23. Colos. 3.9 10.1 Pet. 3.11 It is not sufficient that we turne from evil but we must doe good A negative Christian is no Christian. Dives did not rob Lazarus yet is condemned for not releeving him So those Matth. 25 42 43. c. Many would have God and their sins too like the Samaritans that served God and their Idols too 2 King 17.33 34 but he that turns to God must give a bill of divorce to his former sins he must forget his kindred and his fathers house Psal. 45.10 11. we that were sometimes slaves to sin must now become servants to God and it must be as natural and delightful to us to serve him as ever it was to sin against him As a vessel that is full of poyson must bee emptied of it before it can bee filled with better liquor so our hearts must be purged from corruption before they can be filled with grace Most pretend that they are the Lords people and that they belong to him but if we be his he saies to us as Iehu said to the men of Samaria when they complemented with him and told him they were his servants and would do all that he should bid them If you will be mine saith Iehu then cut off the heads of your Masters sons and send them to me 2 King 10.5 6. So if we be the Lords real servants we must cut off not the heads of our sons but of our sins nor sacrifice our children but our selves to God mortifying our beloved corruptions and then he will be our God and we shall be his people 4 Obs. The special presence of God with a people is a choice mercy Hence the Church so oft glories in this Psal. 46.1 7.11 The Lord of hosts is with us and the God of Jacob is our refuge and sadly laments the want of it Ier. 14.8 9 as the in-let into all misery Deut. 31.17 Ier. 6.8 Gods special presence is the glory of a place Zach. 2.5 God himself will be an impregnable wall of fire to defend his people and to offend their adversaries and their glory in the midst of them Where God comes peace and plenty consolation and protection and all good comes Hence they are pronounced blessed and happy that have the Lord for their God Psal. 144. ult as I have shewed at large elsewhere As the residence of a King is the glory of a place so Gods presence amongst his people makes them glorious Hence the name of Gods Church is Iehovah-Shammah The Lord is there Ezek. 48. ult hee is there as the founder favourer and preserver of it It is more to say The Lord is here than to say peace and plenty and all creature-comforts are here you may make what you will out of it for all happiness is summed up in this short promise I am with thee 5 Obs. Impenitent sinners may think themselves highly in Gods favour when he is greatly incensed against them for their wickedness These Israelites because they had some priviledges therefore they concluded that God loved them and would never punish them for their Idolatry bribery cruelty But they conceited that he would abide still amongst them as they had vainly said but the Lord tells them That he abhorred both them and their services whilst they walked in such irreligious practises vers 21 22 23. So it was in Iudah their Judges were corrupt and their Prophets covetous yet they lean upon the Lord and conclude that God was amongst them and for them still Micah 3.11 but vers 12. they found that he was amongst them to their sorrow VERSE 15. Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgement in the gate it may be that the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph THe Prophet still goes on with his Exhortation to Repentance he had to do with an hardened people upon whom sleight Exhortations would make no impression such hard knots and knarls must have hard beetles and wedges such tough humours must have stronger physick and therefore the Prophet that he might drive this nail to the head renews his Exhortation and calls upon them a fifth time to forsake their evâ—l wayes and to turn to the Lord who was ready to receive them Repentance consists of two parts The first is dying to sin The second is a living to Righteousness We have both in the Text. 1 We must hate evil there is dying to sin 2 Love good there is living to Righteousness Hate evil that is hate sin which is the evil of evils It is evil in it self and the cause of all the evils in the world Do not onely forbear sin and refrain from it for a time and then return with the dog to his vomit but hate it not with a sleight toothless hatred but with a deep implacable hatred such as men use to have against their deadly enemies whom they prosecute with the greatest violence Do good It is not sufficient that we shun evil but we must also do good We must not onely pull up weeds but we must bring forth good fruit for man matter and manner We must do good not compulsively and forcedly but freely Psal. 110.3 sincerely out of love to goodness cheerfully Deut. 28.47 and constantly Luke 1.5 6 7. Zachary and Eliazabeth lived in the dayes of Herod a known Tyrant yet they feared him not but kept their righteousness not onely in their youth but in their old age the Text saith they were well stricken in years yet they continued righteous before God 3 Because their Master-sin was injustice therefore he calls upon them to testifie the truth of their repentance by parting with their beloved sin establishing justice openly in the gate by setting up such just Judges as should execute justice faithfully and impartially without respect of persons q. d. Hitherto ye have neglected â—ustice Amos 4.1 and 5.12 and have made your lusts your Laws and have ruled according to your own will and not according to my will but now repent and execute justice then will I shew mercy and favour to you 4 The better to encourage them here is a promise of mercy The Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph The Assyrian had made great slaughters amongst them and left them but a remnant 2 King 14 26. yet he bids this remnant reâ—urn for then he would be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is to the remnant of â—srael as before verse 6. He had told them before vers 3. that God would decimate them and here he tells them that God would be merciful to this decimated Remnant if they would but return to him 5 To keep them from security the Prophet comes in with a peradventure the Lord will bee gracious to you He sayes not positively and absolutely The Lord will destroy you for then hee had made them desperate nor yet assertively that God would deliver them for that would have made them presumptuous and
should wee bee constant in Gods way and not bee like Planets or wandring Stars carried to and fro with every wind of doctrine Iude 13. 4 They have great Influence upon the creature though not so great as judicial Astrologers would make the world beleeve 5 Obs. Rain is the gift of God It is hee that calls for the waters of the Sea by whose vapours the clouds and rain are made and poureth them out upon the earth Iob 5.10 But of this at large on Amos 4.7 and 9.6 5 Obs. That second causes must lead us to the first cause of all The Prophet here describing the Physical original of the rain and shewing that the waters of the Sea were the material cause of it and the Sun the instrumental cause to draw up those vapours yet hee tells us that God is the efficient cause of all it is hee that calls for the waters of the Sea and unless hee move the other can do nothing Nil si prima vetat causa secunda valet Many talk of nature and study nature so long till they forget the God of nature and pore so much upon the creature that they forget their Creator 6 The consideration of Gods Omnipotency should humble us This is the reason why the Prophet so much insists on this point Amos 4. ult and 9.6 VERSE 9. That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong so that the spoyled shall come against the Fortress THe Prophet having set forth Gods Omnipotency in the works of Creation comes now to clear it further by his works of Gubernation and Providence hee can with ease strengthen the weak and destroy the strong there is nothing too hard for him In this verse wee have a Prolepsis or preventing of an objection whereas the Israelites might say Wee dwell in Samaria a strong fortified City that hath stood it out many a time successfully against its enemies wee have likewise a potent and successful King Ieroboam the second and therefore it is not for us to fear To this the Prophet answers that they had no reason to trust in these creature-coâ—fidences for the Lord could easily raise up the Assyrian who should spoil both them and their Kingdome Object If hee do come wee will flye to our strong Holds and Fortresses Answ. And I will send the Destroyer saith the Lord against the Fortress There is no power nor policy against the Lord all Forts and Fortifications are but vain if hee be our enemy God can send mighty Adversaries against us who shall destroy our Forts and us in them In the words wee have 1 A Position or Proposition God strengtheneth the spoyled against the strong 2 An Inference Therefore the spoyled shall come against the Fortress and take it The vulgar Latine and all the Popish gang that leave the Original and follow the Latine Translation render it subridet vastatorem God laughs at the destruction of wicked men But the word signifies to corroborate and strengthen and not to laugh or smile Others conceive that the Lord here threatens that if they did not seek him but would trust in their strength and creature-confidences and still went on to conremn his warnings he would send some weak spoyled contemptible enemy and strengthen him with the spoyl which hee should get so that hee should destroy them for hee gives victory to whom hee pleaseth and can make the weak to prevail against the mighty and therefore Israel ought to stand in awe of him and sue unto him for mercy This way the Chaldee Paraphrase goes But the Original favours the Geneva Translation which runs thus Hee strengtheneth the destroyer against the mighty and the destroyer shall come against the Fortress The original word Shod which our Translation renders spoyled is usually rendred a Destroyer a Waster a Spoyler a Plunderer Isa. 16.4 Let mine out-casts dwell with thee Moab be thou a covert to them from Shod the spoyler for the Extortioner is at an end the spoyler ceaseth and substantively it is put for devastation waste and spoyl Isa. 22.4 and 59.7 Hos. 7.13 So that wee may take the words either generally that the Lord is hee that strengtheneth the Destroyer against the Mighty when they sin against him and provoke him Or particularly as spoken to Israel it is the Lord that strengthens the Assyrian who is called the Spoyler by way of eminency against these Idolatrous Israelites who thought themselves strong and mighty And the Lord will bring him against the Fortress that is against the fortified City of Samaria and the other Cities and Towns depending on it Isa. 17.3 q. d. You think your selves safe and well because you are armed and fortified and therefore you sleight my Threatnings and promise your selves peace and think that none shall bring you down not once considering that you have to do with God and not with man who can strengthen the weak against the strong and hath many Destroyers at hand ready to execute his vengeance upon a rebellious people OBSERVATIONS 1 If wee take the words according to our Translation the Observation is That God can strengthen the weak and make them overcome the strong It is hee that strengthens one and enfeebles another Ezek. 30.24 and can make wounded men to subdue his enemies Ier. 37.10 He can make one Abraham with his family to conquer four Kings Gen 14.9.18 he can make a Ioshua to slay Amalakites destroy Midianites and subdue Canaanites Num. 31.7 We should not then kiss our own hands or sacrifice to our own nets but ascribe the praise of all our victories to the Lord who strengthens the wasted and the spoyled against the spoyler and can make Iacob a worm to thresh mighty Mountains Isa. 41.14 15. so Iosh. 6.5 15. 