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Vers. 6. Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blacknesse.
The fourth branch of the description, and an effect of the for∣mer, is, that the noise of the approach of these creatures in troops, and the sight of them, shall breed a general and universal terrour among men, accompanied with blacknesse of face, not so much through the famine which shall follow after, (as, Lam. 4.8.) as through deadly fear and terrour striking them to the heart. Com∣pare, Nah. 2.10. Doct. 1. However men may despise judge∣ments, when they are threatened from the Word; Yet judge∣ments executed will put them to it, to give proof of their courage, as here we see. 2. Whatever may be the Lords dealing under cleanly trials; yet times of judgement will be full of discourage∣ment and terrour; For, Before their face the people shall be much pained, or sick with anxiety and terrour. 3. Though men, for most part, lie secure under an evil conscience; Yet when God puts it to it, and pleads effectually with it by judgements, then it will succumb, and breed much terrour to them; For, so is here threatened against impenitent Judah. 4. It is a sad condi∣tion, and an evidence of much displeasure, when terrour and distresse is universal, and none to comfort, but all discouraging one another, even by their very countenances; and it will be thus in times of common calamities among the wicked and impe∣nitent, beside what even the godly may drink of this bitter cup; For, the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather black∣nesse. 5. Peace and reconciliation with God is not only good for the soul, but even for the body. For not only is God pro∣voked to plague the body for sin; but the terrour of an ill con∣science will waste and consume it in a day of calamity; For, here it makes all faces gather blacknesse. See Prov. 14.30. and 17.22.