aright A. That you may seek the Lord and find him you must seek him 1 Early 2 Sincerely 3 Zealously 4 Sensibly 5 Constantly 6 Regularly 1 Those that will find the Lord when they seek him must seek him early in the morning of their youth whilst the day of their Visitation lasts To such the Promise runs Prov. 8.17 They that seek me early shall find me It was Iosiahs commendation that when he was young and but sixteen years old he began to seek and serve the Lord 2 Chron. 34.1 3. and Timothy knew the Scriptures from a Childe 2 Tim. 3.15 We must also seek him orderly seek his Kingdome in the first place both before and above all other things Matth. 6.33 2 Sincerely and cordially nor hollowly and complementally We must seek him with all our might to such the Promises run that they shall find him Deut. 4.29 2 Chro. 15.15 Ier. 29.13 Then shall yee seek me and find me when yee shall search for me with all your heart Thus David sought him and found him Psa. 119.10 never any mist that ever sought him in truth Psal. 145.18 If we be the genuine Seed of plaine sincere Iacob we shall never seek his face in vain Isa. 45.19 before they call he will answer such and will run to meet them as he did the Prodigal Isa. 65.24 Luke 15.18 19 20. Yea a wicked Ahab shall not altogether seek to God in vain and if the shadow can doe so much what will the substance and real seeking of God doe 3 We must seek him zealously and earnestly Magnamagnâ— such great things must be sought with fâ—rvent affections Deut. 15.5 fleight seeking loseth all Precious things are not easily attained Even the worlds wealth comes not with a wish much less heavenly treasures They that will have them must ask and if that will not doe they must seek if seeking will not doe they must be more importunate and knock it is not a bare Repetition but a Gradation Mat. 7.7 wee must seek as men doe for silver and gold with utmost diligence Prov. 2.4 let not the children of this world be wiser and more industrious for their trash than we for true treasure Remember that none shall be rewarded fully but such as seek him diligently Heb. 11.6 4 Sensibly See how we are undone without him though we were Lords of all the world yet without the favour of God who is Lord of all we are nothing Sense of our wants will sharpen our desires after him and make us resolve with David to give no rest to our eyes nor slumber to our eye-lids till wee have found him Psal. 132.4 5 Constantly 1 Chron. 16.11 We must never rest till wee have found him persevere in the use of all good means as Prayer Meditation c. resolve to take no denial importunity will doe much Comfort will come in the end and will abundantly recompence all our waiting Though hope deferred may make the heart sick yet when it comes it will be as a tree of life Prov. 13.12 6 Regularly We must inquire for the good old way of Pâ—rity and Peace and walk therein Ier. 6.16 we must not walk according to the superstitious Customs and Canons of men but according to the Canon of Gods VVord Galat. 6.16 Q. But what benefit shall I have by seeking God A. Thou shalt have Life and that is a very powerful motive life is so sweet and desirable a thing that the Devil could say Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job 2.4 Now Piety hath the promise 1. Of Life Temporal so farre as shall be good for the righteous Psal. 34.12 37.3 Prov. 3.17 22.4 2 You shall have Spiritual life Isa. 55.3 Ezek 16.6 which is indeed the onely excellent sweet and durable life Natural life is common every wicked man lives it and it is imbittered with many crosses and it last not it is a vapour that suddenly vanisheth but this spiritual life is a special comfortable endless life death it self cannot extinguish it 3 If this bee not enough you shall have Eternal life Joh. 3.16 and 6.51 and 17.3 VERSE 5. But seek not Bethel nor enter into Gilgal and pass not to Beersheba for Gilgal shall surely go into Captivity and Bethel shall come to nought TRue Repentance consists of two parts 1 There is terminus á quo from what wee must turn 2 Terminus ad quem to whom wee must turn In the foregoing verse the Prophet sets down positively and affirmatively whom wee must seek and to whom wee must turn and that is to the Lord. Hee comes now to shew us negatively what wee must not do and what wee must not seek and that is Idols Seek the Lord but seek not Idols God puts a But and Block in their way to keep them from them But seek not Bethel God can do all things but Idols can do nothing great reason then wee should forsake them and cleave onely to God who would have us first Table-men to worship him according to his own will revealed in his word and then second Table-men in righteousness towards our neighbour vers 15. In the words wee have 1 A Dehortation from Idolatry to this end they must Three places infected with Idolatry shun Bethel shun Gilgal and shun Beersheba 1 That Bethel