Scripture Texts with Expositions and Sentence-prayers from Calvin's Commentaries on the Minor Prophets - John Calvin

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Section one of scripture texts with expositions and sentenced prayers
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from Calvin's commentaries on the Minor Prophets. This is a
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LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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Scripture Texts with expositions and sentence Prayers from Calvin's Commentaries
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on the Minor Prophets by John Calvin Hoseia, the prayer
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which Calvin was wont to use at the beginning of
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his lectures. May the Lord grant that we may engage
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in contemplating the mysteries of his heavenly wisdom with really
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increasing devotion to His glory and to our edification. Amen
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s one. The solitary lamb for Israel slideth back as
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a backsliding heifer. Now the Lord will feed them as
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a lamb in a large place Hoseiah four sixteen. It
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is what is peculiar to sheep. We know that they
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continue under the shepherd's care, and a sheep, when driven
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into solitude, shows itself by its bleating to be timid
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and to be as it worth, seeking its shepherd and
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its flock in short, a sheep is not a solitary animal,
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and it is to sheep and lambs almost a part
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of their food to feed together. And also under the
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eye of him under whose care they are now, there
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seems to be here a most striking change of figure.
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They are, says the prophet, like untameable heifers. For they
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are so wanton that no field can satisfy their wantonness,
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as when a heifer would occupy the whole land. Such, then,
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he says, and so outrageous is the disobedience of this people,
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that they can no longer endure except a spacious place
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be given to each of them. I will therefore give
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them a spacious place, but for this end, that each
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of them may be like a lamb who looks around
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and sees no flock to which it may join itself. Prayer, grant,
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Almighty God, that, since thou hast deigned in thy mercy
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to gather us to thy church and to enclose us
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within the boundaries of thy word, by which thou preservest
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us in the true and right worship of Thy Majesty, O,
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grant that we may continue contented in this obedience to thee.
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And though Satan may in many ways attempt to draw
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us here and there, and we be also ourselves by
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nature inclined to evil. O. Grant that, being confirmed in
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faith and united to THEE by that sacred bond, we
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may yet constantly abide under the restraint of Thy word,
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and thus cleave to Christ, Thine only begotten son, who
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has joined us forever to Himself, And that we may
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never by any means turn aside from THEE, but be,
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on the contrary, confirmed in the faith of His Gospel,
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until at length He will receive us all into His kingdom.
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Amen two, A sovereign word. Hear ye this, o priests,
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and hearken ye, house of Israel, And give ye ear, o,
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house of the King. For judgment is toward you, because
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ye have been a snare on Mispah and a net
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spread upon Tabor Hosea fiv One. The prophet here preaches
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against the whole people, but he mainly directs his discourse
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to the priests and the rulers, for they were the
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source of the prevailing evils. The priests, intent on gain,
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neglected the worship of God, and the chief men were
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become in every way corrupt. Even kings are not exempted
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from the duty of learning what is commonly taught, if
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they wish to be counted members of the church. For
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the Lord would have all, without exception, to be ruled
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by his word, and he takes this as a proof
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of men's obedience their submission to his word. And as
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kings think themselves separated from the general class of men,
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the prophet here shows that he was sent to the
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king and his counselors. The same reason holds good as
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to priests, for as the dignity of their order is
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the highest, so this impiety has prevailed in all ages,
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that the priests think themselves at liberty to do what
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they please. Let us know that in the Church the
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word of God so possesses the highest rank, that neither priests,
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nor kings, nor their counselors can claim a privilege to themselves,
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as though their conduct was not to be subject to
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God's word. Prayer grant, Almighty God, that since thou continuest
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daily to exhort us, and though thou seest us often
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turning aside from the right course, Thou yet ceasest not
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to stretch forth thy hand to us, and also to
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rouse us by reproofs that we may repent. O grant
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that we may not be permitted to reject Thy word
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with such perverseness as Thou condemnest here in thine ancient
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people by the mouth of thy prophet, But rule us
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by thy spirit, that we may meekly and obediently submit
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to THEE, and with such teachableness, that, if we have
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not hitherto been willing to become wise, we may not
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at least be incurable, but suffer THEE to heal our diseases,
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so that we may truly repent and be so wholly
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given to obey THEE as never to attempt anything beyond
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the rule of Thy word, and without that wisdom which
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thou hast revealed to us, not only by Moses and
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thy prophets, but also by Thine only begotten son, our
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Lord Jesus Christ. Amen three, Kindness and faith. For I
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desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God
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more than burnt offerings. Hosea six six. This is a
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remarkable passage. The Son of God has twice quoted it.
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The Pharisees reproached him for his intercourse with men of
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bad and abandoned life, and he said to them in
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the ninth chapter of Matthew Mercy I, desire and not sacrifice.
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He shows by this defense that God is not worshiped
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by external ceremonies, but when men forgive and bear with
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one another and are not above measure rigid Again, when
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the Pharisees blame their disciples for gathering ears of corn,
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Christ shows that those who make holiness to consist in
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ceremonies are foolish worshipers of God, and that they also
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blamed their brethren without a cause, and made a c
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of what was not in itself sinful, and what could
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be easily defended by any wise and calm expounder. These
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two clauses ought to be read conjointly, that kindness pleases
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God and that faith pleases God. Faith by itself cannot
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please God, since it cannot even exist without love to
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our neighbor. And then human kindness is not sufficient. For
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were any one to abstain from doing any injury and
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from hurting his brethren in any thing, he might still
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be a profane man and a despiser of God, and
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certainly his kindness would be then of no avail to him.
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It is also worthy of being observed that he calls
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faith the knowledge of God. Prayer. Grant, Almighty God, that
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as we are prone to every kind of wickedness and
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are easily led away to imitate it when there is
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any excuse for going astray, and any opportunity is offered,
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Oh Grant that being strengthened by the help of Thy Spirit,
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we may continue in purity of faith. And that what
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we have learnt concerning THEE, that Thou art a spirit,
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may so profit us that we may worship THEE in
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spirit and with a sincere heart, and never turn aside
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after the corruptions of the world, nor think we can
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deceive THEE. But may we so devote our souls and
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our bodies to THEE, that our life may, in every
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part of it, testify that we are a pure and
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wholly sacrifice to THEE. In Christ Jesus our Lord Amen. Four.
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Sin and punishment. They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in
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the days of Gibeah. Therefore He will remember their iniquity,
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he will visit their sins Hoseia nine nine. Hoseiah declares
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here that the people who are so sunk in their
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vices that they could not be drawn out of them.
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He who has fallen can raise himself up when one
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extends a hand to him. And he who strives to
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emerge from the maya, finding a helper to assist him,
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can plant his foot again on solid ground. But when
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he is cast into a gulf, he has no hope
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of a recovery. I extend my hand in vain when
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one sinks in a shipwreck and is fallen into a
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vast whirlpool. Let us, hence also learn to rouse ourselves.
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And let us, in the first place, notice what the
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prophet says of the Israelites, that they were deeply engulfed,
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For men must be filled with contempt to God when
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they thus descend into the deep. Let then each of
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us stir up himself daily to repentance, and carefully beware
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lest he should descend into this vast whirlpool. Let us
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know that they are greatly deceived to indulge themselves as
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long as the Lord mercifully bears with their sins. For
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though he may for a time conceal his displeasure, at
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a time he will remember and prove that he does
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so by executing a just punishment. Prayer, grant, Almighty God,
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that as thou shinest on us by thy word. We
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may not be blind at mid day, nor wilfully seek darkness,
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and thus lallaur minds asleep. But may we be roused
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daily by thy words, and may we stir up ourselves
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more and more to fear thy name, and thus present
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ourselves and all our pursuits as a sacrifice to thee,
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that Thou mayst peaceably rule and perpetually dwell in us,
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until Thou gatherest us to thy celestial habitation, where there
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is reserved for us eternal rest and glory through Jesus Christ,
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our Lord, Amen five, the Divinity of Christ. Yea. He
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had power over the angel and prevailed. He wept and
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made supplication unto him. He found him in Bethel, and
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there he spake with us, even the Lord, God of hosts.
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The Lord is his memorial Joseia twelve, four and five.
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It must be noticed that the prophet here testifies that
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he was the eternal and the only true God, who
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yet was at the same time an angel. But it
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may be asked, how was he the eternal God and
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at the same time an angel? When the Lord appeared
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by his angels the name of Jehovah was given to them,
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not indeed to us all the angels indiscriminately, but to
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the chief Angel by whom God manifested himself. It then
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follows that this angel was truly and essentially God. But
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this would not strictly apply to God except there be
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some distinction of persons. There must then be some person
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in the deity to whom this name and title of
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an angel can apply. For if we take the name
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God without difference or distinction, and regarded as denoting his essence,
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it would certainly be inconsistent to say that he is
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God and an angel too. But when we distinguish persons
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in the deity, there is no inconsistency. How So, because Christ,
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the eternal wisdom of God, did put on the character
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of a mediator before he put on our flesh, he
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was therefore then a mediator, and in that capacity he
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was also an angel. He was at the same time Jehovah,
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who is now God manifested in the flesh. Prayer grant,
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Almighty God, that insomuch as thou ShoWest thyself to us
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at this day so kindly as a father, having presented
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to us a singer and an invaluable pledge, of thy
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favor in Thine only begotten son O, Grant that we
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may entirely devote ourselves to THEE and truly render THEE
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that free service and obedience which is due to a father,
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so that we may have no other object throughout life
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but to confirm that adoption with which Thou hast favored
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us once for all, until at length we shall partake
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of its fruit, when Thou dost gather us into Thine
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eternal kingdom, together with Jesus Christ Thine only son Amen six,
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A gracious reminder. I did not know THEE in the wilderness,
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in the land of great drought Hosea thirteen five. He says,
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I have manifested myself to THEE from the land of Egypt,
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from thy very nativity. Thou didst then begin to live
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and to be some sort of people when I stretch
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forth my hand to THEE. The people were redeemed on
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this condition that they should devote themselves wholly to God,
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as we are at this day Christ's and no one
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of us ought to live according to his own will.
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For Christ died and rose again for this end, that
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he might be the Lord of the living and of
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the dead. So Also, then the Israelites had been redeemed
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by God, that they might offer themselves wholly to Him.
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If this one God, who are sufficient for redeeming his people,
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what do the people now mean when they wander and
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seek aid here and there? For they ought to render
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to God the life received from Him which they now enjoy,
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and ought to acknowledge it to be sufficiently safe under
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His sole protection. We learn that the worship of God
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does not consist in words, but in faith and hope
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and prayer. Prayer. Grant, Almighty God, that as thou dost
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so kindly, urge us daily by thy voice, meekly and calmly,
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to offer ourselves to be ruled by THEE. And since
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thou hast exalted us to the highest degree of honor
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by freeing us from the dread of the devil and
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from that tyranny which kept us in miserable fear, and
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hast also favored us with the spirit of adoption and
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of assurance. O grant that we, being mindful of these benefits,
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may ever submit us ourselves to THEE and desire only
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to raise our voice for this end, that the whole
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world may submit itself to THEE and that those who
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seem now to rage against THEE may at length be
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brought as well as we, to render THEE obedience, so
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that thy son Christ may be the Lord of all,
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to the end that Thou alone mayest be exalted, and
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that we may be made subject to THEE and be
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at length raised up above, and may partakers of that
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glory which has been obtained for us by Christ alone,
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our Lord. Amen. Seven, the True King. I will be
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thy king. Where is any other that may save THEE
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in all thy cities and thy judges, of whom thou
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sayst give me a king and princes JOSEA thirteen ten.
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God repeats what he had before declared that he would
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always be the same. Though the Israelites rail against me
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that I do not pursue my usual course of kindness,
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it is yet most false, for I remain ever the same,
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and am always ready to show kindness to men. For
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I do not, as I have elsewhere declared, forsake the
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work of my hands Psalm A hundred thirty eight eight.
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Seeing then, that I thus continue my favor towards men,
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it must be that the way to my favor is
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closed up by their wickedness. Let them. Therefore, examine themselves
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when they cry, and I answer not. When in their
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evils they in a manner pine away and find no relief,
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let them acknowledge it to be their own fault. For
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I would have made myself the same as ever I
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have been, and they would have found me a deliverer,
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had not a change taken place in them. Prayer, grant,
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Almighty God, that as thou hast given us once for
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all thine only begotten son to rule us, and hast
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by thy good pleasure, consecrated him a king over us,
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that we may be perpetually safe and secure under his
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hand against all the attempts of the devil and of
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the whole world. Oh, grant that we may suffer ourselves
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to be ruled by his authority, and so conduct ourselves
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that he himself may ever continue to watch for our safety.
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And as thou hast go omitted us to him, that
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he may be the guardian of our salvation, so also
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suffer us neither to turn aside nor fall, but preserve
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us ever in his service, until we at last be
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gathered into that blessed and everlasting kingdom which has been
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procured for us by the blood of thine only son
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Amen eight, a kind invitation o Israel return unto the
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Lord Thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity
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Hosea fourteen one. Here the prophet exhorts the Israelites to repentance,
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and still propounds some hope of mercy. But this may
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seem inconsistent, as he had already testified that there would
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be no remedy any more, because they had extremely provoked God.
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But the solution is ready at hand, and it is this.
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In speaking before of the final destruction of the people,
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he had respect to the whole body of the people.
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But now he directs his discourse to the few who
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had as yet remained faithful. And this distinction ought to
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be carefully noticed, otherwise we shall find ourselves perplexed. In
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many parts of scripture, God had now indeed determined to
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destroy them, and he wished this to be made known
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to them by the preaching of Hoseia. But yet God
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had ever some seed remaining among his chosen people, some
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sound members remained. As in a large heap of chaff,
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some grains may be found concealed. His discourse here ought
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to be especially applied to the elect of God, who,
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although they had fallen away for a time and had
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become entangled in the common vices of the age, were
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yet not altogether incurable. The Prophet now kindly invites them,
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for he could not succeed by severe words without mingling
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a hope of favor, as we know that there can
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be no hope of repentance without faith prayer. Grant, Almighty God,
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that as we now carry about us this mortal body
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yea and nourish through sin a thousand deaths within us. Oh,
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Grant that we may, ever by faith, direct our eyes
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toward Heaven and to that incomprehend vincible power which is
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to be manifested at the last day by Jesus Christ,
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our Lord, so that in the midst of death, we
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may hope that Thou wilt be our redeemer and enjoy
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that redemption which lie completed when He rose from the dead.
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And not doubt that the fruit which He then brought
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forth by his spirit will come also to us when
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Christ himself shall come to judge the world. And may
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we thus walk in the fear of Thy name, that
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we may be really gathered among His members, to be
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made partakers of that glory, which by his death he
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has procured for us Amen. End of Section one, Section
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two of Scripture Texts with expositions and sentenced prayers from
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Calvin's Commentaries on the Minor Prophets by John Calvin. This
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LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Joel nine. Worship
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and joy is not the meat cut off before our eyes?
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Yea joy and gladness from the house of our God
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Jole one sixteen. The prophet here chides the madness of
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the Jews, that they perceived not things set before their eyes.
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He therefore says that they were blind in the midst
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of light, and that their sight were such that seeing
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they saw nothing. They surely ought to have felt distressed
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when want reached even to the temple, For since God
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had commanded the first fruits to be offered to him,
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certainly the temple ought to have been honored with its sacrifices.
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And though mortals perish a hundred times through famine and want,
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yet God ought not to be defrauded of his right.
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He afterwards adds that joy and gladness were taken away,
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for God commanded the Jews to come to the temple
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to give thanks and to acknowledge themselves blessed because He
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had chosen his habitation among them. Hence this expression is
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so often repeated by Moses, Thou shalt rejoice before Thy God.
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For by saying this God intended to encourage the people
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the more to come cheerfully to the temple, as though
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he said, I certainly need not your presence, but I
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wish by my presence to make you glad. But now
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in the worship of God ceased, the prophet says that
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joy had also been abolished, for the Jews could not
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cheerfully give thanks to God when his curse was before
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their eyes. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God, that as Thou seest
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us to be surrounded with the infirmity of our flesh
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and so held by and as it were overwhelmed with
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earthly cares, that we can hardly raise up our hearts
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and minds to thee. O. Grant that being awakened by
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Thy word and daily warnings, we may at length feel
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our evils, and that we may not only learn by
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the stripes Thou inflictest upon us, but also of our
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own accord, summon ourselves to judgment and examine our hearts,
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and thus come to thy presence, being our own judges,
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so that we may anticipate thy displeasure and thus obtain
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that mercy which thou hast promised to all, who, turning
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only to thee dare precres thy wrath, and also hope
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for thy favor through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Amen ten, sounding the alarm, Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,
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and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all
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the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of
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the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand jole
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TiO one. This chapter contains serious exhortations mixed with threatenings.
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But the prophet threatens for the purpose of correcting the
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indifference of the people, who were very slow to consider
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God's judgments. The object of the narrative, then is to
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make the people sensible that it was now no time
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for taking rest. The prophet begins with an exhortation. We know,
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indeed that he alludes to the usual customs sanctioned by
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the law. For as on festival's trumpets were sounded to
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call the people, so also it was done when anything
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extraordinary happened. Hence the prophet addresses not each individually, but
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as all had done wickedly, from the least to the greatest.
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He bids the whole assseentis to be called, that they
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may in common own themselves to be guilty before God
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and deprecate His vengeance. This passage shows that when any
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judgment of God is impending, in tokens of it appear,
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this remedy ought to be used, namely, that all must
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publicly assemble and confess themselves worthy of punishment, and at
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the same time flee to the mercy of God. This
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we know was formally enjoined upon the people, and this
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practice has not been abolished by the Gospel prayer. Grant,
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Almighty God, that as thou invitest us daily with so
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much kindness and love, and make us known to us
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thy paternal good will, which thou didst once for all
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show to us in Christ thy son O, Grant that
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being allured by Thy goodness, we may surrender ourselves to
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thee and become so teachable and submissive, that wherever Thou
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guidest us by thy spirit, thou mayst follow us with
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every blessing. Let us not in the meantime be deaf
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to thy warnings, And whenever we deviate from the right way,
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grant that we may immediately awake when Thou warnest us,
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and return to the right path. And deign thou also
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to embrace us and reconcile us to thyself through Christ,
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our only Lord. Amen. Eleven outpouring of the spirit. And
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it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour
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out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and
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your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams,
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your young men shall see visions Jol. Two twenty eight.
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The prophet, after having set before them the rudiments as
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though they were children, now brings before them a more
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complete doctrine, for thus they were to be led, and
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affords them a taste of the favor of God in
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its external signs ascend. Then, now, he says, to spiritual life,
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for the fountain is one and the same. Though when
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earthly benefits occupy an engrosser attention, ye no doubt pollute them.
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But God feeds you, not to fill and pamper you,
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for He would not have you to be like brute animals.
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Then know that your bodies are fed, and that God
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gives support to you that ye may aspire after spiritual life,
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for He leads you to this, as by the hand,
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be this then your object. He began with temporal benefits,
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for it was needful that an untutored people should be
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thus led by degrees, that on account of their infirmity, sluggishness,
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and dulness, they might thus make better progress until they
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understood that God would, for this end be a father
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to them. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God, that, since we want
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so many aids while in this frail life, and as
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it is a shadowy life, we cannot pass a moment
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except Thou dost continually and at all times supply through
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thy bounty. What is needful, O, grant that we may
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so profit by thy so many benefits, that we may
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learn to raise our minds upward and ever aspire after
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celestial life, to which by thy gospel Thou invitest us
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so kindly and sweetly every day, that being gathered into
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Thy celestial kingdom, we may enjoy that perfect felicity which
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has been procured for us by the blood of thy son,
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Our Lord, Hie Jesus Christ Amen twelve an admonition, and
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I will show wonders in the heavens, and in the
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earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun
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shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood,
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before the great and the terrible day of the Lord
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Come Joel two thirty and thirty one. The prophet had
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hitherto promised that God would deal kindly and bountifully with
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his people, and everything he had said tendered to elevate
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the spirits of the people and fill them with joy.
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But now he seems again to threaten them with God's wrath,
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and to strike miserable men with fear, who had not
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as yet recovered breath. For at the time the prophet spoke,
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the Jews we know were in the greatest sorrow. But
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it is rather an admonition than a threatening. The prophet
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warns them of what would be lest the faithful should
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promise themselves an exemption from all cares and troubles, for
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we know how prone men are to self indulgence. Hence
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the prophet reminds us that though God would be count
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ofly feed his church and testify by external tokens his
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paternal love, and though he would pour out his spirit
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a token far more remarkable, yet the faithful would continue
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to be distressed with many troubles, for God designs not
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to deal too delicately with his church on earth, but
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when he gives tokens of his kindness, he at the
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same time mingles some exercises for patience, lest the faithful
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should become self indulgent or sleep on earthly blessings, but
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that they may ever seek higher things. Prayer grant, Almighty God,
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that as we are now surrounded on every side by
449
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so many miseries, and as our condition is such that,
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amidst groans and continual sorrows, our life could be hardly
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sustained unless Thou dost support us by spiritual grace. O
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Grant that we may learn to look upon the face
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of Thine anointed and seek comfort from Him in our misfortunes,
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and such a comfort as may not engross our minds,
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or at least retain us in the world, but raise
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our thoughts to Heaven and daily sealed to our hearts
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the testimony of our adoption, that though many evils must
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be borne by us in this world, we may yet
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continue to pursue our course, and to fight and strive
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with invincible perseverance, until having at length finished all our struggles,
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we reach that blessed rest which has been obtained for
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us by the blood of Thine only begotten Son, our Lord,
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Jesus Christ, Amen thirteen. Calling on the Lord. And it
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shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the
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name of the Lord shall be delivered. For in Mount
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Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord
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hath said, And in the remnant whom the Lord shall
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call Jole two thirty two. God declares that the invocation
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of his name in a despairing condition is a sure
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port of safety. What the prophet had said was certainly dreadful,
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that the whole order of nature would be so changed
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that no spark of life would appear, and that all
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places would be filled with darkness. What therefore he says
474
00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:00.559
now is the same as though he declared that if
475
00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:03.400
men called on the name of God, life would be
476
00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:06.640
found in the grave. Since then God invites here the
477
00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:09.160
lost and the dead. There is no reason why even
478
00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:12.440
the heaviest distresses should preclude an access for us or
479
00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:16.119
for our prayers. If there is promised salvation and deliverance
480
00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:18.200
to all who shall call on the name of the Lord.
