their phancy rarely well If a man would use to vapour amongst them like one that walks after every uncertain wind and is led by every new spirit If he would discourse non-sense and lies and say I will preach or prophesie to thee for a little wine or strong drink or any smal reward This were the onely Prophet for this people He would fit their turns as well as heart could wish 12. Me thinks I see such a goodly Prophet in one of his Prophetical raptures and thus he prophesies to Jacob as from God himself I will surely assemble thee O Iacob all of thee I will not fail to gather into one the remnant of Israel like many sheep into one flock a fair flock like those in the rich pastures of Bozrah and Moab and that flock into one fould and they shall have no further trouble then good store of Shepherds more men then ordinary to wait upon them 13. But in earnest for all this goodly prophesie of our cheap and upstart Prophet the rough souldier shall be the man to break way before them not his imaginarie Shepherd and he shall lead this people whither they would not go as you shall see when they have broken out and passed quite through the gates of Jerusalem Then shall the King of this people passe along as a prisoner before those Souldiers and God himself in the head of them to prosper and succeed the designes of the enemie as of an army that himself will own CHAP. III. 1 ANd I said Hear I pray you O heads of Iacob and ye Princes of the house of Israel is it not for you to know judgement 2 Who hate the good and love the evil who pluck off their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones 3 Who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them and they break their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pat and as flesh within the caldron 4 Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them he will even hide his face from them at that time as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings 5 Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people erre that bite with their teeth and cry Peace and he that putteth not into their mouthes they even prepare war against him 6 Therefohe night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a vision and it shall be dark unto you that ye shall not divine and the sun shall go down over the prophets and the day shall be dark over them 7 Then shall the seers be ashamed and the diviners confounded yea they shall all cover their lips for there is no answer of God 8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sin 9 Hear this I pray you ye heads of the house of Iacob and princes of the house of Israel that abhor judgement and pervert all equity 10 They build up Zion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity 11 The heads thereof judge for reward and the priests thereof teach for hire and the prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us 12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall become beaps and the mountains of the house as the high places of the forrest CHAP. III. 1. AFter that sad and true Prophetical contemplation that I closed withall desirous to show the reason of the severity of that judgement I said Give ear awhile to me now you Princes of Jacob and other subordinate Governors in the house of Israel You that pronounce the sentence of judgement against other offenders must not you needs know what heavy punishment belongs to your selves if you had your due 2. Yet are you the men that hate doing of good and love the practise of what you know to be naught And you use such oppression over those that are under you that you leave no skin on their backs nor flesh on their bones you pick and scrape away all that can be gained out of them 3. And I may say more of these cruel extortioners When they have thus eaten the flesh of my people and flayed the skin off the bones then as if they longed for the very marrow or loved to hear their bones crack they break and divide the bones into several pieces as the Cooks use to chop and cut out their meat into several joynts before they put it into the pot or sit it for the table 4. There will come a time when these men will cry to the Lord but he will not hear them that had no ears for the sad complaints of the oppressed In that time of need will he hide his face from them that turned their faces away from the poor afflicted And as they behaved themselves extreme ill in their doings So will he show himself very just in the punishment which they are to suffer 5. And after this said to the Magistrates somewhat saith the Lord I have to say to those titular Prophets that lead my people into much error by their false predictions These men according as their teeth are plied with good meat by their kind gossips so do they frame their mouths to prophesie of peace and plenty but if they observe a man that cares not for so providing for their mouths against him they will be sure to prepare tidings of war and destruction 6. Therefore I will bring so dark and dismal a night of affliction upon you that you shall be able to discover no probable visions of peace It shall be so dark and gloomy that you shall not discern how to pick out any clear divinations of comfort And the Sun shall set upon those Prophets you may bid them good night for all the peace they shall be able to foretel The day shall be so dark over them that they shall be able to foresee nothing that is good either for themselves or you 7. Then shall those Seers be ashamed to be seen and those Diviners confounded with their own divinations And all of them may put a covering upon their upper lips and cry I am unclean I am unclean as being in greater danger to infect the people then any leaper to whom that was enjoyned For none of their answers will prove to be divine oracles but mere fancies of their own 8. But I am no Prophet of that stamp I may truely say that I am furnished with those abilities and filled with that divine Spirit that should be in a Prophet I am endued with courage to fear no mans person and with judgement and discretion that I may seasonably tell Iacob of his sins and Israel of his transgressions and not think it enough to
