John Trapp on Zechariah 1:3

Verſe 3. Therefore ſay thou unto them] Theſe Jewes, ſaith Cyrill, had neither ſeen their fathers wickedneſſes, nor heeded their calamities. mittitur ergo ad cos Zacharias quaſi paedagogus, Zachary therefore is ſent unto them as a ſchoolmaſter or Monitour: that by conſidering what had been, they might prevent what otherwiſe would be: and redeem their own ſorrowes.

thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts] A farr greater Lord and Potentate then that great King of Perſia, who was now their ſoveraigne. True it is that they had been commanded by a former King to deſiſt from building the city Ezr. 4.12, 21. But there was no one word in that letter to forbid the building of the Temple. There was alſo now another King ſet up, and of another family. They are therefore by this Prophet and by Haggai called upon again and again to turn to the Lord, and to return afreſh to their work Ezra 5.1. Wherein, becauſe they were ſure to meet with many enemies, therefore here and elſewhere (eighteen ſeverall times in that eight chapter) there is frequent mention made of the Lord of Hoſts, for their better encouragement. See the Note on Mal. 3.17.

turn ye unto me, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts] This is the great Doctrine of the Old Teſtament: as Repent ye, is of the New. And this He purpoſely prefixeth, as a preface and preparative to the other Propheſies both of Mercies and Judgements, whereof the whole is fitly made up. Sowr and ſweet make the beſt ſauce. Promiſes and Menaces mixt, make the moſt fruitſull diſcourſe: and ſerve to keep the heart in the beſt temper. Hence Davids ditty was compoſed of diſcords, Pſal. 101.1. I will ſing of mercy and judgment, and ſo be both merry and wiſe. But, to the words of the Text;

