Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · minor prophets · Habakkuk

Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4 · Biblical commentary 7 · minor prophets · Habakkuk

p. 742THE PROPHESIE OF HABAKKUK:

AT what time he prophesied is not set down, neither can it be certainly gathered, although the Rabbins say, in the dayes of Manasseh, and Calvin doth not much dissent here from, for he saith that the contents Calvin.doe shew, that it was before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Caldees in Zedekiah his time, and when all things went ill amongst the Jews, sinne greatly abounding, as it did in the days of Manasseh, for which it is not improbable, that he prophesied then. But Lyra saith, it is commonly held by Lyra.Jerom and others, that he prophesied not, till after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and the grievous things of which he complaineth, suffered by the Jews at the hands of the Caldees. The name Habakkuk saith Jerome, Hieron.signifieth imbracing or wrestling, a fit name for him, that wrestled so much with God by prayer.

The burthen which Habakkuk saw. Of the 12 small Prophets, three begin thus, V. 1.Nahum, Haggai and Malachi, and Zechariah though he beginneth not so, yet he hath it twice in his Prophesie: but herein is the difference between the other Prophets and Habakkuk, that their Prophesies are called burthens of such, or such places, Habakkuks barely, the burthen, whereof the reason may be, because he prophesieth against many places, each of them against one only, for which he spareth the mentioning of them, leaving the reader to find them out in his Prophesie. Now he saith he saw the judgements to come, which hee calleth, the burthen, as plainly as if they had then been executed. And he is aptly placed after Nahum, because as he prophesied against Nineveh, that destroyed the Kingdome of the ten Tribes, so Habakkuk against Babylon, that destroyed Judah.

O Lord! how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear me? of violence, and thou wilt not V. 2.save? These words shew, that Habakkuk did not now first begin to cry unto God against the enemies tyranny, that is, the Caldees in destroying Jerusalem, and the Temple, but that he had long done so out of his great love to the p. 743people of God and grief for the oppressions and miseries by them suffered at the Caldees hands, being not onelyonly destroyed and carryed away captive; but also suffering most grievous things in Babylon, where they now lived. So that from hence we may gather, that he wrote this sometime after the foresaid destruction; so Lyra following Jerome and others. Some think, that Lyra.before seeing by the spirit, what should shortly come to passe, cryed out thus; as if it had been already done, but there is no need to say so, sith Habakkuk as Jerome conceiveth, was he that lived in Daniels time and carryed him meat History of Bel and Dragon. vers. 33.to the Lions den, which if it were so, his crying thus to the Lord; was not long before the time of the captivity ended, and then upon his long perseverance in prayer the Lord answered him by shewing him the destruction of Babylon shortly to come, and consequently the Jews deliverance, as appeareth by his prophesying thereof, chap 2. 5, 6, 7. &c. To this effect Jerome, and others following Hieron. Calvin.him. But Calvin expounds this of the sins of the Jewes, whereby they provoked the Lord against them; taking the Prophets crying to the Lord to be against them, and an expostulating with him out of an holy indignation hereat, because being so wicked they were tolerated, and not proceeded against according to their demerits. and to prove this he argueth from vers. 4. where he complaineth, that the law and judgement ceased; which cannot be applyed so well to the Caldees, amongst whom the Law was not but to the Jew, and vers. …6. as if answered by God he immediately proceeds to declare how sorely they should be judged for these their wickednesses, by having the Caldees brought against them. And with Calvin consenteth Gualter, holding that Habakkuk spake thus in the time of Gualter.Manasseh, who abounded in all manner of wickednesse, filling Jerusalem with innocent bloud from one end of the land to the other, and grosse idolatries. At this both he and all the faithfull were greatly grieved, and hee for their comfort is stirred up thus to addresse himselfe to the Lord by complaining, and then as being answered, prophesying of the revenge that should be taken by the Caldees. And this I take to bee best, and whereas it may seem not to agree to an holy Prophet full of the spirit of love to all, to cry for revenge to be taken upon his brethren: I answer, that in so doing hee doth Revel. 6. 10.Rev 6:10no more then the holy souls under the Altar did, that cryed for revenge against them, shed their bloud, it was his zeal for Gods glory, not an hatred of them, or desire of their destruction, whereby he was moved thus to doe. He saw, that such abominations being frequently committed and no judgements therefore executed, the wicked were the more animated in their sinfull wayes, now fearing nothing whatsoever the Prophets threatened, as Psal. 50. and the godly were discouraged and made to stagger and ready to fall, both to the great dishonour of God and the indangering of many souls, and for this cause he cryed unto God, as Elijah in the time of Ahab, that it might not rain, and so by famin his wickednesse being castigated it might appear to all men, that there was a God who hated such abominations to the Note. deterring of all men, that went on therein; thus also Jeremie cryed against the men of Anathoth, and David against his enemies, and not otherwise transgressing against the rule of love, which prayeth even for the most wicked Matth. 5. 45. Act. 7.Matt 5:45Acts 7and greatest enemies, as Stephen did, their furthest aim being the vindicating of Gods Word from contempt for want of performance, and that the wicked smarting for their sins, might learn to be wise and made to turn therefrom, which before such smart they would by no means be moved to doe. The violence then here cryed out of was that whereby the poore and weake suffered at the hands of the rich and mighty in the land, which was their grievance, and the wicked prevailed against the righteous, and judgement went V. 4.wrong in all Courts.

Here the Prophet, as having an answer from the Lord to his crying, and V. 5, 6.inspired from above to publish it to all the World, cals the Nations in Gods name to hearken to it and wonder at that, which he was about to doe, which at the first hearing might seem incredible, and what was that, hee would p. 744bring the Caldees, and they should by force subdue and take the land of Judah into possession, and that this might not seem impossible for them to doe, he sets them forth by their power and fiercenesse, as of Leopards and Wolves, Vers. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. concluding, they shall deride every strong hold, they V. 10.shall heap up dust and take it, spake before of the carrying away captives, as the sands to denote the wonderfull great numbers of them, and of the derision of Princes amongst them, now of their deriding strong holds against which they should but heap up dust, that is, cast up mounts, from whence to fight against and presently take them, for he calleth the earth, of which such mounts were made, dust. To such contempt of other Kings and their greatest strength doe Ethnick Kings grow through the pride of their hearts, when Note. they prevaile against and bring them under. And most intolerable are the indignities, that some of them doe unto them so vanquished, as Adonibezek, Judg. 1. to 70 Kings, Nebuchadnezzar to Zedekiah, putting out his eyes, and then carrying him into Babylon, Tamerlan the great Tartar to Bajazet Emperour of the Turks, putting him into an iron cage, and carrying him about with him throughout out all Afia, and the Persian King towards Valerianus the Emperour, using him as a footstool to tread upon in going up to his horse. But these things are not onelyonly unchristian but unnaturall, that the conqueror should so far forget the mutability of humane things, and not shew more commiseration to the subdued for fear of their own fall, and then having the like measure meted to them again, as the foresaid Adonibezek had by Gods just judgement against him for his unheard of cruelty to the Kings. And Nebuchadnezzar who is spoken of, as contemning the Kings of Judah through his intollerable pride, is censured for it. Vers. 11. Then his minde V. 11.shall change, and he shall passe over and impute it to his God, that is, being puft up with victories, he shall be infinitely proud, his minde being thus changed from that it was when his estate was meaner, of which his pride, see Dan. 4. 29, 30. and of his God, to whom he passed over, Dan. 3. even that monstrous image of gold set up and adored by his command by all his subjects: For hereupon the destruction of his mighty Empire followed soone after, Dan. 5. as is prophesied, chap. 2. 5. Betwixt which and this verse is interposed a comfortable meditation against being swallowed up with despaire, when such wicked tyrants prevaile and subdue even Gods people.

Art not thou from everlasting my Lord my God, mine holy one? we shall not dye. Against V. 12.the God, to whom the King of Babylon imputed all his victories, he here opposeth the true God, as being indeed from eternity and so the onelyonly God over all the world, and for comfort to his people he sheweth, that this judgement was not to death, but the Caldees were strengthened for a time for their necessary correction.

Wherefore lookest thou on them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue, when V. 13.the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he? Having said something, whereupon the faithfull might stay themselves against despaire in the midst of their grievous sufferings, in this verse he sheweth having laid a foundation for it, that God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, he waxeth bold to challenge him for looking upon, that is, strengthening and suffering the Caldees, whom he saw to be most abominable, thus to tyrannize over his own people, whom he termeth more righteous then they were, not to justifie them, but aggravate the Caldees sinfulnesse. For although the Jews were wicked, yet they were much more wicked, and unworthy to bee made their correctours, which he saith not to controll the Lords doings, for that were impious presumption, but to move the Lord the more to hasten their destruction and his peoples deliverance, lest atheism should by this means grow upon men, whilest they saw nothing done against, but all for men so notoriousty wicked, and his servants should be discouraged utterly from fearing and trusting in him, which would be greatly to his dishonour. And having begun to speak of the wickeds devouring other men he illustrates p. 745it further by comparison taken from fishes, vers. 14. and creeping things, V. 14.over whom there is no ruler, but the greater devoure the lesser without controll, so men of greater might the weaker, no Divine power power interposing it selfe to save them, for thus now it seemed to men led onelyonly by sense, whilest the Caldees being so wicked domineered over all other countries and nations. And the Prophet not staying here further assimilates the Caldees to fishermen taking fishes with angles and nets: for so they tooke and inclosed V. 15.all others making a prey of them, being never satisfied.

