Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 34

Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture · Scripture 34

p. 594ZECHARIAH.

CAP. I.

5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, doe they live for ever?YOur Fathers are dead; It is true, you say; and so are the Prophets too; both of them were men; it was not for them to live here,6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the Prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned, & said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to doe unto us, according to our waies and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us. for ever.

But though my Prophets died, yet the words both of counsells, and menaces, which they delivered to your fathers, live still; and were acknowledged by those your fathers to be justly verified in, and upon them; whiles they freely confessed to Gods glory, and to their owne shame; Right so as God threatned to deale with us according to our doings, even so hath he done; we are sinfull and miserable, and he is just.

In the foure and twentieth day of the eleventh monethmonth,7 VponUpon the foure and twentieth day of the eleventh monethmonth, which is the monethmonth Sebat. which was the monethmonth of our January, &c.

I had a vision by night; Christ the Angell of the covenant represented himselfe to me as a man riding upon a red horse;8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood upon the mirtle trees that were in the bottome, and behind him were three red horses, specled and white. by that fiery colour implying his readinesse to be revenged on the enemies of his Church; and hee stood among the myrtle trees, that were in the valley, to signifie the low and d…pressed condition of the Jewes p. 595in their Babylonish captivity; and behinde him were severall Angels, that were ready to attend his cōmands, furnished with great power for that purpose.

Then said I to the Angell, which shewed me this vision; O my Lord, what are these? and the same Angell answered me, I will shew thee what these be.9 Then said I, O my Lord, what are these? and the Angel that talked with me, said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.

And the great Angell of the Covenant (Christ Jesus) who stood among the myrtle-trees,10 And the man that stood among the mirtle-trees answered, and said, these are they, whom the Lord hath sent to walke to and fro through the earth. (as taking the answer out of the mouth of that Angell who spake in me) answered, and said; These are ministring spirits, whom the Lord hath sent to take view of all the parts of the world, and to give an account of the estate of earthly affaires.11 And they answered the Angell of the Lord that stood among the mirtle trees, and said, wee have walked to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

And those ministring spirits accordingly gave answer unto Christ, the Sonne of God; We have according to our charge, and commission, passed to and fro, through the world; and behold, all the earth is now free from warres and open hostilities; for the Babylonian having tyranically spoyled thy people and his neighbours, is now at rest, and findes no opposition.12 Then the Angell of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Ierusalem and on the cities of Iudah, against which thou hast had indignation these three score and ten yeares.

Then Christ the mediator of his Church, answered and said: O Lord of hosts, how long will it be, ere thou shew mercy to to thy chosen people, to Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah; whom thou hast now these seventy yeares afflicted, with a miserable captivity?

I am much affected with the miseries of Jerusalem, and of Zion;14 I am jealous for Ierusalem, and for Zion with a great jealousie. and conceive great and just indignation against the enemies thereof.

I am highly offended with these Chaldees, which are now at ease, and take their pleasure; for,15 And I am very sore displeased wath the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. I was indeed displeased with the sinnes of my people, and intended to chastise them for their offences; but these Chaldees prosecuted their owne malice, and ambition, and aggravated their afflictions to their utmost.

And Jerusalem shall bee built againe after so long ruine, and desolation.16 And a line shall bee stretched forth upon Ierusalem.

And behold, foure hornes of yron were represented unto me. Then said I, to the Angell,18, 19 Then I lift up mine eyes, and saw & behold foure hornes. And I said unto the Angell that talked with me, What bee these? and he answered me, these are the horns which have scattered Iudah, Israel, and Ierusalem. who shewed me this vision, what be these; or what do they signifie? and he answered me. These are the enemies of my Church, which from all the foure coasts of heaven have set upon, and spoiled Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

As those hornes represented the enemies of the Church,20, 21 And the Lord shewed mee foure carpenters; then said I, what came these to doe? and he spake saying, these are the hornes which have scattered Iudah, so that no man did lift up his head, but these are come to fray them, to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles, which lift up their horne over the land of Iudah to scatter it. which should push downe all the cities of Judah, p. 596and Israel; so these carpenters represent the friends & favourers of my Church, which come to repayre that which the despightfull heathen have demolished; and to redresse all that mischiefe which those foure hornes have done.

CAP. II.

ANd said unto him; Make haste, speake thus to Zechariah, saying; Jerusalem shall not onelyonly be re-inhabited,4 And said unto him, Runne, speake to this yong man, saying, Ierusalem shal bee inhabited as townes without walles, for the multitude of men and cattell therein. but shall so abound with people, as that the walls thereof shall not be able to containe the multitude of them, which shall dwell there.

For I, (saith the Lord) will be a sure protection unto her,5 For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. against her enemies; and with my presence will encompasse her, as with a wall of fire, which none dare approach: and as I will be her safety, without; so I will be her glory, within; for I will bee knowne to be her God, and manifest my presence there.6 Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the North, saith the Lord, for I have spread abroad as the foure windes of the heaven saith the Lord.

Say then to the Jewes; Ho, all ye my people, come away out of that land of your captivitie; saith the Lord, for now I have enlarged you; and blessed you both with liberty, and such increase, that ye shall spread your selves abroad all the world over.7 Deliver thy selfe, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.

Make haste therefore, O ye the ancient inhabitants of Jerusalem, which dwell as yet in Babylon; and come out of that your exile, and servitude.

8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, after the glory hath he sent mee unto the nations which spoiled you; for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the restoring of glory to thee, O Jerusalem, I will not rest there; but will call unto reckoning (by him who is the mediator, and King of my Church) those nations which have spoiled you; and I will let the world know how tenderly I am affected to you; and they shall finde that he that toucheth you, doth, as it were, touch the apple of mine eye.

9 For behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall bee a spoile to their servants.For behold, I will but give a signe to those nations, by shaking my hand to them, that I have given way to the destruction of these your enemies; and they shall immediately become a spoile to those, which lately were their tributaries and servants, &c.

13 Be silent O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.O all ye sonnes of men, be yee awfully affected to this great, and just God; whom ye have thus seene to manifest his power from heaven, for the deliverance, and preservation of his Church.

p. 597CAP. III.

ANd he shewed me in vision,1 And he shewed mee Ioshua the high Priest, standing before the Angell of the Lord, and Satan standing at this right hand to resist him. Joshua the sonne of Jehosedech the high Priest, (bearing the type of the Sonne of God who is the everlasting high-Priest of his Church) standing before the Lord, to intercede for his people, and Satan (the adversary of Gods Church) standing ready to resist him.2 And the Lord said unto Satan, the Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem, rebuke thee: is not this a brand puluckt out of the fire?

