Exposition of Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk and Zephaniah, Author to the reader
To The READER.
Chriſtian Reader,
I Do here preſent thee with an Expoſition of ſome of the leſſer Prophets; concerning which, and my undertaking thereof, I do in the entry give this briefe account.
As I have looked upon a ſhort Expoſition of holy Scripture joyned with the principal doctrines flowing there from, after the mould of the Reverend Mr. David Dickſon, his late peece upon Matthew, as a ſpecial means (through Gods bleſſing) for promoting of truth and piety, and for preventing of errours; ſo I little thought to have undertaken any ſuch thing my ſelf, when ſo many godly, able, and experienced Miniſters of the Goſpel, did not, (for reaſons knowne to themſelves) put hand to it: But being ſome yeers ago ſeriouſly invited with divers others, by the Reverend Author of that Expoſition on Matthew, to concur with him in proſecuting that purpoſe which he had begun, and hath ſince made further progreſs into, upon the booke of Pſalmes; I did then eſſay ſome of theſe Prophets, being at that time recommended unto me, and of late at his deſire (living now through Gods providence in one City) I have looked upon them over again, and adventured to preſent theſe to publick view, if ſo be it may invite others who have more ability and leiſure, to mind and help forward ſuch a work upon the whole Bible: which is a ſtudy (beſide the profit the Church of God might reape thereby) I am confident, wil richly recompence the undertakers in their own boſome by many advantages.
As this recommendation did determine me to the choice of theſe Prophets in this undertaking: ſo this narration may ſhorten my account concerning the mould of this piece; ſeeing I have conformed my ſelf (ſo far as my weakneſs could reach, or the nature of the ſubject, being oftentimes very dark and obſcure, would admit) to the mould followed in the Expoſition upon Matthew formerly mentioned. I have found it neceſſary (beſide a ſhort ſumme of each Chapter in the entrie) to premit ſome ſhort Expoſition of the words before the doctrines, which is inlarged, when neede is, in clearing the deductions of each Doctrine. In the Expoſition I have pointed, upon occaſion, at other Scriptures helping to cleare the place; but for the Doctrines, I did not ſet my ſelfe to bring Scripture confirming them, it being my deſire that no more be admitted, or received here, then ſuch as clearly flow from the text in hand; only where a paſſage occured to memory, for illuſtration of the Doctrine, I have added it, as affording further ground of meditation to the Reader, if he pleaſe. It cannot be a voided in a piece of ſo many Doctrines, and on divers ſubjects, but the ſame Doctrines, at leaſt for ſubſtance, wil occur often; but the Reader may conſider, that every time it occurreth, it is confirmed of new, from a new ground; and Gods inculcating of truths often calls on us to heare, and conſider them much. If any man thinks the doctrines ſometimes more prolixe, he would conſider, that in this ſort of writing it is required to ſay much in little bounds, that ſometimes two truths flowing from one ground, wil ſpeak more fully being conjoyned, then if every one of them were made a doctrine alone; & that ſome doctrines, nakedly propounded, could not ſatisfie, unleſſe they were either limited, or cleered a little.
