8. The fifth property in faithfulnesse if we take it more generally for firmnesse and stability and real truth of a thing as it is when joyned with mercy as Psal 57.3 it teacheth that however there be many impossible like things promised in the Covenant and all of it depending on free-mercy and however the confederate may be oft-times ready to faile and doth faile on his part yet considering the fidelity of God and that he undertakes for both parties it shall prove a firme and stable Covenant But if we understand the word more particularly for faith as it is used Hab. 2.4 then it teacheth that the condition required on mans part in this Covenant is true faith whereby he renounceth himself and layeth hold on the offer and by resting on the Word wherein the offer is made cometh at length to real performance of what is promised in the Covenant as Luk. 1.45 9. That which is subjoyned and thou shalt know the Lord may comprehend both Gods undertaking to work in them what the Covenant requires whether faith as this word imports Isa 53.11 or all other Covenant-dispositions or fruits of saving faith as Jer. 31.34 and the effects of their embracing the Covenant in experimental tasting what he is And so it teacheth 1. God is the undertaker for and worker in his people of all that is required on their part for entring in and keeping Covenant with him It is his promise thou shalt know the Lord. 2. A right and sanctified knowledge of God is the root and companion of all sanctified graces and Covenant-dispositions Therefore all are comprehended in this to know the Lord Faith gets that name not only because of the certitude and evidence it brings with it but because it is begotten by his Word and knowledge of him in it and is cherished and confirmed by taking him up still more as he is revealed there as Psal 9.10 2 Tim. 1.12 and other graces flow from this faith and are cherished by studying to know him with whom we have to do 3. When sinners get grace to close with God in the Covenant then he will communicate himself his hid Manna and rich love unto them the nearer they come to him they shall know the more of his excellency and fulnesse and they shall experimentally know what a partie he is with whom they are confederate how like himself in his dealing and how far above their shallow conceptions For then they shall know the Lord indeed See Num. 23.19 2 Sam. 7.19 Isa 55.8 9. Hosea 11.9 Vers 21. And it shall come to passe in that day I will hear saith the LORD I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth 22. And the earth shall hear the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Jezreel The sixth ground of consolation is a promise of plenty and outward meanes of subsistence which is a fruit of Marriage when he communicates as it were of his estate with her whom he betrotheth The Lord promiseth that all the creatures should so to say concurre to seek to be employed to furnish Israel and God should so blesse the order and influence of second causes as they should evidently see God blessing them who had been Jezreel the scattered of the Lord but will be then Jezreel the seed of the Lord as the next verse intimateth Whence learne 1. While the Lords people are within time they may read their own frailty in needing so many things to uphold even their outward man For they need a blessing upon heaven and earth to furnish food to them It were good so to be comforted by the promises as to read them still speaking humility to us 2. Outward mercies do so far follow on the Covenant as the confederate may be free of fear and anxiety about them For so much doth this promise assure all beside what it may promise to Israel after their conversion or what the Lord may give to his people at some time Albeit the Lord do not alwayes see it meet to heap plenty of corne and wine and oyle upon his people yet they get still as much as with godlinesse and contentment makes them not only subsist but be as well as when they have most and they may be as free of anxiety in greatest wants as if they had greatest plenty For when they seek the best things other things will certainly be added Matth. 6.33 when God hath given them his own Son he will not deny lesser things when they are needed Rom. 8.32 and his providence in hearing the need of creatures may ease them 3. God is so tender a respector of necessities that he hath an ear to hear the dumb cries of very insensible creatures in their need and that they may be useful one to another especially for the good of his people For when the heaven is made iron it hath a cry which he will hear for the good of inferiour creatures and of his people I will hear saith the LORD I will hear the Heavens The repetition holdeth forth the certainty of it 4. Gods reconciled people are to read not only Gods love in their plenty but that all the Creation which groan under mans sin do in their kinde with a good-will concurre to serve him who is now at peace with their Maker So much may be gathered also from their calling one to another in their order and to God that they may be blessed for the good of his people 6. The Lord sets a mark of excellency upon man and especially on his Church in that so many things concurre to serve them and