Then Christ the Lord, (who was here resembled and represented in both his natures, in his humanity by Joshua, in his deity by the Angell) said unto Satan; God, even the eternall Father, rebuke thee, O Satan; the Lord who hath chosen Jerusalem for the place of his worship rebuke thee, for that malicious opposition, which thou makest to his Church, and to this faithfull high-Priest thereof; whom yet thou shalt in vaine strive to resist; for is not he as a brand pluckt out of the fornace of Babylon? dost thou not see Gods good purpose to him, and to his Church, in his delivery?

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments,3 Now Ioshua was clothed with filthy garments. as the ragges of his captivity; representing the high-Priest of the new Testament, who tooke upon him our sinnes, and infirmities, &c.4 And he answered, and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, take away the filthy garments from him; and unto him hee said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquitie to passe from thee, & I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

And he said to those ministring spirits that stood before him; Take away from him these filthy garments, the base and loathsome weeds of servitude and sorrow; And to Joshua himselfe he said; Behold, I have determined to restore thee to the glory which pertaines to thy great function; in token whereof, I have caused these ragges, (the monuments of that thy bondage, and of those sinnes, which thou undertakest to expiate,) to be put away from thee; and I will clothe thee gloriously, in stead of these nasty garments.5 And I said, let him set a faire miter upon his head, so they set a faire miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments.

And accordingly, I command you to set a faire mirer upon his head; let him be endowed, with all those graces, and abilities that may bee fit for the discharge of his office, and for his owne ornament, and glory, &c.

Then shalt thou,7 Then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keepe my Courts, and I will give thee places to walke among these that stand by. (and thy sonnes after thee) rule over my house, as chiefe Priest; and have the prime over sight and command of my courts; and at last will give thee a place in everlasting glory, so, as thou shalt walke gloriously in white, amongst these blessed Angells.

And now O Joshua the high Priest, harken thou,8 Heare now, O Ioshua the high Priest, thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee; for they are men wondred at, for Behold, I will bring forth my servant the branch. and those thy assistants in thy sacred function, that sit before thee; (they are by their places men whose persons doe portend future things, to the Church; being made the p. 598signes of things to come, and therefore fit to know, and foreshew this great mystery) for behold, I will exhibite unto the world Christ the Saviour; whom I have ordained to worke that great businesse of mediation for my Church; whose visible presence shal grace that Temple, which ye are now to build.

In signification of which Saviour, I have laid before Joshua,9 For behold, the stone that I have laid before Ioshua; upon one stone shall be seaven eyes, behold I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquities of that land in one day. a stone, to resemble him who is the chiefe corner stone of his Church; whereon it shall bee firmely built; behold, he shall be a stone of note; all eyes of Angells and men shall be upon be him; all the graces of my Spirit shall be powred on him; and he shall be polished, and set forth with all the gifts thereof, above measure; and I will, for his sake, doe away all the iniquity of my people, at once; so as it shall no more bee imputed to them.

10 In that day saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour, under the vine, and under the fig tree.In that day shall my servants injoy a true spirituall peace, and an happy communion with each other, in the favours, and blessings of God.

CAP. IIII.

2 And behold a candlesticke all of gold, with a bowle upon the top of it, and his seven lampes thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lampes, which were upon the top thereof.ANd behold a candlesticke all of gold, resembling the Church of God; with a bowle upon the toppe thereof (whence the severall lampes were deduced) resembling Christ, the authour of all the spirituall lights of his Church; seven lampes were thereon, resembling the teachers, and governours of the Church; seven pipes appertained to those seven lampes; resembling those meanes and conveiances of grace by which God inableth his servants to give light to his Church.

3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowle, and the other upon the left side thereof.And two olive trees stood by it; resembling the plentifull graces of Gods Spirit, & ever-flourishing doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, which are alwaies ready at hand, to furnish those holy lampes, with sufficient abilities and matter of instruction to his Church.

6 This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying; not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts.This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, who is now in hand to build the Temple. Thinke not that by thy might, and power thou art able to compasse this great worke; that this candlesticke is furnished with these shining lampes; and that these lampes are furnished with a supply of oile, and that these olives live to yield that supply, it is not from man, but from the power of my holy Spirit who worketh al things for the good of my Church.

p. 599Who are ye, O ye professed opposites to my people,7 Who art thou, O great mountain, before Zerubbabel? thou shalt become a plaine, and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings, crying, grace, grace unto it. Sanballat, Tobiah, Rehum, Shimshai, and the rest of that wicked combination, which set your selves against this worke of mine; were ye as some huge mountaine, yet before Zerubbabel, ye should be as a low, and levell plaine; In despight of you, he shall bring forth the head stone of the roofe of my Temple, even the last stone, that shall make up the battlements thereof; and shall lay it upon the finished walls, with the shouting, and joyfull acclamation of all my people; who shall praise God for his mercy, and pray to him for an happy blessing upon his Temple.

So also verse 9.

Why did ye, O ye faithlesse Jewes,10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoyce and shall see the plummet, in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven: they are the eyes of the Lord which run to & fro through the whole earth. looke so discontentedly upon the meane foundations of this Temple? and weepe to thinke of that goodly structure of Solomons, compared with this? there shall bee no cause of this disparagement; ye shall rather finde reason to rejoyce in this noble worke, which ye see Zerubbabel in hand to finish, whiles, besides the glory of this worke, ye shall acknowledge the abundant graces of Gods spirit powred out upon men (under this Temple;) and the infinite protection, and providence of God, which as it diffuseth it selfe to all the corners of the world, so especially hath magnified it selfe in the care of this Temple, and Jerusalem.

See verse 3.11 What are these two olive trees.

Those two olive branches resemble the speciall graces,14 Then said he, these are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. which God hath bestowed upon these two anointed servants of his, that stand before him, Zerubbabel, and Joshua; by whose meanes it pleaseth God to convey many favours and blessings to his Church.

CAP. V.

ANd I said; I see a roll of paper flying in the aire,2 And I answered, I see a flying roll, the length thereof twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof tenne cubites. of very great extent; for it is twenty cubits in length, and ten in breadth; so as it containes great store of writing therein.

Then said hee unto mee;3 Then said he unto me, this is the curse, that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth, for every one that stealeth shall be cut off, as on this side; according to it, and everie one that sweareth, shall be cut off, as on that side, according to it. In this large roll is written that curse, which perraines to all wicked sinners, over p. 600the face of the whole earth; for every one that stealeth shall be punished, and cut off, according to the judgement set downe in that roll; and on the other side, every one that sweareth, shall be cut off, according to the judgement specified therein.