As the Doctrines wil be found (I hope) to ariſe naturally from the text explained: ſo in expoſition I have ſtudied to keepe by the rule of faith, and ſet downe that Expoſition which is moſt agreeable to the context it ſelfe: and where diverſity of interpretations could agree together, as tending to one ſcope, I have conjoyned them; and but ſeldome held forth divers and different interpretations of one place, where there was no ſuch affinity betwixt them. There is onelyonly one thing of which I would premoniſh thee in a word, and that is concerning ſome promiſes made not only to the Church of the Jewes, but to all Iſrael, wherein not only their future converſion, but their reſtitution to their own land ſeeme to be held forth. I am not ignorant how peremptory many have beene of old, and of late, in determining of ſuch future events from the Word; and that many who have aſſerted the reſtitution of Iſrael to their land, have aſſerted with it alſo a reigne of Chriſt, not onelyonly in his ſpiritual government, but in his perſon alſo on earth; and that the Church ſhall be in a very flouriſhing and glorious eſtate for a thouſand yeers. Both of which aſſertions, as they have no ſure footing in Scripture: ſo the firſt ſpeaks but little comfort to the Church (which is that they intend in it;) for, ſeeing Chriſt hath a circumſcribed body, he can be but in one place at once; and it is more comfortable to the Church in all quarters of the world, to be governed by his Spirit, and inſtruments employed by him, ſitting at the Fathers right hand, then by deputies imployed by him, while he remains in one corner of the world, as that opinion muſt grant he will. And for the ſecond, albeit the Church may (and belike after the converſion of Iſrael wil) have ſome glimpſes and breathings of tranquillity and proſperity, yet that happy condition which many ſpeak of, ſeemeth not to be very conſiſtent even with common ſenſe; for, if the Church and particular Saints, ſhall have corruption while they are within time, that fire will neceſſarily produce ſparks of trouble; and how any trouble can be conſiſtent with ſuch a condition as theſe men ſpeak of, I ſee not. The experience of the Jewes at the firſt coming of Chriſt, and of the Church in all ages, may ſufficiently clear, how much carnal conceptions of the glory of Chriſts Kingdome have been diſappointed, as ſavouring too much of fleſh. Yet in this buſineſſe whereof I ſpeak, this would ſeeme (at leaſt) probable; that as many paſſages ſcattered in the Prophets, whatever they foretold to the Nation of the Jewes at the firſt coming of Chriſt, or ſay daily for the comfort of Iſrael in the ſpirit; yet have not their full accompliſhment till all Iſrael be converted, as the Apoſtle cleareth, Rom. 11. who citing a more obſcure place to cleare it, doth warrant us to make uſe of others that ſpeak more clearly: So there are alſo many paſſages in the Prophets, which however they may be applyed to a ſpiritual reſtitution of every true Church, and of Iſrael after the Spirit; yet in their full accompliſhment, ſeeme to take in the reſtitution of the Nation of Iſrael: and this interpretation ſeemeth not to want Chriſts owne warrant, where he ſaith. Luke 21.24. They ſhal fal by the edge of the ſword, and ſhal be led away captive into all Nations, and Jeruſalem ſhal be troden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled, where he ſeemeth to ſet the ſame term-day to their Captivity, and the deſolation of Jeruſalem (including the land) that the Apoſtle ſets to their converſion, Rom. 11.25, 26. And indeed, if the converſion of Iſrael wil be National, as is clear, not only from Rom. 11. but from Hoſ. 3. where they are foretold, ver. 4. that they ſhal neither have a true nor falſe religion in their exile, which muſt be underſtood of them taken as an incorporation, and Nation, (for as private men they have ſtill ſome Religion wherever they are) and conſequently their converſion, ver 5. muſt be National; If, I ſay, their converſion wil be National, it is agreeable to right reaſon that they wil get a Land for habitation, as a Nation, and what Land more expedient, then their own (though not now any more typical unto them) which God gave to their fathers of old? and which there are ſo plain promiſes (as would appear) for? And for a taſte, any that pleaſeth may conſider on theſe paſſages, ſpoken not only to Judah, but to Jacob, Ephraim and Iſrael, Jer 30.13, 18. and 31.17. Ezek 37.16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 25. Hoſ. 11.9, 10, 11. and many others; which I wil not now inſiſt to name, or diſcourſe upon; only as I take no pleaſure in ſingular opinions, nor to be peremptory in thoſe things, which time wil be the beſt commentary unto; ſo there being ſo much to this purpoſe ſpoken in the Word, I could not but briefly point at ſuch paſſages in any of theſe following Prophets as ſeeme to tend that way, that ſo the godly may be ſtirred up to pray more earneſtly for the converſion of Iſrael, at which time the Lord, by performance, wil give his own commentary to theſe and many other promiſes.
I ſhal detaine thee (Chriſtian Reader) no longer in the entrie, but to adde this, that if this piece prove acceptable, and may be uſeful to the Church of Chriſt, I purpoſe (the Lord continuing life, and aſſiſting me) to follow with the reſt of the ſmal Prophets in the ſame Method; provided that ſome others, more fit, do not take the work in hand. Mean time, that this preſent piece may be bleſſed unto thee; and that thou mayeſt more and more fal in love with God to thee in Scripture, ſhal be the prayer of
Thine to ſerve thee in the Goſpel, GEO. HUTCHESON.