wheat and the fats shall overflow with oile 7. The Lord can and will make up the losses of penitents And when ever sinners do turne to God he will convince them in due time that they have been no losers by their afflictions of this truth we have a particular proof and instance in this promise and I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten c. 8. Our seeing of God and his hand in saddest scourges and losses will assure us that he can soon and easily make them up For saith he they were my great army which I sent among you and if he sent them and made them able to make such havoke then certainly he can not only remove them but send as remarkable plenty Vers 26. And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the Name of the LORD your God that hath dealt wonderously with you and my people shall never be ashamed 27. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am the LORD your God and none else and my people shall never be ashamed These promises and causes of their joy are amplified from some effects As 1. That they shall have the use of this plenty to their satisfaction 2. That they shall praise God for it 3. That by this his dealing and his other mercies toward them he will convince them of his relation to them who is God only and will confirme them and all the godly that they shall never be disappointed of their hope in him which he asserts twice for further confirmation And this is the first spiritual promise whereby he encourageth them to repent Doct. 1. It is an addition to the mercy of plenty when men are allowed the use of creatures to satisfaction without challenge of conscience and are not denied a blessing upon and with them nor are others permitted to take them away after they are growen up as Isa 62.8 For it is a promise Ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied 2. It is the duty of such as receive the good things of this life to make conscience of thankfulnesse to God whose providence supplieth their wants And true penitents and such as are turned to God will make conscience of this duty considering especially that these common favours come to them in special love and from their own God in Covenant with them Therefore it is added to their eating and satisfaction and shall praise the Name of the LORD your God See Isa 62.8 9. Deut. 8.10 3. It is our duty to stir up our selves to praise in this by considering the wonderfulnesse of the providence of God in providing continually our daily bread And especially in his sending great plenty after famine in which change of dealing both his providence and mercy shineth For it is added as an argument of praise that he hath dealt wonderously with you both in his ordinary providence and especially in that great change 4. The chief blessing and advantage of temporal benefits unto the godly is that by receiving and using of them they reap some spiritual benefit and advantage by confirmation of their faith and discovering of the love of God unto them so much are we taught by subjoyning this spiritual promise containing an effect of conferring this temporal favour 5. Gods dealing kindly with his Church or any one of them in any particular according to the Covenant may be a pledge that none be who they will that are his people will ever finde it in vaine to seek him or be ashamed or disappointed of their hope in him according to his Word For this is a general conclusion drawn from this particular proof of his love and my people shall never be ashamed 6. An interest in God by vertue of a Covenant and his manifested presence following upon that is the choice of mercies And it is sweet when this maybe read and seen shining in his mercies as a penitent is allowed to do For it is held out as the sweet effect and consequent of his bounty toward penitents ye shall know not only that I am the Lord your God but that he hath not withdrawn himself though the interest stand but that I am in the midst of Israel or these who are now left of Israel to be a people to him And however the Lord here promiseth prosperity to evidence this yet if the Lord clear it any other way it is sufficient 7. It is also a great addition to the Churches mercy that he who alone is her God is also the only true God and therefore is the only portion and above all the opposition that can be made to her felicity For I am the Lord your God and none else none beside him to prove a God unto her let her choose never so many 8. However the people of God may be oft put to pray against that sad affliction of being ashamed of their confidence as Psal 119.116 Yet it is to be believed and again and again inculcate that not only now but for ever Gods people have no cause of fearing disappontment that God will by actual performance of his promises put them from all cause of fear Therefore in opposition to the recurring of such tentations it is again repeated and my people shall never be ashamed Where it is given them as a ground of hope that God who chooseth and calleth them to be his peculiar people will not raise such an ill report upon his own love or service as thus to entertain them Nor will he make his own purpose and grace in election and calling void albeit they be worthlesse Vers 28. And it shall come to passe afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions 29. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those dayes will I poure out my Spirit The second spirituall promise is that under Christ and in the dayes of the Gospel as it is expounded Acts 2.16 17 c. he will poure out his Spirit more amply then before upon all sorts of persons of all Nations both old and young sons and daughters bond and free whereby they shall be endued with such knowledge of the mysteries of salvation as may be compared with the knowledge of the ancient Prophets For clearing this a little Consider 1. By the Spirit here promised is not to be understood any natural or moral endowments conferred upon men But partly the spiritual common gifts conferred upon men for the edification of the Church And partly the saving graces of the Spirit conferred upon the Elect in order to their eternal salvation 2. By all flesh on whom the Spirit is to be poured out we are not to understand all and every one for this promise is made only to these within the Church and to these who at least by visible Covenant become the Lords as it is