And he said, this is an Ephah that is now represented unto thee,6 And I said, what is it? and he said, this is an Ephah that goeth forth. Hee said moreover, this is their resemblance through all the earth. as passing forth, before thee; to signifie the measure of the iniquity of my people, made fully up; and he said, This Ephah is the resemblance of the great measure of all the sinnes of Israel, heaped up together against mee by them, all the world over.

7, 8. And behold, there was lift up a talent of lead; and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the Ephah. And he said, this is wickednesse, and he cast it into the midst of the Ephah, and hee cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.And behold, there was also represented unto mee a leaden weight; and withall, a woman sitting in the midst of the Ephah. That woman which he cast into the midst of the Ephah, resembled the person of those wicked Jewes, which hee meant to cast out of his Church; of whom he said; These are so wicked; that they are as wickednesse it selfe, that leaden weight, which he laid upon the mouth of the Ephah, (to depresse the woman there inclosed) resembled that heavy weight of judgement, wherewith he decreed to load, and humble those wicked ones, of the Jewes; from which they should not rise up, till his season appointed.

9 Then lift I up mine eyes, and looked, and behold, there came out two women, and the winde was in their wings, (for they had wings like the wings of a starke) and they lift up the Ephah between the earth.Then lifted I up my eyes, and looked, and behold the executioners of Gods just sentence (resembled by two women,) which had the winde in their wings, (to resemble the exceeding speed which they should make in the performance of their charge) lifted up the Ephah, to carry it away with them.

11 And hee said unto me, to build it an house in the land of Shinar, and it shall be established, and set there upon her owne base.And he said unto me; These carry away the wickednesse of the Jewes, together with the owners thereof, into Babylon, whence it came; and there shall it settle and grow; where it first had its accursed originall.

CAP. VI.

1 Went out from betweene two mountaines, and the mountaines were mountaines of brasse.WEnt out from the unchangeable decree of God.

5 These are the spirits of the heavens, which goe forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.These are foure Angelicall, and heavenly powers, which upon the command, & mission of the Lord of the whole earth, goe forth to all the parts of the world, to execute his will amongst men.

6 The blacke horses which are therein go forth into the North countrey' and the white goe forth after them, and the grisled goe forth toward the south countrey.Those Angels which are represented by the blacke p. 601horses, are they, which goe forth into Babylon for the punishment of those Chaldees, which have afflicted Gods people; and those that are represented by the white horses, goe forth thither also, for the comfort and preservation of those Jewes, which are left there; Those which are represented by the grisled, goe forth towards Judea, to take order with those neighbour enemies, which resist the worke of the Lord in the hands of Gods people.

Those which were represented by the bay (as not being designed to any particular place,7 And the bay went forth, and sought to goe, that they might walke to and fro through the earth.) went forth to passe to and fro through the whole earth; to take charge of the Church of God, scattered in all the parts of the world, &c.

Behold,8 Behold, these that go toward the North country have quieted my spirit, in the North countrey. those Angels that were sent to Babylonward have done that acceptable service, on which they were sent; both in comforting Gods people, and punishing their enemies which are in those parts.

Then take of the silver and gold which is offered to the Lord,11 Then take silver, and gold, and make crownes and set them upon the head of Ioshua the sonne of Iosedech the high priest by those Jewes which are comne from Babylon; and make two crownes thereof; and set them upon the head of Joshua the sonne of Josedech, the high-priest who represents him who is the eternall High-priest, and King of his Church.

Saying, Behold the man, who is the true type of the Messiah, that flourishing branch of the stocke of Jesse;12 Saying, behold the man whose name is the branch, and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the Temple of the Lord. even this Joshua; he shall grow up and prosper out of Sion, and shall build up the Temple of the Lord; in type of Jesus the Mediator of the new Testament, who shall fill heaven and earth with his glory, and shall build up a spirituall Temple, which shall endure for ever.

So also verse 13.

He shall be both a Priest in his Temple,13 He shall be a Priest upon his throne, and the counsell of peace shall bee betweene them both. and a King in his throne; and a Prophet to his Church, giving counsells of peace and eternall salvation to both Jewes, and Gentiles.

And those crownes shall be kept,14 And the crownes shall be to Helem, and to Tobiiah. and hanged up in the Temple of the Lord, as a memoriall and monument of the liberall offering made by Helem, and Tobiah, &c.

VponUpon whose laudable example,15 And they that are farre off, shall come and build in the Temple of the Lord. not only those which are neare, but those which are farre off in place of habitation, shall come up, and offer munificently towards the building of the Temple of the Lord, &c.

p. 602CAP. VII.

1 In the fourth day of the ninth monethmonth even in Chisleu.IN the fourth day of the monethmonth of November.

2, 3. When thay had sent unto the house of God. Sherezer, and Regem-melech, & their men to pray before the Lord, & to speake unto the Priests, which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the Prophets, saying, should I weepe in the fift monethmonth, separating my selfe as I have done these, so many yeares.When the body of the then-Jewish Church which were returned from the captivity, and planted in Judea, sent certaine deputies, or messengers, in the name of the whole, to offer up their religious devotions in the Temple; and to inquire of the Priests of the Lord, and the Prophets, concerning the anniversary observation of that fast, which they had hitherto kept in the fift monethmonth upon the sad remembrance of the destruction of the Temple; saying, Wee have hitherto duely kept this solemne fast for many yeares; but now, we desire to be informed by you, since that the Temple is now repaired, and finished, whether it be fit and requisite, that wee should continue that fast of the fift monethmonth any more, afflicting our selves with the memory of the demolishing of that, which is now so happily re-edified.

5 When ye fasted and mourned in the fift and seventh monethmonth, even those seaventie yeares, did ye at al fast unto me, even to me?When ye fasted and mourned both in the fift monethmonth for the Temple, and in the seventh for Gedaliah, did ye doe this (even all these seventy yeares) out of any charge of mine; or did ye it out of any true remorse for those sinnes of yours, which pulled these judgemēts upon you, and not rather out of a sense of your owne sorrow, and misery?

6 And when yee did eate, and when yee did drinke, did not ye eate for your selves, and drinke for your selves.And contrarily, when, on your other solemne festivall daies, ye did eate, and drinke, and make merry; was it out of any spirituall joy yee had in mee, and my service, and not rather for your owne pleasure, and jollity.

7 Should yee not heare the words, which the Lord hath cryed by the former Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south of the plaine.Should ye not rather have harkened to the words which the Lord spake loud in your eares, by the former Prophets; when Jerusalem was in her glory and prosperity: and all her daughter cities round about her; when the plains of the South parts were fully, and richly inhabited? which if ye had done, this misery and desolation had not seized upon us; wee had had no need of these mourning fasts.

