Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 2 · Chapter 2

Commentary on the Minor Prophets · Commentary 2 · Chapter 2

p. 192CHAP. II.

Verſe 1. BLow ye the trumpet in Zion,] Idem aliis verbis repetit, ſaith Mercer here. The Prophet repeateth the ſame as in the former Chapter; onelyonly in other words, more at large, and after another manner: preſſing the people further to the practiſe of repentance by many ſweet promiſes of the bleſſings of this, and a better life. Our Prophet may ſeem to bee of the ſame mind with Tertullian, who ſaid that he was nulli rei natus niſi poenitentiae, born for no other end, but to repent, and to call upon others ſo to do. Tot autem verbis & figuris ntitur, ſaith Luther, he uſeth ſo many words, & figures, becauſe he had to do with a people that were harder then rocks, Jer. 5.3. as alſo, becauſe there is an abſolute neceſſity of repentance. Aut poenitendum, aut pereundum, as our Saviour tells his Diſciples twice in a breath, Luke 13.2, 5. The Prophet had urged them hereunto from the evils they felt, or feared, chap. 1. Pain and penitency are words of one derivation: God plagueth men that he may make them cry Peccavi: not Perij onelyonly, I am undone, as Cain; but peccavi, I have done very fooliſhly, as David. The ſeventeen firſt verſes of this Chapter, are Hortatory; the reſt Conſolatory. The day of the Lord cometh; therefore Repent. This is the ſumme of the exhortation. It cometh, foreign. Herod.and that inſtantly; Give warning therefore: God loveth to foreſignifie, (ſaith the Heathen Hiſtorian) and to premoniſh, before he puniſh. He dealt ſo with Cain, to whom he read the firſt lecture of Repentance, Gen. 4. as he had done of Faith, to his father Adam, in the Chapter before. He dealt ſo with the old world, with the Sodomites, Ninevites, &c.

Sound an alarm in my holy Mountain,] Ring the bels backwards, (as amongſt us they do) the houſe is on fire; the enemy is at hand.

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,] and take courſe to prevent, or mitigate the enſuing miſchief; to cut the cart-ropes of ſin, that pull down wrath upon the land.

for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.] An end is come, is come, is come, as Ezekiel hath it, chap. 7.6, 7. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, as the ſame Prophet hath it elſewhere.Ezek. 21.27. and 10.Ezek 21:27Ezek 21:10 Should we then make mirth? as it is in the ſame Chapter: ſhould we ſleep upon a maſt-pole, dance upon a weather-cock? go hallowing and hooping to the place of execution?

Verſe 2. A day of darkneſſe, and of gloomineſſe,] Leſt they ſhould imagine it to be ſome light matter, that hath been, and is ſtill threatned, he ſets forth to the life, the bitterneſſe of that day, ſo lowring and lightleſſe, that it can hardly be called a day: a dark and dolefull doomeſday it will be to the impenitent, infauſtus & infelix, diſmall and dreadfull. What better can be expected by thoſe Tenebriones, that delight in the deeds of darkneſſe, and are acted by thoſe Rulers of the darkneſſe of this world,Epheſ. 6.12.Eph 6:12 the Devils, whom they follow as they are led, 1 Cor. 12.2. till they fall into outer darkneſſe, even that darkneſſe beyond a darkneſſe, (as the dungeon is beyond,foreign. or below the priſon) where they ſhall never ſee the light againe, till they ſee all the world on a light fire. Let thoſe Lucifugae look to it, that love darkneſſe better then light: for, beſides what they meet with here, they ſhall one day have their bellies full of it in that dungeon of darkneſſe.Exod. 19.15.Exod 19:15

A day of clouds and of thick darkneſſe,] Cauſed by that huge army of Locuſts, &c. coming in great ſwarms,Poſtera vix ſummos ſpargebar lumina montes Orta dies. Virg. Lux ſubit, & primo feriente cacumina ſole. Ovid. and darkning the air.

as the morning ſpread upon the mountains,] i. e. longe, lateque, far and neer, all the countrey over, and that in an inſtant: even as the Morning ſpreadeth abroad upon a ſudden over the tops of hills, though they be a great way off. Hereby is imported, that the calamitie here threatned, is ſuch as they can neither avert, nor avoid: Irretenſibilis eſt, ſaith Luther.

A great people and a ſtrong,] So the Locuſts are called. See Chap. 1.4, 5, 6. p. 193not without ſome reſpect to the Chaldeans, that ſhould afterwards carry them captive, as Hierom here gloſſeth.

there hath not been ever the like,] ſc. in the land of Judea, nor of the like continuance. See chap. 1.2, 3.

even to the yeers of many generations.] Heb. of an age, and an age; ſo Deut. 32.7. Joel 3.20. This aſſureth us of the greatneſſe of this peoples ſin, ſith they were ſo ſignally puniſhed: for God doth not uſe to kill flies with beetles, as they ſay.

Verſe 3. A fire devoureth before them, and behinde them a flame burneth,] Such waſte theſe vermine ſhall make: like as it is ſaid of the great Turk, that where-ever he ſets his foot, there never growes graſſe again; he doth ſo eat up the countreys where he comes with his huge armies. And the late Lord Brook, Pag. 47.in his diſcourſe of Epiſcopacy noteth, that that unhappy proverbe amongſt us was not for nought, The Biſhops foot hath troden here. In Biſcay, a Province of Spain, they admit no Biſhops to come amongſt them: and when Ferdinand the Catholike K. came in progreſſe hither, accompanied amongſt others by the Biſhop of Pampelune, Heyl. Geog. pag. 55.the people aroſe in armes, drove back the Biſhop, and gathering all the duſt, on the which they thought he had troden, flung it into the Sea. What fires they kindled here in Queen Maries dayes, devouring ſix or ſeven hundred at leaſt of Gods faithfull witneſſes in five yeers ſpace: And what work they made in our remembrance thorowout the three Kingdoms, to the imbroyling of all, and their own utter ruine, I need not relate. That renowned Authour afore-cited, had told them time enought,L. Brooks diſcourſe of Epiſcop. 39.(but that they were deſtined to deſtruction) that if they forbare to touch the ſupreme Authority of the Land, which they affected, it was but as once Mercury ſpared Jupiters thunderbolts, which he durſt not ſteal, leſt they ſhould roar too loud, or, at leaſt, burn his fingers.

The land is as the garden of Eden,] i. e. of all kinde of pleaſures and delights.Eden inde, foreign. See Gen. 2.8. and 13.10. Strabo ſpeaks ſpitefully of the land of Canaan, as if it were a dry, ſtony, and barren countrey, not worth the ſeeking after. Rabſhaketh ſhews more ingenuity then this, Strabus & pravus Strabo (as one therefore calleth him) 2 King. 18.32. Tacitus commends it for a fertile ſoil: ſo doth Pliny: but above all, the holy Scripture ſetteth it forth to be Sumen totius orbis, Heidfeld.a land flowing with milk and honey, &c. Exod. 3.15. Deut. 32.13.

and behind them a deſolate wilderneſſe.] Not ſuch a wilderneſſe as yeelded paſtures, and habitations for ſhepherds, chap. 1.19, 20. but utterly deſolate, and therefore unhabitable, as under the Torrid Zone. No place can be ſo pleaſant, but ſinne can lay it waſte. A fruitfull land turneth the Lord into barrenneſſe, for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein. Pſal. 107.34.Ps 107:34There is no foot-ſtep left at this day of that gallant Garden, planted by God himſelf: or if any, cecidit roſa, ſit ſpina; the place remains in the upper part of Chaldea, but not the pleaſantneſſe of the place. The like we may ſay of Sodom, of Jeruſalem, of Greece, of Aſia the leſſe, of Germany, Ireland, &c. England hath hitherto ſubſiſted meerly by a miracle of Gods mercy, and by a prop of his extraordinary patience: The Lord continue it to the glory of his Name, and the good of his poor people. Fiat, fiat.

Verſe 4. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horſes: and as horſemen,] i. e. the Locuſts, and other Inſects come on amain: they march with much nimbleneſſe and ſwiftneſſe. An horſe is a warlike creature, full of terrour:foreign. Pauſan. ſo ſwift in ſervice, that the Perſians dedicated him to their god, the Sun, as the ſwifteſt creature to the ſwifteſt god. See Job 41.20. Prov. 21.31. In Perſia they do all, almoſt on horſeback: they buy, ſell, confer, but eſpecially fight on horſeback to this day. So they did of old; and ſo did the Chaldeans, from whom they took the Monarchy. Theſe were horſemen, and not as horſemen: this place therefore is properly and principally to be underſtood of the locuſts. Confer Rev. 9.7.

Verſe 5. Like the noiſe of charets on the the tops of mountains,] Not onelyonly on the tops of ſtanding-corn, (as other Locuſts, which therehence alſo have their name foreign) but as the hurry of charrets in ſtony places, Rev. 9.9. For in that book of the Revelation, the Pen-man borrows all the elegancies and flowers of the old Teſtament, thereby to ſet out the ſtory of the New in ſucceeding ages: as herehence the Popiſh Prieſts are fitly called Locuſts for their numeroſity and voracity, Rev. 9.3. p. 194They are alſo likened unto horſes (verſe 7.) fed and fierce to run, and ruſh into the battle, not without noiſe: Like the noiſe of a flame of fire that devoureth the ſtubble, Eccleſ. 7.6. Or the ratling of the jumping charet-wheels, Nahum 3.2.

as a ſtrong people ſet in battle aray,] In a bloody fight between Amurath the third, King of Turkey, and Lazarus Deſpot of Servia, many thouſands fell on both ſides. The brightneſſe of the armour, and weapons, was as it had been the lightning: the multitude of launces, and other horſemens-ſtaves ſhadowed the light of the Sun: arrows and darts fell ſo faſt, that a man would have thought they had poured down from heaven. The noiſe of the inſtruments of warre, with the neighing of horſes, and out-cries of men, was ſo terrible and great, that the wild-beaſts in the mountains ſtood aſtonied therewith:Turk. hiſt. fol. 200. and the Turkiſh Hiſtories, to expreſſe the terrour of the day, vainly ſay, that the Angels in heaven, amazed with that hideous noiſe, for that time forgot the heavenly hymns, wherewith they always glorifie God.

Verſe 6. Before their face, the people ſhall be much pained,] This is a confirmation of the former aſſertion: the people when they ſhall ſee thoſe ſwarms of Locuſts, &c. muſtering and marching in the air, they ſhall be much pained (as a travelling woman is) pangs and ſorrows ſhall take hold of them, their faces ſhall be as flames, Eſay 13.8. for fear leaſt they ſhould light on their countrey, and lay all waſt.

all faces ſhall gather blackneſſe.] Pallorem, paleneſſe, ſo Caſtalio rendreth it: a blackiſh lead-like-paleneſſe, ſuch as is on ſooty-pots. (the Originall here is, hath gathered a pot, Nigricantem colorem ſignificat. Mercer.that is by a metonymy, a pot-like-blackneſſe) See Nah. 3.10. Jer. 30.6. Pſal. 68.13. where, by blackneſſe (ſuch as ſlaves and ſcullions contract by lying among the pots, and ſmoky, and ſooty chimney-corners) is ſet forth the exceeding great fear, and affliction that Gods people are oft in: and from whence he graciouſly promiſeth to deliver them that truſt in him. Such ſhall not be afraid— whoſe heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord. It was fear that now cauſed (the naturall heat and the blood retiring to the heart, to receive it, as in a ſudden ſurprize, the ſouldiers run to the Caſtle) paleneſſe and blackneſſe of face. It was hunger afterwards, that burnt them, Deut. 32.24. and made their viſages blacker then a cole, (as Lam. 4.8.) or darker then blackneſſe, as the Originall hath it.

