John Trapp on Zephaniah 1

CHAP. I.

Verſe 1. THE word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah] which is (by interpretation) Gods Secretary, or Hidden-one, Pſal. 27.5. and 83.3. Or, as Hierome and ſome others will have it, Gods watchman Ezek. Hebraei Prophetarum patres, quot quot nominatim receſentur, ipſos quo que prophetas fuiſſe dicunt. 3.2. and 33.7. A fit name for a Prophet.

the ſon of Cuſhi, the ſon of Gedaliah &c.] Theſe were, if not Prophets, (as the Jew-Doctours make them) yet men famous in the Church: as were Alexander and Rufus, though they be but mentioned and no more, Mark 15.21.

in the dayes of Joſiah] who rained one and thirty years, but being in his minority, began not to reform religion, much corrupted in the dayes of his idolatrous father Amon, till the eighteenth yeer of his raigne, 2 King. 22.1. and 23.22. whether before or after the Reformation, the word of the Lord came unto Zephaniah, Interpreters agree not. Jeremiah (his contemporary) began not to prophecy till the thirteenth yeer of Joſiah's raigne Ier. 1.1, 2. at what time, (viz. in his twelfth yeer) he had begun to reform with a great deale of zeale, 2 Chron. 34.3. but with all he met with a great deale of oppoſition from the Princes and people who had been wofully hardened and habituated in their idolatry under Manaſſeh and Amon, and therefore with much difficulty drawn off. Zephany and Ieremy were ſingular helps no doubt, to that peereleſſe king in his zealous undertakings for God. But why he ſhould ſend to Huldah the Propheteſſe, rather then to either of them 2 King. 22.13. what other reaſon can be given but that ſhe dwelt in the Colledge at Ieruſalem, and ſo was next at hand? And why He went up againſt Pharaoh Necho, and ſent not firſt to any Prophet to ask their adviſe, what can we ſay but this, that ſometimes both grace and wit are aſleep in the holieſt and warieſt breaſts? and that the beſt of Gods Saints may be ſometimes miſcarried by their paſſion, to their coſt?

Verſe 2. I will utterly conſume all things from off the land] Exordium planè tragicum A tragical beginning of a terrible ſermon. Hard knots muſt have hard wedges; hard hearts, heavy menaces: yea handfuls of hell-fire muſt be caſt into the faces of ſuch, that they may awake out of the ſnare of the devill, by whom they are held captive at his pleaſure. 2 Tim. 2.26. It is in the Hebrew, gathering I will gither all things &c. q. d. g. I will pack up, I will take mine owne, and begone. Converram & convaſabo omnia, I will ſweep away all by the beeſome of my wrath, and leave a clean land behind me, for the ſinnes of thoſe that dwell therein. The doubling of this denunciation Colligendo Colligam importeth the certainty, verity and vehemency thereof.

Saith the Lord] Dictumm Jehovae. You may beleeve it therefore: for every word of his is ſure, and cannot be broken Iohn 10.35. may not be ſlighted or ſhifted off Heb. 12.25.

Verſe 3. I will conſume man and beaſt] Heb. I will gather (as verſe 2.) them, and caſt them away as they do the ſweepings of the houſe. See the word uſed in this ſenſe, Pſal. 26.9. Gather not my ſoul with ſinners &c. God gathereth his people for a better purpoſe: both while they are alive, Pſal. 27.10. and when they dye, Eſay 57.1 The righteous is taken away (Heb. gathered) from the evil to come: as a Shepheard gathereth his ſheep when a ſtorm is coming: or as a maſter of a family doth his jewels, when his houſe is on fire. But as for the wicked, they are gathered too, but it is for ſlaughter, as beaſts in a pound, malefactours in a priſon: and at the laſt day the tares ſhall be gathered and bundled up together for hels Furnace, Mat. 13, 41.42.

I will conſume the fouls of the heaven] Made for mans uſe, to be to him for food, Gen. 9.2. for phyſick and for delight, as companions of his life: hence it is threatned as a judgement to him to looſe them Ier. 4.25. and 10. and here.