Yea, they wilfully hardened their hearts against the counsells given them by the Lord; and made them as hard as an adamant stone,12 Yea, they made their hearts as an Adamant stone. which is utterly impeirceable, &c.

14 For they laid the pleasant land desolate.They by their great sinnes exposed this pleasant land to utter spoile and desolation.

p. 603CAP. VIII.

See Zechar. 1. verse 14.2 I was jealous for Zion, with great jealousie, and I was jealous for her with great, &c.

IF it seeme a thing strange and difficult unto you, (the remnant of the people) that Jerusalem should be thus blessed with peace & prosperity;6 If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these daies, should it also be marvellous in my eyes, saith the Lord of hosts? it is no whit strange or difficult unto me; saith the Lord of hosts.

Behold, I will both preserve,7 Behold I will save my people from the East countrey, and from the West countrey. and fetch home my people from all the coasts of heaven; from the East and West-countries; and from the North (viz. of Babylon) much more.

Be ye of good courage,9 Let your hands bee strong. and goe cheerfully about the worke.

For before these daies,10 For before these daies, there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast, neither was there any peace to him that went out, or came in, because of the affliction; for I set all men, every one against his neighbour. whiles ye slackened the building of the Temple, ye lived in penury and want; your labours were hartlesse, and unsuccessefull; yee were infested, and indangered with enemies, so as ye could not stirre out of your houses, without perill; for, as a just punishment of your neglect, I did cause both outward, and inward broiles and quarrells, to be raised up amongst you.

But now, it shall be otherwise;11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people, as in the former daies, saith the Lord. since ye addresse your selves to this worke, heartily and willingly, I will bee favourable, and gracious to you, saith the Lord. &c.

As I justly decreed to punish you,14 As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked mee to wrath, saith the Lord of hosts. when your fathers provoked me to wrath by their sinnes, and by their wilfull neglect of my worke; and accordingly performed it, faith the Lord.

So againe, &c.

Thus saith the Lord;19 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the fast of the fourth monethmonth, and the fast of the fift, and the fast of the seaventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall bee to the house of Iudah joy and gladnesse, and cheerful feasts, therefore love the truth and peace. Be not carefull of the keeping of those your solemne fasts; for I will turne all those fasts of yours, (both that which you keepe in the fourth monethmonth, in memory of the breaking downe of the wall of Jerusalem; and that which you keepe in the fift, in memory of the burning of the Temple; and that which yee keepe in the seventh, in memory of the murder of Gedaliah; and that which ye keepe in the tenth, in memory of the first siege laid to Jerusalem) all these will I turne to joy and gladnesse, and cheerfull feasts unto the house of Judah; therefore, be ye carefull to carry your selves holily, justly, peaceably, before your God.

p. 60420 21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, It shall yet come to passe, that there shall come people and the inhabitants of many cities, and the inhabitants of one citie shall goe to another, saying, let us goe speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seeke the Lord of hosts.And more then so, I will give an happie increase to my Church; many people and nations shall be added unto it; and shall chearefully joyne together, and incourage each other in my service, both by their hearty counsells, and examples.

So also verse 22.

23 In those daies it shall come to passe, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew, saying, we will goe with you, for we have heard that God is with you.In those dayes it shall come to passe, that the Gentiles shall be added to the Church; in such number, and zeale, as that many of them shall resort to one well-informed convert of the Christian-Jewes, and shall desire to bee taught by him in the truth of godlinesse.

CAP. IX.

1 The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall bee the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord.THe heavy message that God sends to those cities and countries which have offered cruell violence to his people; in particular, this errand of judgement shall light upon the region and citie of Damascus; which shall be accordingly executed upon them; since the eyes of the neighbour nations round about, but especially of all the tribes of Israel, are earnestly intent to expect this revenge from the hand of the Lord.

23 And Hamah also shall border thereby, Tyrus and Zidon, though it bee very wise, and Tyrus did build her selfe a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust.Neither shall Hamath be freed there from; nor Tyrus and Zidon, though they be crafty and subtle enough, to use all humane power, and wit, for their owne safety, and evasion; and though Tyrus have built strong holds for her defence, and have heaped up great treasures of wealth, &c.

4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and hee will smite her power in the sea, and she shall be devoured with fire.But the Lord will send an enemie against her, even Alexander of Macedon, which shall subdue and vanquish her, and defeat her power by sea, and she shall bee consumed with fire.

5 Ashkelon shall see it, and feare, Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowfull, and Ekron, for her expectation shall be ashamed, & the King shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.The confederate cities of the Philistims, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron, shall see it, and feare, for that confidence which they had put in the strength of the Tyrians, shall now disappoint them, to their shame and losse; for Gaza shall no more have a King, nor Ashkelon, an inhabitant.

p. 605And Ashdod shall be inhabited by a people,6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, & I will cut off the pride of the Philistims. not her owne; and I will, in all these territories, pull downe the pride of the Philistims, by stripping them of their dominions.

And I will by this meanes so humble them,7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abhominations from betweene his teeth; but he that remaineth, even he shal be for our God, and he shall bee as a Governor in Iudah, and Ekron as a Iebusite. that they shall be no more bloodily minded toward my people; & shall grow up to a religious care of avoyding all legall pollutions; and those that remaine of them shall be conscionably devoted unto God; and shall become friends and patrons of my people, within my Church; yea, even those of Ekron shall so have a part in my Church, as the Jebusite hath in the materiall and outward Jerusalem.

And I will protect, and defend my Temple,8 And I will encampe about mine house, because of the armie, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth, and no oppressor shall passe through them any more, for now I have seen with mine eyes. (as it were by a camp pitched about it) against any enemie whatsoever, that shall offer any violence against it; for I have well noted, and pittyed thy late affliction.

Rejoyce greatly, O ye inhabitants of Zion, and shout for joy, O ye inhabitants of Jerusalem,9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion, shout O daughter of Ierusalem; behold, thy King commeth unto thee: hee is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an asse, and upon a colt the foale of an asse. for yee shall see the Messiah, the everlasting King of the Church comming personally into your streets; he is just, and righteous, and brings salvation with him to all beleevers; And withall, he is lowly and meeke; not making his approch in a royall, pompous, and majesticall manner, (though he could command all the glories of heaven and earth to attend him) but in a meane, and homely fashion, riding upon an asse, with her colt following her; even like to him that came to take upon him the estate of a servant.