difficulties and yet as their journey toward Canaan wherein they were supported and provided for so he promiseth that Israel after their conversion to God should walk on through the wildernesse of this world toward their heavenly Canaan or more particularly it may relate to some great difficulties converted Israel may meet with before their recollection from exile and in their bringing up from the land of the North Jer. 16.14 15. 3. He promiseth that in this their wandering through the wildernesse he will speak comfortably to their heart which answers to the entring in Covenant with them and the many proofes of love they met with during their fourty years pilgrimage Doct. 1. As a visible Church may become so desperately sick as there is no remedying of her but by utter undoing of her for a time as here it is supposed Israel will be so free-grace in God may take advantage of such incorrigiblenesse and such an undone condition to manifest and magnifie it self upon her and unto her even to admiration Therefore do these promises come in with a Therefore by way of conclusion upon the former purpose intimating that since they had given a proof what they could do and that there was no other remedy but they would be undone for ever therefore he would take occasion of this to manifest what grace could make of such a desperate case and people And this hath a behold prefixed to it as being indeed admirable and remarkable 2. Conversion to God is the great proof of the love of God toward sinners and the first step to their happinesse and it will be the way of God with Israel to turn them to him before they taste of any other fruit of the Covenant and while they are yet in exile For I will allure her or perswade her is the first promise The forme of speech alludes in part to what their idols did of old they did allure them away from God now the Lord shall outbid all their lovers and gain their heart from them and to the Lords dealing with the Gentiles after Israeâ—s rejection he did perswade or allure them it is the same word that is here to dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9 27. Now he will perswade Shem to return to his own tents 3. Albeit the efficacy of conversion be not suspended on the liberty of â—ans will but God interposeth so in it as he may certainly undertake that it shall be as here he infallibly promiseth he will allure and perswade her yet herein his way is very sweet and taking with the sinner the efficacy of his grace being conveighed in and by the sweet voice of the Gospel and his allurements and offers so sweet and rich so that the soul is made most willing in this choice So much may be gathered from this description of conversion I will allure her or gain her heart to my self by the sweet allurements of the Gospel 4. Such as are converted to Christ ought to re-resolve on a journey and progresse as having more before them both of duty and exercise and of enjoyments For after she is allured she is to remove and come to a wildernesse whether we understand it of the godlies progresse toward Heaven or Israels in particular toward her wonted enjoyments 5. As unto the converted the world and all things therein will look with another face and whereas they looked on it as their rest they will now see it to be but the place of their sojourning and pilgrimage What they accounted a Paradise they will judge but a wildernesse and that which smiled upon them as being of the world will now frowne upon them So in particular it may please the Lord after the conversion of his people to bring them into sad troubles and exercises for their use and profit For as he did so to Israel of old after their deliverance out of Egypt so he will do to Israel after their conversion I will allure her and bring her to the wildernesse Such a lot as this serveth to stir up yet more to repentance is the way to true rest and fits them for it as Israel found of old See Deut. 8.15 16. 6. Whatever may be the lot of the Lords converted people yet it is their advantage that they are in his hand and guiding who as his sweet allurements and comforts may invite any to follow him though it were even to a wildernesse so his carving out of their lot and going before them and being with them in it will render even the saddest of it tolerable and easie For so is imported here it is upon his alluring she followeth him and he brings her to the wildernesse which is her mercy 7. When the Lord brings his people into a wildernesse-condidition it is out of a purpose of love to them that it may endeer them to his heart may make way for and render them capable of much mercy and many proofes of love For when he brings her to the wildernesse he speaketh comfortably to her or deals kindly with her So Israel of old found her time in the wildernesse a rich time Jer. 2.2 3. 