Verse 1. The vision of Obadiah: Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; we have heard a rumor from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen: Arise yee, and let us rise up against her in battel.

THe vision) imports as much as Revelation; for as oft as the Scrip­ture makes mention of speciall visions which appeared to the Prophets, wherby the Lord meant the better to confirme them when he would have some excellent thing come to light, wee are to understand that God did it by Revelation, in those daies when the Scripture saith, that the word of the Lord was pretious, the reason was, because there was no manifest vision, 1. Sam. 3.1. So those Revelations in Num. 12.6. are called visions. The meaning then is as much, as if it had been said; There is nothing in this book but what the Prophet (being enlightned, and having his eies opened by God) sawe by speciall Revelation, Thus said the Lord God con­cerning Edom. Tind. translates it, Thus hath the Lord God spoken upon Edom. The Prophet deli­vered the word, the rod and execution was to follow, to make good that word: for it was not a fancy of his owne imagination, but the very word of the Lord, against Edom. Edom is a name of Esau given upon his greedy desire, or mocking his intemperance, who sayd to Iacob, Feed me I pray thee with that red pottage, therefore his name was called Edom, Gen. 25.30. But it is here taken for the inhabitants of the Country, which were the posterity of Edom. The Rabbins usually by Edom understand Rome. Galatinus de Arcan. lib. 4. c. 28. The Thar­gum say also that Iulius Caesar, and the succeeding Emperours, were originally of Edom. [...]or in Mal. We have heard a rumor from the Lord, and an Ambassador is sent among the heathen: The Phylistines assailed and molested the Jewes on the one side, by raising warre against them; on the other side they had the Ammonites, and the Moabites: And on the other side were the Idumeans, or people of Edom. They were of the Jewes bloud, in Isaac and Rebecca, the remembrance wherof ought to have turned them from all hatred, and ranchor, but they were trecherous, still plotting, and working to bring the people of God to ruine: There­fore the Lord sends the Prophet here to thunder a terrible message in their eares, Arise yee, and let us rise up against her in battel Tind. hath it, Vp let us arise, and fight against them: And the Prophet Ieremiah saith to the same effect; Gather ye together and come against her to the battel, Jer. 49.14. For God had sworne by himselfe that Bozra (the chiefe City in Edom) [Page 2] should be brought to ruine, and desolation: verse 13. a fearefull doome for all damme Cava­liers and enemies to the Church of God; God chargeth his people to gather themselves together, to fight against his and their enemies, and to admit of no peace with them.

Verse 2. Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

BEhold, I have made thee small among the heathen: Tind. I will make thee small: Al­though the wicked Idumeans rested secure in their abundance, & were become great, yet the Prophet tells them, that the time was nigh at hand wherein they should be scattered, and though they were a great Army, yet should there but a few remaine: For what can the wicked conceive in God, but an extreame security? and therefore when the Majesty of God commeth before them, they fall; but the faithfull on the contrary, receive great joy and sweet­nesse in the presence of God: Although the Lord should so sharply correct his people, as if he meant to cast them off, and suffer wicked men to domineere for a time, yet notwithstan­ding he will shew in the end such effects that they shall find how good the Lord is. By the Heathen here is understood all people besides the Jewes, all Infidells, Gods people onely be­ing taken from amongst them, Isae. 49.6.

Thou art greatly despised; some translations, thou art utterly despised; Tind. Thou shalt bee utterly, &c. All the heathen even those to whom they were most endeared, hee tells them were all ready to come upon them to helpe Israel under the leading of the Almighty, and that at an houres warning, whensoever he shall please to call them forth, by whom they should be set at naught and lightly accounted of, even as a base vile people not worthy of any respect or favour.

Verse 3. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee: thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocke, whose habitation is high, that saith in his heart; who shall bring me downe to the ground?