I will draw my Church to an happie accordance,10 And I will cut off the charet from Ephraim, and the horse from Ierusalem: and the battell bow shall be cut off, and he shall speake peace unto the heathen, and his dominion shall be from Sea, even to Sea, and from the river, even to the ends of the earth. so as both Jewes and Gentiles shall be linked together in the bonds of peace; there shall therefore be no more need of your charriots, O Israel; or of your horses O Judah; or, of any weapons of war; for the common Saviour of both, shall unite them together, and shall extend the bounds of his spirituall dominion, all the world over.

As for thee, O Zion, whose covenant with me, is made, and confirmed by the precious blood of the Messias,11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. in that new and everlasting Testament, I doe herein give thee a type of thy future deliverance from all thy spirituall miseries, in that, I have brought forth thy captives, out of the miserable captivity of Babylon, wherein they were wofully distressed.

p. 60612 Turne yee to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, even to day doe I declare that I will render double unto thee.Returne ye then, to the forts of Zion, and Jerusalem, O yee hopefull captives, that are yet remaining in Babylon; for I doe this day declare unto you, that I have prepared blessings for you aboue your expectations; and (whereof this is a type) turne ye into my Church, all yee that pertaine to mine election, out of the world, wherein ye are held captive; and know, that I have prepared happinesse for you above the thoughts, and desires of your hearts.

13 When I have bent Iudah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sonnes O Zion, against thy sonnes, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.But in the meane time, I shall make some war-like use of Judah and Ephraim, and raise the forces of Jerusalem, against the Grecians, and Syrians, wherewith they shall be vexed, and will give good successe to their courageous, and well-fought battells.

14 And the Lord shall be, seene over them, and his arrow shall goe forth as the lightning.And the Lord shall give good proofe of his gracious protection of them; and shall manifestly shew that hee fighteth for them from heaven, &c.

They shall subdue their enemies afarre off, as with sling stones,15 The Lord of hosts shall defend them, & they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones, and they shall drinke and make a noyse, as through wine; and they shall bee filled like bowles, and as the corners of the altars. and with other killing engines of warre; and they shall rejoyce in their victorie; and shall feast for joy, and shout out in their triumphes, as men filled with wine: and shall, in the chearfulnesse of their hearts, offer store of sacrifices of praise unto God; so as, both the bowles of the Temples, and the hornes of the altar shall carry an abundant testimony of their frequēt devotions.

And, however they have beene formerly despised, and trod upon,16 For they shall be as the stones of a crowne, lifted up as ensigne upon his land. yet they shall now be advanced to such honor, that they shall be as the precious stones of a royal crowne, or as an ensigne, which is lifted up with honour over the heads of the people.

17 For how great is his goodnesse, and how great is his beauty? come shall make the young men chearefull, and new wine the maides.For how great is the blessing, how great is the beauty wherewith God shall, upon those victories, grace, and adorne his people? there shall be prosperity, and plenty, every where amongst them, so as they oung men shall be full fed with feasts, and their very maides shall bee refreshed with new wine: all sorts and ages shall have cause to rejoyce in their God.

CAP. X.

1 Aske ye of the Lord raine in the time of the later raine, so the Lord shall make bright cloudes and give them shoures of raine, to every one grasse in the field.ASke yee of the Lord, raine, in the due season thereof; even the later raine for the filling up of the fruits of the earth; so the Lord will, according to his promise, heare you, and give change of weather; causing p. 607in the clouds, to lead in store of raine; such as may plentifully water the earth, that it may yeeld store of grasse in every field.

It is the Lord that must helpe you; as for your Idolls,2 For the Idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seene a lie, and have told false dreames, they comfort in vaine, therefore they went their way as a flocke, they were troubled because there was no shepheard. whereto ye have hitherto trusted, they have vainely deluded you; and your wizards have abused you in false visions, and dreames, and have pretended to give you those comforts which have failed you in the issue; therefore, both they and you were driven into captivity, as a flocke of sheepe into the fold, and found no protection, but rather much discomfort and misery, because of the want of a shepheard to guide, and defend you.

Mine anger was kindled against the false Prophets,3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and punished the goates, for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Iudah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. and wicked rulers of my people; and I punished those (rather goates, than bel-weathers) which led my flock out of their way; for the Lord of hosts hath sharply chastised the people of Judah; and hath designed them to hard conflicts, even as some stout horse is made for the day of battle.

From his decree came forth all the plots of the siege,4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the naile, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressour together. the tents pitched before their walls, the weapons of warre, which were used in that assault, and every oppressour that offered violence to them, did but execute his just pleasure upon them.

But this sad condition of theirs shall not last alwaies;5 And they shall be as mighty men which tread downe their enemies. for the Lord hath determined happy successe, and victories unto his people; they shall be as mighty men, which tread upon their enemies, &c.

And I will, by the voice of my word,8 I will hisse for them & gather them, for I have redeemed them; and they shall increase as they have increased. call them together into one Church; for I have redeemed them; and they shall multiply exceedingly.

And I will so dispose of them, that they shall be sent all the world over, for the gathering of my Church,9 And I will sow them among the people, and they shall remember mee in farre countries, and they shall live with their children and turne againe. even as the seed is cast into severall furrowes of the large field, for a more plentifull increase; and they shall publish my Gospell in remote countries; and both they, and the children whom they beget unto the faith, shall live, and turne to their God, and Saviour.

And I will gather my Church out of all the coasts under heaven, out of Aegypt, and Assyria,10 I will bring them againe also out of the land of Aegypt, & gather them out of Assyria, and I will bring them into the land of Gilead & Lebanon, and place shall not bee found for them. and all other countries; and, in type thereof, I will fetch up my people the Jewes, from those regions, where they have beene captived, and bring them againe into Judea; and they shall grow to such numbers there, that the place shall not bee able to hold them.

No seas,11 And hee shall passe through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deepes of the river shal drie up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought downe, and the Scepter of Aegypt shall depart away. or rivers shall hinder the propagation of the p. 608Gospell; as, in type thereof, when the Jewes shall returne towards their countrey, God will rather worke miracles for them, than that they shall be hindred in the way; he will againe cause the sea to give them passage, and will dry up Jordan before them; and subdue all those their proud enemies of Assyria, and Aegypt, which had prevailed against them.

CAP. XI.

1 Open thy doore, O Lebanon: that the fire may devoure thy cedars.A Grievous destruction will light upon thee, O thou ingratefull land of Judea, for those repulses, and indignities, which thou shalt offer to the Lord of life; Open thou therefore thy doores (O thou Temple of Jerusalem) that the fire may devoure thy cedars.

2 Howle firre tree, for the Cedar is fallen, because all the mightie are spoiled Howle O ye oakes of Bashan, for the forrest of the vintage is come downe.Howle, and lament, O ye nobles, for your Princes are fallne; all the men of power in Judea are spoiled; make lamentation, O ye of the meaner ranke of Israel, for your great men are cut off.