turn ye unto me &c.] By ſin men run away from God (whereby it appeareth that ſin is the greateſt evill, becauſe it ſets us furtheſt off from the greateſt good) and by repentance they return unto him. Deut. 30.2, 8, 9, 10. Mal. 3.7. Ier. 4.1. Hoſ. 14.1. Act. 26.18. Hence Act, 3.19. Repent and be converted. Contrition is repentance for ſin 2 Cor. 12.21. Rev. 9.20. Converſion is repentance from ſin Act. 8.22. Heb. 6.1. Hereunto is required firſt a ſerious ſearch of our wayes (for it is a Metaphor taken from a traveller) Let us ſearch and try our wayes and turn againe to the Lord Lam. 3.39. I conſidered my wayes, and then (ſeeing my ſelf farr wide) I turned my feet to thy Teſtimonies. Pſal. 119.59. Satius eſt recurrere, quam malè currere, ſaid that Emperour in his ſymbol, It is better to ſtop or ſtep back, then run on, when out of the way: for here he that haſteth with his feet ſinneth Prov. 19.2. the faſter he runs, the farther he is out. But as the deceived traveller (when once he finds his errour) in his judgement he diſlikcth it, in his will he turneth from it, in his affections he grieveth at it, and is angry with his falſe guides, with his utmoſt endeavour he not only turns againe to the right way, but makes the more haſt that he be not benighted: So is it here, David not only turned his feet to Gods [illegible: 1 letter]eſtimonies, from which he had ſwarved, but he thenceforth made haſt and delayed not to keep his commandements Pſal. 119.59, 60. For, this true converſion we are ſpeaking of, this repentance never to be repented of, is an upright, earneſt and conſtant endeavour of an entire change of the whole man from all that is evill to all which is good. This is the doctrine of the Goſpell, Tit. 2.11. and this is all the fruit Iſaey 27.9. To turn from one ſin to another, is but to be toſſed from one hand of the devill to the other: it is but with Benhadad to recover of one diſeaſe, and dye of another: it is but to take paines to go to hell. See this in Saul, Iohn, Herod, Agrippa, and others, who gave but the half turn: turned not from Eaſt to Weſt, but from Eaſt to North onely: their change was not eſſentiall but only graduall: it is not a through change for ſubject and object, but partiall and temporall, as being but morall, or formall, or merely mentall. It proceedes from conviction of judgement onely, and not for averſion of will: from horrour of puniſhment, not from hatred of ſin; which they leave (haply) but loath not: leave it, I ſay, for the inconveniences that follow it, for the fire that is in it, not for the filthineſſe that is in it. Now all theſe ſeeming Converts, becauſe they caſt not away all their tranſgreſſions (All is a little word, but of large extent) are therefore to be reckoned among thoſe fooles of the people that paſſe on and are puniſhed, thoſe enemies of God that inſtead of turning againe (turning ſhort againe upon themſelves with the prodigall,Prov. 22.3. and returning to the Lord with Ephraim) go on ſtill in their treſpaſſes till their hairy ſcalp be wounded,Pſal. 68.21. till evident and inevitable judgements be incurred, till iniquity prove to be their utter ruine Ezek. 18.30. Wherefore now Turn ye unto me, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Add not to all your other ſins that of Impenitency, for which there remaines no more ſacrifice (as Herod added to all his former abominations the beheading of the Baptiſt) but Turn you, Turn you, why will ye dye O houſe of Iſrael. And for this, conſider theſe enſuing particulars. 1. Who you are that are required to return: weake and worthleſſe creatures, the ſlime of your fathers loynes, duſt and aſhes, altogether unable to avert or avoid Gods judgements: beaten rebels you are: and have therefore no help left, but to fall down before God and implore his mercy. Turn and live, except ye repent ye ſhall all periſh. 2. Next, ſee who it is to whom ye are required to return: Not to ſome tyrant, or implacable enemy that having gotten us into his hands, will deale cruelly with us, (as the Duke of Alva roſted ſome to death, ſtarved others, and that even after quarter) but to the Lord your God, Hiſt. of Netherl. who is gracious and m[illegible: 1 letter]rcifull, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſſe, and quickly repenteth him of the evill Ioel 2.13. He will ſurely both aſſiſt ſuch as have but a mind to return (why elſe doth he bid us turn, which he knowes we cannot do without him? and why doth he bid us pray to him to Turn us? when we bid our children ask us for this or that, it is becauſe we meane to give it them.) He will alſo accept us with all ſweetneſſe, as he did Ephraim, Ier. 31.19, 20. and the Prodigall Luk 15. The father met him ver. 20. ſo he will doe us Iſay 65.24. The Prodigall came, the Father ran Tantum velis, Baſil. & Deus tibi praeoecurret) he fell on his neck, as Jacob did on his deare Joſephs, he kiſſed him, when one would have thought he ſhould have kicked him,Ambroſ. or killed him rather for his former riotouſneſle. He calleth for the beſt robe, and for the gold-ring, and for the fatted calf. Filsus timet convitium, Pater adornat convivium, Pſal. 88.5. Let us eat and be merry ſaith He, For this my ſon was dead (given up for dead, free among the dead, free of that company) and is alive againe: He was loſt and is found. Of himſelf he leſt his father and ran riot: and yet he is called the loſt ſon, in the beſt ſenſe. Hunger drove the wolf out of the wood: and yet he is accepted, as if not neceſſitated. 3. Thirdly take notice from what you are required to turn. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evill wayes: for why will ye dye, ye houſe of Iſrael? Ezek. 33.11. It is your ſin only that you are to part with, and why ſhould ye be ſo fond of it? if you look upon it, either in the Authour of it, the devill, Ioh. 8.44. Or in the Nature of it, as it is an Offence againſt God (your rightfull Lord, your bountifull Benefactour) and a breach of his Law which is holy, and juſt, and good; Or in the horrid effects of it (as upon other creatures for mans ſake, ſo eſpecially) upon man himſelf, whom Sin hath excluded from the poſſeſſion of the lower paradiſe, and the poſſibility of the higher, into an eternity of all extremities, after many a little hell here afore-hand. Or (laſtly) in the ranſome of it, Chriſts blood and bitter ſufferings, that ſoule of ſufferings which his ſoule then ſuffered when God made our ſins to meet upon him Eſay 53.6. Oh think on theſe things ſadly, ſeriouſly, fixedly and copiouſly, and you will ſoon ſee caule enough to turn to him from whom theſe children of Iſrael had deeply revolred, Iſay 31.6. and were therefore grievouſly plagued, they and their fathers, that they might return to him that ſmote them. Which becauſe they did not, but ſtood ſtouting it out with God (which was their manner from their youth) therefore were the Syrians before, and the Philiſtines behind to devoure Iſrael with open mouth: and for all this his anger was not turned away, but his hand was ſtretched out ſtill Iſay 9.12, 13. Beſides the hinderance and hurt they did to others by ſtanding out: For ifye turn again to the Lord, your brethren ſhall find compaſſion, ſaid Hezekiah to his people, moving them to repent 2 Chr. 30.9. And ſhould not we lend them this friendly help.

