Sirs, Your most humble and obliged servant,
In the work of the Lord,
John Owen.
Coggeshall, Oct. 5, 1648.
96 A MEMORIAL OF THE DELIVERANCE
SERMON II.
A prayer of Habahknk the prophet upon Sigionoth, O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the tnidst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his bright7icss was as the light ; he had horns coming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his poiuer. Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. He stood and measured the earth : he beheld and drove asunder the nations, and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow : his ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. Was the Lord displeased against the river si was thine anger against the rivers 1 was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses, artd thy chariots of salvation ? Thy bow was 7nade quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. — Hab. iii. 1 — 9.
Of this chapter there are four parts.
First, The title and preface of it, ver. 1.
Secondly, The prophet's main request in it, ver. 2.
Thirdly, Arguments to sustain his faith in that request, from ver. 3 — 17.
Fourthly, A resignation of himself, and the whole issue of his desires unto God, from ver. 17, to the end.
We shall treat of them in order.
The prophet^ having had visions from God, and pre-dis- coveries of many approaching judgments, in the first and second chapters, in this, by faithful prayer, sets himself to obtain a sure footing, and quiet abode in those nation-de- stroying storms.
Ver. 1. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, that is the title of it. And an excellent prayer it is, full of arguments to strengthen faith, acknowledgment of God's sovereignty, power, and righteous judgments, with resolutions to a con- tented, joyful, rolling him upon him under all dispensations.
Observatioyi I. Prayer is the believer's constant, sure re- treat in an evil time, in a time of trouble.
It is the righteous man's wings to the 'name of the Lord' which is his 'strong tower;' Prov. xviii. 10. A Christian'* soldier's sure reserve in the day of battle : if all other forces
a Tlie time of this prophecy is conceived to be about the end of Josiah's reign, not long before the first Chaldean invasion.
'' Prcces et lacryraae sunt arma Ecclesiae, Tertul.
OF ESSEX COUNTY, AND COMMITTEE. 97
be overthrown, here he will abide by it, no power under hea- ven can prevail upon him to give one step backward. Hence that title of Psal. cii. * A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed.' 'Tis the overwhelmed man's refuge and em- ployment : when ' he swooneth with anguish' (as in the ori- ginal) this fetches him to life again. So also, Psal. Ixi. 2, 3. In our greatest distresses let neither unbelief, nor self- contrivances, justle us out of this way to the rock of our salvation.
II. Observation. Prophets discoveries of fearful judg- ments must be attended with fervent prayers.
That messenger hath done but half his business who de- livers his errand, but returns not an answer. He that brings God's message of threats unto his people, must return his people's message of entreaties unto him. Some think they have fairly discharged their duty, when they have revealed the will of God to man, without labouring to reveal the con- dition and desires of men unto God. He that is more fre- quent in the pulpit to his people, than he is in his closet for his people, is but a sorry watchman. Moses did not so ; Exod. xxxii. 31. neither did Samuel so; 1 Sam. xii. 23. nei- ther was it the guise of Jeremiah in his days ; chap, xiv 17. If the beginning of the prophecy be (as it is) ' the burden of Habakkuk,'the close will be (as it is) 'the prayer of Habak- kuk.' Where there is a burden upon the people, there must be a prayer for the people. Woe tothemwhohave denounced desolations, and not poured out supplications : such men delight in the evil, which the prophet puts far from him ; Jer. xvii. 16. * I have not desired the woful day [O Lord] thou knowest.'
Now this prayer is ' upon Sigionoth.' That is, 1. It is turned to a song: 2. Such a song.
1. That it is a song, penned in metre, and how done so : (l.)Totakethedeeperimpression ; (2.) To be the better retain- ed inmemory; (3.) To work more upon the affections ; (4.) To receive the ingredients of poetical loftiness for adorning the majesty of God with ; (5.) The use ofsongs in the old church; (6.) And for the present; (7.) Their times and seasons, as among the people of God, so all nations of old : of all, or any of these, being besides my present purpose, 1 shall not treat,