1 Cor. 2.27 Ier. 31.22 2 No Forts nor Fortifications can preserve a sinful people from destruction Though they should build walls as high as heaven and dig ditches as deep as hell yet if sin bee within all Fortifications without are vain as I have shewed at large elsewhere VERSE 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly THere are two great impediments that keep men from Repentance The one is a low conceit of God The other is an high conceit of themselves The first the Prophet removed Verse 8.9 by setting before them the glorious Majesty of God The second hee comes to remove in this and the following verses by setting before them their sin and misery that so if possible hee might fit them for mercy In this Verse wee have a second sin and cause of Israels ruine and that is obstinacy and hating of reproof This was their sinning sin which helpt to ruine them with a witness the Lord in great mercy sent Physitians to them but they abused them and like frantick Patients threw the physick to the walls they hated to bee reformed and cast Gods words behinde them The words admit of some difficulty The question
especially seek God who is the fountain of goodness that you may live indeed Judicious Calvin following the Chalde Paraphrase renders it Seeke beneficence at salva reverentia tanto viro dignissima I conceive this Exposition to be too strait for by seeking of good is here properly meant seeking of God as appears by comparing this place with vers 4 6. To seek God is to seek good and to finde life for with him is the fountain of life Psal. 36.9 2 I do not find the word Tob to signifie beneficence in any place of Scripture but it is rendred good pleasant profitable fair sweet joyous all which are very desirable things and therefore should quicken our endeavours after them 3 Yet I deny not but beneficence may be one branch of that good which is here called for seeing they had been given to violence and rapine now he calls upon them to return and by beneficence and works of mercy to break off their trade of cruelty and to seek God and all manner of good contained both in the first and second Table that so they might live 2 Here is a Prohibition Seek not evil any longer to which you have been addicted for so many years Amos 2.4 If you will be mine saith the Lord you must give your sins a Bill of divorce for no man can serve two such contrary Masters Shun evil i. e. all manner of sin without exception for Sin and Evil are Synonyma's in Scripture Rom. 7.19 20. that which the Apostle calls evil in one verse he calls it sin in the next Sin is truly called evil 1. Formaliter per se. 2 Effective 1. It is evil in its owne nature it is a transgression of Gods Law and is directly opposite to him who is the chiefest good 2. It is the cause of all the evil of punishment both in this life and the next Rom. 6 2â— Sin is the cause of Gods Wrath and Gods Wrath brings destruction and misery with it so that sin being Causa causae must needs be Causa causati 3. It comes from the Devil that evil one and leads to him and so may well be called evil 1 Job 3.8 3 Here is a double promise to incourage them to set upon the duty 1. You shall live of which before vers 4. 2. The Lord of Hosts will be with you if you will but return and bring forth fruits meet for repentance you shall be secured from wrath to come and received into Gods favour he will dwell in the midst of you and bless you There is an Emphasis and weight in that little word So Seek good and not evil and when you are so qualified fitted and prepared by holiness for communion with an holy God and your wills are made conformable to Gods will then he will be with you by his Wisdome to direct you by his Power to protect you by his Mercy to pardon you by his goodness to provide for you so as you shall want nothing that may be for your good according to those precious promises Levit. 26.12 13. 1 King 6.13 Psal. 84.11 Thus when the people were called to the Passeover they are commanded to prepare themselves and so to come 2 Chron. 35.6 4 Here is the manner how the Lord will be with them and that is Even as yee have spoken q. d. you boast and brag that you are my people my peculiar my inheritance my Children and that I will direct you defend you and provide for your safety but these are but your owne vaine dreams and delusions for you cannot be my people so long as you walk contrary to my commands persecuting my Prophets trampling upon my Poor hating righteousness and loving iniquity But if you will be my people indeed then walk as becomes my people Seek good and not evil returne sincerely unto me and then the Lord will be with you indeed as you have spoken You shall finde him really present with you to assist and comfort you but till this be done you cannot expect his favour two cannot walk together till they be agreed Amos 3.3 Others read it thus So the Lord shall be with you as you desire q. d. It is your desire and prayer that God should abide with you doe you seek and serve him faithfully and then you shall finde it true that yee have spoken But the former reading is most genuine The sum of all is this Hitherto your life O yee men of Israel hath been a series of iniquity you have followed Idols and evil but not good you have contemned God despised his Prophets despited his Spirit opprest the poor multiplied sin and yet you promise your selves peace and prosperity life and happiness beasting that the Lord is your God and you are his Covenant-people and therefore you need no fear But if you will indeed live then hearken to my counsel Turne from your Idols Worship the Lord in sincerity amend your lives and give up your selves to God walking in paths of piety and obedience before him and then the Lord will be with you indeed and you shall live in his favour for ever OBSERVATIONS 1 The destruction of wicked men is from themselves Hos. 13.9 The fault is not in God for he calls upon them here again and again to return and live and swears that he desires not the death of sinners Ezek. 18.31 32. 33.11 he gives them hopes of pardon if they will but come in and lay down the armes of their rebellion God is not to be blamed it is mens owne wilful impenitency that ruines them 2 Obs. Such as seek God shall find good Before he called upon them to seek God and now he explaines himself and tells them what that is it is to seek good Good is the object of our desires now there is none good but God he only is Essentially infinitely absolutely and independently good all the good that is in the Creature it is finite dependent derivative and is found eminently only in God All the goodness that is scattered up and down in the Creature meets eminently in him so that have him and have all The Devil the World and Sin promise men good but there is no reality in those promises They make golden promises but leaden performances they promise joy but bring forth sorrow they promise liberty but they bring men into thraldome But God is better than his word to his people and doth for them above all that they can speak or think Seek therefore him and you shall finde all manner of good for soul and body for this life and a better and after all changes you shall experimentally conclude with David It is good for me to draw near to God Psal 73. ult 3 Obs. It is not sufficient that we seek good but we must also turn from evil God hath oft joyned them together and we may not seperate them Psal. 34.14 37.27 Isa. 1.16 17. Matth. 3.10 Luke 13.7 8. Ephes. 4.22
have long lived in sensuality and security as if you had been far from an evil day and yet you are marked out and set apart for an evil day All the evil dayes which you have hitherto escaped do but lead you to an evil day from which there will bee no escaping But the words are better read actively according to our Translation setting forth the danger that attends voluptuous and sensual men whose belly is their God who lye upon beds of Ivory and sing to the sound of the Viol yet put the evil day far away Their work all the day long was to do evil and yet they put the evil day far from them with abundance of scorn and contempt And cause the seat of violence to draw near Here is a second effect and fruit of their security and that is Tyranny and Injustice Cruelty and Oppression They cause the seat of Violence to draw near This sin doth necessarily follow the former for when men are hardened in sin and security putting off the Threatnings of God and driving away all fear of danger from themselves such must needs grow outragious and cruel terrifying others with their Violence Oppression Rapine and Unrighteousnesse Amos 3.10 So much the word in the Original implies Iniquity acted by force and violation of Justice Quest. But what is meant by causing the Seat or Throne of Violence to draw neer Answr 1. Negatively it cannot be meant of the Assyrian or any other enemies power that was coming neer Yee cause the seat of Violence to draw neer that is say some by your sins yee cause the violent Assyrian and Babylonian to draw neer and come against you to your own destruction This is a Truth but not from this Text. 2. Much lesse can it be meant of causing any false feasts or Sabbaths to draw neer as the Septuagint mistaking the Original as they do very often do render it appropinquantes Sabbata mendacia as if they had set up false Sabbaths which God abhorred But this is far from the scope of the Text. 3. Neither is it put Antithetically by way of opposition to the former clause q. d. O yee voluptuous and secure sinners yee put the evil day far from you and yet by your sins yee pull it upon you persevering still in your oppression and cruelty you would fain put off the judgement from you yet you