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ſorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing and yet poſſeſſing all things. That is a ſtrange connection, an old man and a new man in one man: but not more ſtrange and ſurprising than this in the text. A Worm threſhing the mountains, and that not ridiculouſly without effect, but more efficaciouſly beating them ſmall, in theſe words we have two things.
1. What the Church and People of God are. They are named by him who miſnames none, Worm Jacob. Their name from his nature is a Worm, they are poor, weak, deſpiſed creatures, ready to be cruſhed by the foot of every paſſenger: Yet Worm Jacob, believing, praying and wreſtling Worm as he was.
2. What they ſhall certainly and infallibly do, Threſh the Mountains and beat them ſmall, &c.
I find interpreters generally understand by the mountain, the great and lofty potentates of the earth, ſetting themſelves againſt the Church. And no doubt theſe were in the Prophet's View: but the view was not confined to them only. God's bringing down the Babalonian Monarchy at their prayers and the victories afterwards of the Maccabees over their enemies cannot reaſonably be ſuppoſed to complete the intent of this Prophecy. We muſt needs look to the kingdom of Chriſt for it, of which there is plainly an account, (illegible text) 17, 7 19 compare with Dom. ii. 34, 35 and we muſt carry on our view all along to the end of time. Rev ii. 26, 2. The rather that is the way of the Prophet, to wrap up in one expreſſion, temporal, ſpiritual and eternal deliverance: the deliverance from Babylon which was temporal being the firſt and neareſt in view. Iſa xxvi, 19 Thy dead ſhall live &c. but not terminating it. Here then we may conſider, (1) What Worm Jacob has to encounter, or yoke ⟨the⟩ mountains and hills, whoſe weight is ſufficient to (illegible text) him, difficulties quite diſproportionate ⟨to⟩ his ſtrength, as a (illegible text)
