John Trapp on Habakkuk 2:1

CHAP. II.

Verſe 1. I will ſtand upon my watch] To ſee what becomes of my prayer, and what will be the iſſue of my doubts and temptations about Gods providence, ruling the affaires of the world. See the Note on chap. 1.17. There are ſpaces betwixt our prayers, and Gods anſwers. God harkens what Habacuc ſpeakes: and Habacuc muſt harken another while what God ſpeakes. This he had learned of David Pſal. 85.8. Prayer is a Chriſtians angel, ſeed, dove, meſſenger: and muſt be looked after. Who ſhootes an arrow, or caſts a boule, and takes not notice where it lights? They that obſerve not the anſwer of their prayers, do as ſcoffing Pilate, who asked in ſcorn of Chriſt what's truth? but ſtaid not for an anſwer.

and ſet me upon the tower] Heb: ſet me firme and faſt (as a Champion that will keep his ground) upon the tower or fortreſſe of divine meditation, upon Gods word,Neſcio quomodo imbecillior eſt medicina quam morbus. which alone hath virtutem pacativam a ſettling property to compoſe the ſoule when diſtempered, and to lodge a bleſſed calme, a ſabbath of reſt in it, far above all Philoſophicall Conſolations: whereunto when Cicero had aſcribed very much, yet he is forced to conclude, that the diſeaſe was too hard for the medicine. And this well appeared both in Socrates who died doubtingly; and Cato, who deſperately ſlew himſelf, after he had firſt read Plato's diſcourſe concerning the immortality of the ſoule. So fooliſh a thing it is, to flie in diſtreſſe of mind ad conſolatiunculas creaturulae, as Luther ſpeaketh: and not to run to the Name of the Lord, that ſtrong tower Prov. 18.10. R. Kimchi reades the text thus, I have ſet me in a circle q. d. I will not out, till I have an anſwer, why thou deferreſt to puniſh the wicked.

and will watch to ſee what he will ſay unto me] Or, in me, viz. by a Prophetick ſpirit by internall revelation. 2 Sam. 23.1. Zach. 1.9. and 2.2. Preachers muſt ſtill hearken what the Lord God ſaith unto them, and in them; ſpeaking as the oracles of God 2 Pet. 4.11. and able to ſay with St. Paul, I have received of the Lord that which alſo I deliver unto you 1 Cor. 11.23. For, ut drachmam auri ſine imagine Principis, ſic verba Praedicantis ſine authoritate Dei, contemnunt homines ſaith Lipſius. Bring ſcripture, or elſe you do but throw forth words without wiſdome, and to little purpoſe, becauſe they come not Cumprivilegio.

and what I ſhall anſwer, when I am reprooved] Heb: upon my reproof or arguing. Increpationis nomine tentationes intelligit, ſaith Gualther. Under the name of reproof, he underſtandeth thoſe temptations whereby his faith was aſſaulted, when he ſaw bad men proſper, good men ſuffer. Satan and the world do uſually ſet upon Gods ſervants with this weapon to unſettle their faith, and to make them fall from their own ſtedfaſtneſſe. Doſt thou ſtill retain thine integrity? ſaid Jobs wife to him. Seeſt thou not how little good there is to be got by Gods ſervice? that all things are in a huddle here below, that they run on wheeles, and have no certain courſe? Thus the devill and his imps ſuggeſt to the godly, and thereby greatly diſquiet them: ſetting their thoughts all on an hurricomb. It was the caſe of David Pſa. 73. of Jeremy chap. 12.1.5. Of Baſil under the heat of the Arrian perſecution, An Eccleſias ſuas prorſus dereliquit Dominus? ſaith He; what? hath the Lord caſt off all care of his churches? Is it now the laſt houre? &c. Of many good people in Salvians time, for whoſe ſatisfaction he was forced to write thoſe eight excellent bookes De Gubernatione Dei; as likewiſe Auſtin (upon a like occaſion) did thoſe two and twenty elaborate bookes De Civitate Dei: and as the Prophet Habacuc here doth the following viſion which he had for ſome time waited for, and now receiveth as a gracious anſwer to his prayer chap. 1. for his own and others ſettlement, in the doctrine of Divine Providence.