THe pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, Tin. hath lift thee up: The Prophet here tells them that they were so swelled with pride, that they thought that none was able to withstand them, but alas they did but delude themseves; for the Lord would so strengthen his people, and raise such a mighty power against them, as should bring them to ruine and desolation: Here the Lord shewes wicked men what all their cunning devices, and wicked treacheries against his people will come to in the end; God will so fight for his Saints, that their ene­mies shall be destroyed; yea God will turne the hearts of those whom they have wickedly seduced, [...]o fight with them against the power of Jesus Christ, that they shall helpe the peo­ple of God, rather then the Lord will see them or their cause perish: when wicked men grow most mad against the people of God, and do them most wrong, then is God nearest at hand to helpe: Ps [...]l. 27 2. Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock whose habitation is on high, Tind. In the strong holds of stones and hast made thee an high seate: These places were like Castles cut out of the Rocks, so that they were as clefts in Rocks, but high upon hills; So that it is as much as if the Prophet had said, oh ye Idumeans, that strengthen your selves with Castles, and fortifications, and think your selves secure in your strong holds, know this, that the hand of God can fetch you out thence; do not thinke that your Castles and Towers shall shelter your wicked design: That saist in thy heart who shall bring me down to the ground. They thought themseves so secure that none could conquer them: As Pharoah said, who is the Lord? Gen. so these ungodly Idolatrous heathens cried out, who shall cast us downe to the ground? oh thought they, is not Moab our deare friend, are not all the Gentiles about us at peace with us, and have we not the Jewes in subjection; who then shall do us any harme? who is able to cast us downe? why here the Prophet tells them that even they should be thus despised and brought to ruine, though they thought themselves so great that none durst dare to come a­gainst them, they should be conquered, they should be cast downe to the ground; God cares not for the lofty looks of all the Malignants in the world, when he comes once against them, he will throw them and all their Castles and strong holds to the ground, which is a great [Page 3]comfort to the Church of God, because he himself sends them to fight his own cause, and happy are they though they die in such a quarrel.

Verse 4. Though thou exalt thy self as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the starres, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

THough thou exalt thy self as the eagle, Tin. Wentest up as high as the eagle. They dwelt in a stony and hilly country, part of Arabia like unto the Alps, high hills, or as our countrey of Wales, a very large and barren place, Christianus Adricomius Annot. 5. in Chrogr. tabulam. In flying to these high hills, they thought to be exceeding secure, but the Prophet tells them that were their hills as high as an eagle could fly, above that height they are, it could not priviledge them from Gods Judgements, or be a sanctuary to save them from his wrath and displeasure. Let the wicked persecutours of the Church of God hide themselves where they can, let them be sure that when God comes to judgement, he will finde them out. Mich 2.10.

And though thou set thy nest among the starres. Here the Prophet derides the follie of the Idumeans, who resting upon their own security durst be so bold as to promise themselves continuall happinesse, even as if it had been in their power to bring the event of things to passe by their starre gazing sorcery, wherein we have a fair looking glasse to behold the foolish pride wherewith all the wicked are puffed up, and the damnable conclusions of their secret fury; as if by their own fancie they could govern all things, whose plots the Apostle Iames doth well discover, We will go into such a city (say they) we will buy and sell and get gain, and yet in the mean while they know not what shall come to passe to morrow Iames 4.13.

What have the plots of the Papists and wicked men been against this poore Kingdome of England? one while they are resolved to take us captives, to cut our throats, and to lay our towns and cities waste: when that will not take, then they seek the secret overthrowing of the Church and State. O what a damnable plot was that when they were resolved not only to blow up the Parliament house, and lay it waste, (when they cryed raze it, raze it, even to the ground) but to overthrow both Church and Commonwealth, and that Honou­rable assembly together, how often have they appointed our men for the swords & slaugh­ter, our wives & daughters for Rapes and Adulteries, & after to cruell murther, our children to have been dashed in pieces against the stones of the streets, as too many have been in Ire­land, our cities to have been fired about our eares, and all our wealth to be a prey for them? nay, have not some of late distributed the stations of the City amongst them against they came to plunder it, and to make our suburbs stables for their horses, but blessed be God they haue hitherto been prevented. God of his great mercy protect us ever from their fury.

Thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord. He threatens to overthrow them and all the means they have to establish themselves, that though they prosper a little by his suffering, yet they should faile of their hope, for he would destroy all that they had done. Let the wicked plot never so much against the people of God, the Lord will destroy all that they work, and frustrate their hopes, The wicked shall melt away (saith David) his desire shall pe­rish, Psalm 112.10. Let not any party though never so great amongst us think or imagine to establish themselves without the Lord, by their unlawfull meanes, and pollicie, for God will destroy them. The danger hath been lively before our eyes upon that connivence of ours, and with that strength they had raised against us: what if they should be peaceably suffered to grow with us? Is not that which Pharaoh feared of Israel, more justly to be fear­ed of these? for the Jewes never held it lawfull to take away the lives of Pharisees to depose them, or to raise Arms against their counsells, but these deny with Semanca in his instituti­ons, that Subjects are bound to Protestant Soveraignes counsells, or Lawes, and that there­fore they may rebell by taking up Arms against them, if they have power to doe it, Tit. 23. sect. 11. & 13 and Dominicus Bannes in 22 sum. Tho. quaest. 12. Artic. 2. Come [...]n (there­fore) let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply, and it come to passe that when there falleth [Page 4]out any warre hereafter, they joyn also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up. Exodus. 1.10.