Therefore they sacrifice to their not and burn incense to their dragge, that is, they V. 16.magnifie their owne might and boast of their puissance, thinking themselves even worthy of divine honour, as many heathens of old have done, some in their life time requiring their subjects to adore them as Gods, as Caius Caligula, and some being deified after death, by whom their Empire hath been inlarged, as Belus, who was first the King and then worshipped by the Babylonians as their God. Some saith Gualter, by their net understand Gualter.their God, the golden image by Nebuchadnezzar set up, but he prefers the exposition before going, and indeed it is most genuine. Vers. 17. Shall they therefore V. 17.empty their net, and not spare ccontinually to slay the Nations? Vulg. for this hee spreads his net. Calvin, Shall he therefore extend his net? the word foreign here used signifieth first to evacuate or empty, whereupon the New Translation goeth, but it also signifieth armare, accingere, exp…dire, which when it is applyed to a net, the most proper rendring of it is to spread it still to take more fishes, wherefore Calvin well expounds it of the Caldees going on to devoure men as Calvin.fishes, and to kill them, not yet being met withall by any divine power to check them in their thus doing. And the comparison is very apt, because a fisher having caught good store of fish prepares his net, and fals to fishing againe and again in hope of the like successe time after time, so did Nebuchadnezzar the King of the Caldees goe from one Nation to another, killing and slaying them without end. And this is spoken, not as laying any evill imputation Note. upon God that suffered it, but by the way of praying, that God would maturely curb this proud tyrant and provide for the peace of his Church, and not suffer her still to lye in misery and discomfort, wherein hee gives us example in like time to plead likewise with God, and not to cease, till hee heare and answer us in mercy, as he did him in the next chapter.

CHAP. II.

I Will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower, I will watch to see, what hee V. 1.will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. The Prophet after his addresses to God, chap. 1. having lastly complained of the Caldees being made scourges to all other Nations, now he saith, that he will stand, as it were upon a watch tower, to see, if he can espy any thing, from whence he and the people of God might be comforted against the cruelties complained of, and in thus saying he hath reference to that wherewith he began, the burthen which he saw, so now he would stand to see. And in saying, that he would goe up to a watch-tower, he meaneth, that he would go above humane sense, not weighing things before spoken of by mans reason, but seeking to God to know aright what should finally be done for the taking down of the pride of such tyrants and the comfort of Gods people, and to this effect also Calvin, so that in saying, what he shall say unto me, he meaneth not any Calvin.other but the Lord. By these words, when I am reproved, hee meaneth his being shaken with temptations by reason of the prevailing of the wicked enemy Gualter.and the sufferings of Gods people, the wicked taking advantage hereof to insult over him and such as he was, reproaching them as most vile and unworthy, but he having answer from God how he would take their part, and at length judge these wicked ones, should have wherewith to answer them p. 746so, as to make them fear and tremble instead of insulting, as proud and confident of their present prosperity as they were.

And the Lord answered me, saying, Write the Vision, &c. As the Prophet expected, V. 2.so he had an answer from the Lord, that his soule that is lifted up is not upright, but the just shall live by his faith, vers. 4. and this he is bidden to write to plainly, that he who runs might read it, because it was a matter of so great concernment, and it must be written, because as vers. 3. it was for an appointed V. 3.time, but in the end it shall speak and not lye, wait for it, though it tarry it shall surely come, it will not tarry; which sheweth, that the thing here prophesied of was not to come till a long time after, but the time was set with God most certainly, and that time it should not exceed, but because that which is spoken is forgotten, and Litera scripta manet, the Lord would have it written for a standing comfort to all the faithfull; whence note, that as preaching so Note. writing, and thus set forth, the word of God hath its originall from God himself for the incouragement of all the studious that take pains this way. 2. The good which the Lord intendeth to doe to his faithfull servants is not done presently, but shall be done most surely hereafter at the time set in Gods decree, that we patiently wait for it, and not be moved to doubt of it through unbeleif, because it comes not so soone, and at such time as we would have it: for it coming of Gods grace and mercy, not our merit, good reason, that we should be satisfied with this, that we shall have it in his good time, the very day set by him; as Israel was delivered out of Egypt the very day set, although 400 years after the promise. But what meaneth he by saying, although Exod. 12.Exod 12it tarryeth it will surely come and will not tarry? Sol. it tarryeth, according to men, because when God hath promised any good, which they expect and would have presently performed, but much time passeth betwixt the promise and the performance, they count this a tarrying, as 2 Pet. 3. 9. God is not slack as some men count slacknesse, but according to God it tarryeth not because not one jot longer, then he hath appointed. But what Vision is it, which is to tarry before it cometh? Rupertus saith, Christ seen and manifested in the flesh, following the Vulgar Rupert.Latine, which is visus procul veniet, the word foreign signifieth Vision, and so it is most commonly taken, but as Pagnin noteth it is also put for visibile magnum Euseb. demonst. Evang. lib. c. 14. Theoph.Illustre, Dan. 8. 5. some most famous thing to be seen, and what can better be thus set forth, then Christ? wherefore Eusebius expounds it of him, and Theophylact. And the Septuagint to shew the same, change the Gender, for having said, the Vision is yet for an appointed time, it followeth immediately, he that shal come will come, foreign, which word is also used by St. Paul, and applyed to Christ, Heb. 10. 37 he that shall come will come and will not tarry. And commonly in other places of Scripture Christ is set forth by this word, which shal come, as Gen. 49. Shiloh shall come, and he shall be the expectation of the Gentiles, Psal. 118 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, applyed to Christ, Mat. 21. 9. and Joh. 1. art thou foreign, he that should come, or shall we look for another? and John the Baptist speaking of him saith, He that cometh after me, and as here waiting is spoken of, so Gen. 49. 18. and Luk. 2. 25. Simeon is said to be waiting for the consolation of Israel, and Jacob, I have waited for thy salvation, wherefore all things so well agreeing to Christ, let us understand him here spoken of, as being a matter of greatest importance and most worthy to be written, and graven in a table of stone with a pen of iron, as Job 19. 23, 24, 25. where he speaks of his Redeemer, he saith, Oh that my words were written, that they were graven with a pen of iron in a rock for ever, I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. and Balaam Prophesying of Christ paraphraseth upon his coming in like manner, I shall see him, but not Numb. 24. 17.Num 24:17now, I shall behold him, but not nigh, and Gal. 4. according to this Prophesie it is said, When the fulnesse of time was come, God sent his sonne made of a woman, &c. And the next words also agree, in the end he shall come, for the time of the Gospell is called the end, 1 Cor. 10. upon whom the ends of the world are come, and John cals it the last hour. If it be demanded, but what doth this concern the matter in hand, for Habakkuk was complaining of the wicked Caldees prevailing against Gods people? I answer, he speaks the greatest comfort p. 747that could be in thus saying, both against worldly and spirituall enemies, not omitting yet v. 5. to speak particularly of the judgments that should come upon the wicked Caldees. For what comfort is there to this to the faithfull, to hear of Christs coming to deliver from greater enemies, sin, death, and the Devill, and to be in certain expectation hereof at a set time? But this deliverance is not completed till the day of judgment. And Habakkuk in bringing in the greatest comfort here by Christ, when according to the course of his proceedings, he should have spoken of comfort in regard of deliverance from the Caldees, followeth Esaiah ch. 7. 14. who being to speak of comfort against the present enemies, beginneth with the Virgins bearing a son, and then passeth on to shew the destruction of their enemies to come in a very short time. Whence note, that the greatest comfort in all distresses and dangers at all times Note. is Christ and our deliverance by him, that we may alwayes in misery have recourse hereunto and be of a good cheare, because the Son of God is our friend, and therefore whatsoever befals us we shall not miscarry, but in the …nd be delivered from them all, and for momentary sufferings injoy such things as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and that for ever and ever in the Kingdom of 1 Cor. 2. 9.1 Cor 2:9heaven.

