Exposition of Haggai Zechariah and Malachi, Exposition of prophecy 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
IN this Chapter we have a third viſion ſhewed unto the Prophet, wherein under the type of a man meaſuring Jeruſalem, v. 1, 2. and attended with Angels, v. 3. is promiſed the future enlargement of Jeruſalem, v. 4. and her ſafety, v. 5. the application and uſe of which viſion is held forth in a threefold exhortation, 1. To the Jewes who remained at Babylon, that they would return to their land, v. 6, 7. in regard, that Chriſt was out of his love to them, to reckon with their enemies, which he would eaſily effectuate to their ſatisfaction and confirmation, v. 8, 9. 2. To the Jewes who were returned, that they would rejoyce becauſe of his preſence among them, v. 10. becauſe of the acceſſion that ſhould be of many Nations to the Church, v. 11. and becauſe the Lord would yet confirm their election, to be his choſen people in their own land, v. 12. 3. To all miſbelievers of the promiſe and oppoſers of his Church, that they ſhould ſtand in awe, and compeſce their fainting or fury, v. 13.
Ver. 1.
I Lift up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold, a man with a meaſuring line in his hand.
2.
Then ſaid I: Whither goeſt thou? And he ſaid unto me, To meaſure Jeruſalem, to ſee what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof;
3.
And behold, the Angel that talked with me, went forth, and another Angel went out to meet him;
4.
And ſaid unto him, Runne, ſpeak to this young man, ſaying, Jeruſalem ſhall be inhabited as townes without walls; for the multitude of men and cattel therein
Here is promiſed unto the Church, that however they were now a few people to inhabit the city or countrey, and deſtitute of cattel as well as men, yet they ſhould ſo increaſe, as that the walls of Jeruſalem ſhould not contain them, but they ſhould dwell without the precincts thereof, and ſpread themſelves into the countrey and villages, hereby prefiguring the future enlargement of the Church, beyond what was under the Old Teſtament. This is repreſented unto the Prophet under the type of Chriſt, as a man with a meaſuring line, declaring unto the Prophet his purpoſe to build and ſet bounds to his own Church, and who being attended by Angels, ſends one of them to the Prophet with this meſſage to be communicated unto the Church, for to encourage them to go on in the work, and to invite the ſcattered Jewes to come home and joyne with their brethren. Doct. 1. Such as would ſee the true caſe and condition of the Church, had need of elevated and ſpiritual mindes, enlightened by God; for, Zechariah lift up his eyes and looked, being enlightened of God in this viſion; and ſaw the Churches caſe far otherwiſe then the caſe of the city, looked on by a natural eye at that time, could promiſe. 2. Theſe who ſee Jeruſalem, and the Church well, will ſee Chriſt ſtill employed about her, and careful of her well-being, and that her proſperity is the great buſineſſe of heaven, about which Chriſt and Angels are buſie, and of this Chriſt would have his Church aſſured; for, here he looked again after the former viſion, wherein he had ſeen Chriſt, and behold, a man with a meaſuring line, &c. to wit, Chriſt himſelf in humane ſhape, who is buſie meaſuring the city, going forth to it, and making to work; and another Angel, (one of many attending him) went out to meet him in this work: and command is given that the Church know this, Run, ſpeak, &c. that this man is Chriſt, appeareth, in that it is he who hath command of Angels, v. 3, 4. for he who ſpake to the Prophet, v. 2. is the Angel that talked with him, v. 3. 3. It is the duty of all the Lords people, and particularly his Commiſſion-ſervants, to be humbly and carefully diligent to ſearch out the Lords minde in his actings and Providences: and for that end, as to ſearch into his Word, ſo to preſent many ſuites unto himſelf; for here the Prophet, ſeeing Chriſt at work, deſires to be informed; Then ſaid I, Whither goeſt thou? 4. Chriſt hath the bounds of his Church at his diſpoſal and meaſuring, he hath abounding charter granted by the Father, which no oppoſition ſhall be able to retrinch; for he alone hath the meaſuring line, v. 1. He can deſigne the length and breadth of Jeruſalem, v. 2. and can irrevocably declare the enlargement thereof. v 4. 5. As the Lord can eaſily enlarge his Church from a ſmall beginning, ſo it is his purpoſe under the New Teſtament, not only to extend the pale of his Church further then to the Nation of the Jewes; but ſtill to enlarge and make his Kingdome come from Nation to Nation, till all Iſrael be ſaved, and the fulneſſe of the Gentiles come in, and the Kingdomes of the earth become the Kingdomes of the Lord, &c. for, here in the letter, Jeruſalem (now ſmall) ſhall be inhabited as cowne; without walls, for the multitude of men and cattel therein: and by this type the enlargement of the Goſpel-Church is held forth, which we are ſtill commanded to pray for. 6. As the Lord may employ whom he pleaſeth, even young men, and make them fit and able for his work; ſo whoſoever are employed by him, ought to be nimble and active in going about his directions in their office, and to be abaſed in their own eyes before him who employeth them: for, here the Prophet is called this young man, either in reſpect of his age, or becauſe he ought to be nimble in his office as a boy, or in reſpect of his abaſing himſelf, and being nothing in his own eyes, when he ſaw Chriſt and the created Angell.