An the fiſhes of the Sea] Made likewiſe for mans uſe to feed him, Num. 11.5.22. Luke 24.42. hence the latine piſcis of paſco to feed, and the Hebrew Berechah for a fiſhpoole: the word ſignifieth a bleſſing Gen. 12.2. with Neh. 2.14. Now the Lord here threateneth deſtruction to beaſts, birds, and fiſhes, not by way of Hyperbole, as the Rabbines dreams: but becauſe in common calamities, in warlike tumults, and when God will deſtroy a people indeed, the beaſts alſo are killed up, the foules hunted away, the fiſh-pooles waſted, &c. Let thoſe that will not beleeve this, look into Illyricum, Thracia, Macedonia, Greece, and divers parts of Turky, laid utterly deſolate and empty both of men and other creatures. Hierome upon this text, and likewiſe upon Hoſ. 4. affirmeth the ſame of his native countrey, waſted ſo with Warre, ut, praeter coelum & coenum, & creſcentes vipres & condenſa ſylvarum, cuncta perierint, that beſides ayre and earth, and briars, and forreſts, all was deſtroyed. And that we may not wonder at this ſeveritie of God, hear what the ſame Father ſaith elſwhere of his ungracious countrymen: In mea patria de us Ven er eſt, & in d[illegible: 1 letter]em vivitur, & ſanctior eſt ille qui ditior; In my countrey their belly is their god,Epiſ.ad Chremat. their glory is in their ſhame, they minde earthly things: and ſo their end hath been deſtruction, and utter deſolation, as Phil. 3.19. Gualthers Note here is very good: herein we may obſerve, ſaith he, the judgement of God and his wonderfull providence: that whereas we ſee in populous places, rivers and pooles to abound with fiſh, woods and fields, with birds and beaſts, though they bee continually caught, and carried away: yet where there want men to make uſe of them, there are few or none to be found. For as they were all made for man, ſo when men are conſumed, they alſo are conſumed, as is here threatned. Non ita temerè fieri putemus, &c. Let Gods hand herein be acknowledged, and his anger appeaſed by faith in Chriſt Jeſus and repentance from dead works, that our land may be ſowed with the ſeed of men and of beaſts.

And the ſtumbling-blocks with the wicked] Thoſe Balaams blocks, In lib. Reg. thoſe moments and monuments of idolatry, that ſo much offend God, and cauſe offence and ruine to thoſe that worſhip them, (as Eucherius interpreteth it) who are here called wicked, with an accent, and by a ſpecialty.

And I will cut off man from off the land] Even the better ſort of men too, who ſhall be wrapt up together with the wicked in the common calamity. The good figges as well as the bad are packt to Babylon; but with this difference that God will there ſet his eyes upon the good for good. Ier. 24.6. as the corne is cut down as well as the weeds; but for better purpoſe.

Saith the Lord] who hath ſpoke it twice that you may once well obſerve it, and lay it to heart.

Verſe 4. I will alſo ſtretch out mine hand upon Judah] To whom I have ſo long ſtretcht out my hand in vain to reclaime them. Eſay 65.2. Prov. 1.25. If God do but put forth his hand to afflict, as Satan ſollicited him to doe againſt Job, chap. 1.11. and 2.5. who can abide it? but if he ſtretch it out as here, woe be to thoſe that muſt feele the waight of it. His hand is a mighty hand. 1. Pet. 1.6. the ſame that ſpannes the heavens, and holds the earth as a very little thing Eſay. 40. Lord, ſaith David (who had felt it in part) who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, ſo is thy wrath. q. d. Let a man fear thee never ſo much, he is ſure to feele thee much more who falleth under the ſtroke of thine heavy hand. Oh keep out of his fingers, who can cruſh us to death before the moth, Job. 4.19.

And upon all the inhabitants of Jeruſalem] who are therefore worſe then others becauſe they ſhould be better: and ſhall fare the worſe for their external priviledges wherein they glory.

And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place] That which remained ſince Joſia's reformation 2 King. 23.3.4.5. ſaith Diodate ſhall a Nation be born at once Eſay 66.8.?