8. The consolations of the â—eople of God within time and under trouble do consist much in promise and they must be content of promises till performance come considering that not only promises are sweet in themselves and will not faile in performance and that exercise by delay is useful but that the only sure token of a blessed condition is not outward enjoyments but the words speaking peace Therefore his allowance to his people is I will speak comfortably to her 9. How tastlesse and empty soever promises may seem to carnall hearts or to Saints in their distemper yet as they are cordials in themselves so when God accompanieth and speaks them by his Spirit they will satisfie and support So much doth the Original expression import I will speak to her heart Vers 15. And I will give her her vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for a door of hope and she shall sing there as in the dayes of her youth and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt The second ground of consolation wherein he insists in the allusion to their coming out of Egypt is that as of old Israel had an end put to their toile in the wildernesse and got the possession of a fruitful land here signified by vineyards a part for the whole and as they at first entred into the possession of that fruitful valley near Jericho as a pledge of their future successe and of the fertility of their land So the Lord will put an end to his peoples toile and wandering by giving them compleat rest in Heaven or particular deliverances from particular troubles within time and more particularly Israels toile after their conversion shall end in restitution to wonted enjoyments and as would appear to their land which will be made fruitful to them And further till this
as make it their study and place their happinesse in having not only present means of subsistence but in laying up great store beside them as Luk. 12.18 19. may meet with a sad disappointment because of their sin For the garners are laid desolate the barnes are broken down as serving for no use in this time of scarsity 4. God can easily reach any or all of his creatures and is provoked to plague them because of mens sins For it is an evidence of his Sovereigne power and providence and of his controversie against that people that the beasts groan c. 5. The destruction that comes upon the creatures and their perplexities under want should invite sinners for whose cause they are plagued to repentance For their groaning perplexity and desolation is an argument pressing on Judah to cry to God Vers 19. O LORD to thee will I cry for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse and the flame hath burnt all the trees of the field 20. The beasts of the field cry also unto thee for the rivers of waters are dried up and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse The fifth argument is that the Prophet foreseeing and laying this stroak to heart could not but cry to God considering how these insects or the drought had like a fire consumed all the pastures even in the deserts how the trees were burnt up and how the beasts were made to cry through want of drink and pasture Whence learn 1. They who invite others to mourne would essay it themselves and Ministers would be affected with the judgements which they denounce in Gods Name that so their example may be a mean to affect others Therefore the Prophet draweth an argument to repentance from his own practice O Lord to thee will I cry 2. The Lords anger is a dreadfull party and can easily consume all creatures to ruine the sinner that will not repent for here it makes pastures and trees be burnt up as with a fire and drieth up rivers of waters 3. As the cries of beasts in their necessity is expounded by God as directed to him Job 38.41 Psal 104.27 28. 147.9 that so he may much more encourage needy sinners to come to him So the distresse and perplexity of beasts should stir us up to be sensible and their cries to God in their kinde when they are in want should make men ashamed to lie behinde in their duty for saith the Prophet O Lord unto thee will I cry because the beasts of the field cry also unto thee 4. This smiting of all creatures by God and their crying to him in straits may also teach us what the alsufficiency of God is from whom the ordinary and daily provision of all creatures cometh and who can take it away or restore it at his pleasure See Psal 104.27 28. and 145.15 CHAP. II. IN this Chapter the Lord prosecutes what he had propounded in the former Chap. setting before them the sadnesse of the calamity to stirre them up to repent and withall he promiseth to respect them upon heir repentance And so in the first part of the Chapter having exhorted them to solemne humiliation and fasting because of that dreadful day of vengeance that was approaching v. 1. he doth for their upstirring set forth at large the greatnesse and dreadfulnesse of that judgement shewing that the number of these insects should be so great as to over-cloud the skie and over-spread the land to the great perplexity of men v. 2. that they should lay the land desolate v. 3. that they should have courage and celerity like horses and be terrible like armed chariots and armies of trained souldiers v. 4 5. and so should bring an universal terrour on the people v. 6. that they should not only destroy the fruits of the ground but should vexe cities and houses v. 7 8 9. that they should bring such a calamity as if the course of nature were overturned v. 10 and that they should be thus dreadful and successeful because they are employed by God to execute his threatenings v. 11. In the