Behold his soul that is lifted up, is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith; V. 4.Hebr. foreign behold the lifted up, his soul is not upright. Vulg. Behold the incredulous, some render it munitio or munitus, defenced, he that hath defence in himself, and one indeed is hereby set forth, that beleeveth not in God, because the just living by faith is opposed to him, but he trusteth to his own strength, for which he thinketh himself to be as a strong tower impregnable, ae foreign also signifieth, whereupon he proudly contemneth God and all his threatnings. And here some think Nebuchadnezzar to be pointed at, to whom he manifestly comes, v. 5. which, although Calvin misliketh, yet I see no reason but that he should be first and chiefly meant, and then any other proud man and self-confident, because as all Expositours consesse, he is spoken of v. 5. where it is said, Yea also because he transgresseth by wine, and is a proud man, V. 5.and keepeth not at home, but enlargeth his desire as hell. For what is this but a further description of him that was called Ophlah, or high tower, v. 4. He then, that beareth himself upon his own strength, therefore fearing no judgments Note. of God to come upon him, but being for this lifted up with pride, his heart is not upright, neither shall he live and continue in this his strongth long, but dye and be destroyed everlastingly, as must needs follow from the just man that shall live by his faith opposed unto him. Touching whom we are first to shew who this just man is, how he shall live by his faith. For the first, he is not one that justifieth himself, but whom God justifieth by imputing his faith for righteousnesse unto him, as he did Abrahams. A mans own righteousnesse Gen. 12. Rom. 4.Gen 12Rom 4cannot make him just, although he liveth in the most exact manner of all other men, as Paul sheweth of himself, Phil. 3. 6, 7, 8. and bringeth this place to prove it, Gal. 3. 11. wherefore the Papist that in part justifieth himself by holding that by faith he is only put into a state wherein he may live so righteously, as to be perfectly just as the law requireth, is not the just man here spoken of that shall live, but dye and perish through pride and unbelief: but he that seeks justification by faith only in Jesus, rejecting all righteousness of his own as nought worth in respect of any power or virtue to make him just, is the just man, to whom it is here promised that he shall live. Not that to live righteously is not materiall in the just, for not he that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my father which is in Heaven, Matth. 7. 21. and, depart yee workers of iniquity, I know you not, but for that this comes not in as a cause why he is counted just but faith only, and just living and doing declareth him to be the just one here spoken of, for which it is said, Jam. 2. Abraham was not justified by faith only, bvt by works, and faith wrought by works.

But who hath this faith, which is imputed for righteousnesse, and so makes a man truly just? Gualter sheweth very well, saying, he that repressing and p. 748Gualter.appeasing all affections of the flesh dependeth upon God alone, looks to his word, trusts to his promises and overcomes all delay made on Gods part in performing by the obedience of faith, wherein Abraham was a perfect pattern unto us, as his history doth declare. 2. To live by faith is first to make the word of God the rule of all our actions, beleeving that we shall then do for the best when we walk according to this rule in all things all our dayes, and are not tempted by pleasures or profits to transgresse hereagainst in any thing. Secondly, to have all Gods gracious promises, performed unto us in his good time, whether they be of blessings in this life, or in the life to come, for godlinesse hath the promise of both, and he shall receive, saith Christ, an 1 Tim. 4. 8.1 Tim 4:8hundred fould in this life, and in the world to come life everlasting: that is, in respect of contentation and joy at the least, and sometimes much more is restored to the faithfull by Gods extraordinary blessing then he hath parted withall, as to Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, and Job, a certain number a hundred fold being put for an uncertain, manifold: And to the life to come doth S. Paul apply it, Rom. 1. The right eousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by his faith: How the faithfull have lived in this world hereby we may see in David, who being many times in deadly danger had his life saved, but Saul once in danger lost his: Asa was likewise preserved, when 1000000 Ethiopians came against him, and Jehoshaphat being in danger by the Syrians, but Ahab was wounded and dyed. Neither can it be expected that it should be otherwise, because God upon whom the faithful depend, is almighty and true, and all worldly things to which worldlings trust, impotent and vain, very shadowes without substance, as if a man should lean upon a broken reed.

Yea also because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, and keepeth not at home, he inlargeth his desire as hell: Vulg. as wine deceives the drinker, so shall the proud V. 5.man be, and he shall not be decored, non decorabitur, he shall not be honoured: Hebr. even when he is transgressing by wine the proud man shall not dwell: for foreign signifieth either for or when, not how or as, and although foreign signifieth deceiving as well as transgressing, yet here is nothing signifying so or be, but it followeth immediately, the proud man shall not dwell, and being read word for word according to the Hebrew, the sentence is plaine, even when the proud man is transgressing by wine he shall not dwell, the Prophet in thus saying manifestly pointing at Belshazzars drinking of wine in the vessels of the house of the Lord amongst his Princes Dan. 5.Dan 5and Concubines the very same night that Babylon was taken, and so from theneforth he dwelt no more there, nor any of his seed after him, but was miserably slain, and Babylon, of which he was so proud, destroyed. To this effect also Lyra, counting Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar as one, because their Lyra.Empire was one, and therefore they are spoken of together and prophesied against in the following part of this Chapter, sometime the one and sometime the other, as shall be shewed. Calvin and Gualter following another reading, how much more he that transgresseth by wine, expound it of the proud Babylonians Calvin. Gualter.that were carryed on to do things unreasonable as Drunkards, that have no more understanding then brute beasts and cannot be conteined in the house, but will run abroad to do mischief, viz. such as are mad drunk. But the former being justified by the accomplishment, there is no need to seek this or any other way of Exposition to make the sense good. Here be sixe vices pointed at in the Kings of Babylon, and the judgments threatned therefore in these and the words following in this chapter, as Lyra hath it, 1. Prophane Lyra.drinking in vessels consecrated, in these words. 2. His violence in going with his forces against other Nations to subdue them, being never satisfied with taking them into his Empire, in this verse also, which is spoken of Nebuchadnezzar. 3. Covetousnesse, v. 9. Woe to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse. 4. Bloudshed, v. 12. Woe to him that buildeth a town with bloudshed. 5. Making drunken, v. 15. Woe to him that gives his neighbour drink, which the Rabbines think to be spoken of Nehuchadnezzar, who upon a festivall day caused Zedekiah p. 749to be brought forth and wine to be given him mixed with some purgative things, of which when he had well drank he fell a spuing most shamefully before all that were present and could not keep in his ordure, but that came forth also, for which he took so great grief that shortly after he dyed, and Nebuchadnezzar to make some amends to his dead body caused it to be honorably buryed, as hath been before shewed upon Jer. 34. 5. 6. Idolatry v. 18. the graven image is a teacher of lyes: of the two former of these I shall need to speak no more, the history being so full in setting that forth, which is here prophesied touching Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzars unsatiablenesse in subduing Nation after Nation.

Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his, how long, and that ladeth himself with V. 6.thick clay. As the King of Babylon had unsatiably hunted after the taking of Nations, so it is here shewed, that the time should come, when he should be the derision of Nations, seeing the judgments of God executed so severely upon him, and then they should thuntingly say thus, it being meant when he speaks of his being laden with thick clay, his lading himself with abundance of treasure unjustly gotten which is but as clay, and when taken avay with violence, the former owners thereof being cut off, thick and heavy clay, pressing yet more down him that gets it. A phrase to be noted by all men, that by right and wrong heap up wealth, thinking when they have thus done, that none are so happy as they. But in truth none are so miserable if any part of Note. their goods be unjustly gotten, for their wealth is nothing else but an importable burthen pressing them with distracting cares without end. And indeed what else is gold but a kind of clay digged out of the earth, most heavy to be born, and consequently the things purchased therewith, houses and lands, &c. and as Gualter noteth, as thick clay makes the feet stick therein, Gualter.that a man cannot goe away, so riches hold the owners thereof fast from going in the way of righteousnesse and holinesse: and as clay cannot be medled withall but it defileth, so riches ill gotten. And as here they be compared to thick clay, so Mat. 13. to briars and thorns, 1 Tim. 6. 9. to snares, Mic. 6. to fire, that we may all take heed of getting goods in this manner, as we would not set our own houses on fire, or come into a snare to be taken and cruelly slain.

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee? that is, the Medes and Persians V. 7.to whom thy treasures shall become booties.

All the people shall spoil thee because of mens bloud, that is, the people of the Nations V. 8.left undestroyed, when thou didst shed the bloud of so many of them, shall join with the Persians against thee, or as Calvin hath it, the Nations left Calvin.by thee untouched, when thou didst subdue many, but camest not at them, shall, being carryed by Gods putting them on secretly, take this revenge upon thee, for the violence of the Land and City, that is, all Lands and Cities to which they had done violence, killing and destroying farre and wide. But I rather take it more restrainedly for the violence offered to the land of Judea and the City of Jerusalem, which God specially regarded, so likewise Lyra. Whence Lyra.note, that of all wrongs they are the most dangerous to the doers, and will Note. fall most heavy upon them that are done against the Church and people of God, that the most wickedly bent may be for ever deterred herefrom, or persecuting any one of the faithfull.