481
00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:20.839
It follows as poor reasons that the doctrine of the
482
00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:24.920
Gospel belongs to the gentiles. Also, it would have been
483
00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:27.720
a great presumption in us to present ourselves before God,
484
00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:30.920
except He had given us confidence and promise to hear us.
485
00:27:31.400 --> 00:27:34.359
We learn from this place that however much God may
486
00:27:34.359 --> 00:27:37.640
afflict his Church, it will yet be perpetuated in the world,
487
00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:40.079
for it can no more be destroyed than the very
488
00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:45.759
truth of God, which is eternal and immutable. Prayer. Grant,
489
00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:49.079
Almighty God, that as thou not only invitest us continually
490
00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:51.519
by the voice of Thy Gospel to seek THEE, but
491
00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:54.640
also offer us to us thy Son as our mediator,
492
00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:57.519
through whom an access to THEE is open, that we
493
00:27:57.599 --> 00:28:01.039
may find THEE. A propitious Father, Grant that, relying on
494
00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:05.359
Thy kind invitation, we may, through life exercise ourselves in prayer.
495
00:28:05.960 --> 00:28:09.279
And as so many evils disturb us on all sides,
496
00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:12.680
and so many wants to stress and oppress us, may
497
00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:15.359
we be led more earnestly to call on THEE, and
498
00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:18.240
in the meanwhile be never wearied in this exercise of prayer,
499
00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:21.359
until having been heard by THEE. Throughout life, we may
500
00:28:21.359 --> 00:28:24.039
at length be gathered to Thine eternal kingdom, where we
501
00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:26.839
shall enjoy the salvation which thou hast promised us, and
502
00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:30.319
of which also thou daily testifiest to us by thy gospel,
503
00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:33.759
and be forever united to Thine only begotten Son, of
504
00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:37.519
whom we are now members, that we may be partakers
505
00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:39.680
of all the blessings which He has obtained for us
506
00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:47.480
by his death. Amen fourteen. A blessed experience. So shall
507
00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:50.079
ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling
508
00:28:50.119 --> 00:28:53.680
in Zion, my holy mountain. Then shall Jerusalem be holy,
509
00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:56.759
and there shall no strangers pass through her any more
510
00:28:57.200 --> 00:29:01.319
Joll three seventeen. The prophety intimates that the favor of
511
00:29:01.400 --> 00:29:04.279
God had been so hidden during the afflictions of the
512
00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:07.240
people that they could but think that they were forsaken
513
00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:10.440
by God. His word ought indeed to be sufficient for
514
00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:13.640
us in the greatest evils. For though God may cast
515
00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:16.880
us into the deepest gulfs, yet when He shines upon
516
00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:19.440
us by his word, it ought to be a consolation
517
00:29:19.480 --> 00:29:23.799
abundantly availing to sustain our souls. There is a twofold knowledge,
518
00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:26.440
the knowledge of faith received from His word, and the
519
00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:30.200
knowledge of experience, as we say, derived from actual enjoyment.
520
00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:33.119
The faithful ever acknowledge that salvation is laid up for
521
00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:36.559
them in God, but sometimes they do not, by actual enjoyment,
522
00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:39.720
know God to be their father. The prophet therefore now
523
00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:42.240
treats of real knowledge when he says that they shall
524
00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:44.279
know that they have a God. How are they to
525
00:29:44.359 --> 00:29:48.400
know this by experience? This passage teaches us that though
526
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:51.759
God should not put forth his hand manifestly to help us,
527
00:29:52.359 --> 00:29:54.680
we ought yet to entertain good hope of His favor.
528
00:29:54.839 --> 00:29:57.720
For the prophets spoke for this end, that the godly might,
529
00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:00.720
before the event or the accomplishment of the prophecy, should
530
00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:06.599
come look to God and cast all their cares on him. Prayer, Grant,
531
00:30:06.599 --> 00:30:08.839
Almighty God, that as we have in this world to
532
00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:11.880
fight continually, not only with one kind of enemies, but
533
00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:14.839
with innumerable ones, and not only with flesh and blood,
534
00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:17.480
but also with the devil, the prince of darkness, O
535
00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:20.480
grant that being armed with Thy power, we may steadily
536
00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:23.680
persevere in this contest. And when Thou afflictest us for
537
00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:26.440
our sins, may we learn to humble ourselves and so
538
00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:28.960
submit to Thy authority, that we may hope for the
539
00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:32.319
redemption promised to us and though tokens of thy displeasure
540
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:35.400
may often appear to us, may we yet ever raise
541
00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:38.440
up our minds by hope to heaven, and from thence
542
00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:41.440
look for Thine only begotten son, until coming as judge
543
00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:43.640
of the world, he assembles us for the enjoyment of
544
00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:46.640
that blessed and eternal life which He has obtained for
545
00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:51.920
us by his own blood. Amen. End of section two.
546
00:30:58.119 --> 00:31:02.880
Section three of script texts with expositions and sentenced prayers
547
00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:06.680
from Calvin's commentaries on the Minor Prophets by John Calvin.
548
00:31:07.279 --> 00:31:14.279
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Amos fifteen
549
00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:18.680
The Law of worship, and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving
550
00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:22.279
with leven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings. For
551
00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:25.480
this liketh you, o, ye children of Israel, saith the
552
00:31:25.559 --> 00:31:30.480
Lord God Amos four five. By saying that the Israelites
553
00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:33.559
loved to do these things, he upbraids their presumption in
554
00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:36.880
devising at their own will new modes of worship, as
555
00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:39.960
though he said, I require no sacrifices from you, except
556
00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:42.960
those offered at Jerusalem, but ye offer them to me
557
00:31:43.039 --> 00:31:46.640
in a profane place. Therefore, regard you as sacrifices as
558
00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:50.000
offered to yourselves and not to me. We indeed know
559
00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:53.200
how hypocrites ever make God a debtor to themselves when
560
00:31:53.240 --> 00:31:56.559
they undertake any labour in their frivolous ceremonies, they think
561
00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:58.880
that God is bound to them. Ye ought to have
562
00:31:58.920 --> 00:32:01.640
consulted me in simply to have obeyed my word, to
563
00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:05.240
have regarded what pleased me what I commanded. But ye
564
00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:08.279
have despised my word, neglected my law, and followed what
565
00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:12.279
pleased yourselves, and proceeded from your own fancies. Since then
566
00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:15.720
your own will is your law. Seek a recompense from yourselves.
567
00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:19.160
For I allow none of these things. What I require
568
00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:22.319
is implicit submission. I look for nothing else but obedience
569
00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:25.240
to my law. As ye render not this but according
570
00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:27.680
to your own will. It is no worship of my name.
571
00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:34.039
Prayer grant Almighty God, that as thou wouldst have our
572
00:32:34.079 --> 00:32:36.119
life to be formed by the rule of thy law,
573
00:32:36.440 --> 00:32:39.799
and hast there revealed to us what pleaseth THEE, that
574
00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:43.839
we may not wander in uncertainty, but render THEE obedience. Oh,
575
00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:46.680
grant that we may wholly submit ourselves to THEE, and
576
00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:49.599
not only devote our whole life and all our labours
577
00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:52.559
to THEE. But also offer to THEE as a sacrifice
578
00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:56.440
our understanding and whatever prudence and reason we possess, so
579
00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:59.640
that by spiritually serving THEE, we may really glorify Thy
580
00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:08.160
name through Christ, our Lord, Amen sixteen a solemn exhortation. Therefore,
581
00:33:08.279 --> 00:33:10.839
thus will I do unto THEE, O Israel. And because
582
00:33:10.839 --> 00:33:13.240
I will do this unto THEE, prepare to meet thy God,
583
00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:17.960
O Israel aim Us four twelve. This passage may be
584
00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:21.559
explained in two ways, either as an ironical sentence or
585
00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:25.359
as a simple and serious exhortation to repentance. If we
586
00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:29.000
take it ironically, the sense will be, come now meet
587
00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:31.920
me with all your obstinacy, and with whatever may serve you.
588
00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:34.680
Will you be able to escape my vengeance by setting
589
00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:38.640
up yourselves against me, as you have hitherto done. And certainly,
590
00:33:38.680 --> 00:33:42.119
the prophet, in denouncing final ruin on the people, seems
591
00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:44.839
here as though he wished designedly to touch them to
592
00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:47.599
the quick when he says, meet now thy God, and
593
00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:50.640
prepare thyself, that is, gather all thy strength and thy
594
00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:54.480
forces and thine auxiliaries. Try what all this will avail THEE.
595
00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:57.640
But as in the next chapter, the prophet exhorts again
596
00:33:57.680 --> 00:34:00.480
the Israelites to repentance, and sets before them the hope
597
00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:03.359
of favor. This place may be taken in another sense,
598
00:34:03.640 --> 00:34:06.240
as though he said, since thou seest thyself guilty, and
599
00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:10.079
also as thou seest that thou art seeking subterfusures in vain,
600
00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:12.960
being not able by any means to elude the hand
601
00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:15.960
of Thy judge, then see at last that thou mayst
602
00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:19.800
anticipate the final ruin which is impending the Prophets, after
603
00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:23.280
having threatened destruction to the Chosen people, ever moderate the
604
00:34:23.320 --> 00:34:26.400
asperity of their doctrine, as there were at all times
605
00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:32.159
some remnant seed, though hidden prayer. Grant, Almighty God, that
606
00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:36.239
since by thy word thou kindly invitest us to thyself,
607
00:34:36.719 --> 00:34:39.840
we may not turn deaf ears to thee, but anticipate
608
00:34:39.880 --> 00:34:43.320
thy rod and scourges. And that when for thee stupidity
609
00:34:43.320 --> 00:34:46.880
and thoughtlessness by which we have become inebriated, thou addest
610
00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:51.400
those punishments by which Thou sharply urgest us to repent. Oh,
611
00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:54.679
grant that we may not continue wholly intractable, but at
612
00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:57.519
length turn our hearts to thy service and submit ourselves
613
00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:59.840
to the yoke of thy word, and that we may
614
00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:03.039
be so instructed by the punishments which thou hast inflicted
615
00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:06.159
on us and still inflictest, that we may truly and
616
00:35:06.199 --> 00:35:08.920
from the heart, turn to THEE and offer ourselves to
617
00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:12.320
THEE as a sacrifice, that Thou mayest govern us according
618
00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:15.280
to thy will, and so rule all our affections by
619
00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:18.119
thy spirit, that we may, through the whole of our life,
620
00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:21.760
strive to glorify Thy name in Christ, Jesus, thy Son,
621
00:35:21.880 --> 00:35:29.880
our Lord. Amen seventeen, herdman and prophet, then answered Amos
622
00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:33.159
and said to Amasiah, I was no prophet, neither was
623
00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:36.199
I a prophet's son. But I was an herdsman and
624
00:35:36.280 --> 00:35:40.559
a gatherer of sycamore fruit Amos seven fourteen. Had Amos
625
00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:42.639
simply denied that he was a prophet, He might on
626
00:35:42.679 --> 00:35:45.440
this account have been thrust away from his office of teaching,
627
00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:48.280
for he lacked a call. But he means that he
628
00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:50.920
was not a prophet who had been from his childhood
629
00:35:50.920 --> 00:35:53.840
instructed in God's law to be an interpreter of scripture.
630
00:35:54.679 --> 00:35:56.800
And for the same reason he says that he was
631
00:35:56.840 --> 00:35:59.119
not the son of a prophet. For there were, then,
632
00:35:59.159 --> 00:36:02.400
we know, colleges for prophets instituted for this end, that
633
00:36:02.440 --> 00:36:05.559
there might be always some nursery for the Church of God,
634
00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:07.840
so that it might not be destitute of good and
635
00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:12.000
faithful teachers. Amos says that he was not of that class.
636
00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:15.559
He therefore honestly confesses that he was an illiterate man.
637
00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:19.039
But by this he gained to himself more authority. Inasmuch
638
00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:21.199
as the Lord had seized on him, as it were,
639
00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:23.840
by force, and set him over the people to teach them.
640
00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:27.159
It was a greater miracle that Christ chose rude and
641
00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:30.039
ignorant men as his apostles than if he had at
642
00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:32.800
first chosen Paul or men like him who were skilled
643
00:36:32.840 --> 00:36:35.559
in the law. If Christ had at the beginning selected
644
00:36:35.599 --> 00:36:39.239
such disciples, their authority would have appeared less. But as
645
00:36:39.280 --> 00:36:42.719
He had prepared by his spirit those who were before unlearned,
646
00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:45.559
it appeared more evident that they were sent from above.
647
00:36:46.920 --> 00:36:51.119
Prayer grant, Almighty God, that inasmuch as thou dost give
648
00:36:51.239 --> 00:36:54.320
such loose reins to Satan, that he attempts in all
649
00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:57.440
manner of ways to subvert Thy servants. O grant that
650
00:36:57.480 --> 00:36:59.679
they who have been sent and moved by Thee, and
651
00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:02.760
at the same time, furnished with the invincible strength of
652
00:37:02.800 --> 00:37:06.519
Thy spirit, may go on perseveringly to the last in
653
00:37:06.559 --> 00:37:10.039
the discharge of their office. And whether their adversaries assail
654
00:37:10.119 --> 00:37:13.000
them by plots or oppose them by open violence, may
655
00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:15.880
they not desist from their course, but devote themselves wholly
656
00:37:15.920 --> 00:37:18.679
to thee with prudence as well with courage, that they
657
00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:22.199
may thus persevere in continual obedience. And do thou also
658
00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:25.280
dissipate all the mists and all the wiles that Satan
659
00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:29.679
spreads to deceive the inexperienced, until the Truth emerge, which
660
00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:32.360
is the conqueror of the devil and of the whole world.
661
00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:35.880
And until thy son, the Son of Righteousness, appear, that
662
00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:38.360
he may gather the whole world, that in this his
663
00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:41.559
peaceful kingdom, we may enjoy the victory which is daily
664
00:37:41.599 --> 00:37:44.280
to be obtained by us in our constant struggles with
665
00:37:44.400 --> 00:37:50.440
the enemies of Thine only son Amen eighteen. The power
666
00:37:50.480 --> 00:37:54.480
of God. It is he that buildeth his stories in
667
00:37:54.559 --> 00:37:57.519
the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth.
668
00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:00.320
He that calleth for the waters of the selin and
669
00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:02.960
poureth them out upon the face of the earth. The
670
00:38:03.079 --> 00:38:07.639
Lord is his name, Amos nine six. The prophet in
671
00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:10.800
general terms describes the power of God that he might
672
00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:13.400
the more impress his hearers, and that they might not
673
00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:17.960
heedlessly reject what he had previously threatened, respecting their approaching ruin.
674
00:38:18.280 --> 00:38:20.880
For he had said, Lo, God will smite the land,
675
00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:24.920
and it shall tremble. This was special now, as men
676
00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:28.280
received with deaf ears those threatenings. The prophet added by
677
00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:31.639
way of confirmation a striking description of the power of God,
678
00:38:31.719 --> 00:38:35.119
as though he said, ye, do hear what God denounces? Now,
679
00:38:35.239 --> 00:38:37.679
as He has clothed me with his own authority and
680
00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:40.880
commanded me to terrify you by setting before you your punishment,
681
00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:44.000
Know ye that ye have to do with God himself,
682
00:38:44.159 --> 00:38:47.199
whose majesty ought to make you all and all that
683
00:38:47.320 --> 00:38:50.400
you are to tremble. Ye exist only through his power.
684
00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:53.079
And whenever he pleases, he can withdraw his spirit. And
685
00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:56.079
then this whole world must vanish, of which ye are
686
00:38:56.119 --> 00:38:59.760
but the smallest particles. Since then he alone is God,
687
00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:02.480
and there is in you but a momentary strength. And
688
00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:05.519
since this great power of God, the evidences of which
689
00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:08.000
He affords you through the whole order of nature, is
690
00:39:08.039 --> 00:39:10.559
so conspicuous to you, how is it that ye are
691
00:39:10.599 --> 00:39:17.920
so heedless. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast
692
00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:20.800
shewed to us by evidence so remarkable, that all things
693
00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:23.400
are under thy command, and that we who live in
694
00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:26.880
this world through Thy favor are as nothing, for Thou
695
00:39:26.920 --> 00:39:29.679
couldst reduce us to nothing in a moment. O Grant that,
696
00:39:29.760 --> 00:39:32.599
being conscious of Thy power, we may reverently fear thy
697
00:39:32.679 --> 00:39:36.159
hand and be wholly devoted to Thy glory. And as
698
00:39:36.199 --> 00:39:39.480
Thou kindly offerest thyself to us as a father, may
699
00:39:39.519 --> 00:39:42.760
we be drawn by this kindness and surrender ourselves wholly
700
00:39:42.800 --> 00:39:45.880
to thee by a willing obedience, and never labor for
701
00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:49.599
anything throughout life but to glorify thy name, as thou
702
00:39:49.639 --> 00:39:53.000
hast redeemed us through thine only begotten son, that so
703
00:39:53.559 --> 00:39:57.079
we may also enjoy through him that eternal inheritance which
704
00:39:57.119 --> 00:40:01.840
is laid up for us in Heaven. Amen. End of
705
00:40:02.039 --> 00:40:13.519
section three, Section four of Scripture Texts with expositions and
706
00:40:13.760 --> 00:40:17.599
sentenced prayers from Calvin's Commentaries on the Minor Prophets by
707
00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:21.639
John Calvin. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
708
00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:30.039
Obadiah and Jonah nineteen Wisdom Destroyed, Shall I not in
709
00:40:30.119 --> 00:40:32.880
that day saith the Lord even destroy the wise men
710
00:40:32.920 --> 00:40:35.400
out of edom and understanding, out of the mount of
711
00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:41.239
Esau Obadiah eight. Though men be in many respects blind,
712
00:40:41.480 --> 00:40:44.599
whom God guides not by his spirit, and on whom
713
00:40:44.599 --> 00:40:47.920
he shines not with his word. Yet the worst blindness
714
00:40:47.960 --> 00:40:51.480
is when men become inebriated with the false conceit of wisdom.
715
00:40:51.880 --> 00:40:54.679
God indeed permits the ungodly for a long time to
716
00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:58.280
felicitate themselves on account of their own acumen and counsels.
717
00:40:58.719 --> 00:41:02.199
As He suffered the idamis to go on prosperously. But
718
00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:04.719
we are warned by these words that if we excel
719
00:41:04.760 --> 00:41:07.519
in understanding, we are not to abuse this singular gift
720
00:41:07.559 --> 00:41:09.719
of God. As we see the case to be with
721
00:41:09.760 --> 00:41:13.239
the ungodly, who turned to cunning whatever wisdom the Lord
722
00:41:13.320 --> 00:41:16.000
has bestowed on them, there is hardly one in a
723
00:41:16.119 --> 00:41:18.400
hundred to be found who does not seek to be
724
00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:22.480
crafty and deceitful if he excels in understanding. We see
725
00:41:22.519 --> 00:41:25.400
that the world perverts this excellent gift of God. The
726
00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:27.880
more reason there is for us to labor that our
727
00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:31.440
wisdom should be founded in true simplicity. This is one
728
00:41:31.480 --> 00:41:34.880
thing then we must also beware lest we trust in
729
00:41:34.920 --> 00:41:38.440
our own understanding and despise our enemies, and lest we
730
00:41:38.519 --> 00:41:40.960
think that we can ward off any evil that may
731
00:41:41.000 --> 00:41:44.320
impend over us. But let us ever seek from the Lord,
732
00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:47.320
that he may vouchsafe to us at all times the
733
00:41:47.400 --> 00:41:50.440
spirit of wisdom, that he may guide us even to
734
00:41:50.480 --> 00:41:55.639
the end of life. Prayer, grant, Almighty God, that as
735
00:41:55.679 --> 00:41:58.599
thou hast once for all received us under thy protection,
736
00:41:59.039 --> 00:42:01.239
and has promised that our our salvation would be so
737
00:42:01.360 --> 00:42:04.400
much under thy care, that whatever Satan and the whole
738
00:42:04.400 --> 00:42:08.000
world may contrive, Thou wilt yet keep us safe and secure.
739
00:42:08.480 --> 00:42:11.599
O Grant that, being endued with perseverance, we may remain
740
00:42:11.639 --> 00:42:14.920
within our borders and not be carried away here and there,
741
00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:18.960
either by craft or by wicked counsels, But be thou
742
00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:22.960
pleased to keep us in genuine integrity, that, being protected
743
00:42:23.000 --> 00:42:26.119
by Thy help, we may by experience find that true
744
00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:29.239
which Thou declaest in thy word, that they who call
745
00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:31.920
on THEE in truth shall ever know THEE to be
746
00:42:31.960 --> 00:42:35.440
propitious to them. And since thou hast already made open
747
00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:37.719
to us an access to THEE in the person of
748
00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:40.719
Thine only begotten son O grant that we the sheep
749
00:42:40.880 --> 00:42:44.559
may rely on him as our shepherd, and resignedly abide
750
00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:47.440
under his protection until at length we be removed from
751
00:42:47.519 --> 00:42:51.000
all dangers into that eternal rest which has been obtained
752
00:42:51.000 --> 00:42:53.119
for us by the blood of Christ. Thine only son
753
00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:59.920
Amen twenty a fearless preacher, and Jonah began to enter
754
00:43:00.079 --> 00:43:03.280
into the city a day's journey, and he cried and said, yet,
755
00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:07.360
forty days and nineve shall be overthrown Jonah three four.