will not remove your sins which cause the Iudgement But the meaning briefly is this The Prophet chargeth them with their going on in their Luxury and Inhumanity oppressing and vexing the poor and needy which had no helper They were so hardned in their sin that now nothing but unrighteousness and violence reigned amongst them They had turned the Seat of Justice into the Seat of Injustice and the Throne of Majesty into the throne of Iniquity establishing mischief by a Law Psal. 94.20 rushing violently into sin as the Horse into the battle abusing their power to the abasing of their brethren So much is implied by the Seat and Throne of violence as appears by the like expression Revel 2.13 Christ commends the Church of Pergamus for her constancy to the truth and that in a place where Satan had his throne i. e. in a place where Heresie Superstition Idolatry and all kind of wickedness prevailed and bare sway without controul for where sin reigns there Sathan rules and there he erects his throne So these sensual and secure sinners had set up a throne of violence and a seat of iniquity that is they were come to the height of oppression and cruelty as being monsters rather than men OBSERVATIONS Three Observations do Naturally flow from these words 1 That God hath an evil day to bring upon evil men 2 That evil men put this evil day farre from them 3 That when they do so then they run into violence and outrage 1 Of the first That God hath an evil day to bring upon evil men As they have had their time of provoking him with the evil of sin so he will find a time to vexe them with the evil of punishment Such violent oppressors are the proper objects of Gods hatred Psal. 11.5 and though for a time they may escape trouble yet they are not delivered from it all their preservations from evil are but reservations to greater evils The Lord hath many wayes to deliver the godly but he hath no way to deliver the wicked they having refused all wayes of his appointment for their owne deliverance therefore as to them he knoweth many wayes to reserve them to the Day of Judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 When Beasts have been fatted in pleasant Pastures then they are brought forth to the slaughter Ier. 12.1 3. As God hath made all things for himself so he hath destinated the wicked for wrath Prov. 16.4 2 It is the property of wicked men to put the evil day farre from them They look upon Gods Judgements at a distance not so much as once dreaming of them till they light upon them They cry Peace peace when sudden and swift destruction is at hand This is usual with wicked men the god of this World hath blinded their eyes and they wilfully put out their owne eyes lest they should see that which would but trouble them and hinder their carnal mirth They cry Let us eat and drink even when Judgements are ready to fall upon their heads and if wee must dye to morrow let 's be merry before we dye Isa. 22.13 thus they are jeering when they should be fearing they take no notice of Gods Judgements they are farre above out of his sight Psal. 10.5 Let Noah warn the Old World one hundred and twenty years together of an approaching Judgement yet they knew nothing till the floud came and swept them all away and as it was then so saith our Saviour it will be at the end of the world Mat. 24.37 38 39. 2 Pet. 3.3 4. This hastens wrath when men cry the dayes are prolonged and because Judgements are deferred therefore they will never come this makes the Lord come suddenly upon such sinners Ezek. 12.22 27. Amos 9.10 Sensuality and security close mens eyes that they cannot see an evil day approaching Luke 21.34 it makes men feel trouble before they see it and to be past hope before they had any fear of hurt Wicked men when they are in prosperity they dream they shall so continue to eternity hence the Prophet brings them in making Covenants with Death and agreements with Hell and compacts with all other troubles that they should not come nigh them Thus they foolishly conceit and speak Isa. 28.15 If the over-flowing scourge pass thorow yet it shall not come nigh us Thus they make lyes their refuge and under falshood doe they hide themselves Notwithstanding all the Judgements threatned against them for their sins yet they vainly promised themselves safety and impunity as if they had been at a fee
Hence we read not only of the Levites Tenths but of Tenths for the Poor Deut. 14.28 29. and to these Tenths the text alludes and if the Iewes who had so many Sacrifices to offer and Tenths to pay yet must give another Tenth to the Poor shall not wee that are freed from those Ceremonial burdens be much more bountiful 2 Wee must be discreet in respect of the persons to whom wee give though we are bound to give to all that are in extream necessity Luke 6.30 Give to every one that asketh viz. if he be truly in need and thou art able to releeve him But especially we must succour the godly poor and communicate to the Saints necessities Gal. 6.10 we must give unto them Majore affectu effectu with greater love and greater bounty Ioseph shewed kindness to all his Brethren but Benjamin whom he loved had a five-fold mess. Those are near and dear to God and so they should be to us They oft meet with hard usage from the world and therefore we are commanded to supply what in us lies their necessities Rom. 12.13 Next to those our poor Kindred and the poor of our own Town must be releeved Deut. 15.7 and then Strangers though they be farre distant Gal. 2.10 yea enemies if they be in want must be fed by us 2 King 6.21 22. Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.20 Only such as are lusty wandring Beggers that are able to work but are lazie and will not wee must take heed of releeving such unless they bee in extream necessity and that with admonition There are two sorts of Poor in the world 1 Impotent Poor of Gods making 2 Impudent Poor of the Devils making 1 Impotent poor when God by Sickness Fire Shipwrack Persecution great charge of Children Old age c. such poor whose work is done must bee succoured by us Levit 25.35 2 But Impudent poor who are talkative brazen-faced idle dissolute and disordered correction is the best almes for such as can work and will not A rod is fittest for the back of such fools 1 God hath expresly said He that will not labour shall not eate it is not he that is sick and cannot but he that is able and will not labour shall rot and perish 2 Thess. 3.10 Prov. 20.4 2 Such as maintain them in this idleness sin against the good Lawes of the Land 3 Against the Law of Nature which teacheth every man by his industry to provide for his own 4 They are Theeves and eate up that which should maintain the true poor 5 By a constant releeving of them you maintain them in their idle trade harden them in their sin and so become accessary to all their abominations 6 The Godly that have been very tender to other kind of poor yet have been very terrible to these Iob that was eyes to the blinde yet made these to run and hide themselves Iob 30.3 4 5. Paul condemns them for their disorderly walking and commands us to with-draw from such 2 Thess. 3.6.10.14 They are the Devils Nursery and Seminary out of which hee chuseth some for Theft some for Bastards some for Murderers and all manner of villany Hence Plato one of the wisest Heathens allowed not any Beggers in his conceited Common-wealth as being a great blemish and dishonour to it 3 We must be discreet in shunning the causes of Poverty which disable us from works of Mercy The first is Idleness this wasts and consumes the estate so that in a short time a man cannot help himself much less others Idleness and uncharitableness were Sodoms Sins Ezek 16.49 the vertuous Woman is commended for her liberality to the poor but what inabled her for it why shee seeks for Wool and Flax and worketh willingly with her hands Prov. 31.13 14 20. 2 Intemperance in eating drinking pleasures and pastimes c. when men shall give five pound for a Dogge ten pound for a Hawk twenty pound for a Horse and forty pound spent on a Whore and hundreds in Drink and Tobacco when men shall thus make provision for the flesh to fulfill the luâ—ts of it no wonder if such cannot help others when they have beggered themselves Prov. 21.17 23.21 3 Familiarity with lewd Women The Harlot will bring a man to a morsel of bread and will quickly root out all a mans increase Iob 31.12 4 Pride when ordinary building will not serve sumptuous building breeds sorry-house-keeping So pride in Apparel eates up charity when men have such large Items for Silk for Satten for Laces for Ribbands c. when men shall carry Woods and Lordships on their backs no wonder if they have nothing for the poors bellies As B. Iewel complained sometimes that he had no Benefices to bestow on good men for Capon his Predecessor had devoured them all so these have nothing for the Poor for Dr. Pride hath devoured all 5 Rash Suerti-ship hath disabled many and therefore Solomon so oft cautions us against it Prov. 6.1 2 3. 11.15 9 Give constantly In the morning let us sow our Seed and in the evening let us not hold our hand Let us never bee weary of well-doing for in due time we shall reap if we faint not so long as there are poor to be releeved and we have goods to releeve them withall we should be distributing amongst them now the poor we shall have alwaies with us so long as the world endures so long the poor shall endure and therefore we must still be sowing As God is alwayes succouring us so should we alwaies be succouring our Brethren As he renewes his mercy to us every morning so should we renew our bounty we must ever be following that which is good 1 Thess. 5.15 Iob was addicted to it from his youth and in his old age he practised it Iob 31.18 As the Husband-man thinks it not sufficient that hee hath sowen his ground in former years but he continues his sowing to the end of his dayes so must wee in this Spiritual sowing our last dayes must be our best dayes and our works more at the last than at the first Revel 2.19 Constancy is one ingredient that helps to make an action Morally good It must bee done Scienter Volenter Constanter first we must know our duty and then perform it cheerfully and constantly and this serves to distinguish between the charity of the Hipocrite and the godly the one gives by starts and fits when the wind of praise and the weight of profit moves them but the righteous doth righteously at all times and that from a Principle of life and habit of grace within Hee that would see more may peruse Drexelius De Eleemosyna Taffin on Amendment p. 121 c. Synopsis Purioâ—is Theolog. Disput. 37. p. 473. Trapp at the end of his Comment on N. T. p. 1049. folio Clerks Mirrour chap. 19. p. 63. folio Mr. Wheatly's Poor mans Advocate Dr. Harris on Matth. 5.7 Perkins Cases of Consc. lib. 3. c. 5. p. 143.