Woe to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house, &c. Here the third sin V. 9.of the King of Babylon cometh to be taxed, his unsatiable desire to gather wealth, that he might set his nest on high, that is, make his City of Babylon the most magnificent of all the Cities in the world, and it extendeth also to Note. all such as covetously by hook and crook scrape treasure together, that they may build them fair and sumptuous houses, as Coniah is taxed Jer. 22. They V. 10.doe but consult shame to their houses, whereas they think of great glory to redound hence unto them; and finally it is to the dammage of their own souls, as Christ teacheth, saying, What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world, and to lose his own soul? And it is called an evill covetousnesse, because evill is unseparable p. 750from covetousnesse, and it doth evill to others with whom such have to doe, so Gualter.

For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shall answer it: V. 11.which is spoken in case that the King of Babylon should say, who dares speak shame of my magnificent buildings? if no man durst for his greatnesse and oruelty, yet every stone in the wall and every beam of the house durst and should both speak and cry out against him and all such covetous wretches. And it is to be noted that he saith the stone shall cry and the beam shall answer, as in singing great men for their more honour have some to chant out their praises alternis vicibus, so for the more horrour to them that make themselves great and their houses out of the ruines of others, these senseless things are set forth, the one thus crying out, and the other answering by a continuall clamour of one to the other, till that the wo cometh indeed, which they cry, that followeth here v. 12. So that covetous Kings, and Rulers and other rich men may indeed Note. build them stately houses and herein applaud themselves as doing magnifically, but in thus doing they set up things that cease not to accuse and cry out against them in the cars of God, till vengeance comes down upon them, not only to their ruine temporally and in body, but also eternally and in soul, which is thus lost for ever.

Woe to him that buildeth a Town with bloud: Here the fourth sin comes to be V. 12.laid open, viz. bloudshed, which was in great abundance to get up to this high dignity to be able to build Babylon, which was so great and sumptuous in the building both of wals, towers, and other edifices, elsewhere spoken of more at large. For that proud King in getting treasure as his covetous mind led him, shed the bloud of innumerable peoples, which cryed to heaven for revenge against him.

Therefore the people shall lahour in the very fire, and shall weary themselves in vanity: V. 13.that is, when the Medes & Persians shall set Babylon on fire, labouring to quench it, but not being able, and therefore in vain; and lest any should doubt how this could be done, seeing Babylon was so mighty, he saith, that it cometh of the Lord of Hoasis, thus Lyra, from whom Gualter differeth little, for he saith, the Lyra. Gualter.meaning is, they labour in vain and in the fire, as it were, the force whereof cannot be resisted, that seek to defend and save Babylon. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea: that is, they shall know in all parts of the earth when these judgments shall come upon Babylon, that God, whom they either thought before not to be, or lived idly above in heaven not regarding humane affairs, is a most just Judge, in his due time rendring to every one according to his doings, and therefore fearing and serving him. See the same passage before, Esay 11. 9. from whence we may gather, that not only the knowledge of God which should be upon the destruction of Babylon is here meant, but at the coming of the Messiah by faith, in whom it was said before that the just shall live, v. 4. For to know the Lord to be an executer of judgment upon the wicked without improving it to fear and serve him, is not the knowledge in holy Scripture commended unto us, and therefore the knowledge which the Nations had of him upon the fall of Babylon was not all the knowledge here spoken of, they being not any whit the more converted, but going on in their idolatries and sins still, but the knowledge of the faithfull in all Nations being converted by the preaching of the Gospel. And for the coherence with the former words in this sense, it is thus, incredulous people with their King lifted up so high, of whom before v. 4. shall labour in the fire, that is, get nothing by all their labour in heaping up treasure and erecting so many great and strong buildings therewith, but the fire of Gods wrath, whereby all shall be destroyed again, yet I have rightly said, that the just shall live by his faith, when it shall be thus with the proud and covetous that trust to their own strength, for there shall come a generation of such in all Countries and Nations, which shall know the Lord, for he that beleeves in him and liveth accordingly knoweth him, and such shall live and be blessed for ever, when the people before spoken of, shall dye and be in p. 751everlasting misery in hell fire, which is in sine all that the wicked get in working so industriously both with wits and frauds the evils before spoken of, or here following, v. 15, & 18. For eternall life being theirs that know God and Christ, see Joh. 17. 13. Lyra and all others that I have seen, restrain Hieron. Lyra. Calvin. Gualter.this to the knowledge of Gods justice in taking revenge upon Babylon, and so farre goeth Jerom herein, that he expounds the filling of the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord of the filling of Babylon with the Medes and Persians, and these words, as the waters cover the Sea, saith Lyra, are to be understood of Babylon overwhelmed by Gods judgments so as the bottome of the Sea is with water, never appearing any more, but lying under this floud of judgments everlastingly: but how rightly, let the reader judge. Calvin, although he restrains it, as hath been said, and counts our Exposition before going too much forced, yet in conclusion saith, if any shall stand for it, I will not gainsay him. But truly in it there is no forcing, but the full setting forth of the Lords meaning, being by others not set forth to the full, but suppressing one famous Prophesie serving further to strengthen that, Esay 11. 9.

Woe to him that gives his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken also: Here followeth the fifth sin of the King of Babylon, not only V. 15.prophane drinking, of which before, v. 5. but urging drink upon another to drunkennesse, a common but a most foul sin, not only in the Babylonian but in the drunkards of these times, whose delight it is to make others drunken, and to this end they doe not only offer him wine or strong drinke, but deal with him to this end by such wayes and means as are most prevalent to bring him to it, as 1. Friendship, Wilt thou not, saith he, drink with thy friend? 2. Commendation of the liquor. 3. Being ready to quarel and fall out with him if he refuseth. 4. Propounding healths of such as he honoureth. 5. Mingling something which intoxicateth the brain; and what is his end in doing all this, but, as is here added, that thou mayest look on his nakednesie, or shame, when by drinking he is bereaved of his understanding, and doth shamefully like a brute beast, yea worse, and making himself more ridiculous? Rightly therefore doth the Prophet cry out, Woe to such above all other drunkards, Ahashuerosh Note. that Heathen King shal rise up in judgment against them and condemn them, for he gave order at his feast that no man should be compelled to drink but what he pleased. How odious drunkennesse was amongst the very heathens, appears by the law of wise Solon, decreeing that a Prince being found drunk should be punisht with death, and when Philip King of Macedon being drunken, gave sentence against a certain woman unjustly, she to his disgrace replyed, I appeal from Philip drunken to Philip being sober, thus Gualter. But Calvin will not have drunkenness by wine or strong drink properly understood Gualter Calvin.here, but metaphoricall drunkennesse, that is, the drunkennesse of a distempered spirit making others to join with him in his wars without al equity or reason, to come upon peoples and nations like mad men to destroy them, that his covetous mind & ambitious might thus be satisfied by treasures coming in in abundance, and he made great by the ruines of others. The word foreign signifying a bottle, is by him rendred heat▪ thou addest thy heat, because it signifieth to rage as one heat with wine, it signifieth moreover gall, and therefore is so rendred Vulg. Lat. or poison, it being hereby meant, that the King of Babylon made other Kings in a rage as with wine, as well as himself, and thus drunken, that their nakednesse might be seen, that is, they might appear to deal shamefully for all this their mad going on with him, reaping nothing but the curses and exclamations of many peoples, whom they holp him to spoil, thus getting their hatred upon opportunity offered to come against and bring them as low and making them as naked and bare of all wordly comforts as they now were, and in the mean season that proud and covetous King, who made them thus drunken had all the glory, they nothing but labour and blows, how fairly soever he bare them in hand, of which, when they saw how they were deluded, they could not but be much ashamed. A course, saith he, Note. p. 752further, now taken even by Christians in high and eminent place, they make many drunken by bearing them in hand, that all their undertakings are for the Weal Publick, and hereby they are madly carryed on with them to any designe, whether right or wrong, when as they indeed aim at the satisfying of their own covetous and ambitious desires, and in the end it appears to be so; which makes their adherents greatly ashamed▪ and I would to God it were not so in our own land.

