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. I.

1. IN the eighth moneth (the moneth Bul, which had part of our October, and part of November) in the second yeàr of Da∣rius, the son of Hystaspes, God spake unto the Prophet Zachary, the son of Barachias, the

son of Iddo, and thus said unto him.

((a) Thus shalt thou say unto the Jewes) The Lord was very much, though very justly, displeased with your Fathers: whom he there∣fore delivered up, as captives, into the hands of the King of Babylon.

3. And thou shalt further say unto them. Thus saith the Lord of Hostes, (whom all things serve and obey.) Return unto me by a true repentance and amendment of life, saith the Lord of Hostes: and I will return unto you, in that favour, and mercy, and tender care of your welfare, which the great sins of your Fathers made me, for a time, with∣draw from your nation, saith the Lord of Hostes.

4. Be not you disobedient as your Fathers were, whom the former Prophets have earnestly and zealously called upon, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Repent ye now, forsake all your evill waies, and your wicked actions, where∣in you go on to get unto your selves a dan∣gerous habit of sin. Yet they would not dili∣gently attend, and accordingly obey me, saith the great Iehovah.

5. But, where be your Fathers now, that were

so refractory, and disobedient unto me, and what is b••come of their false Prophets, that soothed them up in their sins, Did they live for ever? Did I not send one calamity after another, to hunt after them, and bring them to their graves?

6. Notwithstanding all their security, and vain hopes of peace, and an imaginary pro∣tection from me, for my Temples sake, have not my words, and decrees, which my Servantt the good Prophets delivered to them, by my command proved now to be true? Have not those judgements, which I so decreed, and foretold, at the last, justly overtaken them, so that many of them, in a true sense, and ap∣prehension of the greatnesse of their sins, and the truth of those predictions returned in the end to a sober mind, and ing••niously acknow∣ledging their errour could not but say, Just as the Lord of hostes resolved to do unto us, by inflicting a heavie punishment, answerable to our grievous sins in all the severall waies, and wicked actions, wherein we had offended, even so hath he made it good upon us. (This confession my punishments extorted from your Fathers, let it be one Motive of your true re∣pentance, that so you may escape those miseries which they pulled upon their own heads by not applying themselves unto me, by a timely repen∣tance.)

7. Now within two or three moneths after Zachary had preached this Sermon, namely upon the twenty fourth day of the eleventh moneth, which is the moneth Shebat, (and containes part of our January, and part of February) in the second year of Darius, the son of Hystaspes; the word of the Lord was re∣vealed unto Zachary, the Prophet, the son of Barachiah, the son of Iddo, in this manner, as I shall tell it.

8. In the quiet silence of the night, I saw a vision (that promised, though in a dark, and mysticall way, a quiet and peaceable time for the advancement of the work about the Temple: and partly discovered, how many Angels were ready, with the Messias, to assist and defend the Church in that time: and much more, under that figure, how many helps would be afforded from heaven, for that more spirituall Church: whose founda∣tion should be laid in that Citie, by the preach∣ing of the Messias, and of his Apostles, and Disciples) In this vision (to show the speed and forwardnesse of them that were sent) I observed, (b) a man riding upon a red horse, (the very colour of the horse speaking the

revenge, that he meant to take of the enemies of the Church.) And he stood among the myr∣tle-trees, that were in a bottom (c) by a river side, (wherein again as the bottom, and the shadow of the trees bid us take notice, how obscurely these things are revealed, and how little hope appeared from men, for the deli∣very, and tranquillity of the Church: so the trees being the sweet and humble myrtle, were a figure of meek and humble men, that were, for their holy life, accounted as a sweet odour unto God.) But after the view of this Horse-man, came more holy Emblems of our help. For behind him (as the Captain) there appeared other (as attendants) on red horses and speckled and white, (as if the red were to signifie those, that should attend their great Captain in prosecution of the revenge of the bloody enemies of the Church, whereof we spake before: and the other two, those that came for the punishment of such as were other waies spotted with sin: and for the protection of the pure, and innocent.)

9. Then said I to the Captain of this troop of Horse, the great Commander of this various armie under the Lord of Hostes, Who are these,

my Lord? And that great Angel or Messenger (sent from God himself,) vouchsafeing to an∣swer, and discourse (d) with me, said, (e) I will let thee know what these be.

10. Then presenting himself in the form of a man, and staying still under the shade of the myrtle-trees, he said. These are the Armie and Messengers, that the great Iehovah sends abroad, to compasse the Earth, (to punish the worser, and defend the better sort of men.)