756
00:43:08.599 --> 00:43:11.679
Jonah here relates that he went to Nineve according to
757
00:43:11.719 --> 00:43:14.559
the command of God. He shows then how faithfully he
758
00:43:14.599 --> 00:43:17.559
executed the duty and joined on him, and thus obeyed
759
00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:20.559
the word of God. Hence Jonah came and began to
760
00:43:20.719 --> 00:43:23.039
enter into the city and to preach on the first day.
761
00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:27.239
This promptness proves clearly how tractable Jonah had become, and
762
00:43:27.280 --> 00:43:30.599
how much he endeavored to obey God in discharging his office.
763
00:43:31.039 --> 00:43:33.960
For had there been still a timidity in his heart,
764
00:43:34.280 --> 00:43:36.800
he would have inspected the city as careful and timid
765
00:43:36.920 --> 00:43:39.360
men are wont to do. Who inquire what is the
766
00:43:39.400 --> 00:43:42.440
condition of the place, what are the dispositions of the people,
767
00:43:42.639 --> 00:43:45.159
and which is the easiest access to them, and what
768
00:43:45.320 --> 00:43:47.440
is the best way, and where is the least danger?
769
00:43:48.320 --> 00:43:51.159
We now see how prompt he was in his obedience.
770
00:43:51.320 --> 00:43:54.199
Who had before attempted to pass over the sea, He
771
00:43:54.280 --> 00:43:56.960
now takes hardly a moment to breathe, but he begins
772
00:43:57.000 --> 00:43:59.400
at the very entrance to testify that he had come
773
00:43:59.480 --> 00:44:03.159
in obedience to God. He says that he cried. This
774
00:44:03.320 --> 00:44:06.400
freedom shows that Jonah was divested of all fear and
775
00:44:06.559 --> 00:44:09.599
endued with such boldness of spirit that he raised himself
776
00:44:09.719 --> 00:44:13.119
up above all the hindrances of the world. No fear
777
00:44:13.239 --> 00:44:15.599
was able to prevent him from doing his duty as
778
00:44:15.599 --> 00:44:18.800
a faithful servant, for he had evidently been strengthened by
779
00:44:18.880 --> 00:44:24.039
the Lord prayer. Grant, Almighty God, that as there is
780
00:44:24.079 --> 00:44:26.239
so much timidity in us, that none of us is
781
00:44:26.320 --> 00:44:29.280
prepared to follow where Thou mayst call us, we may
782
00:44:29.320 --> 00:44:32.280
be so instructed by the example of thy servant Jonah
783
00:44:32.519 --> 00:44:35.880
as to prepare ourselves for thorough obedience. And that though
784
00:44:35.960 --> 00:44:38.760
Satan and the world may oppose us with all their terrors,
785
00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:41.880
we may yet be strengthened by a reliance on Thy
786
00:44:42.000 --> 00:44:45.119
power and protection which Thou hast promised to us, and
787
00:44:45.199 --> 00:44:47.480
may go on in the course of our vocation, and
788
00:44:47.639 --> 00:44:50.519
never turn aside, but thus contend with all the hindrances
789
00:44:50.559 --> 00:44:54.199
of this world until we reach that celestial kingdom, where
790
00:44:54.239 --> 00:44:57.400
we shall enjoy THEE and Christ, thy only begotten son,
791
00:44:57.639 --> 00:45:00.559
who is our strength and our salvation. And may Thy
792
00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:04.280
spirit quicken us and strengthen all our faculties, that we
793
00:45:04.320 --> 00:45:06.800
may obey THEE, and that at length Thy name may
794
00:45:06.840 --> 00:45:09.599
be glorified in us, and that we may finally become
795
00:45:09.639 --> 00:45:13.320
partakers of that glory to which thou invitest us through Christ,
796
00:45:13.400 --> 00:45:18.840
our only Lord, Amen twenty one. The mercy of God,
797
00:45:20.119 --> 00:45:22.760
then said the Lord. Thou hast had pity on the
798
00:45:22.800 --> 00:45:26.400
God for the which thou hast not labored, neither made
799
00:45:26.519 --> 00:45:28.960
est it grow, which came up in a night and
800
00:45:29.119 --> 00:45:32.119
perished in a knight. And should not I spare nin
801
00:45:32.199 --> 00:45:35.360
evey that great city wherein are more than six score
802
00:45:35.440 --> 00:45:38.519
thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and
803
00:45:38.559 --> 00:45:42.960
their left hand, and also much cattle Jonah four ten
804
00:45:43.039 --> 00:45:46.639
and eleven. God shows here how like a father he
805
00:45:46.719 --> 00:45:50.239
provides for mankind. Each one of us is cherished by
806
00:45:50.320 --> 00:45:53.519
him with singular care. But yet he represents here a
807
00:45:53.639 --> 00:45:57.000
large number, that it might be more manifest that he
808
00:45:57.079 --> 00:45:59.880
has so great a concern for mankind that he will
809
00:45:59.880 --> 00:46:04.119
not not inconsiderately fulminate against any one nation. God shows
810
00:46:04.119 --> 00:46:06.920
here to Jonah that he has been carried away by
811
00:46:06.960 --> 00:46:10.559
his own merciless zeal. Though his zeal arose from a
812
00:46:10.559 --> 00:46:13.880
good principle, Yet Jonah was influenced by a feeling far
813
00:46:13.920 --> 00:46:17.840
too vehement. This God proved by sparing so many infants,
814
00:46:17.920 --> 00:46:22.440
hitherto innocent and to infancy. Adds, the brute animals oxen
815
00:46:22.480 --> 00:46:26.119
were certainly superior to shrubs. If Jonah justly grieved for
816
00:46:26.199 --> 00:46:29.639
one withered shrub, it was far more deplorable and cruel
817
00:46:29.679 --> 00:46:33.480
for so many innocent animals to perish. We hence see
818
00:46:33.639 --> 00:46:36.920
how opposite are all the parts of this similitude to
819
00:46:37.000 --> 00:46:39.920
make Jonah loathe his folly and to be ashamed of it.
820
00:46:40.079 --> 00:46:43.320
For he had attempted to frustrate the secret purpose of God,
821
00:46:43.400 --> 00:46:45.960
and in a manner to overrule it by his own will,
822
00:46:46.239 --> 00:46:49.159
so that the ninevites might not be spared, Although they
823
00:46:49.239 --> 00:46:54.320
labored by true repentance to anticipate the divine judgment. Prayer
824
00:46:55.360 --> 00:46:58.039
grand a mighty God, that as thou hast in various
825
00:46:58.039 --> 00:47:01.280
ways testified and daily also does prove how dear and
826
00:47:01.360 --> 00:47:04.760
precious to thee are mankind, as we enjoy daily, so
827
00:47:04.880 --> 00:47:07.920
many and so remarkable proof that thy goodness and favor
828
00:47:08.519 --> 00:47:11.079
O grant that we may learn to rely wholly on
829
00:47:11.119 --> 00:47:14.480
Thy goodness, so many examples of which Thou settest before us,
830
00:47:14.719 --> 00:47:18.000
and which thou wouldst have us continually to experience, that
831
00:47:18.079 --> 00:47:21.000
we may not only pass through our earthly course, but
832
00:47:21.079 --> 00:47:24.360
also confidently aspire to the hope of that blessed and
833
00:47:24.440 --> 00:47:27.199
celestial life which is laid up for us in Heaven
834
00:47:27.480 --> 00:47:33.519
through Christ alone, our Lord Amen. End of Section four,
835
00:47:39.519 --> 00:47:44.760
Section five of Scripture Texts with expositions and sentenced prayers
836
00:47:44.840 --> 00:47:48.639
from Calvin's Commentaries on the Minor Prophets by John Calvin.
837
00:47:49.440 --> 00:47:56.159
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Micah twenty two.
838
00:47:56.559 --> 00:48:01.280
A prophet's lamentation for her wound. It is incurable, for
839
00:48:01.400 --> 00:48:04.000
it is come unto Judah. He is even unto the
840
00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:08.519
gate of my people, even to Jerusalem Micah one nine.
841
00:48:09.360 --> 00:48:12.719
The prophet here assumed the character of a mourna that
842
00:48:12.760 --> 00:48:15.920
he might more deeply impress the Israelites, for they were
843
00:48:15.960 --> 00:48:20.239
almost insensible in their torpidity. It was therefore necessary that
844
00:48:20.280 --> 00:48:22.840
they should be brought to view the scene itself, that
845
00:48:23.159 --> 00:48:26.320
seeing their destruction before their eyes, they might be touched
846
00:48:26.360 --> 00:48:29.599
both with grief and fear. Though the Prophet here addresses
847
00:48:29.679 --> 00:48:32.800
the Israelites, we ought yet to apply this to ourselves,
848
00:48:32.920 --> 00:48:35.840
for we are not much unlike the ancient people. For
849
00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:39.360
however God may terrify us with dreadful threatenings, we still
850
00:48:39.400 --> 00:48:42.719
remain quiet. It is therefore needful that we should be
851
00:48:42.880 --> 00:48:46.559
severely treated, for we are almost void of feeling. The
852
00:48:46.599 --> 00:48:49.440
Prophet does here these two things. He shows the fraternal
853
00:48:49.480 --> 00:48:52.679
love which he entertained for the children of Israel, as
854
00:48:52.719 --> 00:48:55.320
they were his kindred and a part of the chosen people.
855
00:48:55.840 --> 00:48:59.360
And he also discharges his own duty, for this lamentation was,
856
00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:02.639
as it were, the mirror in which he sets before them,
857
00:49:02.760 --> 00:49:07.320
the vengeance of God toward men so extremely torpid. He
858
00:49:07.360 --> 00:49:11.000
therefore exhibits to them this representation that they might perceive
859
00:49:11.039 --> 00:49:13.679
that God was by no means trifling with men, when
860
00:49:13.719 --> 00:49:16.639
he thus denounced punishment on the wicked, and such as
861
00:49:16.719 --> 00:49:22.480
were apostates prayer grant Almighty God, that, being warned by
862
00:49:22.480 --> 00:49:25.559
so many examples the record of which thou hast designed
863
00:49:25.639 --> 00:49:27.880
to continue to the end of the world, that we
864
00:49:27.960 --> 00:49:31.440
may learn how dreadful a judge thou art to the perverse. O.
865
00:49:31.599 --> 00:49:34.320
Grant that we may not at this day be hardened
866
00:49:34.360 --> 00:49:36.800
against thy teaching, which is conveyed to us by the
867
00:49:36.840 --> 00:49:39.480
mouth of thy prophet, but that we may strive to
868
00:49:39.559 --> 00:49:43.159
be so reconciled to THEE, that, passing by all men,
869
00:49:43.320 --> 00:49:47.079
we may present ourselves unreservedly to THEE, so that, relying
870
00:49:47.079 --> 00:49:49.480
on Thy mercy alone, which thou hast promised to us
871
00:49:49.480 --> 00:49:52.119
in Christ, we may not doubt that thou wilt be
872
00:49:52.159 --> 00:49:55.000
propitious to us, and so touched with the spirit of
873
00:49:55.039 --> 00:49:57.800
true penitence, that if we have been to others a
874
00:49:57.800 --> 00:50:01.400
bad example and offense, we may lead others to the
875
00:50:01.480 --> 00:50:03.760
right way of salvation. And each of us may so
876
00:50:03.880 --> 00:50:06.440
endeavor to assist our neighbors in a holy life, that
877
00:50:06.519 --> 00:50:09.800
we may together attain that blessed and celestial life which
878
00:50:09.840 --> 00:50:12.239
Thine only begotten son has procured for us by his
879
00:50:12.280 --> 00:50:19.039
own blood, Amen. Twenty three. Strengthened by the Spirit. But
880
00:50:19.159 --> 00:50:21.480
truly I am full of power by the Spirit of
881
00:50:21.519 --> 00:50:24.320
the Lord and of judgment and of might to declare
882
00:50:24.400 --> 00:50:28.400
unto Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin Micah
883
00:50:28.400 --> 00:50:31.800
three eight. Here Micah in a courageous spirit stands up
884
00:50:31.800 --> 00:50:34.760
alone against all the false teachers, even when he saw
885
00:50:34.840 --> 00:50:37.639
that they were a large number, and that they appealed
886
00:50:37.719 --> 00:50:41.159
to their number according to their usual practice as their shield.
887
00:50:41.800 --> 00:50:45.079
This confidence is what all God's servants should possess, that
888
00:50:45.159 --> 00:50:47.880
they may not succumb to the empty and vain boastings
889
00:50:47.920 --> 00:50:51.360
of those who subvert the whole order of the Church. Whenever,
890
00:50:51.400 --> 00:50:54.000
then God permits his pure truth to be corrupted by
891
00:50:54.119 --> 00:50:57.039
false teachers, and allows them to be popular among those
892
00:50:57.159 --> 00:51:00.159
high in honor, as well as with the multitude. Let
893
00:51:00.199 --> 00:51:03.719
this striking example be remembered by us, lest we be discouraged,
894
00:51:04.039 --> 00:51:06.880
lest the firmness and invincible power of the Holy Spirit
895
00:51:06.960 --> 00:51:09.960
be weakened in our hearts. But let us proceed in
896
00:51:10.039 --> 00:51:12.639
the course of our calling and learn to oppose the
897
00:51:12.760 --> 00:51:15.760
name of God to all the deceptions of men, if
898
00:51:15.800 --> 00:51:19.000
indeed we are convinced that our service is approved by
899
00:51:19.039 --> 00:51:22.599
them as being faithful. Micah no doubt shows here, on
900
00:51:22.639 --> 00:51:25.320
account of the necessity of the occasion, that he was
901
00:51:25.400 --> 00:51:28.880
not supplied with ordinary or usual power. For according as
902
00:51:28.880 --> 00:51:31.760
God employs the labours of his servants, so is he
903
00:51:31.840 --> 00:51:38.079
present with them and furnishes them with suitable protection. Prayer grant,
904
00:51:38.079 --> 00:51:40.519
Almighty God, that as Thou wouldst have us to be
905
00:51:40.639 --> 00:51:43.440
ruled by the preaching of thy word, are grant that
906
00:51:43.480 --> 00:51:46.519
those who have to discharge this office may be really
907
00:51:46.639 --> 00:51:49.880
endued with Thy celestial power, that they may not attempt
908
00:51:49.960 --> 00:51:53.960
anything of themselves, but with all devotedness, spend all their
909
00:51:54.039 --> 00:51:57.559
labours for thee and for our benefit, that through them
910
00:51:57.800 --> 00:52:00.480
we may be thus edified, so that Thou mayst ever
911
00:52:00.559 --> 00:52:03.599
dwell among us, and that we, through our whole life,
912
00:52:03.639 --> 00:52:07.039
may become the habitation of Thy Majesty, and that finally
913
00:52:07.159 --> 00:52:10.000
we may come to thy heavenly sanctuary, where Thou daily
914
00:52:10.039 --> 00:52:13.559
invitest us. As an entrance there has been once for
915
00:52:13.639 --> 00:52:15.880
all opened to us by the blood of Thine only
916
00:52:15.880 --> 00:52:22.840
begotten son Amen twenty four. A fellowship of nations, and
917
00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:25.960
many nations shall come and say, come, and let us
918
00:52:26.000 --> 00:52:27.960
go up to the mountain of God and to the
919
00:52:28.000 --> 00:52:30.760
house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach
920
00:52:30.840 --> 00:52:33.639
us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.
921
00:52:33.760 --> 00:52:36.039
For the law shall go forth of Zion and the
922
00:52:36.079 --> 00:52:41.159
word of the Lord from Jerusalem Micah four two. The
923
00:52:41.159 --> 00:52:44.239
Prophet shows in these words that not only each one
924
00:52:44.360 --> 00:52:48.119
would be obedient to God when called, but that they
925
00:52:48.199 --> 00:52:51.320
would also encourage one another. And this ardor is what
926
00:52:51.519 --> 00:52:54.800
is justly required in the faithful. They ought to animate
927
00:52:54.920 --> 00:52:57.360
and urge on one another. For it is not enough
928
00:52:57.360 --> 00:52:59.679
for each of us himself to obey God. But this
929
00:52:59.800 --> 00:53:01.760
ze feel ought to be added, by which we may
930
00:53:01.800 --> 00:53:05.119
strive to produce a mutual benefit. The manner of the
931
00:53:05.159 --> 00:53:08.559
exhortation deserves to be noticed, for each one offers himself
932
00:53:08.559 --> 00:53:11.880
as a companion in the journey. We see, indeed, that
933
00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:15.199
many are prompt enough when others are to be stimulated
934
00:53:15.239 --> 00:53:18.199
in their duty, but they at the same time lie still.
935
00:53:18.360 --> 00:53:21.559
Their whole fervor is consumed in sending others, and they
936
00:53:21.559 --> 00:53:25.039
themselves move not no not a finger. So far are
937
00:53:25.079 --> 00:53:28.119
they from running with alacrity and company with others. The
938
00:53:28.199 --> 00:53:31.760
Prophet shows here that the faithful will be so solicitous
939
00:53:31.760 --> 00:53:35.000
about the salvation of their brethren, that they themselves also
940
00:53:35.039 --> 00:53:38.239
will strenuously run, and that they will prescribe nothing to
941
00:53:38.320 --> 00:53:44.639
others but what they themselves perform prayer. Grant, Almighty God,
942
00:53:44.679 --> 00:53:46.960
that since at the coming of Christ, thy son, Thou
943
00:53:47.000 --> 00:53:50.320
didst really perform what thy servants the prophets had foretold
944
00:53:50.400 --> 00:53:54.079
so long before, and since Thou daily invitest us until
945
00:53:54.119 --> 00:53:57.239
now to the unity of faith, that with united efforts
946
00:53:57.239 --> 00:53:59.840
we may truly serve Thee. Oh, Grant that we may
947
00:54:00.119 --> 00:54:04.159
not continue torn asunder everyone pursuing his own perverse inclinations
948
00:54:04.480 --> 00:54:07.880
at a time when Christ is thus gathering us unto thee.
949
00:54:08.239 --> 00:54:10.400
Nor let us only profess with the mouth and in
950
00:54:10.519 --> 00:54:13.599
words that we are under Thy government, but prove that
951
00:54:13.639 --> 00:54:16.920
we may feel this very thing in real sincerity. And
952
00:54:17.280 --> 00:54:20.000
may we then add to the true and lawful worship
953
00:54:20.039 --> 00:54:23.639
of Thy name brotherly love towards one another, that with
954
00:54:23.840 --> 00:54:27.159
united efforts we may promote each other's good, that our
955
00:54:27.199 --> 00:54:30.199
adoption may thus be proved and be more and more confirmed,
956
00:54:30.440 --> 00:54:33.000
that we may ever be able with full confidence to
957
00:54:33.079 --> 00:54:35.760
call on THEE as our father through Christ our Lord,
958
00:54:36.400 --> 00:54:43.280
Amen twenty five. The constancy of faith for all people
959
00:54:43.320 --> 00:54:45.679
will walk every one in the name of his God.
960
00:54:46.039 --> 00:54:48.039
And we will walk in the name of the Lord,
961
00:54:48.079 --> 00:54:53.000
our God, forever and ever. Micah four five, Micah after
962
00:54:53.039 --> 00:54:55.920
having spoken of the restoration of the Church, now confirms
963
00:54:55.960 --> 00:54:58.639
the same truth, and shows that the faithful would have
964
00:54:58.719 --> 00:55:01.559
reason enough to cleave com constantly to their God and
965
00:55:01.639 --> 00:55:04.639
to despise all the superstitions of the world, and that
966
00:55:04.639 --> 00:55:07.360
though they may be tossed here and there by contrary opinions,
967
00:55:07.519 --> 00:55:10.920
they will yet continue in true piety. This verse, then
968
00:55:11.039 --> 00:55:13.639
is connected with the Kingdom of Christ. For until we
969
00:55:13.679 --> 00:55:16.719
are gathered and Christ shines among us and rules us
970
00:55:16.760 --> 00:55:19.480
by his word, there can be in us no constancy,
971
00:55:19.519 --> 00:55:22.920
no firmness. But when under the auspices of Christ we
972
00:55:23.039 --> 00:55:26.840
join together in one body, the Church, such then becomes
973
00:55:26.840 --> 00:55:29.400
the constancy of our faith. That nothing can turn us
974
00:55:29.400 --> 00:55:32.199
aside from the right course. Though new storms were at
975
00:55:32.239 --> 00:55:35.079
any time to arise by which the whole world might
976
00:55:35.119 --> 00:55:38.199
be shaken, and though it were to happen that the
977
00:55:38.280 --> 00:55:42.679
universe should pass away, this passage shows that faith depends
978
00:55:42.719 --> 00:55:45.159
not on the suffrages of men, and that we ought
979
00:55:45.199 --> 00:55:47.920
not to regard what any one may think, or what
980
00:55:48.039 --> 00:55:49.760
may be the consent of all, For the truth of
981
00:55:49.800 --> 00:55:52.559
God alone ought to be deemed sufficient by us. How
982
00:55:52.599 --> 00:55:55.400
much soever then the whole world may oppose God, our
983
00:55:55.440 --> 00:55:58.440
faith ought not to be changeable, but remain firm on
984
00:55:58.519 --> 00:56:04.280
this foundation. That God, who cannot deceive, hath spoken prayer. Grant,
985
00:56:04.280 --> 00:56:06.840
Almighty God, that since under the guidance of thy Son
986
00:56:07.079 --> 00:56:09.599
we have been united together in the body of thy Church,
987
00:56:10.000 --> 00:56:13.320
which has been so often scattered and torn asunder O,
988
00:56:13.480 --> 00:56:15.840
grant that we may continue in the unity of faith
989
00:56:15.960 --> 00:56:19.400
and perseveringly fight against all the temptations of this world,
990
00:56:19.800 --> 00:56:22.880
and never deviate from the right course. Whatever new troubles
991
00:56:22.880 --> 00:56:26.159
may daily arise. And though we are exposed to many deaths,
992
00:56:26.480 --> 00:56:29.039
let us not be seized with fear, such as may
993
00:56:29.079 --> 00:56:31.920
extinguish in our hearts every hope. But may we, on
994
00:56:31.960 --> 00:56:35.000
the contrary, learn to raise up our eyes and minds
995
00:56:35.039 --> 00:56:38.119
and all our thoughts to thy great power, by which
996
00:56:38.119 --> 00:56:41.239
thou quickenest the dead and raisest from nothing things which
997
00:56:41.239 --> 00:56:44.360
are not so, that though we be daily exposed to ruin,
998
00:56:44.440 --> 00:56:48.119
our souls may ever aspire to eternal salvation until Thou
999
00:56:48.199 --> 00:56:51.199
at length really ShoWest thyself to be the fountain of life,
1000
00:56:51.440 --> 00:56:54.639
when we shall enjoy that endless felicity which has been
1001
00:56:54.639 --> 00:56:57.239
obtained for us by the blood of Thine only begotten Son,
1002
00:56:57.360 --> 00:57:03.400
Our Lord, Amen. Twenty six God's requirements. He hath showed
1003
00:57:03.440 --> 00:57:05.840
thee o man, what is good and what doth the
1004
00:57:05.880 --> 00:57:08.880
Lord require of thee but to do justly and to
1005
00:57:08.920 --> 00:57:12.199
love mercy, and to walk humbly with Thy God Micah
1006
00:57:12.320 --> 00:57:15.519
six eight. It is evident that in the first two
1007
00:57:15.599 --> 00:57:18.400
particulars he refers to the second table of the law,
1008
00:57:18.639 --> 00:57:21.440
that is, to do justice and to love mercy. Nor
1009
00:57:21.559 --> 00:57:23.880
is it a matter of wonder that the prophet begins
1010
00:57:23.960 --> 00:57:26.920
with the duties of love. For though in rank the
1011
00:57:27.079 --> 00:57:30.119
worship of God precedes these duties, and ought rightly to
1012
00:57:30.199 --> 00:57:33.360
be so regarded, yet justice, which is to be exercised
1013
00:57:33.360 --> 00:57:37.119
toward men, is the real evidence of religion. The prophet
1014
00:57:37.119 --> 00:57:40.920
therefore mentions justice and mercy. Not that God casts aside
1015
00:57:41.000 --> 00:57:43.840
what is first in importance, the worship of his name,
1016
00:57:44.199 --> 00:57:48.000
but he shows by evidences or effects what true religion is.