And the name of the Chemarims) Baals chimney-chaplaines, They are tranſlated idolatrous prieſts, 1 Chron. 23.5. But becauſe we find them here mentioned as diſtinct from the Prieſts, therefore many Expoſitores hold that they were certain Miniſters of their idolatry different from the prieſts; ſuch as the Monks are among the Papiſts. The vulgar rendereth it Aedituos Underlings to the other Prieſts: Elias in Tijby ſaith they were ſuch as were ſhut up in cloiſters, Chemarim Atrati thy are called, either from their black garments, or becauſe they were ſmutched with burning incenſe, or from the brand-markes they had ſuperſtitiouſly ſet upon their bodies, or becauſe of their pretended fiery zeal and fervency in their religion, ſuch as are the Saoriſici Seraphici among the Papiſts, who falſly and fooliſhly call them, the Lights of the World; ſc. to light them into utter darkneſſe.

Verſe 5. And them that worſhip the hoſt of heaven upon the houſe tops] Called elſewhere the Queen of heaven, the conſtellations and heavenly bodies: whom they thought to worſhip ſo much the more acceptably, if in an open place, and on high, in the very ſight of the ſtarres. Obſervent iſta qui hodie Aſtrologiam judiciariam proſitentur, ſaith Gualther, Let thoſe amongſt us obſerve this, who profeſſe judiciary Aſtrologie: for theſe worſhip the ſtarres no leſſe then did the heathens of old, and doe openly bring in Heatheniſme again; whiles (firſt) they call the ſtarres by the names of thoſe heatheniſh deities, that ought to be aboliſhed: and next, they ſubject to thoſe ſtarres all events of things, yea man himſelfe as touching all his manners and fortunes, which the Scripture affirmeth to depend upon the eternal providence of God alone. This is intolerable impiety and they that fall into it, ſhall not eſcape the juſt judgement of God.

And them that worſhip, and that ſwear by the Lord (or to the Lord conſecrating themſelves as by oath to his ſervice) and that ſwear by Malcham] that is, by their King, Epec. Eur. as the Egyptians did of old, Gen. 42.15. The Spaniards at this day, in the pride of their Monarchy are grown alſo to ſwear by the life of their King. There are a ſort of mongrell Chriſtians in the Eaſt called Melchites, Niceph. as one would ſay Of the Kings Religion, becauſe they reſolved to doe as Melech the King commanded them, though it were to make a mixture of religions, as theſe in the text would, and as our late Modelatours Sancta Clara, and others, of whom one ſaid well, that they had made a pretty ſhew, had there been no Bible, to tell us, that the jealous and juſt God hateth and plagueth halting betwixt two, lukewarmneſſe and neutrality in religion, all dow-baked duties, ſpeckled birds, plowing with an Oxe and an Aſſe, mingled ſeeds linſey-wolſey garments Lev. 19.19. Upon which text the Doway Doctours note is, Here all participation with heretiks and ſchiſmatiks is forbidden. But by Malch[illegible: 2 letters] moſt underſtaud here an Idoll of the Ammonites, otherwiſe called Moſec[illegible: 1 letter] ſerved in Tophet near to Ieruſalem, and in the mount of Olives, called therefore the mount of corruption 2 King. 23.13. Which God could not but ſee, as [illegible: 1 word] he looked out of the Sanctuary. Theſe worſhippers of Malcham would not utterly renounce the true God, but they would ſet up others with him as partners: this would not be endured. Such were of old the Samaritanes among the Jewes, the Ebionites among the Chriſtians, the Papiſts at this day, who ſwear by God and Saints, and pray to God and his Saints, and commit themſelves to them (together with God) as their Tutelars and Patrons.

