to bring upon them, the Prophet watcheth him, and attendeth to receive further advertiſement from himſelf, concerning his purpoſe toward them.
I will watch to ſee what he will ſay unto me; for the ſecrets of the Lord are revealed unto them that fear him: And God ſpake in the mouth of all the Prophets, which have been ſince the world began.
Neither doth the Prophet attend God out of a curioſity, ſcire ut ſciat, to know only, as Bern. ſpeaks, but that he may know what to anſwer for God when he is reproved, or as the Margent ſaith much better, when he is argued with, and others come to diſpute with him upon thoſe grievances, as he hath done with God; for you muſt underſtand, that in all the former complaints this Prophet hath not argued as a particular man, but as undertaking the cauſe of the Church, and ſuſtaining the Perſons of all his afflicted brethren, for whoſe ſakes, that he may ſatisfie them, and for Gods ſake whoſe Miniſter he is, that he may know how to maintain to them the cauſe of Gods Wiſedome and Iuſtice, he doth now attend Gods anſwer.
By this ſtanding upon the watch and upon the tower, in this place is meant the Prophets attending upon a further Revelation of the Will of God concerning theſe grievances, becauſe in thoſe times God did ſpeak to his Prophets by viſions, and dreams, and ſecret inſpirations.
And holy men then had acceſſe to him immediatly, whereby they knew the mind of God, and yet did communicate to them his counſels.
Yet ſo as he put them to it to await his good leaſure, and to expect his anſwer. So David in his own caſe, I will heare what the Lord God will ſay unto me.
Theſe words do wel expreſſe the whole duty of a faithful Prophet, and Miniſter of the Word, conſiſting of two parts.
1. His information of himſelf, implet ciſternam he fils the Ciſtern.
2. His inſtruction of others, for then he will turn the Cock.
In the firſt obſerve,
1. His wiſedome: he will borrow all his light from the Sun. What he will ſay unto me.
2. His vigilancy, I will ſtand upon the watch:
3. His patient expectation: I will ſet me upon the tower.
4. His holy care, to ſee what will be ſaid to him.
1. His Wiſedome.
He will take his information from the mouth of God; teaching us,
That the faithful Miniſter of God muſt ſpeak only in the Lords meſſage; he muſt ſee before he ſay; Doct. he muſt be firſt a Seer and then a Speaker, and he muſt not go from the inſtructions which God ſhal give him to ſpeak more or leſſe.
This is our wiſedome and underſtanding, to take our light from the father of lights, to gather our wiſedome from him that is wiſeſt, Whoſe fooliſhneſſe is wiſer then man, as the Apoſtle telleth us.
1. Becauſe of our nature which is corrupt, Reaſ. 2 ſo our reaſon and judgement; ſubject to errours and miſtakes; as we ſee in Nathan who encouraged David in his purpoſe of building a Temple, which in his humane reaſon ſeemed a good intention, and David a fit perſon to undertake it.
But God directed him to repeal that Commiſſion, and to aſſigne that work to Salomon Davids ſonne.
2. Becauſe we are Ambaſſadors from God; Reaſ. 2 and Ambaſſadours go not of themſelves, but are ſent; and they muſt remember whoſe Perſons they beare, and be careful to ſpeak according to their inſtructions.
1. This as it is a direction to us to limit our Miniſtry, Ʋſe. that we may not do more or leſſe then our erand;
2. So it is a rule for you to whom we are ſent, to receive or refuſe our Miniſtry, accordingly as you ſhall juſtifie our Preachings by the Will of God, revealed in the ſacred Canon of Scripture; ſearching the Scriptures as the men of Berea did, whether thoſe things which we teach be ſo or not.
And if any ſhall in the name of God broach or vent the doctrines of men, you may ſay to him as Nehemiah did to Sanballat
There are no ſuch things as thou ſayſt, but thou feineſt them out of thine own heart.Nehem. 6.8.
But take heed you exceed not this example of Nehemiah; for he did not charge Sanballat thus, till he perceived that God had not ſent him, but that he pronounced this prophecy.