1017
00:57:48.639 --> 00:57:51.719
He afterwards adds what in order is first, and that
1018
00:57:51.880 --> 00:57:54.280
is literally, to be humble in walking with Thy God.
1019
00:57:54.960 --> 00:57:57.039
No doubt, as the name of God is more excellent
1020
00:57:57.079 --> 00:57:59.559
than anything else in the whole world, so the worship
1021
00:57:59.599 --> 00:58:02.199
of Him ought to be regarded as of more importance
1022
00:58:02.440 --> 00:58:04.880
than all those duties by which we prove our love
1023
00:58:04.960 --> 00:58:08.800
toward men. But the prophet, as I have already said,
1024
00:58:08.920 --> 00:58:12.199
was not so particular in observing order. His main object
1025
00:58:12.280 --> 00:58:14.320
was to show how men were to prove that they
1026
00:58:14.480 --> 00:58:17.920
seriously feared God and kept his law. He afterwards speaks
1027
00:58:17.920 --> 00:58:20.719
of God's worship. But his manner of speaking when he
1028
00:58:20.719 --> 00:58:23.400
says that men ought to be humble that they may
1029
00:58:23.480 --> 00:58:29.079
walk with their God, is worthy of special notice. Prayer. Grant,
1030
00:58:29.119 --> 00:58:31.519
Almighty God, that as thou hast made known to us
1031
00:58:31.559 --> 00:58:34.079
thy law, and hast also added thy gospel in which
1032
00:58:34.079 --> 00:58:37.400
thou callest us to thy service, and also invitest us
1033
00:58:37.559 --> 00:58:40.840
with all kindness to partake of thy grace. O Grant
1034
00:58:40.880 --> 00:58:43.280
that we may not be deaf either to Thy command
1035
00:58:43.679 --> 00:58:46.559
or to the promises of Thy mercy, but render ourselves
1036
00:58:46.599 --> 00:58:49.719
submissive to THEE everywhere, and so learn to devote all
1037
00:58:49.719 --> 00:58:52.719
our faculties to THEE. That we may, in truth avow
1038
00:58:52.880 --> 00:58:55.760
that the rule of a holy and religious life has
1039
00:58:55.800 --> 00:58:58.000
been delivered to us in Thy law, and that we
1040
00:58:58.039 --> 00:59:01.360
may firmly adhere to Thy promises. Lest through all of
1041
00:59:01.440 --> 00:59:04.280
the allurements of the world, or through the flatteries and
1042
00:59:04.320 --> 00:59:07.199
delusions of Satan, thou should suffer our minds to be
1043
00:59:07.280 --> 00:59:09.679
drawn away from that love which thou hast once for
1044
00:59:09.800 --> 00:59:13.239
all manifested to us in Thine only begotten son, and
1045
00:59:13.280 --> 00:59:15.920
in which thou daily confirmest us by the teaching of
1046
00:59:15.960 --> 00:59:18.519
the Gospel, until we at length shall come to the
1047
00:59:18.519 --> 00:59:22.320
full enjoyment of this love, in that celestial inheritance which
1048
00:59:22.360 --> 00:59:24.320
has been purchased for us by the blood of Thine
1049
00:59:24.360 --> 00:59:30.760
only Son, Amen twenty seven a prayer for God's heritage.
1050
00:59:31.599 --> 00:59:34.480
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of Thine
1051
00:59:34.519 --> 00:59:37.760
heritage which dwells solitary in the wood in the midst
1052
00:59:37.800 --> 00:59:41.280
of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as
1053
00:59:41.320 --> 00:59:45.400
in the days of old Micas seven fourteen. The prophet
1054
00:59:45.400 --> 00:59:48.800
here turns to supplications and prayers by which he manifests
1055
00:59:48.840 --> 00:59:51.679
more vehemence than if he had affirmed what he had
1056
00:59:51.719 --> 00:59:54.440
previously said of the restoration of the Church, For he
1057
00:59:54.480 --> 00:59:57.320
shows how dreadful that judgment would be when God would
1058
00:59:57.320 --> 01:00:00.880
reduce the land into a solitude. This prayer, no doubt
1059
01:00:00.920 --> 01:00:04.280
contains what it was. At the same time prophetic he
1060
01:00:04.360 --> 01:00:06.960
compares our guard to a shepherd, and this metaphor often
1061
01:00:07.000 --> 01:00:09.920
occurs by calling them the flock of his heritage. He
1062
01:00:09.960 --> 01:00:12.880
does not consider what the people deserved, but fixes his
1063
01:00:12.920 --> 01:00:16.440
eyes on their gratuitous adoption, Since then it had pleased
1064
01:00:16.440 --> 01:00:19.320
God to choose that people. The prophet, on this account
1065
01:00:19.400 --> 01:00:22.159
dares to go forth to God's presence and to plead
1066
01:00:22.199 --> 01:00:25.519
their gratuitous election. O God, I will not bring before
1067
01:00:25.559 --> 01:00:29.000
THEE the nobility of our race, or any sort of dignity,
1068
01:00:29.320 --> 01:00:32.880
or our piety, or any merits. What then, we are
1069
01:00:32.920 --> 01:00:35.519
thy people? For thou hast declared that we are a
1070
01:00:35.599 --> 01:00:40.920
royal priesthood, we are accordingly thy heritage. How So, because
1071
01:00:40.960 --> 01:00:43.719
it has been thy pleasure to have one peculiar people
1072
01:00:43.800 --> 01:00:46.760
sacred to THEE, we now more clearly see that the
1073
01:00:46.760 --> 01:00:49.960
prophet relied on God's favor alone, and oppose the recollection
1074
01:00:50.079 --> 01:00:53.000
of the Covenant to the trials, which might have otherwise
1075
01:00:53.039 --> 01:00:58.559
made every hope to fail. Prayer, Grant Almighty God, that,
1076
01:00:58.599 --> 01:01:01.199
since we have so provoked Thy displeasure by our sins,
1077
01:01:01.440 --> 01:01:05.079
that a dreadful waste and solitude appear everywhere. Are grant
1078
01:01:05.079 --> 01:01:07.199
that a proof of that favor which thou hast so
1079
01:01:07.320 --> 01:01:11.159
remarkably exhibited towards Thine ancient people may shine upon us,
1080
01:01:11.519 --> 01:01:13.760
so that Thy Church may be raised up, in which
1081
01:01:13.840 --> 01:01:17.159
true religion may flourish, and Thy name be glorified. And
1082
01:01:17.239 --> 01:01:19.840
may we daily solicit THEE in our prayers, and never
1083
01:01:19.920 --> 01:01:22.559
doubt that under the government of thy Christ, Thou canst
1084
01:01:22.639 --> 01:01:26.400
again gather together the whole world, though it be miserably dispersed,
1085
01:01:26.760 --> 01:01:29.599
so that we may persevere in this warfare to the end,
1086
01:01:30.000 --> 01:01:32.159
until we shall at length know that we have not
1087
01:01:32.360 --> 01:01:35.000
in vain hoped in THEE, and that our prayers have
1088
01:01:35.119 --> 01:01:38.239
not been in vain, when Christ evidently shall exercise the
1089
01:01:38.280 --> 01:01:41.280
power given to Him for our salvation and for that
1090
01:01:41.480 --> 01:01:53.800
of the whole world. Amen. End of Section five, Section
1091
01:01:53.840 --> 01:01:59.039
six of Scripture Texts with expositions and sentenced prayers from
1092
01:01:59.119 --> 01:02:03.159
Calvin's Commentary on the Minor Prophets by John Calvin. This
1093
01:02:03.280 --> 01:02:07.880
LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Naem and Habakuk
1094
01:02:09.079 --> 01:02:13.880
twenty eight. Ninave's fall, But Ninave is of old like
1095
01:02:13.960 --> 01:02:17.400
a pool of water. Yet they shall flee away, stand
1096
01:02:17.559 --> 01:02:21.039
stand shall they cry, but none shall look back Naem
1097
01:02:21.119 --> 01:02:25.119
two eight. The prophet here anticipates a doubt which might
1098
01:02:25.159 --> 01:02:28.360
have weakened confidence in his words, for Ninave not only
1099
01:02:28.360 --> 01:02:31.960
flourished in power, but it had also confirmed its strength
1100
01:02:32.039 --> 01:02:35.199
during a long course of time. And antiquity not only
1101
01:02:35.239 --> 01:02:39.800
adds to the strength of kingdoms, but secures authority to them. Accordingly,
1102
01:02:39.840 --> 01:02:42.559
as the imperial city of Nineve was ancient, it might
1103
01:02:42.639 --> 01:02:46.280
even seem to have been perpetual. Why Ninave has ever
1104
01:02:46.360 --> 01:02:48.880
ruled and possessed the sovereign power in all the east?
1105
01:02:49.559 --> 01:02:52.079
Can it be now shaken? Or can its strength be
1106
01:02:52.159 --> 01:02:55.400
now suddenly subverted? For where there is no beginning, we
1107
01:02:55.480 --> 01:02:59.360
cannot believe that there will be any end. The Ninevites,
1108
01:02:59.400 --> 01:03:02.119
no doubt, both did that they had been eternal, And
1109
01:03:02.320 --> 01:03:05.199
as they were fixed in this conceit concerning their antiquity,
1110
01:03:05.440 --> 01:03:10.320
no one thought they could ever fail. This circumstance shall not, however,
1111
01:03:10.440 --> 01:03:14.800
prevent God from now overturning its dominion. How much soever
1112
01:03:14.840 --> 01:03:18.000
then Nineve took pride in the notion of its ancientness,
1113
01:03:18.280 --> 01:03:21.239
it was yet God's purpose to destroy it. From this
1114
01:03:21.320 --> 01:03:23.440
passage we ought to learn that no trust is to
1115
01:03:23.480 --> 01:03:25.199
be put in the number of men, nor in the
1116
01:03:25.239 --> 01:03:29.239
defenses and strongholds of cities, nor in ancientness. For when
1117
01:03:29.320 --> 01:03:32.480
men excel in power, God will hence take occasion to
1118
01:03:32.519 --> 01:03:39.840
destroy them, inasmuch as pride is almost always connected with strength, prayer, grant,
1119
01:03:39.920 --> 01:03:42.679
or Mighty God, that as Thou constantly remindest us in
1120
01:03:42.840 --> 01:03:46.280
thy word, and hast taught us by so many examples,
1121
01:03:46.400 --> 01:03:49.119
that there is nothing permanent in this world, but that
1122
01:03:49.159 --> 01:03:52.559
the things which seem the firmest tend to ruin and
1123
01:03:52.679 --> 01:03:56.280
instantly fall, and of themselves vanish away. When by thy
1124
01:03:56.360 --> 01:03:59.519
breath Thou shakest that strength in which men trust. Oh,
1125
01:03:59.880 --> 01:04:03.000
the we, being really subdued and humbled, may not rely
1126
01:04:03.119 --> 01:04:05.360
on earthly things, but raise up our hearts and our
1127
01:04:05.400 --> 01:04:08.239
thoughts to Heaven, and there fix the anchor of our hope,
1128
01:04:08.480 --> 01:04:11.119
and may all our thoughts abide there, until at length,
1129
01:04:11.280 --> 01:04:13.719
when Thou hast led us through our course on earth,
1130
01:04:13.920 --> 01:04:16.880
we shall be gathered into that celestial kingdom which has
1131
01:04:16.920 --> 01:04:19.320
been obtained for us by the blood of Thine only
1132
01:04:19.320 --> 01:04:26.679
begotten Son Amen twenty nine, the watch Tower. I will
1133
01:04:26.679 --> 01:04:29.159
stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower,
1134
01:04:29.199 --> 01:04:31.480
and will watch to see what he will say unto me,
1135
01:04:31.840 --> 01:04:34.719
and what I shall answer. When I am reproved habacuc
1136
01:04:34.800 --> 01:04:38.760
to one the prophet finding himself sinking, and as it were,
1137
01:04:38.800 --> 01:04:42.719
overwhelmed in the deepest Abyss raises himself up above the
1138
01:04:42.840 --> 01:04:45.880
judgment and reason of men, and comes nearer to God,
1139
01:04:46.000 --> 01:04:48.360
that he might see from on high the things which
1140
01:04:48.400 --> 01:04:51.119
take place on earth, and not judge according to the
1141
01:04:51.199 --> 01:04:53.679
understanding of his own flesh, but by the light of
1142
01:04:53.719 --> 01:04:56.719
the Holy Spirit. For the tower of which he speaks
1143
01:04:56.760 --> 01:05:00.400
is patience arising from hope. If we contend with Satan
1144
01:05:00.480 --> 01:05:02.880
according to our own view of things, he will a
1145
01:05:02.920 --> 01:05:05.639
hundred times overwhelm us, and we can never be able
1146
01:05:05.679 --> 01:05:08.880
to resist him. Let us therefore know that here is
1147
01:05:08.920 --> 01:05:11.800
shown us the right way of fighting with him. When
1148
01:05:11.800 --> 01:05:14.599
our minds are agitated with unbelief, when things are so
1149
01:05:14.679 --> 01:05:17.320
confused in this world as to involve us in darkness,
1150
01:05:17.599 --> 01:05:20.360
so that no light appears, we must bid adieu to
1151
01:05:20.400 --> 01:05:23.440
our own reason, for all our thoughts are worth nothing
1152
01:05:23.559 --> 01:05:25.960
when we seek, according to our own reason to form
1153
01:05:25.960 --> 01:05:29.880
a judgment. Consequently, until the faithful ascend to their tower
1154
01:05:30.000 --> 01:05:33.079
and stand in their citadel of which the prophet here speaks,
1155
01:05:33.320 --> 01:05:36.239
their temptations will drive them here and there and sink them,
1156
01:05:36.320 --> 01:05:39.280
as it were, in a bottomless gulf. The tower is
1157
01:05:39.320 --> 01:05:41.960
the recess of the mind. But how can we ascend
1158
01:05:42.000 --> 01:05:47.960
to it even by following the word of the Lord. Prayer. Grant,
1159
01:05:48.000 --> 01:05:51.039
Almighty God, that as thou seest us labor under so
1160
01:05:51.119 --> 01:05:54.360
much weakness, yea, with our minds so blinded, that our
1161
01:05:54.400 --> 01:05:59.239
faith falters at the smallest perplexities, and almost fails altogether. Oh,
1162
01:05:59.320 --> 01:06:01.559
Grant that by the power of Thy spirit, we may
1163
01:06:01.599 --> 01:06:04.639
be raised up above this world and learn more and
1164
01:06:04.719 --> 01:06:07.679
more to renounce our own counsels, and so to come
1165
01:06:07.679 --> 01:06:11.079
to thee, that we may stand fixed in our watchtower,
1166
01:06:11.320 --> 01:06:15.039
ever hoping through Thy power for whatever thou hast promised us,
1167
01:06:15.360 --> 01:06:18.000
though thou shouldst not immediately make it manifest to us
1168
01:06:18.159 --> 01:06:21.400
that thou hast faithfully spoken. And may we thus give
1169
01:06:21.440 --> 01:06:24.079
full proof of our faith and patience, and proceed in
1170
01:06:24.119 --> 01:06:27.119
the course of our warfare, until at length we ascend
1171
01:06:27.280 --> 01:06:30.559
above all watched towers into that blessed rest, where we
1172
01:06:30.599 --> 01:06:33.599
shall no more watch with an attentive mind, but see
1173
01:06:33.639 --> 01:06:36.480
face to face in Thine image whatever can be wished,
1174
01:06:36.519 --> 01:06:39.840
and whatever is needful for our perfect happiness through Christ,
1175
01:06:39.880 --> 01:06:47.440
our Lord, Amen. Thirty punishment for avarice, Shall not all
1176
01:06:47.480 --> 01:06:50.199
these take up a parable against him and a taunting
1177
01:06:50.280 --> 01:06:53.039
proverb against him and say, woe to him that increaseth
1178
01:06:53.199 --> 01:06:56.400
that which is not his, how long, and to him
1179
01:06:56.440 --> 01:07:01.280
that laideth himself with thick clay abercut six. All the
1180
01:07:01.320 --> 01:07:04.280
people who had been collected, as it were, into a heap,
1181
01:07:04.360 --> 01:07:06.760
would take up a parable or taunt in order to
1182
01:07:06.800 --> 01:07:10.039
scoff at the king of Babylon. What seems here to
1183
01:07:10.079 --> 01:07:12.400
be the singing of triumph before the victory is no
1184
01:07:12.519 --> 01:07:15.440
matter of wonder. For our faith, as it is well known,
1185
01:07:15.519 --> 01:07:18.440
depends not on the judgment of the flesh, nor regards
1186
01:07:18.480 --> 01:07:21.199
what is openly evident, but is the substance of things
1187
01:07:21.199 --> 01:07:24.239
hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Hebrews
1188
01:07:24.280 --> 01:07:27.719
eleven one. As then, the firmness of faith is the same,
1189
01:07:28.280 --> 01:07:31.960
though what it apprehends is remote, and as faith ceaseth
1190
01:07:32.039 --> 01:07:34.960
not to see things hidden, for through the mirror of
1191
01:07:35.000 --> 01:07:38.239
God's word, it ascends above heaven and earth and penetrates
1192
01:07:38.280 --> 01:07:41.760
into the spiritual kingdom of God. As faith then possesses
1193
01:07:41.800 --> 01:07:44.360
a view so distant, it is not to be wondered
1194
01:07:44.440 --> 01:07:47.360
that the prophet here boldly triumphs over the Babylonians and
1195
01:07:47.480 --> 01:07:51.519
now describes a derisive song for all nations. The prophet
1196
01:07:51.519 --> 01:07:54.760
also intimates that tyrants and their cruelty cannot be endured
1197
01:07:54.800 --> 01:07:58.239
without great weariness and sorrow. Hence almost the whole world
1198
01:07:58.440 --> 01:08:02.199
sound forth these words. How long and this feeling? Is
1199
01:08:02.239 --> 01:08:05.079
it not implanted in us by the Lord? But let us,
1200
01:08:05.119 --> 01:08:07.239
in the meantime see that no one of us should
1201
01:08:07.239 --> 01:08:09.480
have to say the same thing to himself which he
1202
01:08:09.559 --> 01:08:15.440
brings forward against others. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God, that as
1203
01:08:15.480 --> 01:08:18.479
thou dainest so far to condescend as to sustain the
1204
01:08:18.520 --> 01:08:21.159
care of this life, and to supply us with whatever
1205
01:08:21.279 --> 01:08:24.239
is needful for our pilgrimage. O, Grant that we may
1206
01:08:24.319 --> 01:08:27.119
learn also to rely on THEE and so trust to
1207
01:08:27.199 --> 01:08:30.439
Thy blessing, as to abstain not only from all plunder
1208
01:08:30.520 --> 01:08:34.159
and all other evil deeds, but also from every unlawful coveting,
1209
01:08:34.520 --> 01:08:37.319
and to continue in thy fear, and so to learn
1210
01:08:37.359 --> 01:08:40.359
also to bear our poverty on the earth. That, being
1211
01:08:40.359 --> 01:08:43.319
content with those spiritual riches which thou offerest to us
1212
01:08:43.359 --> 01:08:46.000
in thy gospel, and of which thou makest ust now
1213
01:08:46.079 --> 01:08:49.680
partake us, we may ever cheerfully aspire after that fullness
1214
01:08:49.720 --> 01:08:52.760
of all blessings, which we shall enjoy, when at length
1215
01:08:52.800 --> 01:08:56.159
we shall reach the celestial kingdom, and be perfectly united
1216
01:08:56.159 --> 01:09:01.920
to thee through Christ, our Lord, Amen, thirty one chariots
1217
01:09:01.920 --> 01:09:06.239
of Salvation? Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? Was
1218
01:09:06.279 --> 01:09:09.319
thine anger against the rivers? Was thy wrath against the sea?