provide for them For here heavens and earth concurre for this end 6. Whatever it be that one creature affords unto another or may be in the course of nature expected from it yet every creature in it self is empty and must be supplied by God before it satisfie any For let the Earth call to the Heavens for ordinary rain and influence yet they cannot afford it till God hear them 7. As the Lord is not to be tempted but waited on in his established order for any thing as here they must expect to be fed by corne and wine and oyle coming in Gods established course of nature So we are not to rest on any such order or course of nature but to see Gods hand in it who establisheth and blesseth it for such ends For the corne and wine and oyle hear Jezreel not answering any prayers made to them but supplying these necessities which they are appointed for and the earth doth bring forth these and the heavens give influence for that end yet so as it is God who maketh all these so to do and he is to be seen doing so Not that he hears only the heavens and then they hear all the rest of second causes but that beginning at the heavens he blesses their plenty in all the steps of second causes even to the putting a blessing in it when it is produced For
for in answer to their short petition do good all these promises are made His knowledge of our case and his love to us is infinitly beyond any skill or love that is in our selves See Ephes 3.20 3. Israel will yet be made to revive and flourish and Gods blessing will make that Nation not only become a Church but prosper in that state For this promise is expressely made concerning them who have now so long time layn under the sad effects of the formerly denounced threatenings 4. As all the prosperity of a Church or particular persons floweth from divine influence and blessing and so they have nothing to boast of in themselves So a penitent and pardoned people may expect that God will make them to revive and flourish through his blessing For unto Israel unto whom the former promise is made v. 4. it is likewise added I will be as the dew to Israel to make him fruitful and flourishing as trees and flowers are through dew and rain 5. Such is the compleat and perfect blessednesse of a people or person who abides under the drop of Gods influence and grace that no one similitude can expresse it Therefore are so many conjoyned here because no one of them could set it out fully for a lilly though it set out their amiable condition by its beautifulnesse yet it is but fading and so comes short and this want must be made up by another similitude of casting forth his roots as Lebanon or taking deep root as trees do there that so they may endure Again though the trees of Lebanon which have deep roots may point out their stable condition with their beauty yet possibly rooted trees may not grow up therefore another similitude is requisite his branches shall spread And because such as have abundance of branches and leaves may not be fruitful nor still green Therefore it is added his beauty shall be as the olive-tree which is fruitful and still green Jer. 11.16 And because the fruit of the Olive hath not a pleasant savour therefore it is subjoyned his smell shall be as Lebanon where variety of trees and flowers cast a fragrant smell In a word to be under the influence of Gods grace and favour maketh compleatly blessed 6. In particular these similitudes pointing out the blessed condition of the Church of converted Israel and of the Elect among them may teach 1. God by his grace and blessing can make his Church and people singularly beautiful and pleasanâ— For they shall grow as the lilly which surpassed the glory of Solomon Matth. 6.28 29. 2. Beauty or apparent excellency is little worth unlesse there be some root of stability which God only can effectuate Therefore it is added and cast forth his roots as Lebanon See Matth. 13.20 21. 3. No pretext of rootednesse sobriety or stability should hinder the visible appearance of the fruits of grace but where God works the one he worketh the other also for it is subjoyned his branches shall spread 4. The visible appearances of the grace of God in people must not consist in ostentation or empty shewes but in reall and green fruits For his beauty shall be as the olive-tree 5. The Church and people of God would also so endeavour to be fruitful as that they study to be savoury and to have their way not only accepted of God but gaining also upon others for this closeth all his smell shall be as Lebanon which is refreshful and alluring to them who finde it 6. Albeit these things be the duty of Gods people to endeavour them yet they are also Gods promise who undertakes to make them such in the faith whereof we ought to set about the duty For all these are promises made to Israel Ver. 