Verse 5. If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off?) would they not have stollen till they had enough? if the grape gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?

IF thieves came to thee, if robbers by night? Some translations render it, came thieves to thee, or robbers by night? Tin. If the thieves and robbers come to thee by night thou taking of thy rest. The Prophet makes use of this example to make them sensible of the extream misery that was to fall upon thē, which should exceed the affliction of those that are robbed of thieves by night, as if he should have said, do not think it a small judgement, O ye sons of Esau, that is denounced against you, consider the terriblenes of being robbed by thieves who breake into your houses by night, put you into a great fear, carry away your goods, leave you fast bound, and perhaps take away some of the lives in the family, or torture them, to relate where the best jewells, gold, and silver is, and all this to come upon you on a sudden, in the still of the night, when you think to sleep quietly in your beds, yet shall this misery come far short of that which is denounced against you.

How art thou cut off? some render it how wast thou brought to silence? this is no more but the admiration prophesied of which should be all about them to see their sudden downfall, and the greatnesse of it.

Would they not have stollen till they had enough? Tin. should they not steale, &c. Here hee sheweth them that God will not take away part from them, and then goe away, for feare like thieves, when they come to rob, but would send such a judgement upon them as should sweep away all that ever they had.

If the grape gatherers came to thee, would they not leave thee some grapes? Some render it gleaning grapes. Grapes are never gathered so cleane, but they leave here and there a few behind, though there be not a cluster to eate, Mic. 7.1. but the judgement here against the Idumeans is so terrible, that there shall be nothing left, they shall be brought to utter ruine and shame, God will make them bare, and uncover their secret places, and they shall not be able to hide themselves, Jer. 49.10. O that the enemies of the Gospell of Jesus Christ would consider of this, for certainly if they do not repent, such a judgement will befall them, ei­ther here, or hereafter in hell: oh that the wicked roarers and cursing Cavaliers of our Land that rage against the poore lambs of Jesus Christ would repent, and leave the works of darknesse, and walk honestly, leave their voluptuousnesse, and drunkennesse, their cham­ber works, and wanton tricks, their contentions and malice, and come to walk in the light of the Gospell of Jesus Christ. Rom. 13.13. This would make England a happy Kingdome.

Verse 6. How are the things of Esau searched out? how are his hid things sought up?

HOw are the things of Esau searched out? how are his hid things sought up? Tin. But how shall they ripe Esau and seeke out his treasures? The Prophet here shews them how won­derfully God Almighty doth discover all their sinnes, though they be committed never so secret: wicked men doe not consider how the Lord doth eye and take notice of all their wayes, but he tells the Idumeans here, as the Prophet Zephaniah did the Jewes when their hearts were so heardened against God, that they would not regard his word nor his Pro­phets, I will search Ierusalem with lights, saith the Lord there, and visit the men that are fro­sen in their dregges, Zephaniah 1.12. There is nothing can escape the all seeing eye of God.

Verse 7. All the men of thy confederacy, have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee, have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee: they that eate thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.

ALL the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border. Tin. renders it, The men that were sworn unto thee shall drive thee out of the borders of thine own land he decla­reth that outward succour shall profit the Idumeans nothing at all, & shews with what pow­er the Souldiers should be seised. Now Idumea did not onely strengthen her self, with the men of Warre of her own countrey, but by a league which she had made with her neigh­bour Princes, she had strangers sent to aide her: He saith that they with whom the Edo­mites had made a league, even they themselves should break their oath, and raise their en­signes and garisons against them, and pursue them with the sword till they had driven them out of their owne land. The hearts of men are so in the hands of God, that when it plea­seth him he strengthens them to conquer, and at his will againe they are subdued and over­come. The Prophet declares that even the very same people that had bound themselves in a league, & sworn by an oath to joyn with the Edomites, even they should gather together against them, and drive them out of the borders of Idumea, that is quite out of the land.