and Gilgal were such I have shewed before at large on Amos 4.4 Bethel was the place where Ieroboam set up a golden Calf Gilgal was a City full of Idols Hos. 4.15 and 12.11 Beersheba was a City in Canaan where Abraham had formerly dwelt Gen. 21.31 32 33. here God appeared to Isaac Gen. 26.24 and here Iacob sacrificed Gen. 46.1 This made these superstitious people think that there was more holiness in this place than in others and therefore hither they came when God had ordained them to go to Ierusalem This City was afterwards allotted to the Tribe of Iudah Iosh. 15.28 and 1 King 19.8 yet it was inhabited by the Tribe of Simeon Josh. 19.2 It was scituate on the utmost South-border of the Land of Canaan as Dan was on the North. It was a City given to Idolatry as Bethel and Gilgal were and therefore the Lord giveth a strict injunction here that they should not go to any of them But seek not Bethel c. q. d. If you will bee my people you must cast away your Idols you must not go to worship the golden Calf at Bethel nor to the High-places and Idolatrous Altars at Gilgal and Beersheba for these places shall perish with the Idols that are in them Pass not to Beersheba The Kingdome of Israel was divided from the Kingdome of Iudah yet so mad were this people on Idols that they will post over the Country of Iudah after them when they had too many at home already 2 To strengthen the Dehortation here is a reason added drawn from the danger which would follow if they followed Idols both they
the Kingdome of Iudah for in Christs time there was no other Kingdome of Israel extant but that and that also was very low when Christ came as I have shewed on Amos 9.11 and by a Master in Israel is meant no more but a Teacher in the Church of God for the Church is oft called Israel Psal. 115.12 Galat. 6.16 Obj. It was fore-told that the ten Tribes should be made one with Judah and should returne with them Ezek. 37.16 17 19 22. A. This is spoken of Gospel times and implies a Spiritual not a Corporal returning of a remnant of those despised and dispersed ones in the dayes of the Messiah who should be united to Iudah and by the preaching of the Gospel be brought into the unity of the Church Shee is forsaken upon her Land Shee had forsaken God and now all desert and forsake her she had laid Piety and Justice in the dust and now God resolves to lay her in the dust she shall be smitten to the earth and dasht against it by the Assyrian with such force that like an earthen pot it shall never be sodred together again And which greatly aggravates their misery all this should happen to them in their own Land they should want men to help them in their owne Land as appears in the next verse They should be afflicted and brought low not in an enemies Country but even in their owne they should be slaughtered and enslaved in the sight of their owne Country which had been like a Mother and Nurse unto them and was dearly beloved of them It aggravates a Virgins misery to be slaine in the sight of her owne Mother There is none to raise her up God will not and then Creatures cannot Shee shall fall without any help or hope of restauration no neighbour Nation shall once reach out an helping hand to raise her out of the dust but there let her lye like one that is felled to the ground and not able to rise of himself and forsaken of all others must needs remaine as he fell so Israel should never recover his pristine splendor and flourishing condition though some remnants should remaine or as it followes in the next verse OBSERVATIONS 1 Sin layes famous and flourishing Kingdoms in the dust Those Maiden-Cities and Kingdoms which were never toucht nor taken yet if sin raign in them as it did in Samaria it will ruine them Where are the Babylonian Persian Grecian Monarchies which were sometimes famous and flourishing and the terrour of the world they are long since laid in the dust 2 Impenitent sinners shall certainly perish Though they may flourish for a time yet when their sin is ripe they shall come down and therefore the Prophet speaks in the Present Tense Israel is fallen that is he shall as certainly fall as if he were down already So Babylon that lives in Luxury and security shall at last be burnt Revelat. 18.7 8 9 10. 3 When God is against us all forsake us Israel is forsaken in his owne Land and so sadly forsaken that there is not one to raise him up The Land did formerly abound with men yet now they have none to help them in their misery to the dust they must and there they lye As God will not cast away the righteous man but will assist him in his troubles so he will not take a wicked man by the hand Iob 8.20 but as he brings them into trouble so he leaves them there Ezek. 22.20 29.5 his owne he will not leave and if men will not succour them yet he will Iob 5 19. Ier. 30.17 he will give his not only the grace but also the blessing of peace Psal. 29.11 Levit. 