Exposition of Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk and Zephaniah, To the reader
Chriſtian Reader,
IT cannot be denied on the one hand, that as the Lord in this laſt age hath manifeſted unto Britain, more then in any former time, the riches of his grace, in the clear and long continued offer of Righteonſneſs, reconciliation, peace, ſanctification, and ſalvation, freely to be had by the hearty embracing of his eternal Son Jeſus Chriſt; So for the long ſteighting of his gracious and rich offer, he is now manifeſting his juſt indignation and wrath againſt this unthankful and froward generation, not only by inflicting many ſad bodily judgments, but alſo by ſending upon the ſpirits of many, who have not received the love of the truth, ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould believe a lye, and be damned all of them who will not believe the truth, but have pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, according as was foretold, 2 Theſ. 2.11.
And it cannot be denied on the other hand, that in the midſt of this great wrath, the Lord remembreth his tender mercies towards us, by continuing hitherto the open preaching of the offer of his contemned grace; and by ſtirring up from time to time, the ſpirits of ſundry of his ſervants, to open ſtill more and more clearly the little book of holy Scripture, by pious and learned Annotations, larger Commentaries, ſhorter Paraphraſes, brief Explications, and other ſorts of fruitful writings. By theſe, and by all other means, he teſtifieth his lothneſſe to depart altogether from this Ile, which is engaged unto him by all ſorts of Obligations; and wherein, beſides theſe who are already converted bleſſed ones, he hath many Elect ſou…s to bring home from their pernicious wandrings: and this his gracious purpoſe doth appear in this, that as Satan is beſtirring himſelf in the maddeſt manner that any age hath heard of, to darken the light held forth in Scripture, by the helliſh ſmoak of ſo many pernicious errors: So the Lord is daily diſcovering more and more fully, the folly and vileneſſe of the veſſels of diſhonour, and of theſe abominations vented by them; thereby giving hope, that when they with Jannes and Jambres, have done their worſt to with: ſtand the truth of God in the mouth of his Miniſters, they ſhall proceed no further, then to carry away with them the uncleaneſſe of the houſhold to their owne ſhame and perdition, 2 Tim. 3. from verſe 1. to 9. and chap. 2. from ver. 16. to 21. This hope hath inclined the Author of this piece, among others, to offer his ſervice unto the Church, whom I need not to commend unto thee, nor ſpeak of the meaſures of the grace of God beſtowed upon him, becauſe his work will ſpeak for it ſelf, and thou after peruſing of any part thereof, wilt readily allow more unto him, then his modeſty will allow me to ſay of him, before thou ſhalt read what followes. Therefore let the prefixing of my name to this book, be judged to be no more, ſave my preſuming (upon thy acceptance of what I have heretofore written in this kind,) to come forth for making his acquaintance with thee: … praying God the Father of lights, to bleſſe unto thee this his firſt eſſay, and his intention, by the grace of God to do more ſervice unto thee in this ſort; and for this end to increaſe his talents, and lengthen his life, and to ſtir up other able Labourers to take ſhare in this ſervice, till it be perfected to thy Edification. In which Petition let me intreat thee to joyne with.
Thy Servant in the Goſpel, DAVID DICKSON.