wise Now these things were revealed to Amos concerning Israel in the time of Uzziah King of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash King of Israel two years before the Earthquake that happened in the reign of Vzziah that was smitten with leprosie for attempting upon the Priests office 2. Amos being thus made a Prophet his name agreed with the sum of his Prophesie For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amost signifies a burden And that is an ordinarie term in the holy Scripture for the Prophesie of a heavy punishment denounced against a Nation as this of Amos was against many specially against the ten Tribes Against whom what he had prophesied was fulfilled by Salmaneser that led them away captive into Assyria 4 Reg. 17. 6. But let us hear the Prophet himself speak Thus said Amos. The Lord that delighted so much in Sion and pleased to dwell between the Cherubims in his Temple at Ierusalem is now so offended with the sins of Iudah and Israel that he sends an angry threatning voice from Sion and Ierusalem that may terrifie them both specially those of Israel the greater offenders This terrible voice will have a doleful effect in the pleasant pastures of all those Shepherds that have neglected their flock and upon the Sheep that have turned Wolves against their Shepherds and raised up Shepherds of their own choice uncapable of the place Carmel among others even Carmel it self which had the fattest pasture and the most numerous sheep shall in the height and glory of it be withered and made no such place for their feeding 3 What shall we think will become of the Gentiles when Gods own people hear such sad tidings from the place of their joy and comfort Let us now hear that For Syria Damascena first Thus saith the Lord. For so many foul sins of Damascus as have filled up the full measure of their iniquity and may be brought against them in the perfect number of seven by the addition of four more to their first three that were bad enough For these I will not restore Damascus to my wonted favour or I will not recal that which I have decreed against that place Specially in that they heavily afflicted my people of Gilead Reuben Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh barbarously insulting over them and trampling upon them or rather laying on them like thrashers and abusing all alike As it was foretold by Elisaeus in his words to Hazael 4 Reg. 8 15. 4. Therefore in mine anger I will send a furious enemie against them which like a fire shall sodainly deface and ruine the royal structures erected by Hazael when they shall be the Palaces of his son Benhadad 5. And I will break the very strength of Damascus their gates fortresses and whatsoever else it is wherein they most confide And I will pack away the inhabitants of the Plain of Aven and with them the idolatrous Princes that rule over Beth-eden and the neighbour-cities devoted to riot and luxury For the Syrians shall be led captives into Kir saith the Lord by the hand of Tiglathpileser King of Assyria 6. When they of Gaza in Palestine have made up the like measure of their sins the like punishment shall be as peremptorily decreed against them specially because of their cruelty to those of Israel that fled into their parts for refuge upon the invasion of Sennacherib whom though they came peaceably and friendly to them onely for relief and no way to offer them any injury yet they most injuriously sold them into Edom as if they had been their own captives and by right of war taken by themselves Whereby they did as good as imprison them among their capital enemies and obstruct the means of their return unto their own home 7. Therefore I will cause such warlike forces to come from Hezekiah to the wall of Gaza as shall consume and burn that City and all the fair buildings within it 8. And the inhabitants of Azotus shall be turned out of doors and the Rulers of Ascalon shall partake of the same justice with their Country-men Then after that blow given to Gaza Azotus and Ascalon I will turn my striking hand against Ekron also and there the rest of the Philistims shall be destroyed by the Assyrians to the utter ruine of that people 9. Thus saith the Lord For the like overflowing of the transgressions of Tyrus in so full a measure I will not be reconciled unto them nor reverse the decree already passed against them Because they used the like cruelty that the Philistims did against the poor Israelites which came peaceably to them but were sold away to the Edomites as captives taken in war And the Tyrians shall fare the worse because they so easily forgot the league and friendship that was between their King Hiram and King David and Solomon and so between the succeeding Kings that used the stile and love of Brethren which no doubt was cause of much familiarity and many kind offices among the subjects of either Nation and was ill broken off for a matter of filthy lucre in the sale of their confederates 10. Therefore will I send an enemie from Chaldaea to the walls of Tyrus that shall set most of the stately buildings of Tyrus on such a fire as all the water above her shall not be able to quench 11. The like measure of sin will draw the like punishment upon Edom because he was so unnaturally cruel to his Brethren the posterity of Iacob shewing no bowels of compassion to these Brethren of the same belly but resting upon a violent obstinate implacable way of furious anger transmitted as an hereditary vice to Posterity for ever So did Edom strive to keep it ever alive to his immortal shame for such impiety and inhumanity against so near Allies 12. Therefore by Sennacherib and his Souldiers such flames of War shall be kindled in Teman and Bozra the two Cities of note in the Countrey of Edom as shall consume the fair Pallaces thereof 13. And of another Nation affianced to the people of God thus saith the Lord. For the full measure of the transgressions of the Ammonites the Children of Lot they shall receive the same Dâ—om with the Edomites the rather for their barbaroâ—s inhumanity which sharpned their weapons against the weaker Sex to the ripping up of the matrones of Gilead even when they were great with child Not out of any provocation in war but out of a mere covetous and ambitions desire to enlarge their territories 14. Therefore a fearful fire shall be kindled by the walls of Rabbah the gloriousest City of Animon that without difference of Sex or Age shall devour such as are found in the choicest Pallaces and Mansions of the Ammonites It shall come in a violent and fearful way with military clamours and shouting of some and skreeching of others It shall come of a sodain like a
