A paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets. Viz. Hoseah. Joel. Amos. Obadiah. Jonah. Micah. Nahum. Habakkuk. Zephaniah. Haggai. Zechariah. Malachi. / By Da. Stokes. D.D.

CHAP. IV.

1. YEt (for your comfort) after all this desolation, there will a time come (at their return from the captivity of Babylon) (a) 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 Moun∣tain 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, (b) out of his waies,(c) 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 divul∣ged, and imparted unto other nations,)

3. This great God of Israel (that so instructs, and directs them, that make their humble ad∣dresses unto him) will, for their sakes,(d) 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 (e) 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 alterati∣ons 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. In those daies, saith the Lord, I will recol∣lect into their own Country, and restore to their former happinesse, that (f) poor, weak, and afflicted nation of the Jews: that hath been (g) driven out of her own towns, and cities (g) into other remote parts, and there been ill intreated (by my own permission.)

7. And I will make that weak afflicted nation leave a fair remnant behind her. (a numerous progenie to succeed her) And over that poste∣ritie of hers will I my self raign for ever in Mount Sion (and no earthly Prince shall hin∣der them from living after my laws, till them∣selves forsake me of their own accord.)

8. And thou Tower of Ader (by Bethlehem) that standest in such an(h) obscure and neglected

place, The daughter of Sion (the fair City of Jerusalem) shall make her accesse unto thee. And out of thee shall come the chiefest fountain of dominion, and royalty. (the Messias to be born in Bethlehem) To the daughter of Jerusa∣lem shall he come (I say not, how strangely en∣tertained by her.)

9. But now why dost thou cry out so pitifully, and make such heavy lamentation (at the sound of royalty) Dost thou find no King over thee (while upon these sad Prophesies, thou supposest thy self as in thy captivity) Are thy Sanhedrin (thy great Counsellors) perished? Is this the cause, why thou art so often surprised with as extream pain, and anguish, as a woman in travel?

10. I cannot blame thee, thou maist well be in pain and labour to bring forth, and to be de∣livered of that thy trouble. And be so. For, thou shalt very (i) shortly be fain to depart out of thy Cities, and be content with what lodging thou canst get abroad in the open fields, and so walk on to Babylon. But, there will I find out a way of deliverance for thee: and even there shal the great Jehovah rescue thee from the hands of thine enemies.

11, And as (k) shortly after, many men of

several nations shall uuite their strength and malice against thee, which shal not spare to say, Let Sion be still represented to the world, as one lying in her own pollution, and exposed to the contempt of all us, that look upon her.

12. But, they that so talk at random, and out of malice, little know or consider what God, in his secret counsel, and providence, and mercy doth intend to do with us. But, how little so∣ever they consider our end, they are lesse ad∣vised of their own. For, He shall gather them, as sheaves into the floor (there to be so thrash∣ed, and bangd, as they do not dream of.)

13. (For then will I say to Sion) Rouse up thy self, and lay about thee, like a thrasher, O daughter Sion. Tread, and trample them un∣der, (which is your way of thrashing with oxen that tread out the corn) and (to help on the businesse) I will make thy horns like iron, and thy hoofs like brasse, that thou maist trample them and beat them all to pieces, be they never so many. And what they have covetously hoorded I will take to my self, saith the Lord. They have but laid it up, as a thing anathema∣tized, and set apart for my peculiar service, as a deodate out of their substance: which I will chalenge, as I am Lord paramont over all the earth.

Notes

• (a)

  Isai. 2. 2. &c.
• (b)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 de vi a suis:
• (c)

  •• pro [ut] sicut Psal. 77. 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 adeòut non
• (d)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 soepe est, in judicium vocare, poenam inferre.
• (e)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dicitus omne telum bellicum.
• (f)

  Claudicans poniter pro insi me, & afflicto.
• (g)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ab 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ultra.
• (g)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ab 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ultra.
• Vid. c. 5. 2.
• (h)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 locus obscurus.
• (i)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 breui ut v. segv. &c. 5. 1.
• (k)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ut supra.