For many hearers are ſo ſeaſoned with prejudice againſt their Teachers, that if any thing ſound not to the juſt tune of their own fancies, they will ſuddenly quarrel it. Yet as Gamaliel ſaith, If the Counſel be of God, it will stand, whoſoever oppoſe it.
3. This reproveth thoſe forward intruders into the Lords harveſt, who come unſent, and bring not their Sickle with them, they will work without tools, and they will teach before they have learnt.
Like the fooliſh Virgins, they would ſpend of the wiſe Virgins oyle, they do ſapere ex Commentario, and take their Sermons upon truſt, hearkning what God hath ſaid to others, and not tarrying till God ſpeak to them.
It is no wonder if theſe Merchants do break who ſet up without a ſtock: they be but broken Ciſterns, though ſome water run through them they hold none.
The faithful Miniſter muſt not only obſerve quid dicit dominus what the Lord ſaith, but quid dicit mihi, what he ſaith to me: he muſt have the warrant of his own miſſion from a ſpecial illumination of his own underſtanding, or elſe his Trumpet will never give a certain ſound.
4. This bindeth the hearer to affection.
For if the ſpirit ſpeaketh to the Churches, then qui habet aures audiendi audiat; he that hath ears let him hear: Eſt Deus in nobis, God is in us; they do not flatter us as they did Herod, and we ſhall never die of the wormes for receiving that teſtimony of our Miniſtry, if we deal faithfully, that ſay of our preaching; The voice of God and not of man; for Saint Paul teſtifieth of the Theſſalonians;
For this cauſe alſo thank we God; 1 Theſ. 2.13.becauſe when ye received the Word of God which yee heard of us, yee received it not as the Word of men, but as it is in truth the Word of God, which effectually worketh alſo on you that believe.
Beloved, it is true that we that are now the witneſſes of God, have not that open acceſſe to him, that the Prophet had to receive immediate inſtructions from his own mouth: But Chriſt ſaith,
Sicut miſit me Pater: it a & ego mitto vos, as the Eather ſent me, ſo ſend I you.
And he telleth his Father how he hath provided for his Church till his ſecond coming.
I have given them the word which thou gavest me, Iohn. 17.8and they have received them; and having ſo done, he ſaid unto them, Ite & docete, Go and teach.
When thou comeſt then to Church, and heareſt Moſes and the Prophets, and the Pſalms, which was the Manna wherwith God fed the fathers before the incarnation of Chriſt, when the Veile of the Temple was up: remember what Abraham ſaid to the rich man, Habent Moſen & Prophetas, audiant eos. They have Moſes and the Prophets, let them hear them; that is the way to keep out of hell.
When thou heareſt the voice of the Sonne of God in the Goſpel, the Veile of the Temple being torn from the top to the bottome, Chriſt now reveiled to thee with open face,
Take heed thou deſpiſe not him that ſpeaketh to thee in the Miniſtry of a mortal man: this is a treaſure which is brought unto you in earthen veſſels; value the veſſels at their own worth in themſelves, but yet regard them above their worth for their uſe, for they bring you the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge;
Enough to make you wiſe unto ſalvation, ſufficient to beget faith in you, by which you may overcome the world; enough to make you perfect, throughly perfect to all good works.
This is done by our Miniſtry, if you will hear God in us; and what would you deſire more then to be taught how to become wiſe and honeſt? for ſuch are not afraid of the Parliament: and ſay with Saint Paul,
With me it is a very ſmall thing that I ſhould be judged of you, 1 Cor. 4.3.or of mans judgement.
2. The vigilancy of the Prophet; I will ſtand upon the watch. Amongſt the great titles of honour and ſervice that are given to the Miniſters of the Word in Scripture this is one, they are called Watchmen; It is Gods word to Ezechiel, Ezek 3.17.
Sonne of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the houſe of Iſrael: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me, which is repeated in the ſame words, chapt. 33.7. as the Margent of the Kings Bible directeth you.