3 There is a voice of the howling of the shepheards, for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of yong Lions, for the pride of Iordan is spoiled.There is great wailing, and mourning of the rulers, and Priests, (who should have fed and guided my people) for their glory is at an end; all the stout gallants of Judea doe now roare, and lament; for the magnificence of Jerusalem, and the strength of Jurie is utterly wasted and comne to nothing.

4 Thus saith the Lord my God, feed the flocke of the slaughter.Thus saith the Lord, my God; yet amongst these Jewes, which I have justly set out for this slaughter, there is a flocke of mine, whom I have due care of, let them be carefully fed, and lookt unto.

5 Whose possessours slay them, and hold themselves not guilty, and they that sell them say, blessed be the Lord; for I am rich, and their owne shepheards pitty them notThey are in a perilous, and wofull case; for their owne governours, and spirituall guides slay them, and thinke they doe therein good service, and their victors (Titus, and his Romanes) sell them as merchandize; and rejoyce in the wealth which they have raised from their price: and their owne governours doe not so much as pittie them.

6 For I will no more pitty the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord: but loe, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbours hand, and into the hand of his King, and they shall smite the land.For the rest, I will have no more compassion on the inhabitants of the land, who have called for the blood of that just one, to be required of them, and their children; for I will deliver them into the hand of each other, to be slaine in civill discord; and into the hand of the Romane, whom they professed to be their King; and by both these meanes they shall be consumed, &c.

7 And I will feed the flocke of slaughter, even you, O poore of the flocke, and I tooke unto me two staves: the one I called beautie, and the other I called bonds, and I fed the flock.As for that part of my flocke, which are appointed as p. 609sheepe to the slaughter, for my names sake; I will carefully feed them; even you, O my poore little flocke; and for this cause I tooke unto me two pastorall staves; the one, which I called Beauty, was the staffe of mercy, and gracious and pleasurable protection; the other, which I called Bonds, was the staffe of unity, for the conjoyning of my Church; or of correction, and just censure of the offenders; and with these, I guided my little flocke accordingly.

Your three sorts of leaders, Kings, Priests, and Prophets, I cut off together, in a very short space;8 Three shepheards also I cut off in one monethmonth, & my soule loathed them, and their soule also abhorred mee. they were well worthy of my just extirpation; I loathed them for their corruption and wickednesse, and they no lesse abhorred my lawes, and justice.

Then said I of this refractary,9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth let it die, and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off. and perverse people of the Jewes; I will take charge of you no more; whatsoever calamity befall you, I will not put my hand to redresse it, &c.

And I tooke my staffe,10 And I tooke my staffe, even beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might breake my covenant which I had made with all the people. even the staffe of my safegard and protection, which I called Beauty, and cut it in sunder; that I might thereby signifie; that, as this people had broke the covenant which they made with mee, by their wilfull disobedience, so that I would free my selfe from regarding my promise of favour, and preservation made to them.

Those humble and meeke servants of mine,11 And so the poore of the flocke that waited upon me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. that waite conscionably upon me (in that sinfull and perverse generation) well knew that this was the just will, and pleasure of God; to deale thus severely with so rebellious a people.

Thus I fed my charge, and at the last,12 And I said unto them, if yee thinke good, give me my price: and if not, forbeare: so they weighed for my price thirty peeces of silver. I said unto them; if I be approved of you as your shepheard, give ye me a returne of those respects that are due to mee, and that price and reward, which my over-sight and labour calls for at your hands; but if otherwise ye accept not of mee, and my function, forbeare. This I required of them, but they, in stead of returning their holy obedience, and due thankfulnesse unto mee, weighed out thirty peeces of silver, which they gave unto a traitor, as the price of my life, which should by his perfidiousnesse bee betrayed into their hands.

And the Lord said unto mee;13 And the Lord said unto mee, cast it unto the potter; a goodly price, that I was prized at of them, and I tooke the thirty peeces of silver, and cast them to the potter, in the house of the Lord. make knowne by this thy prophesie unto the people, that this thirty peeces shall be cast unto the potter; say to them, it is a goodly price whereat ye have valued mee; And accordingly in vision, I tooke those thirty peeces of silver; and shewed them, that this summe (which should be offered to bee p. 610delivered backe to the high Priests in the house of the Lord) should by them be put into the hands of a potter, for the purchase of a field for buriall.

14. Then I cut asunder mine other staffe, even bonds, that I might breake the brotherhood between Iudah and Israel.Then I cut asunder mine other staffe of unity, which I called Bonds, that I might thereby signifie, that I had let loose all brotherly, and peaceable respects betwixt the true professours of the Gospell, which are the spirituall Judah, and the revolted, and erroneous sons of the spirituall Israel.

15 And the Lord said unto me, take unto thee, yet, the instruments of a foolish shepheard.Doe thou (for a signe unto them) take unto thee such a staffe, and such a scrip, as no wise shepheard would beare, as being mis-fashioned, and use-lesse; and let thy gesture and carriage be thereafter.

16 For loe, I will raise up a shepheard in the land, which shall not visite those that be cut off, neither shall seeke the young one, nor heale that that is broken, nor feede that that standeth still: but he shall eate the flesh of the fat, and teare the clawes in peeces.And this shall fore-signifie unto them, that I will give way to a shepheard, not more foolish then wicked, to arise in my Church; even the Antichrist of the latter times; who shall cast off all care of my flocke; either of seeking the strayed, or fetching in the weake and tender ones, or healing the broken, or carrying the lame and impotent; but contrarily, he shall persecute my Church, and make a prey thereof; feeding himselfe fat, with the rich meanes, which he shall take from the great, and mighty; and cruelly tyrannizing over the weake, with extreame violence; smiting, and wounding them, that they may be disabled to stand up against him.

17 Woe to the idoll shepheard, that leaveth the flocke: the sword shall bee upon his arme, and upon his right eye; his arme shal be quite dryed up, and his right eye shall bee utterly darkened.But, woe be to that false pastor, which onelyonly carries the name and semblance of an Evangelicall shepheard, who leaveth the flocke to be wasted and spoiled; the just revenge of God shall be, both upon the power, and policie of that man of sinne, his power shall be abated, and utterly weakned, by the breath of the mouth of God; and his craft & policy shall, at the last, end in disappointment, and confusion.

CAP. XII.

1 The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel saith.THe heavie message which God sends to the world, in the favour and behalfe of his Church; Thus saith, &c.