Verſ. 5.
For I, ſaith the LORD, will he unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midſt of her.
Whereas the former promiſes of Jeruſalems enlargement, as townes without walls ſeemed to import, that they ſhould not be in ſafety; the Lord prevents this, and promiſes that his protection ſhould make them as ſafe, as if they were encompaſſed with a wall of fire, (as Iſrael was, when the pillar of fire ſtood betwixt them and the Egyptians, Ex. 14. as Eliſha in Dothan, 2 Kings 6.17. or as travellers in the wilderneſſe kept off lions and wilde beaſts, by building fires round about them;) and that they ſhould have the comfort of his glorious preſence, dwelling in the midſt of them, making them glorious, and aſſuring them of protection, Doct. 1. One promiſe of Chriſt, and proof of his love, will ſtill call for another to make that ſure, and ſo on till the Church get performance once for all; therefore, the former promiſe of enlargement calls for this new one of protection, and gets it. 2. When the Lord ſees it fit to exempt his people from trouble, he can in moſt unſafe times, and when they are weakeſt, ſafely protect them, by bridling enemies by his ſecret hand, by making the Church finde favour in their eyes, or making their attempts as ineffectual, as if they would eſſay to go through a fire; and even when his Church taſtes of trouble, yet ſhe is not ſecluded from his protection, nor expoſed to the will of enemies, and what they do againſt her ſhall be as prejudicial to them, as if they had gone through a burning fire; I, ſaith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, doth import all this. 3. As the Lords preſence with and amongſt a people is their greateſt glory, and makes them glorious; ſo it is a pledge of their protection, that he will ſecure his own habitation, and put a defence on his own glory, whatever they be; for, where he is a wall of fire, there he is the glory in the midſt of her, and therefore a wall.
Verſ. 6.
Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the North, ſaith the LORD: for I have ſpread you abroad as the foure windes of the heaven ſaith the LORD.
7.
Deliver thy ſelf, O Zion, that dwelleſt with the daughter of Babylon.
This doctrine concerning Jeruſalems enlargement and ſafety, is by Chriſt applied to ſeveral ſorts of perſons for uſe, in a threefold exhortation: 1. To the Jewes, who having in ſeventy yeares time forgotten their own countrey, many of them alſo being borne in captivity, and being taken up with the pleaſures of Babylon, and looking on all as deſperate in their own countrey, did voluntarily ſtay ſtill when the reſt came away; theſe are again and again exhorted with all ſpeed on all hazards, to return and help to build the City and dwell in it, that ſo that people might be conſpicuous til Chriſt ſhould come, who would enlarge his Chureh, and that they might ſhare with the reſt in theſe promiſes. In this exhortation two reaſons are couched: 1. That their ſcattering into Babel, and into all other corners, (of which ſee, Ezek. 5.12. Jer. 4.11.) was a judgement, and therefore not to be ſ…te under, eſpecially now when God in pity to them, was reſtoring them. 2. That being Zion, it was not ſeemly to ſee them in Babylon, when they might be at Jeruſalem. Doct. 1. It may encourage every one in their ſtation to put their hand to help forward Chriſts work, and to come and joyne in it, when they conſider that he is about it, in whoſe hand nothing will miſcarry, and Chriſts kindneſſe to his Church, may invite all to come and joyne with her; for, the ſcope and drift of the preceding viſion is declared to be the encouragement of the Jewes, to go on in the work, and an invitation of their brethren to leave all and come unto them. 2. The worſt and bittereſt of conditions may in proceſſe of time, be ſate down under by unſenſible ſouls, with ſtupidity, and ſuch an outgate made of them, as they will be quitting hope of better; for, theſe people who could not think of going to Babel, have now ſetled themſelves in it, as their home, and need call upon call to come out of it; Ho, ho, flee, deliver thy ſelf. 3. It is an uſual ſin in men, through negligence, love of the world, prejudice at the way of God, and unwillingneſſe to embarque in difficulties, to neglect their own true good, and their duty for enlargement of the Kingdome of Chriſt: for theſe cauſes it was that the Jewes need ſo many calls to leave Babylon, and come to Jeruſalem to joyne in the work of God, and enjoy the meanes of ſalvation. 