Again, As the Lord shows their power, so near extinct that they could do no great hurt; so he declares his own will that they should not, vers. 7. For thus saith the Lord, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. There's no reason we should run for fear, when we are assured the counsels of our enemies shall not stand: They are confederate, but they shall be broken: they have taken counsel, but it shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. The counsels of men stand or fall at the pleasure of God. The opposition of all creatures cannot hinder one of his counsels, and all their endeavours cannot produce one of their own. Though a conclave of Achitophels (every one an Oracle) should lay a design, yet it is at the will of God whether it shall succeed. The policy of man is no match for God: thus saith the Lord, it shall not stand. Not stand! why? who is able to throw it down? by whose hand shall it fall? Syria and Ephraim are mighty in power, as well as deep in policy, shall their counsels be made void? The Prophet Amos knowing the weakness of Jacob, questions (chap. 7. 2.) By whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small? And the Prophet Isaiah, knowing the strength of Syria and Ephraim, might question, By whom shall these fall, for they are great? Yes, saith God, I assure you how great so ever they are, they shall not stand; I can reckon up the greatest of their strength, and the top of their confederacies, The head of Syria (that is, the chief power and strength of Syria) is Damascus (the mother City) and the head of Damascus is Rezin (the King of Syria) and in threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people; And the head of Ephraim is Samaria (I can tell you likewise what strength Ephraim hath, and who is the strongest person ⟨p. 5⟩there) The head of Samaria is Remaliah's son: I can soon cast up all the power of your enemies, I can go to the very head of it, it is but Damascus, and Rezin, and Samaria, and Remaliah's son, this is the outside of their strength. We may quickly see an end of all worldly perfections, both in power and policy. Now, that which is secretly implied and couched in this contemptuous account of Ephraims and Syria's strength, is, that Judah had such a head, as they were not able to reach, such forces as they were not able to tell over, much less to triumph over.
Again, As the Lord shewes their power, so neer extinct that they could do no great hurt; so he declares his own will that they should not, vers. 7. For thus saith the Lord, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to passe. Ther's no reason we should run for fear, when we are assured the counsels of our enemies shall not stand: They are confederate, but they shall be broken: they have taken counsel, but it shall not stand, neither shall it come to passe. The counsels of men stand or fall at the pleasure of God. The opposition of all creatures cannot hinder one of his counsels, and all their endeavours cannot produce one of their own. Though a conclave of Achitophels (every one an Oracle) should lay a design, yet it is at the will of God whether it shall succeed. The policie of man is no match for God: thus saith the Lord, it shall not stand. Not stand! why? who is able to throw it down? by whose hand shall it fall? Syria and Ephraim are mighty in power, as well as deep in policie, shall their counsels be made voide? The Prophet Amos knowing the weaknesse of Iacob, questions (chap. 7. 2.) By whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small? And the Prophet Isaiah, knowing the strength of Syria and Ephraim, might question, By whom shall these fall, for they are great? Yes, saith God, I assure you how great so ever they are, they shall not stand; I can reckon up the greatest of their strength, and the top of their confederacies, The head of Syria (that is, the chief power and strength of Syria) is Damascus (the mother City) and the head of Damascus is Rezin (the King of Syria) and in threescore and five yeers shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people; And the head of Ephraim is Samaria (I can tell you likewise what strength Ephraim hath, and who is the strongest person ⟨p. 5⟩there) The head of Samaria is Remaliahs sonne: I can soon cast up all the power of your enemies, I can go to the very head of it, it is but Damascus, and Rezin, and Samaria, and Remaliahs sonne, this is the outside of their strength. We may quickly see an end of all worldly perfections, both in power and policie. Now, that which is secretly implied and couched in this contemptuous account of Ephraims and Syrias strength, is, that Iudah had such a head, as they were not able to reach, such forces as they were not able to tell over, much lesse to triumph over.