Verſe 7. They ſhall run like mighty men,] Horribiles, fortiſſimi ut Gigantes. They ſhall ſtrike terrour into others,Oecolamp. as in the former verſe: but themſelves, as Giants and Conquerours, ſhall over-run all, with incredible ſwiftneſſe and proweſs. Strong ſouldiers have ſtrong ſinews: and thence their ſpeedy marches, and quick diſpatch.2 Sam. 2.18…2 Sam 2:18 Aſahel was light of foot as a wild-Roe. Aehilles is every where by Homer called Swift-footed. Alexander the Great, being asked how he ſo quickly conquered ſo many countreys?foreign. anſwered, foreign, By my nimbleneſſe. Caeſar, in omnia praeceps, ſaith Lucan, he paſſed the Alpes, and was at Rome with a trice, as they ſay. His Word was, Veni, vidi, vici, I no ſooner came, but I overcame. He is ſaid to have taken a thouſand Towns, conquered three hundred Nations, took priſoner one million of men, and to have ſlain as many. What a deal was done by Joſhua in a ſhort ſpace at the conqueſt of Canaan? Charles the fifth, Emperour of Germany, is reported to have won in the Indies, by his Captains and Commanders there,Tukr. Hiſt. 28. Kingdoms, in 28. Battles. Bajazet the Great Turk, for his ſwiftneſſe and fierceneſſe, was ſirnamed Gilderun, or lightning. To ſuch worthy Warriours, ready and ſpeedy, prompt and preſent, are theſe Locuſts, Gods armed ſouldiers, here compared, They ſhall run like mighty men, they ſhall climbe the wall like men of war, that cannot be kept out, that will not be worſted.

They ſhall march every one (Heb. man) on his way,] though many, yet they ſhall not one hinder, or hurt another, but hold a comely equipage, keep rank and file, obſerve the lawes and rules of diſcipline, and ſo Conjuncti pollent etiam vehementer inertes. They go forth all of them by bands, or gathered together, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 30.27. So do thoſe Locuſts in the Revelation: the Popiſh Clergie under their King, the Deſtroyer, Rev. 9.11. Locuſts they are fitly called, for their numeroſity and p. 195voracity. The Jeſuites alone have ſometimes 200000. ſchollars. And how they feed on the fat and drink the ſweet where they ſwarme, who knowes not?

they ſhall not break their ranks] Or, writh and pervert their paths, Sic & R. Abrab. in Comment.as Aben-Ezra out of the Arabick idiom rendreth it. Hierom teſtifieth that He and others ſaw in Judea troopes of Locuſts flying in ſo even an order, ut nè puncto quidem aut ungue teauſverſo declinent ad alteram, that you could not ſay they brake rank at all; tanto ordine & diſpoſitione jubentis Dei volitant, ſaith He,Pſal. 47.Ps 47 ſo ſtrict and beautifull diſcipline there is in Gods whole army, to whom belong the ſheilds of the earth, the Militia of the whole world.

Verſe 8 Neither ſhall one thruſt another] Or ſtraiten another. The Greek word foreign to preſſe and perſecute, ſeemes to come from this Hebrew word Dakag. The Prophet ſtill alludeth to the manner of marſhalling armies in ſuch ſort, as that neither may the ſouldiers hinder one another, nor the enemy have any advantage to break in upon them. Exercitus pulchre diſpoſitus, & amicis pulcherrimus videtur, & hoſtibus inexpugnabilis, ſaith Zenophon; that is,In Oeconom. A well-ordered army ſeemeth both beautifull to their friends, and invincible to their enemies.

They ſhall walk every one] Heb. Man, Mighty man q. d.foreign vir validus Meſillah Via trita. Each locuſt ſhall walk and ſtalk, as a ſtrong luſty man in his trodden track, in the path that God hath put him into, and ſhall hold to it.

and when they fall upon the ſword] Heb. the long ſword, or javelin, they ſhall not be wounded: as if they were unwoundable, or ſhot-free, as the Poet fabled of Achilles, and as the Perſians, vanquiſhed by the Athenians at the field of Marathon, cried out

foreignStobaeus.

We fell them, yet they fall not: we then wound,

And think them dead, but they are ſafe and ſound.

Verſe 9 They ſhall …un to and fro] As ſouldiers do when they have taken a town by aſſault, and have leave to plunder. En victoriam & hoſtilem inſultationem, ſaith Mercer here. See the lively portraicture of Victory and Triumph.

they ſhall ru… upon the … ] After they have ſcaled it (as afore) they ſhall walk or run upon it as Conquerors, without feare of an enemy: Alexander the great would do ſo.

they ſhall climb up upon the houſes] No longer now the owners caſtles: for they ſhall be ferrited out of their retiring roomes, or forced to do as Sardanapalus the Aſſyrian Monarch did; who, ſtraighted by the enemy, ſacrificed himſelf with his wealth and wenches to Vulcan in a wood-pile, (as One phraſeth it) in his royall pallace.

they ſhall enter in at the windowes, as a theef] whoſe property is 1. to climb up ſome other way, and not to enter in by the dore Ioh. 10.1. death alſo getteth in by the windowes and that way entreth into palaces Ier. 9.21. ſo doth Satan (that theef of the truth, as Baſil calleth him) wind himſelf into the ſoul by the eyes, thoſe windowes of wickedneſſe and loop-holes of luſt. 2. to rifle and ranſack, and leave little enough behind him. What clean-work theſe inſets made, ſee before chap. 1.4. and take notice what great matters God Almighty can do by the moſt contemptible creatures. Quid ciniphe vilius, ſaith Philo the Jew, what can be baſer then a louſe? and yet all the ſtrength of Egypt was brought down by that deſpicable vermine? Pliny in his eight book and twenty fourth chapter tel's us out of Mr. Varro, that a great town in Spain was undermined and overturned by conyes;Clara exitii documenta ſunt ex contemnendis animalibus. Plin. Munſter. Coſmogr. An. Dom. 969. another in Theſſaly by Moles: a third in France undone by Froggs: a fourth in Africa by Locuſts: a fift in Italy by Serpents &c. Who hath not heard of Hatto, that mercileſſe Archbiſhop of Ments devoured by Mice, though he had motted up himſelf againſt their invaſion in an Iland? God cannot poſſibly want a weapon wherewith to beat his Rebels.

Verſe 10 The earth ſhall quake before them &c.] Tragicis figuris calamitatem amplificat, ſaith Luther here. By ſuch tragical tearmes the Prophets uſe to ſet forth an horrible deſolation, ſuch as firſt the Aſſyrians and afterwards the Romanes brought upon the Jewes: the Turks and Saracens upon the Chriſtian churches p. 196whether there were any ſuch earthquake or ſtupendious concuſſions of the heavenly bodies as is here deſcribed, is uncertain. Strange forerunners there were both in heaven and earth of the laſt deſtruction of Ieruſalem, as Chriſt alſo had foretold. In the dayes of Iuſtinian the Emperour,Mr. Clark in the life of Justinian pag. 67. the Sun for the greateſt part of an yeare gave ſo little light, that it was but equall to the light of the Moon, the sky being clear without clouds or any thing to ſhadow it: after which, there followed a great famine, and much war and bloodſhed.

the Sun and the moon ſhall be dark] Wondrous expreſſions to meet with their wondrous ſtupidity. The Hebrew Doctors (and Oecolampadius much diſliketh it not) allegorize the text; and by the earth underſtand the common people, by the heavens the Grandees, by the Sun and Moon the king and kingdome, as by the Starres thoſe of indifferent rank, all which are woe begone (as they ſay) by reaſon of the preſent calamities: as when upon the death of Prince Henry, Great Brittain was ſaid to be all in black; and as Demades was wont to ſay of the Achenians, nunquam eos ſapere niſi pullis veſtibus indutos that they were never ſo wiſe,Plu…arch. as when they were in mourning weeds.

Verſe 11 And the Lord ſhall utter his voice before his army] In the head of his army, as Generals uſe to do for incouraging the ſouldiers. A General ſhould be like Quintilians Orator, Vir bonus, dicendi peritus, both valiant and eloquent, as was Cato Cenſorius, Si actu ejus penitus ignoraſſes, per linguam tamen militem eſſe diceres, ut quidam de Caeſare.Optimus Orator, Optimus etiam Imperator ſaith Pliny: and Julius Caeſar, and Hunniades, who were Maſters of ſpeech as well as men of their hands: So was Joab Davids General, of whoſe ſpeech to the army 2 Sam 10.12. Pellican ſaith, Non potuit vox Duce dignior cogitari, A braver ſpeech could not have been uttered by the mouth of a mortal. But here God himſelf uttereth his voyce before his army: for the Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.3. a Victor of warres (as the Chalde there hath it) and what wonder ſith the voice of the Lord is powerfull, the voyce of the Lord is full of Majeſty. Pſal. 29.4. he ſets on and gives the ſignal of the battel to theſe Locuſts, he puts ſpirit into them and cryes Courage, my hearts: and thence it is, that they are ſo valorous and victorious.

for his camp is very great] His camp theſe Locuſts are called, though they knew it not. He hiſſeth for the Flie of Egypt and for the Bee, that is in the land of Aſſyria. And they ſhall come and reſt all of them in the deſolate vallyes, &c. Eſa. 7.18, 19. The Aſſyrian, is the rod of Gods anger, and the ſtaf in his hand. I will ſend him ſaith the Lord, againſt an hypocriticall nation, to avenge the quarrel of my covenant. Howbeit he meaneth not ſo, neither doth his heart think ſo &c. Eſay. 10.5, 6, 7. But it is here, as when in applying of horſe-leeches, the Phyſician ſeeketh the health of his patient, the leech only the filling of his gorge. Almighty God as he diſpoſeth and ordereth membra culicis & pulicis, as Auſtin hath it, the members of the meaneſt creatures: ſo by the ſame power and providence, he over-ruleth all their motions, to his own glory.

for he is ſtrong that executeth his word] Or, that thing is ſtrong, that weak Locuſt, ſet a work by God, ſhall do his will vigorouſly (and not faintly as Jer. 48.10.) ſhall go through ſtitch with it, and none ſhall hinder it.

for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible] Tremble therefore and humble under this mighty hand of God: let this earthquake worke in you an heart-quake, theſe horrible commotions and calamities draw from you a ſhower of teares, or at leaſt a ſtorm of ſighs for your ſins: unleſſe ye hold it better to be carnally ſecured then ſoundly comforted.

who can abide it?] Or elſe avoid it, otherwiſe then by repentance? Am. 8.12. Fly,Dr. Reinolds ſaith a Reverend man, from Gods anger to Gods grace. Blood-letting is a cure of bleeding: and a burn a cure againſt a burn. Running to God is the way to eſcape him: as to cloſe, and get in with him that would ſtrike you, doth avoid the blow.

