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. X.

1. ISrael is like a Vine, that lies wast, and fruit∣lesse to Him that is true owner of it. Her enemies help to lay it wast, and they that should dresse her, and look to her, by their carelessenesse leave it without good sap and moisture: which makes the fruit accordingly little enough, and bad enough. Yet even that little fruit, which Israel hath, he (t) makes use of for himself, to be sent spent after his own hu∣mour. And, which is worse, the more God en∣creaseth him, with the fruits of temporal pros∣peritie, in a goodlie soile. He is so far from returning a thankful acknowledgement to God, the good Author of it, that he doth so much the more increase the number of Altars, and Statues (in remembrance of his false gods that do nothing for him) and (u) bestow the more cost upon them.

2. Thus the heart of Israel is now (x) clean departed from the observance of their dutie. Therefore shall they be laid fullie desolate. And he that I will make the instrument of that de∣solation,

will break those Altars of theirs in pieces, and spoile their Statues.

4. For, nothing will reduce them to their dutie unto God, and their King Hosheah. But, this will be their conclusion, (y)we will neither have Hosheah, nor any other King over us. For we, that durst forsake the service of God, what should we fear the forsaking of the Kings ser∣vice, who hath no great power now to do any thing for us, nor much power to do any thing against us, if we be resolute, and hold close to our selves.

4. In the progresse of such a violent, and treasonable conclusion, they will not stick at a false oath, and covenant. Therefore (to answer the former plenty of their fruitful land) their just punishments shall encrease to as great abun∣dance, as the worst weeds, that come up so thick in the furrowes of the field.

5. Near these times great fear shall fall upon the inhabitants of Samaria, about sending the calves of Bethel and Dan (as a present to Sal∣manaser) For the people ( taking them for the very golden calves) shall be much grieved, and troubled at it. But the idol-priests shall be merrie (and applaud their subtle arts, of send∣ing

brazen, and guilded calves, instead of those that were all of gold) This shall be the several deportment of the Priests, and people, when the riches and glorie of their idol shall be thus (z) carried into an other land, as a fore-runner of their captivitie.

6. And thus shall their present be carried in∣to Assyria, and offered to Salmanaser, as the great King, their (a) Protector, and Avenger of their enemies. But, for this (instead of succour from Assyria) shame will light upon Ephraim, and confusion upon Israel, for that his subtle device.

7. And sodainly shall Samaria, and her King vanish, and be cut off from being a kingdom; like the (b) foam, that now appears upon the superficies of the water, and instantly is gone out of sight, and become as if it had never been.

8. The like doom shall fall upon the high pla∣ces, where the Israelites were wont to worship their (c) idols. They shall be utterlie destroyed: thorns, and thistles growing, where their Altars had formerlie been placed. And then where will

not those sinners desire to hide themselves, from the wrath, and furie poured out upon them? (d) They will call to the hills to cover them, and to the Mountains to fall upon them.

9. Nor are these heavy punishments to be much wondred at in thee, O Israel, For it is no new thing in thee, to be much overtaken with sins of a high strain, specially from the times of Gibeah. Yet then, they of Israel, that went against Gibeah ( though they were great sin∣ners, and therefore sadly punished in their first assaults, yet) they (e) remained and stood to it, like men reserved for a better day. And upon the battle in Gibeah, against those grievous sin∣ners; though they twice miscarried, yet, at last they had the victory. No (f) man had power to take them, and wholly overcome them, because they did so severelie pro∣secute the revenge of a vile, and wicked offence.

10. But now I (g) am more then content, to have them taken, and led out of their own land in bonds, and captivite. And (for punishment of those sins, which they themselves would take no order to correct) I will muster up whole ar∣mies

of strange people: when the time is come, that I will have them, to cast those sinners in∣to bonds, and (h) tie them fast enough, for the libertie, which they took to themselves in those two great offences (the worship of the two calves, that in Bethel, and that in Dan.)

11. In which sins, they that made those calves to be their Gods, may well be likened unto calves themselves. For Ephraim is like a young heifer, that is easily taught, either to plow, or tread out the corn, and to do it with some delight, ((i) being not muzled, but suffe∣red to take part of it) Therefore, I put my yoke upon his fair neck, (the yoke of my law) and guided him, as one might do, that should (k) ride upon the back of such a beast, and I said, Let Iudah plow, and Iacob break his clods, (which is as much as if I had said to them, in other words, A good life is the best husban∣drie.) That is,

12. Let your good and righteous actions be like your sowing of good seed, and you shall reap a good reward: (l) according to that (l) mercy, with which I shall crown that labour, Break up your fallow grounds (to fit and prepare your

selves for a blessing) And finding you are in a good time of seeking God (by your best endea∣vours) so continue till he come and shoure down his (m) benefits (which is a piece of (m) justice, that he never fails of for his part.) Let your care be for the seed-time, and he will provide a good harvest.

13. As much hath been said to you, as this comes to. But your actions have been nothing answerable to such good advise. Your minds run upon plowing in a worser sense, it seems. For you have laboured as hard to compasse your wicked designs, as one that follows the plow. Therefore you have reaped the punishment of your sins. And the fruit of your labour hath pro∣ved but a specious show, and mere (n) delusion. This is the end of thy trusting, and flattering thy self, in thy own waies, and in the youth∣ful strength of thy many stout companions, that have taken part with thee in those labours, that are now come to nothing.

14. Hence arise those jars, and tumults a∣mong thy people, and the spoiling of their strong holds by strangers, in as fierce a manner, as (o) Salmana was destroyed by the house of Jerub∣babel, in the day of battle. And with so much

cruelty, that there will be no commiseration of Sex, or Age, the Mother being dashed in pieces with her children.

15. So shall Bethel do unto you. It will bring you into this danger, for your great, very great offences. (p) Your King Hosheah shall be utterly destroyed, and turned out of his Kingdom, as it were in the verie morning, and beginning of his reign, (or, of a sodain, before he looked for such a disaster.)

Notes

• (t)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ponit, i. facit sibi.
• (u)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Isa. 5. 6.
• (x)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ut 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉c. 5. 6.
• (y)

  Verba sunt desperantium, ut plerique exponunt.
• Vide v. 6. Et Hieron. ad locum, de vitulis aeneis, & deauratis.
• (z)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 migrarem in captivitate.
• (a)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ut c. 5, 13. est Vltor, vel Protector. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, qui ••ites corum dirimet, eosque ut sues, in ••utelam suscipiet.
• (b)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 spuma in superficie aquae ferventis, & ebullientis. Vnde pro i•• â vehementiori.
• (c)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 idolum vel pro Be••h. Aven.
• (d)

  Luc. 27. 30. Apoc. 6. 16. Isai. 2. ult.
• Iud. 20.
• (e)

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

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ab 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ligare.
• (h)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & alludit ad vitulum alligatum, qui Iascivierat.
• (i)

  Deut. 25. 4.
• (k)

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 juxta, secundum.
• (l)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 beneficentia.
• (m)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (ut suprà 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) saepe pro misericordiâ & beneficentiâ)
• (m)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (ut suprà 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) saepe pro misericordiâ & beneficentiâ)
• (n)

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

  Alludit ad Iud. 8. ut vult Hieronim. & Salman ponitur pro Salmana (vel Zalmunah) sicut & Arbal pro Ierubbaal, etsi aliter Kimchi.
• Gen. 32, 11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 aurora. pro princ••pio vel mane exsciudi, de improviso exi••io intelligi potest.