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the corne and grow as the vine the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon Next the Lord promiseth that not only shall they prosper but others shall joyne themselves unto them and that their shadow shall be vivifick and enlivening to make these who joyne fruitful and savoury Whence learn 1. The Church of Israel when they shall turn to the Lord and taste of his bounty will be the occasion instruments of bringing in many to God For there will be who dwell under his shadow that is Israels represented by a goodly tree with many boughs or Gods shadow who dwells in Israel See Rom. 11.15 2. The Church or Christ dwelling in it is the only safe and refreshful shadow for men to rest under in an evill world For they dwell there as under a shadow See Cant. 2.3 Isa 4.5 and 32 2. 3. They who are under the shadow of the Church and enjoy the influence of Gods blessing on her will be made fruitful and recover out of their dead and frozen conditions wherein they lay before For They that dwell under his shadow shall return that is not so much shall they return who fled from him when that tree was cut down as that they shall recover and revive as corne doth after it dieth in the ground and so the word often signifieth to be restored and recreated and so it is after explained they shall revive c. 4. No afflictions or improbabilitie will hinder their riches in fruitfulnesse who joyne with the Church of Christ but as one grain of corne sown and dead in the earth bringeth forth many and one pruned stick of a vine bringeth forth many clusters and every cluster many grapes so will their case be For they shall revive as the corne and grow as the vine 5. To be fruitful under the Churches shadow is very savoury and acceptable both to God and men For the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon Ver. 8. Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols I have heard him and observed him I am like a green fir-tree from me is thy fruit found The first part of this v. as it is in the Original seemeth to be the Lords speech posing Ephraim what need he had of Idols to help him to do them good since he is able and willing to do all to them that is here mentioned in the end of the v. The translatours with many others take it as Ephraims speech But both may well go together and so the v. is a confirmation and amplification of the former promises shewing that God by doing these things to them will convince them of the uselessenesse of Idols and make them who began to renounce them v. 3. grow yet more in detestation of them considering that God is ready to hear observe protect and blesse and make them fruitfull Whence learn 1. When God takes his people in hand he can soon let them see the vanity and uselessenesse of Idols considering what he is For saith he Ephraim what have I to do any more with Idols or what need is there thou shouldst have recourse to them when I deal
in his Name calleth the land my land and the trees my vine my fig-tree to teach 1. That interest in God especially if it be but in an external way and by reason of visible interest in priviledges will not hold off deserved stroaks for albeit all these were the Lords because the people were his and he had given them the land and all that was in it and had a special respect to them and to what was theirs yet a Nation is come up upon my land he hath laid my vine waste c. 2. It doth aggreage the guilt of sinners that they do provoke him not to spare even what he hath interest in â— for it was their great sin that made him smite his own land 3. The greatnesse also and severity of Gods displeasure against sin may be read in his pursuing it even to the smiting of what is his for so much also is held out here Doct. 4. As there are many men so grosse even in the visible Church as to live for no other end but to abuse themselves and the creatures by intemperance so when the Lord sends famine upon a land he intends to plague such in a special manner thereby therefore are drunkards and drinkers of wine first alarmed with this rod for not only is their sin visible in such a rod and so their guilt may make it bitter but it will especially afflict them who cannot endure want so well as others who have lived more soberly 5. Albeit that drunkards do besot themselves and do make themselves a merry jovial life yet God by famine can both rouze them up and marre their mirth Awake saith he weep and howl and if they will not repent nor be sensible of their provocations or of the want of Gods favour he will cause their abuse of the creatures end in lamentation for want of occasion to feed their lusts and will make them howle in trouble like beasts whom they resembled in their conversation Awake saith he weep and howl because of the new wine for it is cut off from your mouth The command doth not import any approbation of such a carriage but is only a prediction of what he should drive them to by calamities Vers 8. Lament like a Virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth 9. The meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the House of the LORD the Priests the LORDS Ministers mourn The second effect of this stroak is that it shall be matter of bitter lamentation to see the interruption of the publick worship of God through the want of offerings and of the Priests maintenance by reason of the scarcity to see the Lords Priests mourning for both these causes Whence learn 1. The Lord is so severe an avenger of sin that he will not spare it though the stroak should reach even his own worship and ordinances for by this stroak for sin the meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the House of the Lord. Under these two all other sacrifices and oblations are to be understood which could not but be restrained when the beasts were consumed as well as the fruits of the ground v. 18 20. and these are named because they were sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving and therefore the joyful dayes they had in offering them are chiefly missed as v. 16. 