2 Behold, I will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Iudah▪ and against Ierusalem.Behold I will make my Church to be unto all the enemies thereof, as an intoxicating cup; which they shall no sooner offer to touch, by a wilfull siege, or opposition but they shall be either giddy, or senselesse.

3 And in that day will I make Ierusalem a burden some stone for all people, all that burden themselves with it, shall bee cut in peeces: though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.And in that day will I make my Church as some weighty, and unweildy stone; which when the enemies thereof shall lift at, and strive to raise it up, it shall fall p. 611upon them, and crush them in peeces, Yea, though all the people of the earth should joyne their forces together to remove it, yet they should mis-carry under the burden.

The malicious world may combine together against my Church, but it shall not prevaile,4 In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, & his rider with madnes, and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Iudah. I will defeat all their hostile attempts; their horses of warre will I smite with astonishment, and their riders with stupidity, and senslesnesse; and I will looke downe graciously upon my Church, for their deliverance and preservation, &c.

And the governours of my people shall say,5 And the governours of Iudah shall say in their heart, the inhabitants of Ierusalem shall bee my strength, in the Lord of hosts their God. in their heart; There is al sufficient strength, and safegard to mee, and to all the true members of the Church of Christ, in the Lord of hosts, our God, so as wee need not feare what man can doe unto us.

Yea,6 In that day will I make the governours of Iudah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheafe, and they shall devoure all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Ierusalem shall be inhabited againe in her owne place, even in Ierusalem. I will not only give a defensive power to my people, but will make them prevalent, and victorious over their enemies, so as I will cause the governours of my Church to be as coales on the hearth, whiles their enemies are as a fagot laid thereupon; or, to be as a torch of fire, in their enemies sheafe; which shall soone consume them to ashes, and my Church shall continue it selfe in despight of all opposition; and the gates of hell shall never be able to prevaile against it.

The Lord shall save first those that are of the villages of Judah; that is, the weakest of his people,7 The Lord also shall save the tents of Iudah first, that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitants of Ierusalem do not magnifie themselves against Iudah. and those of the out-skirts of his Church; that the glory of the more noble and couragious champions of Christ may not magnifie it selfe, over the feeble and obscure, but that all may ascribe their salvation to the Lord.

He that is weake in himselfe,8 And he that is feeble among them, at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the Angell of the Lord before them. shall bee as strong as David, (who overcame the beare, and the lion, and the Philistim) in the power of his God; and those that are eminent in this holy profession of Christianity, shall bee as the Angells of God, invincible, and able to doe all things, through him that strengthens them.

And I will powre out upon my Church,20 And I will powre upon the house of David, & upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications, and they shall looke upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourne for him, as one that mourneth for his onelyonly sonne. (beginning at Jerusalem and Zion) a great and apparent measure of my Spirit; and, besides those common gifts, I will indue them with the sanctifying graces of my Spirit, and with the spirit of prayer, and supplication; and they shall, by a lively faith, look up to me their Saviour and redeemer, whom they have pierced upon the crosse; and they shall mourn for that violence which was offered to the Lord of life, dying for them, even as one mourneth for his only sonne, &c.

p. 61211 In that day shall there be great mourning in Ierusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.In that day, wherein the Messiah shall suffer, there shall bee great mourning, both in Jerusalem, and in all the tribes of Israel; all those many disciples of Christ, whom he shall have won by his wonderfull miracles, and heavenly doctrine, shall mourne, and lament, even like as the Jewes mourned for the death of Josiah, in the valley of Megiddon.

12 And the land shall mourne, every family apart, the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart.And all that beleeved in him, throughout all Judea, and Samaria, and Galilee, shall take up a solemne mourning for the death of him, from whom they expected the redemption of Israel; the family of the house of David apart, as that which shall be more nearely interessed in him, by consanguinity, and kindred, &c.

CAP. XIII.

1 In that day there shal be a fountaine opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem, for sinne, and for uncleannesse.IN that day of the passion of the sonne of God, there shall be a fountaine opened, even in the side of that blessed redeemer, which shall flow forth, for the cleansing of all penitent, and true beleevers, from all their sinnes, and all their spirituall uncleannesses; that precious blood, which shall issue thence, shall bee an al-sufficient laver for all repentant, and faithfull soules.

2 And it shall come to passe, in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the Idolls out of the land, and they shall no more bee remembred, and also I will cause the Prophets, and the uncleane spirit to passe out of the land.That grosse Idolatry, wherewith the world was infected, shall now cease; and the very names and mention of those Pagan Idols shall be forgetten; and the oracles, whereto they resorted in all their doubts, shall cease; and those Prophets, and Priests, which attended upon the uncleane spirits (who were agents in these wicked delusions) shall be cut off.

3 And it shall come to passe, that when any shall yet prophecy, then his father and his mother that begat him, shall say unto him, thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies, in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him, shall thrust him through when he prophecieth.And if any false Prophet shall yet take upon him to use these wicked divinatiōs; his very parents that begat, and bore him, shall rise up against him, and out of their detestation of his sin, shall be both his accusers, and his executioners; so shall the zeale of Gods glory prevaile with them above all naturall respects.

4 And it shall come to passe in that day, that the Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophecied; neither shall they weare a rough garment to deceive.And the false teachers, which shall arise in the Church shall be convinced of their errors; & so laid open by the light of the Gospell, that they shall not any more, under p. 613colourable pretences, deceive Gods people.

But contrarily,5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman: for man taught me to keepe cattell from my youth. the false teacher shall be confounded in himselfe; and be forced to confesse that he hath erred; and that God hath not given him any warrant for the broching of his erronious doctrines, or any lawfull calling in his Church; but that his education and breeding hath beene in another way, even in secular imployments from his youth.6 And one shall say unto him, what are these wounds in thine hands? then he shall answere, those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

And when one shall say unto him; what are these grievous censures that are inflicted upon thee? Then, he shall answer? These are just censures, wherewith I was branded in the holy Church of God, by them which did seriously and lovingly seeke my conversion.

O thou, my sword of affliction, awake, arise,7 Awake O sword against my shepheard, and against the man, that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts; smite the shephard and the sheepe shall bee scattered, and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones. and lay about thee; smite him that is nearest and dearest unto me; even him that is my coequall, and coetrnall Son, the image of me the invisible God, saith the Lord of hosts; smite thou this great shepheard of my Church, and his sheep, (.i. his disciples, and followers) shall be scattered; and shall both forsake him, and be severed from each other; for, even against those disciples also (as well as against their master) will I stirre up enmitie, and opposition in the world.