26.6 when our wayes please him then all are at peace with us Prov. 26.7.2 Chro. 30.9 4 God oft retaliates sinners and payes them in their owne coyn Israel that forsook God is now forsaken of all and those that overthrew Justice and opprest the poor are now overthrown themselves and opprest by others But of this see Amos 6. ult Obs. 8. VERSE 3. For thus saith the Lord God the City that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten to the house of Israel WHat the Prophet had spoken before in general now he comes to express more plainly and particularly viz. That the Kingdome of Israel should perish yet not so totally but that a remnant should be spared though the body of the people should be cut off yet a decimation should live to praise God So that in this verse we have the reason of the Prophets lamentation and doleful ditty and that is the great havock which God would make amongst this people he would cut off nine parts and leave but a tenth When the Roman Armies did mutiny the Commanders did use to decimate them punishing every tenth man But the Lord goes further here being incensed against Israel hee tells them that by the Sword by Captivity by the Pestilence and Famine hee would make such a slaughter amongst them that the City which went out by a thousand should bee brought to an hundred and an hundred to ten that is of a great multitude very few should return Such a woful decimation there should bee amongst them that very few should escape The like Threatning wee have set forth under another Metaphor Amos 3.12 As the Shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the Lion two legs or the peece of an ear so shall the children of Israel bee taken out of Samaria c. q. d. as a Shepherd when a Lion hath been devouring his flock findes some mangled remains of a leg or an ear so shall it bee with Israel some one or two shall escape the general slaughter and Captivity The City that went out by a thousand that is The City which had a thousand Inhabitants passing to and fro through the gates thereof or more genuinely The City which sent forth a thousand able men to the Wars or that could furnish and set out a thousand men fit to bear Arms shall have but an hundred left The Prophet seems to allude to that of Moses Deut. 1.15 where the people are divided under Captains over thousands and Captains over hundreds This Threatning was partly fulfilled in the three years siege of Samaria 2 King 18.10 and partly after when there was a great devastation of men amongst them Lastly To assure them of the reality and truth of all that hee had spoken hee brings in the Lord asserting it Thus saith the Lord God q. d. You have not to do with impotent men but with an Omnipotent God who both can and will execute his judgements upon the heads of the wicked The summe of all is this So few shall bee left alive after the long and hard sieges of the Assyrians that in those Cities of Israel out of which a thousand able men had wont to go forth to War now there should be left
this That it was in vain for them to trust in their Mountains Riches and strong Cities since other Nations with their Metropolies which were greater and stronger than theirs were now decayed and ruined That Almighty hand which brought them down notwithstanding all their Ammunition and Fortifications will also bring Israel down notwithstanding all their riches and strength Behold therefore as in a glass whither Luxury Oppression Security and abuse of Mercies hath brought those Cities and do you fear by their Examples The summe of all is this O yee Inhabitants of Jerusalem and Samaria that glory in Mount Sion and trust in the Mountain of Samaria Go and see what I have done to Calneh Hemath and Gath three potent populous famous Cities seated in three different Kingdomes viz. Babylon Syria and Palestina consider how I have made them a desolation for their sins and have brought their borders into a narrower compass though they were larger and pleasanter than theirs and were fortified both by Art and Nature Bee warned therefore by their example and go not on in your Idolatry Luxury Security and Obstinacy lest you also become a desolation like to them OBSERVATIONS 1. Wee should diligently observe and carefully consider the Iudgements of God on others We should not let a judgement passe that we see at home or hear of abroad without learning something of God from it As wee should consider his mercies to make us love him so we should consider his judgements to make us fear him Hence 't is that God bids his people here Go Go Go Go to Calneh Go to Hemath Go to Gath and consider what I have done to them for their sins Go not with your feet but with your affections go not in body to view the ruines of those places for that you may do and be never the better but in your Meditations go thither and observe Gods hand upon them to awaken you As a man may go to Heaven even