a nation O house of Israel saith the Lord the God of Hosts and they shall afflict you from the entring in of Hemath unto the river of the wildernesse CHAP. VI. 1. WOe be to you both of Iudah and Israel that taking no pitie upon others in great want and distresse nor abating any thing of your jollitie and luxurie to relieve them nor so much as being thankful to God for what you enjoy do live in ease and security in Sion and Samaria never troubled with any remorse for your sins or any fear of the punishment that hangs over your heads You that trust not in God but in the strength of Mount Sion and the mountain of Samaria securing your selves in that you have found out a shelter in Syria Egypt and other conntries and are called by the names of the chief of those great men in other nations to whom the house of Israel use to apply themselves as to their noble Patrons and Protectors in time of danger 2. That you may know how you do but flatter your selves in relying upon such forein hopes go to Chalne a famous Citie in Assyria and Hamath the great once the glorie of Syria Thence come nearer unto Gath the chief strength of the Philistims Inquire first what happened to them then let this question be asked of your selves Are you in a better estate then these eminent places in those Kingdoms or do you extend your borders wider then they did have you larger possessions then they had Why then do not you admonish your selves by their example that your glorie may be laid in the dust as theirs was 3. Wo be to you that perswade your selves the time of affliction is far enough from you and therefore you may be the bolder with your too-much authority over others and domineer as in a throne of ease and liberty and oppression 4. Wo be to them that lie upon sumptuous and large Ivorie beds where they have room enough to stretch themselvss in wantonnesse and lazinesse And after that ease are wont to pamper themselves at a full and costlie table feeding upon the tenderest choicest lambs that can be found in all the flock and calves purposely fatted for them in the stall 5. Wo be to them that spend too much of their time in mirth and jollitie singing division to the sound of the Psalterie and other rare instruments of Musick which they have made special choice of for themselves And to which they think they have as fair a pretense in the abuse of Musick as King David had to delight himself in his Heavenlie Hymns or otherwise to recreate and refresh himself with it when he was tired with his more serious employments 6. Wo be to them that make too much of themselves and show no pitie of others drinking their wine not in little cups as others do but in great bowls to drown the memorie of all sorrow and annointing themselves with costly ointments not moderatelie for health and neatnesse as is the custom in the Eastern parts but wantonlie in excesse As not ashamed to show their vanitie and profusenesse in expenses upon themselves while they spare litle or nothing for the relief of their own countrymen that are in need and miserie 7. Therefore after a little while they shall go in the head of the captives among them that are first carried into captivitie because they were ever ready to be the first ringleaders to all sin And there will be a speedy end of all the banquets even the funeral banquets of those luxurious feasters that stretched themselves as they pleased upon their beds 8. For the Lord God hath sworn by Himself saith the Lord God of Hosts i. He himself hath assured us that He hath passed this as an unchangeable decree saying I abhor the pride of all the children of Israel and whatsoever they use to boast of though it be the Temple it self Therefore not that onelie but their Palaces and greatest buildings raised out of briberie and extortion and for that cause hated by me Their Cities also and People or whatsoever it is wherewith they are now plentyfully stored will I when I see my time give up into the power of a cruel enemie 9. And if it chance that some few escaping the furie of war be left in one house they also shall perish by famine or pestilence or some other untimelie death 10. Then if the Vncle or any near kinsman to one that dies in the house shall come thither to order that the dead corps may be thence removed and burned to prevent the infection of others If he shall say to any one that is within the house Be there any more left alive with thee One of the house shall answer None are left they are all dead or unlikelie to live Then he shall reply Say no more if that be the case of them Leave thy tears and complaints and be quiet and patient It is too late for us now to betake our selves by praiers to the name of Almighty God This is the time of his just vengeance for our mentioning him so little before and having our idols so often in our mouths 11 Now we must all look for a heavy blow For God will command our enemies the executioners of his wrath to smite all houses Palaces and Cotages alike with such breaches and ruines as shall not easily be repaired utter ruines will be seen in Israel and great breaches in Judah 12. But I prophesie to them that have no ears to hear nor hearts that can be mollified It is as hard and unlikely a thing to move them to repentance as to make horses run upon slipperie rocks or oxen plow there with good successe He must change the course of nature that can do so And he must work as great a miracle that will prevail with them for repentance and satisfaction that have turned Iustice and Righteousnesse the sweetest of all vertues into tyrannie and oppression which are as bitter and unwelcome to the honest afflicted heart as gall and wormwood to the taste 13. Wo be to you that from the root of pride have brought forth such cruelty and injustice and yet are not humbled at the reproof it You triumph in your own wealth and puissance and command which are as a matter of nothing For you say Have not we by our own strength and power pushed down the strong forts of our enemies as it were with horns which they were not able to resist and so made our selves glorious conquerours But this arrogance will not arme and defend you against such adversaries as I shall send 14 For behold I will raise up against you the Assyrians a fierce and potent nation O house of Israel saith the Lord God of Hosts And as you have persecuted and oppressed the poor righteous man so they shall oppresse and hunt after you and drive you before them from one