4. Albeit the commands of God ſeem many times unjuſt to our ſenſe, and obedience thereunto very prejudicial, yet upon better information, we will finde that our advantage lies in ſpeedy obedience upon any hazard; therefore the call to theſe lingring Jewes, is not only to come forth, but to flee and deliver thy ſelfe, or, make an eſcape on any termes, as out of a great hazard, albeit they thought it their beſt to abide there. 5. As the Lord, in ſhewing mercy to his people, calls to minde their formes afflictions, that he may be ſo much the more kinde; ſo however the Lord may make the place of his peoples captivity eaſie to them, yet it is a judgement-like diſpoſition, when a people chooſes that for their reſt, and outgate, which God hath caſt them in, in wrath, and as a puniſhment for ſin, however it may ſeem to promiſe eaſe; therefore the Lord himſelf mindes their ſcattering when he is to ſhew merciemercy… and mindes them of their ſcattering as a fruit of his wrath, that they ſhould not think to dwell ſtill there; Ho, ho, come forth, for I have ſpread you abroad as the foure windes of the heaven, ſaith the Lord. 6. The Churches ſerious conſidering of her Profeſſion, priviledge and dignity, may diſcover unto her, how unbeſeeming many of her practices are, how little ſhe adornes her profeſſion, or walks worthy of her high calling: therefore doth he name her Zion, that it might ſhame her from dwelling with the daughter of Babylon. 7. Unneceſſary and voluntary converſing with idolaters, is an evil full of hazard to the people of God, conſidering how much they loſe by neglecting better company, what danger there is of infection by them, and of participating with them in their judgements; therefore is Zion to deliver her ſelfe, who dwelleth with the daughter of Babylon.
Verſ. 8.
For thus ſaith the LORD of hoſtles, After the glory hath he ſent me unto the nations which ſpoiled you; for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.
A third reaſon is expreſly ſubjoyned to the exhortation, to wit, that after Chriſt had viſited and afflicted his own people; and eſpecially after he hath begun to make his glory ſhine in reſtoring them, he is alſo ſent by his Father to puniſh their enemies, and reſtrain them from impeding the perfecting of the Churches glory, by doing whereof he would make known his affection to the Church, and his reſentment of her afflictions; and therefore it was not ſafe for them to ſtay in Babel, nor fit to ſtick at impediments. So that by the glory here we are to underſtand partly the Church, which are his glory, and among whom he manifeſts his glory, Iſa. 4.5. and Dan. 8.9. in the Original, and after whoſe afflictions God would, out of his love to her, reckon with her enemies; and partly, his glory manifeſted in her reſtauration, as v. 5. after the breaking forth wherof God would engage againſt enemies, that they ſhould not hinder the perfecting of it. Doct. 1. Chriſt is the fit and faithful Interpreter of his Fathers will, the revealer of his counſel, and he who ſeeth it executed; for here he tells what the Lord of hoſtes ſaith, and is ſent to ſee the Fathers will done. 2. The Church will finde it to be a very unſafe courſe for her to joyne and comply with her enemies, even although theſe who do otherwiſe ſeem to expoſe themſelves to great hazard; for, albeit the Jewes in Judea were environed with enemies, and theſe in Babylon ſeemed ſecure, yet wrath was to come there, and therefore it was their beſt to flee. 3. The Church of God is the ſociety, where he ſets forth his glory more then among all the world beſide, and in doing good to whom he delights to be glorified: and fetches arguments ſo to do from his own glory, when there is no cauſe in her: therefore ſhe is here called the glory. 4. As it is no mark of the true Church to be exempted from afflictions; and as ſhe loſeth none of her ſplendour in his eyes, by any afflictions: ſo the Churches afflictions are fore-runners of judgement on the world, and her enemies; and when he begins to let forth his glory in her, after a ſtorme, he will ſee that no enemies ſhall impede him in carrying it on … for ſhe hath been afflicted, and is the glory for all that, and after the glory he hath ſent me to the nations which ſpoiled you. 5. As Gods ſeverity againſt his people takes not away his ſympathie with them in their afflictions; ſo his ſympathy makes the Churches trouble go very near his heart, which he will in due time prove upon the inſtruments thereof; for this is the cauſe of his going unto the nations, they ſpoiled you; and the reaſon is brought from his ſympathie: for, he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye a touch of them on any part, is to his ſympathie, a touch of the apple of his eye, which is a moſt tender part.