2. Calamities and judgements are then sad when they reach the Lords publick worship and ordinances and however it fare with men in their own case do bring an interruption to them one way or other for it is to be lamented when the meat-offering and drink-offering is cut off and so there is no publick worship nor allowance for Priests to wait upon it See Zeph. 3.18 3. Men ought to be so far from selfishnesse and minding their own things only in times of calamities that they should be most affected with the sufferings that are on Gods interests for this consideration calls them to lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth who being newly married or betrothed only and therefore called a virgin is deprived of him by death and that in the time of her youth when affections are more violent and ready to resent crosses 4. As the Lord hath appointed and set apart officers to minister to him in his service and as it is their duty to be affected and mourn for the interruption of his service so it is a sad token of anger and matter of lamentation when they are made to mourn for neglected ordinances and want of livelihood and maintenance The Priests the Lords Ministers mourn holds forth both their office and duty and is a reason of that lamentation v. 8. It could not but be sad to see them mourne who otherwise were not allowed to mourn even for matters of great concernment to themselves Lev. 10.6 7. and 21.1 2 8. c. Vers 10. The field is wasted the land mourneth for the corne is wasted the new wine is dried up the oyle languisheth A third effect of this stroak and another cause of the lamentation v. 8. is that the land shall look with a desolate and mournful countenance being despoiled of corne wine and oile and that partly as would appear from the words by drought Whence learn 1. The earth when it is blessed of God with increase and variety of fruits is a very pleasant and refreshful sight whereby as it were it rejoyceth in Gods bounty and inviteth us to rejoyce in him who maketh his creatures to smile on us therefore it is said to mourn when these things are taken away See Psal 65.12 13. 2. When sinners will not mourn for sin it is righteous with God to reprove and punish that fault by making the earth to mourn and look sorrowful like under judgement for because of their sin it is that the field is wasted the land mourneth c. See Jer. 12.11 Ver. 11. Be ye ashamed O ye Husbandmen howl O ye vine-dressers for the wheat and for the barley because the harvest of the field is perished 12. The vine is dried up and the fig-tree languisheth the pomegranate-tree the palme-tree also and the apple-tree even all the trees of the field are withered because joy is withered away from the sons of men The fourth effect is that the Husband-men and Vine-dressers should be ashamed and disappointed of their expectations through the barrennesse of land and trees yea and the decaying and withering of all sorts of trees And so they should be made to lament and their joy which was usual in harvest Isa 9.3 and 16 10. Jer. 48.33 should cease with the ceasing of the fruit of their labours Doct. 1. Albeit men are bound to labour for their daily bread yet except God blesse their labour will be in vaine and their expectations by it end in sad disappointments and God is provoked so to deal with sinners For Be ye ashamed O ye husband-men howle O ye vine-dressers for the
because the colour of that people points out Israels incorrigibelnesse in sin Jer. 13.23 or rather because these Nations were descended of cursed Cham and were in themselves barbarous and eminently naughty and wicked as in some particulars is remarked of the Arabians Jer. 3.2 5. Albeit Gods mercy doth shine very eminently in the many outward deliverances granted to his Church Yet as wicked Nations may get many outward common favours also So the Church hath no more cause to boast and glory of the one then they of the other as an evidence of Gods favour toward her when yet she provokes God and walks not answerable to these mercies but rests upon them not thirsting after the spiritual mercies offered unto her Therefore is their glorious deliverance from Egypt compared with what the Philistines and Syrians had received because that albeit this elsewhere be inculcate as a special mercy Yet sinning Israel making no use thereof had no more cause to expect favour in that condition because of that mercy then other Nations might build upon the common favours that were bestowed on them And because that mercy was notable and singular in so far as it pointed at their spiritual deliverance through Christ and therefore it was but an outward shell and common favour when they sought not after this 6. Albeit secure sinners lull themselves asleep upon their priviledges and the outward proofes of love they receive yet their own consciences can tell them that it cannot be a sound sleep and that no priviledges of a visible Church can be a shelter for sin nor former favours secure them for the future Therefore is all this put to their own consciences by these questions as frequently before Verse 8. Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saying that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord. Hitherto Amos hath in this Prophecy onely denounced hard things against this incorrigible people saving that sometime he hath made some gracious offers if they would repent and considering that there was no hope of that did return to threaten again Now in the close of the prophecy all this doctrine is sweetened with a twofold comfortable promise In the first whereof these hard tidings are corrected with a promise of moderation and preserving a remnant under these calamities till better dayes should come under the Gospel which is the summe of the second promise The first promise is propounded in this v. That though he have an eye upon their wayes and do purpose for their sin to destroy the profane body of the people and to make them cease from being a Nation Yet he will not utterly destroy all the people but preserve some because of the Covenant and because of the elect of them and of their posterity who were to spring of them Whence learn 1. A people confederate with God may come to that height in sin as to be justly accounted a sinful kingdom not onely because of the corruption of Rulers in it but because of the general overspreading of impiety and wickednesse Therefore it gets the name of the sinful kingdome 2. As God doth observe the wayes of all Nations to punish them accordingly so especially he doth so toward his Church and people and his observance of their debordings and his stroaks upon them will be especially remarkable for saith he Behold as a thing to be remarked the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful kingdome and I will destroy it 3. The Lords confedrate people may so far miscarry as to provoke him to consume them so as beside the general cutting off of particular persons they shall not have the face of a Nation upon the earth for of this Israel is a sad instance I will destroy it from off the face of the earth 4. Even when God deals with his people in greatest extremity there is still moderation toward them and under saddest dispensations they will meet with some proofe of love for this threatning hath an exception subjoyned 5. As the Lords preserving a remnant of his people under calamities even though they be scattered and afflicted and the face of their Nation extinguished is a sufficient reason why they should not murmur Lam. 3.22 39. and being well emproven may pretend much future good to them how sad soever their cause may be for present So in particular the Lord will never utterly consume his ancient people Israel but doth preserve a remnant of them to witnesse that their election stands fast notwithstanding their long and sad afflictions ready to be manifested in glorious effects in due time for I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob faith the Lord. Verse 9. For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations like as corn is lifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth This promise is further confirmed and illustrate from a similitude Wherein is declared that as men when they sift and winnow corne to put away the chaffe will not lose any of the good grain So however their Kingdom was to cease and the people to be scattered into captivity and tossed with wandering yet he will not lose his elect and a remnant The meaning of this is not that in dispensing these calamlties he would put a visible difference betwixt the elect and reprobate for as no doubt many elect ones perish by the sword in their own land as well as others so the elect who went into captivity with the rest were tossed as well as they as the similitude holds forth But the meaning is that he will so by his providence order their scattering as none of his elect shall perish eternally and so as he will not lose a remnant of that people out of whom his elect are to spring in due time and whom he will make as good grain to grow up to a fair harvest and become a glorious Church to him Doct. 1. Captivity and scattering and wandering among strange Nations is a sad and sharp trial wherewith they may be exercised who escape the fury of an enemies sword for such is their trial here I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations 2. It is the Lords hand which is to be looked unto and acknowledged in the exile and scattering of his sinful people And it should not passe without an especial remark that he prosecutes his controversie so and that he makes all meanes so effectual for driveing them from their enjoyments into exile and for their disquiet and tossing in it Therefore saith he Lo I will command and I will sift c. 3. Such sad lots as these coming upon the Lords people are for sifting of them Thereby the Lord doth narrowly try and bring out what drosse and chaffe and what soundnesse and sincerity is in every mans bosome Luk. 22.31 and thereby also he lets out the winde