Verſe 6. And them that are turned back from the Lord] Not groſſe idolaters, but yet treacherous backſliders, that fall off from their former forwardneſſe, that turn from the holy Commandement, 2 Pet. 2.21. that depart à poſt Dominum, from after the Lord, as the Hebrew here hath it, Apoſtates, thoſe worſt of men, that do not onely not fulfill after the Lord, as Calch, but utterly forſake him. An heavie judgement awaiteth ſuch.Pſal. 125.5. God ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, &c.

and thoſe that have not ſought the Lord, nor enquired after him] diligently ſought him, Heb. 11.6. zealouſly enquired after him, as after a loſt jewel, Jer. 29.13. God will viſit for unzealouſneſſe; and curſe thoſe that do his work careleſly, curſorily, in a perfunctory, formall, bedulling way.

Verſe 7. Hold thy peace at the preſence of the Lord God] When his hand is upon thy back, let thy hand be on thy mouth. Chat not againſt him, murmur not at his menaces, but ſtand mute before him. He is the Lord God, Three in One, and One in Three: thou art alſo alwayes in his preſence, which thou canſt not flee from them, Pſal. 139. therefore ſee Hab. 2.20. with the Note and the rather becauſe God ſtands over thee with his judgements.

for the day of the Lord is at hand] wherein he will powerfully declare himſelf to be a God that cannot lie, and that his wrath is quo diuturnior eo minacior, the longer in comming the heavier it lights. This was ſoon after fulfilled in the death of their good king Ioſiah, with whom died all the peace and proſperity of that people: and Judea often changed her maſters, but not her miſeries, till at length ſhee was carried captive to Babylon.

For the Lord hath prepared a ſacrifice] That is, a bloody ſlaughter of you, by the cruel Chaldees, who ſhall ſacrifice you, that have ſo much gloried in the multitude of your ſacrifices: and God ſhall glorifie himſelf as much now in your juſt deſtruction, as ever he did in your forefathers commendable devotion.

he hath bid his gueſts] The Babylonians, and (after they have filled themſelves) the birds, and beaſts, as Rev. 19.17, 18. ſo that ye ſhall have ſepulturam inſepultam, a graveleſſe buriall.

Verſe 8. And it ſhall come to paſſe in the day of the Lords ſacrifice] Or, good chear: for at their ſacrifices they uſed to feaſt their friends: and here the Lord is providing dainties for his gueſts; viz. the fleſh of Princes, gallants, courtiers, verſ. 9. merchants, 11. who uſe to eat the fat, and drink the ſweet,Jam. 5.5. nouriſhing their hearts as in a day of ſlaughter: and now alſo for a day of ſlaughter: when the beaſts ſhall tear their fleſh, and the birds bare their bones.

that I will puniſh the Princes and the Kings children] Who might ſeem to bee ſafeſt of any, and fartheſt off from danger: but Gods hand can eaſily reach them, and ſhall do with the firſt, becauſe their faults flie faſt abroad upon thoſe two wings of Example and Scandal. See this threatening fulfilled in Joſiah's ſonnes (thoſe degenerate plants, Heroum filii noxae.) Jehoahaz ambitiouſly ſtep into his fathers throne before his elder brother, and was ſoon after carried down to Egypt, and there ſlain. Jehoiakim the elder brother ſucceeded him: but rebelling againſt the king of Babylon, he was carried captive, and dying by the way, was buried with the buriall of an aſſe, being caſt out to be torn by birds and beaſts,Jer. 22. according to this propheſie. Jechoniah came after, and was likewiſe carried into captivity: but becauſe he hearkened to Jeremiah, perſwading him to yeeld, and to go into voluntary baniſhment, he had ſome good dayes toward his latter end, Jer. 52.31, 32. Laſtly Zedekiah, another ſonne of Joſiah, was made king; who as hee was worſe then the former, ſo he ſped worſe. See Ier. 39.6, 7. potentes potenter torquebantur.