Ver. 9.
Forbehold, I will ſhake mine hand upon them, and they ſhall be a ſpoile to their ſervants; and ye ſhall know that the LORD of hostes hath ſent me.
This reaſon is further enlarged and cleared from the manner of Chriſts taking order with their enemies, to wit, that though they be great in power; and have none to oppoſe them: yet if he do but ſhake his hand and give the ſigne, or toſſe them a little their very ſervants whom they formerly conquered and kept in ſlavery, ſhall undo and lord it over them, and poſſeſſe their goods, wherein the Jewes were actors in part, both in the dayes of Eſther, and at home when they brought their enemies about, who had concurred in afflicting them, into ſubjection. The effect of all which ſhall be a confirmation of them by this new experiment, that Chriſt is ſent of the Father to declare and execute theſe promiſes, as Protector of his Church. Doct. 1. Albeit when we hear Gods Word ſpeaking for the Church, or againſt her enemies, we are ready to queſtion: How can theſe things be? yet Omnipotency will eaſily finde a way to fulfil promiſes or threatenings, and can take the moſt contemptible, and ſucceſſefully employ them againſt moſt potent Conquerours, who have left none (as they think) in the world, to take order with them: for, behold, I will ſhake mine hand upon them, and they ſhall be a ſpoile to their ſervants: and to confirm this, he declareth himſelf to be the Lord of hoſtes. 2. It is the Lords way, not only to bring down oppreſſing enemies, but ſo to do it, as may poure moſt ignominie upon them, and let all the world ſee their vanity and folly, who placed their ſecurity in any thing beſide God: for, they ſhall be a ſpoile to thy ſervants. 3. As it is not enough to have a braine notional knowledge of God, and what he hath revealed, unleſſe it be experimentally engraven upon the heart: ſo even the people of God may have their own queſtionings, concerning Gods care of them, and concerning what he hath ſaid in his Word, till by performance and experimental proofs he put it out of all controverſie, which in due time he will do; for, when this is wrought, then they begin to know as they ought, and by this experiment he makes them certain, and ye ſhall know. 4. As every diſpenſation of God ought to inſtruct and fixe leſſons in our heart: ſo a ſpecial leſſon to be read and learned by the Church, is Gods good will in employing his Son for their good, and Chriſts being on foot to procure good tidings to her, and let her ſee them really performed, he being imployed by the omnipotent God for that effect; And ye ſhall know that the Lord of hoſtes hath ſent me.
Verſ. 10.
Sing and rejoyce, O daughter of Zion: for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midſt of thee, ſaith the LORD.