Verſe 12 Therefore alſo now ſaith the Lord] Now though it be late firſt, and, as you may think,Nunquam ſero ſi ſerio. too late. Now, though the dreadfull day of the Lord be very neer at hand: yea though the Locuſts be already come, as Kimchi ſenſeth it. Oh that ye would know at the laſt in this your day of grace, the things that belong to your peace, before the gate be ſhut, the draw-bridg taken up, the taper burnt out &c. Behold now is the accepted time: behold now is the day of ſalvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. p. 197The Apoſtle (after the Prophet Eſay) purpoſely beateth upon the foreign, as if he ſhould ſay, Now, or never; ſith thou mayeſt, the very next minute be cut off by the ſtroke of death from all further time of repentance and acceptation. Up therefore and be doing: It is the Lord himſelf that thus ſaith,

Turn ye even to me,] Ʋſque ad me, altogether as far as to me:Stultitia ſemp…r in …p…t vivere. Sen. give not the half turn onelyonly: begin not to repent, and then give over the work. Some are ever about to repent, but they can never finde time, and hearts to ſet ſeriouſly about it, to do it in good earneſt. Some wamblings they have, as I may ſay, and ſome ſhort-winded wiſhes, ſome kinde of willingneſſe and velleity, but it doth not boyl up to the full height of reſolution to return. The Prodigall changed many places, ere he came home. Many came out of Egypt, that yet never came into Canaan.

with all your heart,] with the heart, Jer. 4.14. Prov. 23.26. and with the whole heart, in oppoſition to a divided heart, Hoſ. 10.2. a double heart, Jam. 4.8. a heart, and a heart, Pſal. 12.2. This whole heart, is elſewhere called, a true heart, Heb. 10.22. a perfect heart, 2 Chron. 16.10. truth in the inwards, Pſal. 51.6. where there is an unfained faith, 1 Tim. 1.5. laborious love, 1 Theſſ. 1.3. ſound and cordiall repentance, as here, undiſſembled wiſdome, Jam. 3.17. ſuch holineſſe as rendreth a man like to a chryſtall glaſſe with a light in the middeſt of it, doing the truth, Job. 3.21 and having his works full, Rev. 3.1, 2. being a true worſhipper, Joh. 4.24. an Iſraelite indeed, Ioh. 1.47. God, he knows to be juſt, and jealous: he will not endure corrivals, or compartners in the kingdome. His juriſdiction is without peculiar: he will not divide with the Devil. Be the gods of the Heathen good-fellows? ſaith One; the true God is a jealous God, and will not ſhare his glory with another. He muſt be ſerved truely, that there be no halting; and totally, that there be no halving

and with faſting, weeping, and with mourning.] with deep, and down-right humiliation, ſutable to your ſins as Ezr. 9.6. ye have inveterate ſtains; ſuch as will not be gotten out, till the cloth be almoſt rubb'd to pieces. Satan hath intrenched himſelf in your hearts, and will not be gotten out, but by faſting and prayer. Faſting, is of it ſelf but a bodily exerciſe, and meriteth nothing; for religion conſiſteth not in meat and drink … the belly full or empty, Rom. 14.17. Col. 2.23. But faſting is a ſin…ular furtherance to the practiſe of repentance, and the enforcing of our prayers. …ee Ezr. 8.21. As full feeding increaſeth corruption, Ier. 5.7, 8. ſo religious A…ſtinence macerateth, tameth, and ſubdueth the Rebell Fleſh, 1 Cor. 9.27. giving it the blew-eye, as there, and 2 Co…. 7.11. ſo that not the body ſo much,foreign. as the ſoul is made more active by emptineſſe. Faſting dayes are ſoul-fatting dayes, they fit men for converſion as here, and make much to the humbling of the ſpirit; hence they are called dayes of humiliation, and of ſelf affliction, Levit. 16.31. and 23.37.

and with weeping, [Drown your ſins in a deluge of tears; cleanſe your wounds by waſhing in this precious water: quench hell fire with it, kill the wo…m, fetch out ſins venome: there's a healing property in theſe troubled waters. Tears of vine-branches are ſaid to cure the leproſie, and the Olive is reported to be moſt fruitfull, when it moſt diſtil eth. Theſe April ſhowers bring on May-flowers, and make the heart as a watered garden; or as ſome faces appear moſt oriently beautifull, when moſt bedewed with tears. Peter never lookt ſo ſweetly as when he wept bitterly. David never ſung more pathetically then when his heart was broken moſt penitentially, Pſal. 6. and 51. when tears in ſtead of gemmes were the ornament of his bed, as Chryſoſtom ſpeaketh. Mary Magdalen (that great weeper) as ſhe made her eyes a fountain to waſh Chriſts feet in, ſo ſhe had his wounds as a fountain to bath her ſoul in; yea ſhe had afterwards the firſt ſight of the revived Phoenix, whom ſhee held faſt by thoſe feet, that had lately trod upon the lion, and the adder, &c.

and with mourning.] This is added, as a degree beyond the former. Men may faſt, and yet find their pleaſures, Eſay 58.13. weep out of ſtomack as Eſau, or complement, as Phryne the harlot, who was ſirnamed foreign, weep-laugh, becauſe ſhe could eaſily do either: and as among the Braſileans, Magirus in G…gr. Ʋt flerent oculos erudi reſuos, Ovid.tears are for a preſent ſalutation, and as ſoon gone, as if they had ſaid, How do ye? What is an humbling day, without an humbled heart? not onelyonly a religious incongruity, but an high provocation; like Zimri's act, when all the Congregation were weeping, before p. 198the door of the Tabernacle. Here therefore the Lord calleth to mourning, funerallmourning, Nudaque marmoreis percuſſit pectora palmis. Ovid. In gloſſ. margin.as the word ſignifieth: with tabring upon the breaſt, Nah. 2.7. ſmiting on the thigh, Jer. 31.19. beating on the head, face, and other parts, ſicut mulierculae in puerperio facere ſolent, ſaith Luther there. See Eſay 32.11. and 22.12. Sorrow for ſin muſt not be ſlight and ſudden, but ſad and ſoaking: the heart muſt be turned into an Hadadrimmon, Zech. 12.10, 11. where the Prophet ſeems in a ſort, to be at a ſtand, for compariſons fit enough, and full enough, to ſet forth their ſorrow, who looking upon Chriſt whom they had pierced, felt the very nails ſticking in their own hearts, as ſo many ſharp daggers, or ſtings of ſcorpions. The good ſoul (ſay the School-men) ſeeth more cauſe of grief for ſinning, then for the death of Chriſt: becauſe therein was aliquid placens, ſomething that pleaſeth: but ſinne is ſimpliciter diſplicens, ſimply diſpleaſing. So that Gods mourners need not ſend for mourning women to teach them to mourn, as Jer. 19.17. but rather have need to be comforted, leſt they ſhould be ſwallowed up with overmuch grief, 2 Cor. 2.7. and leſt Satan get an advantage againſt them, verſe 11. by mixing the deteſtable darnell of deſperation,Act. & Mon. with the godly ſorrow of a pure penitent heart, as Mr. Philpot Martyr ſpeaketh.

Verſe 13. And rent your heart and not your garments,] i. e. not your garments onelyonly,Schindler. which was geſtus perturbationis, among the Jews, a geſture uſuall with them, to ſet forth the greatneſſe of their grief and diſpleaſure; as 1. At funerals, and loſſe of friends,Tumpius Aeneas humer… abſcinaere veſtem Auxilioque vocare Deos, & tendere palmas. Virg. Aeneid. as Gen. 37.2. In caſe of blaſphemy, as 2 King. 18.3. In time of common calamity, Eſth. 4.1. Godly ſorrow for ſinne ſhould exceed all other ſorrows whatſoever, both in intention, and extenſion: the whole ſoul ſending continuall ſtreams into it out of every faculty. And hence it is that the Prophet here calleth upon them to Ront, and as it were to diſcontinuate their hearts, Cor integrum, cor ſciſſum, the broken heart is the onelyonly ſound heart: and to rent the garment, and not the heart, is as very a juggle as that of Players, who ſeem to wound themſelves, but do not; and make a ſhew of thruſting themſelves thorow their bodies, but the ſword paſſeth onelyonly thorow their clothes. Stage-players can act to the life thoſe whom they perſonate; yea out-ſtrip them in outward actions: ſo do hypocrites the true Chriſtian.2 Cron. 34.27 Doth good Joſiah melt at the menaces of the law, and weep, and rend his clothes, and humble himſelf? wicked Ahab will, alſo in like caſe,1 King. 21.27.1 Kgs 21:27 rend his clothes, put ſackcloth upon his fleſh, faſt, lie in ſack cloth, and go ſoftly and heavily, as ſorrowfull men and mourners uſe to do. Doth the Publican fix his eyes on the ground? thoſe hypocrites in Eſay will hang down their heads as bulruſhes. Doth holy Timothy weaken his conſtitution with religious abſtinence? the falſe Phariſee will not onelyonly weaken his conſtitution, but wither and diſfigure his complexion,foreign, that he may appear to men to faſt, Matth. 6.16. Such pains men will be at for applauſe, for a little ſtinking breath; which yet cannot blow one cold blaſt upon them, when they ſhall be frying in hell for their ſeemingneſſe. Rent therefore your hearts, ſaith the Prophet: break up your fallow-ground, circumciſe your ſelves to the Lord, and take away the filthy fore-skin of your hearts, Jer. 4.3, 4. waſh them from wickedneſſe that ye may be ſaved, verſe 14. Be ye active, and voluntaries in your ſorrows for ſinne. Virtus nolentium nulla eſt; Fained and forced grief is nothing worth. Judas grieved, confeſſed, reſtored, and yet miſcarried. He went not forth, as Peter, to weep bitterly: he did not caſt himſelf: into heavineſſe, as Iam. 4.9, 10. It was fired out of him, as ſweet-water out of roſes. It was ſqueezed out of him, as Verjuice out of crabs. Gods people are commanded to afflict themſelves with voluntary ſorrows, Lev. 16. to loath themſelves for all their abominations,Rom. 8.13.Rom 8:13 Ezek. 16. to mortifie the deeds of the body by the ſpirit, to do it with their own hands: and not to give over the practiſe of it, till they feel their hearts to ake, and quake within them, yea to fall aſunder in their boſomes, like drops of water. See all this done by David, after he had numbred the people, 2 Sam. 24.10. Some ſhadow of it we have in the example of Epaminondas the Theban Generall, who the next day after the Victory and Triumph, went drooping and hanging down his head: and being asked,Plutar. why he did ſo? he anſwered, Yeſterday I felt my ſelf too much tickled with vain-glory: therefore I correct my ſelf for it to day.2 Sam. 24.10. Expounded.2 Sam 24:10 But we have a better example in holy David, whoſe heart ſmote him, ſaith the Text, and made him ſmart inwardly. He was not yet ſmitten, either p. 199by Gods hand, or the Prophets reproof (as afterwards) but his ſanctified conſcience did its office of a faithfull Monitour, and houſhold Chaplain: his heart miſgave him. Bee-maſters tell us, that thoſe are the beſt hives, that make the greateſt noiſe. Sure it is that that's the beſt conſcience, that ſuffers not a man to ſleep in ſin. Davids heart ſmote him. But for what? for numbring the people. It was for his own ſin, for a ſmall, for a ſecret ſin, for a failing in the manner only. David knew that a man may dye as well of an inward bleeeding, as of an outward hurt. The good ſoul is oft afflicted for faylings in that holy duty which others applaud and extol. And David ſaid unto the Lord: he could not reſt till he had opened his mind unto him by confeſſion and ſupplication, and ſo got a vent to his troubled ſpirit: as when a ſore is opened, there is eaſe immediately. To God therefore he addreſſeth himſelf, not to men (as Judas did and Papiſts do, and many amongſt us being in pain of conſcience will rather ſhark for eaſe, then ſue for pardon,) and acknowledgeth with aggravation the iniquity of his ſin, the ſinfulneſſe of it as Pauls expreſſion is Rom. 7.13.Pſal. 32.3.Ps 32:3 (for ſin is ſo vile that he could call it no worſe then by its own name) I have ſinned greatly in that I have done: his ſin ſwelled like a toad in his eyes, and he ſpat it out of his mouth with utmoſt indignation. He confeſſeth ſorrowfully, but not deſperately, as Iudas: for he both cryes for pardon. Take away the iniquity (for as for the puniſhment how he ſtood affected ſee verſe. 17. Let thine hand, I pray thee, be againſt me, and my fathers houſe) and concludeth himſelf Gods ſervant, yea proveth himſelf ſo, (as ſome godly learned think,) by thoſe following words, For I have done fooliſhly; q. d. If I deſerve not to be called Gods ſervant in regard of my late ſin (and indeed God calls him but plain David verſe. 12. Goe and ſay to David, not to my ſervant David, as at other times,) yet at leaſt in regard of my later ſervice of confeſſion joyned with Reformation; for now I ſee I have done very fooliſhly, who once thought I had done wondrous wiſely and politickly.