And, it shall come to passe,8 And it shall come to passe, that in the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off, and die; but the third shall be left therein. that if Judea be divided into three parts, equally; two of those three shall die, and miscary under the great judgements which I will bring upon the land, for this murder of the Lord of life; and onelyonly the third part shall be left alive.

And that third part, which shall bee left alive,9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined. shall passe under many fiery tryalls of grevious afflictions, wherewith they shall be refined, as silver is refined, &c.

CAP. XIV.

BEhold then, O Judea, and Jerusalem,1 Behold the day of the Lord commeth and thy spoile shall bee divided in the midst of thee. the day of the Lords vengeance commeth; the Romans shall divide thy spoiles in the midst of thee.

For I will gather an armie of all nations,2 For I will gather all nations against Ierusalem, to battell, and the citie shall be taken. brought together against thee, by the Romans; and Jerusalem shall be taken, &c.

OnelyOnly, a remnant (viz. the third part) of the people,3 Then shall the Lord goe forth and fight against those nations, as when hee fought in the day of battle. have I reserved, which shall not be cut off with the rest, p. 614but shall still continue the name of my Church and people.

4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Ierusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east, and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley, and halfe of the mountaine shall remove toward the North, and halfe of it toward the South.After this, the Lord Christ shall in a terrible manner come to judgement; when he shal descend downe to the earth, the mountaines shall bee cloven in sunder before him, in a fearfull motion at his appearance: even the mount of Olives (where he set his last foot-step upon earth) shall be divided in the midst, to the East, and to the West, and there shall be a great valley betwixt these two halves, thus dissevered; whereof one halfe shall be falne to the North-ward; and the other halfe to the South.

5 And yee shall flee to the valley of the mountaines: for the valley of the mountaines shall reach unto Azal; yea, ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earth-quake in the daies of Vzziah King of Iudah, and the Lord my God shall come, and all the Saints with thee.And yee shall flee through this new valley, which is made by this division of the mountaine, for it shall bee very large, and reacheth farre, yee shall flee away in great feare, and astonishment, like as ye fled from before that terrible earth-quake, which was in the daies of Uzziah; & the Lord my God shall then come in glory, together with all his Saints, and Angels.

6 And it shall come to passe in that day, that the light shal not be cleare, nor darke.And it shall come to passe in that day, that there shall not be a vicissitude, or interchange of light and darkenesse.

7 But it shall bee one day, which shall be known unto the Lord, not day nor night, but it shall come to passe that at evening time it shall be light.But it shall be perpetually lightsome, as one continued day, which the Lord shall make to hold for ever; without this variety of sun-shine, and darknesse; so as when by the wonted naturall course of time, it should be evening, it shall then be as bright as at the high noone.

8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall goe out from Ierusalem, halfe of them toward the former sea, and halfe of them toward the hinder sea, in summer and in winter shall it be.And in that day, the waters of life, and everlasting refreshing, shall flow forth from the midst of the heavenly Jerusalem, to all the Saints of God, every where, without all stoppe and intermission.

9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.And the Lord shall be King over all the earth, having subdued all his enemies, there shall then be none, that shall make head against him, but all shall adore him, as their only Lord and God.

10 All the land shall be turned as a plaine from Geba to Rimmon, south of Ierusalem, and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited, in her place: from Benjamins gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananiel, unto the Kings wine presses.All things shall be then made even, and smooth in the whole Church of God; and there shall bee infinite store of eternall mansions, prepared for all the elect of p. 615God; even as if (in type thereof) the whole coast about the materiall Jerusalem should bee leveled, and stately built, and populously inhabited.

So also verse 11.

Such shall bee the day, and the issue of the last judgement;12 And this shall bee the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people, that have fought against Ierusalem. but, in the meane time also, God will punish the enemies of his chosen; even all those that fight against his Church shall have visible judgements inflicted upon them, &c.

Neither shall God onelyonly punish them with his owne immediate hand,13 And it shall come to passe in that day, that a great tumult frō the Lord shall be among them, and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall raise up against the hand of his neighbour. but he shall cause thē to be the executioners of each other, in those civill tumults, which they shall raise up amongst themselves.

And, even the Jewes themselves shall be the first that shall fight against this spirituall Jerusalem,14 And Iudah also shal fight at Ierusalem, and the wealth of all the heathen round about shal be gathered together, gold and silver, and apparell in great abundance. the Church of Christ; and together with them, all the heathens round about shall oppugne it; and make use of all their power, and riches for the suppressing of it.

But they shall not prevaile; for both they,15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camell, and of the asse, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents as this plague. and all their substance, and might shall mis-carry; and the punishing hand of God shall fall heavily both upon them, and their assistants in this evill quarrell; they shall be all enwraped in the same common destruction.

And it shall come to passe, that those,16 And it shall come to passe, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Ierusalem, shall even goe up from yeare to yeare to worship the King the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles. which are left alive of the nations, (which made opposition to the Gospell of Christ) shall humbly, and gladly submit themselves to the worship, and service of God their Saviour; and shall cheerfully joyne themselves to his Church, in the religious adoration of him, upon all occasions.

Those,17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Ierusalem, to worship the King the the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no raine. who wilfully refuse to joyne themselves to the Church of God, under the Gospell, from them will God sensibly withhold his blessings, even his seasonable raines, and the plentifull increase of the earth.

And if those of Aegypt,18 And if the family of Aegypt goe not up, and come not that have no raine, there shall bee the plague wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen, that come not up to keep the feast of Tabernacles. which have ordinarily no raine (being supplied by the fruitfull waters of Nilus) p. 616shall forbeare, and refuse to joyne in the service of God with the rest of his Church, they shall be no lesse plagued with drought, and scarcity, than the other nations that depend upon the moisture that descends from above.

20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holinesse unto the Lord, and the pots in the Lords house shall bee like the bowles before the altar.In that day there shall bee so generall and happy a peace, that there shall be no need of horses of warre; but the bells wherewith those horses were wont to be adorned, shall be consecrated to the Lord, and converted to the holy use of the Temple; and there shall be such store of offerings, on all hands, as that the pots of the Temple which are for the use of the sacrifice, shall be as frequent, as the small bowles that stand before the altar.

Yea, such exceeding store shall there be of sacrifices, as that all the pots in Jerusalem and Juda,21 Yea every pot in Ierusalem and in Iudah shall be holinesse unto the Lord of hosts, and all they that sacrifice, shall come & take of them, & seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts. shall bee put to this holy imployment; In a type that every one that is a true Israelite shall offer up himselfe a living sacrifice to God, and shall present unto God, liberall gifts, and thankfull oblations for the maintenance of his Church, and service; and there shall no impure person, nor stranger from the common wealth of Israel bee admitted to challenge a place in the holy Church of God.