The ſecond exhortation directed to the Jewes that were returned from captivity (which may ſerve alſo as an argument to theſe in Babel to come and partake of their promiſed happineſſe) is, that however they were in a low condition, yet they ſhould rejoyce and expreſſe their joy by ſinging. This he preſſeth from three grounds, whereof the firſt is, that Chriſt would come and take up his habitation in the midſt of them, not only typically or in legall ſhadowes, or by his grace and Spirit only, but that in the fulneſſe of time he would alſo come in perſon, and become man and dwell among them. Doct. 1. No difficulty or ſtraite can take away from the Church the true cauſe of her joy, nor excuſe her for not rejoycing in it; for when the Jewes are now a contemptible handfull, deſerted by their brethren, vexed by their enemies, and ſome of themſelves conſpiring with them, Nehem. 6.17, 18. and 13.4. yet ſhe is called to this duty; Sing and rejoyce, O daughter of Zion. 2. The Lords own preſence in and with his people, is his choice and matchleſſe gift, which he is willing to give before any other thing, and which as he will not diſdain to beſtow in his peoples loweſt condition; So it is a gift that ſhould occaſion much joy and refreſhment to them; for when they want many accommodations, the Ark and the cloud, and the company of their brethren, yet this is his great gift wherein they ſhould rejoyce; Sing and rejoyce, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and will dwell in the midſt of thee. 3. As the Lords preſence with his own choſen people is perpetual, and will bring intimate familiarity and love; ſo himſelfe will be at all the paines to make up this union, he will not, by ſinne putting him (as it were) away for a time, be provoked to ſtay away, and will have this communion ſtill upon the growing hand till they come to full fruition; for he will dwell conſtantly, and that familiarly in the midſt of thee, and for this end I come, ſaith he, or am at the paines, I will not be kept away from coming again; and though they had his preſence in ſome meaſure before, yet it is ſtill I come. 4. It is the great ground of the Churches encouragement, and the fountaine of all other manifeſtations of God, that the Sonne of God became man, that her Redeemer is God, that he came and dwelt in our nature, and was like us in all things without ſin; and that we may tryſt with God in the man Chriſt, and know our tender-hearted ſurety to be alſo God over all bleſſed for ever, and able to ſave to the uttermoſt; this incarnation of Chriſt is it which this promiſe ultimately points at as the ground of their joy, Sing, for I come, and I will dwell in the midſt of thee, ſaith Jehovah.
Verſ. 11.
And many Nations ſhall be joyned to the LORD in that day, and ſhall be my people: and I will dwell in the midſt of thee, and thou ſhalt know that the LORD of hoſtes hath ſent me unto thee.
The ſecond reaſon of the exhortation, is, becauſe many Nations ſhall joyne to the Lord and become one Church with them when he is incarnate, by which they ſhould yet further be confirmed that Chriſt is ſent of the Father to be the Mediatour and Redeemer of his Church. Doct. 1. Whatever encouragement the Lord withholds from his people in following their duty, it is becauſe he purpoſeth richly to make it up another way; for if the Jewes were diſcouraged in building the Temple by their brethrens ſtaying behinde, here is a promiſe of an acceſſion to make that up, And many Nations ſhall be joyned to the Lord in that day. 2. It is the matter of great joy, that by the incarnation of Chriſt, the partition-wall betwixt Jew and Gentile is caſt down, that all Nations without any difference, or diſtinction, have acceſſe, and do come to him, and that he makes many to be willing in the day of his power; for this is a new cauſe of their ſong, Many Nations ſhall be joyned to the Lord. 3. It doth contribute to ſet out the glory of Chriſts Kingdome under the Goſpel, that not only he hath elect and converted members of all Nations, without diſtinction: but that he brings whole Nations in viſible Covenant with him, and maketh a whole Nation to become a National viſible Church: for ſo is here propheſied of theſe dayes, Many Nations (and not ſome of a Nation only) ſhall be joyned to the Lord, at leaſt by viſible Covenant, in that day. 4. Moſt glorious promiſes may be miſtaken in their performance, by carnall hearts, and not prove ſo comfortable as indeed they are; for the converſion of the Gentiles, is promiſed here as the matter of the Jewes joy, and yet it proved a ſtumbling block to the body of the Nation when it was performed, and will do till the converſion of the Gentiles provoke them to jealouſie, Rom. 11.11. 5. A people do then indeed come unto God, when beſide their being viſibly in Covenant with him, they ſeek alſo union with him through ſaith in his Sonne, and do give themſelves up to his obedience, and that they may become his; which the ſenſible and humble ſoul ought to look upon, not only as their duty, but as Gods promiſe; ſo much doth this Prophecie ultimately point at, They ſhall be joyned to the Lord, and ſhall be my people. 6. As the Lords preſence is that which makes the ſociety of Saints comfortable, were they increaſing never ſo faſt; ſo the more the Church encreaſeth, he will let out the more of his preſence with her; for in that day of this acceſſion it is added againe, And I will dwell in the midſt of thee. Much converſion proves him to be preſent, will draw forth more of his preſence, and that will be all the converts joy. 7. As the converſion of the Gentiles to the Church, and removing all obſtructions out of their way, is a part of the Meſſiahs errand to the world; ſo alſo much converſion is an ample teſtimony to Chriſt, that he is the appointed Mediator ſent of the Father, that he hath alluring beauty under ſeeming deformity, invincible power and vertue managed by apparent weakneſſe, and that he hath received gifts for men, even for rebells that he may dwell among them; therefore by this work alſo, Thou ſhalt know that the Lord of hoſtes hath ſ…t me unto thee, ſaith he, to Sion.