and turn unto the Lord your God] Of turning to God ſee at large, the Note on Zach. 1.3. Here it is preſcribed as a remedy againſt Gods wrath, and preſſed again and again, to ſhew the neceſſity of doing it, or we are utterly undone. So elſewhere, Turn you, turn you, why will you dye? except ye repent, ye muſt needſly periſh. Aut poenitendum aut pereundum, Either you muſt turn on earth,Ioh. 3.3.John 3:3 or burn in hell: be born again, or ye cannot ſee the kingdome of God. Heaven was too hot to hold the Apoſtate-Angel. And although the devill could get into paradiſe: yet no unclean thing ever gat into heaven. No dirty dog may trample on that golden pavement. The pure in heart only can ſee God, as whole eyes can look upon the Sun-beames, and as tranſparent bodies receive the light. Turn you therefore unto the Lord, If a man ſee a Lion or a burning fire before him, he will make ſome ſhift to turn another way. So here: biaſſe, for there is no ſafety in going forward: ſith our God is a conſuming fire: and as a roaring lion will tear, and rent the cawle of our hearts in ſunder Hoſ. 13.8. if we rent not our hearts, and turn unto him. By turning may well be here meant Reformation, that Repentance from ſin (as Humiliation before required, is in ſcripture called Repentance for ſin) for it is not enough to mourn unleſſe we mend alſo, to bewail our wickedneſſe, but we muſt embrace better courſes, Jer. 26 13. Eſa. 1.16. Mat. 3.8. Rom. 12.9, & 13, 11. Eph. 4.22. God for this cauſe gives us the light of Nature and Scripture, beſides other meanes, and time enough. Had he given us but one Prophet onelyonly, and but forty dayes, as he dealt by Nineveh, we ſhould have done it as they did. How much more now that we abound with leiſure (read Jezebels ſin and ſentence Rev. 2.21.) and have ſo many Prophets riſing up early and ſpeaking to us,Iob. 13.4.Job 13:4 Turn ye again now every one from his evill way Jer. 25.4, 5. what will become of us if we refuſe to be reclaimed, hate to be healed. This one Prophet here fills his mouth with arguments. Firſt, it is not to a tyrant or a ſtranger that you are exhorted to turn, but to the Lord your God, to him that is your head, husband, father, who hates putting away, having once betrothed you to himſelf in righteouſneſſe and in judgement, and in loving kindneſſe, and in tender mercies Hoſ. 2.19. Next, This Lord our God is, for his ſweet and patient nature here ſet forth to be Gratious, and will therefore love you freely Hoſ. 14.4. Merciful, and will therefore pitty your miſery: Slow to anger, or not apt to ſnuff, but a maſter of his wrath Nah. 1.2. p. 200and one that can bear more then any other whatſoever Mic. 7.17.

And,Bagnal Chemah. of great kindneſſe] or Much in goodneſſe, doing good to the evill and unthankful, as our Saviour yokes them.

and repenteth him of the evil] A little puniſhment being enough to a father for a great fault,Pro peccato magno paululum ſupplic…i ſatis eſto patri Terent. Where note, that Gods repentance is not a change of his will, but of his work only: and ſo he repents for his people, when he ſeeth their power is gone, Deut. 32.36. when there is dignus vindice nodus, an extremity fit for divine power to interpoſe: when the enemies are ready to devour the church or Satan to ſwallow down Gods child in deſpair, his bowels work, he can hold no longer, but cries Save my child, ſave my church &c Jer. 31.20. then he ſends out his Mandamus for deliverance, Pſal. 44.4. then he comes with his Non obſtante as Pſal. 106.8. Iſay. 57.15 Now who would not return to ſuch a God? and what heart can reſiſt ſuch powerfull Rhetorick? An heape of words we have here (taken for moſt part out of Exod. 34.6.) and all to draw out faith, and encourage thoſe that have any mind to look toward God. It is no ſuch eaſie thing to beleeve, as fond folk conceit; and to comfort a conſcience caſt down in the ſenſe of ſin and fear of wrath is no leſſe difficult, ſaith Luther, then to raiſe the dead from the grave. If men fear they ſhall fail of mercy upon their return to God. Either they will fall into dedolency or deſpair. But perſwade them once of the goodneſſe of God, and it will lead them to repentance; Rom. 2.4. Let them ſee that in their fathers houſe is bread enough, and they will home immediatly: that God will abundantly pardon, and he ſhall have ſuitors great ſtore. Eſa. 55.7. The ſweet and gratious nature of God ſhould be as a perpetuall picture in our hearts; and an effectual motive to make men turn unto him.

Verſe 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent &c.] Hitherto the Prophet had argued from Gods gratious diſpoſition: now here from his curteous and bounteous dealing with his converts.

who knoweth if &c.] This is not the ſpeech of one that doubteth and is uncertain (as was that of D…vid 1 Sam. 12.22. who can tell whether God will have mercy on me, that the child may live?) but of one earneſtly affirming and avouching, as was that of Mordecai Eſth. 4.14. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for ſuch a time as this? q. d. 'Tis ſure thou art. And it is no leſſe ſure that if men Turn to God, he will turn to them Zach. 1.3. and that whitherſoever he comes, …e leaves a bleſſing behind him. His favour is no empty favour: it is not like the winter-Sun, that caſts a goodly countenance on the earth, but gives little heat and comfort God ever comes with his Cornu-copia in his hand: and his ſteps drop fatneſſe. Then ſhall the earth yield her increaſe, and God even our own God ſhall bleſs us, ſaith the church Pſal. 67.6. He will do it the rather, ſaith our Prophet, that his people may the more cherefully ſerve him, when they ſhall have a meat-offering and a drink offering, …alvin.et ſic maneat int ger cultus ipſius, and ſo he may have his dayly ſervice duely performed: for of this the ſaints are moſt ſolicitous: it is their deſire that God ſhould be glorified, rather then that themſelves ſhould be gratified, and their own turns ſerved.

Verſe 15. Bl…w the trumpet in Zion] that all may hear, and convene: thoſe of Jeruſalem in the Temple, and the reſt in their ſeverall Synagogues Lev. 23.31. for that yearly faſt was ſtandard to the reſt, kept upon extraordinary and emergent occaſions, as here, for the preventing of the fore threatened judgment. Papiſts appoint ſet faſting-dayes as Lent, and Friday, in every week, Eves of hollydayes &c. whether the times be clear or cloudy.A Lapide in loc. A Lapide, alſo the Jeſuite keepes a coyle againſt Luther and the Centuriſts, for decrying their Popiſh proceſſions and publike Letanies, which he thinks to be here and elſewhere authoriſed. A diſcourſe he giveth us here too, about the uſe and original of bells among chriſtians, anſwerable to trumpets amongſt the Jewes. A Symmiſt of his, Cenalis Biſhop of Auranches, to prove their Pope-holy Church the true Church, maketh no mention at all either of Preaching or Sacraments: but produceth bells for a ſufficient mark of the Catholke true church: we have bells, ſaith he, whereby our Aſſemblies are ordinarily called together: but the Lutherans have claps of harquebuzes and piſtolets for ſignes whereby they congregate:Act. & Mon. fol. 828. betwixt which and bells he maketh a long Antitheſis: and therehence inferreth, that the church of Rome is the true church. A p. 201proper argument: and yet the man pleaſeth himſelf as much in it, as the ſecond-Councell of Nice did in their profound proofs for idolatry,Prideaux. which (as One well ſaith of them) were ſuch as that the Images themſelves (if they were ſenſible) would bluſh to hear repeated.

Sanctify a faſt] See the Note on chap. 1.14. Proclaime a religious abſtinence from all kind of ſuſtenance (2 Sam. 12.17. Iohn. 3.) for a ſeaſon, either from morning till evening, as Judg. 20.26. 2 Sam. 3.35. or from evening till evening Lev. 23.32. or longer as Eſth. 4.16. Act. 9.9. as the hand and wrath of God is more or leſſe felt or feared. But the leaſt time that may be, is a whole day: there is an old Canon,Turk: hist. fol. 777. that our faſts ſhould continue uſque dum ſtellae in coelo appareant till the ſtarrs appear in the sky. The very Turks in their ſolemn faſts eate nothing all the day till night: yea ſo preciſe they are, that upon their faſting dayes they will not ſo much as waſh their mouths with water, till the ſtarrs appear: whith maketh their faſts (eſpecially in the Summer, when the dayes be long and hot,) to be unto them very tedious. Chriſtians hold and teach that nature is by faſting to be chaſtiſed, and not diſabled for ſervice: and that ſuch as cannot faſt ſo long but they ſhall either indanger health, or be unfitted for the ſpiritual duties of the day, may eat: provided, that they abuſe not this liberty to the ſatisfying of the fleſh. Coloſſ: 2.23. 1 Tim. 5.23.

call a ſolemn aſſembly] See chap. 1.14. with the Note.

Verſe 16. Gather the people, Sanctifie the Congregation &c.] Let the Prieſts Gods miniſters ſee to it, that the people come together: and for the better too, as much as in them lies. For they are to the people in place of watchmen, of Centinels, of Embaſſadors, and in Chriſts own ſtead, who ſeemes to ſay unto them as Pſal. 50.5. Gather my ſaints together unto me, thoſe that have made a Covenant with me by ſacrifice, that they may meet me with intreaties of peace, diſarme mine indignation conceived againſt them, and quench the flame thereof with their tears; not quench the ſpirit in their teachers by their croſſeneſſe, and backwardneſſe to buſineſſe of this nature.

aſſemble the Elders] Whether for age as Iob. 15.10. or for place of authority as Ioſh. 7.6. 1 Sam. 15.30. Ruth. 4.4. Theſe muſt be chief doers and moſt forward at faſts, as was Joſhuah, Jehoſapat, the King of Niniveh, Ezra &c. For 1 they are moſt guilty in regard of their years and their office which either addeth two wings to their, ſins viz. Example, and Scandal, whereby facilè volant, non facilè violant they ſore much higher, and fly much further. 2 Their preſence, counſel, and countenance may be a great furtherance to the work. See Ezek. 46.10. The Prince in the middeſt of the people, when they go in, ſhall go in: and when they goe forth, ſhall go forth. A Lapide ſaith,A Lapide in locum. that the Elder ſort are to meet, becauſe they are leaſt luſtfull, and more prayerfull. It ſhould be ſo I confeſſe: but how many old goats are there abroad, that even hang over hell, which gapeth for them? and as the canker ſooneſt entreth into the white roſe, ſo doth corruption eaſily creep into the white head. He was a rare old man of whom we read, that being tempted to ſin ſaid, Nay: leaſt he ſhould ſtain his white head.

Gather the children and thoſe that ſuck the breſts] For they are church-members, and to them alſo pertain the publike dangers and calamities: out of which times and caſes, children and Novices are not to be tied to theſe auſterities of religion, (as our Saviour ſheweth Mat. 9.17.) as little, as new wine is to be put into old veſels. Add hereunto, that the parents might by the ſight of their poor children (ſubject to Gods wrath by their default,)Eph. 2.3. Rom. 5.12.Eph 2:3Rom 5:12 be brought to a further ſenſe of their own ſinfulneſſe; and moved by their cryes and laments ut ferventius orent, & pl… rent, to cry and pray more earneſtly.

Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber] The new-married-man was by the law allowed to cheare up his wife Deut. 24.5. and therefore exempted from warfare, and other publike imployments abroad Deut. 20.7 and the wedding-day is called the day of the rejoycing of a mans heart Cant. 3.11. They were wont to have a week of feaſting at ſuch times Gen. 29.27. Fulfill her week ſc. of banquet and bride-ale, as they call it. And it is noted as an abſurd thing in Sampſons wife,Judg. 14.17.Judg 14:17 that ſhe wept all the ſeven dayes of ſuch a feaſt, when mirth was ſo much in ſeaſon. But is it a time for men to hang their hearts upon the merry pin, when God calles p. 202them to hang up their Harps upon the Willow-trees? when the ſword is ſharpened to make a ſore ſlaughter, when it is fourbiſhed and glittereth, and contemneth the rod, (i. e. leſſer and lighter judgements, that uſually fore-run it) ſhould wee then make mirth? Ezek. 21.10. Should men eat, and drink, and marry, and be merry, when to morrow they may look to die, and are already ſtumbling in the valley of the ſhadow of death? Such a thing the old world may do, buried in ſecurity, and to be ſhortly therefore buried in one univerſall grave of waters. But holy Noah was vexed at it: and Ambroſe thinks (not without reaſon) that during the time of the deluge, all the while that he was in the Ark, hee came as little at his wife, as Ʋriah did, while the Ark, and Judah, and Iſrael abode in Tents, and Joab, and the Hoſte encamped in the fields, 2 Sam. 11.11. Nehemiah, though a great Courtier,Neh. 2.2, 3.Neh 2:2Neh 2:3 and the Kings Cup-bearer, could not but be ſad, when it went ill with the Church: all comforts then were but Ichabods to him, hee had no joy of them. Sorrow at ſuch a time is better then laughter: for by the ſadneſſe of the countenance the heart is made better, Eccleſ. 7.3. The mad world is a perfect ſtranger to the truth of this ſacred Poſition, as having ſo far baniſhed ſadneſſe, that they are profeſt enemies to ſeriouſneſſe; and ſtick not to light a candle at the devil (as they ſay) for ſinfull lightſomneſſe. But wo be to ſuch mad Mirth-mongers, ſaith our Saviour, Luke 6.25. and after him, St. James chap. 5.1, 5. and before them both, the Prophet Eſay chap. 22.12, 13, 14. and the Prophet Amos chap. 6.4, 5, 6. What ſo lawfull as the uſe of the marriage-bed, Heb. 13.4? and for whom more lawfull, then for the bride-groom, and bride? Yet in a common calamity, and in a day of reſtraint (as a faſt-day is called, Joel 2.15.) married couples muſt abſtain, 1 Cor. 7.5. where the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of a publike faſt, as Peter Martyr obſerveth.Pet. Mar. in loc Hence Zech. 8.19. they ſeparated themſelves, at ſuch a time. And it is ſpoken of as a foul ſinne, Eſay 58.3. behold in the day of your faſt, ye finde pleaſure. All ſenſuall delights, though never ſo lawfull at other times, muſt bee then ſuſpended and laid aſide: As muſick, mirth, perfumes, Dan. 6.18. brave apparrell, Exod. 33.4, &c. all ornaments of the body, ſoft-lying, 2 Sam 12.16. all cheerfulneſſe and outward joy, Iudg. 20.26. 1 Sam. 7.8. The Roman Cenſor puniſhed one that ſhewed himſelf out of a window,Liv. with a garland upon his head, in the time of the ſecond Punick war.

Verſe 17. Let the Prieſts, the Miniſters of the Lord,] Let not them be either dull, Pſal. 103. Rev. 22.Ps 103Rev 22or dumb, (as Popiſh Maſſe-prieſts with their dumb-ſhews at divine Service) but as (for their dignity) they are the Lords Miniſters, (as likewiſe the good Angels are, and their (fellow-ſervants) ſo (according to their duty) they muſt be firſt in holy exerciſes: going in and out before Gods people in the perfor…nce of their truſt, and that worthy work of theirs, 1 Tim. 3.1. for the which …, are to be very highly eſteemed in love, 1 Theſſ. 5.13. Let Miniſters therefore pray hard for their people, as did Aaron, Samuel, Paul, &c. Let their prayers (at …aſts eſpecially) be well watered with teares (thoſe effectuall Oratours, that cry to God for mercy, Pſal. 39.12. as blood doth for vengeance, Gen. 4.16.) as theirs were Judg. 20.23. and Judges 2.5. and 1 Sam. 7.6. and as Ezra, chap. 10.1. and …remy, chap. 9.1. and 13.17. and why? but for corruption in Magiſtrates, Miniſters, All ſorts; a generall defection drawing on a generall deſolation. Oh let Gods two faithfull witneſſes be clothed in ſack-cloth, Rev. 11.3. teaching Gods people with many tears and temptations, Act. 20.19, 20, 31.Acts 20:19Acts 20:20Acts 20:31both publikely and from houſe to houſe: yea, not ceaſing to warn them night and day with tears, to redeem their own ſorrows by ſound repentance. It is ſaid of Athanaſius, that by his tears, as by the bleeding of a chaſt Vine, he cured the leproſie of that tainted Age. And of Luther, that by his prayers and tears he had prevailed with God, that Popery ſhould not over-run his countrey,Act. & Mon. In vita Luth. during his dayes. When I am dead, ſaid He, let thoſe pray that can pray. Melancton, his Colleague, writeth, that he conſtantly prayed with abundance of tears: for he knew, that as Muſick upon the waters, ſounds farther, and more harmoniouſly then upon the land: ſo prayers joyn'd with tears, finde much reſpect with Chriſt; who could not but look back upon the weeping women, and comfort them, though he was then going to his death.

between the porch and the altar,] This was that void place; where the Prieſts prayed after the ſacrifices were offered, Ezek. 8.16. As in man, there is Body, p. 203Soul, and Spirit, 1 Theſſ. 5.23. ſo in the Temple at Jeruſalem, 1. between Solomons Porch, Act. 3.11. and the Altar of burnt-offering, was the outer great Court, 2. Chron. 4.9. where the people met for preaching and prayer. Next, there was the ſecond Court, for the Prieſts onelyonly: and here was the Altar of incenſe, Luke 1.9, 10. Thirdly, the moſt Holy place, for the High-prieſt to enter once a year, Num. 17.10. The firſt is here ſpoken of, the outer Court, where the prieſts might bee beſt heard to pray, and ſeen to weep; and the people might comport, and ſay Amen; the want whereof St. Paul counts no ſmall loſſe, 1 Cor. 14.16.

and let them ſay, Spare thy people, O Lord, &c.] Other exerciſes there were uſually performed at publike faſts; as Reading the Scriptures, Jer. 36.5, 27. expounding and preaching, Neh. 8.4, 8. examining, cenſuring, and puniſhing ſuch ſinnes as then moſt raigned, Neh. 9.2. Ezr. 9.2. Joſh. 7. and 22. Binding themſelves to God by a Covenant of better obedience, Nehem. 10.18, 29, 30. Contributing to good uſes, Eſay 58.7. and 2 Chron. 31.3, 4. But the chief buſineſſe and duty of the day was, as here, Prayer to God for pardon of ſinne, and removall of ſhame, and other puniſhment: whence alſo it was called, A day of Atonement, or Expiation.

Spare thy people, O Lord, &c. Brevis oratio, ſed tota affectibus ardens, ſaith Mercer, A ſhort prayer, but very affectionate: So are all Scripture-forms: they have fulneſſe of matter, in fewneſſe of words. Quam multa, quam paucis! How much in a little! as Tully ſaid of Brutus his Laconicall Epiſtle. See Numb. 6.24, 25, 26. Hoſ. 14.2. Luke 18.13. Matt. 6.9, 10, &c. which is both a prayer, and a pattern: as the ſtandard is the exacteſt meaſure. Why then ſhould any man fall out with forms, and call them idols, odious as ſwines-fleſh, &c? Why ſhould they ſay, that the uſe of the Lords Prayer is the Note of a formaliſt? Is not this to ſpeak evil of good, &c.

and give not thine heritage to reproach:] Suffer us not, for our ſinnes, to be forced by famine, to beg bread of our enemies the Ammonites, and Moabites: for that will reflect upon thee Lord, and turn to thy diſhonour, as if thou hadſt no care of thine heritage, couldſt not maintain thy ſervants. See a like prayer to this, Num. 14.11.12, 16, 17, &c. and Deut. 9.26, 27, 28. and learn to deprecate ſhame and reproach as a fruit of ſinne, and a piece of the curſe, Deut. 28. Lev. 26. 1 Sam. 2.30. Beg of God; 1. To keep thee from reproachfull courſes, ſuch as may expoſe thee to the ſcandall of the weak, and ſcorn of the wicked. David is much in this petition. 2. To hide thee in a pavilion from the ſtrife of tongues, Pſal. 31.20. either to preſerve thee from aſperſions, or ſo to oil thy name, that they may not ſtick. 3 To give thee good repute and report among the beſt. 'Twas God gave Solomon honour; and he promiſeth it to all his, as a reward of religion, Prov. 22.4.

that the heathen ſhould rule over them:] It is an heavy hand of God upon his people, when Pagans or Papagans have dominion over them, Neh. 9.9, 10, 27, &c. Pſal. 79.1, &c. and 80.1, 2, &c. and 137.1, 2, &c. Lam. 1.2, 4, 5. They are bloody in their poſitions, and diſpoſitions. See Rom. 1.31. their government is tyrannicall, ſuch as the Spaniards is over the poor Indians, the Turks over Greece, the Rebels over the Engliſh in Ireland, &c. The Saints alſo are, 1. Conſciencious, and cannot yeeld to their unlawfull commands, as the three children. 2. Zealous, and cannot but conteſt, as Steven, Paul at Athens, the Martyrs. 3. Friendleſſe, and deſtitute, Matt. 10.16. as Paul afore Nero, Chriſt afore Pilate, forſaken of all. Pray therefore as here, and prevent ſuch a miſchief, by ſhunning Ieruſalems ſinnes of ignorance, ingratitude, incorrigibleneſſe, formallity, &c. and by putting our necks under the yoke of Chriſts obedience, obſerving from the heart that form of doctrine which he hath delivered unto us, Rom. 6.17.

wherefore ſhould they ſay among the people, Where is their God?] q. d. Why ſhould they caſt our religion in our diſh? why ſhould they twit us with thy neglect of us? why ſhould thy name be blaſphemed, and thy power traduced, as it were on a publike theatre? This was that which moſt galled theſe good ſouls, (as it had oft done David before them) that God, with whom they quartered armes, ſhould be reproached for their ſakes, and thorow their ſides; and his glory defaced. This was as a murthering-knife in Davids bones, Pſal. 42.10. and worſe to him then all p. 204the evill that he had ſuffered from his youth up. Our nature is moſt impatient of reproach: for there is none ſo mean but thinks himſelf worthy of ſome regard: and a reproachfull ſcorne ſhewes an utter diſreſpect which flowes from the very ſuperfluity of malice. You ſhall find ſome (ſaith Eraſmus) that if death be threatened can deſpiſe it: but to be belied or reproached, they cannot brook, nor from revenge contain. Gods people can bear wrongs beſt of any: compell them to go a mile, thei'le be content, if it may do good, to go two, yea as farr as the ſhooes of the preparation of the Goſpell of peace will carry them. But if wrong be offered to God, if he be any way diſhonored, or his Name bored through by blaſphemies, O what a ſtomack they have preſently, and how bleſſedly blown up are they, with a zeale of Gods glory, which even eateth them up.