were expired Whether the Citizens would so long persevere in their repentance and if they did not whether Justice would then be showed upon them whom God seemed now willing to spare upon their present conversion and reformation of life 6. Now when the thin slight materials of Jonah his booth began to wither and fade with heat the Lord prepared a gourd or some shrub that used to grow in those parts to come over Ionah like a Canopie to shadow and defend his head from the heat of the Sun which seemed not a little to afflict him And with this refreshment under the gourd Ionah was much delighted 7. But that ease and pleasure was not long to be indulged unto him For the next day betimes in the morning God prepared also a worm which by gnawing at the lower parts of his gourd and so extracting the moisture was the cause that it quickly withered away 8. Moreover at the rising of the Sun God sent a soft and still wind the East that had little or no motion or cooling quality which was the thing that Jonah desired Besides this warm breath the son also with some violence of heat did beat upon the head of Jonah and became so troublesom that it made him ready to faint and show himself wearie of his life plainly professing that it was better for him now to die then to live Which seems to be spoken in a passion as if he thought it an injurie to be deprived of that benefit of the gourd which was gratiously afforded him for a time and considered not that this variety of means might be used to bring him to the acknowledgement of the truth of Gods judgments and the sight of his own offences and demerites 9. Therefore God said unto Jonah Is this well done of thee to discover so much anger and disturbance of thy self for a poor little gourd To which question he gives a rash impatient answer confessing that he was extreamly angry even unto death and did well to be so 10. Whereupon the Lord said again Art thou so affected at the withering of a poor vile gourd of a daies continuance which neither for the coming up nor the growth of it is any way beholden unto thee 11. And shall not I the creator and preserver of all things whose property it is to have mercy upon me above all my creatures shall not I be touched with compassion of so great and populous a City as Ninive wherein beside much cattle there are more then a hundred and twenty thousand innocent children so simple and weak that they cannot distinguish between their right hands and their left and therefore cannot be thought by any fault of theirs to call for this heavy destruction upon them Yet were they all ready to perish in the punishment of their Parents sins had not they timely repented What must you then guesse of the number of men and women of fuller growth that have appeased my wrath by amendment of life Which being done their death and ruine should not be rashly and uncharitably desired to make you seem the truer Prophet who was not to threaten any people but with this implicite condition if they forsook not their sins A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF MICAH CHAP. I. 1. THe word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the dayes of Iotham Abaz and Hezekiah kings of Iudah which he saw concerning Samaria and Ierusalem 2 Hear all ye people hearken O earth and all that therein is and let the Lord God be witnesse against you the Lord from his holy temple 3 For behold the Lord cometh forth out of his place and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth 4 And the mountaines shall be molten under him and the valleys shall be cleft as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred down a steep place 5 For the transgression of Iacob is all this and for the sins of the house of Israel What is the transgression of Iacob is it not Samaria and what are the high places of Iudah are they not Ierusalem 6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field and as plantings of a vineyard and I will poure down the stones thereof into the valley and I will discover the foundations thereof 7 And all the graven Images thereof shall be beaten to pieces and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot and they shall return to the hire of an harlot 8 Therefore I will wail and howl I will go stript and naked I will make a wailing like the dragons and mourning as the owles 9 For her wound is incurable for it is come unto Iudah he is come unto the gate of my people even to Ierusalem 10 Declare ye it not at Gath weep ye not at all in the house of Aphrah roll thy self in the dust 11 Passe ye away thou inhahitant of Saphir having thy shame naked the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel he shall receive of you his standing 12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Ierusalem 13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish bind the chariot to the swift beast she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee 14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel 15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee O inhabitant of Mareshah he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel 16 Make thee bald and poll thee for thy delicate children enlarge thy baldnesse as the eagle for they are gone into captivity from thee CHAP. I. 1. THe word of the Lord which was made known to Micah of Moreshah a City in Judaea in the dayes of Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah and which he had revealed to him in a vision concerning Samaria and Ierusalem two eminent Cities by whose example the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel were drawn into many grievous sins and disorders 2. Hear all ye people of Judah and Israel Attend to this Prophesie of mine you that dwell in any part of this land how populous and of how great extent soever it is And for my faithfull delivery of what I am enjoyned to say let God himself that sees and hears all from his holy and glorious habitation in heaven hear witnesse against you if I be at any time accused or mistrusted for concealing any part of his will and pleasure 3. For I wish you all to take notice of this that God is now coming out of those high and holy places of his to show himself in the execution of his judgements upon your nation and the highest and strongest places with the