whilst his body is on earth yet by Meditation hee may ascend thither so by Meditation we may go to Germany Savoy Ireland Poland and see Gods Judgements there Do not barely think of Gods Judgements but ponder every circumstance and rest not till you have suckt some benefit out of them and got your heart affected with them Wicked men never once think of God or his judgements they forget him daies without number and he is not in any of their thoughts and as for his judgements they are far above out of his sight or if he sleightly think of them that is all But you must know that there are three Acts of the Soul 1. Cogitation 2. Meditation 3. Consideration Cogitation is a thought and away Meditation is a dwelling longer upon an Object But Consideration looks round about and weighs all Circumstances of Judgements and Mercies that they may take a deeper impression upon our hearts and this is that which the Lord so oft calls for Hee would have us consider our waies to humble us Hag. 1.5 7. His Iudgements to fear us Iob 23.15 His Mercies to allure us 1 Sam. 12.24 His Word that wee may attain the practical knowledge of it 2 Tim. 2.7 This consideration fortifies the soul against sin it layes before us the losse and hurt which attends upon sin so that wee cannot rush into it with that boldnesse as the wicked and inconsiderate do Ier. 8.6 2. Gods Iudgements on others must awaken us Their destruction must be our instruction As Gods people here must go to Calneh Hemath and Gath so he bids them go to Shiloh and consider what hee did to that priviledged place and be warned by their woes Ier. 7.12 'T is a great favour when the Lord teacheth us our lessons on other mens books and backs making them examples unto us when hee might have made us examples unto them 3. Sin brings famous Cities to ruine Wee see here three famous Cities with all their Territories made a desolation for their sins Let men make walls as high as heaven and ditches as deep as hell yet if sin reign within it will ruine all Deut. 18.9 12. This brought the Kingdome of Israel into the hands of the Assyrians 2 King 17.7 to 19. and Iudah into the hands of the Chaldeans Sins especially crying sins do emasculate mens spirits and weaken the hearts and hands of a people so that they become an easie prey to a cruel adversary VERSE 3. Yee that put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to draw near IN this Verse the Prophet goes on with his charge especially against the Judges Rulers Counsellours and those in Power and Authority in the Kingdome of Iudah and Israel Hee chargeth them in this Verse with two sins which were the effects and evidence of their security before mentioned Verse 1. The first is the contempt of Gods Threatnings God oft foretold them by his Prophets that Judgements were coming upon them but they would not beleeve it but put the evil day far from them Sleighting Gods Threatnings as if they had been but fables and would never surprize them Though they walk in wayes of wickednesse adding sin to sin and daily provoked the Lord to anger yet they blest themselves in their evil wayes promising themselves peace and prosperity for all that They were setled upon their lees and lived without any fear or thought of danger giving themselves up to Idlenesse Wantonnesse Pride Luxury Violence and all manner of Iniquity not once thinking of the destruction which was coming upon themselves and the Kingdome Yea they counted it a loathsome thing as the word in the Original signifies once to mention the evil day They were so given up to mirth and jollity that they would not once hear of sorrow They thought themselves priviledged by having the Temple and Gods worship amongst them against all storms and tempests But the further they put away the evil day the nearer it was to them and though they could have wished there had been no such day yet their wishes were but vain for the Lord had decreed to bring a dismal day upon them and it is not the counsels of men but the counsels of the Lord that shal stand and the thoughts of his heart unto all generations Psal. 33.10 11. As they had their evil day of sinning so God was determined to bring upon them an evil day of suffering Q. But what was that evil day A. The evil day here meant was more especially the day of their Captivity when the Assyrian should come and carry away Israel and the Babylonian should come and carry away Iudah out of their own Land into Captivity and banishment This evil day the Prophet calls before a day of darkness and not of light Amos 5.18 19 20. The words are read by some passively thus Yee are separated and set apart by divine Justice for an evil day even for a day of banishment and slaughter q. d. Yee