Verſe 18. Then will the Lord be jealous (or, Zealous) for his land] Then dicto citiùs ſtraight upon't; no ſooner ſhall you repent (as is preſcribed,) but the Lord will be jealous &c. Of Gods jealouſie for his people, ſee the Note on Zech. 1.14. and 8, 2. And of the happy effect of faſting turned to feaſting, ſee the Note on Zach. 8.19. See alſo Judg. 20.23. Ezra. 9.6. Dan. 9.20. 2 Chron. 20. Bacah turned into Berachah: beſides the conſtant experience of theſe and former times, of the happy ſucceſſe and unmiſcarrying returns of holy faſting and prayer: no inſtance to the contrary. God uſually anſwers his humbling people, as here, according to the deſire of their hearts: neither ſo only, but according to the requeſt of their lips alſo.Aug. Confeſſ. l. 5. c. 8. Pſal. 21.2. he fits his mercy ad cardinem deſiderii: and lets it be to his, even as they will. They ſay Spare thy people, and accordingly he will pitty or ſpare his people, ſaith the Prophet. They would not have God to give his heritage to reproach by inflicting famine upon them, as if they ſerved an hard maſter that would affamiſh them. To this God gives a full anſwer in the next verſe, Behold I will ſend you corn &c. Again, they deſire God to take care of his own great name, and to vindicate it. I will, ſaith God, by doing greateſt things for you Verſe. 20. and by cauſing the blaſphemers to return and diſcern that their Rock is not as your Rock, themſelves being judges: and that to ask, where is now their God? Deut. 32.Deut 32is as great folly, as if one ſhould ſay, betwixt the ſpace of the new and old moon, Where is now the Moon? when as it is never neerer the Sun, then at that time. There are ſome Interpreters of good note, that read this verſe not in the Future, but in the Preter tenſe, thus, Then was the Lord zealous for his land, and pittied his people, Mercer. Leveleus.ſc. when once he ſaw them ſeriouſly to repent, he did all this that followeth for them. Neither maketh it any thing againſt this interpretation, that the repentance of this people, their aſſembling and faſting &c. is not recorded. For no more is it that Moſes went to Pharaoh according to Gods command, to threaten thoſe ſwarmes of flies Exod. 8.20. or that Eſay took his ſon Shear-iaſhub, and went to Ahaz to confirme and comfort him, as God had commanded Eſay. 7. which yet we doubt not but the Prophet did. This is an ordinary Apoſiopeſis.

and pitty his people] Or, ſpare them, pardon them. The word ſignifies to ſhew mercy to him whom by all right thou mayeſt juſtly deſtroy Ezek. 5.11. 1 Sam. 15.3. Oh the divine Rhetorick, and omnipotent efficacy of Repentance! This is the rainbow, which if God ſeeth ſhining in our hearts, he will never drown our ſoules.Fulgent. Dat poenitentiam & poſte à indulgentiam, He gives his people to repent, and then ſpareth them as a man ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him. But it is otherwiſe with thoſe that partake not of the divine nature:Mal. 3.17.Mal 3:17 they are fierce, and implacable, as is the devill, who workes effectually in them, as a ſmith doth in his forge. Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany came in the middeſt of a ſore winter upon his bare feet, to the gates of the caſtle of Canuſium, and ſtood there faſting from morning to night for three dayes together, waiting for the judiciall ſentence of the Pope, and craving pardon of him; which yet he could not obtaine by his own or others tears, or by the interceſſion of any Saint, ſave only of a certain harlot, with whom the Pope was then taking his filthy pleaſure. The Emperour miſtooke, who thought that the Pope could be pacified by faſting and prayer. This God required another kind of ſacrifice, then theſe.

Verſe 19. Yea the Lord will anſwer and ſay unto his people] He will ſay it in anſwer to their prayers (ſee the Note on verſe 18.) Fear not my people, that ye ſhall be a reproach among the Heathen:

p. 205for Behold I will ſend you] as a token of my love, and a pledge of better bleſſings.

Corn and wine and oyle] all that heart can wiſh or need require, a ſufficiency of outward comforts, and (if not a ſuperfluity, yet) an honeſt affluence as Pſal. 23.5, 6. and boldneſſe to conclude from temporals to ſpirituals, as there David doth; becauſe beſtowed in mercy and as an anſwer to prayer: for God never ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain (he ſcorns that) whether it be for Bona throni, or Bona ſcabelli, as Auſtin diſtinguiſheth, Good things of this life or a better, upper ſprings or nether ſprings, though we ask but the one (as here) yet we ſhall have both. Nay take two, ſaith He, as once Naaman did to Gehezi; take thy backburthen, take even as much as thou canſt bring faith to bear away. God deales with his ſervants as the Prophet did with the Shunamite, when He bad her ask what ſhe needed, and ſhe found not what to ask, he ſent for her againe, and makes her a free promiſe of that ſhe moſt wanted, and deſired, a ſon 2 King. 4.16. So, oft God is pleaſed to do for his ſervants exceeding abundantly above all that they ask or think. David asked but life of God, and He gave him length of dayes for ever, and ever, Pſal. 21.4. This people prayed that God would not (for that turn) give his heritage a reproach among the heathen; and He gratiouſly promiſeth that he will never any more make them a reproach &c. (ſo they continue penitent (for foreign here ſignifies perpetuity, as Mercer noteth: and not for a time only, as Lyra would have it.

Verſe 20. But I will remove farr off from you the Northen army] ſc. of vermine, of thoſe deſtroying creatures that came from to the North. Ab Aquilone nihil boni, was a Proverb amongſt this people. God promiſeth here to free them of that miſchief: and to diſimpeſter the country of thoſe noyſome Inſects. Gratiae privativae plures ſunt quam poſitivae, ſaith Gerſon, Gods privative favours to us are more then his poſitive: hence mans happineſſe is uſually called ſalvation, which properly betokeneth the privative part thereof. Little do we conſider or underſtand from how many deaths and dangers we are dayly and hourly delivered. It is good to keep a catalogue of Gods providences, and to tranſmit them to poſteritie, ſuch as was that of the Gun-powder-plot; and before that, of the Reformation begun by Henry the eight, and carried on by his ſon, to the ridding of the land of thoſe popiſh Locuſts; Which Reformation how imperfect ſoever, to be done by ſo weak and ſimple meanes, yea by caſual and croſs meanes, againſt the force of ſo puiſſant and politick and adverſary, is that miracle, which we are in theſe times to look for. An out-lander ſpeaketh thus of it, Eccleſiae Anglicanae reformationem deſperaſſet aetas praeterita, admiratur praeſens, obſtupeſcet futura. This was the Lords own work;Sculiet. det. 2. d Ep. dedi…. and it is marvelous in our eyes. Oh that the ſame Lord would be both Author and Fmiſher! and as he hath in good part cut off the names of the idols out of the land, ſo that they ſhall be no more remembred; ſo he would cauſe the Prophets and the unclean ſpirit to paſſe out of the land, that he would ſend all falſe doctrine and hereſy packing to hell from whence they came. Fiat, Fiat.

and will drive him into a land barren and deſolate] Or, dry and forlorn, where he ſhall periſh for want of food. The body of this Army ſhall be driven into the wilderneſſe, the vantagard into the lake of Sodom toward the Eaſt: and the rereward into the Mediterranean Sea, toward the Weſt; for the Weſtern Ocean was hardly known to the Hebrewes: as neither was it to the Romanes, till the dayes of Julius Ceſar.

and his ſtink ſhall come up, and his ill ſavour &c.] ſc. by reaſon of their dead carcaſſes covering the earth, and infecting the ayre. The old Hebrewes underſtood this text concerning the deſtruction of the devill in the dayes of the Meſſias. Oh that God would once deſtroy that firſt-born of the devill, that King of Locuſts, Abaddon, the Pope, and dung his vineyard with the dead carcaſſes of his incurable complices, that their ſtink might aſcend, and their ill ſavour come up into all mens noſtrills. Matthew Paris (an ingenuous Papift) ſpeaking of the court of Rome long ſince, ſaid, Hujus faetor uſque an nubes fumum teterrimum exhalabat, Her filthineſſe hath ſent up a moſt noyſome ſtench to the very clouds of heaven, as Sodoms did. And Theodorcus Vrias (another of her good ſons in Germany) complained Anno 1414. that the Church of Rome was become ex aurea argenteū, ex argentea p. 206ferream, ex ferrea terream, ſupereſſe ut in ſtercus abiret, of gold ſilver, of ſilver iron, of iron earth, and that ſhe would next become of earth dung, &c. She is ſo already, and ſtinks alive worſe then any carrion, rotting in its ſlime. Oh that God would once put into the hearts of the kings of the earth to loath her, and burn her, for an old ſtinking baud, as is prophecyed they ſhall, Rev. 17.16.

becauſe he hath done great things.] Heb. he hath magnified to do, he hath made great ſpoil and havock, he hath revelled in the ruines of Gods poor people, and ſo hath haſtened his own deſtruction, and their deliverance. The Saints are many times more beholden to their enemies outrages then to their own deſerts, or duties for deliverance. Some Interpreters, as Caſtalio, Leveley, &c. underſtand the Text, of God: and render it, Quia magniſicè aget, for the Lord ſhall do great things, as it is alſo in the following verſe: there being here the ſame anomaly, or change of perſon, as is Eſay 22.19. And I will drive thee from thy ſtation, from thy ſtate ſhall he pull thee down.

Verſe 21.… tellus culta. Fear not O land,] O red earth, or O tilled land, that haſt layen bedridden, as it were, under the heavy curſe of God, ever ſince the fall of Adam: and waſt never beautifull, or cheerfull ſince that time, Gen. 3.17. Thou that haſt lately been under that great and very terrible day of the Lord, Ioel 2.11. who hath made bloody wails upon thy back, and laid thee as a deſolate wilderneſſe, verſe 3. to thy great grief and terrour: Cheer up now, and fear not. Thine inhabitants are Poenitents, and Repentance hath turned their croſſes into comforts; as ſcarlet pulls out the teeth of a ſerpent; as wine draweth a nouriſhing vertue from the fleſh of vipers, as the Philoſophers-ſtone, they ſay, turns all into gold. See 1 Pet. 1.7. God will turn all thy ſadneſſe into gladneſſe: neither ſhalt thou any more lye to thoſe that manure thee, (as the Scripture phraſe is, Habak. 3.17.) that is, diſappoint, and fruſtrate their expectation: but thine enemies ſhall be found liaers unto thee, Deut. 33.29.

for the Lord will do great things,]Spem mentita ſeges. Virg. Victum ſeges aegra negabat. Horat. Magnificentiùs aget Deus: far greater things God will do for thee, then the Locuſt hath done againſt thee: ſo that thou ſhalt gain by thy loſſes, and ſay, Periiſſem niſi periiſſem, I had been undone, if I had not been undone. Wherefore be glad and rejoyce with inward and outward joy. And becauſe Fear is a paſſion oppoſite to Joy, (for fear hath torment, 1 Joh. 4.18. and that was a rare mixture in thoſe good women that returned from our Saviours ſepulchre with fear and great joy, Mat. 28.8. See Pſal. 2.11.) therefore, Fear not, O land, quit thine heart of that cowardly paſſion, and be as merry as mirth can make thee; for the Lord hath done great things for thee, whereof thou haſt good cauſe to be glad. Faith in Gods Power quelleth and killeth diſtruſtfull fears: filling the heart with unſpeakable joyes,1 Pct. 1.8. and full of glory.

Verſe 22. Be not afraid, ye beaſts of the field,] q. d. Ye ſhall have no cauſe to fear for the future: though hitherto ye have ſuffered hardſhip, Chap. 1.18. Beaſts and birds do in diem vivere (as Quintilian ſaith of them) and take no further thought then for preſent ſuſtenance. But by a proſopopoeia, (as before the land, ſo here) the beaſts that till it are forbidden to fear want; for God, the great Houſe-keeper of the world, will provide them their meat in due ſeaſon, Pſal. 104.27.28. and ſeverall meats according to their ſeverall appetites. He will hear the heaven, the heaven ſhall hear the earth, the earth ſhall hear all kinde of fruits, both naturall, as herbs of the field, and graſſe of the wilderneſſe, and ſuch as are ſowen and planted, as wine, oyl, figs; ſo that neither man nor beaſt ſhall want any thing ad eſum, vel ad uſum, but have plenty without penury, &c. It ſhall be ſaid of Judea, as Solinus ſaith of Spain, In Hiſpania nihil infructuoſ…m, nibil ſterile, that there is no unfruitfulneſſe in any part of it: or, as it is ſaid of Campania in Italy, that it is the moſt fruitfull Plat of earth that is in the Univerſe.

the fig-tree and the vine,] that before had been barked, and waſted, chap. 1.7, 12. do yeeld their ſtrength.] i. e. their utmoſt fruits; which they could not do without God, into whom therefore the Prophet Hoſea rightly reſolveth the genealogie of corn, wine, oil, &c. Hoſ. 2.22. It is no otherwiſe with us in ſpirituall regards. For though we have grace, yet we cannot bring forth that grace to act, without new grace: like as trees, though they be fitted to bear fruits, yet, without the influence of the heavens,Aug. Enchir. chap. 32. they cannot put forth that fitneſſe in fruit. Nolentem praevenit Deus ut velit: volentem ſubſequitur, ne fruſtra velit. p. 207Verſe 23. Be glad then ye children of Zion,] ye righteous Ones, Pſal. 32.11. and none elſe: for joy is the Juſt mans portion, and none have any reaſon to rejoyce but ſuch: nay they are flatly forbidden it, Hoſ. 9.1. See the Note there. Let Iſrael rejoyce in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyfull in their king. Let the Saints be joyfull in glory. Gaudeant in re, gaudeant in ſpe, Pſal. 139.2.5.Ps 139:2Ps 139:5gaudeant de poſſeſſione, gaudeant de promiſſione, ſaith Bernard. If Plato could tell the Muſicians, Philoſophers knew how to dine and ſup without them, they could bee merry without a fidler: how much more may Zions children? Be it that there is a cord in the ſinne of the wicked. (to ſtrangle their joy with) yet the righteous ſing and are merry, Prov. 29.6. In the greateſt fail of all outward comforts, they can rejoyce in the Lord their God, as here, and as David at the ſack of Ziklag, 1 Sam. 30.6. and Habakkuk, amidſt all the miſeries of the world, and malice of Satan, Habak. 3.17. It is in the Lord their God that they rejoyce; it is an holy and ſpirituall joy, not profane and carnall, as is the worldlings, who feedeth upon aſhes, &c. Eſay 44.20. rejoyceth in a thing of nought, Am. 6.13. his joy is no better then a little counterfeit complexion, crackling of thorns, &c.