1219
01:09:09.720 --> 01:09:12.359
That thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots
1220
01:09:12.399 --> 01:09:16.840
of salvation? Habakuk three eight. A question has much more
1221
01:09:16.880 --> 01:09:19.640
force when it refers to what is in no way doubtful.
1222
01:09:20.359 --> 01:09:23.720
What can God be angry with rivers? Who can imagine
1223
01:09:23.720 --> 01:09:26.319
God to be so unreasonable as to disturb the sea
1224
01:09:26.399 --> 01:09:28.720
and to change the nature of things when a certain
1225
01:09:28.840 --> 01:09:32.119
order has been established by his own command? Why should
1226
01:09:32.199 --> 01:09:34.520
he dry the sea unless he had something in view,
1227
01:09:34.760 --> 01:09:38.199
even the deliverance of his church, unless he intended to
1228
01:09:38.239 --> 01:09:41.279
save his people from extreme danger by stretching forth his
1229
01:09:41.359 --> 01:09:44.159
hand to the Israelites when they thought themselves utterly lost.
1230
01:09:44.880 --> 01:09:47.720
He therefore denies that when God dried the Red Sea,
1231
01:09:48.159 --> 01:09:50.359
and when he stopped the flowing of the Jordan, he
1232
01:09:50.399 --> 01:09:52.760
had put forth his power against the sea or against
1233
01:09:52.800 --> 01:09:55.159
the river, as though he were angry with them. The
1234
01:09:55.199 --> 01:09:57.680
design of God, says the prophet, was quite another. For
1235
01:09:57.800 --> 01:10:00.920
God rode on his horses, that is tended to show
1236
01:10:01.119 --> 01:10:04.000
that all the elements were under his command, and that
1237
01:10:04.039 --> 01:10:07.680
for the salvation of his people, that God then might
1238
01:10:07.720 --> 01:10:10.199
be the redeemer of his church. He constrained the Jordan
1239
01:10:10.279 --> 01:10:13.000
to turn back its course. He constrained the Red Sea
1240
01:10:13.199 --> 01:10:15.800
to make a passage for his miserable captives, who would
1241
01:10:15.840 --> 01:10:22.079
otherwise have been exposed, as it were, to slaughter. Prayer. Grant,
1242
01:10:22.119 --> 01:10:25.079
Almighty God, that as thou hast so often and in
1243
01:10:25.119 --> 01:10:29.279
such various ways testified formerly, how much care and solicitude
1244
01:10:29.319 --> 01:10:31.560
thou hast for the salvation of all those who may
1245
01:10:31.600 --> 01:10:34.600
rely and call on THEE, O, Grant that we also,
1246
01:10:34.680 --> 01:10:37.399
at this day may experience the same. And though Thy
1247
01:10:37.439 --> 01:10:39.840
face is justly hid from us, may we yet never
1248
01:10:39.920 --> 01:10:42.439
hesitate to flee to THEE, since thou hast made a
1249
01:10:42.479 --> 01:10:46.319
covenant through thy son, which is founded in Thine infinite mercy.
1250
01:10:46.880 --> 01:10:50.159
Grant then, that we, being humbled in true penitence, may
1251
01:10:50.199 --> 01:10:52.960
so surrender ourselves to Thy son, that we may be
1252
01:10:53.039 --> 01:10:55.600
led to THEE and find THEE no less a father
1253
01:10:55.720 --> 01:10:58.680
to us than to the faithful of old, as thou
1254
01:10:58.720 --> 01:11:02.319
everywhere testifiest to us in thy word, Until at length
1255
01:11:02.600 --> 01:11:04.920
being freed from all troubles and dangers, we come to
1256
01:11:04.960 --> 01:11:07.680
that blessed rest which Thine only son has purchased for
1257
01:11:07.840 --> 01:11:14.439
us by his own blood, Amen, thirty two, rejoicing in
1258
01:11:14.520 --> 01:11:18.560
the Lord. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither
1259
01:11:18.600 --> 01:11:21.239
shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the
1260
01:11:21.279 --> 01:11:24.359
olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat.
1261
01:11:24.880 --> 01:11:27.760
The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and
1262
01:11:27.800 --> 01:11:30.199
there shall be no herd in the stalls. Yet I
1263
01:11:30.239 --> 01:11:32.640
will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the
1264
01:11:32.640 --> 01:11:38.479
God of my salvation. Habakuk three seventeen and eighteen. The
1265
01:11:38.520 --> 01:11:41.680
prophet teaches us what advantage it is to the faithful
1266
01:11:41.840 --> 01:11:45.199
seasonably to submit to God and to entertain serious fear
1267
01:11:45.239 --> 01:11:47.920
when he threatens them, and when he summons them to judgment.
1268
01:11:48.399 --> 01:11:51.039
And he shows that though they might perish a hundred times,
1269
01:11:51.439 --> 01:11:53.960
they would yet not perish, for the Lord would ever
1270
01:11:54.000 --> 01:11:56.880
supply them with occasions of joy, and would also cherish
1271
01:11:56.920 --> 01:11:59.680
this joy within, so as to enable them to rise
1272
01:11:59.680 --> 01:12:03.600
above all their adversities. Though the land was threatened with famine,
1273
01:12:03.840 --> 01:12:06.239
and though no food would be supplied to them, they
1274
01:12:06.239 --> 01:12:08.720
would yet be able always to rejoice in the God
1275
01:12:08.720 --> 01:12:11.560
of their salvation, for they knew him to be their father,
1276
01:12:12.239 --> 01:12:15.520
though for a time he severely chastised them. Our joy
1277
01:12:15.560 --> 01:12:18.560
shall not depend on outward prosperity, for though the Lord
1278
01:12:18.560 --> 01:12:21.720
may afflict us in an extreme degree, there will yet
1279
01:12:21.720 --> 01:12:24.960
always be some consolations to sustain our minds, that they
1280
01:12:25.000 --> 01:12:27.600
may not succumb under evil so grievous. For we are
1281
01:12:27.640 --> 01:12:30.600
fully persuaded that our salvation is in God's hand, and
1282
01:12:30.680 --> 01:12:35.239
that He is its faithful guardian. We shall therefore rest quietly. Yea,
1283
01:12:35.560 --> 01:12:38.520
though God fulminate it from heaven, we shall yet be
1284
01:12:38.600 --> 01:12:45.439
in a tranquil state of mind, looking for His gratuitous salvation. Prayer, Grant,
1285
01:12:45.479 --> 01:12:48.039
Almighty God, that as we cease not daily to provoke
1286
01:12:48.119 --> 01:12:51.319
Thy wrath against us, and as the hardness and obstinacy
1287
01:12:51.359 --> 01:12:53.880
of our flesh is so great that it is necessary
1288
01:12:53.920 --> 01:12:56.920
for us to be in various ways afflicted, Oh, Grant
1289
01:12:57.000 --> 01:13:00.199
that we may patiently bear Thy chastisements, and un under
1290
01:13:00.239 --> 01:13:03.359
a deep feeling of sorrow, flee to Thy mercy. And
1291
01:13:03.479 --> 01:13:05.600
may we, in the meantime persevere in the hope of
1292
01:13:05.640 --> 01:13:08.920
that mercy which thou hast promised, and which has oncefore
1293
01:13:08.920 --> 01:13:11.880
all been exhibited towards us in Christ, so that we
1294
01:13:11.920 --> 01:13:15.239
may not depend on the earthly blessings of this perishable life,
1295
01:13:15.560 --> 01:13:18.239
but relying on Thy word, may proceed in the course
1296
01:13:18.279 --> 01:13:20.760
of our calling, until we shall at length be gathered
1297
01:13:20.800 --> 01:13:23.359
into that blessed rest which is laid up for us
1298
01:13:23.399 --> 01:13:28.920
in heaven, through Christ alone, our Lord Amen. End of
1299
01:13:29.119 --> 01:13:40.000
section six, Section seven of Scriptured Texts with expositions and
1300
01:13:40.119 --> 01:13:43.439
sentence prayers from Calvin's Commentaries on the Minor Prophets by
1301
01:13:43.520 --> 01:13:47.159
John Calvin. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
1302
01:13:48.880 --> 01:13:55.600
Zephyniah thirty three. Pride and Destruction. This is the rejoicing
1303
01:13:55.680 --> 01:13:59.119
city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart I am,
1304
01:13:59.199 --> 01:14:02.840
and there is none. But how is she become a desolation,
1305
01:14:03.159 --> 01:14:06.279
a place for beasts to lie down? In every one
1306
01:14:06.319 --> 01:14:09.199
that passeth by her shall hiss and wag his hand
1307
01:14:09.640 --> 01:14:14.600
Zephyniah two fifteen. The prophet reminds them here that though
1308
01:14:14.680 --> 01:14:18.079
Nineveh was thus proud of its wealth, yet it could
1309
01:14:18.079 --> 01:14:21.159
not escape the hand of God. Nay, he shows that
1310
01:14:21.199 --> 01:14:24.479
the greatness on account of which Ninevee extolled itself would
1311
01:14:24.479 --> 01:14:26.880
be the cause of its ruin, for it would cast
1312
01:14:26.920 --> 01:14:29.479
itself down by its own pride, as a wall when
1313
01:14:29.520 --> 01:14:33.359
it swells, will not stand such a destruction, the prophet
1314
01:14:33.359 --> 01:14:36.920
denounces on the Ninevites and the Assyrians. Let us remember
1315
01:14:36.960 --> 01:14:39.720
that in this city is presented to us an example
1316
01:14:39.760 --> 01:14:43.359
which belongs in common to all nations, that God cannot
1317
01:14:43.439 --> 01:14:46.000
endure the presumption of men, when inflated by their own
1318
01:14:46.119 --> 01:14:49.159
greatness and power. They do not think themselves to be men,
1319
01:14:49.560 --> 01:14:52.159
nor humble themselves in a way suitable to the conditions
1320
01:14:52.159 --> 01:14:54.880
of men, but forget themselves as though they could exalt
1321
01:14:54.920 --> 01:14:58.840
themselves above the heavens. If then we desire to be
1322
01:14:58.880 --> 01:15:01.600
protected by God's hand, let us bear in mind what
1323
01:15:01.640 --> 01:15:05.319
our condition is, and daily, yea hourly prepare ourselves for
1324
01:15:05.399 --> 01:15:09.439
a change. Except God be pleased to sustain us. Our
1325
01:15:09.520 --> 01:15:12.760
suitability is to depend only on the aid of God,
1326
01:15:12.880 --> 01:15:16.600
and from consciousness of our infirmity, to tremble in ourselves,
1327
01:15:16.720 --> 01:15:20.720
lest a fearfulness of our state should creep. In prayer,
1328
01:15:21.840 --> 01:15:24.560
grant Almighty God, that as thou triest us in the
1329
01:15:24.600 --> 01:15:28.600
warfare of the Cross, and arousest most powerful enemies, whose
1330
01:15:28.600 --> 01:15:32.199
barbarity might justly terrify and dishearten us, were we not
1331
01:15:32.239 --> 01:15:35.560
depending on Thine aid, Oh, grant, that we may call
1332
01:15:35.640 --> 01:15:38.479
to mind, how wonderfully thou didst in former times deliver
1333
01:15:38.560 --> 01:15:41.800
thy people, and how seasonably thou didst bring them help
1334
01:15:42.199 --> 01:15:45.359
when they were oppressed and entirely overwhelmed, So that we
1335
01:15:45.399 --> 01:15:47.520
may learn at this state to flee to Thy protection,
1336
01:15:47.720 --> 01:15:50.960
and not doubt that when Thou becomest propitious to us,
1337
01:15:51.199 --> 01:15:54.000
there is in thee sufficient power to preserve us and
1338
01:15:54.079 --> 01:15:57.039
to lay prostrate our enemies, how much soever they may
1339
01:15:57.079 --> 01:15:59.760
now exalt and think to triumph above the heavens, so
1340
01:15:59.840 --> 01:16:02.640
that they may at length know by experience that they
1341
01:16:02.680 --> 01:16:06.119
are earthly and frail creatures, whose life and condition is
1342
01:16:06.239 --> 01:16:09.439
like the mist, which soon vanishes. And may we learn
1343
01:16:09.479 --> 01:16:12.439
to aspire after that blessed eternity which is laid up
1344
01:16:12.439 --> 01:16:18.119
for us in heaven through Christ our Lord, Amen. Thirty
1345
01:16:18.159 --> 01:16:21.600
four pure lips. For then will I turn to the
1346
01:16:21.600 --> 01:16:24.439
people a pure language, that they may all call upon
1347
01:16:24.479 --> 01:16:26.880
the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent.
1348
01:16:27.520 --> 01:16:32.159
Zephonia three nine. God intimates that he would propagate his
1349
01:16:32.239 --> 01:16:35.479
grace wider after having cleansed the earth, for he will
1350
01:16:35.479 --> 01:16:38.560
be worshiped not only in Judea. But by foreign nations,
1351
01:16:38.760 --> 01:16:42.000
and even by the remotest God has in his own
1352
01:16:42.079 --> 01:16:44.760
hand the means by which he will vindicate his own glory.
1353
01:16:45.159 --> 01:16:47.840
For He will not only defend his church in Judea,
1354
01:16:48.239 --> 01:16:51.079
but will also gather into it nations far and wide,
1355
01:16:51.399 --> 01:16:54.880
so that his name shall be everywhere celebrated. God does
1356
01:16:54.920 --> 01:16:57.600
not without reason promise that he will turn pure lips
1357
01:16:57.720 --> 01:17:00.119
to the nations, that is, that he will cause the
1358
01:17:00.199 --> 01:17:03.479
nations to call on His name with pure lips. We
1359
01:17:03.600 --> 01:17:06.520
hence learn that God cannot rightly be invoked by us
1360
01:17:06.600 --> 01:17:09.279
until He draws us to himself. For we have profane
1361
01:17:09.319 --> 01:17:12.479
and impure lips. As to the word all. It is
1362
01:17:12.520 --> 01:17:15.239
to be referred to nations, not to each individual. For
1363
01:17:15.680 --> 01:17:18.000
it has not been brought to pass that everyone has
1364
01:17:18.039 --> 01:17:21.279
called on God. But there have been some of all nations,
1365
01:17:21.279 --> 01:17:23.640
as Paul says also in the first chapter of the
1366
01:17:23.680 --> 01:17:27.079
Epistle to the Corinthians, for in addressing the faithful, he
1367
01:17:27.159 --> 01:17:29.720
adds with all that in every place call upon the
1368
01:17:29.800 --> 01:17:32.880
name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs and ours.
1369
01:17:32.920 --> 01:17:35.720
That is not only in Judea and elsewhere. He says,
1370
01:17:36.000 --> 01:17:38.960
I will that men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands
1371
01:17:38.960 --> 01:17:45.079
without wrath and doubting One Timothy two eight prayer. Grant
1372
01:17:45.079 --> 01:17:47.520
Almighty God, that, since it is the principal part of
1373
01:17:47.560 --> 01:17:50.079
our happiness, that while we are absent from THEE in
1374
01:17:50.119 --> 01:17:52.560
this world, there is yet open to us a familiar
1375
01:17:52.640 --> 01:17:55.199
access to THEE. By faith, O grant that we may
1376
01:17:55.239 --> 01:17:57.600
be able to come with a pure heart to Thy presence.
1377
01:17:57.880 --> 01:18:00.600
And when our lips are polluted, O purre us by
1378
01:18:00.600 --> 01:18:03.279
Thy spirit, so that we may not only pray to
1379
01:18:03.359 --> 01:18:05.680
THEE with the mouth, but also prove that we do
1380
01:18:05.800 --> 01:18:10.039
this sincerely without any dissimulation, and that we earnestly seek
1381
01:18:10.159 --> 01:18:13.640
to spend our whole life in glorifying Thy name, until
1382
01:18:13.680 --> 01:18:16.920
at length being gathered into Thy celestial kingdom, we may
1383
01:18:16.960 --> 01:18:19.760
be really and truly united to THEE, and we may
1384
01:18:19.840 --> 01:18:22.640
partakers of that glory which has been procured for us
1385
01:18:22.800 --> 01:18:28.720
by the blood of Thine only son Amen, thirty five.
1386
01:18:29.319 --> 01:18:33.640
Uses of affliction. I will also leave in the midst
1387
01:18:33.640 --> 01:18:36.479
of THEE an afflicted and poor people, and they shall
1388
01:18:36.520 --> 01:18:39.600
trust in the name of the Lord. Zephnia three twelve.
1389
01:18:40.640 --> 01:18:43.520
It ought to have been a compensation to ease their grief.
1390
01:18:43.560 --> 01:18:46.199
When the godly saw that God would be propitious to them,
1391
01:18:46.439 --> 01:18:49.720
though he had treated them with great severity. The Church
1392
01:18:49.760 --> 01:18:52.720
could not have been preserved without correcting and subduing that
1393
01:18:52.960 --> 01:18:56.520
arrogance which arose from a false profession as to God.
1394
01:18:56.920 --> 01:19:00.359
Zephyniah takes it now for granted that pride could not
1395
01:19:00.399 --> 01:19:03.159
be torn away from their hearts unless they were wholly
1396
01:19:03.159 --> 01:19:07.439
cast down and thus made contrade. The Church is subdued
1397
01:19:07.479 --> 01:19:11.000
by the Cross, that she may know her pride, which
1398
01:19:11.039 --> 01:19:13.399
is so innate and so fixed in the hearts of men,
1399
01:19:13.520 --> 01:19:16.159
that it cannot be removed unless the Lord, so to speak,
1400
01:19:16.199 --> 01:19:20.000
roots it out by force. There is therefore no wonder
1401
01:19:20.039 --> 01:19:22.560
that the faithful are so much humbled by the Lord,
1402
01:19:22.960 --> 01:19:25.119
and that the lot of the Church is so contemptible,
1403
01:19:25.399 --> 01:19:27.560
For if they had more vigor, they would, soon, as
1404
01:19:27.640 --> 01:19:30.359
is often the case, break out into an insolent spirit.
1405
01:19:31.039 --> 01:19:33.520
We hence see for what purpose God deprives us of
1406
01:19:33.640 --> 01:19:36.720
all earthly trust and takes away from us every ground
1407
01:19:36.760 --> 01:19:39.920
of Glorying it is that we rely only on His favor.
1408
01:19:41.439 --> 01:19:44.680
This dependence ought not indeed to be extorted from us,
1409
01:19:44.720 --> 01:19:47.359
for what can be more desirable than to trust in God?
1410
01:19:47.720 --> 01:19:50.479
But while men arrogate to themselves more than what is right,
1411
01:19:50.960 --> 01:19:53.680
and thus put themselves in the place of God they
1412
01:19:53.680 --> 01:19:59.479
cannot really and sincerely trust in Him. Prayer, Grant Almighty guarded,
1413
01:19:59.560 --> 01:20:01.760
since THEE the depravity of our nature is so great
1414
01:20:01.920 --> 01:20:04.920
that we cannot bear prosperity without some wantonness of the
1415
01:20:04.960 --> 01:20:08.800
flesh immediately raging in us, and without becoming even arrogant
1416
01:20:08.800 --> 01:20:11.399
against THEE. A grant that we may profit under the
1417
01:20:11.439 --> 01:20:14.760
trials of the Cross. And when Thou humblest us, may we,
1418
01:20:14.960 --> 01:20:18.760
with lowly hearts, renouncing our perverseness, submit ourselves to THEE,
1419
01:20:18.840 --> 01:20:22.479
and not only bear Thy yoke submissively, but proceed in
1420
01:20:22.520 --> 01:20:25.880
this obedience through all our life, and so contend against
1421
01:20:25.960 --> 01:20:29.680
all temptations as never to glory in ourselves. And feel
1422
01:20:29.720 --> 01:20:33.000
also convinced that all true and real glory is laid
1423
01:20:33.079 --> 01:20:35.560
up for us in THEE, until we shall enjoy it
1424
01:20:35.640 --> 01:20:41.439
in Thy celestial Kingdom through Christ, our Lord. Amen. End
1425
01:20:41.800 --> 01:20:52.520
of section seven, Section eight of Scripture Texts with expositions
1426
01:20:52.560 --> 01:20:56.039
and sentenced prayers from Calvin's commentaries on the Minor Prophets
1427
01:20:56.279 --> 01:20:59.680
by John Calvin. This LibriVox recording is in the public
1428
01:20:59.680 --> 01:21:08.239
domain Hagai thirty six, a mirror for ingratitude. Thus speaketh
1429
01:21:08.279 --> 01:21:11.800
the Lord of Hosts, saying this, people say, the time
1430
01:21:11.880 --> 01:21:14.640
is not come, the time that the Lord's house should
1431
01:21:14.640 --> 01:21:18.720
be built Hagi one two. We may see here as
1432
01:21:18.800 --> 01:21:21.279
in a mirror, how great is the ingratitude of men.
1433
01:21:21.800 --> 01:21:25.000
The kindness of God had been especially worthy of being remembered,
1434
01:21:25.159 --> 01:21:27.319
the glory of which ought to have been borne in
1435
01:21:27.399 --> 01:21:30.319
mind to the end of time. They had been restored
1436
01:21:30.319 --> 01:21:33.520
from exile in a manner beyond what they had ever expected.