strength it was their constant practise to rejoyce in a thing of nought and to trust in their owne strength By Horns here is meant the power dominion glory and excellency of a people It is a Metaphor taken from horned Beasts whose strength and beauty lyes in their horns So Deut. 33.17.1 Sam. 2.1.10 Iob 16.15 Psa. 92.10 112.9 132.17 148.14 Thus they said viz. in their hearts and thoughts at least for what words are to us that thoughts are to God his Word and Spirit search the inward parts of the Soul Ier. 17.10 1 Cor. 2.10 they thought they had made themselves strong and impregnable by their own power The Prophet seems to allude to the power and success which Ieroboam the second one of the Kings of Israel had in whose reign Amos Prophesied This King was very succesful and prosperous he inlarged the borders of the Kingdom and took divers Cities from the Syrians 2 King 14.25 27 28. So Iudah was very succesful under King Uzziah as appears 2 Chron. 26.1 to 17. these Victories and Successes made them proud and lift up their horns as if by their owne power and policy they had got the victory Thus they rejoyced in a thing of nought as if by their owne strength they had inlarged their borders and could now defend themselves against forreign envasions The Interrogation is a strong Affirmation Have we not taken to our selves horns by our owne strength See what impious Arrogance aud Vam-glorious boasting here is every word gives a crake Have not we taken Have not we taken to us have not we taken to us Horns yet more Have not we taken to us Horns by our owne strength They did all God did nothing he is not in any of their thoughts I have read of Pope Adrian who having built a stately Colledge at Lovaine caused this to be written in golden letters over the gate Utretch planted him there was he born Lovaine watred him there he got Learning and Caesar gave the increase for he made him a Cardinal one wittily comes after and subscribes Hic Deus nihil fecit God had nothing to doe here So these men ascribed all to themselves and shut out God Though the Lord by an Almighty hand had brought them out of Aegypt into the Land of Canaan and drove out the Canaanites before them and by a strong hand preserved them in that good Land yet so proud ungrateful and dis-ingenious were they grown that they sacrificed to their owne Net and assumed all to themselves saying Have we not gotten these Victories by our owne strength The Lord can now no longer bear with this Sacrilegious robbing him of the honour which was due to his Name and therefore in the next Verse he tells them That he will raise up a Nation against them that shall utterly destroy them OBSERVATIONS 1 The Creatures excellency is all but vanity Take the Quintessence of all the Riches Power Pomp Beauty Morality and delights of the World and put them in one scale and put Vanity in the other and they will prove lighter than vanity and therefore they may well be called things of nought But of this at large elsewhere 2 Obs. Such is mans corruption and madness that he rejoyceth in things of nought He dislikes what is truly good and delights in vanity Psal. 4.6 7. Hence Solomon spends the whole Book of Ecclesiastes in disswading men from this folly and madness St. Chrysostom tells us that if he had a voyce like Thunder and a mighty Mountain for his Pulpit and all the Men and Women in the World for his Auditory he would chuse that Text to preach on Psal. 4.2 O yee sons of men how long will yee love vanity 3 Gods Word is a critical word It discovers the thoughts and intents of mens hearts and layes their inside open so great is its power and efficacy Gods Word resembles God as he is the only Heart-searching God so his Word is the only Heart-searching Word It pierceth to the very Marrow and discovers to us our most secret thoughts and affections Heb. 4.12 and can tell us whether we delight in things of nought 4. Wicked men ascribe that to their owne power and policy which is due to Gods Power and Grace If they have success and victory they presently lift up their Horns and push at God that they may the better Sacrifice to their own Net and burn incense to their drag Hab. 1.15 16. Thus Senacherib King of Assyria boasted of his power and success as if he could conquer not only Ierusalem but its God also Isa. 36. Thus that Heathen that went forth to Battle being admonished to call upon the Gods answered that it was for cowards to pray as for himself he was resolved to try his own strength in Battle he did so and was slaine Let others kiss their own hands Iob 31.27 and ascribe all to Idols and themselves but let us with all the Servants of God ascribe the glory of all we are or have to God alone for what have we that we have not received from him 1 King 8.24 Psal. 20.7 44.5 6 7 8. 