For he hath given you the former rain moderately,] as a pledge of his love, and as a fruit of the Covenant. Moderate ſhowers ye ſhall have, neither too much, nor too haſtie: rain of righteouſneſſe, in ſuch meaſure and moderation, as ſhall be needfull.

and he will cauſe to come downe for you,] The vanities of the Heathen cannot give rain, Jer. 14.22. nor can the heavens yeeld ſhowers. God therefore muſt be waited upon, Jam. 5.7. and prayed unto,foreign. verſe 18. and the thundring Legion ſo famous in Church-hiſtory. He muſt not have cauſe given him to complain of mens brutiſhneſſe and inadvertency, as Jer. 10.13, 14.

the former rain,] that fell in October, when they had ſown;foreign. Saint James calleth it the morning-rain, chap. 5.7. and the latter rain.] Heb. the gathering rain, becauſe it fills and fits the corn for ingathering: as falling about May, and a little afore their harveſt. In the firſt] not monethmonth, but primo quoquo tempore, as ſoon as is fit. See Zech. 10.1. with the Note.

Verſe 24. And the floors ſhall be full of wheat] Such fatneſs ſhall Gods footſteps drop, that your houſes ſhall be full of all precious and pleaſant riches: Prov. 24.4.Prov 24:4ſo that you ſhall, (as rich men love to do) de pleno tollere acervo. OnelyOnly take heed you have not, as that rich fool aenimam triticeam, a wheaten ſoul, that your abundance get not within you, as the Phariſees did, Lvke 11.41. (ſo that they did not more poſſeſſe, then were poſſeſſed by what they had) that ye ſet not your hearts upon your riches, Pſal. 62.11.foreign.

—difficile eſt opibus non …radere mentens.Mortial.

and the fats ſhall overflow.] There ſhall be plenty of all things, (as Prov. 3.10.) the fruits and effect of that rain promiſed before. And doth not God daily turn water into wine, when of water falling upon the vine, and concocted by the heat of the Sun, he produceth the grape whence wine is preſſed?

Verſe 25. And I will reſtore to you the yeers, &c.] I will ſo make up your former loſſes, that there ſhall remain no ſigne, nor ſenſe thereof. See a like promiſe, Zech. 10.6. they ſhall be as though I had not caſt them off, with the Note there. See alſo Eſay 60.10.

my great army,] ſc. the locuſts: ſee above verſe 2, 5, 11.Magaleh cheſoth Matteh cheloth. Kimchi. God is Lord of Hoſts, and (as the Rabbines well obſerve) he hath the upper and lower troops; as his horſe and foot ready preſt.

Verſe 26. And ye ſhall eat in plenty and be ſatisfied,] which, what a great bleſſing it is, ſee Hagg. 1.6. with the Note, and Eccleſ. 6.1, 2. with the Note.

and praiſe the Name of the Lord your God,] Not haunch up Gods creatures, as ſwine do ſwill: but, taſting the ſweetneſſe of the Creatour in them, lift up many an humble, joyfull, and thankfull heart to Him. This was better then the former bleſſing: for naturally fulneſſe breeds forgetfulneſſe of God, Deut. 32.15.

That hath dealt wonderouſly with you,] Heb. ad mirificandum, ſc. in ſo ſudden and ſtrange a change of his hand, whereby he hath made himſelf marvailous p. 208as he delights to do by working wonders, ſuch as mans power connot perform, nor reaſon reach unto.

and my people ſhall never be aſhamed] As they have been among the heathen ver. 19. and as thoſe are that pray to no purpoſe. Deo confiſi nunquam confuſi. Their faith is unfained, and therefore their hopes unfaileable Rom. 5.5.

Verſe 27. And ye ſhall know that I am in the mid'ſt of Iſrael] Theſe temporall bleſſings ſhall ſeal up my love to you and preſence of grace with you. True it is that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them Eccleſ. 9.1. becauſe all things come alike to all verſe. 2. But yet from this text we may comfortably conclude, that if the good things of this life make us more cheerfull, thankfull, hopefull: if Mercy excite us to duty, and the ſenſe of Gods love makes us love God, his wayes, and people, with a deſire to love them more, then we are loved of God, who is in us of a truth 1 Ioh. 4.10, 19. and we may know it too. For if inſtinct of nature teach dammes to know their young ones, and the young their dammes: ſhall not Gods ſpirit teach us to know him, that he is in the middeſt of us; not by his omnipreſence only, but by his gratious preſence? yea that he is the Lord our God, and none elſe; and that, while we hold us to this anhcor-hold of the faithfull ſoul, we ſhall never be aſhamed Pſal. 31.1. That was a brave ſpeech of Luther, and one of thoſe that a man would fetch upon his knees from Rome or Jeruſalem to be author of them,Joh. Manl. loc. com. pag. 145. Ipſe videret ubi anima mea manſura ſit, qui pro ea ſic ſolicitus fuit, ut vitam pro ea poſuerit, Let Him ſee to it where my ſoul ſhall reſt, who took ſo much care for it, as that he laid down his life for it.

Verſe 28. And it ſhall come to paſſe afterwards] ſc. In the dayes of the Meſſiah (which is called the world to come Heb. 2.5.) but eſpecially after his Aſcenſion: ſee Ioh. 7.37. Act. 2, where this propheſie was fulfilled, and this place taken for the firſt text preached on by the Apoſtles, verſe. 17. to the converſion of three thouſand ſoules at one ſermon. For together with the word there went forth a power, Luk. 7. 2 Tim. 1.7.Luke 72 Tim 1:7even that Spirit of power, of love, and of a ſound mind, here promiſed to be powred out, not diſtilled only (ſee the Note on Zech. 12.10.) and that upon all fleſh. Spirit upon fleſh, the beſt thing upon the baſeſt: yea upon all fleſh, without reſpect of perſons, or difference made of ſex, age, or condition: provided that they know and acknowledg themſelves to be but fleſh Gen, 6.3. corrupt and carnal (animas etiam incarnavimus, Bern.as an Ancient complaineth) and that whatſoever is of the fleſh is fleſh. Ioh. 3.6. (for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?) that whole Man is in evill, and whole evill in Man; neither can it be gotten out in any meaſure, till the heart be mollified and made tender as fleſh Ezeh. 11.19. and 36.26, 27. which cannot be done till men be taught of God, and drawn out of darkneſſe into his marvelous light: till they be ſpiritualized,2 Cor. 3.18.2 Cor 3:18 and transformed into the ſame image from glory to glory as by the ſpirit of the Lord.

and your ſons and your daughters ſhall propheſie] This was fulfilled Act. 2. as St. Peter ſheweth. For the new Teſtament is but the old unfolded and fulfilled: as was alſo typified in the two Cherubims of the ſanctuary, looking intently into the Propitiatory (Chriſt Rom. 3.25.) but with their faces turn'd one towards another Exod. 25.20. See Act. 26.22. It was fulfilled, I ſay, in that viſible deſcenſion of the holy Ghoſt upon the Apoſtles and the reſt Act. 2. Act. 8.15, 17. and 10.44. So that this makes nothing at all for the Enthuſiaſts raptures and dotages: the true offpring they are,Funcc. Chronol. of thoſe ancient Euchites or Meſſalanii, who, leaving their trades, gave themſelves to much ſleep, and called their dreams and phantaſies propheſies, Anno Dom. 371.

your old men ſhall dream &c. your yong men ſhall ſee viſions] i. e. God will no leſs open his will unto them then he did of old to the Prophets by dreams and viſions: for, by the conduct of the Spirit, they ſhall be led into all truth and holineſſe: they ſhall be all a royall Prieſthood 1 Pet. 2.5. Rev. 1.6. full of all goodneſſe, filled with all knowledge, able alſo to admoniſh one another Rom. 15.14.

Verſe 29. And alſo upon the ſervants] they ſhall be the free-men and women of Jeſus Chriſt 1 Cor. 7.22. by as full a meaſure of Gods free and noble Spirit beſtowed upon them as upon their Maſters and Miſtreſſes. The Trent Tranſlation hath it, upon my ſervants and my handmaids. But there is no ſuch pronoun in the Original, though it is true, that all that have the ſpirit are his; and the contrary p. 210Rom. 8, 9. Eph, 1.13. The ſcope of the text is (as Mercer well noteth,) to ſhew that ut gratuitum & commune Chriſti beneficium, ſic & ſpiritus, as the benefits of Chriſt are free and common to all his people, ſo is the Spirit. And ſurely, next to the love of Chriſt in dwelling in our nature, we may well wonder at the love of the holy Ghoſt, that will dwell in our defiled ſoules, and act in them, as he doth. For there are diverſity of gifts, but the ſame Spirit 1 Cor. 11.4. as the divers ſmels of flowers come from the ſame influence: and the diverſe ſounds in the organ, froin the ſame breath.

Verſe 30. And I will ſhew wonders in the heavens] Prodigia beneficia credentibus, a Lapid.malefica & horrifica incredulis, ſaith Cornelius a Lapide, who interpreteth the text, of thoſe ſignes and wonders that ſhall precede the day of judgment: and for confirmation here of alleageth chap. 3.2. together with Mat. 24.29. Luk. 21.25. And had he looked a little higher into thoſe chapters, and taken in all the troubles that befell the Church from our Saviours aſcenſion to his ſecond comming, together with thoſe horrible calamities and confuſions that ſhall befall the wicked, for contempt of the Goſpell, and perſecution of the profeſſors thereof, he had done right, in mine opinion. It is ordinary with the Prophets to ſet forth horrible commotions by ſuch figurative expreſſions, See Ier. 4.23. &c. Iſay. 13.10. Rev. 6.12. Thoſe that have received the Spirit of Adoption, muſt not dream of a delicacy, but expect perſecution. Chriſt came to ſend fire on the earth Luk. 12.49. Neither may Perſecutors hope to eſcape unpuniſhed, but look to be purſued by divine juſtice. See the Note on Rev, 6.15. How heavie was the hand of God upon Jeruſalem that ſlaughter-houſe of the Saints; and afterwards upon the Ten Perſecutors of Rome? 1 Nero (whom Tertullian rightly calleth Dedicatorem damnationis Chriſtianorum, quippe qui orientem fidem primus Rema cruentavit, the firſt bloody Perſecutor of the Chriſtian religion) loſt thirty thouſand of his ſubjects by the peſtilence, had his army utterly routed and cut off in Britanny: both the Armenia's revolted from him: the Senators roſe up againſt him, and compelled him to be his own deaths-man. 2 Demitian was butchered by his ſouldiers. 3 Trajan dyed of a dropſie. 4 Severus dyed miſerably here at York. 5. Maximinus, with his ſonn, was cut in peeces. 6. Decius dyed in a farr country. 7. Valerian was flea'd, by Sapores king of Perſia, who took him priſoner. 8. Aurelian was ſlain by his own men. 9. Diocleſian poiſoned himſelf. 10 Maximian hang'd himſelf. What ſhould I ſpeak of Julian, Anaſtaſius, Heraclius &c. The French perſecutors, Francis the ſecond, Charles the ninth, Henry the third, the Guiſes &c. Philip the ſecond of Spain, who returning out of the Low countries, fell into a ſtorm, and ſuffered ſhipwrack to the great danger of his life?Hiſt. of Gennc. of Trent. 417. He ſaid he was delivered by the ſingular providence of God to root out Lutheraniſme, which he preſently began to do, with all his might. He afterwards died miſerably of the louſie diſeaſe. Q. Mary died of a tympany, or elſe of grief of heart for K. Philip's unkind departure,Speed. forraine loſſes, Callice ſurrendred, hurt done by thunders from heaven, and by fire in the royal navie, extream dearths raging, her conceptions fayling &c. What heavy judgments befell divers particular perſecutors of thoſe times, Poole, Gardiner, Bonner, Morgan, Story, Burton, ſee Acts and Mon. 1902. 1904. &c. 1915. George Eagles (alias Trudge-over the world) having hid himſelf in a cornfeild, was,Mr. Leigh his Saints Encouragement Ep. to Read. for mony deſcried by one Ralph Lurdain, and burnt at Chelmsford: where afterwards the ſame Lurdain was hang'd for ſtealing an horſe.

