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. IX.

1. PLease not thy self too much, O Israel, in thinking thy prosperity as secure, and permanent, as they of other nations may hope for. Idolatrie is not so great a sin in them, as it is in thee. Thou hast gone a whoring from the true God (to whom thou hadst plighted thy troth) And thou hast done it, in expectation of a good reward for it, in all thy corn-floors, (wherein thou hopest to find more plenty, for doing that, which will bring a greater plague upon thee.)

2. For, the floore and the winepresse shall not be able to maintain the owners of them, and the new wine shall faile in this land.

3. For, this is the Lords land by a peculiar

title. And he will not suffer them to be long Inhabitants of his land, that have soon forgot∣ten him, that placed them in so rich, and plea∣sant a soil, when he brought them out of their Egyptian bondage. No: they shall many of them trot along to Egypt again (to an other bondage there) and the rest shall be carried into Assyria, where they shall be forced to eat of those meats, which their law doth account to be unclean. (So far shall their idols be from supplying of them with that plentie, which they expected.)

4. For, it is but just, that they (which would not bring their offerings to God, when they should have done it) should not now be suffered to present him with their wine-offerings, & usu∣al sacrifices, when they fain would do it. Or, if they would, & might then offer them, yet would not God be any way pleased with such a service, in a profane land. They should have no better ac∣ceptance, then those (x) funeral-feasts, whereof nothing was wont to be presented in the Tem∣ple. All that eat of such presents (how wel soever they relish to them) would be thereby polluted. Therefore sure they may keep the meat of such oblations (y) for themselves. For, there would be no admittance of it into the house of the Lord, (if you suppose such a house then standing,

and them able to spare enough, for that use.)

5. And, if your offerings will be so little regarded, what will you then resolve to do upon your New-Moons, and other solemn, and festi∣val daies, wherein you were wont to appear before the Lord? (Your new Masters will hardlie give you leave to make them holy daies: or, if they do, and you would not appear empty before God; Where, and what can you then present unto God, that shall be accepted, as it hath been in your own Countrie? But, besides all this, They, that will make your blood a sacrifice to Gods justice, and a (z) feast to which God himself will invite such as you would not like. They will find you out new holy daies, that you dream not of? What will you do upon those solemn, and festival daies? wherein they will triumph over your miseries, and make you wearie of them, and the place they live in.

6. Will you now see, what will become of them that escape out of this then-desolate land of your own (by running from the Assyrians?) Egypt shall find them a place, wherein to meet, and Memphis shall furnish them with a place of burial: while, in the mean time, those lovely places, which they had purchased here, with their

good money, shall be covered over with nettles: and thorns shall grow in those habitations, wherein, they thought, they had been richly, and safely pitched, without the likelihood of any sodain removal.

7. I speak not now of mere speculations. Doubt not but these daies of visitation, and retribution will as certainly come, as if they were (a) come already, and that you shall know it to your cost (that I have foretold nothing, but what is true) And to represent my pre∣dictions in a way, that may expresse the greater assurance of truth, I speak of what shall be, as of things present, or already past. The false Prophets, that lulled you asleep with other dreams of securitie, did but play the fools, and your mad upstarts, that pretended to be inspired, did contribute much to the increase of your in∣iquities, and specially of that your ill opinion, or that great malice rather, which you bare to all them, that would have advised you better, and withdrawn you from idolatrie.

8. A true watchman of Israel is ever (b) for my God (doth not side with the people, to their

ruine: but speaks the truth, as in the presence of God, and for their good) but the Prophet, that they cry up, i. the pretended Prophet, that we spake of: He is but like a snare, which the fowler laies to intrap you in all his waies. And what mischief one of those false Prophets so doth, against a true worshiper of God: he doth it, in meer spite against the Temple of his God, where that true worship is performed.

9. These are they, that are profound sinners (stark nought at the heart, whatsoever they are in show) (c) Their corruptions are such as can not be matched, but in the storie of the miserable corrupted times, wherein we read of the villanie of those impudent men of Gibeah. Which (d) great sins of theirs, with other their offences God will remember and pu∣nish in due time: though they think he hath forgot them, and little regards what is done below.

10. But, who would not grieve to think, how soon Israel was fallen so deep into such foul enormities: for) When I found Israel, at first, in the deserts of Arabia (in their passage out of Egypt into the holy land) upon the

first trial, I found withal somewhat that was good in them, and pleased me as well, as the best grapes would please them that travail in those hot, and barren places. I could then have compared the goodnesse of your forefathers to the first fruit of the sig (that which first ap∣pears to be now ripened, and welcom to the tast) But (such sigs may be soon ripe, soon rot∣ten: and so were they. For) it was not long e're they fell foul upon the worship of Baal (e) Peor (the abomination of the Moabites and Ammonites) and (f) separated themselves. not to my service, as did the true Nazarites, but to the service of that shameful thing: and so because as abominible as that, whereon they doted.