89.9 10.17 18. it is by the grace of God that we are what we are 1 Cor. 15.10 VER 14. But behold I will raise up against you a Nation O house of Israel saith the Lord the God of Hosts and they shall afflict you from the entring in of Hemath unto the river of the Wilderness THese words contain the Conclusion of the fifth Sermon which Amos made to this People We have seen their Sin before we are now come to their Suffering This people gloried in things of nought and would not beleeve the Prophets words but now they should be taught by blows and bee made to feel what they would not fear and therefore the Prophet begins with a but But behold q. d. you think by your own strength and power to subdue your enemies but I will raise up against you the Assyrian a mighty Nation that shall chase you from one end of the Land to another The Lord had told them before of Judgements in general that should come upon them for their sins now he comes to particularize the Judgement he tells them who shall inflict it on whom and how farre They had forsaken God and cast him off and now he forsook them they trusted to their own strength but God sends against them a stronger than they that should subdue them But I will raise up against you a Nation c. In the words we have 1. The Adversative Particle But. 2 The Note of Attention Behold 3 The matter to be attended I will raise up against you a Nation viz. the Assyrian against Israel and the Babylonian against Iudah for the bounds here set for the promised Land do imply both Kingdoms primarily Israel and Samaria and secondarily Iudah and Ierusalem as I have shewed on Vers. 1. The Kingdom of Israel was overthrown by
Verse the Prophet thunders against the secure and sensual Inhabitants of Iudah and Israel and especially against the great ones Qui ut divitiis sic vitiis primi fuere as they abounded in wealth so in wickedness also who gave themselves to Pastimes and Merriment in despight of the Prophets threatnings and that in a time when Gods Judgements were round about them Though Amos were primarily sent to Israel yet Iudah being partaker with them in Sin he all along in this Chapter joyns them together in reproof In the words we have 1. A Iudgement denounced included in the Particle Hâ—i Woe which is used three waies in Scripture 1 By way of Commiseration when we are grieved at the calamities which we see are coming upon a people Ier. 6.4 13. ult Micah 7.1 2 By way of Imprecation when we pray for the destruction of the incurable enemies of Gods Church Psalm 40.14 15. 3 There is a woe of Prediction and denuâ—tiation which is the Woe here meant where the Prophet fore-tells and denounceth Judgements temporal and eternal against this obstinate and back-sliding people Hee threatens them with a Woe of Captivity and general desolation here which was but a fore-runner of their eternal destruction hereafter And this woe of denouncing miseries against an impenitent People is very frequent in Scripture as Isa. 3.11 5.11 18. Ezek 16.23 Mat. 11.21 23.23 25. Luke 6.24 The Prophet had oft fore-told them of evils approaching but they were no whit awakened thereby but Princes and people still lay secure and sung a requiem to themselves putting the evil day farre from them therefore the Prophet falls to denouncing Woes against them the better to awaken them out of their deep sleep and security The Woe prefixt in the front of this Verse is to bee understood in the rest of the Verses as vers 3. Woe to them that put the evil day farre from them Woe to them that lye upon beds of Ivory c. vers 4. Woe to them that chant to the sound of the Viol vers 5. Woe to them that drink Wine in bowls ver 6. 2 Here are the Persons against whom this Judgement is denounced and those are 1 Secure wealthy sinners who lived quietly and carelesly at ease in pomp and pleasure without any fear of Gods judgements or any sense of his displeasure This more especially concerned the great ones of those times who took no notice of Gods hand on their inferiours though the Regions round about lay wast yet they lay snorting and secure in their fenced Cities making their guts their God and sleighted all his threatnings they were full themselves and they little regarded who else wanted 2 He thunders against Carnal confident-ones who trusted in the Mountaine of Samaria that is they trusted in the strength and riches of Samaria their chief City as if it were invincible and by reason of its situation impregnable They trusted not in God but in their wealth and walls 3 Ungrateful men God had made them the Head of the Nations and brought them into Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Honey and by his owne Almighty Power he planted them there and drove out the Canaanites before them Psal. 44.3 78.55 but they forgot the God of their Mercies and fell to Luxury and Riot He made them the chiefest most famous and renowned of all the Nations he had separated those twelve Tribes from all the rest of the World to be his owne peculiar people Exod. 19.5 Ier 2.3 they were to him as the flower and first fruits of the Nations whom he prized and preferred before them all To whom the House of Israel came This is another Priviledge these two Cities