Thou art filled with shame for glory, drink thou also: Here the Prophet foretelleth, V. 16.that at last the King that made others drink thus, should drinke of the cup of Gods wrath, when he should suffer so greatly, as he did indeed by the Medes and Persians, and he speaks of his glory, as already turned into shame for the certainty of it. And this Exposition cannot be rejected, because drinking is familiarly spoken of by the Prophets, and being drunken in this sense, and the whore of spirituall Babylon is said to have made the Kings of the Earth Revel. 17.Rev 17drunken with the wine of her fornications. Whether that formerly related out of Lyra in opening this sin be true or no, I know not, but that the King of Babylon made other Kings drunken in the sense that hath been said, is certain, and whether he made Zedekiah drunken so or no, it is not be doubted, but that drunkennesse was a great sin at his Court, and City, because they were for the most part drunken when the Persians tooke the City, as the Trojans were, when the Greeks surprized theirs, and therefore drunkennesse properly understood is here also spoken of, and from hence another drunkennesse pointed at, as hath been said. For the next words, The violence of Lebanon V. 17.shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, that made them afraid; that is, this judgment shall come upon thee because of thy violence done not onelyonly against other peoples, but against Gods owne inhabiting Judea and his Temple, for which Lebanon, as Lyra saith, is put, because built of cedars out of Lebanon; and Lyra.the spoil of the beasts, that is, saith the same Lyra, being by the Caldees destroyed, whereas they should have been preserved for sacrifice, this impiety of theirs in making the service of God in the Temple to cease, shal at that time be reckoned for, and for this they shall be made to fear. Calvin, they raged not onelyonly against Calvin.men but beasts, they being more brutish themselvs, and therefore shal be made to fear and be destroyed like beasts, for the nexts words they are the same with those before, v. 8. What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven V. 18.it? Here is set forth the sixth sin of the Babylonish King, he was a worshipper of images and dumb idols, and trusted by these to be established in his Kingdom, and therefore the Prophet saith, what profiteth the graven image? deriding both him and all others that trusted in such dumb and dead things. And to prove this he addeth, for the former thereof hath graven it, as it is in the Hebrew, it being a reason, why it cannot profit to save, it was made by a weak and frail man, he by graving it hath made it so glorious in outward shew, but it was not in his power to put any spirit or life into it, but when hee hath done all that he can, it is still a dumb and dead thing, and therefore farre from having any ability to help them, that trust in it, or seek unto it. 2. Hee saith he hath made it but a Teacher of lies, that is, the simple people by the lively and glorious portraiture thereof being made to beleeve, that it is a God indeed and able to help such, as flee unto it, so that hereby is taught a false and lying way of worshipping God, whilest he is worshipped as a body, who is a spirit and hath not a body, consisting of limbs and parts, as we have. Again, an image is a teacher of lyes, because it doth not truly but lyingly represent God, for he cannot be represented by any image. Lastly, it is a Esai. 40. & 41.Isa 40teacher of lyes, because it teacheth to worship God contrary to his Word, which is the truth, and he that teacheth against the truth teacheth lyes, and if it be an image of a saint of God, it is a teacher of lyes; because the Saints would neither have images made of them to be reverenced, neither do they approve, but utterly dislike of such reverence, as Paul and Barnabas, when Act. 27.Acts 27the Barbarians would have worshipped them, rent their cloathes in detestation of their fact. 3. It is a senselesse thing, for he speaks to it being but p. 753wood or stone, saying, Awake, arise, as if it could, when as it cannot, and therefore he is taught hereby to lye; of the like, see Jer. 10. 8. 14. and against idolatry both heathenish and popish in many places before. OnelyOnly it is further noted here by Gualter, that the heathens themselves were a long time Gualter.without images, as thinking it an unworthy thing to represent so high a majesty by base earthly things. Strabo writes of the Persians, that they had Strabo lib. 15.anciently no Temples, but that they sacrificed in open and clean places, being without all images, and when at any time they prevailed against the Grecians, they burnt their Temples and images, not out of a contempt of the gods, for they worshipped them but out of a detestation of the idolatry therein committed. The Grecians, saith Cornelius Tacitus, thought the greatnesse of the Cornel. Tacitus.heavenly Gods to be such, that they could not be kept within any wals or set forth by any similitudes of mens faces. Augustine out of Varro saith, that the Romans worshipped the gods without any images 170 years, which custom it August. lib. 4. de civil. 31. Varro; metum dempserunt & errores addiderunt. Loctantius. Lucilius, pergula pictorum nihil ve…i, omnia ficta.it had still remained, they should have been worshipped more purely: for they that first set up images took away the fear of God and added errors. Lactantius citeth Lucilius the Poet thus, deriding image-worshippers: As little children think all brazen images to live and to be men, so these think all feigned things to be true, but images made by Painters are nothing true, all things are feigned, and hereupon he saith, the Poet thinks foolish idolaters like little children, but I think they are much more foolish, 1. Because children think images to be men, these gods. 2. It is by reason of their tender age disabling them to judge aright, that they think so, and when they come to more yeares they think so no more, but these want no age, but wit, which makes them think so, and when they have more years on their backs, they leave not this their folly, but encrease it. If it be said, but the images set up by Christians are not by them thought to be those, whom they represent, but only figures and shapes of them for a remembrance. Yet they agree with heathen images in this. 1. That they are made of the same matter. 2. Formed with head, eyes, mouths, hands and feet as they be. 3. They are teachers of lyes also, for they are either images of God, who cannot be represented by any image, or of men who consist both of souls and bodies, whereas those images represent bodies onelyonly. Thus Gualter, who also addeth, if it be said, they are lay-mens books, and therefore good for this, to shew things done, that tend to instruction, and so saith Calvin, Gregory writing to the Bishop of Massilia, (who Calvin.had, because he saw the people ready to give divine honour to images, put them out of Churches) commends his zeal, but saith, there is a good use of images, as was before said, and therefore they ought not altogether to be taken away. But whether Gregory be rather to be hearkened to then Habakkuk, and Jeremy and the rest of the Prophets, let the reader judge. And that images are a grosse corruption in religion appears by this, most anciently for 600 yeares there was none allowance for them, but they were first allowed and commended in the 2^d. Nicene Councell called by an usurping unnaturall woman Irene, the mother of Constantine Copronymus, whereupon one well saith, as long as there were golden Doctours in the Church there were neither golden nor wooden images permitted, but when for golden leaden and wooden Doctours sprung up, then Churches were filled with images both golden, brazen and wooden. And what followed hereupon, to shew the wrath of God procured against Christians hereby, but dest…uction and miserie by the Turkes, who are no greater enemies to the Christian religion then they are to images? For Mahomet arose not long after, and his Empire hath since spread it self farre and wide, and beene a grievous scourge to Christendome to this day, neither is there any hope of the fall thereof, till this abomination be taken out of the Church of God. But then expect we power from above to fight against them and subdue them of that damnable sect, … Judas Maccabeus had against the heathen that were much more mighty then he, when he purged the Temple from idolatry, and Gideon lo… before against the Midianites, when he had destroyed the image p. 754of Baal. whereas before the Israelites were mightily oppressed by them, whilest they worshipped images, and before the captivity when they laboured with the same vice they were subject to grievous sufferings by divers mighty enemies from time to time, but after their return, this sin being abolished their condition, although under the Persian Kings, and afterwards others, was much more tolerable. Oh that Papists, who are so betwitched with this folly, would consider it, and cast away their idols to the Moules and to the Bats, as Esay speaketh, and not devise vain reasons, whereby to defend them. And Esa. 2.Isa 2truly me thinks, would they but consider this seriously, and the state of the Church at the first both in Moses his dayes, and the dayes of Joshua and then in days of the Apostles and all the famous martyrs, they would not be hard to be reclaimed from this grosse errour.

The Lord is in his holy habitation, Let all the earth be silent before him. Having shewed the vanity of idols, now he sets forth the true God by the place of his V. 20.habitation, that is, heaven, although his Temple at Jerusalem be here meant also, as wherein he was pleased to dwell for the comfort of his people. It is, as if he had said, Jehovah alone is the true God, that can hear such as call upon him and rise up by his power to help and save them, which idols made by men cannot doe, they are but earthly and have no being but upon earth, he is in heaven, and therefore most glorious and mighty, and offers himselfe in his house at Jerusalem to hear them that pray to him; therefore let images and idols goe, let no man upon earth once open his mouth to call upon them, or to speak to defend them, as being convinced of their vanity by that which hath been said, and of the greatnesse of the sin of those that call upon them, thus let all the earth be silent before him. Calvin, The Lord can in a moment confound Gualter.all those that stand for images, of how great power soever they be, and so puts them to silence, wherefore it stands them all in hand to be subject and quietly to submit to him only, adue being bidden to images and idols. And it seemeth to be a Propheticall prediction, that it shall be so under the Gospell, as it came to passe indeed amongst the Nations being converted to Christ. Lyra too frigidly, by attributing his divinity to none other. Gualter, Lyra. Gualter.let every one quietly rely upon him alone to be saved from all dangers, as being alone sufficient to represse the fury of all such as rise up against him or his Church at any time, and therefore if at any time he seemes to neglect him by leaving him to suffer grievous things, let him not once murmur or mutter against him, as David saith of himself, that he was as dumb, Psal. 39. 2. all which expositions if we take together, we shall attain to the full sense and meaning.

CHAP. III.

THe prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet upon Sigionoth, Heb. foreign see the V. 1.like in the Title of Psalm 7. The word foreign signifieth to erre through ignorance, or want of consideration, therefore the Vulg. hath it super ignorantiis. Some think a kind of musicall instrument to be meant hereby, intimating it to be in the nature of a song. But to follow the signification of the word, Glos. Ord.Lyra saith, that this prayer answereth to that, which the Prophet had spoken by way of complaining, chap. 1, 2, 3, 4. as being a confession of his ignorant complaining of that, which he had there made. But I rather assent to Calvin, Calvin.that this prayer was made for the use of the people, that were shortly to live in captivity, for the cherishing of some true piety then in them, when they were likely to have greatest discouragements, which might be by the diligent use and serious consideration hereof. And it is intituled of Ignorances, because they had greatly overseen themselves in many things, and so did dayly besides their grosser sins, not yet omitting to name them, because he would have them all come under the notion of ignorances, but rather p. 755to intimate, that besides such sins, there be others, that we know not, whereby we offend God dayly, and have need to crave pardon of them, as Psa. 19. Who can tell how often he offendeth?

