Zephaniah 1

Recompense former remissness with future diligence. 15. How uncomely and sordid a slothful temper of soul is; (Zephaniah 1:12) I will punish the men who are settled on their lees; Hebrew Hakkophim, Coagulatos, curdled on their lees. Settling on the lees, is an emblem of a dull,…

They shall curse their king.] By king, some understand God. And Zephaniah takes Malchom in this sense (Zephaniah 1:5), that is to say, their king. But I here put a distinction between king and God, for the wicked are first blinded with the false trust which they put in idols, an…

Therefore as often as the Scripture makes mention of the nearness of the Lord, it bids the godly rejoice and be glad: and while it respects the reprobate, it does nothing else but smite with terror and fear. That day says Zephaniah, shall be a day of wrath, a day of tribulation,…

The towering confused pride of the King of Babylon, is presented to us in such a heap of words (Isaiah 14:13-14) — hear the pure language of pride from that king's heart: You have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I wil…

Well, sith God has set his name therein, we must beware how we make it an instrument of sinne. If it be said, to weare long haire is our English fashion: I answer, It is not our auncient English fashion, but indeede it is a forraine tricke, and therefore as unlawful as forraine…

Now thus to join any other thing with God, as the object of our worship, is infinitely to debase and disparage him; since it intimates, that something besides God is excellent, and perfect as himself. And therefore (Zephaniah 1:5) God severely threatens to cut off, and to destro…

So (Deuteronomy 29:20), "The Lord will not spare him, but the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven." See what dreadful effects…

This was the practice of David in the day of his trouble (Psalms 77:6): I commune with my own heart, and my spirit made diligent search. It has been a day of God's wrath in London, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasting and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess,…

The Church increases two wayes, and by two divers means extensively, in breadth and numbers, and intensively, in vigour and power; peace and prosperity cause the first, sufferings and adversity the last; and well may a day of persecution be called a winnowing day, for then were…

And this is as clear in Scripture as the other. It is the Lord that takes away the Fishes of the Sea, Hosea 4:3. Zephaniah 1:3. It is he that curseth our blessings, Malachi 2:2. This God does as a punishment for sin, and the abuse of mercies: And therefore in such cases, we ough…

Turn in upon your self (O my Soul) and consider, Hast you not been guilty of this crying sin? Have I not (when a Servant) over-reached and defrauded others, and filled my Master's House with Violence and Deceit? and so brought myself under that dreadful threatning, Zephaniah 1:9…

He that planted the ear shall not he hear; he that formed the eye shall not he see? Indeed the Lord professes to take notice of these men's ways in an especial manner, and to make privy search after them (Zephaniah 1:12). He will search Jerusalem with candles and visit such as s…

And therefore in all the threatenings they read and hear, though such as express the direful displeasure of the Lord, yet they take off the edge of all; they imagine it is nothing but a kind of policy in men who preach these threatenings, that so they might awe others by a prude…

Have not Gods faithful Messengers lifted up their voice as a trumpet, and cryed to them to repent? but many of these Tools in the Ministry have been spent and worn out upon rocky hearts. Hath not God lighted strange Comets in the Heavens, as so many Preachers to call men to Repe…

Do but secure yourselves from mans eye, and as for Gods taking notice of sin, you need not trouble yourselves, the Lord sees you not, he has forsaken the earth. Zephaniah 1.12. They say the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.