and therefore 6 The Lord concludes with the usual Epostrophe Yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. Though they were thus sadly afflicted yet were they not bettered but remained incurable under all corrections OBSERVATIONS 1 Want of seasonable rain is a punishment for sin When God is angry with a People then hee with-holds the former and the latter rain from them God hath rain enough in store but it is our sins which keeps in from falling upon us his hand is not shortned that it cannot save but it is our iniquity that turns away good things from us these shut the Heavens and make them hard as Iron so that they cannot heare the earth when in its kind it gapes and cries for rain Deut. 28.23 24. Hag. 1.9 10. it is obedience that brings rain Those Cities that were rained upon in the text some conceive to have been godly Cities which hated Idolatry and worshipped the true God though the text will not bear such a glosse for God makes his Rain which is but a common Blessing to fall in the Wilderness Iob 38.26 27. and upon the unjust as well as upon the just yet it is most certain that Piety hath the promise even of Temporal blessings and such as are faithful with God in Spirituals shall have Temporals given in to the bargain Levit. 26.3 4. Hos. 2.21 22. Hag. 2.18 19. Zech. 8.12 Matth. 6.33 beware then of Disobedience Apostasie and abusing the Creature to intemperance or the service of Idols which provoke the Lord to strip us of our mercies Ierem. 14.4 5 6. wee finde the people mourning for want of rain but vers 7.10 you may see the procuring cause of that Judgement for our backslidings are many and we have sinned against thee and have loved to wander after Idols and this was Israels Sin here which more especially brought this Judgement on them 2 Obs. Rain falls by appointment and not by accident by providence and not by chance It is not the Sun the Moon the Starres or any other Natural cause much less any Idols that can procure raine but it is the Lords Prerogative Royal to give and order rain it is he that makes it rain on one City and not on another The Clouds are Gods Servants hee bids them goe rain here and not there and they exactly obey his commands Iob 37.11 12 13. hence they are called His Clouds Job 26.8 1. In respect of Effiâ—iency he causeth the Sun to draw up moyst Vapours and then turns them into Rain-water preparing the Clouds to hold it Hence God is called the Father of the rain Iob 38.28 36.27 37.6.2 They are his Clouds in respect of Subserviency they are no sooner produced but they are presently acting in their sphere and region for their Lord and Master one while raining on this Country and anon on that These are Gods Water-pots with which hee waters the World the Bottles of Heaven Iob 38.37 out of which God sends rain to refresh the earth and make it fruitful he crowns the year with his goodness when he makes his Clouds to drop down fatness on us Psal. 65.12 The earth is as it were Gods Garden the Sea his Cistern and the Clouds his Bottles to refresh the earth and mollifie it and make it fit for our service This is a great mercy let not the commonness of it take away the sense of it but let us fear to offend him who gives us rain God takes it ill when we slight his Providence in this particular Ierem. 5.24 neither say they let us fear the Lord who giveth the former and the latter rain q. d. what a strange thing is this that the sweet showers of rain have not softned your hard hearts and made you fear to offend him wee should fear him who hath not only Fire but Seas of water to pour on such as displease him Give not thou Gods glory to another many ascribe rain as the Philistims did their destruction to chance 1 Sam. 6.9 so say many this wind hath brought us rain or this Moon or this Planet or this Idol god the Prophet confutes all these in the text It is I that caused it to rain saith the Lord. Hence the rain is called His gift Job 5.10 Psal. 104.13 14. 147.8 Isa. 30.23 which is given sometimes in mercy Psal. 68.9 Acts 14.17 and sometimes in judgement Ezra 10.9 Job 37.13 Prov. 28.3 Ezek. 38.22 no Men nor Creatures no Idol-gods no nor the Heavens themselves can give a shower of rain without a word of command from God Ier. 14.22 and therefore the Lord commands us in the want of rain to ask it of him Zech. 10.1 so did Elijah Jam. 5.18 and hee promiseth to hear our Prayers in this particular 1 King 8. 35 36. 2 Chron. 7.13 14. Away then with those vain Prognosticators that take upon them to fore-tell rain and snow and the times and seasons which God hath concealed from the sons of men Rain is a future contingent thing and therefore no man can positively say it shall rain on such a day but not on such a day besides the text tells us that it may rain on one City and yet not rain at the same time on another The folly of such persons is sufficiently known to every observant eye Nulla dies sine errato let a man write fair weather when they write foul and he may hit as true as they Especially take heed of Iudicial Astrology when men take upon them to Calculate mens Nativities to fore-tell Warres Plagues Famines and changes in States and Kingdomes and all this by the Stars this is a Satanical cheat it is great folly and madness if you will beleeve St. Austin They bring people into miserable slavery who take upon them to fore-tell by the Starres the manners of men together with the acts and events of things This judiciary Astrology is the very Key that openeth the door to Witch-craft and Idolatry Hence we find South-sayers Astrologers and Idolaters many times yoked together as Dan. 2.2.11 Amos 5.16 The Devil delights to have men study this Art 1 Because it robs God of his glory and ascribes the foretelling of things contingent to the Stars which is proper only unto God Isa. 41.23 2 It is injurious to men and keeps them in perpetual fear and slavery telling them that if they be born under such or such a Planet then they must be burnt drowned or hanged c. When people beleeve not Gods Word then hee gives them up to these delusions Isa. 66.4 have nothing therefore to doe with those Pandors of the Devil and Brokers for Hell buy not their Lying Jugling ambiguous Books but burn them Acts 19.19 if such Books as derogate from great men must be burnt how much more such as draw mens hearts from trusting in the living God The Astrologer saith the learned Binchius sins against God against men and against himself because this Art is full of
may justly provoke the Lord to blast thy Corn indeed Little better is that of the Popish Processions about the Fields with Flaggs and Banners and Bables The best and only remedy in this case is humble penitential Prayer 1 King 8.37 38 39. to such the Promise runs If Blasting Mildew Locust or Caterpillars be in the Land if Gods people shall pray and know every man the plague of his own heart that is his Sin which is the cause of all other Plagues then will the Lord hear in heaven and forgive and heal the Land 2 Chron. 6.28 29 30. 2.7 13 14. 2 Obs. Loss of fruit is a punishment for sin and a sign of Gods displeasure against a people Fruit Corn Cattel Trees all fare the worse for sinful man God turns a fruitful Land into a Wilderness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein Psal. 107.34 and therefore when the Lord is angry with a People we read how he brake their trees with hayl and destroyed their Vines and Fig-trees Exod. 9.25 10.5 Deut. 28.16 17 18.39 40. Psal. 78.48 105.33 we should therefore over-look second causes and see Gods hand afflicting us in these losses Many impute that to Winds Frosts Blasts c. which are indeed the finger of God pointing to our abuse of the Creatures which provokes him to take them from us It will be our wisdome therefore when ever the Lord gives us plenty to take notice of Gods hand and praise him and when we want them to be humbled before him and to beg the restoring of them at his hand who gives to all that ask in faith liberally and upbraideth no man VERSE 10. I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Aegypt your young men have I slaine with the sword and have taken away your horses and I have made the stink of your Camps to come up into your nostrils yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. IN this Verse we have a Fourth and Fifth Rod where-with the Lord chastned this stubborn people viz. the Pestilence and the Sword Before they were smitten with the Famine which rich men many times feel not now follows the Plague and Sword as usual Concomitants on the former hence all these three are so oft joyned together in Scripture These meet with the rich as well as the poor yea the Sword ayms principally at rich men Souldiers doe not use to enquire where dwells the poor man but where dwells the Vsurer the rich Oppressor c. the poor scape best many times in such combustions Ier. 39.20 Q. The Question will be what Pestilence this was and when it fell upon Israel A. 1. It is conceived that the Pestilence of Aegypt here meant was not any one particular Plague but a complication of Plagues and specially the Fifth and Tenth Plague of Aegypt which brought Murrain on the Cattle and Mortality on men First there was so great and so grievous a destruction of Cattel that all the Horses Asses Camels and all the Cattel of Aegypt dyed Exod. 9.6 9. 