This correſpondence muſt be between God and his Miniſter; for if God do make us watchmen over the houſe of Iſrael, then with Habakkuk we muſt ſtand upon the watch.
Let not us plead the truſt of God committed to us, except we can plead our faithfulneſſe in the diſcharge of that truſt.
This is indeed an honour done to the Prophets and Miniſters of the Church, to commit the Church of God to our care; but the burthen of this care to keep watch is exceeding great.
A neceſſity is laid upon me, and wo be to me if I preach not the Goſpel.
Here be two things in this office.
1. To watch,
2. To give warning.
1. Some can watch, but they can give no warning. Miniſters of good and preaching lives, but not apt to teach, which Saint Paul requires in his Miniſters. Of whom Saint Hierome ſaith, Innocens ſine Sermone Converſatio, quantum prodeſt exemplo, tantum nocet ſilentio.
2. Some will ſometimes give warning, but they cannot always watch. Preach learnedly when they preach, but they have not learnt out all their leſſon of the Apoſtle: Cave tibi & doctrina: in his Perſta foreign Continue in theſe things, it requires incumbency as the Law calleth it.
3. But if we will do our duties; we muſt do both; ſome would fain do both, and cannot get a watchmans place, there is none void. For be the People never ſo empty, yet Eccleſia eſt plena, the Church is full.
All is not well that way; the Church complains; and they that have laboured abundantly, to enable themſelves for this watch, are too much ſearched, and examined too narrowly for their gifts.
Others have a watch, but they do not with the Prophet ſtand upon it; either they ſit at eaſe, or they ſleep it out ſoundly: this Prophet promiſeth to ſtand in readineſſe for action and execution of his charge.
Beloved, many will not beleeve it, but we feel it, if we make conſcience of our duties in our calling that our vocation is laborious; this watching in all weathers, and this robbing of our temples of their timely reſt, to attend the watch over your ſouls, as thoſe that muſt give an account to God for our ſelvs and for you, is an honourable burthen, foreign, Who is ſufficient?
1. Vigilat hoſtis, The enemy watcheth, he compaſſeth the earth to and again, he goeth about like a roaring Lyon; he is ever either reaching out an Apple of temptation, as to Eve; or ſtretching our an arme of provocation, as to the bleſſed Virgin: gladius pertranſibit animam tuam.
We muſt keep you waking, that he bring not upon you the ſpirit of ſlumber; we muſt awake you, if you ſleep in ſin, that he ſurpize you not.
Cuſtos Iſraelis non dormit, the keeper of Iſrael ſlumbreth not. Alexander lies down to ſleep without fear, becauſe he leaves Parmenio his faithful counſellor waking. David will lay him down in peace, and take his reſt, ſeeing God doth make him dwell in ſafety.
Dominus dat dilectis ſuis ſomnum.
Yet let us obſerve two things concerning our ſleep, for the Apoſtle ſaith, Therefore let us not ſleep as do others. foreign,1 Theſ. 5.6. as unbeleevers. Lyranus, qui ſunt increduli; foreign, ſuch as are left out of the Church, and out of Gods fold to the world, let us not ſleep ſo: how then?
1. Before our ſleep let us take Davids example for our Donec until. I will not give ſleep to mine eyes, nor ſlumber to mine eyelids, untill I finde out a place for the Lord; that is,Pſ. 132.4, 5. Iſa. 66. ſaith Auguſtine Donec inveniam locum Deo meo in me, till I finde a place for God in me; for God doth delight to dwell with the humble, and ſuch as are of a contrite heart.
And Chriſt ſaith, Behold, I ſtand at the doore and knock; if any man open to me, I will come into him.
In the letter, David ſweareth to take no reſt till he have found out a place for the building of the Temple; that was Davids care.
This is our Donec, untill; till we have done our eſpecial ſervice to God, which concernes us in our Calling; let us not think of ſleep till we have conſecrated our ſelves as temples for the Holy Ghoſt to dwell in.
2. Let us in ſleep take the example of the Church, I ſleep, but my heart waketh, it is the voyce of my beloved, ſaying, open to me.Cant. 5.2.