O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was a fraid. Here the Prophet sheweth V. 2.what it was that moved him thus to pray, and with what fear and reverence he did addresse himselfe to pray. He heard first the words of God, that is, his threatnings of judgements by the Caldeans, of which he spake before. And accordingly it is the hearing of the Word of God, that stirreth Note. up any man to pray, for faith comes by hearing, and whosoever hath faith Rom. 1….Rom 1prayeth, and the right addressing of our selves to God in prayer is with reverence, because we are all sinners, and there is cause why sinners should tremble before God in all their approaches unto him, considering his threatnings against sin, as being so contrary to his holinesse. Revive thy worke in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. Having shewed what moved him to make this prayer, now he beginneth it, by his work understanding his Church or Congregation of faithfull, as Ephes. 2. 10. they are called, and his work of delivering them being most oppressed by their enemies, wherein he lookt at their dying estate in their being subjected and captived by the Babylonians. And this he calleth, the Gualter.midst of years, that is, betwixt their deliverance out of Egypt, and the deliverance to come by Christ. As if he said, we are now betwixt two deliverances a dying people, doe thou therefore deliver us in the midway by stretching out thine arm and mightily bringing us out of Babylon, and thus make knowne thy power and mercy again: in wrath remember mercy, we are worthy to lye under thy wrath still for our great and grosse sins, but deal with us in mercy, not in extremity of justice as we deserve. Vers. 3. God came V. 3.from Teman, and the holy One from Mount Paran, Selah. Here the Prophet to strengthen the saith of the people of God recounts things done of old for their comfort, as Moses preparing to blesse the children of Israel doth, Deut. 33. 2. where the like speech is used. Teman signifieth the South, and the Wildernesse of Paran lay southward from the land of Canaan extending even to Mount Sinai to which the Lord came down to give the Law. So that in saying thus, the Prophet layes a foundation of comfort and confidence to Israel, to whom the Lord had vouchsafed this great favour to shew them such terrible signes; and with a lively voice to speak unto them so, as the like was never done to any other people, His glory covered the heavens, whereas to that which was said before he addeth, Selah, he sheweth it to be worthy the noting, as a favour above all others for the Lord to come and declare his Will and Word unto a people; and therefore from hence Gods favour toward Israel is extolled, Psal. 147. 19, 20. Now for his glory covering heaven, and his praise in all the earth, this is added, that his people by recounting his majesty and glory then appearing might be assured that hee was still the same all glorious God, although he shewed not such signes hereof as then he did. And he addeth from his hands horns coming, and there was the hiding of his power, that is, hee came not onelyonly in glory, but also in power, set forth often in holy Scripture by horns. And he saith, there was the hiding of his power, that is, the Divine power hid from other Nations, because not so manifestly shewed amongst them, but onelyonly amongst his people of Israel, and it was hid also to them, because all the Mount from which God spake was covered with darknesse, nothing but signs of might and power being seen. Vers. 5. Before him went the Pestilence, V. 5.and burning coales at his feet. Here in setting forth further the terriblenesse of the Lord, he doth it by his judgements of old after the Law given upon Numb. 16, 45, 46, 47. Numb. 11.Num 16:45Num 16:46Num 16:47Num 11Mount Sinai, for one time when the people sinned he destroyed them with the pestilence, and another time with fire, for which the place was called Taberah: but others expound it of the plagues wherewith the Egyptians were smitten, by Pestilence the men, and by murrein the beasts, and of the fire and hail coming upon Egypt, but forsomuch as this was before, not after the giving of the Law with so great terrour, and therefore it were preposterous p. 756thus to take it. V. 6. Hee stood and measured the earth, he drove asunder the Nations. Here by his standing, saith Calvin, the Rabbins understand the standing Calvin.or abiding of the Ark in Gilgal, whilest the Lord, a sign of whose presence it was, caused the land of Canaan to be divided by lot amongst the children of Israel. But he saith, that by his standing is meant his powerfull acting of that, which is here spoken of, and that he takes to be the dividing of the lands in all countreys all over the world, for such a race hath such a land and another another, not accidentally; but as God hath divided them amongst them; the like unto this, see Deut. 32. 8. The everlasting mountaines were scatterred, the perpetuall hils did bow, his wayes are everlasting, from whence hee further confirmeth, that the words before going are spoken of this World in generall, and not of the land of Canaan in particular. The Prophet brings this as an argument of Gods infinite power, that he scatteringly placed the mountaines in all parts of the earth at the beginning of the world, which are set so fast, that they are, as the earth it self, everlasting, that is, continuing through all ages: and yet such mighty hils and mountains are made to bow at the presence of the Almighty, as Mount Sinai shaked when hee descended; and in saying, his wayes are everlasting, he intimateth, that he had not this power only then, and that he then onelyonly bare such singular love to Israel, but that he doth still bear the same, in which regard they might well be comforted, expecting help in their distresse: To this effect almost Calvin, but I rather hold with Gualter, that he meaneth the dividing of the land of Canaan Gualter.to the Tribes of Israel, which were as so many Nations, because in order that followed Gods appearing upon Mount Sinai, in that terrible manner, but the dividing of the earth in generall to all other peoples long before. Moreover for these words, he drove asunder the Nations, which may seem to imply a dividing of countries, he rendereth it, he beheld, and dissolved the Nations, wherein neither doth Calvin differ; thus also the Vulgar Latine and Hebrew it is, he saw and the Nations were removed, the word being foreign of foreign to remove, that is, the Canaanites, Hivites, Perizzites, &c. being expelled, and the Tribes of Israel planted there. For the next words, the everlasting mountaines were scattered, and the hils bowed, herein he plainly alludeth to the commotions that were made when the Lord brought the children of Israel into Canaan, the waters of Jordan were made to stand up as huge mountains on heaps, and then the Ark being come out of the River, they scattered themselves as it were a broad again, for which foreign a verb in Hithpael is used, and for the hils bowing, their shaking and prodigious moving which were about Sinai, and of Sinai it self is meant, of which David speakes in like manner, Psal. 114. 3, 4, 5. the motion caused through fear being called a bowing, or low dejection, as they bow and crouch low that are stricken with terrour before him, whose presence is so terrible to them. Wherein I confesse I have gone from my authour before named a little to make these passages the more plain. For he coming to speak of the mountaines, &c. mentioneth the waters of Jordan onelyonly divided, and the wals of Jericho falling down, and high hills whereon they stood. Now for everlasting, Heb. it is foreign, mo…es saeculi, the mountaines of the World, that is, of the same durance that the world is of; which is sometime rendered for ever, or everlasting, when comparison is made betwixt them and men, that come out of the earth, as Eccles. 1. 4. One generation passeth and another succeedeth, but the earth endures for ever, and accordingly the next words are rendered by him, the journeys of the world are his, the sense being, not onelyonly mountaines and hils are made to bow before him, but also the course of all things in the World is ordered by him, both in heaven and earth and in the deep waters, the sun, moon and stars move at his appointment, and at his decrees the Seas ebbe and flow, the earth standing unmoveably, yet being shaken when he pleaseth, which is spoken to shew, that he, who doth all these most mighty acts, can much more in his good time bring back the captivity of his people, that they might not despair, but be herein comforted patiently waiting for it.

p. 757I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction, the curtains of the land of Midian trembled. Gualter, for iniquity, I saw the tents of Chushan, and the curtains, &c. that is, I Gualter.Israel was sometime subdued by Cushanrishathaim King of Mesopotamia, Judg. 3. because of my foul sin of idolatry, and another time by the Midianites, Judg. 6. therefore having now grosly sinned again, no marvell though I bee faln into the hands of the Caldees, yet as then deliverers were raised up, so my hope is, that I shall again be delivered from their hands also. The words in the Hebrew are foreign that is, under iniquity, or under affliction; but I rather take Gualters rendring it, which is also the Vulgar Latine, to be best. But the better sense here is that of Calvin, who also followeth the same Calvin.reading, I have seen and call to minde, what became of the tents of Chushanrishathaim, that so long oppressed Israel, viz. they paid in the end for this their iniquity, Othniel being stirred up to take revenge upon them, and to deliver Israel, and likewise the trembling of the curtains or tents of the Midianites covered with skins, when they had long oppressed Israel, Gideon coming with his Trumpets of Rams horns and pitchers about them, and making them to tremble and flee, from which I gather that the time shall come, when the Caldees shall be animadverted against also to their terrour and Israels comfort.