Ierusalem and Samaria were the chief Seats and residence of their Kings and therefore here was a great confluence of people both for Civil and Ecclesiastical affairs Iudah and Benjamin went to Ierusalem and the ten Tribes to Samaria 3 Here are the Places where those Sinners dwelt and that is in Ierusalem of which Mount Sion was an eminent part and therefore is oft put for Ierusalem it self à parte praestantiori fit denominatio this was the Metropolis of Iudah as Samaria was of the Ten Tribes Samaria is principally threatned yet because the other two Tribes were their brethren in sin therefore he threatens them with parity of punishment The inhabitants of these two chief Cities were more secure and sensual in the midst of Gods Judgements than other parts of the Land and therefore the Prophet deals more sharply and roundly with them and by a Prolepsis prevents a cavil whereas they might object that they were the chief of the Nations and all the people resorted to their Cities for Justice and for the Worship of God and therefore they concluded that God would not destroy them Yea therefore saith the Prophet God will destroy you because you sin against such Mercies and Priviledges OBSERVATIONS 1 The Scripture is full of Divine Rhetorick and Eloquence Carnal-worldly-wise-men look upon the Bible as St. Austin did before his conversion as a book of a low incompt unlearned stile This very sixth of Amos will in part confute such The Prophecie of Esay abounds with such a fluent divine grave and lofty stile that all the eloquence of Cicero and all the flowers of Demosthenes with the rest of those admired Heathens is but as Chaff to Wheat and Dross to refined Gold Hence the Scripture is compared to a pleasant Garden bedeckt with Flowers and a rich Garment beset with Pearls when the depth of learning that there lyes hid is uncovered then the glory of the Word doth affect us and leaves a deep impression of its excellency upon our spirits VVee should not therefore barely read the VVord but search the Scriptures and dig those Mines that wee may the better finde out the Golden Oare Iohn 5.39 VVee should also bless God who hath given such variety of gifts unto men for the good of his Church Some are Eloquent Orators Isa. 3.3 Others are Acute Disputants and mighty in convincing as Apollos Act. 18.24 28. Some are milde and gentle as Barnabas others more fierce and fervent as Peter and Paul Some excel in Prose others in Poetry as David who is stiled the sweet singer of Israel many spiritual songs are scattered up and down the Scripture but none excelled in that gift like David who was more especially inspired by the Holy Ghost and singularly qualified for that purpose All these hath God gifted for the good of his Church 1 Cor. 3.22 Observ. 2. Those that are highest in Priviledges may bee nearest to miseries Woe to Sion first and then to Samaria So Rom. 2.9 Wrath falls upon the Iew first and then upon the Gentile To be secure in other places was sinful but to be dead and carelesse in Ierusalem the City of the Living God where his Temple and Worship was this doubled their sin and therefore the Prophet
Emphatically sets a Woe upon their heads Woe to them that are at ease in Sion 3. Gods Ministers must denounce Woes against the wicked As they must proclaim promises to the penitent so they must denounce judgements against the obstinate They must make a difference to some they must shew lenity and to others severity Iude 22 23. What dreadful woes do all the Prophets denounce against impenitent sinners Christ who was love it self and in whom there was no gall nor guile yet how many dreadful woes did he denounce against the hypocritical Pharisees even eight woes together Mat. 23.13 14 15 16 23 25 27 29. If men will be so bold as to proclaim their wickednesse Ministers must be so bold as to proclaim their woes 4. Woe and sorrow is the portion of secure sinners Both Legal woes and Evangelical woes temporal spiritual and eternal woes The Law cryes Woe to such sinners and so doth the Gospel but Gospel-woes are the sadder of the two for if the Law say woe to us yet the Gospel may say mercy to us but if the Gospel say woe to us where shall we finde mercy 'T is true sinners may laugh and be merry in the acting of sin but woe and weeping is in the conclusion Luk. 6.25 The end is death Rom. 6.21 As all the promises of Grace and Mercy hang over the heads of the godly and drop blessings upon them which way soever they go so clouds of wrath hang over the heads of the wicked dropping judgements upon them even in their highest prosperity when they think themselves most free from misery The mirth of every secure sinner that goes singing to hell is no better than madnesse for where security goes before destruction ever follows When men cry Peace Peace then comes sudden and swift destruction Luk. 12.19 20. 