2 All their first-born dyed there was not a house in which there was not one dead Exod. 12.29 Psal. 78.50 51. so it was amongst this people there was a sore slaughter both of men and horses The Prophet seems to allude to the dayes of King Iehoahaz King of Israel when the King of Syria made so great a slaughter amongst them that of the whole Army of Israel there were left but fifty Horse-men ten Chariots and ten thousand Foot all the rest were destroyed and made like the dust by threshing 2 King 13.7 Hereupon the Air was corrupted and the loathsome stench of so many dead Bodies helpt to bring the Pestilence amongst them In this Verse wee have these parts considerable 1 The Judgements inflicted which are two 1 The Pestilence 2 The Sword 2 Here is the nature of this Pestilence it is not an ordinary one but it is a most noysome grievous deadly Pestilence such a one as God inflicted upon his professed enemies the Aegyptians when Man and Beast suddenly dyed Ieroboam when he was in Aegypt learnt the Worship of the golden Calves this he taught to Israel and having made them like the Aegyptians in Idolatry and Sin the Lord now makes them alike in Judgement I have sent amongst you the Pestilence after the manner of Aegypt The words in the fountain are I have smitten you with Pestilence in the way of Aegypt it is an Hebraism used in other places as Isa. 10.24 26. Ezek. 20.30 and is as much as after the manner of Aegypt as our Translation renders it well q. d. As I sent sore Plagues upon the Aegyptians in like severity will I deal with you who have walked in their obstinacy and Idolatry 3 Here is the special Object or the Persons slaine by the Sword and these are their young and strong men Your young men have I slaine with the sword Young men are for Warre and more fit for service than old men by reason of their strength spirit boldness and activity Old men are for counsel and young men for action Young men in the height of their bloud sin with more heat and violence and so their sins are more displeasing unto God and therefore he oft cuts them off in the height of their sin 4 Here are two Adjuncts and Concomitants which usually attend upon Warre the first is the loss of horses I have taken away your horses and carried them into captivity with your haughty young men who trusted in them These are the strength of the battail but the Riders being taken the Horses must needs be taken with them 2 Loathsome stench and noysome smells I have made the stench of your Camps to come up into your nostrils partly by such as dyed of the Plague and partly by the multitude of men and horses that were slain and lay unburied and so infected the air 5 Here is the old complaint continued still yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. Though yee have been thus sadly smitten with all my great Rods yet all my labour is but lost upon you for you still contemn the remedy of your recovery and have not yet returned unto me saith the Lord. OBSERVATIONS 1 When lesser Rods will not mend a people God usually comes with greater Blasting Mildew Palmer-worms did not work upon this People and now comes Pestilence and Sword Gods great Rods to destroy them utterly 2 Obs. Iudgements especially great ones seldome goe alone Sword Plague Famine often goe together As men multiply Sins so God multiples Plagues and as they have variety of sins so he hath variety of punishments as I have shewed before on Vers. 8. Obs. 2. 3 Obs. Parity of Sin brings parity of Iudgement The Aegyptians were obstinate Idolaters no Plagues could work upon them therefore God destroyed them And this was Israels case they were obstinate Idolaters like the Aegyptians and now God
little Wheel sets the great one a going A little Defeat at first may become a total Rout at last Per scelera ad scelus one sin usually makes way for another Sin and error is endless wicked men when the Devil drives know not where nor when they shall stop or stay Prov. 23. ult Hos. 10.1 13.2 Ier. 9.3 5. Sin hath no foundation but runs on and multiplies in infinitum Ahaz that at first burnt Incense to Idols at last burnt his children to them 2 Chron. 28.3 as these Jews did theirs to Moloch It concerns us then to keep close to the Rule for if wee swarve never so little from that we shall suddenly run our selves into a Labyrinth of Superstition sin and error 3. Fore-fathers must not be followed in sin These Israelites forsook the Rule to follow their Fore-fathers in their Idolatry and now they perish with them But of this before 4. Idolaters are deeply in love with their Idols They hug them they carry them they kiss them Hos. 13.2 In Ier. 8.2 we have five expressions to set forth the strong affections which Idolaters bear to their Idols They love serve seek worship and walk after them as if they could never do enough for them They had as lieve part with their lives as part with them Iudg. 18.24 Yee have taken away my gods saith Micah and what have I more q. d. you have even taken all since you have taken away mine Idols which are so near and dear to mee They are married to them no wonder then if they love them Hos. 4.17 Besides they are gods of their own making Exod. 32.1 and 't is natural to every one to love its own workmanship 5. Idolatry besots men It makes men worship Posts and Pictures Stars and Planets Dogs and Cats Onyons and Leeks any thing save God As those that are given up to corporal uncleanness care not with whom they commit it So 't is in spiritual Whoredome Affection blindes the judgement and besots men Idolatry is a bewitching flesh-pleasing-sin which steals away the heart and therefore is compared to fornication Ezek. 23.2 to 18. which infatuates and steals away mens hearts The Whore of Babylon hath all alluring Ceremonies Altars Images Gorgeous Vestments Musick c. with many other inchantments to seduce men Rev. 17. 1 2 4. Hence we read of the delectable things of Idolaters Isa. 44.9 The sight of the Sun Moon Stars and all the host of Heaven should have convinced them of the Majesty and Glory of their Creator and have induced them to worship him but they being besotted and blinded by sin and Satan worshipped the creature instead of God and serve those which were made for their service Besides what man that is well in his wits will trust in such gods for safety as cannot save themselves from fire and spoil All their Idols the Calves and all Hos. 10.5 6. were carried away by the Conquering Assyrian according to the custome of Conquerers which was to carry away the gods of the Conquered Nations Ier. 43.12 6. God hath many Hosts and Armies at command Hee hath the Host of Heaven 1. Angels 1 King 22.19 Luk. 2.13 2. Hee hath Sun Moon and Stars even the Stars in their kinde shall fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 These Stephen calls the Host of Heaven 3. All creatures are his Hosts and Armies ready to execute what ever he commands Iob 25.3 Amos 9.6 Fear therefore to offend this Lord of Hosts But of this before 7. To worship the Host of Heaven is a great sin Hence the Lord upbraids these Israelites both fathers and children with this sin and threatens to send them into captivity for it This the Lord oft forbade them Deut. 4.19 and blames them for it 2 King 17.16 2 Chron. 33.3 5. Ier. 8.2 3. 19.13 44.17 Ezek. 8.16 and commands that he should dye that did it Deut. 17.3 4 5. Iob calls this kinde of Idolatry a denying of God and a sin to be punisht by the Judges Iob 31.26 27 28. How much greater is their sin which worship gods of their own making gods of Wood and Stone Crosses Crucifixes Images c. Idols which their own heads invented and their own hands have made yea that with five words of consecration can create their Creator and then worship the works of their own hands How great this Idolatry is Costerus the Jesuite shall tell you if saith hee Christ be not really and corporally present in the Eucharist then are the Catholicks the grossest Idolaters in the world 8. Will-worship is displeasing unto God When men make Gods to themselves they make Rods for themselves God will rid his hands of such and send them beyond Damascus yea beyond Babylon there they shall live in misery and slavery serving sin and Satan in the want of all things who would not serve God with joy and gladness of heart in the abundance of all things The Israelites of old made a golden Calf and worshipped the works of their own hands but it cost many of them their lives Exod. 32.27 'T is a good Rule De Deo nil sine Deo In Gods worship we must do nothing without the warrant of his Word Deut. 12. ult Mat. 28.20 all must be done according to the Pattern even to a Pin Exod. 27.19 hence 't is said nine times in one chapter That all was done as the Lord commanded Moses Exod. 39.1 5 7 21 26 29 32 42 43. VERSE 27. Therefore I will cause you to go into Captivity beyond Damascus saith the Lord whose Name is the God of Hosts WEE have all along seen Israels sin wee are now come to their suffering I will cause you to go into Captivity The Lord had freely given them the holy Land for their Inheritance to the end that they might serve him with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things but since they had defiled that good Land with their abominations the Lord resolved to rid the Land of them and to send them into captivity beyond Damascus which was fulfilled when Salmaneser took Samaria and subdued the Kingdome of Israel to himself 2 King 17.6 c. q. d. Since your Fore-fathers were bad and you are worse treading in their Idolatrous steps and out-going them in sin therefore I will bring upon you the judgements threatned driving you out of your own Land and despersing you in forein Countries In the words we have 1. A judgement threatned and that is banishment and captivity I will cause you to go into captivity 2. Here is the extent of this captivity 't is beyond Damascus saith Amos beyond Babylon saith Stephen 3 Here is the meritorious and procuring cause of this suffering and that is their sin implied in the Illative particle Therefore you have been Idolatrous superstitious hypocritical c. therefore you shall go into captivity 4. Here is the confirmation of this commination 't is not I but the Lord whose