Was the Lord displeased at the rivers, was thy wrath against them? The Prophet V. 8.here goes on to lay another ground of comfort against the fear, that the Jews might be in of being alwayes left in misery in Babylon, and this is from the consideration of the Lords saving them formerly by dividing the red Sea and Jordan to give them a passage through to the land of Canaan, and drowning the Egyptians their enemies, that pursued after them. For he smote not the red Sea with the rod of Moses, because he was wroth with it, but to give them a passage, who otherwise were in apparent danger of destruction. For no man can be so senslesse, as to think, that God could doe this in wrath to a dead and dumb creature, wherefore it must needes be conceived to have been done in way of relieving his distressed people, and if so, then why should they doubt and not be in good hope of being saved from the Babylonians, although they could not see by what means it could possibly be effected. That thou didst ride upon thine horses and chariots of salvation, this is added in alluding to the manner of the Egyptians pursuing them, which was with horses and chariots, for God contrariwise rode as it were upon his horses and chariots, when by his Almighty power he came thus on to bring his people out of their danger, and them to destruction by bringing the waters together againe, whereby they were drowned in the bottom of the deep.

Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oathes of the Tribes, even thy Word, V. 9.Selah, thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. Vulg. Stirring up thou shalt stir thy how, the oathes which thou spakest to the tribes, thou shalt cleave the rivers of the earth. Heb. making naked thou madest naked thy bow, the oaths of the Tribes the Word, or speaking oathes to the Tribes, for to must necessarily be supplyed to make sense, thou cleavedst the rivers of the earth. For the first words here they are easie to be understood, God is said to make his bow naked, when he puls it as it were out of a case, and bends and puts his arrow to it and shooteth, that is, executeth judgements upon enemies. But what is meant by the next words is hard to conjecture. Gualter will have Gods oathes meant, which he Gualter.made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes that came of him, with whom he made a Covenant to be their God and Protectour for ever, as if it had been said, he mightily subdued the Egyptians and saved Israel, his words being herein as firm as many oathes, which none will break, which indeed is spoken with so good sense, that it may well be received. Neither doth Calvin differ Calvin.much herefrom, who saith, the oathes of the Tribes, the Word, is as much as if he had said, the oath of God made to Abraham, and often repeated, called therefore Oathes, although but one, and oathes of or concerning the Tribes, for they were the seed of Abraham, to whom God made that oath, were approved then to be a word never to be altered but standing firm to all generations. p. 758So that when they considered the constancy of the Lord towards their Father Abrahams seed brought out of Egypt, they might well be confident of the like constancy in saving them from Babylon. But for so much as foreign signifieth as well seventy as oathes, and foreign Rods, as well as Tribes, for the word foreign is seventy, and foreign properly seven, and foreign being a feminin, and that word a feminine, it may well be taken for 70 rods, and then in brief here is a touch given of another great miracle upon the rods of the 70 Elders Numb. 17.Num 17laid all night in the Ark, when Aarons rod blossomed by the morning, to shew that he was chosen for High Priest by God, thus to appease the tumult made by Korah and his company: and if we render it thus, that which is here said will well cohere with the words before going, being taken as a transition from one miraculous work in overthrowing the Egyptians to another wrought in Aarons rod, further declaring Gods Almighty power, that they might in all straights and difficulties rely upon him, and then take we it thus; the 70 rods are as a sure word, teaching him to be of so great power, that he can doe any thing, which that it might be the more marked, Selah is added, thou cleavedst the earth with the rivers. Vulgar, thou shalt cleave the rivers of the earth. Hebrew, the rivers, thou cleavedst the earth, a defective speech, as I take it, thus to be supplyed, thou cleavedst the earth, and the rivers flowed out, it being a recounting of another miracle in cleaving the rock so, that the waters came out in aboundance, when they murmured for want of water, which if we take to be spoken of that Numb. 20. it follows in order after the other of the rods blossoming, and so one most famous fact is recounted after another, as it was done, whereas if we take the former words according to the common reading, there is without reason an inserting of another thing, the course of the history of miracles being interrupted, which he plainly sets himself to follow. Vers. 10. The mountaines saw thee and trembled, the overflowings V. 10. Gualter.of the waters passed by. Here the Prophet returns again, saith Gualter, to amplifie that which he had spoken more briefly of before, vers. 6. touching the things done about Jordan, the waters gathering themselves into heaps like mountaines stood trembling, as overawed by thee, and the waters downward ran away, leaving the channell dry. And because this was not done without a great noise, he saith, the deep uttered his voyce, and the waters that came, but were made to rise up into heaps, are said to lift up their hands by a Prosopopeia: Some others by mountaines here understand the Kings of Canaan, and by the waters the common people, but the sense already given is best.

The Sun and Moon stood still in their habitation. Here he proceeds to that other V. 11. Josh. 10.Josh 10great miracle wrought by Joshua of the standing still of the Sun and Moon an whole day, when the Sun was even now ready to set. At the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear, that is, as Calvin well saith, the Moon and Sun, which from their creation had hitherto kept their course, went now in a new and unwonted manner, that is, delaying an whole day together their wonted motion, being astonisht as it were, at Gods bright arrowes and spears, for so saith he, he calleth the arrows and spears, wherewith his people fought being strengthened and having successe by his might; and this is also preferred by Gualter, who yet mentioneth Gualter.another, understanding by arrows, the hailstones cast down upon the Canaanites Josh. 10. 11.Josh 10:11destroying more then the weapons of the Israelites, at the coming down whereof most probably it lightened also, as sometimes it had done in Egypt, when there was fire mingled with hail. And to this doe I rather subscribe, because the hailstones were most properly Gods arrows, and the casting down of them in battell was most prodigious and astonishing even to those celestiall bodies the Sun and the Moon, as to see men fighting with arrows and spears is not.

Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen, V. 12.Still he proceeds in recounting the ancient gests of the Lord, continuing his comparison begun, taken from a man of war, he went through and p. 759conquered the whole land tearing the inhabitants in pieces, as a thresher the straw of the corn threshed.

Thou wentedst forth for the salvation of thy people, for salvation with thine anointed. Some here by anointed understand the godly Kings mentioned in the sacred History, with whom God was in their expeditions to prosper them from time to time, both David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, &c. after that before he had beene with the Judges, who succeeded Joshua. But Gualter will have Christ rather understood Gualter.here, who although he were not yet come in the flesh, yet he was come in Gods Decree, for which he is said to be the Lamb slain from the begining of the world; and if it be thus understood, then here is both a declaration of Revel. 13. 8.Rev 13:8the Divine vertue yet lying hid amongst the Jews, Christ the seed of Abraham to come, whereby they went on so victoriously against the Canaanites, and a prophesie of salvation by him to all the faithfull. And indeed the word foreign of the singular number makes rather for this Exposition, Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation even to the necke, Selah; that is, thou (O Christ) according to the prophesie, that went of thee from the beginning, that the seed of the woman should break the serpents head, hast done this to the divell, when thou camest to save thy people by dying for them, according to that Heb. 2. 15. By death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devill: by discovering the foundation, or laying it naked, that is, ruining thus all his strength, because the strength of a building lyeth chiefly in the foundation; but because there is strength also in the wals founded hereupon from the bottom to the top or neck, which is next the head, hee speaketh thus, to shew, that whatsoever covering or defence soever there was about the body of his kingdome, it was all by him disanulled for ever, and he useth this metaphoricall speech from a body laid naked from the bottom to the neck, because men use to cloath their bodies so high: to this effect almost Calvin, whereby we are taught, that all former deliverances in times of Calvin.greatest danger sprang from this fountain, Gods Covenant with his people by Christ, which because it is everlasting, the faithfull might well hope without Note. doubting to be saved out of Babylon, yea and for a greater salvation from sin, the divell and everlasting death, which was the chief end of Christs destroying or wounding the head of this wicked one.

Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his Villages. Vulgar, Thou hast cursed his scepters, the head of his warriours, and indeed the word here used first V. 14.signifieth to curse, and then also to strike through, but it is foreign with staves or rods, and therefore cannot be so understood, and the word rendred warriours is without wals, as towns and villages are, or inhabitants of such places. Calvin saith, that hereby is meant Gods making of the enemies of his people to destroy one another with their own weapons as the Midianites did, but he should rather have said, the Ammonites and Moabites, &c. 2 Chron. 20. who did so at the prayer of Jehoshaphat. And this sense is also followed by Gualter, Gualter.and it agreeth excellently with the argument in hand, another miraculous fact of God being herein recounted, as he had mentioned divers before, viz. a judgement, whereby he made the enemies of his Church to fight one against another, when they rose up, as a whirlwinde, that is, most fiercely combining together to destroy her: for in saying, they came out as a whirlewinde to scatter me, he takes upon him the person of the Church, against which it was thus attempted. And here Gualter addeth more histories of the like done by Ammonites against Midianites, who were both enemies to Israel, Babylonians against Assyrians, the Grecians dividing Alexanders Empire amongst them, and fighting one aggainst another, this making way for the Romans to subdue them all, and the Romans civill wars whereby advantage was given to obscure Nations to rise up against and subdue them. And hence we may note, Note. that it is a great judgement of God against a people, when they mutually bend their weapons and make war one upon another, but the comfort is, that this shall be turned to the saving and delivering of the faithfull in the end, and he that did so great things for them in times past, is able, and will not faile to do the like for them in captivity.

p. 760Thou didst walke through the Sea with thine horses. Here for a conclusion hee repeats againe what the Lord did in making a way for the children of V. 15.Israel to passe through the red Sea to escape the danger of the Egyptians pursuing them, as is often used in songs. And hee calls this the Lords walking through the waters upon his horses in allusion to Pharaohs coming after Israel with horses and chariots, which could not carry them through the waters without drowning, but he went through with his people preserving them, making the waters, as a wall unto them on the right hand and the left. Vers. 16. When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips V. 16.quivered, rottennesse entered into my bones, that I might find rest in the day of trouble; when hee cometh up to the people, hee will invade them with his troops. Here the Prophet repeats also again what he had begun withall, vers. 2. knowing what terrible judgements should come upon the Church of God by the Caldees, hee sheweth, how greatly hee feared and trembled at the apprehension of it, and to the setting forth of this his extream feare he useth all this oratory. For such feare pierceth the very inward parts of the body and the bones, and makes the lips to quiver. But to feare thus at the apprehension of Gods wrath for sin hath a good effect, when the said judgements come, hee that feareth thus hath rest and comfort. Some think, that the Prophet spake thus, as knowing that hee should bee taken out of this life, and so bee at rest before the execution of this great judgement; so indeed it hath beene with some of the good servants of God, as with Josiah, and Abijam the onelyonly good son of Jeroboam before, and Esai. 57. 1. and Augustine a little before the Vandals sacking of his city of Hippo, departed also to his rest, and so doubtlesse did Habakkuk, for he prophesied in the dayes of Manasseh, from whence to the destruction of the City by the Caldees were 50 yeares. But the meaning of the Prophet here is not, that he should rest by death, but both hee and whosoever else trembles at the Word of God, threatning judgements for sinne at any time, shall Note. have rest, when others are full of trouble. See Esai. 66. 2. and Josiah being thus affected, when hee heard the threatnings of the Law, was comforted, see also Mat. 11. 28. Psal. 51. For the last words of the verse, they set forth the Lords bringing of the Caldees against Judah for their sins, at what time, although the faithfull shall have comfort, yet the multitude of the wicked shall see nothing but horrour and misery by troopes coming agains them to destroy and take them for captives, so that the people to whom he comes up, are the Jews, and he of the Lord, with whose power the Caldees being armed should come against them and so be unresistable.

Although the figtree blossome not, and no fruit be on the vines, &c. Here the V. 17.Prophet further sheweth the benefit, that should redound to him to every one that trembles at Gods judgements in the greatest want and of all things, when the dearth by droughts and devastation made by enemies in the land is greatest, which is meant by these words, it was to rejoice V. 18. V. 19.and have joy in the Lord. For hee is my strength, and will make my feet like hindes feet, and hee will make me walke upon mine high places, where hee speaks in the words of David, Psal. 18. 2 Sam. 22. 34. In saying, God is my strength, hee meaneth, to strengthen mee to beare any sufferings, that hee layeth upon me, and in saying, hee maketh my feet like hindes feet, and to walke in my high places, a pacifick and quiet estate, wherein the land of Judea should be againe, so that a man might securely walke up and down therein, so Gualter; or rather by these words hee denoteth the high conversation of the faithfull, through which it comes to passe, that they have joy in the Lord amidst the miseries of this world, making them to seem nothing to them, as that which is done below toucheth not him, that converseth farre above, for their conversation is in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. above the altitudes of the earth, Esa. 58. 14. as hee had said chap. 2. 1. that hee would get him up to the tower. And the comparison taken from the p. 761hinde is apt to expresse this, it being a beast most light of foot and soone mounted up to the top of the highest hils. To him that excelleth on Neginoth, see this often prefixed before Psalms, but here it is put after, being by some, saith Calvin, understood of God, who is praefectus, or Calvin.over the holy songs made, and sung by his servants unto him, but rather to be understood of the Prophet himselfe, who by Gods mercy towards him being made to rejoice in the midst of misery concludeth that this his elevation and strengthening should be to make him abound or excel in praising God upon stringed instruments of musick, hereby Note. also teaching us, that this should bee the effect of Gods great mercies towards us, to make the harmony of praise therefore to sound in his ears, as new matter of praise is from time to time supplyed unto us.

Having thus by Gods assistance gone through the prayer of Habakkuk so profound in the sense, let me, before I passe on to the next Prophet (judicious reader) acquaint thee with another exposition more mysticall made hereupon by Lyra, understanding it for the most part, as a prophesie touching Christ, in declaring which hee proceedeth thus. The prayer of Habakkuk, of ignorances, it is thus intituled, because through ignorance and error such grosse idolatry was committed, and upon the publishing of the Gospell hee foresaw, that many errors would arise in the Church of Christ, for which hee begins thus, I heard thy speech and was afraid, through reverence of that great mystery of Christs incarnation touched upon ch. 2. 20. the Lord is in his holy Temple, for his body is said Joh. 2.John 2to be his Temple, in which hee was by being incarnate, and to know this to come the Prophet attained by hearing it from God. Vers. 3. God V. 3.came from Teman, that is, the south, to which part when the Sunne gets, it shines most as being noontide: and the holy One from Mount Paran, that is, a dark mountaine, it being meant, that all things touching our redemption by Christ were in darknesse hidden under types and figures, till that hee came and shone as the Sun at noon day, that the heavens were filled with his glory, and the earth with his praise, the Angels singing glory to God on high, on earth peace and good will towards men; For the hornes coming out of his hands, and the hiding of his power there, hereby was foretold his suffering death upon the Crosse, when his hands were stretched out, and his power to save himselfe for a time lay hid, then his enemies having their will of him. Vers. 5. Before him went the Pestilence and burning coals at his feet. Vulgar, Before him death and the devill at his feet; that is, hee suffered death, and so the Devill was destroyed, Heb. 2. 15. V. 6.Heb 2:15and lay as cast at his feet. For the next words vers. 6. to set forth his power the more, hee recounts divers other acts thereof of old, hee stood and measured the earth, by dividing it and giving it to the Tribes, &c. to vers. 13. where againe hee returnes to Christ, touching whose power he had said, that it was hid, when hee hung upon the Grosse.

But now hee saith againe, thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, V. 13.that is, in conquering and subduing in Christs name Countreys and Nations by the preaching of the Gospell, then the Divell, whose force was before broken at his death, was actually cast downe amongst the heathen, and lay wounded, idolatry being beaten downe every where, and the deceits of the Divell and idolatrous Priests his Ministers being thus denuded and laid open to make them odious, as one having his cloathes stript off to the neck, hath his shamefull parts discovered, bringing to him great confusion.

Thou didst curse his seepters and the head of his warriours, that is, the Divell V. 14.still seeking to advance his Scepter by making warre spiritually against the faithfull, as it is said, Ephes. 6. 12. by the power of Christ hee was beaten downe so, and is from time to time, that hee cannot prevaile against the faithfull, but is overcome by them being armed p. 762with the armour of the Spirit. They came out to scatter and devoure mee secretly. Vers. 15. Thou didst walke through the Sea with thine horses, a metaphorical V. 15.speech, to set forth the many troubles of the faithfull by reason of their enemies like a Sea of waters ready to overwhelm them, and in speaking thus hee alludes againe to the red Sea, so mightily by God divided, and then brought againe upon the Egyptians: for calamitles of Gods people are often set forth by waters, and in the former words, the violent proceedings of the wicked enemies of the Church are set forth, and the Divels subtle stratagems destroying in secret, those that are not aware of them.

When I heard, my belly trembled, &c. that is, the things before spoken V. 16.touching Christs passion, as his soule was heavy to the death before it, so the Prophet was extreamly troubled at it; when hee heard of it to come, and beleeved it, yet I will rejoice, saith he, in the Lord, vers. 8. V. 18.for the good effect following upon Christs passion, viz. Salvation to his people, although as vers. 17. the fig tree budded not, neither did the Vine beare fruit, that is, the Nation of the Jewes often set forth by the name of a Vine or fig tree: though the flock bee cut off, that is, from being the Church of God. For God is my strength, and makes my feet as hindes feet, &c. that I may soone come to my desired blessednesse, and bee filled V. 19.with matter of praise and singing to God in the heavenly quire for ever, wherein hee concludes in the words of David, and hath often Selah, a note of things diligently to be attended to, as being of great consequence, so as none other holy Writer else hath it, further to shew, that this prayer is like one of Davids, setting forth the mysteries of the Gospell.