second part of the Chap. the Lord exhorts them to sincere repentance v. 12 13. considering the graciousnesse of God v. 13. and what hope there is of mercy and moderation v. 14. And he resumes and presses the former exhortation to the Priests to stir up all sorts of people to publick and solemne humiliation v. 15 16. wherein the Priests themselves are to be eminently active v. 17. In the third part of the Chap. they are encouraged to repentance by many promises of great things to be done for them being penitent and these both temporal relating to their present affliction and spiritual The temporall promises are that Gods compassion and pity shall be manifested toward them and their land v. 18. that he will provide liberally for them to the taking away of their reproach v. 19. and that he will take away these insects that had consumed their land v. 20. By all which the land will have allowance to rejoyce and the beasts not to fear v. 21 22. and the Church shall be made to rejoyce in God who will give them plenty v. 23 24. and make up their losses by the former famine v. 25. so that they shall have the use of this mercy to their satisfaction and shall praise God for it v. 26. and he shall by this his dealing convince them of his relation to them and confirme the godly that they shall never be ashamed v. 26 27. And this is the first spiritual promise unto which is added further that in the dayes of the Gospel he will poure out of his Spirit largely v. 28 29. and that albeit many calamities and commotions shall follow on the back of that v. 30 31. yet such as cleave to God shall be saved and there shall still be a remnant to get the performance of the promise v. 32. Vers 1. Blow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarme in my holy mountaine let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the LORD cometh for it is nigh at hand Whatever other calamities to come upon Judah may be allegorically pointed at under the type of these locusts and other insects which wasted their land which yet it is not safe to follow too far yet in the letter he here speaks of the same calamity of which he spake in the former Chap. as may appear from the whole description and particularly from the promises made of deliverance from it and specially these v. 20 25. And the Prophets scope in the two first parts of the Chap. to v. 18. is to presse that exhortation ch 1.13 14. yet so as in the first part after he hath propounded the exhortation again he digresseth to describe the greatnesse of the calamity and then in the second part from ver 12. he resumes and inculcates their duty upon them In this Verse the Lord by the Prophet repeats
expounded of the servants and handmaids Acts 2.18 But it is to be understood of all sorts of persons of whatsoever Nation of these who embrace Christ and that there should be many of them in comparison of the times under the Law who should participate either of the gifts or graces of the Spirit or of both 3. As for the effects of the pouring out of the Spirit here mentioned that there shall be prophecies dreams and visions it is true that in that signal accomplishment of this promise Acts 2. and afterward in these primitive times there were such extraordinary wayes of manifestation of God and of his will for many did prophecie then even women as is instanced in the daughters of Philip Acts 21.9 Paul and Peter had visions 2 Cor. 12.1 2 c. Acts 10.10 11. And God appeared to Joseph in a dream Mat. 1.20 But this was but a partial accomplishment of this promise and a mean to carry on the full accomplishment therof And therefore we are to conceive that the Prophet speaks of Gospel-times and mercies in tearmes borrowed from the times of the Old Testament and the meaning is that as of old the excellent way and measure of the knowledge of God was by prophecie vision and dreams Numb 12.6 So under the New Testament beside what was extraordinary all who get the Spirit of God may for knowing the mysteries of salvation be compared with these ancient Prophets And as of old by these wayes of manifestation men attained to the knowledge of the mysteries of God so should they by the Spirit of God in the use of ordinary means 4. This may also serve to clear that the Prophet is not foretelling that under the Gospel all who receive the Spirit and know the mysteries of salvation thereby are therefore warranted to exercie the office of Prophets or Ministers For Prophecie being so strictly taken is not given to all upon whom the Spirit is poured out as is clear from 1 Cor. 12.29 5. It is also clear that the Prophet is not here speaking of any revelations to be given unto men without or beside the Word or which are not to be tried thereby for beside what is alrerdy said for exposition of this promise if we look to the most solemne and signal accomplishment of this promise we will finde the conceit refuted For in the very first Sermon of Peter after the Spirit is poured out he leads the hearers all along to Scripture both to justifie the strange change wrought upon them and to justifie the doctrine which being thus endowed he preacheth Acts 2.16 17 25 30 31 34. Doct. 1. The times of the Gospel are the times of letting out spiritual encouragements and wherein men ought to be more spiritual and made up with spiritual advantages however it go with them outwardly Therefore the Prophet entering upon spiritual promises and refreshments after these temporal promises for the comfort of this people doth remit them to what shall come to passe afterward or in the last dayes as it is expounded Acts 2.17 2. The Lords letting