That is, let our ſleep be moderate, ſo ſanctified by our prayer, that we may ſay with the Church.Cant. 3.1. By night on my bed I ſought him whom my ſoul loveth.
Thus doth the faithfull Watchman of Iſrael take heed to himſelf and to his doctrine; to himſelf and to his flock, as the Shepherds to whom the Angel appeared, giving them notice of the birth of Chriſt: They kept watch by night becauſe of their flock.
Bleſſed is that ſervant, whom the Maſter when he cometh ſhall finde ſo doing.
3. His patient expectation. I will ſet me upon the tower, and will watch to ſee.
God doth not alwayes reveale himſelf and his will to his Miniſter, he muſt tarry Gods leaſure and wait his times.
Sometimes God doth withdraw his light from the Miniſter, for the puniſhment of the people, and will not let him ſee a danger that is coming that he may chaſten the ſins of his people with the rods of men.
Sometime he doth ſhut up the door of utterance, and will not let them give warning of the wrath to come to puniſh their ſin.
Therefore Saint Paul willeth the Epheſians, Praying always, with all manner of ſupplication for all men, Eph 6.18, 19.and for me that utterance may be given me.
Beloved, we watch for you, we pray for you, we preach to you; whilſt we ſtand upon theſe towers to give you warning pray you for us that God would be pleaſed to make us ſufficient for this holy ſervice.
When Paul and Silas went to preach,Acts 15 40 They were commended of the brethren to the grace of God; pray the Lord of the harveſt, ut mittat operarios, that he would ſend forth labourers.
We do not ſtand upon theſe Towers to keep watch for our ſelves only, but for you; and whenſoever we come into a Pulpit, your thoughts muſt be ready to ſay to us as Cornelius did to Peter, Now therefore we are all here preſent before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.Act. 10 33
The care impoſed on us is greater then the care of the King and the Magiſtrate; To which of them hath he ſaid at any time feed my ſheep, feed my lambs?
Obey them that have the rule over you, Heb. 13.17.and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſouls▪ as thoſe that muſt give account.
Wonder not at our infirmities, and do not make the worſt of our weakneſſe; for we ſtand upon the Tower, and ſuffer many a blaſt which cometh not neare you.
No ſort of men lye ſo open to Satans force and fury as we do; he vexeth us with all his ſtormes.
When Joſhua ſtood before the Angel of the Lord to receive his Commiſſion, Satan ſtood at his right hand to reſiſt him.
He deſired to winnow Peter.Zech. 3.1.
God ſent the angel of Satan to buffet Paul: When Chriſt lived a private life, little is ſaid of him: but ſo ſoone as he was baptized, and entred into the execution of his miniſtry, he was tempted of Satan in the wilderneſſe forty dayes together.
It was the policy of the King of Aram to bend all his forces againſt the Captains of the Lords Army.1 Reg. 22.31.
We are not able of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, all our ſufficiency is of God who hath made us able Miniſters.2 Cor. 3.5.6.
Therefore whilſt we attend the opening to us of the whole counſel of God, we have great need of your prayers, that we faint not in our expectation, that we ſhrink not in the execution of our duty.
For through God only we are mighty.
I conclude this point in the Apoſtles words of exhortation,2 Cor. 10.4. ſeeing we ſtand upon the Tower and keep watch, till God will put a word into our mouths;
You alſo helping together by prayer for us, 2 Cor. 1.11,that for the gift beſtowed upon us, by the means of many perſons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
The Apoſtle doth confeſſe that our gifts are beſtowed on us by the means of many perſons, by the prayers and ſupplications of many of Gods good ſervants.
Therefore that we may ſtand it out in all weathers, that we be not idle and drowſie in our watch, that we may be full of the ſtrength of God to do the work of Evangeliſts, pray you to God without ceaſing for us.
For we have many diſcouragements, and ſtanding ſo high upon the Tower, we have many eyes upon us; and Satan on our right hand ro reſiſt us, and the world on the left hand to tempt us; and the great difficulty of our ſervice and employment in the Church to diſhearten us: yet audiam quid loquatur Deus, yet I will hear what God will ſay to me.