sin yet mourn withall for the hardness of mens hearts so did our Saviour Mar. 3.5 so Lot reproved the Sodomites yet calls them brethren Gen. 19.7 and Moses in his zeal was angry at the people for their Idolatry yet prayes for them Psal. 106. So Amos here sharply inveighs against the sins of this People yet takes up a Lamentation for them Amos 5.1 and here intercedes for them Our zeal must be mixt with love though we may and must sometimes reprove men sharply Titus 1.13 yet must we not forbear praying for them 1 Sam. 12.23 so did the Vinitor intercede for the barren Fig-tree Luke 13.6 7 8 9. every Minister must be Adamas magnes he must harden his face like a flint and have browes of brass to oppose the wicked yet must he withall be a Load-stone by his amiable tender and compassionate carriage to win them to Christ lying in the breach for them and running hazards to save them from destruction Ezek. 22.30 3 As it is the duty of all the godly so especially of Gods Ministers to sympathize with Gods People in their misery and to intercede for them at the Throne of grace We must not only preach but also pray for our people as it is their duty to pray for us 2 Thes. 3.2 3. so it is our duty to pray for them especially in their troubles it is both commanded Joel 1.13 2.17 Ephes. 6.18 and commended to us by the examples of the Saints Abraham intercedes for Sodom Moses for Israel Exod. 32.31 32. Ieremy for the Iewes Jer. 18.20 yea so zealous was he in praying for them that the Lord is faine to bid him hold Ier. 7.16 How earnestly did Paul pray for the Iewes though they were his deadly enemies Rom. 10.1 Phil. 1.4 9. Colos. 1.3 9. 1 Thes. 1.2 As Natural fathers so Spiritual ones in a spiritual sense should lay up a stock of prayers for their People Thus the living are commanded to pray for the living Iam. 5.16 but we have neither Precept nor President of any that ever prayed for the dead now whatsoever is not of faith is sin but such Prayers have no foundation in the Word of God therefore they cannot be of faith Such prayers doe neither avayl the Saints in Heaven nor the Damned in Hell because both have an irrecoverable doome past upon them as is fully proved by a Learned Pen. 4 Our Prayers must be Argumentative Prayers We must stirre up our selves that we may lay hold on God using Arguments to move the Lord to pitty us So doth Amos here and so did Abraham Gen. 18.2 3 c. and Iacob Gen. 32.11 12. and Moses Exod. 32.11 12 13. Ezra 9.9 Neh. 9. Dan. 9. David Psal. 79.6 7. 88.9 to 13. 90.13 14. 130.3 4. especially we should press the Covenant so doth Amos here and David Psal. 74.20 5 In our Prayers we must plead mercy and not merit The Prophet here beggs for pardon and forgiveness because they were low so doth David Psal. 79 8 9. our Merit is Gods Mercy it must needs be so since all our righteousness is as filthy raggs Hence Nehemiah when he had done great things for God yet being conscious to himself of many infirmities he beseecheth the Lord to spare him according to the greatness of his mercy Neh. 13.22 So Daniel a man highly beloved yet beggs for mercy and for pardon Dan. 9.18 23. 6 VVe must be earnest with God for the pardon of our sin So is the Prophet here O Lord I beseech thee pardon the sin of this People He knew right well that sin was the cause of all their sorrow and when this peccant humour was once removed the effect would cease and therefore the Church prayes Take away our iniquity and receive us graciously Hos. 14.2 the godly can bear any suffering but not sin When the Plague lay upon the people David cries Take away the sin of thy Servant and then the Plague will cease 7 Gods owne people by profession may be brought to a very low condition both in Temporals and Spirituals So it was with Israel here which made the Prophet question By whom shall he arise He was brought so low that thee could neither raise himself neither was there any other that could help him up their strength was so exhausted that there was no visible effectual means of their restauration We may say of all Creature-comforts as Iob said of Wisdome Iob 28.12 13 14. Where shall Wisedome be found the Earth saith it is not in me and the Depth saith it is not in me c. so where shall ayd in troublous times be found The Earth saith It is not in me Friends say It is not in us and Riches say It is not in us c. It is only to be found in the Almighty we are never so little or low but he can help us there is nothing too high or too hard for him though Salvation be not in our Hills yet it is in Gods hand Ier. 3.23 he is the Lord of Hosts and hath all power at command and therefore the Prophet betakes himself to his Prayers as his best refuge O Lord I beseech thee spare thy people This is one reason why the Lord lets things run to extremity that he may drive us to our Prayers as we may see in Hesters case Now if ever we would raise a Land out of the duâ—t 1 We must raise our Prayers be servent in them it is none but wrastling Iacobs that shall become prevailing Israels Hos. 12.4 2 Raise your Faith this layes hold on God and ingageth him in the Quarrel whilst Creatures oppose Creatures they may make some resistance but when Omnipotency comes against impotency there is no abiding See what great things faith hath done Heb. 11. 3 Raise your Holiness grow therein be holy in all manner of conversation God never yet destroyed an holy obedient people such holy ones are the glory of a Land and upon all this glory there shall be a defence Isa. 4.5 VERSE 3. The Lord repented for this It shall not be saith the Lord. HEre we have the success and good effect of the Prophets Prayer he prayes in faith and is heard the Lord holds his hand and saith it shall not be so willing is the Lord to be intreated for to spare his Church and People The Lord repented for this He changed not his eternal Decree but suspended the full and final execution of it according to his eternal Decree When God is said to repent it is an usual Anthropopathy and speaking after the manner of men according to our capacity Gen. 6.6 Exod. 32.14 Ier. 26.19 for God is not as man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 and therefore it is added exegetically This shall not be it was no change in God but only a stopping of the execution of the Judgement threatned according to Gods Decree such threatnings being conditional as I have
wife Titus 1.6 It is one mark of Antichrist to maintaine that Doctrine of Devils in forbidding the marriage of Ministers 1 Tim. 4.1 3. This Prohibition of Marriage hath filled the VVorld with VVhoredome Sodomy Bestiality and Incest and therefore Paphnutius a famous Primitive Confessor though himself were unmarried yet mightily perswaded and prevailed with the Nicene Council that they should not decree any thing against Priests Marriage The moderate sort of Papists have allowed of Priests Marriages as Gratian Panormitan and others even Bellarmine himself confesseth that there is no Precept in the Old or new Testament against Ministers marriage and we in England are bound to bless God for the married Clergy How many Dods Dykes Wheatlies Whitakers Rogerses Byfields c. and other eminent Lights is this Church furnisht withall from the pious and reverend Clergy-men of this Land It is a choyce Mercy to a Land when the Lord shall raise up from amongst our selves Nazarites to serve in the Sanctuary Amos 2.11 Caut. Yet as all persons so young Ministers especially should not be rash and hasty in their Marriages but should get a competent Library first and some gravity and solidity that they may be able to walk exemplarily before their Flocks and that they may not dishonour this honourable Ordinance of God with any levity or vanity For the lawfulness of Ministers Marriage See B. Hall Epis 3. Dec. 2. and his Treatise stiled The Honour of the Married Clerg Zegedin loc com p. 444. Davenant Determ Quest. 