1 Thes. 5.3 Secure Laish became a booty to its enemies Iudg. 18.27 Carelesse Ethiopians shall be made afraid Ezek. 30.9 And carelesse Daughters shall be troubled Isa. 32.9 10 11. God is much displeased with a people when the fire of his wrath shall beset them round about and yet they remain unhumbled and insensible Isa. 22.12 13. and 42. ult 5. God usually fore-warns us of woe before hee sends woe Hee first cuts men down with the sword of his mouth before he cuts them off with the sword of his hand Hee delights not to take sinners at an advantage but loves to exercise his patience towards them that they might repent as wee see in both the destructions of Ierusalem the one by the Caldeans which was fore-told by the Prophets and the other by the Romans which was fore-told by Christ. But of this at large elsewhere 6. Carnal Confidence ruines a Land When men forsake God and trust in men and mountains in Kings and Kingdomes in Guards and Garrisons both they and their creature-confidences shall perish for as there is no policy so there is no power or fortifications that can defend us against God Prov. 21.30 31. Use means wee may but we must not Idolize them prepare armies and strong-holds but not trust in them They are branded that trust in Riches Psal. 52.7 9. and cursed that trust in men Jer. 17.5 6. 7. Ingratitude is a God-provoking and a Land-destroying sin God had made this people the head of the Nations and chose them for himself from amongst the Nations but they fought against God with his own blessings and as they were increased so they sinned against him abusing the good Land which hee had given them to Idolatry riot and excess till at last the Land spewed them out VERSE 2. Pass yee on to Calneh and see and from thence go to Hemath the great then go down to Gath of the Philistims bee they better than these Kingdomes or their borders greater than your borders THE Prophet goes on to awaken Israel and Iudah out of their security and to drive them from their carnal confidence in their Mountains Ammunition and fortified Cities to this end hee sets before them Gods Judgements on the Assyrians Caldeans and Philistims those Idolatrous and Heathenish Nations whose bounds were larger and their Cities stronger than theirs Hee instanceth in three Calneh Hamath and Gath. 1. Calneh this was an ancient wealthy great City built by Nimrod after the Flood in the Territories of Babylon Gen. 10.10 It was afterwards inlarged by the Parthians and called Ctesiphon and was made the Metropolis of the Kingdome 2. Hamath called here the great and mighty City to distinguish it from a City of that name in the Land of Israel Iosh. 19.32 35. It lay on the North side of Israel and was a boundary of the promised Land Numb 13.21 34.8 Zach. 9.2 'T was built by Antiochus and thereupon called Antiochia and was the Metropolis of Syria 'T was destroyed by the Assyrian for all its power and greatness Isa. 10.9 3. Gath a strong City of the Philistims well known to Israel for its enmity against them 2 Sam. 1.20 'T was at last taken its walls were broken down and it made tributary to others 2 Chron. 26.6 These bordering famous Cities were well known to them and therefore the Lord instanceth in them though under them synecdochically other flourishing Cities which were made a desolation may also bee included Hee bids them See and diligently consider the downfall of those places that their falls might make them fear and flye from security oppression and carnal-confidence lest they bee ruined as these were and they bee made an example unto others since they will not bee warned by others Bee they better than these Kingdomes or the borders of their Land greater than your borders These words admit of some difficulty Some make the Interrogation a Negation q. d. Are these Nations better than yours in no wise for do but compare your Kingdome of Iudah and Israel with those Kingdomes your Cities with their Cities and your borders with theirs and it will easily appear that none of those Nations are better than your Nation for either they are Tributary to others or ruined God hath done more for you than for them in many respects the greater is your sin and the sorer will your punishment bee if you abuse so pleasant a Land and such rich mercies to the dishonour of him that gave them Thus they bring in the Lord upbraiding them for their ingratitude that they had not rendred according to the mercies hee had shewed them This sense is good and many learned men go this way and though it must bee acknowleded that if wee look on Canaan Israels Land with all its priviledges it was the glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.15 yet other Nations might surpass it for strength and greatness of Cities for largeness of borders and for amenity and fruitfulness of soil as Babylon did But with submission to better judgements I conceive the Interrogation to bee here an Assertion and the genuine sense of the place to bee