John Trapp on Haggai 2:6

Verſe 6. For thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts] i. e. the three perſons in Trinity, as appeareth by the note on the former verſe. Howbeit the Author to the Hebrews chap. 12.25.26. applyeth the words to Chriſt: whence obſerve, that Chriſt is Lord of hoſts, and God Almighty: even the ſame ſecond perſon that is called haddabhar the Word in the former verſe, is very God. Compare John 1.3. with Col. 1.14.16. and Iohn 1.9. with Iohn 8.12. and Iohn 1.11. with Acts 3.13.14. &c. See thoſe cohaerencies of ſentences, Iohn 9.3.4. and 11.4. and 12.39.40. beſides the Apoſtles argument Heb. 1.4. That one Goſpel written by St. Iohn, who was therefore called the Divine by an excellency (as afterwards Nazianzen alſo was) becauſe he doth profeſſedly aſſert and vindicate the Divinity of Chriſt (ever ſtrongly impugned by the Devill and his agents, thoſe odious Apoſtates and hereticks ancient and moderne: And no wonder, for it is the Rock, Mat. 16.18.) ſetting him forth, 1. as coeſſential to the Father his onely begotten ſonne, Iohn 1.14. One with the Father in eſſence and power, Iohn 10.30.38. and 14.23. 2. As having the incommunicable names and attributes of God Iohn 8.58. and 20.28. Eternity Iohn 1.1. and 17.5. Infiniteneſſe, Iohn 3.13. Omniſcience, Iohn 2.24. and 21.27. 3. As doing the works of God, ſuch as are Creation, Iohn 1.3. Conſervation, Iohn 5.17.3. miracles &c. 4. As taking to himſelfe divine Worſhip, Iohn 9.38. and 20.28. and 14.1. This truth men muſt hold faſt, as their lives, and be rooted in it: getting ſtrong reaſons for what they beleeve. The ſecond ground wanted depth of earth; The ſeed was good, and the earth was good, but there was not enough of it; therefore the heat of the ſun ſcorcht in up. Chriſt is here called the Lord of Hoſts, and the Lord of glory, Iſay 6.1. with John 12.41. Jam. 2.1.

Yet once it is a little while &c.] Adhuc unum puſillum. This little little while, this inch of time, was the better part of five hundred years, viz. Galatin. lib. 4. cap 9, 10. till Chriſt came in the fleſh, Heb. 12.26. the Jew-Doctours ſay no leſſe. A long time to us is but a little while to God. A thouſand years is but as one day to the Ancient of dayes. His Prophets alſo, being lifted up in ſpirit to the conſideration of eternity, count and call all times (as indeed they are in compariſon) moments, and points of time, Punctum eſt quod vivimus, & puncto minus, could the Poet ſay;D. Hall Pea[illegible: 1 letter]m. What is that to the Infinite? ſaid a certain Noble-man of this Land to one, diſcourſing of an incident matter very conſiderable, but was taken off with this quick Interrogation. So ſay we to our ſelves, when under any affliction, we begin to think long of Gods coming to deliver us. What is this to Eternity of extremity, which yet we have deſerved? Tantillum, tantillum, adhuc puſillum. Yet a very little while, and hee that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry: as in the Interim, the juſt muſt live by faith, Heb. 10.37. Gods help ſeems long, becauſe we are ſhort. We are ſhort-breathed, ſhort-ſighted, apt to antedate the promiſes, in regard of the accompliſhment. We alſo oft find it more eaſie to bear evil, then to wait till the promiſed good be enjoyed. Thoſe beleeving Hebrews found by experience, that the ſpoiling of their goods exerciſed their patience: but ſtaying Gods leyſure for the good things he had promiſed them, required more then ordinary patience, or tarriance, Heb. 10.36. Take we heed of preſcribing to the Almighty, of limiting the Holy One of Iſrael, of ſetting him a time, with thoſe Bethulians.

and I will ſhake the heavens] Not the earth onely, as at the giving of the Law, (to purchaſe reverence to the Law-giver) but the heavens alſo: viz, by the powerfull preaching of the Goſpel, whereby Satan was ſeen falling from heaven, Luke 10.18. that is, from mens hearts; and the Saints ſet together in heavenly places, or priviledges in Chriſt Jeſus, Epheſ. 2.6. For he that hath the Son, hath life, hee hath heaven aforehand. 1. In pretio. 2. In promiſſo. 3.1 Joh 5.1[illegible: 1 letter]. In primitiis. Here then the Prophet encourageth theſe builders: telling them that under this ſecond Temple, how mean ſoever it ſeemed, he would firſt ſend Chriſt, (called the Deſire of all Nations, verſ. 7. and Peace, verſ. 9. with Epheſ. 2.14.) to grace it with his preſence. Secondly, he would cauſe the Goſpel to be preached in a pompous and powerfull manner. I will ſhake, &c. Shake them, to ſettle them, not to ruine them, but to refine them, ſhake their hearts with ſenſe of ſin, and fear of wrath, that they may truly ſeek Chriſt. For the Law was given by Moſes, but grace and truth came by Jeſus Chriſt, Joh. 1.17. And the end of this univerſall ſhake, was to ſhew ſaith Chryſoſtome, Hom. 14. in Matth. that the old law was to be changed into the New, Moſes into Meſſias, the Prophets into Evangeliſts, Judaiſme, and Gentiliſme into Chriſtianiſme. When Chriſt was born, we know how Herod was troubled, and all Jeruſalem with him, Matt. 2.3. What a quire of Angels was heard in the air at Bethlehem, and what wondering there was at thoſe things which were told them by the ſhepherds, Luke 2.18. Euſebius tells of three Suns ſeen in heaven not long before his birth. Oroſius tels of many more prodigies. The Pſalmiſt foretelling our Saviours coming in the fleſh, breaks out into this joyfull exclamation; Let the heavens rejoyce, and let the earth be glad: let the ſea roar and the fulneſſe thereof. Let the field be joyfull, and all that is therein: then ſhall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord, for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he ſhall judge the world with righteouſneſſe, and the people with truth, Pſal. 96.11,Lib. 18. de C. D. cap. 48. 12, 13. and Pſal. 98.7, 8, 9. This I know is by ſome (but not ſo properly) underſtood of Chriſts ſecond coming to judgement, And both Auguſtin, and Rupertus conſtrue this text alſo the ſame way. But the whole ſtream of Interpreters, old and new, carry it againſt them: and ſome of them tell us of ſundry ſtrange, and ſtupendious commotions, that fell out even according to the letter, in heaven, earth, and ſea, about the time of Chriſts birth, death, reſurrection, and ſoon after his Aſcenſion, when he rode about the world upon his white horſe, the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſours; with a crown on his head, as King of his Church, and a bowe in his hand, the doctrine of the Goſpel, whereby the people fall under him,Pſal. 45.4. and he went forth conquering and to conquer, Rev. 6.2.