11. Whereupon the rest, in reference to what that great Messenger of the great Ieho∣vah had said, while he stood under the myr∣tle-trees gave this further answer to what I had presumed to ask of Him. We have passed thorough the whole circuit of this land, and we have taken such order, that this & all the Coun∣tries hereabouts are in peace, and quiet (and therefore they may safely, and securely proceed in the fabrick of the Temple, without any fear of disturbance at home, or abroad.)

12. Vpon this occasion, that great Messenger from the Lord was pleased to say (as the great Mediator for his despised Church) O Lord of Hostes, how long was it, ere thou wouldst have

this pitie upon Ierusalem, and other the Cities of Iudah, (which still appear but in their ruines and rubbish, and) which in thine anger thou didst keep under the Babylonian captivity, no lesse than threescore and ten years (the very age of a man.)

13. And the Lord Iehovah himself gave an∣swer to that great Angel, that had spoke so to me in most loving, and comfortable words.

14. Hereupon that great Angel, and Embassador that had vouchsafed so far to commmune with me added this further, and said, Go and preach a∣gain unto thy people the Jewes, and say, Thus saith the Lord of Hostes, I have indeed been jea∣lous over Ierusalem, and Sion, and very jealous over them (because of their spiritual adulteries, which they have committed against me, and I have punished them, in some proportion to that jealousie.)

16. But now my anger shall fall, in as great a measure upon those nations, (f) that have enjoyed their ease, and plenty, while you have been un∣der the rod. And I will punish them the rather, because, whereas I used them like Schoolmasters

for your correction onely, they added more to your punishment than they should have done: as if they endeavoured your ruine rather than your a∣mendment: and so hindered, as much as in them lay, the good hopes of your recovery, and your return to this place, and to my service.

16. Therefore this now is the mercifull resolu∣tion of the lord. I will return with a gracious as∣pect upon Ierusalem, and I will prosper the build∣ing of my Temple there, saith the lord of Hostes. And let them be as sure of it, as if they now see their Carpenters drawing out their lines for the whole work, that not the Temple onely, but the Citie of Jerusalem too (g) shall be re-edified, and made like her self again, in her walls, and gates, and other places of ornament, and de∣fense, that are fit for so great a City.

17. And add this moreover, when thou preach∣est to my people, and say. Thus saith the Lord of Hostes, My Cities in Judah shall be so stored, and filled once again, with all good things, as a vessel is, that is (h) ready to run over, and burst with abundance of liquor. And the Lord will again comfort Sion, and show his

loving kindnesse to Ierusalem, as a place that he hath selected and picked out, for the object of his love.

18. After this, lifting up mine eies, I present∣ly saw four hornes.

19. And I said to the great Angel that discoursed with me, what mean those horns, that I see? And he answered, These horns are four severall Nations, all enemies to Judaea, and ready, like wild beasts, to (i) tosse and molest her, upon every advantage: and so to hin∣der the good work, which she intended about the Temple.

(k) And these were, the Cuthaeans, the Am∣monites, the Arabians, and the Philistims.

20. Then the Lord shewed me four Carpenters (well furnished with hatchets, and sawes, and other instruments of their Art, as it were to cut those Hornes shorter, that made so great a show: or to help forward the building of the Temple.)

21 Then said I, what come these men to do? and he answered: The hornes that you saw, are severall nations, that would fain

tosse and scatter Iudah from place to place, and like horned Beasts, have so gored and pushed at that weak people, that they dare not turn head against them, or make any resi∣stance.

(l) Now these Carpenters are come (as friends that God hath raised up for you) to fray away, and disperse them, and all such like a∣mong the Gentiles, that shall presume to lift up their hornes against the land of Iudah, to make another dispersion of that afflicted people.

(And, things being so quieted, you may the better attend the work about the house of God.)

Notes

• (a)

  ex v. 3.
• (b)

  Apoc. 6. 4.
• (c)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 aquarum profundum significat, vel prope aquas.
• (d)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ut Ial. 15. 1. ••••de 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro ••ur Col. 4. 6.
• (e)

  videre sinam.
• (f)

  Ezra. 4.
• (g)

  Nehem. 2 3.
• (h)

  haec vis voc. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unde Ital. rectè red∣d••ur per scoppieranno.
• (i)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• (k)

  ••Nehem. 4. 7.
• (l)

  sicut ante.