11. Their sin came on apace then: so did Ephraims after them. And so shall their punish∣ment. For the glorie of Ephraim shall sodainly and swiftly flie away, like a bird. Their glorie is their fruitfulnesse, which they are proud to see in their very (g) name. But what glorie will they challenge from the birth of their little ones (when they are (h) still-born?) What glorie from the womb, when their wives shall be abortive? What glorie from conception,

(i) when they shall have no joy of the fruit of their womb?

12. For, though they bring up their children, till they are of good years; yet will I, more and more, bereave them of those children, till they have not a man left. Part of this shall happen in their passage into Assyria, and the worst, and most(k) woful part, when I leave them there, with a more sensible impression of my depar∣ture from them.

13. I look upon Ephraim. like an other Ty∣rus, very populous, and richly seated in a most pleasant place: but thence shall Ephraim be fain to bring forth his children, to be slaughtered by their enemies.

14. And the passing of that heavie decree makes me, that I cannot hold from praying for some mitigation, at least, of their punishment. Give them, O Lord (since it must be so) what thou hadst first threatned, that thou wouldst give them: Their unthankfulnesse for the contrarie benefits deserve no lesse. Give them (that, which sufficientlie crosseth the fair (l) omen of their name) barrennesse. Let it suffice that they shall have a barren womb, and drie breasts. For, that other is a (m) more sad,

and fearful punishment, to give up their chil∣dren to the mercie of the enemy, when their growth, and strength promise much help, and comfort to their Parents.

15. Yet I must confesse they deserve no such mitigation of their punishment, when I call to mind all their (n) wickednesse in Gilgal. That very place might have put them in mind of the favours which I showed them there, presently after their miraculous passage through Iordan, and first entrance into the land of (o) promise. There I forgave the long neglect of their circumcision, and did not onely take away that reproach: but began my work of higher mercy, and protection over them in that land. This place therefore, of all other, should have been made a place of thankful ac∣knowledgements, and good resolutions of amendment of life, and holy obedience for the future. They should never have chose to make the (p) Devila Chappel, where they were first obliged to show their service to me. The circumcision of their flesh there, should have been seconded with the circumcision of their hearts, and expressed in such actions, as might have gained more of my love. But, they have so ordered it, that I cannot but hate those

things, that have been done in that place. And, me thinks, I hear God saying thus of thom, For the wickednesse of those their doings, and spe∣cially the erection of a house there for idola∣trie, I will drive them far from my house, and show them no more tokens of my love. The rather, because all their Princes and Governors (that should have prevented these mischiefs) have bin as deep as any other inrebellion against me.

16. We have now seen the stroke of justice come so heavily upon Ephraim, that the verie root of that fair, and far-spreading tree is like to be dried up, and withered. Or, if they of Ephraim do bring any store of fruit (and so hold out like their (q) name) yet that is a heavy sentence, which God himself hath spoken in these sad terms. I will slay the (r)most amiable fruit of their womb (that which they so much long for, & place so much affection upon, when they have it) because they spoil their fair beau∣ty, with the imitation of their fathers ugly sins.

17. Thefore my God will cast them off with scorn, because they have not been obedient unto him. And they shall be scattered about, like va∣gabonds, among other nations. All which I speak (s) not as desirous to deliver a curse, but as bound to make known a Prophesie a∣gainst this nation.

Notes

• (x)

  Parentalia, Hieron. Jer. 16. 7.
• (y)

  Sic 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saepe sumitur.
• (z)

  Vide Ezek. 39. 17, 18, 19.
• (a)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 venerunt. (vide c. 11. ult vel.)
• (b)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cum Deo meo quo sensu Christus Dom. dixit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 — qui non est mecum, contra me est. Mat. 12. 30. Vel sic vertas, Ephraims watchman (for what he saith) is counted of equal authority with my God, and his true Prophet: but he is but like a snare— &c.
• (c)

  Chap. 10. 9. 1 Sam. 8, 5. 6. Jud: 19. 6.
• (d)

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nuditas sic Priapum vocabant.
• (f)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 made new kind of Nazarites of themselves.
• (g)

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

  Sle Kimchi.
• (i)

  iex sequ.
• (k)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vae illis.
• (l)

  Vide v. 11.
• (m)

  Sic. A. Ezra, & D. Kim••ht.
• (n)

  Vide cap. 12. 11.
• (o)

  vide I••s. 4.
• (p)

  Vide c. 4. 15. & 12. 11.
• (q)

  Vi v, u••.
• (r)

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

  S. Ia••kl.