out of his Spirit in gifts and spiritual graces is the great Gospel-refreshment and encouragement as making the mysteries of God known and applying all Christs purchase to Believers So that all who would finde the advantage of the times of the Gospel ought to seek much of the Spirit for this is the promise I will poure out my Spirit 3. The letting out of the Spirit is God and his Son Christs free promise and gift and therefore to be sought of him and expected from him by these who are in themselves unworthy For it is a promise I will poure out my Spirit which Christ did performe Acts 2.33 See Luke 11.13 4. Albeit the Spirit of God was communicated unto the Church under the Law yet it is the advantage of the times of the Gospel 1. That the Spirit is let forth in more ample measure then formerly being poured out largely and not dropped out only So that we may seek largely and not be content with little nor be straitened in our own bowels 2. That this gift is not restricted now to one Nation of the Jewes with their proselytes and but to a few of them but is free to all sorts of persons and Nations and to many of them For it is upon all flesh the Spirit is poured out Doct. 5. Whatever be the abundant measure of the Spirit that is poured out yet there is still infinitely more in God to communicate as need requireth Therefore doth Peter Act. 2.17 expound it I will poure out of my Spirit or but some portion of that fulnesse that is in him Which is not only true in respect of Christ who hath the Spirit without measure John 3.34 but also in respect of the infinite fulnesse that is in God 6. God in pouring out his Spirit will not disdain men because of their frailty or felt sinfulnesse And where the Spirit is given it will keep men still sensible of their condition and what they are in themselves Therefore are they designed flesh or fraile and sinful creatures upon whom the Spirit is to be poured out shewing that their being such doth not hinder his bounty and his bounty will not make them forget that they are such 7. It is a special advantage reaped by the enjoyment of the Spirit that not only doth he water and refresh and fructifie the barren spirits of these in whom he dwels and therefore is said to be poured out like water on the ground See Isa 44.3 But that also he doth illuminate men with the knowledge of God He doth make known the mysteries of salvation furnisheth instruments to carry the glad tydings of salvation leads into all truth and maketh knowen the things that we have freely received Therefore doth he cause to prophesie and to dream dreams c. as is before explained See John 16.13 Acts 1.8 1 Cor. 12.7 8. and 2.12 to 15. 8. The knowledge of the mysteries of salvation which is communicated by the Spirit under the Gospel is comparable to any measure of knowledge attained by ancient Prophets of old Not only doth extraordinary revelation under the New Testament in the primitive times parralel what they had then But even the gifts of light and knowledge conferred in ordinary upon men and the saving knowledge conferred upon Believers may be compared therewith for whereas these revelations were but at fits and times only this is constant and these albeit they were singular in the manner of communicating yet the truth conveighed thereby was but more darkly held out and under a vaile whereas now truths are seen with open face Therefore as is before cleared are the names of prophecie visions and dreams given to this knowledge So that the ignorance of men under the Gospel doth speak but little enjoyment of the Spirit 9. Whereas he is not content to say only in general that all flesh shall receive of the Spirit but doth instance
it in sons and daughters old men and young servants and handmaids It may teach 1. No rank or sex or condition of persons are secluded from the promise of the Spirit â—e they old or young male or female bond or free 2. The efficacy and fulnesse of the Spirit of God is such as to refresh and prevaile with all these sorts of persons young ones who are not capable of mans teaching yet are not secluded from his teaching Mark 10.14 16. Luke 1.15 The Spirit hath vertue to illuminate and subdue young men notwithstanding all the power of their corruptions 1 John 2.13 14. to keep men fresh and lively in old age Psal 92.13 14. and to make servants happy in their condition 1 Cor. 7.22 3. It is Gods sure promise to the Church of the Gospel that the knowledge of him and of his truth shall be continued and propagated therein from generation to generation For therefore is it put in the first place your sons and daughters rising up to succeed you shall prophesie Doct. 10. As for these wayes of revealing the will of God of old by prophecie visions and dreams albeit they point all at one thing and seem to be named all here to let out the fulnesse of Gospel-knowledge answering to all of them and therefore seem to be comprehended all under prophesying as it is attributed to his servants of all sorts and ages Acts 2.18 Yet seeing they are distinctly named and attributed to several sorts of persons as prophesying to sons and daughters visions to young men and dreames to old men We may from it take up some steps and degrees of the knowledge of God wherein they grow up who are under the Spirits teaching As 1. By prophesying attributed to sons and daughters we may understand simply the knowledge of divine things 2. By visions attributed to young men we may understand their clearer insight and uptaking of these mysteries then they had in their younger dayes For vision doth represent the thing revealed more sensibly 3. By dreams wherein men have their senses shut up from the world and which are attributed to old men we may understand a further degree of illumination when light received doth take hold on the affections to sanctifie and subdue them So that mens hearts are taken off the world and filled with the things of God And so this gradation will teach That the knowledge of God which is communicated unto men by the Spirit will be on the growing hand till from a common notion and remembring of it it come to be more seriously pondered and laid to heart and till it take hold upon the affections and conquer the whole heart to God Ver. 30. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoake 31. The Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD come To prevent all secure and carnal thoughts as if upon embracing of the Gospel and receiving of the Spirit men should be rid of all outward trouble The Lord foretells of great commotions which were to be in the world after the pouring out of the Spirit Whereof though there were some particular accomplishments in these primitive times and before that dreadful day of the destruction of Jerusalem Yet the prediction stretcheth forth to all ages after the pouring out of the Spirit till the second coming of Christ to judgement which is here called the great and terrible day of the LORD The expressions pointing out these commotions of wonders in heaven earth c. may be understood either literally that there shall be signes of blood fire darknesse and eclipses of Sun and Moon going before these calamities as presages thereof or figuratively that there shall be such commotions and such signes of Gods anger for sin such judgements and calamities of sword famine and sicknesses such persecutions desertions tentations heresies schismes c. as if heaven and earth were going through other the course of nature overturned and the world full of dreadfull fights of blood fire and darknesse and neither Sunne or Moon affording wonted light or comfort To dip further into what may be connceived to be figuratively pointed at under every one of these I conceive is not very safe Doct. 1. Whatever breathing times God may allow upon his Gospel-Church yet it is her duty to look for commotions and troubles especially after times of pouring out of the Spirit and times of much light and reformation For upon the one hand Satan will bend all his power to oppose the progresse of the Gospel and will set the world in opposition to the Church and on the other hand God will poure out all sorts of calamities upon the visible Church to punish them who contemne his rich offer and do not walk answerably to such dispensations and to trie the graces of his own that they may aspire toward spiritual happinesse in heaven And he will punish secret and open enemies for the injuries they do to the Church For these causes is this prediction subjoyned to the former promise 2. It is the Churches duty not only to look for troubles but to expect that they will be great and very dreadful such as may testifie the greatnesse of Gods displeasure against sin and of mens fury against the Church such as may throughly trie the godly and bring about Gods deep counsels For there will be wonders in the heavens or the firmament and several regions of the aire and in the earth blood and fire c. 3. Whoever be employed in raising these great commotions and whatever be the designes and malice of men in them yet it is the Churches good and safety to see a supreme hand of God in all of them For saith he I will shew wonders c. 4. Though the Church in several ages may get times of breathing and tranquillity yet these will not be permanent but interrupted with sad blasts till the second coming of Christ which as it is certainly approaching so it will put a period to all stormes wherewith the godly are tossed For these things will be before the great and terrible day of the Lord come that is in all ages till that time and belike very violently immediately before Math. 24.29 30. 5. The day of Christs second coming will be great and terrible and as it is Acts 2.20 a notable or illustrious day A despised Christ will be seen great there great things will be done in that day He will then reach his full and final end of all his works All things will then be revealed and made patent the glory of God will be seen face to face the secrets of hearts the glory of Saints and the truth of promises and threatenings will then be made manifest And though the godly will then be free of all terrour yet it will be in it self a day of much state and majesty of the Lord and of great
terrour to the wicked For it is for these causes it gets this name Vers 32. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the Name of the LORD shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the LORD hath said and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call To confirme the godly against these calamities he subjoynes the third spiritual promise which is That all true Israelites and Converts of the Gentiles who cleave to God and worship him sincerely shall finde deliverance by preservation under trouble till they come to full deliverance and salvation at last This he confirmeth in a generall promise that of the Jewes and Gentiles called of God there shall be deliverance according to Gods promise or some remnant to escape to preserve a people to God upon earth and at last to inherit salvation Doct. 1. Were the condition of the visible Church or of the world never so deplorable and desperate yet it should not drive men from God his truth and pure worship but rather make