John Trapp on Haggai 1:5

Verſe 5. Now therefore thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts] Haggai was but a yong man, ſaith Epiphanius: Now therefore, leſt any one that heard him, ſhould deſpiſe his youth, and ſlight his doctrine, he ſhews his authority, he comes to them cum priviligio, he delivers not the conceptions of his own brain, but the Word and mind of God. For as Chryſoſtom ſaith of St. Paul, ſo may we ſay of all the reſt of the pen men of the Holy Scripture, Cor Pauli eſt cor Chriſti, their heart is Chriſts own heart: and their words are to be received, reverenced and ruminated, not as the words of mortal men, but (as they are indeed) the words of the everliving God, 1 Theſ. 2.13.Greg. in Reg 3 Excellently ſpake he who called the Scripture Cor & animam Dei, the heart and ſoul of God. It is, every whit of it, divinely inſpired, or breathed by God, ſaith the Apoſtle, and is profitable both for reproof, and for inſtruction in righteouſneſſe. 2 Tim. 3.16. See an inſtance hereof in this Text, together with the Prophets rhetorical artifice in firſt chiding, and now directing them to reprove, and not withal to inſtruct, is to ſnuffe the lamp, but not powre in oyle, that may feed it.

conſider your wayes] Heb. ſet your hearts upon them, diligently recogitate, and recognize your evil doings; and ſo ſhall ye ſoon find out the cauſe of your calamity, Judge your ſelves, ſo ſhall ye not be judged of the Lord, accept of the puntſhment of your iniquity: ſo iniquity ſhall not be your ruine: your ruth, but not your rums. Capite conſilium ex rebus ipſis, velexperiment is Learn at leaſt by the things ye have ſuffered: Let experience the miſtriſſe of fooles, reduce you to a right mind. Lay to heart your manifold miſeries, thoſe [non-Latin text not transcribed] as one calleth them, Free Schoolmaſters, curſt enough and crabbed, but ſuch as whereby God openeth mens ears to diſcipline, and eyes to obſervation of his works, and their own wayes;Job. 36.8, 9, 10. according to that of Ezechiel, chap. 40.4. Son of man behold with thine eye, and hear with thine ears, and ſet thy heart upon all that I ſhall ſhew thee &c. the ſenſes muſt be exerciſed that the heart may be affected with the word, and works of God; according to that mine cye affecteth my heart, Lam. 3.51. and Solomon gat much of his wiſedom by obſervation, as appeareth by his Eccleſiaſtes which ſome have not unfitly called Solomons Soliloquy. It is but little that can be learn'd in this life, without due and deep Conſideration: which is nothing elſe but an act of the Practical underſtanding, whereby it reflects and ſtaies upon its own intentions: and, comparing them with the rule, it proceeds to lay a command upon the will and Affections to put them in execution. Thus David conſidered his wayes, and finding all out of order, he turned his feet to Gods teſtimonies, Pſal. 119.59. And, to ſtill Gods enemies, Pſal. 4.4. he bids them commune with their own hearts and be ſtill, or make a pauſe, viz. till they have brought their conſideration to ſome good upſhot and concluſion. For when conſideration hath ſoundly enlightened a mans mind, informed his judgement according to that light (that candle held to his mind) and determined is will according to that judgement, it muſt needs bring forth ſound reſolutions, purpoſes and practiſes; as it did in the Ninivites, Ephraim, Ier. 31.19. Ioſiah, 2 Chron. 34.27. the Prodigal, Luke 15. the Church in Hoſea, chap. 2.6.7. She conſidered ſhe was croſſed and hedg'd in with afflictions, and reſolveth to return to her firſt husband. The contrary inconſiderateneſſe is complained of as a publique miſchief. Ier. 6.8. and 8.6. and 12.11. They have laid it waſte: and being waſte it mourneth unto me: The whole land lieth waſle, becauſe no man layeth it to heart, that is, conſidereth deeply of the cauſe of its deſolation. Without this, though a man had all poſlible knowledge lockt up in his brain and breaſt, it would be but as rain in the middle region, where it doth no good; as the horn in the Unicorns head, where it helps no diſeaſe; or as fire in a flintſtone inſenſible and unprofitable, till beaten out by ſound conſideration: This makes knowledge to become expreimental, as Pſal. 116.6. and Rom. 8.1, 2, this is to follow on to know the Lord. Hoſ. 6.3. as without this, mens knowledge is but a flaſh, and may end in ignorance and profaneneſſe: becauſe never formed and ſeated in their hearts, never diſgeſted by due meditation and application to their own conſciences.