highest and stateliest persons as stout as they are will he trample under his feet and lay even with the lowest earth 4. At his angry voice the mountainous Cities shall melt under him like wax before the fire and the lower villages in the vale shall part asunder and leave their former glory and station with as much speed and violence as waters will run down in the steepest places and leave no markes of any abode in that place from whence they come 5 And all this for the transgressions of Iacob and the sins of the house of Israel Now what caused the transgressions of Iacob but the ill example of Samaria and what occasioned the idolatry of the high places of Iudah but the ill copy that was set them by Ierusalem 6. But Samaria that first began the sin shall feel the first smart of the punishment And I will make Samaria like a heap of rubbish in the field or of withered plants in a vineyard So far shall she be from having the face and show of a Citie when I have caused the stones to be cast down out of her high buildings into the lowest holes and bottomes and discovered the very foundations of that fabrick wherein she gloried so much 7. Then shall all their graven images be beaten to peices and the rich ornaments that were bestowed upon their idoll-temples shall be consumed with fire and the idols themselves will I lay desolate For at the best those fair donaries were but the rewards and bribes of their spirituall adultery with idols and to no other end shall they come then to what such wages of adultery and idolatry do best deserve to be brought 8. Thus said the Lord. But I their sad Prophet cannot but interpret my inward sorrow by my bitter lamentations and divesting my self of my best and upper garments and in that little better than naked posture mourning like the prodigious melancholy beasts in the desert and howling like the young owles that have no other tone and thence have their name as fit to expresse it 9. All which I am brought to because this Land is so desperately wounded that there is no hope of her cure no not in Judah the best part of her For which cause he that hath already given such a blow to Israel is marching toward my selected people even to the very gates of Ierusalem 10. Yet let not these sad things be published in Gath or any other town of the Philistims our enemies Let not our teares be seen of them that will laugh the more at our miseries But thou Ephraim that bearest the name of fruitfulnesse or rather I will call thee Ophrah from dust and ashes that are signes of sorrow and barrennesse spare not thy sorrowes for thy self within thy own houses Wallow thy self in dust and ashes in contemplation of the sad day wherein all thy houses shall be beaten into dust 11. And you of Samaria so pleasantly seated that the name of Samaria may be turned into Shaphir you shall passe along from thence into a land of desolation and captivity having your fair City laid bare and naked to your utter shame and confusion while thy Sister that dwels in Sion will not stir a foot from her quiet Hill to come towards you and releive you But k keeping her own station and not troubling her self any further she will for fashion sake take the hint of her mourning from thee O Bethel that mayestâ— now rather be called Beth-etsel i. a place of schism and separation 12. But though Jerusalem be yet so senselesse of misery yet she that dwels in Ramoth of Judaea for which you may say by transposition of the letters that dwells in Maroth i. in a place destined to sorrow and bitternesse she shall much bewaile the losse of her good people ere long For mischief and divine vengeance shall come down at last not to them onely of the severall Ramoths and eminent seates in Judaea but to the very gates of Jerusalem too that is pirked up higher than all the rest 13. And thou inhabitant of Lachish shalt bind the chariot to the swift dromedaries that chariot that must convey Sennacheribs servants to Jerusalem to demand no lesse than the rendring up of the Citie into his hands because Lachish gave the first and chief occasion of the sinne of idolatry to the daughter of Sion Such great faults of the ten tribes of Israel being first found in thee 14. Therefore also have I somewhat to say to Moreshah-Gath and Aczib the two neighbour townes of Lachish Thou O Lachish shalt be fain to send presents and bribe the Assyrians well to show favour to Moreshath-Gath And the houshoulders of Achzib shall be put to another shift whereby to help themselves i. by proving themselves false dissemblers and lyars as their name imports and betraying that trust that was reposed in them by the Kings of Israel 15. And now I will say somewhat alluding to the name of Moreshah as I did to that of Achzib Moreshah in the derivation of the word referrs to an heir And I have an heir in store for thee O inhabitant of Moreshah It shall be the Assyrian that shall hereafter possesse what is yet thine I will bring him to thee my self And this Assyrian whom you made so much of once as if he had been the glory of Israel shall quickly enlarge himself and come as farre as Odullam after he hath got the safe possession of Moreshah 16. Therefore O thou poor and miserable Judaea that hearest these sad prophesies against the greatest Townes and Cities fall to those ceremonies now that are the best expressions of their sorrow and heavinesse Take away thy dainty haire and make thy self as good as bald in signe of grief for the slaughter of thy delicate children wherein thou hast placed thy delight And yet enlarge thy baldnesse like that of the Eagle in token of greater sorrow for those thy Children that are led into captivity and so have a heavier sentence passed upon them then there was upon them that were taken away by death from the sense of any further calamitie CHAP. II. 1 WO to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hand 2 And they covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house even a man and his heritage 3 Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold against this family do I devise an evil from which ye shall not remove your necks neither shall ye go haughtily for this time is evil 4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you and lament with a doleful lamentation and say We be utterly spoiled he hath changed the portion of my people how hath he removed it from me turning away he hath divided our
