Religion in the Head is fpeculation, in the Heart affection, in the Hand action. 169 16г Alvation is a work of power, 210. of glory. Ibid. Of mercy, 211 229 Thanksgiving is a work of Justice, which puts us in mind of our un- The Contemplation of Gods justice in punishing the fins of his Church, of his vengeance in revenging the quarrels of it, of his mercy, in his mercy, in healing the wounds of it, give the faithful occafion to re- The Church of God hath a special intereft in the power and proteƐti- The best forme of thanksgiving is that which maketh particular com- The welfare of the Church, is the grief and vexation of her enemies. 82 The truth of God is a good ground, because the word of God is a fure The devil knew where Mofes was buried. The effectual feurent prayer of a righteousman prevaileth much. 139 They that joy in the Lord, reff in the Lord, and rejoyce in nothing o- therwise then as a means to ferve the Lord. 200 and because God is Three notes of a lawful promise and bath. 115 What use may be made of Davids Pfalmes, in our frequent reading 19 (1) А Commentarie O R, EXPOSITION UPON The Prophecy of HABAKKUK. CHAP. I. Verse 1. The Burthen which HA B A KK UK the Pro-. phet did fee. His firft verfe tels us what we shall find in the enfuing Prophecy; and it openeth to us three things which give light to that which followeth. 1. The Minifter of God in this Prophecy, ST. By his name, Habakkuk ka By his Function: the Prophet. 2. The manner how he came by it: Vifion, 3. The matter ofit: the Burthen. 1. Of the Minifter, Firft of his name. The name Habakkuk is rendred by Philo the Jew amplex B ans ans embracing, fo doth Pagnine give it; our English a wraftler: for they that wraftle do embrace and hold fast one the other; a name well expreffing the office and employment of this Prophet, who wraftled with the finners of those times, and their horrible iniquities to caft them. 1. But as God wraftled with Jacob that he might leave behind him a blessing. His tribe Dorotheus faith, was Simeon; I know not upon what information, for the filence of the holy Scripture doth argue it to be conjectural. Concerning the time when he prophecied, it is not particu Jarly expreft, but it appears to be before the deportation into Babylon, for the Chaldeans invafion is here threatned, and therefore funius thinks him contemporary with Jeremiah, and referreth his Prophecie to the end of fofias his Government. Others after the Hebrews referre it is the time of King Manaffeh. Mafter Calvin very truly affirmeth it before the time of Ze dekiah. Arias Montanus gives a probable conjecture, by comparing that which is faid, 2 Reg. 21. 12. Therefore thus faith the Lord God of Ifrael, behold I am bringing forth an evilt upon Jerufalem and Iudah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. That in the eleventh verfe tis faid, Because Manaffeh King of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him; and bath also made Iudah to finne with bis idols. And this Commination is almoft in the fame words in the fifth verfe of this chapter. Saint Hierome, in his Prologue to this Propher faith, that he is called a wraftler, quia certamen ingreditur cum deo,because he wraftled with God. Nullus enim Prophetarum aufus eft am: audaci voce Deum ad difceptationem justitia provocare,none durft fo boldly provoke God to vindicate his Juftice, as it appears,.2. But he doth violate the text of Canonical Scripture and Hiftory, to verifie that Apocrypha tale of Habakkuks, bringing food to Daniel by miracle, which deftroyerb the truth of the hiftory,to make faith of a Legend For For either there must be two Habakkuks, or this one maît live, as Arias Montanus doth caft it up,three hundred years, if he lived to feed Daniel in the Captivity, a long time of life then, orthis must prophecie before he was born. Bellarmine hath found out two Daniels, one the Prophet of the tribe of Iudah, and another of the tribe of Levi, that heard the cause of Sufanna; and Ribera a Iefuite two Habakkuks. But we lose time in this question, for they that have not the light in the word, do go in the dark, and they that go in the dark, know not whither they go. The beft ufe of this is to limit our fearch to the holy Canonical Scripture, and to take all our light from thence; fo fhall we not go aftray. 2. The fanction of this man is fet down in the name. Of a Prophet, that is, a man enlightned by divine Revelation, to underftand the will of God in fome things, and appointed to declare the fame. Secondly the manner how he came to it: Vision, that is,divine Revelation, affuring him of the truth of Gods will fo fally as if he had feen the fame with his eyes accomplished. De his confule conciones fuper Obadiam Thirdly, the matter of the Prophecie, the Burden. In which two questions are moved. St. Why this Prophecy is called a Bürthen. 22. Whole burthen this is. To the first it is called a burthen in respect 1. Of the fin here punished, which is ons a burthen. { De to God. 1. Peccatum onus,Sina burthen. 2. Hominibus to men. 1. Onus deo, Aburthen to God. God complaineth of the fins of his People, that they are a burthen to him. Behold I am preft under you as a cart is preft that is full of fheavs. Tvery fervice that thele finners do feem to perform to God,is a burthen to him, as he complaineth;Tour new Moons, your appointed feafts, my foule hateth: they are a trouble unto me, |