43. Perkins 2. Vol. Demonstr of the Problem p. 574. Mornay de Missa l. 2. c. 8. Erasmus Tom. 5. p. 513. D. Willet Synops. Papis Error 83. p. 291 c. ☜ and Mr. Fox Martyrolog Vol. 2. p. 464 c. See more in the Index of the Book of Martyrs in the word Marriage B. Morton Protest Appeal lib. 1. c. 2. Sect. 32. p. 38. ad 46. Anâ—es Bellarm. enervat Tom. 2. l. 3. p. 131. Osiand Enchirid. Controv. contra Pap. Q. 21. p. 417. ad 456. Paraeus in 1 Cor. 7. Q. 3. col 448 Gerard. Loc. Com. Tom. 6. col 369. ad 434. CORONIS Hic praesentis Historiae sit usus ut Amasias qui hodie sibi in Ecclesia dominium vendicant caveamus constanter retineamus verae fidei confessionem quam ex Dei verbo didicimus Gualter The end of the Seventh Chapter AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS UPON The Eighth Chapter of Amos. VERSE 1 2 3. Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto mee and behold a basket of Summer fruit And he said Amos what seest thou and I said a basket of Summer fruit Then said the Lord unto mee The end is come upon my people of Israel I will not again pass by them any more And the Songs of the Temples shall be howlings in that day saith the Lord God there shall be many dead bodies in every place they shall cast them forth with silence THe Lord having tryed many conclusions upon this people and used all means to reclaim them but in vain he therefore sends the Prophet to them to declare their final ruine which he doth in this Chapter by the vision of a basket of Summer fruit noting thereby the ripeness of their sins and their neerness to ruine The Prophet had before set forth the Judgments which were coming upon this people by three Types and Visions 1. By the Type of Grashoppers and Locusts hee did shadow out the famine chap 7.2 By fire devouring the great deep is set forth War chap. 7.4 5 6.3 By a Plumb line is set forth the overthrow of the Kingdome and the Kings house chap. 7.7.4 We have here a fourth Vision where by a basket of Summer fruit is set forth the final destruction of the ten Tribes So that in this chapter we have the summe of Amos his sixth Sermon wherein is a Type propounded and expounded Or 1. A Commination of the total overthrow of the Kingdome of Israel set forth under the type of a basket of Summer fruit vers 1 2 3. 2. Here is an Amplification of this Commination the better to awaken these secure sinners set forth by a particular enumeration of those dreadful Judgements both corporal and spiritual which were coming on them and that in so dreadful a manner that the Sun should be darkened and no light of consolation appear The Land should tremble and every one mourn bitterly as for the loss of an onely Son vers 7. Desolation like an over-flowing flood should run over all Vers. 3. Their feasting should be turned into fasting and their prosperity into deplorable misery This is set forth 1. Metaphorically vers 9. I will cause the Sun to go down at noon 2. Plainly vers 3 to 13. I will turn your feasts into weeping and your beautiful Virgins and strong young men shall perish 3. Their Pastors should be taken from them and they should have a spiritual famine of the preaching of the Word it should be so scarce that it was not to be found vers 11 12. They had loathed this Mannah and now they should be made to know the worth of it by the wanting of it 4. Utter destruction vers 14. They shall fall and never rise up again 3. Here is the ground of this Commination or the Impulsive and meritorious cause of all this sorrow viz. the sins of Israel as 1. Their oppression of the poor vers 4. 2. Their covetousness and greediness after gain counting all time lost that was spent in the service of God because it brought no present profit therefore they say When will the New-Moon be gone verse 5. 3. Their deceitful dealing in falsifying weights and measures vers 5. 4. Their Idolatry vers 14. VERSE 1. Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto mee and behold a basket of Summer fruit THe Prophet begins with a Vision or Parable which contains the substance of the whole Sermon by a lively type he sets forth Israels utter ruine and to procure the more authority to what he spake he begins with his usual preface which he prefixt before his former Visions chap. 7.1.4.7 Thus hath the Lord shewed mee The Lord the God of Israel whose name is Iehovah the onely true God who cannot deceive nor be deceived he is the Author of this Vision I am but the Penman and rustick Instrument to declare it to you 2 Pet. 1.21 In the Verse it self we have 1. An Exordium or Preface Thus hath the Lord shewed mee q. d. I bring you no Vision of mine own brain but what I tell you I have received from the Lord the Vision I had from him and therefore in his name do I require attention 2. Here is a note of Attention Behold which is here an Eye-Ecee though oft in Scripture it be an Ear-Ecce calling upon men to hearken yet here 't is an Eye Ecce and calls upon them to see a Vision so 't is used Iohn 1.29 47. This word Behold like the hand in
large elsewhere other sins were Causae adjuvantes they helpt to ruine Israel but their Idolatry was the primary cause of that fatal blow and of their final overthrow 2. The Iudgement of men and the Iudgement of God differ much That which man calls here by way of honour a god that God calls by way of dishonour and detestation A Sin and abominable Ier. 16.18 44.4 Thus the world calls Riches Substance Goods Happinesse Psal. 4.6 but the Holy Ghost calls them Vanities Thorns Husks unrighteous Mammon the world calls Pride Decency but God calls it an abomination The world calls Covetousnesse Good-husbandry but God calls it the root of all evil The Masse with all its Superstitious rites Antichrist calls it Divine Service but God saith In vain doe yee worship me teaching for Doctrines the Precepts of men Satan loves not to have Sin goe bare-faced and therefore he usually puts a fair Glove upon a foul hand and calls Vice by the name of Vertue But God hath cursed those that call evil good Isa. 5.20 many think they highly please God and doe him abundance of service by their Superstitious Self-conceited worship but he tells them here it is their sin and shame so to doe So true is that of our Saviour Luke 16.15 That which is highly esteemed in the sight of carnal superstitious men is an abomination in the sight of God 3 Mixture in Gods Worship is a God-provoking Sin When we are partly for God and partly for Baal partly for Christ and partly for Calves at Dan and Beersheba this mingle-mangle and Linsi-woolsie-religion is very displeasing unto God and ruined Israel here They pretended that they Worshipped the true God in and by those Idols which they sware by but because God had commanded them no such way of Worship he utterly disclaims it and severely punisheth them for their pains 2 King 17.33 34. those that are said to fear the Lord and yet serve their owne gods in the very next verse are said Not to fear the Lord. 4 We may not swear by Idols It is a Deifying of them hence the Lord threatens to punish those that swear by them that are no gods Ier. 5.7 Zeph. 1.5 we may not swear by Creatures Matth. 5.34 35 36. Iam. 5.12 nor by any fictitious gods at Dan and Bethel as many Popish ignorant persons amongst us doe when they swear Ber Lady Ber Lakins by St. Anthony by S. Gys by the Masse by Cock by my Fay by my Feiks by my Feikins by my Truly c. All these are Oathes by Idols and by Creatures which our jealous God will not brook at our hands you may mock men with them but God will not be mocked his Curse will seize upon the houses where such swearers dwell Zach. 5.3 We all professe our selves to be worshippers of the true God yet our swearing by them that are no gods is a kind of renouncing the true God by whom only we should swear as him only we should serve God is very tender of his owne Glory and will not suffer it to be given to others Hence wee are so oft commanded when we swear to swear only by the name of the true and living God Deut. 9.13 10.20 Psa. 63. ult Isa. 45.23 65.16 Ier. 12.16 Oathes are one special part of Divine Worship wherein God is glorified in his Attributes of Omnisciency Omni-presence Omnipotence c. We beleeve that he knowes our hearts and is able to punish us if we perform not our Oathes or swear falsly and to this end we call upon him when wee swear Hence Isaiah Propheâ—ying of the calling of the Aegyptians to the faith tells us that in that day five Cities in Aegypt shall speak the Language of Canaan and shall swear by the Lord of Hosts that is they shall shew that he is their God by their swearing by his name Isa. 19.18 5 Superstition is a toylsome thing They goe here to Dan and Beersheba from the North to the South all the Land over after Idols 1 King 12.30 what pains and Peregrinations doe the Papists take in Journies Whippings and other kinds of Will-worship yet many amongst us will scarce goe out of their doors to hear the Gospel of Salvation Blind Idolaters shall rise in Judgment against the men of this Generation who take more pains in going to Hell than