and I will turn to you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts] And ſhould not ſuch a favour from ſuch a Lord melt them and make them malleable?Rom. 2.4. Ioel 2. If. 55.7. Mat. 3.3. Pſal. 130.4. Iam. 4.4. Luk[illegible: 1 letter] 15. Should not the goodneſſe of God lead them to repentance? Should they not rent their hearts becauſe God is gracious? return unto him becauſe he will multiply pardon? repent becauſe his kingdome is now at hand? feare him the rather, becauſe with him there is mercy? draw nigh to him, who thus drawes nigh to them? make haſt home with the prodigall, where there is bread enough? Surely nothing worketh ſo much as kindneſſe upon thoſe that are ingenuous. Thoſe Iſraelites at Mizpeh drew water, and powred it forth before the Lord, upon the return of the Ark. There is no mention of their lamenting after the Lord, while he was gone;1 Sam. 7. but when he was returned and ſettled in Kiriath-jearim 1 Sam 7.6.2 Cor. 5.14. Tit. 2.14. David argues from mercy to duty Pſal. 116.8, 9. Ezra from deliverance to obedience chap. 9.13, 14 The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us ſaith Paul, his grace that bringeth ſalvation teacheth us to denyungodlineſſe, and to live up to our principles.Rom. 12.1. I beſeech youby' the mercies of God, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, as not having any more prevailing, more heart-attaching, attracting argument in the world to preſſe them with; I have loved thee with an everlaſting love, therefore with mercy have I drawn thee Ier. 31.3. And againe I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands of love, Hoſ. 11.4. that is, with reaſons and motives of mercy befitting the nature of a man, with rationall motives: to neglect mercy is to ſin againſt humanity: not to convert by kindneſſe, is to receive the grace of God in vaine: nay, it is to heape up wrath againſt the day of wrath. A ſon feeling his fathers love, creepes nearer under his wing. A Saul, ſenſible of Davids curteſy in ſparing him, when he might have ſpilt his blood, was ſtrangely mo[illegible: 2 letters]ified and melted into teares. Shall God offer to turn to us, and we refuſe to turn to him? Shall he beſeech us to be reconciled, and we go on in our animoſities and hoſtilities? Doth he offer to powre out his ſpirit even upon ſcorners, and to make known his words unto them, and all this, that they may turn at his reproof Prov. 1.23? And ſhall they yet turn their backs upon ſuch bleſſed and bleeding embracements? Had God given us but one Prophet, and forty dayes time only to turn unto him (as he dealt by Niniveh that great city) ſurely we ſhould have repented long agone in ſackcloth and aſhes. But how juſtly (alaſſe) may he complaine of us, as he did once of Jezabel Rev. 2.21. I gave them ſpace to repent, but they repented not. I have ſtriven with them by my ſpirit, and wooed them by my word. I have heaped upon them mercies without meaſure: and all to bring them back into mine own boſom. I have alſo ſmitten them with blaſting and mildew, with judgements publike and perſonall: and yet they have not turned unto me ſaith the Lord Am. 4.9. Ah ſinfull nation &c. If any ask, What can we do toward the turning of our ſelves to God? I anſwer:

Firſt you muſt be ſenſible of your own utter inability to do any thing at all toward it Ier. 10.23.Btza. Iob, 15.5. Philip. 2.12. Non minus difficile eſt nobis velle credere, quam cadaveri volare. It is no leſſe hard for us to be willing to beleeve, then for a dead carcaſe to fly upwards.

Secondly, know that yet it is poſſible, feiſable, by the uſe of theſe meanes that God hath appointed: who alſo hath promiſed to make it both poſſible and eaſie to us. He bad Moſes fetch his people out of Egypt: but himſelf effected it. He bad the Iſraelites go and blow down the walls of Jericho: they obeyed him, and it was done: So here.

Thirdly as our liberty in externall acts is ſtill ſome, (as to come to the publike ordinances, to ſet our ſelves under the droppings of a powerfull miniſtery, and there to lie, as he did, at the pool of Betheſda, waiting the good houre) ſo muſt our indeavours be anſwerable. The Bereans brought their bodyes to the Aſſembly, took the heads of St. Pauls ſermon, compared them with the ſcriptures Act. 17.11, 12. and yet they were unconverted.

Fourthly, make much of the leaſt beginnings of Grace, even thoſe they call Repreſſing: ſince they prepare the heart for converſion. See Luk. 11.32.

Fiftly, Pray, Turn us O God and we ſhall be turned, Draw us and we ſhall run after thee. And here remember to be earneſt. Ask, ſeek, knock, as the importunate neighbour that came to borrow two loaves, or as the widdow that came for juſtice,Luke 18.1. and would not away without it. He that heareth the young ravens that cry onely by implication, will he be wanting to his weake but willing ſervants?

Laſtly wait for the firſt act of converſion, the infuſion of the ſap of Grace, which is wholy from God; our will prevents it not but followes it: and whenſoever the ſpirit imbreatheth you, turn about, like the mill; when God hath tuned and doth touch you, do you move and make melody: reſigning up your ſelves wholy to him, and putting your ſelves out, God into poſſeſſion. Thus if you turn to him, he will turn to you. The Lord is with you, whiles ye be with him. If ye ſeek him he will be found of you: but if ye forſake him, he will forſake you. 2 Chron. 15.2. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh in this text with ſo much affection and earneſtneſſe: [non-Latin text not transcribed] Heb. 12.25. ſee that ye ſlight him not, that ye ſhift him not of[illegible: 1 letter] (as the word ſignifieth:) for if they eſcaped not who refuſed him that ſpake on earth, much more ſhall not we eſcape, if we turn away from him that thus ſpeaketh from heaven, ſc. by his blood, Word, Sacraments, Mercyes, motions of his ſpirit, croſſes &c. When Phyſick, that ſhould remove the diſeaſe, doth cooperate with it, then death comes with the more paine and ſpeed. The ſtronger the conviction of ſin is, the deeper will be the wrath againſt it, if it be not by repentance avoyded. No ſurfet more dangerous then that of bread: no judgment more terrible then that which growes out of mercy offered, and deſpiſed.