preach what will please them and to sooth them up in expectation of better times then they are worthy to enjoy or have any reason to hope for 9. And now to put my office accordingly in execution Give ear to me once again you Princes of Iacob and other Governors in the house of Israel that sit in the place of Justice and yet abhor doing of judgement and should be the onely examples of dealing rightly and exactly according to the rule and yet are commonly seen to pervert the rule of equity and make the law serve your own turns 10. That makes them build such houses in Sion and other parts of Jerusalem with what they gain by shedding of the blood of the innocent and by deciding causes that come before them with much injustice and iniquity 11. For the Princes of this City judge for the bribe and the Priests teach for the hire and the Prophets divine for the reward in ready cash And yet they can talk devoutly and confidently of Gods protection for Sion and Jerusalems sake and seem to rely upon the Lord and say Doth not God dwell in the midst of us How then can evil betide us that are lodged so near to his own holy Temple 12. But talk what you will For you and your sins Sion shall be plowed like a field Jerusalem shall become like heaps of rubbish and Mount Moriah the top of your glory as the place where the House of God stands shall be like those Mountains in the forrest that are fitter for the entertainment of beasts then men CHAP. IV. 1 BVt in the last daies it shall come to passe that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it 2 And many nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his pathes for the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem 3 And he shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into prunning hooks nation shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it 5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever 6 In that day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth and I will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast far off a strong nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever 8 And thou O tower of the flock the strong hold of the daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first dominion the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Ierusalem 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud is there no king in thee is thy councellour perished for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail 10 Be in pain and labour to bring forth O daughter of Zion like a woman in travail for now shalt thou go forth out of the city and thou shalt dwell in the field and thou shalt go even to Babylon there shalt thou be delivered there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies 11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee that say Let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Zion 12 But they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they his counsel for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor 13 Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion for I will make thine horn iron and I will make thy hoofs brasse and thou shalt beat in pieces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth CHAP. IV. 1. YEt for your comfort after all this desolation there will a time come at their return from the captivity of Babylon when that mountain where the house of the Lord is seated shall overtop all other mountains and no hills or high places which the Pagans have made choice of for the worship of their idol-gods shall any way be compared to the high glory of Mount Moriah or so frequented with multitudes of men as this shall be 2. Hither shall flock the true worshipers from several parts of the World and say Come and let us go up to the holy Mountain the Mountain of the Lord Iehovah and to the house of the God of Iacob and by his holy Priests and Prophets he will teach us what is fittest for us to be instructed in out of his waies that we may walk in them For thence onely must we look for the knowledge of the true God whose divine laws specially in the daies of the Messias shall go forth of Sion and his holy word out of Ierusalem and thence be divulged and imparted unto other nations 3. This great God of Israel that so instructs and directs them that make their humble addresses unto him will for their sakes show his judgements among many people that seek him not and correct many remote nations that are too strong and puissant for us to deal with for no strength no distance can secure them from his power and good pleasure upon them And while we serve him he will make them to be so willingly and so absolutely resolved of peace that they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks And rather then their own quarrels shall be any disturbance to us one nation shall not lift up a weapon against another nor shall they learn how to practise themselves in the feats of war any more 4. And so shall it be after our return from Babylon we shall then enjoy many daies of great peace and tranquillity Every man shall sit quietly under his own vine and under his own fig-tree without any to molest him or make him afraid And to make us secure of all this it is decreed by God himself and the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it who hath all hosts and armies and alterations of peace and war at his disposal 5. And our serving of him will be one motive of this mercy and favour for while other people addict themselves to the worship of their false gods and in their name tender all their respects we shall go on to present our humble service and devotions in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever 6.