many doe for Heaven 6 Great Cities many times are the Seminaries of great Sins The Idolatry which over-spread all Israel is laid here at Samarias door which was the chief City of the Land and the place of the Kings residence from hence as from a fountain all the streams of Prophanenesse Superstition and Idolatry over-spread the Land here it was practised maintained and upheld and therefore Princes and Rulers should have a special care to keep the great Cities of the Land pure that they may be patterns of Piety and Looking-glasses by which the Country round about them may dresse themselves for such as the Mother such usually are the Daughters 7 Idolaters shall be utterly ruined They shall be at last so broken that they shall never rise more A good man may fall into afflictions and trouble seven times in a day yet he riseth again but the wicked shall fall into mischief irrecoverably and never rise more as the Antithesis implies Prov. 24.16 Iob fell into deep distresse yet at last he rose again and his latter end was better than his beginning Iob 42.12 but the wicked are broken as with an Iron Rod and dasht in peices like a Potters Vessel which can never be sodred together again Psal. 2.9 God strikes them through the gall so that all the Physitians in the world cannot heal them Iob 20.25 AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS UPON The Ninth Chapter of Amos. VERSE 1. I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar and hee said Smite the lintel of the door that the posts may shake and cut them in the head all of them and I will slay the last of them with the sword hee that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered IN this last Chapter which contains the last Vision and Prophecy of the destruction of Iudah and Ierusalem wee have the summe and substance of the seventh Sermon of the Prophet Amos which consists of three parts 1. A Commination 2. A confirmation of that Commination 3. A Mitigation or Qualification of this Commination with Evangelical promises of consolation and restauration So that this Chapter consists both of Law and Gospel of judgement and mercy which is the best mixture that a Prophet of God can use because all ingenuous natures are wrought upon either by judgements or mercies and those that neither of these can work upon are desperate 1. Here is a continuation of Gods Commination by way of Type or Vision wherein we have 1. The Vision propounded viz. the smiting of the lintel of the Temple door that the
this before Amos 4. ult Obs. 7. VERSE 7. Are ye not as children of the Ethiopian to me O ye children of Israel saith the Lord Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir THe Prophet goes on to confirm the certainty of Israels destruction from the sinfulness of their condition to this end first He labours to convince them of their Ingratâ—tude and Apostasie whereas the Lord had brought them in great mercy out of the land of Egypt where they lay buried as it were in a grave of misery and made them his Israel and peculiar people yet they diâ—â— ingeniously behaved themselves more like Ethiopians and Heathens than his beloved Israel and therefore as they had been like them in â—inning so now they should be like them in suffering In this Verse the Prophet by a Prolepsis prevents two Objections 1 Whereas they boasted that they were Gods people in Covenant and descended of holy Progenitors and therefore God would not destroy them A. To this the Prophet answers that in their wayes and walking they were more like to prophane Heathenish Idolatrous Ethiopians who were strangers from the Covenant of Grace and aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel than Israelites or the seed of Abraham since they did not the works of Abraham but of Infidels and therefore since they had made themselves thus vile by their sins God regarded them no more than the most contemptible Nations in the world and was resolved to deal with them accordingly The Ethiopians were a vile accursed Nation the symbole of servitude Gen. 9.25 Cursed be Cham a servant of servants i. e. a most vile slave let him be Now from this Cham came Canaan and his brother Chus who was the father of the Ethiopians hence they are called Chusiim as in the Text from Cham and Chus Gen. 10.6 The Interrogation is a strong Affirmation Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopian to me q. d. Ye are so there is an emphasis in that word mihi to me q. d. though ye excell other Nations in many priviledges and are honoured by men yet when you come before me what can you bring that is not mine all your feathers and favours are but borrowed and when I have taken mine own from you wherein are you better to me than Ethiopians or the most vile and contemptible Nation in the world In respect of Creation and by nature we are all alike both Saints and Scythians Israelites and Ethiopians we all come out of the same corrupt mass it is onely free-grace which makes the difference and therefore the more God had done for Israel the more humble and obedient they should have been But since they forgat the God of their mercies despised the counsel of his Prophets and hardened themselves in their sins the Lord tells them in plain termes that now he esteemed them no more than the most base and barbarous Nations in the world and this the Lord doth to abase them and make them know themselves who were stuft with such high conceits of themselves and their priviledges though they walked clean contrary to them in which respect they were inferiour to Heathens who never sinned against such light and love as they had done Obj. 2. A second Evasion was this The Lord hath chosen us for his own peculiar people above all the Nations of the world and hath delivered us from Egypt and brought us into Canaan and therefore though we do go on in our sin yet we shall prosper and no Iudgement shall come upon us as this precise Prophet Amos threatneth Ans. 1. It doth not follow that because you have been delivered out of Egypt that therefore you shall go unpunisht for your sin but the contrary since you have received such great blessings therefore you must yeeld answerable obedience remembring that they which have much of them shall be much required and if they offend they shall be sooner and more severely punished Amos 3.2 Dan. 9.12 2. The Prophet tells them that they had no reason to be puft up with this deliverance for the Lord had granted the like external deliverances though not alike in all circumstances to that of Egypt to Heathenish and Idolatrous people whom they lookt upon as Dogs and Swine The Prophet instanceth in two Examples The first is that of the Philistims whom the Lord brought from their slavery in Caphtor Jer. 47.4 The Philistims and Caphtorims are put amongst the posterity of Mizraim the Son of Cham Gen. 10.6 14. 1 Chron. 1.11 12. they expelled the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim which belonged to the Philistines and possessed their Country Deut. 2.23 The second instance is that of the Syrians whom the Lord brought from Kir where they served other Nations These are called Aramites from Aram the Son of Shem from whom they descended Gen. 10.22 these were grosse Idolaters and worshipped many Gods Iudg. 10 6. and especially that noted Idol Rimmon 2 King 5.18 There was a double Kir 1. There was Kir a City of special note in the Land of Moab Isa. 15.1 2. Kir another City situate in Media of which we read 2 King 16.9 Isa. 22.6 Amos 1.5 This was under the dominion of the Assyrians and this is the Kir in the Text. Some make this Kir to be Cyrene but there is no ground for that for Cyrene was situate in Lybia but Kir in Media under the Assyrians which is far distant from Lybia This deliverance of the Syrians from Kir is mentioned only in this place this they had from the Histories of those times which were then well known as they had many other things not mentioned in the Scripture as I have shewed elsewhere Some give the sense thus As the Philistines were ungrateful to God who brought them out of Caphtor and the Syrians when he brought them out of Kir so Israel hath been ungrateful to God who brought them out of the Land of Egypt But the genuine sense and summe of all is this There is no reason O ye children of Israel why I should respect you more than the very Ethiopians that accursed and contemptible posterity of Cham yea why should I make any difference between you and the uncircumcised Philistines or Idolatrous Syrians whom you have equalized yea exceeded in sin If you say that I brought you out of Egypt did not I also bring the Philistines and Syrians out of Caphtor and Kir you have therefore no cause to be puft up with these common favours It is true I have out of mine own free love to you exalted you above the Nations but since by your sins you have abused my favours and abased your selves I do now no more value you than so many Blackmores and Heathens OBSERVATIONS 1. To be born of pious Progenitors cannot preserve an impious people from ruine It will not avail men to say with those Jews Wee have Abraham to our Father unless