and all ſuch as are clothed with ſtrange apparell] Thoſe gallants, that imitated in their raiment thoſe whom they moſt inclined to; ſome the Egyptians, others the Babylonians. A vanity not known in England, they ſay, till the warres in Holland. And (as ex malis moribus bonae leges) then firſt were great ruffes, with huge wide ſets,Camd. Eliſ. 215. and cloaks reaching almoſt to the ancles, no leſſe uncomely then coſtly, reſtrained by Proclamation. Now, what ſo common with our faſhionmongers (againſt whom this is a ſtinging and a flaming text) then to bee cloathed with ſtrange apparell, Oh what enemy of thine hath taught thee ſo much vanity? ſaid Mr. John Fox to his ſon, returning from his travels, and attired in a looſe Outlandiſh faſhion. Hiſt. of Modern Divi. pag. 279. a la mode de France eſpecially, and other Popiſh countries. But what ſaith One, Borrow not (faſhions) of the Egyptians: if you do, you may get their biles and botches: of the Polonians, leſt you get the plica Polonica in your hairy ſcalps: of the French, leſt the lues Gallica befall you. Thoſe that affected the Babylonian habit, were ſent captives to Babylon, Ezek. 23.15. and thoſe proud Dames (whoſe wardrobe is inventoried, Eſay 3.16. &c.) were a cauſe that the mighty men fell in battle, ver. 25.26. Seneca complaineth, that many in his time were more ſolicitous of their attire, then of their good behaviour; and that they had rather the Common-wealth ſhould be troubled, then their locks, and ſet looks. And doth not our age abound with ſuch fantaſticall Cincinnatuli.

Verſe 9. In the ſame day alſo will I puniſh all thoſe that leap on the threſhold] i. e. Great mens officers, who by an abſolute power went into other mens houſes, and to whom no doors were ſhut, ſaith Mr. Diodate. Theſe leap upon the threſhold, that is, with great impudency, and inſolency, they invade and ſpoil other mens houſes, and do what they liſt,, like ſo many Lurdaines, or Lord-danes: neither dare any queſtion, or controul them. Loe ſuch things were done in good Joſiah's dayes, without his conſent, or ſo much as knowledge: for none might be ſuffered to come to him with a complaint; all wayes being ſhut up by thoſe great Ones about him, whoſe houſes were by that means filled with violence and deceit] that is, with thoſe ill-gotten goods, got by wrench and wile from the right, but unrelieved poſſeſſours, through the might and ſlight of thoſe unconſcionable under-Officers.

Verſe 10. There ſhall be the noiſe of a cry from the fiſh-gate] called alſo the firſtgate, Zach. 14.10. whereat the Caldeans entred, and cauſed a great hubbub, as in ſuch a caſe is uſuall.

and an howling from the ſecond] Called by the Chaldee Paraphraſt, the bird-gate: there was alſo one called the horſe-gate, Jer. 31.40. Some underſtand the text, not of any gate,Jeruſhalaijm. but of the ſecond part of the city: for there was the upper town, and the lower town, (whence Jeruſalem is of the duall number) and the tower of David, on the hill of Zion. Others, of the Colledge where Huldad dwelt, 2 King. 22.14. a ſchool of learning, as the Chaldee interpreteth it, and called Miſhneh. as you would ſay, a place of repetition, or of catechiſing the younger ſort; with whom nothing ſticks but what is repeated to them over and over, as the knife goeth over the whetſtone. Shanan & Shanah repetire, ſicut in acuendo. See Deut. 6.7.

and a great craſhing (or ſhivering, Heb. ſhebher) from the hills] Gareb and Goath, Jer. 31.39. and the reſt that were round about Jeruſalem, Pſal. 125.2. The Prophets ſcope is to ſhew that all places ſhall be full of tumult and out-cry, upon the approach of the enemy. They that would not liſten to the ſweet voice of God inciting and inticing them to repentance, have now their ears filled with hideous and horrid notes, and noiſes.

