power and policy, which is as absurd and impious, as for a fish17 erman when successful to worship his net. Shall they therefore empty their net of one nation they have subdued and plundered, and then fill it again? and not spare continually to slay the nations? This is the prophet's expostulation, and we have God's answer in the next chapter.

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REFLECTIONS.

E should review this chapter with great thankfulness that the sad case which it describes is not that of our own country; that we have not a terrible nation raised up against us, to march through the breadth of the land to destroy it. We have great reason to fear this, when we consider how much the law is slackened, and how much strife and contention abound, especially among our great men. It is wonderful patience in God, that while there is so much iniquity, there is so little grief among us but it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

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2. Let us learn to maintain a deep sense of the perfections and glory of God. Let us think of him, as the eternal Jehovah, the guardian of his church and interests, which shall not therefore die and be lost he may ordain enemies to correct his people, but they shall not be destroyed. Let us especially think of him as the Holy One. He beholds iniquity; he cannot but see it; but he sees it with detestation; it is as hateful to him, as those things are to us which we cannot bear the sight of. Though he may use the worst of men to correct his people, yet he abhors them. Though he may seem to connive at sin, by bearing long with sinners, yet he will certainly punish it. Let us be careful never to entertain light thoughts of sin; but reverence the perfect holiness of God; who will judge the world in righteousness.

3. We should be careful never to arrogate any part of our sucsess to ourselves. This was the case of the Chaldeans, and is the case of many christians. When men get rich, and their schemes prosper, they are apt to be lifted up; to forget God, and to say, My might, and the power of my hand, hath done it. But this is as absurd, as it would be for a fisherman to idolize and adore the net with which he caught his fish. Yet how generally do men in effect sacrifice to their own skill, and burn incense to their own industry? yea, very often to their own dishonesty. There is a great proneness in our corrupt nature to self glorying, and to idolize our own abilities and exertions. Let us carefully restrain and watch against the workings of this very absurd and criminal pride; and Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord.

CHAP. II.

In the former chapter we had the prophet's expostulation concerning the success of the Chaldeans against Israel: in this, we have God's answer. The prophet begins, as usual, with a prediction of the Messiah; and recommends faith to his people, as their support: and then foretells the destruction of the Chaldeans.

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I WILL stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower,

and will watch to see what he will say unto me: as a watchman intent upon his office, so I will earnestly look for God's word, (Ezek. iii. 17.) and what I shall answer when I am re proved, to those that question the truth of my predictions.

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision as most important, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it; alluding to the custom of hanging laws upon pillars or public buildings, which were written so plain, that he who took only a cursory view might read and understand them. The two following verses are probably a prophecy of the 3 Messiah. For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, or break forth with surprising light and glory, and not lie, or deceive: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry; that is, God in due time will make good the great promise of deliverance given 4 to our fathers, as the last word, rendered tarry, intimates. Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up, that is, proud, or impatient, is not upright in him as if he had said, If a person will not wait for the vision, but throw up his profession of religion, he shows a very bad spirit :* but the just shall live by his faith; he shall be supported by faith; or, he that is justified by faith shall live. Accordingly the apostle quotes it as applicable to the gospel way of justification by believing. Rom. i. 17.

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Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, [he is] a proud man; the man transgressing by wine is proud, intoxicated with success like drunken men, referring to the Chaldeans; neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and [is] as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people; through pride and ambition they seek to enlarge their dominions, and increase their 6 slaves and tributaries: Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Wo to him that increaseth [that which is] not his! wealth unjustly gained; how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! or, how long will he lade himself with thick clay, with riches, which, like thick clay, defile a man, retard his

The words may be rendered agreeable to the apostle's quotation, (Heb. x. 38.) If any man draw back, or turn aside, my seul cannot take pleasure in him.

Y motions, and add weight to his sin and punishment. Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for bootles unto them? to the Medes and Persians, who, like furious beasts, shall tear thee to 8 pieces? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood shed by thee, and [for] the violence of the land, of the city of Judah, and Jerusalem, and of all that dwell therein.

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Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousness, or, gaineth an evil gain to his house, (which Nebuchadnezzar strove to aggrandize,) that he may set his nest on high, like an eagle, that he may be delivered from the power of evil, and in no danger 10 of an attack! Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, hast taken the direct method to bring infamy and ruin on thy family, and hast sinned [against] thy 11 soul, or life. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it; the materials of your stately palaces shall cry to God for vengeance against you; saying,

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Wo to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! that is, Nebuchadnezzar, who hath raised 13 Babylon to its grandeur by the ruin of other great cities. Behold, [is it] not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in or for the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? for that which shall be fuel to the fire 14 which shall consume thy stately buildings? For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea; the spread of religious knowledge, or of the glory of God, shall be the consequence of the destruction of the Chaldean monarchy.