The men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee. Tind. They that be now at one with thee, shall deceive thee, and overcome thee. He here confirms that which he said before, that even those in whom they had the greatest confidence, and thought that such a peace had been confirmed, as could not have been ratified, yet the pro­phet tells them that even in them they should be deceived, The men of thy peace in whom thou art so confident, they shall deceive thee, and prove thy ruine; which sheweth how vain a thing it is to trust in man: As if he should say that the Edomites playd the fooles to suffer themselves to be gugled with faire promises, for we need not doubt but their neighbour Princes were forward enough in promising mountaines, and wonders, although slow to perform any thing.

They that eate thy bread have layed a wound under thee. Tin. Even that eate thy bread betray thee. He further amplifies the matter, shewing how little confidence is to be found in un­faithfull man in the time of trouble: He is (as Salomon saith) a broken tooth, and a sl [...]ding foot. Prov. 25.19. The Edomites had put much confidence in strangers, and advanced them to great honour in the land of Idumea, with whom they did eate and drink, and live as one people, but see what confidence is in unconstant man, they bound themselves with an oath, but secretly wrought treason, they promised them that they should prosper by joyning with them, but when they once gained an opportunity they became their greatest enemies. A domestick enemy is the most dangerous of all, & of all domestick enemies the table enemies do a Nation or a person most mischief, because they are privy to most secrets: they of Tyre, & their other neighbors, that were so treacherous; are not excused for this, for though God suffered them to be punished because of their sinnes, yet did not God doe it for their ene­mies sake, but to make his power known to rebellious Edom. Thus saith the Lord, for three trangressions of Tyrus, and for foure I will not turn to it because they shut the whole captivity in Edom, and have not remembred the brotherly covenant. Amos 1.9 Breakers of leagues, ru­ces, and covenants are Rom. 13. ranked amongst such whom God in his secret judgement hath given up to a reprobate sense, Faederum tutor & vindex Deus est, God is as it were a tu­tour or protectour of leagues, and severely revengeth himself upon the breakers of them.

Yet must we take heed how we make covenants with Idolaters, and unbelievers, lest they draw us from the true service of God, to the prophane worship of Idolls, for they will cause thy sonne to turn away from me (saith the Lord) and serve other gods. Amos 1.6. And there­fore saith Paul be not unequally yoaked with infidells. 2. Cor. 16.14. Which similitude may teach us this lesson that the yoke so holdeth the yoked together, that either both must draw one way, and so may we be drawn to Idolatry, or else contention will breake the teame and yoake in pieces, and so occasion some mischief to ensue.

There is none understanding in him. Tind. Or ever thou perceyvest it. He shewes here, that God did not correct them so rigorously, is for good reason; for they were a people of none understanding, like those Isa. 27.11. a people of no understanding: therefore he that mad [...] them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, will shew them no favour.

For seeing that true wisdome consisteth in the fear of God (who is the fountaine thereof) doth not the Holy Ghost justly condemne all them to be blind earth-worms, who despise God to walk after their own inordinate lusts.

And yet such a blindnesse cannot excuse nor free us from being guilty of malice, for they that offend God doe it maliciously, notwithstanding they be hood winked in respect of the violences of their lusts: Ignorance and malice they are joyned together, yet so that this ignorance proceedes from a corrupt desire of the heart, thence is it that the Hebrewes call all sinnes generally by the name of Ignorances: and thus Moses saith, They are a nation void of counsell, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end. How should one chase a thousand, & two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? Deut. 32.28, 29, 30. Now every one may easily be drawn to subscribe to this, by consider­ing in himself, with what crooked affections he is carried away, for being once deprived of the light of holy doctrine, & destitute of understanding the devil sets a mā going with such head-strongnesse, that he neitner fears Gods hand, nor makes any account of his holy word. Hence lit is, that many brainlesse Bedlams are so ignorantly desperate in wickednesse, that they will not suffer their judgement to be convinced, that their cursing, swearing, drun­kennesse, luxurie, robbing, plundering, and murthering the people of God, will bring them to destruction, and damnation without repentance, and so go on roaring and domi­neering in the world for a time till they be met withall by the hand of God, in suffering the Devill to draw them to such cruelties against the people of God.