Verſe 11. Howl ye inhabitants of Makteſh] Or, of the mortar, or of the low and hollow place, of the baſe-town, where corn was brayed in mortars, before Mills were in uſe. Theſe are here called upon to turn their laughter to mourning, and their joy into heavineſſe, to weep and howl for the evils that ſhall come upon them, Jam. 4.9. and 5.1. but eſpecially for their ſinnes, the cauſe of thoſe miſeries: for Gods judgements upon ſinners are feathered from themſelves: as a fowl ſhot with an arrow feathered from her own body.

for all the merchant-people are cut down] The merchant-men were wont to furniſh the mortar-men, ſuch as dealt in corn, ſpicery, and the like. Theſe ſhall be cut down, as being more like Canaanites (a people devoted to deſtruction) then Iſraelites, a people ſaved by the Lord, the ſhield of their help, and the ſword of their excellency. Deut. 33.29.Vide Garol. Paſchalij legat. cap. 7. p. 24. See Hoſ. 12.8. with the Note. He is a merchant, the ballances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppreſſe. See Amos 8, 5, 6. Mic. 6.10, 11, 12. Merchandiſe well managed, is of great uſe to Kingdoms and States, for many reaſons. 1. For deſcrying the counſels and ſtrength of other Nations. 2. For procuring the love and friendſhip of forreine Princes and people. 3. for exchanging of commodities: for non omnis fert omnia tellus. 4. for gaining experience of many and great matters: this cauſed Thales, Hippocrates, and Solon to exerciſe merchandiſe. 5. It occaſioned the building of many famous cities. Maſſilia for one, as Plutarch writeth. Nevertheleſſe this honourable profeſſion is much abuſed by thoſe whom Nahum calleth cankerworms chap. 3.16. for their covetouſnes luxury, oppreſſion, bringing in unneceſſary wares (that emaſculate and diſſolve mens ſpirits) and hereticall books that undoe their ſoules; and laſtly for their carrying out the wealth of their country to ſtrangers, yea to enemies ſometimes. Hence they are juſtly cut down by God, and are to be ordered by the Magiſtrate according to Lev. 19.35, 36. Deut. 25. Ezek. 45.9, 10, 11, 12.

all they that bear ſilver are cut off] The rich traders that had marſupia plena, and carried money in great burthens, theſe ſhall be alſo cut off or ſilenced, have nothing to ſay for themſelves why they ſhould not be deſtroyed with the reſt, as thoſe that have been involuti argento as the vulgar tranſlation hath it here, ſo wrapped up in their money, and affected to it, as that it hath rather poſſeſſed them, then they it. Cor habent in aere non in athere, their heart goeth after their covetouſneſſe Ezek. 33.31. Here they are called Portatores argenti ſilver-carriers, ſumpter-horſes, laden with thick clay. Silver is that which the baſeſt element yeeldeth, the moſt ſavage Indians get, ſervile apprentiſes work, Midianitiſh Camels carry, miſerable muck-worms admire, covetous Jewes ſwallow, unthriſty Ruffians ſpend &c. It is to be wondred (ſaith One) that treading upon theſe minerals, we cannot contemn them. They lye furtheſt from heaven: and the beſt of them are in India furtheſt from the Church: and yet how many doth mony make to run quick to the devill on an errand, and payes them home for their paines?

Verſe 12. I will ſearch Jeruſalem with candles] which yet he needs not do, ſith the darkneſſe hideth not from him, but the night ſhineth as the day: the darkneſſe and the light are to him alike, Pſal, 139.12. Confer Iob 34.22. Ier. 23.24. Deo obſcura lucent, muta reſpondent, ſilentium confitetur, Night will convert it ſelf into noon before God, and ſilence become a ſpeaking evidence. His eyes alſo are a flaming fire, that needs no outward light, but ſees by ſending out a ray &c. but when Jeruſalem is threatened to be ſearched with lig[illegible: 1 letter]ts, the meaning is, that it ſhall be ſet all upon a light fire, and the inhabitants ferretted out of their lurking-holes, their Princes and potentates pulled out of privies and ſepulchers by the purſuing enemy, as Hierome out of Joſephus here affirmeth they once were. Beſides that, they ſhall be brought to a particular and punctuall account for their ſins: God will be very exact and accurate with them that way; ſetting all their evill deeds in order before their eyes Pſal. 50.21. and bringing wrath upon them to the utmoſt 1 Theſ. 2.16. This is fearefull Pſal. 130.3. and ſhall be fulfilled eſpecially at the laſt day, when wicked men ſhall give an account minutatim of all their Atheiſticall thoughts Pſal. 14.1. ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him Iude 15. with the whole world flaming about their eares 2 Pet. 3.7, 10, 12. 1 Cor 4.5. 2 Theſ. 1.8.

