John Trapp on Haggai 2:4

Verſe 4. Yet now be ſtrong O Zerubbabel &c.] Here he exhorteth all ranks, firſt to good Affection, Be ſtrong or of a good courage: Secondly to good Action, Work, or Be doing: for affection without action is like Rachel, beautifull, but barren.Charach unde [non-Latin text not transcribed] valeo. Sept. vertunt. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Be ſtrong ſo as to prevaile and carry on the ſervice, all diſcouragements notwithſtanding. Thoſe that will ſerve God in the maintenance of good cauſes muſt be couragious and reſolute 1 Cor. 16.13. For otherwiſe, they ſhall never be able to withſtand the oppoſition that will be made either from carnall reaſon within, or the World and Devill without, for want of this ſpirituall mettle, this ſupernaturall ſtrength, this ſpirit of power, of love, and of a ſound mind, 2 Tim. 4.7. oppoſed to the ſpirit of feare that cowardly paſſion that unmans us, and expectorateth and expoſeth us to ſundry both ſins and ſnares: when he that truſteth in the Lord ſhall be ſafe Prov. 29.25. Here then that we faulter not, budge not, betray not the cauſe of God, nor come under his heavie diſpleaſure, who equally hateth the timerous and the treacherous; let us 1. Be armed with true faith: for, Fides famem non formidat, faith quelleth and killeth diſtruſtfull feare. 2. Get the heart fraught with the true feare of God: for as one fire, ſo one feare drives out another Mat. 10.28. 1 Pet. 3.13, 14. 1. Get and keep a clearing, chearing conſcience: for that feareth no colours, as we ſee in St. Paul, Athanaſius, Luther, Latimer, and other holy Martyrs and Confeſſours. 4. Think on Gods preſence, as here, Be ſtrong, and be doing, for I am with you. Though David walk thorough the vale of the ſhadow of death, that is of death in its moſt hideous and horrid repreſentations, he will not feare: For why? thou art with me, ſaith He, Pſal. 23.3, 4. Dogs and other creatures will fight ſtoutly in their Maſters preſence. 5. Conſider your high and heavenly calling and ſay,Et Turnum fugieutem haec terra videbit? Virg. Shall ſuch a man as I fly &c? Either change thy name, or be valiant, ſaith Alexander to a ſouldier of his that was of his own name, but a coward. Laſtly look up, as St. Steven did, to the recompence of reward, ſteale a look from glory, as Moſes Heb. 11.26. help your ſelves over. the difficulty of ſuffering together with Chriſt, by conſidering the happineſſe of raigning together. Thus be of good courage, or deale couragiouſly, and God ſhall be with the good, 2 Chro. 19. vlt. as Iehoſaphat told his Judges when to go their circuit.

and work] Good affections muſt end in good actions, elſe they are ſcarce ſound, but much to be ſuſpected.Num. 23.10. Ruth. 1. Good wiſhes (and no more) may be found in hels mouth Num. 23. Orphah had good affections, but they came to nothing. God muſt be entreated to fix our quick-ſilver to ballaſt our lightneſſe, to work in us both to will and to doe, that it may be ſaid of us, as of thoſe Corinthians, that as there was in them a readineſſe to will, ſo there followed the performance alſo. 2 Cor. 8.12. Deſire and Zeal are ſet together, 2 Cor. 7.11. deſire after the ſincere milk, and grouth in grace 1 Pet. 2.2. John Baptiſts hearers ſo deſired after heaven, that they offered violence to it Mat. 11. True affections are the breathings of a broken heart, Acts 2.37. Rom. 7.23. But the deſires of the ſlothful kill him, Prov. 21.25. Virtutem exoptat contabeſcitque relictâ, Good affections are ill beſtowed upon the ſluggard, ſith they boyl not up to the full heat and height of reſolution for God, or,Perſ. at leaſt, of execution of his will. The ſailes of a ſhip are not ordained, that ſhee ſhould lie alwaies at rode, but launch out into the deep. God likes not qualmy Chriſtians, good by fits, as Saul ſeemed to be when Davids innocency triumphed in his conſcience, or as Ephraim, whoſe duties were dough-baked, and whoſe goodneſſe was as the morning-dew &c. Be ye ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, 1 Cor. 15. [illegible: 1 word]. always abounding in the work of the Lord. Stick not at any part of it: difficulty doth but whet on Heroick Spirits as a boule that runs down hill is not ſlugged, but quickened by a rub in the way. If this be to be vile, Ile be yet more vile, 1 Sam. 6.22. who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou ſhalt become a plain. Zach. 4.7. And hee ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee: for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe. 2 Cor. 12.9.

For I am with you ſaith the Lord of hoſts] By a twofold preſence. 1. Of help and aſſiſtance. 2. Of love and acceptance. Of the firſt, ſee chap. 1. verſe 13. with the note there. The ſecond ſeems here intended. The Jews were poore, yet God aſſureth them they had his love. So had the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2.9. I know thy poverty, but thats nothing, thou art rich, rich in reverſion, rich in bils and bonds: yea rich in poſſeſſion, or All is theirs, they hold all in capite: they have 1. plenty. 2. propriety in things of greateſt price: for they have God All-ſufficient for their portion, for their protection, I am with you, ſaith he, and that's enough, that's able to counterpoiſe any defect whatſoever, as we ſee in David often, but eſpecially at the ſack of Ziklag; where when he had loſt all, and his life alſo was in ſuſpence, the Text ſaith, he comforted or encouraged himſelfe in the Lord his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. whereas Saul in like caſe, goes firſt to the witch, and then to the ſwords point: A godly man, if any occaſion of diſcontent befals him, retires himſelfe into his countinghouſe, and there tells over his ſpiritual treaſure: he runs to his cordials, he reviews his white ſtone, his new name (better then that of ſonnes and of daughters, Iſay 56.5.)Rev. 2.17. he hath meat to eat that the world knoweth not of, the ſtranger meddleth not with his joy. Virtus lecythos habet in malis. Tua praeſeutia, Domine, Laurentio ipſam craticulam dulcem fecit, ſaith a Father, Thy preſence O Lord made the very gridiron ſweet to the martyr Laurence. It made the fiery furnace a gallery of pleaſure to the three worthies, the lions den an houſe of defence to Daniel, the whales belly a lodging-chamber to Jonas, Egypt an harbour, a ſanctuary to the child Jeſus &c. He goes with his into the fire and water, as a tender father goeth with his child to the Surgeon. Nevertheleſſe, ſaith David, I am continually with thee, thou haſt holden me by my right hand. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel: and afterwards receive me to glory. Again, I am with you; that is, I will accept your worſhips,Pſal. 73.23, 24. though in this meaner temple. If God may have the ſubſtance of worſhip, hee ſtands not much upon the circumſtance. The ſick may pray upon their beds, the perſecuted in chambers, Acts 1. yea in dens and caves of the earth, Heb. 11.38. The Church in Queen Maries dayes met and prayed oft together in a cellar in Bow-church-yard. It was one of the laws of the twelve tables in Rome, Ad divos adeunto caſtè, pietatem adhibento, Act. & Mon. opes amovento. Sacrifice and Offering thou didſt not deſire (viz. in compariſon of obedience, 1 Sam. 15.22.) but as a better thing, mine ears haſt thou opened, Pſal. 40.6. Hypocrites by cold ceremonies think to appeaſe God, they obſerve the circumſtance, neglect the ſubſtance, they ſtick in the bark of religion, gnabble on the ſhel, offer the skin, keep back the fleſh, ſerve God with ſhewes; & ſhall be ſerved accordingly.