of my rest to prey upon you and disturb you of your rest For I am now resolved and have peremptorily decreed to gather some of other nations and kingdoms together specially the Chaldaeans and their auxiliaries and by them to pour out my indignation upon these Iews even all the fiercenesse of my indignation For no otherwise then in a kind of fierce zeal shall all the land of Judaea be destroyed 9. But after that affliction I will convert the people to a more penitent and devout and holy language that they may call upon the name of the Lord with more reverence then now is to be found amongst them and joyntly endevour to serve and obey him as they that willingly joyn their sholders together to bear that yoke that he laies upon them which easie yoke is no other then his service 10. And then from the remotest parts of their captivity from as far as those places about the rivers of Cush shall my suppliant and humble servants the off-spring of my people Israel and Judah far and wide dispersed over several nations from thence shall they bring offerings unto me in testimony of their hearty thanks for their joyful return into their own countrie 11. About that time will I take away the shame and grief which thou hadst conceived for thy former great sins and offences committed against me For then shall I by death and miserie have removed from thee those haughty and insulting Countrymen and Priests of thine And then shalt thou offend no more as thou hast done by pride and contempt of my holy places and my Sanctuarie in Mount Sion when those Masters of misrule and ringleaders to the proudest and most presumptious offences are taken away 12. In stead of them I will furnish thee with a meek and humble generation of men though poor which shall trust in the name of the Lord and not in the proud mistake of their own fortunes and abilities 13. This good remnant of my people that return from their captivity shall not return to their great and grievous sin their idolatry nor shall they so accustom themselves again to the speaking of lies and deceit Therefore in all peace and plenty shall they feed well at last and take their rest securely having none to fright or molest them 14. Rejoyce then O daughter of Sion sing and shout for joy O Israel Be merry and chearfull from the bottom of a thankefull heart O Daughter of Ierusalem 15. For God hath taken off those judgements wherewith thou wert afflicted for thy sins He hath removed thy enemies out of thy sight that they may trouble thee no more And instead of those Tyrants Iehovah the the God and King of Israel is in the midst of thee and thou shalt see no more of those calamities which thou hast seen heretofore 16. In those daies it shall be said to Jerusalem and to Sion Fear not nor be any way discouraged Let not thy bands faint or give over till they have raised an other City and Temple wherein to serve the Lord. 17 Iehovah thy God in the midst of thee is of great might and power and of as ready a mind and will to save and defend thee He will rejoyce over thee exceedingly He will acquiesce and solace himself in his love toward thee They that sing for joy shall not have more content and delight then he will take in thee 18. They that were the cause of removing thy merry Feasts and Solemnities will I remove far from thee For they have been but a burden and a disgrace unto thee 19. And take notice of it at that time will I undoe not them onely but all those that have any way troubled and afflicted thee And I will cure them amongst thee that are any way weakened in their fortunes and gather them dayly to their own homes that have been as good as ejected and banished from thence in the long time of their captivity And I will make them famous and renowned in those very places where they have been put to shame and disgrace 20. Again I say it to you all that shall then survive and serve me At that time will I reduce you to your own homes and gather you together to your own friends and acquaintance and I will make you famous and renowned among all the people of the earth so that your own eyes shall see with what advantage I have brought you back again from your captivity A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF HAGGAI CHAP. I. IN the second year of Darius the king in the sixth moneth in the first day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel governour of Iudah and to Ioshuah the son of Iosedech the high priest saying 2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying This people say The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built 3 Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet saying 4 Is it time for you Oye to dwell in your cieled houses and this house lie wast 5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts Consider your waies 6 Ye have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloth you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes 7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts Consider your waies 8 Go up to the mountain and bring wood and build the house and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. 9 Ye looked for much and lo it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it why saith the Lord of hosts because of mine house that is wast and ye run every man unto his own house 10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew and the earth is stayed from her fruit 11 And I called for a drought upon the land and upon the mountains and upon the corn and upon the new wine and upon the oyl and upon that which the ground bringeth forth and upon men and upon cattel and upon all the labour of the hands 12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Ioshua the son of Iosedech the high priest with all the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet as the Lord their God had sent him and the people did fear before the Lord. 13. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger in the Lords message unto the people saying I am with you saith the Lord. 14 And the Lord stirred up the spirt of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel governour of Iudah and the spirit of Ioshua the son of Iosedech the high priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the people and they came and did work in