and puniſh the men that are ſettled on their lees] Coagulati curded or thickened, congealed and condenſed: that are habituated and hardned in their evill practiſes, that have got a ſward, nay a hoof upon their hearts; that have brawny breaſts, and horny heart-ſtrings; that ſtick ſtifly in the mire of their ſins as Moab Ier. 48.11. and, being deeply drowned in the world, are deſperately divorced from God, whom they baſely fancy to be a God of clouts, one that howere he ſpeak big words, yet will do neither good nor hurt.

—mibi haec mortalia curat.

that ſay in their hearts] As that ſapleſſe fellow doth Pſal. 14.1. Some ſet their mouths againſt heaven, and ſhame not to utter their reaſonings and reſolutions of this kind. Theſe are Epicuri de gregiporci: ſuch as was Lucretius, Diageras, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Herace with his —credat Iudaeus apella.Herat. ſerm. Nonego, nam que deos didici ſecuum agere aevum &c. Let the Jews beleeve a Providence: not I &c. ſaith that profane Poet. But behold here were Jews yea and that in good Ioſiah's dayes, that ſaid in their hearts (thoſe feculent hearts of theirs, full of dregs and droſſe.)

the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evill] Nec benè pro meritis capitur, nec tangitur ira. Of ſuch practicall Athieſts that ſay in their hearts there is no God, and live thereafter, there are great ſtore even amongſt us: of ſuch duſt-heaps we may find in every corner. And when men are once arrived at this Terra del Fuogo this deſperate degree of Atheiſme, what wonder though they run riot in all ſinfull licentiouſneſſe.

Verſe 13. Therefore their goods ſhall become a booty] Their evill-gotten goods ver. 9.11.Ecc. 4.1, 2, 3. (for a proof of my providence which they bluſhed not to deny) ſhall be carried away by the Chaldees, to their unmedicinable ſorrow and heartbreake.

and their houſes a deſolation] becauſe built in blood. See Nah. 2.11, 12.

they ſhall alſo build houſes but not inhabite them &c.] Ex lege mutuatur minas. That they might the more regard his words, The Pophet makes uſe of the menaces of the Law Deut. 28.30.39. whereof the Prophets were Interpreters: applying, as here, the generall doctrine thereof to the people of their times. To rebuke or exhort men in good words, in Gods own words, is the readieſt way to prevaile with them: unleſſe they be Lucifugae ſcripturarum (as Tertullian ſaith of the Marcionites and Valentinians) which yet will take hold of them howſoever Zech. 1.6.

Verſe 14.De Reſur. carn. The great day of the Lord is neer, it is neer] It is the day of the Lord, that fatall day appointed by him to ruine the nation: for with him it is all one whether it be done againſt a nation, or againſt a man only Iob 34.29. Next, it is his great day; becauſe therein the great God will ſet himſelf to do great matters: How much more at the day of judgment called alſo a great day Rev. 6.17. and 16.14.

This great day is neer, yea very neer, it haſteth greatly] it hath wings and wind under thoſe wings, as Zech. 5.9. it will be upon men ere they are aware: neither will any thing more haſten it then their ſecurity, and feareleſneſſe. Think the ſame of the laſt day which cannot but be at hand, and then the tranſgreſſours ſhall be deſtroyed together: the end of the wicked ſhall be cut off Pſal. 37.38.

even the voice of the day of the Lord] Methinks I heare it. Fallor?Ovid. 5. Faſt. an armaſonat? non fallimur, arma ſonabant. Mars venit, & veniens bellica ſigna dedit. Hierome ſpeaketh thus of himſelf, whether I eat, or drink, or ſleep, methinks I heare that laſt trump ſounding theſe words in mine eares, Ariſe ye dead and come to judgment. Surgite mortui venite in judicium. A very neceſſary meditation.

the mighty man ſhall cry there bitterly] How much more the turba imbellis, the weak and cowardly? they ſhall take up a loud lamentation, and cry with the breaking of their loines.