4, His holy care in his office,
It is not to ſtudy what his own brains will ſuggeſt, …ut to hear what God will ſay to him: for this is
Dignus vindice nodus, a knot worth the looſing. Many obſerving the ſtate of the Church, and ſeeing the beſt men on earth ſuffer moſt, and poſſeſſe leaſt; and beholding the wicked and ungodly gather all, live in peace of the world, in fulneſſe, heaping up riches, riſing to honours, and having the monopoly of this life preſent, have ſtaggered in the faith of Gods providence.
Davids feet upon this ſlippery ground had well-nigh ſlipt, and there were ſome that profeſſed it
It is in vaine to ſerve God; Mal. 3.14.15.and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance?
And now we call the proud happy, yea they that work wickedneſſe are ſet up, yea they that tempt God are delivered.
Therefore it is high time for the Prophet to ſeek his information and light from God himſelf.
The light of humane reaſon cannot penetrate this thick cloud, David confeſſeth ſo much, the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael could not hit upon this tune, for he ſaw how proſperouſly every thing ſucceeded with the ungodly of the earth.
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me,
Ʋntill I went to the Sanctuary of God: Pſ. 73.16. Verſ. 17.then underſtood I their end.
Which teacheth us in theſe great deeps of the wiſdom of God, not to reſolve any thing out of humane reaſon, but to conſult God himſelf, and to hearken what he will ſay to the matter, to ſpeak after him, and follow him.
Our experience telleth us that there hath been much oppoſition, much injuſtice here in our land, that the Common-wealth groaned under the burthen thereof.
The wayes of God are not like our wayes; did not God ſee this? did not the cry of the poor and the oppreſſed go up to him, even to his ears? is he not come down to viſit the tranſgreſſors, and to take the matter into his own audience; even now in the cool of the day he is come at laſt to keep a Seſſions, and to ſearch Jeruſalem with a candle and lanthorn; now his eyelids do begin to try the ſons of men, and the joyful Church and Common-wealth cry to him, ſaying,
Gird thy ſword upon thy thigh O moſt mighty, Pſ. 45 3.with thy glory and thy majeſty,
And in thy Majeſty ride proſperouſly, Verſ. 4.becauſe of truth and meekneſſe and righteouſneſſe, and thy right hand ſhall teach thee terrible things.
2. His inſtruction of others.
He will not only hearken to ſatisfie himſelfe, but he will furniſh himſelf from the mouth of God with anſwers, to ſatisfie them that ſhall diſpute and argue with him againſt the Providence of God.
That is the uſe of our ſtudy and labour in our Miniſtry.
1. To teach the truth,
2. To convince contradictors.
This ſecond part of our duty the Prophet had now ſpecial uſe of; for the Church foreſeeing the fearful judgements of God upon the Jews, did argue the matter with the Prophet, and all thoſe former grievances they objected as arguments againſt Gods Government of his Church.
The Prophet holdeth the foundation, and ſeeketh to inform himſelf, how he may be able to maintain the ſame againſt oppoſition and ſtrife of tongues.
Docemur, We are taught.
In the Church of God there will be ever ſome that will argue and diſpute againſt God. Doct.
1. Becauſe men are firſt taught by the wiſedome of the world, Reaſ. 1 and that is enmity with God.
This proceeds from our original pravity of nature, corrupt in the firſt derivance from our Parents, which albeit it hath the ſeaſoning of the Law of God written in the heart, yet the law of the members, which is contrary to the law of God, doth prevaile againſt that law, and leadeth us captive unto ſin.
2. Becauſe as the Apoſtle ſaith▪ for who hath known the mind of the Lord? Reaſ. 2 Ignorance of the ways of God doth breed in us many ſiniſter opinions, as we find in David in this very caſe;Rom. 11.34 for he confeſſeth that the proſperity of the wicked troubled him, till he went into the houſe of God; there he learned the mind of God, and then he was well ſatisfied.