them cleave to it more and evidence this by frequent and earnest calling on him For this is the duty required under these calamities to call on the Name of the LORD under which is comprehended all outward and inward worship of God whereof this is a chief part and mens cleaving to it 2. As God is able to save in greatest extremities so he will undoubtedly save and deliver them who cleave to him and seek him be of what Nation or people they will He will either hide some of them from trouble in great tempests or preserve them under it till he give an issue from it here or hereafter and at last will compleatly save them For whosoever shall call on the Name of the LORD shall be delivered or escape See Rom. 10.13 3. The Church is the place of greatest safety and where deliverance may most readily be expected of any and however it fare with particular persons in times of commotions yet the Lord will still preserve a Church and remnant in the world yea even a remnant of Jewes till their full conversion The efore saith he for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall he deliverance and in the remnant Where he names Zion and Jerusalem not only as a type of the Church wherein safety is to be found and the remnant are to be preserved but to point out that of the Jewes belonging to these places he would keep still a remnant Rom. 11.5 till that day come whereof he speaks in the next Chapter 4. God hath past his word for the preservation of a remnant under trouble and this is to be trusted to whatever our sense say to the contrary For saith he there shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said frequently in the Holy Scriptures 5. As the true Church is but a remnant in comparison of the rest of the world So times of trouble cutting off some and tempting others to Apostasie may draw them to a very small number who cleave to God and shall partake of promised salvation Therefore it is added by way of explication that deliverance shall be in the remnant or among them though some of them escape not the stroak of trouble 6. It is Gods effectual calling and election of grace that makes a difference among men and makes them seek and cleave to him And this is also a pledge that he who hath called and ingaged them in that service will give them deliverance and an issue from it Therefore it is added both by way of reason how it cometh there is a remnant and by way of confirmation that they shall be delivered they are the remnant whom the Lord shall call See Rom. 11.4 5 6 7. 1 Thess 5.24 CHAP. III. IN this Chap. the Lord doth prosecute and confirme that promise in the close of the former Chap. concerning the preservation and deliverance of a remnant especially as it relateth to the Jewes and therefore the dependance and connexion is expressed by the particle for which intimates that what followeth is an explanation and confirmation of what is there said In this confirmation 1. He promiseth to return the captivity of Judah v. 1. 2. He promiseth to punish all the enemies of the Church especially of the Jewes And that for this end he will convocate them to plead the cause of his people against all of them v. 2 3. and particularly against some of their nearest neighbours v. 4 5 6. and having pleaded with them he will passe sentence against them v. 7 8 and see it executed by convocating all of them as he will also bring his prepared executioners v. 9 10 11 12. who at Gods command v. 13. will do great execution upon them v. 14. In which case they shall be left destitute of all comfort v. 15. and God will be terrible unto them v. 16. 3. He closeth these promises with comfortable applications to the Church particularly to Judah and Israel shewing what proofes of love they shall meet with in these dispensations and what shall be the sweet consequents thereof and namely that when he shall be thus terrible to enemies yet he will be their hope and strength v. 16. that he will confirme them in their interest in him and that they shall be holy and secured from the invasion of stâ—angers v. 17. that they shall have abundance of temporal benefits together with spiritual graces and refreshments v. 18. and that when their enemies shall be utterly destroyed yet he will establish and perpetuate them v. 19 20. and will cleanse them from their pollution that he may evidence his presence with them and may continue it v. 21. Ver. 1. FOr behold in those dayes and in that time when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem Albeit this Vers doth expressely hold out only the time of Gods sentencing and punishing Judahs enemies of which he speaks in the following purpose Yet it doth import further 1. That there was to come a captivity and dispersion of the Jewish Nation both in City and Countrey and that under the Gospel and after the pouring out of the Spirit of which ch 2.28 for all the ensuing predictions do follow upon that It hath been already declared that after the performance of that promise great troubles were to follow ch 2.30 31. and that in the midst of these troubles not only should the truly godly attain to eternal salvation by cleaving to God and his Worship but the Lord should preserve a remnant for himself who should escape these troubles v. 32. And this as the connexion imports and hath been said before is but a confirmation and particular instance given of that general promise in the case of the Jewes So that it cannot at all relate to the captivity of Babylon 2. It imports that a restitution and returne of their captivity was to follow upon their dispersion at which time he will performe what is after