First, He may be looked upon as a public minister of the church, and so having received a vision from God, it was his duty to observe what would be the issue of it, what would become of it.
It is the duty of all public ministers of God, whether ordinary or extraordinary, to look after the event, and success, and issue of the visions which they receive from God, which they give out from him. So doth the prophet here : * Well, I see not through to the end of this business; I will set me upon the tower, where God places the watchmen;' that is, he doth enjoin himself to have continual consi deration of God's dealings and of God's works.
In this posture he hath a vision ; and you may consider, — 1. The vision itself, and, 2. The nature of it.
The vision itself is explained, Isa. xxi. 6-10. That and this put together explain well what this vision was. " Thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman," set this Habakkuk, " and let him declare what he seeth. And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels ; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: and he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: and, behold, here cometh a
512 FAITH'S ANSWER TO DIVINE REPROOFS.
chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen/' This the watchman tells God. " And God answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen ; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. O my threshing, and the corn of my floor." God sets him upon the watch-tower in a vision, and he seeth all sorts of creatures come with tidings that Babylon is fallen, that God hath executed judgment upon these Chaldeans. All bring tidings that Babylon is fallen, the Chaldeans are destroyed. So here in this, when he comes to declare this vision. It is expressed in verses 5-8, " Because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, 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 : shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that in- creaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein." This is the vision God gave him concerning the Chaldeans. Let them spoil the people for a season, the watchman upon the tower sees, and tidings come unto him that Babylon is fallen, is fallen, the Chaldeans are destroyed by the nations whom they had destroyed and pillaged; because they enlarged their desire like hell and the grave, and no thing could satisfy them until they should gather all nations unto them. This is the vision. In the midst of the greatest distresses, there is a vision of the destruction of all Christ's enemies and the enemies of the church sufficiently recorded; and after a while he will declare the accomplishment of this vision, when we shall see chariots coming, one providence after another, declaring God is executing vengeance against Babylon, [and] the Chaldeans.
Then we have the adjuncts of this vision, which I will but name: — 1. It is certain: " Write it/' It is a certain vision. 2. It is evi dent: " Make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it/' 3. It is determined: "The vision is yet for an appointed time ;" you must not cause it to make haste. 4. That there will be & great many interpositions, that will cause men to fear this vision will never be accomplished : " Though it tarry, wait for it ; at the end it shall speak, and not lie/' Men will think it is but a false vision, that it will lie; but wait, for it will not tarry beyond its appointed time.
I could take observations from these adjuncts concerning the de struction of the adversaries of the church, but I shall say nothing to •them, because there is something else I would. speak unto.
FAITH'S ANSWER TO DIVINE EEPEOOFS. 513
Secondly, Habakkukmay be considered not only as a public minister of the church, but &s&privatebelieve?*; and thence we may learn three or four things from his deportment in this case, as he was a private believer.
1. In all that we have to do with God, we may justly fear and justly expect that we shall be reproved by him. Habakkuk had had deal ings with God, and saith he, " Now I will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved/' Pray remember it, I say, in all wherein we have to do with God we may justly fear that we shall be reproved, that he will reprove us.