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Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to [him,] and makest [him] drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! comparing the king of Babylon to a debauchee who makes others drunk to see their shame, so he intoxicated the nations with his politics that he might gain 16 advantage over them. Thou art filled with shame for, or, instead of, glory drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered; or, (as in the Syriac version) be seized with trembling or astonishment: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, it shall come round to you in its turn, and shameful spewing, or pollution, [shall be] on thy glory; the divine judgments shall overtake thee, and thy people shall be stripped and carried captive: accordingly the city of Babylon 17 was destroyed in the midst of a drunken revel. For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, the violence done to the temple, which was built of cedars from Lebanon, and the spoil of beasts, [which] made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell there

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in ; such violence and cruelty as you have exercised against Judah and Jerusalem, its temple and inhabitants, shall be repaid into your own bosom.

What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that leads men to absurd and false dependencies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make [him] dumb idols, which 19 they will find unable to help them? Wo unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach, that is, give forth oracles and directions. Behold, it [is] laid over with gold and silver, and [there is] no breath at all in 20 the midst of it. But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him; though the temple of Jerusalem is in ruins, our God has a temple in the heavens ; there he sits enthroned in majesty and glory; and let the whole earth reverently adore him, and wait his time to interpose for his people.

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FR

REFLECTIONS.

ROM hence we should learn patience in waiting for the discoveries of providence, and the fulfilment of scripture prophecies. Habakkuk watched to see what God would say. Thus should we wait for a solution of the difficulties of providence, and the accomplishment of prophecies; carefully studying what God has declared, and attentively observing what he is doing. He has fixed a time for the manifestation of himself, and that is the best time. The reasonable expectations of his people shall not be disappointed; for he is a God of judgment, and blessed are all they that wait for him.

2. Let us bless God for the gospel, which was revealed in due time, and receive it by faith, v. 4, 5. A passage which is often quoted in the New Testament, to show the method of justification under the gospel dispensation, and the influence which faith has upon the christian's heart and life. Let us then receive the gospel; venture our souls upon the promises of God, and keep near to him in the most trying times. Then we shall live, and our hearts be supported and quieted. But if men are proud and impatient; if their hearts be lifted up, if they will turn aside, and draw back, they have no principle of grace, and God will have no pleasure in them. While these important things are made so plain, let us be careful that we neither mistake them nor disregard them.

3. Let us resolutely guard against those vices which have such dreadful woes denounced against them. We are in little danger of direct idolatry. The papists indeed lock up the scriptures, and call images the layman's books; but they are teachers of lies. And let us remember that covetousness is idolatry, and that there

are awful denunciations against it. Men naturally love riches; but they are often only like thick clay, defile and encumber them. Their ambition is to advance their families, and enlarge their substance; and when that is the governing principle, they run into oppression and injustice; they increase that which is not theirs. Their desires enlarge with their wealth, and they are never satisfied. They encroach upon their neighbours; endeavour to engross all trade and commerce to themselves; and thus they sin against their own souls; yea, often trouble their houses, destroy domestic comfort, and ruin their families, which they are ambitious to enrich and aggrandize. Wo also to drunkards! who force or tempt men to drink to excess, that they may expose and make sport with them, or lead them to make ill bargains. Men may call this a frolick; but God will give such wretches a cup of trembling and fury to drink, and expose their shame and wickedness to the whole assembled world. Let us be alarmed by these woes, and endeavour to be sober, temperate, and contented, in all things.

4. We are here taught to approach the living God with the greatest reverence, v. 20. silently to adore his power and providence, and never censure his dispensations; but with calm submission of soul wait his time to interpose. When we appear before him, let it be with the deepest veneration of mind, and the utmost seriousness of spirit; for he is greatly to be feared, and to be had in reverence of all those that draw nigh unto him.

CHAP. III.

The prophet in this chapter recounts God's ancient works done for Israel, and from thence concludes, that he will make good his promises to their posterity.

PRAYER, or poetical oration, of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth; or, according to variable songs or 2 tunes, called in Hebrew, Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard thy speech, thy threatened judgments (ch. i. 5, &c.) [and] was afraid O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, that is, while we continue in captivity, let not religion be lost in a strange land; in the midst of the years make known thy provi. dence, thy power, and thy faithfulness to thy promises; in wrath remember mercy.*

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God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran; mountains of Edom, from whence the glory seemed to

This God did, and answered this prayer by preserving Israel while captives, and curing them of their idolatry; and by his appearances for Daniel and his companions, and for Either and her people.