Even this Prophet knew not how to anſwer them that would argue with him againſt God, till he had called to account and diſputed the matter with him.
3. Becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith of the Elect, Reaſon 3 For we walk by faith, and not by ſight.2 Cor. 5.7
Now in many of Gods choſen the ſight and ſenſe is full, the faith is weak and imperfect, and when we come to hear of the equal Juſtice of God in puniſhing ſinners, and feel the ſmart of his rod upon the Church, it is an hard matter to aſſure the heart by believing againſt that which is ſuffered in feeling.
4. Becauſe Solomon ſaith, Reaſ. 4 Eccl. 7.29God hath made man upright, but they have ſought many inventions: for ſurely, the equal and conſtant ways of God, are ſuſpected by the unequal and inconſtant inventions of men, who in favour of themſelves, ſpare not to caſt the afflictions of the Church rather upon the will of God, of which they are not able to give the reaſon, then upon the evil deſervings of their own ſins.
1. The Miniſter muſt learn of the Prophet, Ʋſe 1 to apply himſelf to the remedy of this inconvenience, to maintain the cauſe of God againſt all contradiction and ſtrife of tongues; for as we are the Peoples Oratours to plead their cauſe with God, ſo are we Gods Oratours to defend him againſt the corrupt and perverſe cenſures of men, by proclaiming his conſtant Juſtice, and Wiſdome, and truth, and by teaching them; as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, He will not ſuffer his truth to faile.
We need not ſtrain our ſelues much for this; for wiſedome will be juſtified of her children, and he whom we defend againſt the calumniations of prophane, or againſt the diſtruſtfulneſſe of the ignorant and weak, will fill our mouths with arguments in his own defence.
Job ſaith to his friends,Iob. 13.7. Will ye ſpeak wickedly of God, and talk deceitfully for him? The Cauſe of God is an upright Cauſe; we ſhall not need to be put to our ſhifts, to defend him againſt the diſpute and arguing of men.
Its enough that we reſt in this principle of undeniable truth, Surely God is juſt, & there is no unrighteouſnes with him; as Abraham,
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to ſlay the righteous with the wicked, Gen. 18.25.and that the righteous ſhould be as the wicked, that be farre from thee? ſhall not the judge of all the earth do right.
2. The People that are our hearers are taught to hearken to the voice of our meſſage, and to learn this leſſon of the Juſtice, Ʋſe. 2 wiſdome and truth of God, that they may rightly know God, and ſincerely love him, that if any thoughts of diſtaſt of Gods Government, or diſtruſt of his Juſtice, ſhall ariſe in their hearts, they may preſently call to remembrance our pleadings for him, and confeſſe that how admirable ſoever the ways of God are in our judgements, yet they are always equal; how ſecret ſoever they be, yet they are always juſt.
It is a malicious ſuggeſtion when Satan ſhall bely us to God, as he did Job, when he ſaid Job ſerved not God for nothing; but there is no great danger in it,Ioh. 2.25. for he knows Satan to be a liar and a murtherer; and he needeth not that any ſhould teſtifie of man: for he knoweth what is in man.
It is a dangerous ſuggeſtion when he ſhal belie God to us, Firſt, either flattering us with an overweening of his mercy to encourage ſin, as when he told Evah, You ſhall not die at all. Secondly, Or ſhall affright us with the terrour of his Iuſtice, as if there were no …ope of favour, as he did to David, ſetting ſome awork to tell him, Non eſt tibi ſalus in deo tuo, there is no help for thee in thy God. Thirdly, or ſhall taxe to us the Government of God, as if he were either negligent of the affairs of the ſons of men, or ignorant altogether of the ſufferings of his Church, or partial in adminiſtration of Juſtice, or directly unjuſt in ſuffering his own ſervants to be oppreſt with the injuries of men.
The Miniſter muſt diligently preach, the hearer muſt reverently hear, and faithfully believe the truth concerning the Providence of God, or elſe all Religion will ſink and want foundation.