Verſe 15. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble, and diſtreſſe &c.] By this Synathroiſmos or heape of words, the Prophet would affray and arrouſe theſe dead and dedolent ſinners, ſettled upon their lees, ſo wedded and wedg'd to their wicked practiſes, that nothing can ſunder them, but an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven. See Ioel 2.1, 2, 3. and Amos 5.18, 19.20. with the Notes, and confider what the terrour of the Lords laſt day will be.

Verſe 16. A day of the trumpet] with its horrid Taratantara and alarme] not of thoſe that ſhout and praiſe God, neither with a noiſe of joy and trumph as Num. 23.21. Pſal. 47.5. Ezra 3.11.12. but of thoſe that ſhout with broken ſounds in the day of battel, as Amos 1.14. in claſſico with a vocifciation,Turk Hiſt. and horrible howling, ſuch as the Turks at this day make, when they ſtorm a city.

againſt the fenced cities and againſt the high-towers] wherein ye truſt, but in vaine. Theſe high-towers were built at the corners of the walls. Hence the Hebrew text here hath it, Againſt the high-corners. Great men and ſuch as beare up the weight of the common-wealth are ſometimes called by this name 1 Sam. 14.38. Draw ye neer hither all ye chief of the people: Heb. All ye corners. See the like Zach. 10.4. Judg. 20.2. Neither men nor meanes were ever true to thoſe that truſted them. Our help is in the Name of the Lord, that ſtrong tower whereto the righteous run and are ſafe Prov. 18.10.

Verſe 17. And I will bring diſtreſſe upon men that they ſhall walk like blind men] The Dutch have a Proverb, God puts out the eyes of him whom he intendeth to deſtroy: i. e. he beſotts and infatuates them they ſhall be conſilij & auxilij inopes: in rebus liquidis aqua baerebit, they grope for the wall like the blind, they grope as if they had none eyes, they ſtumble at noon-day as in the night, they are in deſolate places as dead men, Eſay. 59.10. This was long before threatened Deut. 28.28, 29.

becauſe they have ſinned againſt the Lord] Sin is the mother of miſery. See my Love-tokens pag. 111, 112. &c.

and their blood ſhall be powred out as duſt] Then which nothing is more vile and abject, the enemy ſhall make no more of ſpilling their blood, then of ſprinkling a little duſt.Copiſſimè & adjectiſſimè. Tarnou.

and their fleſh as dung] ſpread upon the land to manure it. The Hebrew word for fleſh here may ſeem to ſignifie wormes-meat. Our bodyes are no better,Lechum. Druſ. why then do we pamper and prink them up?

Verſe 18. Neither their ſilver nor their gold ſhall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath] We were not redeemed with corruptible things as ſilver and gold 1 Pet. 1.18. Money hath drowned many a ſoule 1 Tim. 6. delivered none. See Prov. 11.4. with the Note, Eſay 13, 17. Ezek. 17.19. It is righteouſneſſe and not riches that delivereth from death Prov. 10.2. Money can neither pacifie God, nor ſill the conſcience, nor ſtop the enemies mouth, but inflame them rather with an unſatisfiable deſire of enjoying all, as Rome did the Gaules, and Cyprus the Romanes: and as the pearles, uſually caſt out with the flood,Sextus Rufus. and gathered at the ebbe, drew Caeſars affection for the conqueſt of Brittaine.Sueton.

but the whole land ſhall be devoured by the fire of his jealouſie] The ſins of Gods people are not onely diſobediences but treacheries, becauſe of the covenant. God is thereby provoked to jealouſie which is cruel as the grave, or hard as hell; the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a moſt vehement flame. Cant. 8.6. the wore ſignifies the conſuming flame of God.

for he ſhall make even a ſpeedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land] Swept clean by God with the beeſom of deſtruction: ſo that the land was deſolate after them Zech. 7.14. Affliction roſe not up the ſecond time, Nah. 1.9. See the Notes there, and learn to give God the glory of his ſeverity againſt ſin.