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The destroyer is come before the face, keepe the munition: looke to the way: make thy loynes strong: increase thy strength mightily,
* 1.1AN other Sermon of Nachum ayming vnto the same marke, whereat the former also did, namely, to threaten vtter de∣struction vnto the Citie of Niniueh, and vnto the Assyrians: But in this the execution of the same iudgement of God is so liuely de∣scribed, and by particulars layd before the eyes and view of men
by the figure Hypotyposis,* 1.2 that the thing it selfe may seeme now not to be tolde, but to be done. And this God doth to this ende, first, that this threatning of punishment may bee beleeued to bee true, when as all the circumstances thereof, how farre off soeuer it may seeme to be, [unspec 1] are notwithstanding here set downe: the which in a false matter cannot be done. [unspec 2] Secondly, that when as this fall of Niniue shall come to passe, men, as well the vngodly as the godly may vnderstand by the things which are here reported, that the same is the fulfilling of the iudgement of God (the which Na∣chum had foretolde long before) and that this came not to passe at all aduentures, or by chance and fortune. Lastly, that by this de∣scription both the Godly, and also the Assyrians may vnderstand, that the ouerthrowing of this so mighty a Monarchie or Empire, is most easie, and now already fore thought vpon by God, as who hath euen now in a readines, and at hand, all the instruments and furniture to doe it withall. For as much then as the forces of the kingdome of the Assyrians were so great, and the same fearfull vn∣to all men in that age, when as according vnto man it seemed a thing easie vnto none, that so mighty an Empire, so large and wide, vpholden with so great wealth, should notwithstanding bee cast downe by the power of men: God by such an hypotyposis or liuely description as is set downe in this whole chapter sheweth, that this is not onely easie and ready vnto him, but also layeth downe the meanes and way (which was to come) of performing and executing the same, both to comfort the godly and his people, which were afflicted by them: and also to terrifie or make afraide the vngodly, and the Assyrians, vnto whom nothing can bee safe, God being wroth and angry with them.
* 1.3This verse hath two partes: in the former hee sheweth the As∣syrians, that there shall come those which shall destroy them: he calleth them destroyers, or scatterers. Others notwithstanding translate the word Mephits, a club. The club is come vp against thee, O Niniue, that by this kinde of armour might be signified, what maner of enemies they are, and from what countreyes they should come, namely, Chaldees. For Herodotus in Polymn. or libr. 7. wri∣teth that the Chaldees in warres vsed this kinde of weapon, as also shieldes and speares. Doubtles the Prophet Isai writeth that the Empire of the Assyrians was chiefly destroyed by the Chaldees, cap 23. vers 13. Beholde (saith he) the land of the Chaldeans: this was no people: Asshur founded it by the inhabitants of the wildernes:
they set vp the towres thereof: they raysed the palaces thereof, and he brought it to ruine. And of these Chaldean enemies I take this whole chapter to intreate. For whereas Herodotus in his Clio,* 1.4 or first booke saith, that the besieging of Niniueh was first attempted by Phraortes the king of the Medes, but was continued by his sonne Cyaxaris, and Niniueh taken, and that finally the Empire of the Assyrians was destroyed by the same Cyaxares, I auouch and say, that the Medes are there taken for the Chaldees. For we must ra∣ther beleeue Isai the Prophet of God cap. 23. then Herodotus. And it is an vsuall thing with the Greeke writers, commonly vnder the name of the Medes to vnderstand the Chaldees and Babylonians: wherefore the Chaldees & the Babilonians the enemies of the As∣syrians, & which shal be their destroiers, shal come vp against Nini∣ueh. Now howe this was brought to passe by Arbaces King of the Chaldees, throgh the connsel of Belesus, bringing first the Persians, Arabiās & Bactrians into his society & cōfederacy, & withdrawing them from the rule & dominion of the Assyrians, Diodorus Siculus teacheth, lib. 3. Biblioth. cap. 7. For we haue no records now remay∣ning which are more anciēt then those histories. So thē the first part of this verse sheweth, that the Chaldees shal come against Niniueh.
* 1.5The second, exhorteth and encourageth the Assyrians to de∣fend themselues in their citie Niniueh: but in mockage. For the Assyrians shall not thereby escape. So Malach. 1. vers. 4. You shall build and I will destroy, sayth God. But by this meanes is declared that the Assyrians shall not be negligent or slothful in defending of themselues. Finally, the same Diodorus Siculus cap. 7. lib. 3. writeth, that Sardanapalus king of the Assyrians fought thrise a∣gaynst Arbaces going about to take the Empire from him and from the Assyrians. Therefore the Niniuites (when as these de∣stroyers shall come vp to besiege them) shall diligently keepe their towres (which they had many,* 1.6 and to the number of one thousand and fifty, as the same Diodorus reporteth lib. 3, cap. 1. to∣warde the end) shall fortifie their citie with a trench, walles, bul∣warke: shall looke to the wayes of their enemies, to wit, that if there be on that side any entrances, or breaches vnto the citie, or to pull down the walles, they may repayre and make them vp againe, stop the passage vnto their enemies, and that the Niniuites may gather their forces vnto them on euery side: Lastly, they shall en∣courage one another of themselues, and euery man shall make him∣self ready to defend and fight for his countrey, and shall bring with
a manly courage, shall make strong his loynes. And by this phrase or kinde of speaking, according vnto the vse of the hebrew tongue, the force and strength of the body is wont to bee signified. And therefore by the trembling of the loynes, weakenes and faintnes of the body on the contrary is noted, as where Dauid sayth Psal. 69. vers. 23. Let their eyes be blinded that they see not: and make their loynes alwayes to tremble.
An other Ser∣mon, contay∣ning the vtter destruction of the Assyrians.
What the fi∣gure Hypotypo∣sis is, see A∣mos cap. 8. ver. 12.
Two partes of this verse. 1. A destroter shal come vnto the Assyrians.
The error of Herodotus.
2. Encourageth the Assyrians vnto their own desence and the defence of their citie Niniueh.
Niniueh had in it a thousād & fiftie towres