p Here the Prophet removes the Confidences of Babylon, ſhe would boaſt of her Gods, and depend cn them, but this will be vain and un- profitable 3 it is not imaginable that theſe Idols ſhould help rheſe per- ſons. q Carved in Wood or Stone; for of ſuch Materials did theſe Idol-makers ſometimes make their Gods, r It 1s brutiſh Folly in any one to value or defire to be help'd by ſuch lifeleſs Idols; but 'tis erateſt Folly for him that niakes the Image, that remembers how 1t was hcwed, plained, tumbled abour, ant all this without the leaſt degree of ſenſe or feeling of what it ſuffered ; and can that be ſen- ſible of my Sorrows which feels not any thing it ſelf? s Idols made of Gold or Silver, or any other fuſile Metal, were framed out of the Metal firſt melted, and are therefore called molten Images. # But whether graven or molten, yer all ſuch Images are but Teachers of Lyes, Fer. 10. 8, 14- They withdraw the Mind from God our true and only Helper, and bewitch Men to truſt to Idols in which is no help, which ever proved Lycs to all that truſted on them. « Who knows, for he ſaw that there was no Life, Strength or Wiſdom in
one or other; it is ſhameleſs in any, but moſt ia him that made the Idol, to worſhip his own Work, and rely upon that which he knows hath no Eyes, or Hands, or Ears, but what his Tool framed for it. x His own Work, and yer his God ! The Product of his Art, and yet the Hope of his Soul ! O brutiſh Folly, Self-contradi&i. on ! » Reſteth confident of defence and reſcue from Evil by it. 2 Which neither can anſwer a Queſtion, nor give a Direction in a Straitz can neither promiſe Guod to a Friend, nor denounce a Threat againſt an Enemy.
19 Wo 2 unto him that faith to the wood 6,
Awake c; to the dumb ftone d, Ariſe e, it ſhall f
K KU K
| tifattorizy folve the Doubts, aud untold the Rideles of his owu Pro: | VIdCIICEs
CHAS WU.
. | The Propriet prayeth God to remember his People in captivity : the fear- ful appearance of Gol in bringing Iſraz! out 5f Exypr « be ricmbleth at the deſtruction of Feruſalem, 1 15. Ter comporzeth hlnſe:f in the firergth and ſalvation of God, 17 19.
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Prayer 2 of Habakkuk b the propher c || upon Si 197-.acc9 d- Elonoth d. wry rel
a Tine Propher required the Earth ſhould he filent &-tore God, nd Bags gl 0 now pives them Example; he waits on and prays to God in his Holy a Tempic; ſome ſay 'tis a Prayer of Interceſh »n, and chat the word Hebro 4 carricthir ſo. b Vid. chap. 1. ver. I. cVid. chap. 1. ver. 1. Ict. c. GhFoin + d A muſical Note, fay ſome, and ſuch Norte as the Fews have ng * 700 certain knowledge of. Othes ſay Sigtonoth is Ignorances, which the Prophet doth conteſs, and ſueth tor the pardon of; both he and the People had erred, were offended at the Darkneſs of Divine Pro- vidences, and needed Pardon as well as Inftrution ; or it may be a Prayer on occaſion of the many and great Changes Providence wrought in the Affairs of the woe and the Church,
2 O LORD, I have heard e rhy Þ ſpeech f, 27d was afraid g : O LORD, || revive þ thy work 7 in the midft of the years 4, in the midſt of the years make known /; 1 wrath 12 remember 22 Mercy.
e Received anſwer to the iniquiry made, chap. 1, ver. 13, 14, 15, 15 and 17. whether by Voice trom Heaven, or by inward umina- tion or Irradiation of the Mind, or any other way of Imprefii>n from tic prophetick Spirit, needs not be encuired. f The Repore or Declaration God made to him concerning the future Correttions of his own People, and the Devaſtations Bby/5n would make among them ; and next the Deſtruſtion which thuuld tall upon the Balylo- nans by the Medesand Perſians, which is ſuminarily ſet down, cap. 2, g Trembled at the Apprehenfion of rhefe ſad things, which b>th we and they were to ſuffer 3 he faw them as certain and grievous. h Not only keep alive, but ſomewhat refreſh, renew, give ſome new ſircngth ro thy Church and People, who wait for thee. 7 Thy Church, called Jſa. 45. 1. as here, God's work in an eminent man- ner above other People; fo the Apoſtle, we are his work n:nſhip, Epheſ. 2. 10. or elſe by Work may be meant the returning of the Cay- tivity, and reſtoring them to their own Land, which was the great thing God did promiſe to do for them; and the Prophet prays for ſome Kindneſs trom the Lord,that may be a reviv.1l of the hope, at- ſurance and joy of it. þ 'Tis not needful we reporr the different Ac- count of theſe Years, and the preciſe midſtof them aſſigned by ſome, perhaps it may point to that time when Evil Merodach exalted Jehia- chin out of Priſon, which 2 Kings 25. 27. was in the 37th Year of their Captivity 3 but I rather think 'tis m-re vulgarly to be taksn for any time within the Term of the ſad agd troubicſome Days which would laſt ſeventy Years. / It is an affeRionate Requeſt, and (as ſuch often are ) ſomewhat abrupt, make known cither thy Truth, or Wiſdom, or Power, or Compaſſion, or all; make it known that thou art our God, and we thy Yeople, that thou ſtill haſta care of us, or ( what next follows makes the Senſe full) m Whileſt thy juſt Diſpleaſurc burns againſt vs for our Sins, = Make it appear thou haſt not forgotten to he pracious, let thy People ſee rhou rememirett Mercy toward them, |
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teach : behold g , ir zs laid over þ with gold and hlver, and zhere is no breath at all 7 in the midſt of it.