blood and fire &c.] Signes terrifying, and teſtifying the wrath and diſpleaſure of God for the ſinns of men, and ſuch a face of the whole Fabrick of the Vniverſe: as that all the parts thereof may ſeem to have conſpired for the deſtruction of mankind. Before the wart betwixt Pompey and Caeſar, the ſea ſeemed to be bloody,

—Superique minaces

Prodiglis terras implerant, ethera,Lucan: lib. 1. monſtra enumerans quae bellum civila praeceſſerunt. pontum

Ignota obſcurae viderunt ſydera noctes,

Ardentem que polum flammis, coelo que volantes

Obliquas per inane faces—

Fulgura fallaci micuerunt crebra ſereno,

Et varias ignis denſo dedit aere formas.

Before Caeſars death not only drops of blood fell from heaven, but alſo pits and pooles flowed with blood. —puteique cruore Mutati In the year of grace 874.Claudian. lib. 1. in Eutrop. Funcc. chron. at Brixia, in the enterance of Italy, rained blood for three dayes and three nights together. In the yeare 1505. there appeared in Germany upon peoples garments, and womens rocks as they were ſpinning, diverſe prints and tokens of the nailes, of the ſpunge, of the ſpear, of the Lords coate, and of bloody croſſes &c. Maximilian the Emperour had and ſhewed the ſame to Francis Mirandula; who wrot thereupon his book called Stauroſtichon, wherein are theſe verſes,

Nonignota cano,Act. & Mon. fol. 769. Caeſar monſtravit: & ipſi

Videmus: innumeros prompſit Germania teſtes.

It is not many yeares ſince a ſhowre of blood fell about Gloceſter, if our intelligence deceived us not. Such prodigies are uſually ſad preſages, nec inania terriculamenta haec eſſe, In lsc.res ipſa teſtatur, ſaith Gualther here: and event proveth that theſe are no vaine fray-bugs. By fire here, underſtand thoſe terrible flaming apparitions in the ayre, lightenings, comets &c. portending lamentable calamities. Such there were to be ſeen (as I have heard from eye-witneſſes) on that very night wherein the Powder-plot was detected and defeated, in a very terrible manner. And ſuch were thoſe Meteors in the likeneſſe of fiery ſerpents, that fell here Anno 788. before the Invaſion of the Danes: whereunto we may adde the new-ſtarre that appeared in Caſſiopeja in November 1572.Camd. Eliſah. and continued ſixteen moneths: ſoon after which Charles the 9 of France (Author of the Pariſian Maſſacre) died of exceeding bleeding at ſeverall parts of his body, inter horribilium blaſphemiarum diras. ſaith the Hiſtorian, curſing and ſwearing. And laſtly that prodigious Comet Anno. 1618. forerunner of the German warres, and our late troubles; whatever is yet behind to be ſuffered by us. Certainly if the ſorcerors of Egypt were amongſt us, they would wonder at mens ſtupendious ſtupidity, and tell them that theſe extraordinary occurrents in heaven and earth were the very finger of God, for their warning.

and pillars of ſmoke] Heb. palmes of ſmoke (ſo Cant. 3.6.) by ſimilitude, becauſe tall, and ſtraight as palme-trees; which alſo lift up themſelves under their burthen, and will not be held down. Smoaky vapours mounting upright are fitly compared thereunto, Elationes fumi, ſo Tremellius,

Verſe 31. The Sun ſhall be turned into darkneſſe, and the Moon into blood] by ſtrange and ſtupendious Eclipſes: ſuch as was that of the Moon for 12. nights together, a little before the laſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem: and that of the Sun this preſent 29 day of March 1652. wherein I writ theſe things, but could ſcarce ſee to write, or forbeare to behold: for though buſy enough to bring this work to an end, if God pleaſe, yet I cannot ſay as the Duke of Alva did to the king of France, who asked him whether he had obſerved the late great Eclipſe? No, ſaid he I have ſo much to do upon earth, that I have no leiſure to look toward heaven. Of this dayes Eclipſe I may well ſay as Lucan doth of another,

Ipſe caput medio Titan cum ferret Olympo,

Condidit ardentes atra caligine currus;

Involvit que Lucan. lib. 1.orbem tenebris, genteſ que coegit

Deſperare diem.—

I heartily pray it do not preſage a dreafull eclipſe of the Sun of Chriſts glorious goſpell amongſt us; that this bright Sun ſhould go down at noon over our heades, and our earth be darkened in the clear day Amos 8.9. And let every good ſoul pray that that diſmall day may never ariſe unto us, wherein it ſhall be ſaid, that this glory is departed from our Engliſh Iſrael.

p. 211—nobiſcum, Chriſte, maneto:

Extingui lucem nec patiare tuam.

and the moon into blood,] that is, into redneſſe, as it was likewiſe on the 15. day of this inſtant March, in the morning: Two ſuch Eclipſes ſo neer together, having ſeldome been ſeen. I fear we may have cauſe, ere the yeer come about, to ſing ſadly with the Poet;

Signa dabant luctus ſuperi haud incerta futuri:Ovid. Metam. lib. 15.

Saepe faces viſae, ſolis quoque triſtis imago:

Caerulus & vultum ferrugine Lucifer atrâ

Sparſus erat, ſparſi lunares ſanguine currus.

Before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.] i.e. the great day of generall judgement; called here, the great day, becauſe the great God will on that day do great things, and determine of great matters: and the terrible day, becauſe it is a day of anger, and of wrath, Rom. 2.5. Rev. 6.17. yea the day of the declaration of the juſt judgement of God, according to the Goſpel, Rom. 2.5, 16. It is elſewhere called, That day by an appellative proper, Mar. 13.32. Luk. 21.34. Mat. 7.22. That day of note, wherein God will break filence, execute judgement upon all, and convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him, Jude 15. Enoch foretold this great day, before Noah did the deluge: this day is longer before it comes; but ſhall be more terrible when it is come. Whether it ſhall come in the yeer of our Lord, 1657.Alſted. Chronol. p 494. (as ſome have gathered out of the numerall letters of theſe two words, Mundi Conflagratio, and becauſe the yeer of the World 1657. was the yeer of the Flood,) let time determine: I have nothing to ſay to it.

Verſe 32. And it ſhall come to paſſe, that whoſoeveer &c.] Leſt any good ſoul hearing the former heavy menaces, ſhould ſay with the diſciples, Mark 10.26. Who then can be ſaved? Or, with theſe Deſpondents in Jeremy, chap. 2.25. There is no hope, the Prophet concludeth with this comfortable Coroliary, Whoſoever ſhall call upon the name of the Lord,] yea, that but nameth the name of Chriſt in faithfull prayer, deſiring and endeavouring to depart from iniquity, 2 Tim 2.19. the ſame ſhall be delivered,] He ſhall have ſafety here, and ſalvation hereafter. Rom 10.13. Watch ye therefore, and pray alwayes (ſaith our Saviour) that ye may be accounted worthy to eſcape all theſe things that ſhall come to paſſe, and to ſtand before the Son of man, Luke 21.36. with 25 Something God will yeeld to the prayers of his people, when he ſeemeth moſt bitterly bent, and unchangeably reſolved againſt them, Matth. 24.20. and when the tribulation is ſo great, that it is not likely that any fleſh ſhall be ſaved, verſ. 21, 22. Prayer, ſaith One, is the beſt lever at a dead lift; provided that it be the prayer of faith; for Mercy is the Mother, Faith the Midwife of deliverances. Hence it followeth.

for in mounth Zion and in Jeruſalem,] where the pure word of God was preached, Eſay 2.3. and mens hearts purified by faith, Acts 15.9. ſhall be deliverance,] from all evils and enemies, Pſalm 76.3. There brake he the arrows of the bowe, the ſhield, and the ſword, and the battle. Selah. There? where? In Salem, in Zion, verſe 2. where Gods people were praying. This Moab knew, and therefore more feared a praying people, then a numerous army, Numb. 22.3. This the Queen Mother of Scotland knew, and therefore ſaid, that ſhe feared-more the faſting and prayers of Iohn Knox, and his diſciples, then an army of twenty thouſand men.Spec. bell. ſacri. Let Gods ſuppliants but call upon him in the day of their trouble, and he will deliver them, that they may glorifie him, Pſal. 50 15. He will deliver them, yea and honour them: with long life will he ſatisfie them, and ſhew them his ſalvation, Pſalm 91.16. Holy Merlin, Chaplain to the Admirall of France, at the Pariſian Maſſacre, had the performance of this promiſe among many others: For underſtanding the danger they were all in, he prayed in the Admirals chamber (and by his command) a little before the Murtherers brake in: and, by a ſingular providence, p. 212eſcaped into an Hay-mow,Epitom. hiſt. Gullick. where he lay hid for a fortnight, and was miraculouſly fed by a hen that cam daily, and laid an egge hard by him.

as the Lord hath ſaid,] and Gods ſuppliants have ſtedfaſtly beleeved, and do therefore put his promiſes in ſuit. In the want of other Rhetorike, let Chriſtians in their prayers burden God with what he hath ſaid, ſue him upon his own bond, urge this with repetition; Lord thou haſt promiſed, thou haſt promiſed, and they ſhall finde that he cannot deny himſelf: and he can as ſoon deny himſelf, as his promiſes. His covenant he will not break: nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips, Pſal. 89.34.

and in the remnant whom God ſhall call.] Thoſe holy brethren that ſhall partake of the heavenly calling to glory and vertue, Heb. 3.1.Heb 3:1whether they be Jewes, or Gentiles. Faithfull is he that calleth them, who alſo will do it, 1 Theſſ. 5.24. And although they are but a remnant, which is but a ſmall to the whole piece, an hand-full to an houſe-full, a fold to a field, a little, little flock, Luke 12.32. yet being the caled of Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 1.6. and ſuch as call upon him in truth, they are not onelyonly his called, foreign.but choſen and faithfull, Revel. 17.24. They are alſo heirs of that promiſe, Mic. 5.7. which ſhall be fully made good to them, that (as for their propagation) this remnant of Iacob, ſhall be in the middeſt of many people, as a dew from lehovah, (the dew is ingendred, and diſtilled from the Lord immediatly:) ſo (for their growth and increaſe) they ſhall be as the ſhowers upon the graſſe, as the ſprouting up of graſſe and herbs in the wilderneſſe, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the ſonnes of men, to come with watering-pots to nouriſh them (as herbs in gardens do) but theſe have ſhowers from heaven, that give the increaſe.