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,…

Nor do they think in their hearts that it shall be with them that believe according as God has promised. They say in their hearts, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil (Zephaniah 1:12), namely, as he has either promised or threatened. Men think that there are still…

As the brazen serpent here — might not Hezekiah have prohibited the burning of incense to it, but retained the thing itself, and have pleaded, though it was an idol, yet it is none now, as our formalists use to plead for these old popish ceremonies? No, for God will cut off the…

There are many threatenings and reproofs for this sin, both in the Old Testament and the New. Yes, the Lord himself threatens to take the work into [illegible] own hand, and to do it himself, if none else would (Zephaniah 1:4): I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place,…

They found guilt staring them in the face, and were willing to comfort themselves with the embraces of this doctrine, wherein they might find a security and ease to their prostituted consciences and unbounded liberty in the ways of sin. Those in Zephaniah were first settled upon…

The Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. And in (Zephaniah 1:7), the day of the Lord is at hand, the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has bid his guests. And then it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punis…

See 2 Kings 10:19. VIII. All of these were called by the special name Chemarim: Zeph. 1:4, "I will cut off the name of the Chemarim," that is, the Chemarim themselves, the priests of Baal, of whom he had just made mention. The same word is used in 2 Reg. 23:5 and Hos. 10:5 in th…

Nor does it matter in the least whether you call him a king or a lord. He is also called Moloch (Amos 5:26); and Milcham, with the ending and sense of the word slightly altered (1 Kings 11:33); and also Malcham (Zephaniah 1:5). The LXX renders Leviticus 18 as Archon, which is a…

Among these, zeal is an earnest affection of the mind, whereby we do follow the good, or flee the evil, so much as we are vehemently grieved with that which hinders it (2 Corinthians 7:11; Matthew 3:7; 1 Kings 19:10; Acts 18:25; Numbers 25:13). Here is forbidden the contrary, as…

But to affect their hearts the more, with reverence of him, his glory, or power, or mercy, or justice, which were most sensible in those things (1 Samuel 20:3; Matthew 5:34; 1 Corinthians 15:31). To which, if the names of Idols be added, as it takes away this use, so it is abomi…

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,…

And it may be here observed, that that Interpreter throughout the Epistle renders [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] by [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], Rab Comara; though that word be always used in an ill sense in the Old Testament. Three times it occurs therein, 1 Kings 23:5. where we r…

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…

A gracious heart says, let the Lord be the Lord, and closes with all the attributes of God, and with all the influences of omnipotency, wisdom, goodness, and justice on men, and of love, mercy, grace, bounty, forbearance to the saints, and to their own soul; this is to sing merc…

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…

2. THESIS. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament in many places set forth and command to ask for, follow after, walk in that one good way, to strive and contend earnestly for that one faith, to hold fast the truth, to serve God only; and on the contrary reproves, prohibits…

So in ver. 6. It watcheth for you; that is, you are asleep, and you think that Judgement is slumbering too, whereas it's waiting ready to take hold on you. Zephaniah speaks of the same day of trouble, with this in the Text, and stupendous Security is mentioned as a fore-running…

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.

Ans. He may not. For God has threatened to visit all such, as are clothed with strange apparel (Zephaniah 1:9). And Paul taxes it as a great disorder in the Church of Corinth, and even against nature, that men went in long hair, and women went uncovered (1 Corinthians 11:13-14).