Verſ. 12.
And the LORD ſhall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and ſhall chuſe Jeruſalem again.
The third reaſon of the exhortation, ſpeaks more nearly to the preſent caſe of the Jewes, for whereas they might, upon the former promiſe concerning the Gentiles, look upon themſelves as rejected, eſpecially having neither the face of a Nation nor Temple, ſince they were rejected at the Babyloniſh captivity; therefore the Lord promiſeth that he will gather them from their diſperſions, and ſet them as his peculiar heritage in their own land, and that he will give new documents of their election to be his people, though it ſeemed now to be interrupted; that ſo they might be a peculiar habitation for him till he ſhould come in the fleſh, if not alſo pointing at their future converſion and reſtitution: ſeeing he ſpeaks of them as an inheritance. Doct. 1. As the Lords Covenant entered in with a people may meet with many interruptions, in the viſible effects of it, without a diſſolution of the bond and tie: ſo in particular, his relation to the Nation of the Jewes is ſuch as no temporal rejection can utterly make void; for here notwithſtanding all that hath come upon them, they keep their titles, and their election ſtands, and doth yet to this day, as is expounded to us, Rom. 11.28, 29. 2. The Lords people may expect to be no loſers by all their troubles, when God comes to repaire and make them up; for Judah after their captivity, gets the holy land, ſo called, not only becauſe the holy Lord dwelt there, in a peculiar way of preſence, and becauſe it was the habitation aſſigned to his people conſecrated to him, and ſo an holy Nation; but becauſe it was a type of Heaven. 3. The Lords Church is his peculiar portion, which he ſeparates for himſelfe from the world, to deal with them ſingularly; The Lord ſhall inherit Judah his portion, he will take them for his heritage and portion, and uſe them ſo. 4. The Lords free choice and election of his people is of ſuch conſequence to them, and may meet with ſo many aſſaults and diſpenſations ſeeming to brangle it, that there is need of frequent confirmations and tokens for good, to eſtabliſh them in the faith of it: for this cauſe is this promiſe, And ſhall chooſe Jeruſalem again.
Verſ. 13.
Be ſilent, O all fleſh, before the LORD: for he is raiſed up out of his holy habitation.
The third exhortation is directed to all oppoſers of theſe promiſes, whether misbelievers among the Jewes, who might be reaſoning againſt this doctrine, or enemies, who might boaſt to make them prove vaine; theſe are compeſced, and commanded ſilence, in their doublings and brags, ſeeing God was begun to appear out of Heaven for his people, as one not unmindfull of his promiſe. Doct. 1. The promiſes of God may oft-times be little heard in the Church for her comfort, by reaſon of the tumult of fightings within, and of feares and oppoſition without, for ſo is here imported. 2. A right conſidering how much frailty appeares in our diſtruſting, how weak all oppoſition is, and how ſtrong the Lord is, and how far wronged he is in his glory, by misbelieving his promiſes, may ſilence, and crie down our unbeliefe and compeſce enemies fury; for the Lord here ſo teaches, Be ſilent, O all fleſh before the Lord, the word importing ſuch a ſilence, as when a Maſter comes in among ſcholars, or when a Prince appears. 3. Albeit Gods preſence in Heaven, and among his people, might ſilence unbelief, and terrifie oppoſers, conſidering that he is there, though he appear not, and that he will in due time appear; yet it may much more ſhew the folly of theſe wayes, when God hath appeared and begun to work; for, his appearing once ſhould confirme faith, and aſſure his people of a compleat iſſue; and put enemies out of all hope of gaining their point, yea and aſſure them that their begun diſappointment and ruine is a pledge of more, whatever ſtrength or power they have; this may ſilence all fleſh before God, For he is raiſed up out of his holy habitation.