plain had the same benefit of a quiet and secure repose and a rich habitation 8. And the word of the Lord came again unto me saying 9. Thus spake the Lord of Hostes by former Prophets saying In your publick places of Judgement proceed according to the rules of true Iustice and Equity without any regard to silthy lucre or to the prejudice of Affection And in your private actions and commerce with one another show that kindnesse and compassion that should be expected among Brethren of the same stock and alliance and of the same Religion and Profession 10. Let there be no injuring or oppressing of the widow the orphan the stranger or any that are poor and afflicted amongst you And do not so much as in your hearts devise or conceive any mischeivous intention against one another All this I commanded your Fathers by the former Prophets 11. But they would not hear of that ear they shrunk up the shoulder and in plain rebellion turned their backs upon their good guides and followed those courses that would make their cares duller for any holy counsaile that called for this obedience 12. And thus by degrees they made their hearts as it were in a set opposition to all exhortations of obedience as hard as flint or any the hardest and most durable stone that there might be no admittance for the voice of the law and the precepts which the Lord of Hostes sent them by those that were to that purpose raised up and enlightened by his holy Spirit for such were all your former Prophets And this wilfull and obstinate rebellion of theirs could not but draw down the heavie and just indignation of the Lord of Hostes. 13. And accordingly you see it came to passe that as they suffered God to call upon them and would return him no answer of obedience so when their own miseries forced them to call for divine assistanee then did I refuse to answer their desires saith the Lord of Hostes. 14. And I dispersed them in mine anger as if it had been with a mighty whirl-wind into severall nations which they never knew before and their own land after their deportation into other parts was left waste and desolate like a wildernesse behind them There was not so much as a passenger to be seen either going thither or returning from that place that had been so much frequented Such and so heavie was the solitude and barrennesse of that land that had been accounted the delight and Paradise of the whole earth CHAP. VIII 1. AGain the word of the Lord of hostes came to me saying 2. Thus saith the Lord of hosts I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury 3 Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a Citie of truth and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain 4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Ierusalem and every man with his staffe in his hand for very age 5 And the streets of the citie shall be full of boyes and girls playing in the streets thereof 6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts if it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of hosts 7 Thus saith the Lord of hostes Behold I will save my people from the east-countrey and from the west-countrey 8 And I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and they shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and in righteousnesse 9 Thus saith the Lord of hosts Let your hands be strong ye that hear in these dayes these words by the mouth of the prophets which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid that the temple might be built 10 For before these daies there was no hire for man nor any hire for beast neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction for I set all men every one against his neighbour 11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former daies saith the Lord of hosts 12 For the seed shall be prosperous the vine shall give her fruit and the ground shall give her encrease and the heavens shall give their dew and I will curse the remnant of this people to possess all these things 13 And it shall come to passe that aâ—â— ye were a curse among the heathen O house of Iudah and house of Israel so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing fear not but let your hands be strong 14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts As I thought to punish you when your fathers provoked me to wrath saith the Lord of hostes and I repented not 15 So again have I thought in these dayes to do well unto Ierusalem and to the house of Iudah fear ye not 16 These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates 17 And let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. 18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me saying 19 Thus saith the Lord of hosts The fast of the fourth moneth and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Iudah joy and gladness and chearfull feasts therefore love the truth and peace 20 Thus saith the Lord of hosts it shall yet come to passe that there shall come people and the inhabitants of many cities 21 And the inhabitants of one city shbll go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also 22 Yea many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hostes in Ierusalem and to pray before the Lord. 23 Thus saith the Lord of hostes In those daies it shall come to passe that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew saying We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you CHAP. VIII 1. ANd the commands of the Lord of Hostes were thus expressed further upon the same occasion and to make way for a satisfactory answer to their question 2. Thus saith the Lord of Hostes. As my great wrath and justice upon my own people followed upon the greatnesse of those sins which were mentioned before so now the greatnesse of my jealousie for Sion the seat on my Jewish Church and my great anger no now against her but for her shall be