1437
01:21:34.079 --> 01:21:37.119
What ought they to have done but devote themselves entirely
1438
01:21:37.159 --> 01:21:40.319
to the service of their deliverer. But they built no
1439
01:21:40.680 --> 01:21:43.760
not even a tent for God, and sacrificed in the
1440
01:21:43.800 --> 01:21:47.239
open air. And thus they wilfully trifled with God. But
1441
01:21:47.520 --> 01:21:49.880
at the same time they dwelt at ease in houses
1442
01:21:49.920 --> 01:21:53.800
elegantly fitted up. No less shameful is the example witnessed
1443
01:21:53.800 --> 01:21:57.000
at this day among us. But we may hence also
1444
01:21:57.039 --> 01:22:00.199
see how kindly God has provided for his church. For
1445
01:22:00.239 --> 01:22:04.359
his purpose was that this reproof should continue extant, that
1446
01:22:04.439 --> 01:22:07.399
He might at this day stimulate us and excite our
1447
01:22:07.439 --> 01:22:10.399
fear as well as our shame. For we also thus
1448
01:22:10.439 --> 01:22:12.920
grow frigid in promoting the worship of God, whenever we
1449
01:22:12.960 --> 01:22:16.199
are led to seek our own advantages. We may also
1450
01:22:16.239 --> 01:22:19.439
add that as God's temple is spiritual, our fault is
1451
01:22:19.479 --> 01:22:22.720
the more atrocious when we become thus slothful. Since God
1452
01:22:22.760 --> 01:22:25.199
does not bid us to collect either wood or stones
1453
01:22:25.279 --> 01:22:28.319
or cement, but to build a celestial temple in which
1454
01:22:28.359 --> 01:22:33.640
He may be truly worshiped. Prayer, grant Almighty God, that
1455
01:22:33.720 --> 01:22:36.359
as we must carry on a warfare in this world,
1456
01:22:36.840 --> 01:22:39.039
and as it is Thy will to try us with
1457
01:22:39.119 --> 01:22:42.840
many contests, oh grant that we may never faint, however
1458
01:22:42.880 --> 01:22:45.800
extreme may be the trials which we may have to endure.
1459
01:22:46.199 --> 01:22:48.640
And as Thou hast favored us with so great an
1460
01:22:48.640 --> 01:22:50.960
honor as to make us the framers and builders of
1461
01:22:51.000 --> 01:22:53.960
thy spiritual temple, may every one of us present and
1462
01:22:54.039 --> 01:22:57.760
consecrate himself wholly to THEE. And inasmuch as each of
1463
01:22:57.840 --> 01:23:00.880
us has received some peculiar gift, may we strive to
1464
01:23:00.920 --> 01:23:03.880
employ it in building this temple, so that Thou mayst
1465
01:23:03.920 --> 01:23:06.960
be worshiped among us perpetually. And especially, may each of
1466
01:23:07.039 --> 01:23:10.199
us offer himself wholly as a spiritual sacrifice to THEE,
1467
01:23:10.600 --> 01:23:13.479
until we shall at length, be renewed in Thine image,
1468
01:23:13.760 --> 01:23:16.760
and be received into a full participation of that glory
1469
01:23:16.800 --> 01:23:18.600
which has been attained for us by the blood of
1470
01:23:18.600 --> 01:23:24.560
Thine only begotten son Amen thirty seven. A glorious temple.
1471
01:23:25.720 --> 01:23:28.279
The silver is mine and the gold is mine, Saith,
1472
01:23:28.279 --> 01:23:32.119
the Lord of hosts Hagi two eight. Why does the
1473
01:23:32.119 --> 01:23:35.760
prophet mention gold and silver? He did this in conformity
1474
01:23:35.840 --> 01:23:38.800
with what was usual and common. For whenever the prophets
1475
01:23:38.840 --> 01:23:41.640
speak of the Kingdom of Christ, they delineate or foreshadow
1476
01:23:41.720 --> 01:23:45.640
its splendor in figurative terms suitable to their own age.
1477
01:23:46.079 --> 01:23:48.920
When Isaiah foretells the restoration of the Church, he declares
1478
01:23:48.960 --> 01:23:51.680
that the church would be all gold and silver and
1479
01:23:51.760 --> 01:23:55.439
whatever glittered with precious stones, And in the sixtieth chapter
1480
01:23:55.560 --> 01:23:58.760
he especially sets forth the magnificence of the temple, as
1481
01:23:58.760 --> 01:24:02.359
the nations from all parts were to bring for sacrifice
1482
01:24:02.399 --> 01:24:06.720
all their precious things. Isaiah speaks figuratively, as all the
1483
01:24:06.720 --> 01:24:09.920
other prophets do. But we must regard the spiritual character
1484
01:24:09.960 --> 01:24:13.159
of the priesthood. For since Christ has appeared in the world,
1485
01:24:13.239 --> 01:24:15.239
it is not God's will to be served with gold
1486
01:24:15.279 --> 01:24:19.000
and silver vessels. So also there is no altar on
1487
01:24:19.039 --> 01:24:22.279
which victims are to be sacrificed, and no candlestick. In
1488
01:24:22.359 --> 01:24:24.760
a word, all the symbols of the law have ceased.
1489
01:24:25.319 --> 01:24:27.560
Thus we perceive how the glory of the Second Temple
1490
01:24:27.680 --> 01:24:30.199
is to be greater than that of the first. For
1491
01:24:30.359 --> 01:24:33.079
though they were to gather the treasures of a thousand
1492
01:24:33.119 --> 01:24:36.800
worlds into one mass, such a glory would yet be corruptible.
1493
01:24:37.079 --> 01:24:38.960
But when God the Father appeared in the person of
1494
01:24:39.000 --> 01:24:41.560
his own son, he so glorified his temple that there
1495
01:24:41.600 --> 01:24:47.159
was nothing wanting to a complete perfection. Prayer, grant Orlmighty God.
1496
01:24:47.159 --> 01:24:50.479
That since we are by nature extremely prone to superstition,
1497
01:24:51.079 --> 01:24:53.800
we may carefully consider what is the true and right
1498
01:24:53.880 --> 01:24:57.399
way of serving THEE, such as thou dost desire and approve,
1499
01:24:57.960 --> 01:25:00.880
even that we offer ourselves spiritually to THEE, and seek
1500
01:25:00.920 --> 01:25:04.159
no other altar but Christ, and relying on no other priest,
1501
01:25:04.560 --> 01:25:07.680
hope to be acceptable and devoted to THEE, that He
1502
01:25:07.760 --> 01:25:09.960
may imbue us with the spirit which has been fully
1503
01:25:10.000 --> 01:25:11.840
poured on him, so that we may from the heart
1504
01:25:11.880 --> 01:25:15.039
devote ourselves to THEE, and thus proceed patiently in our course,
1505
01:25:15.119 --> 01:25:18.239
that with minds raised upward, we may ever go on
1506
01:25:18.439 --> 01:25:21.359
toward that glory which is as yet hid under hope,
1507
01:25:21.680 --> 01:25:24.439
until it shall at length be manifested in his own time,
1508
01:25:24.760 --> 01:25:27.159
when Thine only begotten son shall appear with the elect
1509
01:25:27.199 --> 01:25:34.399
angels for our final redemption. Amen thirty eight, abundant blessing.
1510
01:25:35.600 --> 01:25:38.720
Consider now from this day and upward from the four
1511
01:25:38.760 --> 01:25:41.720
and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the
1512
01:25:41.800 --> 01:25:44.119
day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid.
1513
01:25:44.199 --> 01:25:48.000
To consider it is the seed yet in the barn yea,
1514
01:25:48.279 --> 01:25:50.039
as yet the vine and the fig tree, and the
1515
01:25:50.039 --> 01:25:53.279
pomegranate and the olive tree hath not brought forth from
1516
01:25:53.319 --> 01:25:56.800
this day? Will I bless you Hagi two eighteen nineteen.
1517
01:25:57.159 --> 01:25:59.279
The seed refers not to what had been gathered, but
1518
01:25:59.319 --> 01:26:02.000
to what had been sin sown. The prophet speaks of
1519
01:26:02.000 --> 01:26:05.760
God's blessing on the harvest which was to come, as
1520
01:26:05.840 --> 01:26:08.680
they were still in suspense. He says that God's blessing
1521
01:26:08.920 --> 01:26:11.800
was in readiness for them. The truth of the prophecy
1522
01:26:11.880 --> 01:26:14.760
might be truly known when God fulfilled what he had
1523
01:26:14.800 --> 01:26:17.680
spoken by the mouth of his prophet. It was necessary
1524
01:26:17.720 --> 01:26:19.640
for him to speak in a manner suitable to the
1525
01:26:19.640 --> 01:26:23.239
comprehension of the people as a skillful teacher who instructs
1526
01:26:23.359 --> 01:26:26.239
children and those of a riper age in a different manner.
1527
01:26:27.039 --> 01:26:29.880
The prophet dwells on two things. He condemns the Jews
1528
01:26:29.920 --> 01:26:32.680
for their neglect and proves that they were impious and
1529
01:26:32.840 --> 01:26:36.479
ungrateful towards God, for they disregarded the building of the Temple.
1530
01:26:36.920 --> 01:26:38.920
And then, in order to animate them and render them
1531
01:26:38.920 --> 01:26:41.560
more active in the work they had begun, he sets
1532
01:26:41.560 --> 01:26:46.600
before them what had taken place. Prayer, Grand Almighty God, that,
1533
01:26:46.680 --> 01:26:49.600
as we are still restrained by our earthly cares and
1534
01:26:49.760 --> 01:26:52.800
cannot ascend upward to Heaven with so much readiness and
1535
01:26:52.880 --> 01:26:56.239
alacrity as we ought, O grant that, since Thou extendest
1536
01:26:56.239 --> 01:26:59.439
to us daily so liberal a supply for the present life,
1537
01:26:59.479 --> 01:27:02.000
we may at LEAs learned that Thou art our Father,
1538
01:27:02.439 --> 01:27:04.319
and that we may not, at the same time fix
1539
01:27:04.359 --> 01:27:07.359
our thoughts on these perishable things, but learn to elevate
1540
01:27:07.399 --> 01:27:10.880
our minds higher, and so make continual advances in Thy
1541
01:27:10.920 --> 01:27:13.880
spiritual service, until at length we come to the full
1542
01:27:13.960 --> 01:27:17.439
and complete fruition of that blessed and celestial life which
1543
01:27:17.479 --> 01:27:19.560
thou hast promised to us and procured for us by
1544
01:27:19.560 --> 01:27:25.319
the blood of thy only begotten son Amen. End of
1545
01:27:25.600 --> 01:27:36.640
section eight Section nine of Scripture Texts with expositions and
1546
01:27:36.760 --> 01:27:40.079
sentence prayers from Calvin's commentaries on the Minor Prophets by
1547
01:27:40.159 --> 01:27:43.680
John Calvin. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
1548
01:27:45.359 --> 01:27:52.239
Zechariah thirty nine. Horns and carpenters then lifted I up
1549
01:27:52.359 --> 01:27:56.479
mine eyes and soar, and behold four horns. And I said,
1550
01:27:56.560 --> 01:27:58.960
unto the Angel that talked with me, what be these?
1551
01:27:59.399 --> 01:28:01.600
And he answered me, these are the horns which have
1552
01:28:01.720 --> 01:28:05.520
scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem. And the Lord showed me
1553
01:28:05.600 --> 01:28:08.960
four carpenters. Then said I, what come these to do?
1554
01:28:09.039 --> 01:28:11.399
And he spake saying, these are the horns which have
1555
01:28:11.520 --> 01:28:14.439
scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head.
1556
01:28:14.720 --> 01:28:17.119
But these are come to free them, to cast out
1557
01:28:17.199 --> 01:28:19.960
the horns of the gentiles, which lifted up their horn
1558
01:28:20.039 --> 01:28:23.199
over the land of Judah to scatter it. Zechariah one
1559
01:28:23.520 --> 01:28:27.079
eighteen to twenty one. Though enemies should rise up on
1560
01:28:27.119 --> 01:28:29.720
every side against the Church and cause it many troubles,
1561
01:28:30.079 --> 01:28:32.840
there was yet a remedy in God's hand, as he
1562
01:28:32.880 --> 01:28:36.399
would break in pieces all horns by his hammers. He
1563
01:28:36.439 --> 01:28:39.359
compares the gentiles who had been hostile to the Jews
1564
01:28:39.439 --> 01:28:43.479
to horns, and he afterwards compares to workmen the other enemies,
1565
01:28:43.520 --> 01:28:45.880
whose hand and labor God would use for the purpose
1566
01:28:45.920 --> 01:28:48.359
of breaking down the efforts of all those who would
1567
01:28:48.359 --> 01:28:51.760
be troublesome to the Church. The import of the whole, then,
1568
01:28:52.000 --> 01:28:54.279
is that though the Church would not be exempt and
1569
01:28:54.319 --> 01:28:56.880
free from many troubles, yet God would have in his
1570
01:28:57.000 --> 01:28:59.560
hand those remedies by which he would check all the
1571
01:28:59.560 --> 01:29:02.720
assaults of the wicked. Though the prophet intended by this
1572
01:29:02.800 --> 01:29:05.920
prophecy to encourage and animate to patience his own nation,
1573
01:29:06.319 --> 01:29:08.399
yet there is here set before us by the Lord,
1574
01:29:08.520 --> 01:29:10.720
as in a mirror, the real condition of the Church
1575
01:29:10.800 --> 01:29:15.720
at this day. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God, that as we
1576
01:29:15.760 --> 01:29:18.760
are on every side surrounded by many enemies, and as
1577
01:29:18.760 --> 01:29:21.880
Satan never ceases to kindle the fury of many not
1578
01:29:21.920 --> 01:29:24.239
only to be hostile to us, but also to destroy
1579
01:29:24.279 --> 01:29:26.800
and consume us. O, grant that we may learn to
1580
01:29:26.880 --> 01:29:30.000
raise up our eyes to Heaven, and, trusting in Thy protection,
1581
01:29:30.359 --> 01:29:34.079
may boldly fight in patience until at length that shall appear,
1582
01:29:34.079 --> 01:29:37.439
which thou hast once for all testified in this remarkable prophecy.
1583
01:29:37.800 --> 01:29:40.880
That there are many smiths in Thine hand, and also
1584
01:29:40.920 --> 01:29:43.840
many hammers by which thou breakest in pieces those horns
1585
01:29:43.880 --> 01:29:47.000
which rise up to scatter us. And until at length,
1586
01:29:47.079 --> 01:29:49.960
having overcome all the devices of Satan, we shall reach
1587
01:29:50.039 --> 01:29:52.920
that blessed rest which has been provided for us by
1588
01:29:52.920 --> 01:29:58.760
the blood of Thine only begotten son Amen forty the
1589
01:29:58.840 --> 01:30:02.520
true Priest, and he showed me Joshua, the High Priest,
1590
01:30:02.640 --> 01:30:05.720
standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing
1591
01:30:05.800 --> 01:30:10.000
at his right hand to resist him. Zechariah three one.
1592
01:30:10.760 --> 01:30:13.479
Zechariah labored to show that the faithful were to look
1593
01:30:13.560 --> 01:30:15.800
for more than they had reason to expect from the
1594
01:30:15.840 --> 01:30:18.640
aspect of things at the time, and that they were
1595
01:30:18.680 --> 01:30:21.119
to direct their eyes and their thoughts to the power
1596
01:30:21.199 --> 01:30:24.199
of God, which was not as yet manifested, and which
1597
01:30:24.239 --> 01:30:27.720
indeed God purposely designed not to exercise, in order to
1598
01:30:27.760 --> 01:30:30.520
try the patience of the people. The vision was given
1599
01:30:30.520 --> 01:30:33.119
to the prophet for two reasons, that the faithful might
1600
01:30:33.239 --> 01:30:36.720
know that their contest was with Satan, their spiritual enemy,
1601
01:30:36.840 --> 01:30:40.079
rather than with neighboring nations, and also that they might
1602
01:30:40.199 --> 01:30:42.840
understand that a remedy was at hand, for God stood
1603
01:30:42.840 --> 01:30:46.399
in defense of the priesthood which he had instituted. That
1604
01:30:46.560 --> 01:30:50.000
typical priesthood was a representation of the priesthood of Christ,
1605
01:30:50.279 --> 01:30:53.640
and Joshua, who was then returned from exile, bore the
1606
01:30:53.720 --> 01:30:56.800
character of Christ, the son of God. Let us then
1607
01:30:57.000 --> 01:30:59.680
know that Christ never performs the work of the priesthood,
1608
01:31:00.119 --> 01:31:03.560
but that Satan stands at his side, that is, devises
1609
01:31:03.600 --> 01:31:05.920
all means by which he may remove and draw Christ
1610
01:31:05.960 --> 01:31:09.079
from his office. It hence follows that they are much
1611
01:31:09.159 --> 01:31:11.640
deceived who think that they can live idly under the
1612
01:31:11.680 --> 01:31:14.640
dominion of Christ. For we all have a warfare for
1613
01:31:14.720 --> 01:31:17.840
which each is to arm and equip himself. Let not
1614
01:31:17.960 --> 01:31:20.600
our thoughts be fixed on flesh and blood, for Satan
1615
01:31:20.720 --> 01:31:26.640
is the chief warrior who assails us. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God,
1616
01:31:26.680 --> 01:31:29.119
that as thou hast made us a royal priesthood in
1617
01:31:29.199 --> 01:31:32.239
thy son, that we may daily offer to these spiritual
1618
01:31:32.279 --> 01:31:35.520
sacrifices and be devoted to Thee, both in body and soul.
1619
01:31:36.079 --> 01:31:38.439
O Grant that we, being endued with Thy power, may
1620
01:31:38.520 --> 01:31:41.520
boldly fight against Satan, and never doubt that Thou wilt
1621
01:31:41.560 --> 01:31:44.039
finally give us the victory. Though we may have to
1622
01:31:44.159 --> 01:31:47.840
undergo many troubles and difficulties, And may not the contempt
1623
01:31:47.880 --> 01:31:50.680
of the world frighten or dishearten us, But may we
1624
01:31:50.720 --> 01:31:54.560
patiently bear all our reproaches until thou at length stretchest
1625
01:31:54.560 --> 01:31:57.159
forth thy hand to raise us up to that glory,
1626
01:31:57.399 --> 01:32:00.159
the perfection of which now appears in our head, and
1627
01:32:00.239 --> 01:32:02.520
shall at last be clearly seen in all the members
1628
01:32:02.520 --> 01:32:04.800
and in the whole body, even when He shall come
1629
01:32:04.840 --> 01:32:07.800
to gather us into that celestial kingdom which he has
1630
01:32:07.800 --> 01:32:13.159
purchased for us by his own blood. Amen forty one.
1631
01:32:13.439 --> 01:32:17.279
The Day of small things? For who hath despise the
1632
01:32:17.359 --> 01:32:20.439
Day of small things? For they shall rejoice and shall
1633
01:32:20.439 --> 01:32:22.880
see the plummet in the hand of Zerubable. With those
1634
01:32:22.920 --> 01:32:25.319
seven They are the eyes of the Lord, which run
1635
01:32:25.439 --> 01:32:28.560
to and fro through the whole earth. Zecoriah. Four ten.
1636
01:32:29.239 --> 01:32:31.840
God to exhibit the more his power begins with small
1637
01:32:31.880 --> 01:32:35.600
things in building his spiritual temple. Nothing grand is seen
1638
01:32:35.640 --> 01:32:38.079
to attract the eyes and thoughts of men, but everything
1639
01:32:38.159 --> 01:32:42.399
is almost contemptible. God indeed could put forth his power
1640
01:32:42.479 --> 01:32:45.039
immediately and thus rouse the attention of all men and
1641
01:32:45.079 --> 01:32:47.800
fill them with wonder But his purpose is to increase
1642
01:32:47.880 --> 01:32:50.880
by doing wonders. The brightness of his power, which he
1643
01:32:50.960 --> 01:32:54.000
does when from a small beginning he brings forth what
1644
01:32:54.279 --> 01:32:57.039
no one would have thought. And besides, his purpose is
1645
01:32:57.079 --> 01:33:00.199
to prove the faith of his people, for it behooves
1646
01:33:00.199 --> 01:33:03.720
ever to hope beyond hope. Now, when the beginning promises
1647
01:33:03.720 --> 01:33:06.079
something great and sublime, there is no proof and no
1648
01:33:06.199 --> 01:33:08.720
trial of faith. But when we hope for what does
1649
01:33:08.800 --> 01:33:11.119
not appear, we give due honor to God, for we
1650
01:33:11.159 --> 01:33:14.319
depend only on his power and not on the approximate means.
1651
01:33:15.039 --> 01:33:17.560
There is no one who does not sometimes become cold
1652
01:33:17.600 --> 01:33:19.840
when he sees the beginning of the Church, so mean
1653
01:33:19.920 --> 01:33:24.600
before the world, and so destitute of any dignity. But
1654
01:33:24.840 --> 01:33:27.119
we know that Christ is the chief builder, and that
1655
01:33:27.279 --> 01:33:32.560
ministers are workmen who labor under him. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God, that,
1656
01:33:32.600 --> 01:33:35.760
since Satan at this day sets against us many terrors
1657
01:33:35.880 --> 01:33:38.720
to cast us down, and we are very weak, Oh,
1658
01:33:38.760 --> 01:33:41.760
grant that with our eyes lifted above, we may meditate
1659
01:33:41.840 --> 01:33:45.119
on that invincible power which thou possessest and by which
1660
01:33:45.159 --> 01:33:48.760
thou canst overcome all the hindrances of this world. And then,
1661
01:33:48.960 --> 01:33:51.680
when nothing in this world but what is contemptible, appears
1662
01:33:51.720 --> 01:33:55.920
to be capable of confirming and supporting our faith. May we, nevertheless,
1663
01:33:55.920 --> 01:33:58.680
by the eyes of faith behold thy hidden power, and
1664
01:33:58.880 --> 01:34:01.560
never doubt that Thou wilt at length perform what the
1665
01:34:01.600 --> 01:34:04.880
world at this day things to be impossible and therefore ridicules.
1666
01:34:05.159 --> 01:34:08.359
And may we so constantly persevere in this confidence, that
1667
01:34:08.399 --> 01:34:10.680
every one of us may devote to THEE his labor
1668
01:34:10.720 --> 01:34:12.479
to the end, and never feignt in the work of
1669
01:34:12.520 --> 01:34:16.039
promoting the spiritual building, until at length we ourselves shall
1670
01:34:16.079 --> 01:34:19.520
be assembled, and others also shall be gathered through our labors,
1671
01:34:19.960 --> 01:34:22.920
to offer to THEE not only spiritual sacrifices, such as
1672
01:34:22.960 --> 01:34:25.640
Thou receivest now from us, but also to offer to THEE,
1673
01:34:25.640 --> 01:34:28.720
together with the angels, that eternal sacrifice of praise and
1674
01:34:28.800 --> 01:34:32.199
triumphant thanksgiving, on seeing perfected what at this day is
1675
01:34:32.239 --> 01:34:38.199
only feebly begun Amen forty two. The providence of God
1676
01:34:39.239 --> 01:34:42.920
then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, behold,
1677
01:34:43.039 --> 01:34:45.560
these that go toward the north country have quieted my
1678
01:34:45.680 --> 01:34:50.119
spirit in the north country Zechariah six eight. From this
1679
01:34:50.239 --> 01:34:52.600
verse we learn that the chief object of the vision
1680
01:34:52.800 --> 01:34:56.000
was that the Jews might know that the dreadful tumults
1681
01:34:56.000 --> 01:34:58.760
in Chaldea, which had in part happened and were yet
1682
01:34:58.800 --> 01:35:01.920
to take place, were not excited without a design, but
1683
01:35:02.000 --> 01:35:04.960
that all things were regulated by God's hidden council, and
1684
01:35:05.039 --> 01:35:07.880
also that God had so disturbed and embarrassed the state
1685
01:35:07.920 --> 01:35:09.920
of that empire that the end of it might be
1686
01:35:09.960 --> 01:35:13.279
looked for. There is therefore no reason for anyone too
1687
01:35:13.319 --> 01:35:16.039
anxiously to labor to understand the import of every part
1688
01:35:16.079 --> 01:35:19.560
of the prophecy, since its general meaning is evident. But
1689
01:35:19.640 --> 01:35:22.000
why does the Angel expressly speak of the land of
1690
01:35:22.039 --> 01:35:24.359
the South, rather than of the land of the North,
1691
01:35:24.560 --> 01:35:27.239
or of the whole world, even because the eyes of
1692
01:35:27.279 --> 01:35:29.680
all were fixed on that quarter. For Chaldea we know,
1693
01:35:29.960 --> 01:35:32.640
had been, as it were, the grave of the church.
1694
01:35:32.920 --> 01:35:36.039
Whence the remnant had emerged, that there might be some
1695
01:35:36.119 --> 01:35:38.960
people by whom God might be worshiped. The Angel then
1696
01:35:39.039 --> 01:35:42.159
bids the Jews to continue undisturbed in their minds until
1697
01:35:42.239 --> 01:35:45.399
these chariots had run their course through the whole of Chaldea,
1698
01:35:45.800 --> 01:35:48.640
for what the Angel now says would be fulfilled, even
1699
01:35:48.680 --> 01:35:51.520
that the spirit of God would be quieted, who seemed
1700
01:35:51.560 --> 01:35:54.640
before to be disturbed when he involved all things in darkness,
1701
01:35:54.920 --> 01:36:00.520
even in Judea itself. Prayer. Grant, Almighty God, since we
1702
01:36:00.560 --> 01:36:03.680
are here exposed to so many evils which suddenly arise
1703
01:36:03.760 --> 01:36:06.920
like violent tempests, A grant that, with hearts raised up
1704
01:36:06.960 --> 01:36:09.840
to Heaven, we may yet acquiesce in thy hidden providence,
1705
01:36:10.119 --> 01:36:12.520
and be so tossed here and there according to the
1706
01:36:12.560 --> 01:36:15.239
judgment of our flesh as yet to remain fixed in
1707
01:36:15.319 --> 01:36:18.039
this truth, which thou wouldst have us to believe, that
1708
01:36:18.119 --> 01:36:20.359
all things are governed by THEE, and that nothing takes
1709
01:36:20.359 --> 01:36:23.199
place except through Thy will, so that in the greatest
1710
01:36:23.239 --> 01:36:26.279
confusions we may always clearly see Thy hand, and that
1711
01:36:26.319 --> 01:36:30.159
Thy counsel is altogether right and perfectly and singularly wise
1712
01:36:30.239 --> 01:36:33.079
and just. And may we ever call upon THEE and
1713
01:36:33.159 --> 01:36:36.000
flee to this port that we are tossed here and there,
1714
01:36:36.039 --> 01:36:39.199
in order that Thou mayst nevertheless always sustain us by
1715
01:36:39.279 --> 01:36:42.199
Thine hand, until we shall at length be received into
1716
01:36:42.239 --> 01:36:45.039
that blessed rest which has been procured for us by
1717
01:36:45.039 --> 01:36:51.319
the blood of Thine only begotten Son, Amen forty three.
1718
01:36:51.520 --> 01:36:56.439
Brotherly kindness, Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts, saying, execute
1719
01:36:56.439 --> 01:36:59.760
true judgment and show mercy and compassions every man to
1720
01:36:59.760 --> 01:37:04.399
his brother. Zechariah seventy nine. The people were so devoted
1721
01:37:04.439 --> 01:37:06.439
to their ceremonies as to think that the whole of
1722
01:37:06.520 --> 01:37:11.079
religion consisted in fasting and in similar exercises. And as
1723
01:37:11.079 --> 01:37:13.600
we are by nature prone to this evil, we ought
1724
01:37:13.680 --> 01:37:16.199
carefully to consider what the prophet has taught us. That
1725
01:37:16.319 --> 01:37:19.319
fasting is not simply or by itself approved by God,
1726
01:37:19.560 --> 01:37:22.600
but on account of the end designed by it. Having
1727
01:37:22.680 --> 01:37:25.439
already shown to the Jews their error in thinking that
1728
01:37:25.479 --> 01:37:28.720
God could be pacified by ceremonies, he now reminds them
1729
01:37:28.800 --> 01:37:31.560
of what God mainly requires in his law, that men
1730
01:37:31.560 --> 01:37:34.159
should observe what is just and right toward one another.
1731
01:37:34.800 --> 01:37:36.640
It is indeed true that the first part of the
1732
01:37:36.720 --> 01:37:39.399
law refers to the service due to God, but it
1733
01:37:39.439 --> 01:37:42.039
is a way which God has commonly adopted to test
1734
01:37:42.079 --> 01:37:44.439
the life of men by the duties of the second table,
1735
01:37:44.720 --> 01:37:49.279
and to show what this part of the law especially requires. Therefore, God,
1736
01:37:49.319 --> 01:37:51.760
in this passage, as in many others, does not commend
1737
01:37:51.880 --> 01:37:56.000
righteousness towards men so as to depreciate Godliness. For as
1738
01:37:56.039 --> 01:37:58.760
this far excels everything in the whole world, so we
1739
01:37:58.840 --> 01:38:01.399
know that in rightly formas the life the beginning ought
1740
01:38:01.479 --> 01:38:05.399
ever to be made by serving God aright. But as
1741
01:38:05.399 --> 01:38:08.039
the prophet had to do with hypocrites, he shows that
1742
01:38:08.079 --> 01:38:11.159
they only trifled with God while they made much of
1743
01:38:11.239 --> 01:38:14.159
external things, and at the same time neglected uprightness and
1744
01:38:14.199 --> 01:38:19.680
the duties of love. Prayer Grant, Almighty God, that as
1745
01:38:19.720 --> 01:38:22.039
thou hast adopted us for this end, that we may
1746
01:38:22.079 --> 01:38:25.359
show brotherly kindness one toward another, and labor for our
1747
01:38:25.439 --> 01:38:28.119
mutual benefit. O Grant that we may prove by the
1748
01:38:28.159 --> 01:38:30.640
whole tenor of our life that we have not been
1749
01:38:30.720 --> 01:38:33.279
called in vain by THEE, but that we may so
1750
01:38:33.439 --> 01:38:36.600
live in harmony with each other, that integrity and innocence
1751
01:38:36.640 --> 01:38:39.560
may prevail among us, and may we so strive to
1752
01:38:39.600 --> 01:38:42.840
benefit one another, that Thy name may be thus glorified
1753
01:38:42.840 --> 01:38:46.000
by us. Until having at length finished our course, we
1754
01:38:46.079 --> 01:38:48.319
may reach the goal which thou hast set before us,
1755
01:38:48.680 --> 01:38:50.960
that having at last gone through all the evils of
1756
01:38:51.000 --> 01:38:53.479
this life, we may come to that blessed rest which
1757
01:38:53.479 --> 01:38:57.279
has been prepared for us in heaven by Christ, our Lord, Amen.
1758
01:38:59.479 --> 01:39:05.239
Forty four Deliverance by covenant. As for THEE, also by
1759
01:39:05.239 --> 01:39:07.600
the blood of thy covenant, I have set forth thy
1760
01:39:07.800 --> 01:39:11.560
prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Zechariah
1761
01:39:11.680 --> 01:39:15.479
nine eleven. He addresses Jerusalem as though he had said,
1762
01:39:15.640 --> 01:39:17.880
there is no reason for thee to torment thyself with
1763
01:39:17.960 --> 01:39:21.119
perplexed and anxious thoughts, for I will accomplish what I
1764
01:39:21.159 --> 01:39:23.920
have promised, that I would become a deliverer to my people.
1765
01:39:24.640 --> 01:39:27.399
For this doubt might have occurred to them. Why does
1766
01:39:27.439 --> 01:39:29.760
he exhort us to rejoice while the Church of God
1767
01:39:29.840 --> 01:39:32.199
is still in part captive, and while those who have
1768
01:39:32.319 --> 01:39:35.359
returned to their country are miserably and cruelly harassed by
1769
01:39:35.359 --> 01:39:39.039
their enemies. To this objection, Zechariah answers in the person
1770
01:39:39.079 --> 01:39:41.640
of God that God would be able to deliver them
1771
01:39:41.760 --> 01:39:44.720
though they were sunk in the deepest gulf. The relation
1772
01:39:44.800 --> 01:39:47.079
we know between God and his people as to the
1773
01:39:47.239 --> 01:39:50.239
covenant is mutual. It is God's covenant because it flows
1774
01:39:50.279 --> 01:39:52.600
from him. It is the covenant of the Church because
1775
01:39:52.840 --> 01:39:55.600
it is made for its sake and laid up as
1776
01:39:55.640 --> 01:39:58.840
it were in its bosom. Now, since God receives you
1777
01:39:58.920 --> 01:40:01.359
into favour that ye he may be safe, He will
1778
01:40:01.399 --> 01:40:04.560
therefore deliver the captives of his church. In short, he
1779
01:40:04.640 --> 01:40:06.880
means first that the Jews were sunk in the deep
1780
01:40:06.920 --> 01:40:10.119
and secondly that thirst would consume them so that death
1781
01:40:10.199 --> 01:40:13.319
was nigh at hand unless they were miraculously delivered by God.
1782
01:40:13.800 --> 01:40:16.359
But he reminds them that no impediment would prevent God
1783
01:40:16.439 --> 01:40:22.560
from raising them to light from the deepest darkness. Prayer, grant,
1784
01:40:22.560 --> 01:40:24.720
Almighty God, that as we do not at this day
1785
01:40:24.760 --> 01:40:27.479
look for a redeemer to deliver us from temporal miseries,
1786
01:40:27.640 --> 01:40:29.760
but only carry on a warfare under the banner of
1787
01:40:29.760 --> 01:40:32.199
the cross, until He appear to us from heaven to
1788
01:40:32.239 --> 01:40:35.159
gather us into his blessed kingdom. A grant that we
1789
01:40:35.239 --> 01:40:38.520
may patiently bear all evils and all troubles. And, as
1790
01:40:38.640 --> 01:40:41.239
Christ oncefo all poured forth the blood of the New
1791
01:40:41.279 --> 01:40:44.279
and eternal Covenant and gave us also a symbol of
1792
01:40:44.319 --> 01:40:47.479
it in the Holy Supper, may we, confiding in so
1793
01:40:47.640 --> 01:40:50.600
sacred a seal, never doubt that He will always be
1794
01:40:50.680 --> 01:40:53.600
propitious to us and render manifest to us the fruit
1795
01:40:53.680 --> 01:40:57.039
of this reconciliation. When, after having supported us for a
1796
01:40:57.079 --> 01:40:59.640
season under the burden of those miseries by which we
1797
01:40:59.680 --> 01:41:03.000
are now oppressed, Thou gatherest us into that blessed and
1798
01:41:03.079 --> 01:41:05.760
perfect glory which has been procured for us by the
1799
01:41:05.800 --> 01:41:08.319
blood of Christ, our Lord, and which is daily set
1800
01:41:08.359 --> 01:41:10.760
before us in His Gospel and laid up for us
1801
01:41:10.760 --> 01:41:13.720
in heaven, until we at length shall enjoy it through
1802
01:41:13.800 --> 01:41:20.199
Christ our only Lord, Amen forty five. An abundant blessing,
1803
01:41:21.560 --> 01:41:23.880
for how great is his goodness and how great is
1804
01:41:23.920 --> 01:41:26.720
his beauty? Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and
1805
01:41:26.960 --> 01:41:31.800
new wine the maids Zechariah nine seventeen. The prophet here
1806
01:41:31.880 --> 01:41:34.880
exclaims at the incredible kindness of God, that the Jews
1807
01:41:34.960 --> 01:41:37.079
might learn to raise up their thoughts above the world.
1808
01:41:37.520 --> 01:41:40.039
As though his words were No one ought to judge
1809
01:41:40.079 --> 01:41:43.039
God's favour, of which I have spoken, according to his
1810
01:41:43.079 --> 01:41:46.119
own doings or conduct or experience. But on the contrary,
1811
01:41:46.279 --> 01:41:48.520
every one of you ought to be filled with amazement
1812
01:41:48.560 --> 01:41:52.720
at God's incredible kindness and at his incredible beauty. But
1813
01:41:52.920 --> 01:41:55.720
by the last word he understands the brightness or splendor
1814
01:41:55.760 --> 01:41:59.000
which appears in all God's favors and gifts. He then
1815
01:41:59.079 --> 01:42:02.039
concludes by saying that the abundance of corn and wine
1816
01:42:02.079 --> 01:42:04.239
would be so great that young men and young women
1817
01:42:04.399 --> 01:42:07.720
would eat and drink together and be fully satisfied. But
1818
01:42:08.319 --> 01:42:11.079
he speaks not here of God's blessing as though it
1819
01:42:11.159 --> 01:42:14.159
were an incentive to luxury. But what he means is
1820
01:42:14.199 --> 01:42:16.920
that the abundance of provisions would be so great as
1821
01:42:16.920 --> 01:42:19.159
to be fully sufficient, not only for the old, but
1822
01:42:19.199 --> 01:42:24.600
also for young men and young women. Prayer, grant, Almighty God,
1823
01:42:24.680 --> 01:42:28.000
that as we cannot look for temporal or eternal happiness
1824
01:42:28.039 --> 01:42:31.279
except through Christ alone, and as thou settest him forth
1825
01:42:31.319 --> 01:42:33.840
to us as the only true fountain of all blessings,
1826
01:42:34.279 --> 01:42:36.760
O grant that we, being content with the favor offered
1827
01:42:36.800 --> 01:42:39.520
to us through Him, may learn to renounce the whole world,
1828
01:42:39.680 --> 01:42:42.600
and so strive against all unbelief, that we may not
1829
01:42:42.720 --> 01:42:45.439
doubt that Thou wilt ever be our kind and gracious father,
1830
01:42:45.960 --> 01:42:49.399
and fully supply whatever is necessary for our support. And
1831
01:42:49.439 --> 01:42:51.960
may we, at the same time live soberly and temperately,
1832
01:42:52.359 --> 01:42:54.279
so that we may not be under the power of
1833
01:42:54.359 --> 01:42:57.560
earthly things, but with our hearts raised above, aspire after
1834
01:42:57.640 --> 01:43:00.279
that heavenly bliss to which thou invitest us, and to
1835
01:43:00.319 --> 01:43:03.439
which thou also guidest us by such helps as are earthly,
1836
01:43:03.880 --> 01:43:06.479
so that being really united to our head, we may
1837
01:43:06.520 --> 01:43:09.199
at length reach that glory which has been procured for
1838
01:43:09.359 --> 01:43:15.720
us by his own blood, Amen forty six, promise of restoration,
1839
01:43:17.159 --> 01:43:19.279
and I will strengthen the House of Judah, and I
1840
01:43:19.319 --> 01:43:21.520
will save the House of Joseph. And I will bring
1841
01:43:21.560 --> 01:43:24.239
them again to place them, for I have mercy upon them,
1842
01:43:24.520 --> 01:43:26.600
and they shall be as though I had not cast
1843
01:43:26.640 --> 01:43:28.800
them off, for I am the Lord their God, and
1844
01:43:28.840 --> 01:43:33.199
will hear them Zechariah ten six. The work of redemption,
1845
01:43:33.479 --> 01:43:36.079
the beginning of which the Jews saw, would not be complete,
1846
01:43:36.079 --> 01:43:38.520
for the Lord would at length fulfill what he had begun.
1847
01:43:39.279 --> 01:43:41.399
And this truth is very useful to us, for we
1848
01:43:41.439 --> 01:43:44.279
are wont to confine God's promises to a short duration
1849
01:43:44.359 --> 01:43:47.840
of time, and when we thus include him within our
1850
01:43:47.960 --> 01:43:52.439
narrow limits, we prevent him from performing what we desire. Therefore,
1851
01:43:52.520 --> 01:43:54.720
let the example of the return of the people of
1852
01:43:54.840 --> 01:43:57.680
Israel ever come to our minds. For the Lord had
1853
01:43:57.680 --> 01:44:00.760
promised by his prophets that they would become very eminent
1854
01:44:00.880 --> 01:44:03.600
and in every way rich and happy. But when this
1855
01:44:03.760 --> 01:44:06.279
did not take place after their return to their country,
1856
01:44:06.560 --> 01:44:09.520
many of the Jews thought they had been deceived, as
1857
01:44:09.560 --> 01:44:12.720
they had expected God to fulfill his word immediately. But
1858
01:44:12.800 --> 01:44:15.520
they ought to have suspended their hope and expectation until
1859
01:44:15.600 --> 01:44:18.439
Christ came into the world, the state of the people
1860
01:44:18.520 --> 01:44:20.600
would be happier than it had been since the Ten
1861
01:44:20.680 --> 01:44:23.359
Tribes separated from the Kingdom of Judah or from the
1862
01:44:23.399 --> 01:44:25.800
House of David. For God would gather for himself a
1863
01:44:25.880 --> 01:44:29.720
church from all the children of Abraham. Though God had
1864
01:44:29.760 --> 01:44:32.920
dealt severely with that people, yet his vengeance would not
1865
01:44:33.039 --> 01:44:38.640
be forever, for He would give place to mercy. Prayer. Grant,
1866
01:44:38.640 --> 01:44:41.439
Almighty God, that as we are constrained continually to groan
1867
01:44:41.560 --> 01:44:44.279
under the burden of our sins, and the captivity in
1868
01:44:44.319 --> 01:44:47.079
which we are held until now justly exposes us to
1869
01:44:47.119 --> 01:44:50.760
continual trembling and sorrow, Oh, grant that the deliverance already
1870
01:44:50.800 --> 01:44:53.560
begun may inspire us with a good hope, so as
1871
01:44:53.600 --> 01:44:56.119
to expect more from THEE than what we can see
1872
01:44:56.119 --> 01:44:59.039
with our eyes. And may we continually call on THEE
1873
01:44:59.079 --> 01:45:02.119
until thou completest what thou hast begun, and puttest to
1874
01:45:02.159 --> 01:45:05.439
flight both Satan and our sins, so that being in
1875
01:45:05.520 --> 01:45:08.319
true and full liberty devoted to THEE, we may be
1876
01:45:08.359 --> 01:45:11.720
partakers of that power which has already appeared in our head,
1877
01:45:12.199 --> 01:45:15.279
until having at length passed through all our contests, we
1878
01:45:15.359 --> 01:45:18.239
may reach that blessed rest, where we shall enjoy the
1879
01:45:18.239 --> 01:45:22.119
fruit of our victory in Christ alone, our Lord, Amen
1880
01:45:24.319 --> 01:45:29.479
forty seven beauty and bands, and I will feed the
1881
01:45:29.520 --> 01:45:32.039
flock of slaughter, even you, o poor of the flock.
1882
01:45:32.720 --> 01:45:35.359
And I took unto me two staves, the one I
1883
01:45:35.399 --> 01:45:37.640
called beauty and the other I called bands, and I
1884
01:45:37.680 --> 01:45:42.800
fed the flock. Zacharai eleven seven. God here intimates that
1885
01:45:42.880 --> 01:45:45.479
he had manifested his care for the whole people, for
1886
01:45:45.600 --> 01:45:48.159
he had hoped that there were a few sheep yet
1887
01:45:48.199 --> 01:45:51.560
remaining who were worthy to obtain mercy, as then some
1888
01:45:51.800 --> 01:45:54.800
poor sheep might have been found among the impure flock.
1889
01:45:55.079 --> 01:45:57.880
He did not deem it grievous or burdensome to undertake
1890
01:45:57.920 --> 01:46:01.359
the office of shepherd in ruling the people. The prophet
1891
01:46:01.399 --> 01:46:04.000
then says that he had taken two rods, that he
1892
01:46:04.039 --> 01:46:06.079
might devote himself in a manner not common to the
1893
01:46:06.079 --> 01:46:10.319
office of a shepherd. Shepherds were satisfied with one crook,
1894
01:46:10.680 --> 01:46:13.479
For by rods he meant here the crook used by shepherds,
1895
01:46:14.479 --> 01:46:17.279
as then every shepherd carried his own crook. The prophet
1896
01:46:17.359 --> 01:46:19.840
says here that he was furnished with two crooks or
1897
01:46:19.840 --> 01:46:22.760
shepherd staffs. Because the Lord surpassed all men in his
1898
01:46:22.880 --> 01:46:26.399
solicitude in the office of ruling his people. Nothing could
1899
01:46:26.439 --> 01:46:28.680
have been more perfect in beauty than the government which
1900
01:46:28.720 --> 01:46:31.880
God had exercised over the Israelites. And hence he compares
1901
01:46:31.920 --> 01:46:35.039
here his shepherd's staff to beauty, as though he had
1902
01:46:35.079 --> 01:46:38.159
said the order of things was so arranged that nothing
1903
01:46:38.199 --> 01:46:41.880
better could be imagined. He then mentions unity or concord.
1904
01:46:42.239 --> 01:46:44.800
And it was the highest favor that God gathered again
1905
01:46:44.880 --> 01:46:47.560
the scattered Israelites so as to make them one body.
1906
01:46:49.279 --> 01:46:53.399
Prayer grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast hitherto so
1907
01:46:53.560 --> 01:46:56.399
kindly showed thyself to be our shepherd and even our father,
1908
01:46:56.720 --> 01:46:59.680
and has carefully provided for our safety, A grant that
1909
01:46:59.720 --> 01:47:03.319
we may not, by our ingratitude, deprive ourselves of thy favors,
1910
01:47:03.479 --> 01:47:06.800
so as to provoke Thine extreme vengeance, but on the contrary,
1911
01:47:06.880 --> 01:47:09.760
suffer ourselves to be gently ruled by THEE and render
1912
01:47:09.760 --> 01:47:13.239
THEE due obedience. And as Thine only begotten son has
1913
01:47:13.279 --> 01:47:16.000
been set over us by THEE as our only true shepherd,
1914
01:47:16.439 --> 01:47:19.199
may we hear his voice and willingly obey him, so
1915
01:47:19.319 --> 01:47:22.159
that we may be able to triumph with thy profit,
1916
01:47:22.399 --> 01:47:24.680
that thy staff is sufficient for us, so as to
1917
01:47:24.800 --> 01:47:26.880
enable us to walk without fear through the valley of
1918
01:47:26.920 --> 01:47:29.760
the shadow of death, until we shall at length reach
1919
01:47:29.840 --> 01:47:32.560
that blessed and eternal rest which has been obtained for
1920
01:47:32.680 --> 01:47:37.720
us by the blood of Thine only son, Amen forty
1921
01:47:37.720 --> 01:47:41.399
eight true repentance. And I will pour upon the House
1922
01:47:41.439 --> 01:47:44.800
of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit
1923
01:47:44.880 --> 01:47:47.840
of grace and of supplications. And they shall look upon
1924
01:47:47.880 --> 01:47:50.680
me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for
1925
01:47:50.760 --> 01:47:54.039
him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall
1926
01:47:54.039 --> 01:47:56.159
be in bitterness for him, as one that is in
1927
01:47:56.199 --> 01:48:00.439
bitterness for his first born Zechariah twelve ten. See here
1928
01:48:00.520 --> 01:48:03.600
that not only an external grace or favor was promised
1929
01:48:03.640 --> 01:48:06.239
to the Jews, but an internal light of faith, the
1930
01:48:06.319 --> 01:48:09.000
author of which is the Spirit. The words they shall
1931
01:48:09.039 --> 01:48:11.039
look upon me, whom they have pierced, are to be
1932
01:48:11.079 --> 01:48:14.039
taken metaphorically, for the Prophet expresses here that the Jews
1933
01:48:14.199 --> 01:48:17.479
would sometime return to a sound mind. For it is
1934
01:48:17.560 --> 01:48:21.039
a true conversion when men seriously acknowledge that they are
1935
01:48:21.119 --> 01:48:23.439
at war with God and that he is their enemy,
1936
01:48:23.520 --> 01:48:26.640
until they are reconciled. For except a sinner sets himself
1937
01:48:26.640 --> 01:48:29.439
in a manner before God's tribunal, he is never touched
1938
01:48:29.439 --> 01:48:33.000
by a true feeling of repentance. John says that this
1939
01:48:33.079 --> 01:48:36.239
prophecy was fulfilled in Christ when his side was pierced
1940
01:48:36.279 --> 01:48:40.520
by a spear John nineteen thirty seven. It was necessary
1941
01:48:40.560 --> 01:48:43.079
that the visible symbol should be exhibited in the person
1942
01:48:43.079 --> 01:48:46.079
of Christ in order that the Jews might know that
1943
01:48:46.239 --> 01:48:48.319
he was the God who had spoken by the prophets.
1944
01:48:48.760 --> 01:48:51.800
The Jews then had crucified their God when they grieved
1945
01:48:51.800 --> 01:48:54.680
his spirit, but Christ was also, as to his flesh,
1946
01:48:54.760 --> 01:48:58.560
pierced by them. Zechariah promises the spirit of repentance to
1947
01:48:58.600 --> 01:49:01.239
the Jews and mentions a patient, reticular kind of repentance.
1948
01:49:01.640 --> 01:49:06.960
The beginning of repentance, we know is grief. Prayer. Grant,
1949
01:49:07.000 --> 01:49:09.399
Almighty God, that since thou hast been pleased to adopt
1950
01:49:09.479 --> 01:49:12.720
us as thy people, and from being thine enemies, profane
1951
01:49:12.720 --> 01:49:15.560
and reprobate, to make us the children of Abraham, that
1952
01:49:15.640 --> 01:49:18.640
we might be unto thee a holy heritage. O, Grant
1953
01:49:18.720 --> 01:49:20.600
that through the whole course of our life we may
1954
01:49:20.640 --> 01:49:23.560
so repent as to attain unto thy mercy, which is
1955
01:49:23.640 --> 01:49:26.039
daily set before us in the Gospel, and of which
1956
01:49:26.119 --> 01:49:28.279
thou hast given us a sure pledge in the death
1957
01:49:28.319 --> 01:49:30.920
of thine only son, so that we may become more
1958
01:49:30.960 --> 01:49:33.479
and more humble before THEE and labor to form our
1959
01:49:33.479 --> 01:49:35.920
life according to the rule of thy righteousness, and so
1960
01:49:36.159 --> 01:49:38.800
loathe ourselves, that we may at the same time be
1961
01:49:38.840 --> 01:49:41.600
allured by the sweetness of Thy goodness to call upon THEE,
1962
01:49:41.920 --> 01:49:44.359
and that, being thus united to THEE, we may be
1963
01:49:44.439 --> 01:49:47.199
more and more confirmed in the faith, until at length
1964
01:49:47.239 --> 01:49:49.920
we shall reach that blessed rest which has been procured
1965
01:49:49.960 --> 01:49:52.319
for us by the blood of Christ, Thine only son,
1966
01:49:53.039 --> 01:49:59.760
Amen forty nine. Impure worship banished, and it shall come
1967
01:49:59.760 --> 01:50:01.920
to pass in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts,
1968
01:50:02.239 --> 01:50:04.239
that I will cut off the names of the idols
1969
01:50:04.279 --> 01:50:06.880
out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered.
1970
01:50:07.279 --> 01:50:09.720
And also I will cause the prophets and the unclean
1971
01:50:09.760 --> 01:50:14.680
spirit to pass out of the land Zechariah thirteen two.
1972
01:50:14.960 --> 01:50:18.720
God cannot be rightly worshiped except all corruptions inconsistent with
1973
01:50:18.760 --> 01:50:21.920
His sincere and pure worship be taken away. But we
1974
01:50:22.000 --> 01:50:24.079
must at the same time observe that this effect is
1975
01:50:24.079 --> 01:50:27.239
ascribed to God's word, for it is that which can
1976
01:50:27.319 --> 01:50:30.600
drive away and banish all the abominations of falsehood and
1977
01:50:30.760 --> 01:50:34.560
whatever is uncongenial to true religion. As then, by the
1978
01:50:34.640 --> 01:50:36.800
rising of the sun, darkness is put to flight, and
1979
01:50:36.920 --> 01:50:39.920
all things appear distinctly to the view. So also, when
1980
01:50:39.960 --> 01:50:42.600
God comes forth with the teaching of his word, all
1981
01:50:42.640 --> 01:50:46.920
the deceptions of Satan must necessarily be dissipated. Whosoever then
1982
01:50:47.039 --> 01:50:49.359
desires to perform all the duties of a good and
1983
01:50:49.399 --> 01:50:52.680
faithful pastor ought firmly to resolve not only to abstain
1984
01:50:52.760 --> 01:50:56.119
from all impure doctrines and simply to assert what is true,
1985
01:50:56.159 --> 01:50:59.960
but also to detect all corruptions which are injurious to religion,
1986
01:51:00.399 --> 01:51:03.479
to recover men from the deceptions of Satan, and in short,
1987
01:51:03.520 --> 01:51:07.279
are vowedly to carry on war with all superstitions. We
1988
01:51:07.359 --> 01:51:10.199
may learn how much purity of doctrine is approved by God,
1989
01:51:10.520 --> 01:51:13.239
since he would have us feel a horror as at
1990
01:51:13.239 --> 01:51:15.960
something monstrous whenever the name of an idol is mentioned.
1991
01:51:16.439 --> 01:51:19.079
The Church cannot be preserved in a pure state, except
1992
01:51:19.119 --> 01:51:21.960
the rashness of those who pervert sound doctrine be restrained.
1993
01:51:23.600 --> 01:51:27.239
Prayer grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast been pleased
1994
01:51:27.239 --> 01:51:28.880
to draw us at this day by the light of
1995
01:51:28.920 --> 01:51:31.439
Thy gospel, out of that horrible darkness in which we
1996
01:51:31.479 --> 01:51:34.319
have been miserably immersed, and to render thy face so
1997
01:51:34.399 --> 01:51:37.239
conspicuous to us in the person of Thine only begotten son,
1998
01:51:37.600 --> 01:51:40.680
that nothing but our ingratitude prevents us from being transformed
1999
01:51:40.720 --> 01:51:43.880
into Thy celestial glory. Oh, grant that we may make
2000
01:51:43.960 --> 01:51:46.520
such advances in the light of truth, that every of
2001
01:51:46.640 --> 01:51:49.199
us may be ashamed of his former ignorance, and that
2002
01:51:49.239 --> 01:51:52.159
we may freely and ingeniously confess that we were lost
2003
01:51:52.239 --> 01:51:54.680
cheap until we were brought back into the way of
2004
01:51:54.720 --> 01:51:57.840
salvation by Thy hand. And may we thus proceed in
2005
01:51:57.880 --> 01:52:00.520
the course of our holy calling, until we shall at
2006
01:52:00.560 --> 01:52:03.439
length be all gathered into Heaven, where not only that
2007
01:52:03.560 --> 01:52:06.079
Truth shall give us light, which now rules us according
2008
01:52:06.119 --> 01:52:08.560
to the capacity of our flesh, but where also the
2009
01:52:08.600 --> 01:52:11.680
splendor of Thy glory shall shine in us and shall
2010
01:52:11.720 --> 01:52:14.920
render us conformable to Thine image through Christ alone, our
2011
01:52:14.960 --> 01:52:27.680
Lord Amen. End of section nine, Section ten of Scripture
2012
01:52:27.720 --> 01:52:31.840
Texts with expositions and sentenced prayers from Calvin's commentaries on
2013
01:52:31.880 --> 01:52:35.960
the Minor prophets by John Calvin. This LibriVox recording is
2014
01:52:36.000 --> 01:52:43.279
in the public domain. Malachi fifty Saved by grace. I
2015
01:52:43.359 --> 01:52:46.359
have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say wherein
2016
01:52:46.520 --> 01:52:50.159
hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? Saith
2017
01:52:50.199 --> 01:52:54.880
the Lord, Yet I love Jacob Malachi one two. When
2018
01:52:54.920 --> 01:52:57.520
God says that he loved the Jews, his object was
2019
01:52:57.600 --> 01:53:00.720
to convict them of ingratitude for having despised the singular
2020
01:53:00.760 --> 01:53:03.720
favor bestowed on them alone, rather than to press that
2021
01:53:03.840 --> 01:53:07.920
authority which he possesses over all mankind in common. The
2022
01:53:07.960 --> 01:53:11.479
origin of all the excellency which belonged to the posterity
2023
01:53:11.479 --> 01:53:14.880
of Abraham is here ascribed to the gratuitous love of God,
2024
01:53:15.159 --> 01:53:18.880
according to what Moses often said, not because he excelled
2025
01:53:18.920 --> 01:53:22.079
other nations or were more in number, has God honored
2026
01:53:22.119 --> 01:53:25.199
you with so many benefits, But because He loved your fathers.
2027
01:53:26.079 --> 01:53:28.920
We see that we differ from animals, because God was
2028
01:53:28.960 --> 01:53:32.399
pleased to create us men. He therefore will justly charge
2029
01:53:32.479 --> 01:53:35.439
us with ingratitude if we do not serve him, for
2030
01:53:35.520 --> 01:53:37.640
it was for this end he created us in his
2031
01:53:37.720 --> 01:53:41.199
own image. But there is here mentioned a special favor
2032
01:53:41.319 --> 01:53:43.960
that the Lord took to himself the seed of Abraham,
2033
01:53:44.199 --> 01:53:46.279
as it is said in the Song of Moses, that
2034
01:53:46.359 --> 01:53:49.199
all nations are gods, but that he had cast his
2035
01:53:49.279 --> 01:53:53.199
line to set apart Israel for himself Duteronomy thirty two nine.
2036
01:53:53.920 --> 01:53:57.279
By love he means gratuitous favor. There is no reason
2037
01:53:57.319 --> 01:54:00.319
for us to seek any other cause for adoption except
2038
01:54:00.359 --> 01:54:04.039
the will of God. God's free favor and gratuitous mercy
2039
01:54:04.119 --> 01:54:09.640
prevails as to individuals. Prayer, Grant, Almighty God, that as
2040
01:54:09.640 --> 01:54:11.800
thou hast been pleased to adopt us once for all,
2041
01:54:11.880 --> 01:54:15.000
as thy people, for this end, that we might be engrafted,
2042
01:54:15.039 --> 01:54:17.199
as it were, into the body of Thy son, and
2043
01:54:17.239 --> 01:54:20.319
so be made conformable to our head. O Grant that
2044
01:54:20.399 --> 01:54:22.840
through our whole life we may strive to seal in
2045
01:54:22.880 --> 01:54:26.000
our hearts the faith of our election, that we may
2046
01:54:26.039 --> 01:54:29.119
be the more stimulated to render THEE true obedience, and
2047
01:54:29.159 --> 01:54:31.640
that Thy glory may also be made known through us
2048
01:54:32.000 --> 01:54:34.760
and those others also whom Thou hast chosen together with us.
2049
01:54:34.960 --> 01:54:37.560
May we labor to bring with us, that we may
2050
01:54:37.600 --> 01:54:40.680
with one accord, celebrate THEE as the author of our salvation,
2051
01:54:41.079 --> 01:54:43.840
and so ascribe to THEE. The glory of Thy goodness, that,
2052
01:54:43.920 --> 01:54:47.199
having cast away and renounced all confidence in our own virtue,
2053
01:54:47.439 --> 01:54:49.760
we may be led to Christ alone as the fountain
2054
01:54:49.840 --> 01:54:52.720
of Thy election, in whom also is set before us
2055
01:54:52.760 --> 01:54:55.960
the certainty of our salvation through Thy Gospel, until we
2056
01:54:56.000 --> 01:54:58.960
shall at length be gathered with Him into that eternal
2057
01:54:58.960 --> 01:55:03.199
glory which He had procured for us by his own blood. Amen.
2058
01:55:05.079 --> 01:55:09.079
Fifty one. The calling of the Gentiles. For from the
2059
01:55:09.199 --> 01:55:11.319
rising of the sun, even unto the going down of
2060
01:55:11.359 --> 01:55:14.159
the same, my name shall be great among the gentiles,
2061
01:55:14.399 --> 01:55:17.600
and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name,
2062
01:55:18.000 --> 01:55:20.760
and a pure offering for my name shall be great
2063
01:55:20.800 --> 01:55:24.319
among the heathen Saith, the Lord of Hosts Malachi one eleven.
2064
01:55:25.359 --> 01:55:28.159
The prophets promised to the Jews that the Gentiles would
2065
01:55:28.159 --> 01:55:31.800
become allied to them. So does Zechariah. In those days
2066
01:55:31.840 --> 01:55:33.840
it shall come to pass that ten men shall take
2067
01:55:33.880 --> 01:55:35.680
hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew,
2068
01:55:35.760 --> 01:55:38.119
saying we will go with you, for we have heard
2069
01:55:38.159 --> 01:55:41.920
that God is with you Zecora eight twenty three. It
2070
01:55:41.960 --> 01:55:44.640
would have been then the highest honor to the Jews,
2071
01:55:44.840 --> 01:55:47.399
had they become teachers to all nations. So as to
2072
01:55:47.439 --> 01:55:51.960
instruct them in true religion. So also Isaiah says that
2073
01:55:52.000 --> 01:55:54.800
those who were before aliens would become the disciples of
2074
01:55:54.840 --> 01:55:57.439
the chosen people, so that they would willingly submit to
2075
01:55:57.479 --> 01:56:01.199
their teaching. But as the Jews have fallen from their place,
2076
01:56:01.359 --> 01:56:05.319
the Gentiles have succeeded and occupied their position. According to
2077
01:56:05.359 --> 01:56:08.359
what Christ threatened to men of his age, the Kingdom
2078
01:56:08.399 --> 01:56:10.279
of God shall be taken from you and given to
2079
01:56:10.319 --> 01:56:13.319
a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof Matthew twenty one
2080
01:56:13.439 --> 01:56:17.079
forty three. The calling of the Gentiles is here clearly proved,
2081
01:56:17.119 --> 01:56:19.319
because the name of God cannot be great without the
2082
01:56:19.359 --> 01:56:22.319
teaching of the truth. It is therefore the same thing
2083
01:56:22.439 --> 01:56:24.960
as though the prophet had said that the law which
2084
01:56:24.960 --> 01:56:27.119
had been given to the Jews would be proclaimed among
2085
01:56:27.239 --> 01:56:32.640
all nations. Prayer grant, Almighty God, that since thou dost
2086
01:56:32.680 --> 01:56:34.920
not keep us at this day under the shadows of
2087
01:56:34.960 --> 01:56:37.279
the law by which thou didst train up the race
2088
01:56:37.319 --> 01:56:40.600
of Abraham, but invitest us to a service far more excellent,
2089
01:56:40.880 --> 01:56:44.479
even to consecrate ourselves body and soul as victims to thee,
2090
01:56:44.840 --> 01:56:47.680
and to offer not only ourselves but also the sacrifices
2091
01:56:47.720 --> 01:56:50.800
of praise and of prayer, as thou hast consecrated all
2092
01:56:50.840 --> 01:56:53.880
the duties of religion, which thou requirest from us through Christ,
2093
01:56:53.880 --> 01:56:57.399
thy son, O grant that we may seek true purity
2094
01:56:57.479 --> 01:57:00.159
and labor, to render our services approved by thems Ye
2095
01:57:00.439 --> 01:57:04.039
by a real sincerity of heart, and so reverently profess
2096
01:57:04.039 --> 01:57:06.680
and call upon thy name, that it may be truly
2097
01:57:06.720 --> 01:57:09.880
acknowledged as fulfilled in us, which thou hast declared by
2098
01:57:09.880 --> 01:57:13.039
thy Prophet, that undoubtedly thy name shall be magnified and
2099
01:57:13.119 --> 01:57:16.359
celebrated throughout the whole world, as it was truly made
2100
01:57:16.439 --> 01:57:18.600
known to us in the very person of Thine only
2101
01:57:18.600 --> 01:57:27.159
begotten Son, Amen fifty two, Christ's forerunner. Behold, I will
2102
01:57:27.199 --> 01:57:29.439
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the
2103
01:57:29.439 --> 01:57:33.079
great and dreadful day of the Lord Malachi four five.
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The Prophet having testified to the Jews that though God
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would for a time suspend the course of prophetic teaching,
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they yet had in the law what was sufficient for salvation,
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he now promises the renovation of the church, as though
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he had said, the Lord will again unexpectedly utter his voice.
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After a long silence, Isaiah speaks on the same subject,
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prophesying of the return of the people when he says,
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comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, will our God say
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Isaiah forty one. At the same time he shows that
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the time would come when his purpose was to confirm
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and seal all the prophecies by his only begotten son.
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Christ himself said that John the Baptist was the Elijah
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who had been promised Matthew eleven fourteen. God intended to
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raise up John the Baptist for the purpose of restoring
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his worship, as formerly he had raised up Elijah. For
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at the time of Elijah, we know that not only
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the truth was corrupted and the worship of God vitiated,
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but also that all religion was well nigh extinct, so
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that nothing pure and sound remained at the coming of Christ.
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Though the Jews did not worship idols, but retained some
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outward form of religion, yet the whole of their religion
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was spurious, so that that time may truly be compared
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on account of its multiplied pollutions to the age of Elijah.
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Prayer grant, Almighty God, that as nothing has been omitted
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by thee to help us onward in the course of
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our faith, and as our slath is such that we
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hardly advance one step, though stimulated by thee Oh, grant
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that we may strive to profit more by the various
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helps which thou hast provided for us, so that the law,
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the prophets, the voice of John the Baptist, and especially
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the doctrine of Thine only begotten Son, may more fully
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awaken us, that we may not only haste to him,
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but also proceed constantly in this course, and persevere in it,
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until we shall at length obtain both the victory and
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the crown of our calling, as thou hast promised, an
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eternal inheritance reserved in Heaven for all who faint not
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but wait for the coming of that Great Redeemer Amen.
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End of section ten. End of scripture. Texts with expositions
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and sentence prayers from Calvin's Commentaries on the Minor Prophets
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by John Calvin