dignissima that he speaks of the Natural VVinds because immediately before he spake of the Mountains from whence Philosophers conceive that these VVinds proceed and the word Ruach is oft put for the Natural VVinds as Exod. 10.13 19. 15.10 Iob 28.25 2 The Socinians and their followers take this word for a Spirit and that Spirit to be the Holy Ghost this they doe to destroy the Deity of the Holy Ghost See here what windy idle addle conceits Hereticks have and what feeble sandy foundations they build upon they catch at any chrotchet which may please their humours For it is plaine here that the Prophet speaks of the created VVind or if they will needs read it Spirit yet it is a created Spirit Hee createth Ruach the Wind or the Spirit But the Holy Ghost is not made or Created but proceedeth from the Father and the Son and is God blessed for ever as is abundantly proved by others As for the Natural causes of the VVind Philosophers differ Some conceive that the Sun drawing up Vapours and Exhalations and they falling down again by violence become Winds by the coldness of the middle region 2 Others conceive that the aire being pent up in the Vaults and Caves of the earth having a vent doe break forth and so spread into Winds and for this they bring Psal. 135.7 Ier. 10.13 51.16 Hee causeth the Vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth he maketh Lightning for the rain and bringeth the wind out of his treasuries That is say they out of his Vaults and Concavities wherein it is kept as in a Treasury But God himself who hath made the Wind tells us plainly that we know not whence it comes nor whither it goes Ioh. 3.7 we may therefore well be ignorant of that which God in his wisdome hath hidden from us An humble ignorance in deep Mysteries whether Natural or Supernatural whether in the works or the Word of God is better and safer than proud curiosity VVe have many Reasons to bless God for the Wind. It is indeed a common Blessing but yet we could not live without it 1 If the Aire be thick dark and unwholsome the VVind cleareth and purgeth the aire for the health of our Bodies and for the preservation of the Creatures They dispel noysome Vapours and therefore are called Scopae mundi the worlds Beesoms with which God sweeps his great House the world 2 If we want Rain the Winds carry the Clouds and bring us rain at the Prayers of Elijah after three years drought the Heavens were darkned with Clouds and Wind whence came a great rain 1 King 18.45 3 They cool the Aire in the heat of Summer and help to refresh us 4 They help our Ships to sayl and bring Commodities from all Nations to us and help our Mills to grind our Corn. 5 They serve for the Miraculous help of Gods Church and People When the Lord had brought Israel by a strong hand out of Aegypt hee caused the Sea to goe back by a strong East-wind and made the Sea dry land for his people to pass thorough Exod. 14.21 6 They help to execute Gods Iudgements on the wicked VVith an East-wind the Lord brought Locusts and Grashoppers on Aegypt to devour their fruit Exod. 10.13 19 and by a VVest-wind hee drove them away again Theodosius praying against his enemies the winds brought back the enemies Arrowes on their owne heads which made Claudian cry O nimium dilecte Deo cui militat aether Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti Ascribe not then great VVinds to Conjurers Witches Devils c. The Winds are Gods servants and doe readily obey his commands Psal. 148.8 Matth. 8.26 and not the Devils Satan without Gods leave cannot raise so much wind as will toss a feather He could doe nothing in this kind against Iob till he had a Commission from God Iob 1.16 19. 3 This is not all for the Prophet descends to man and tells us that since God made him he also can tell him his thoughts meditations and purposes He can tell what Language men have in their hearts and what they talk within themselves as the rich fool did Luke 12.17 Our words are not so intelligible to men as our thoughts are to God Christ knew what was in man hee knew their thoughts Ioh. 2. ult and therefore he answered his enemies many times not according to their words but according to their thoughts Matth. 8.20 yea God knows our thoughts before we think them and our conceits before we conceive them hee understands them afarre off Psal 139.2 he being intimo nostro intimior nearer to us than our flesh is to our bones hee knowes our thoughts in Posse from all eternity so great is his Omniscience As a man that knoweth what Roots he hath in his Garden though there be no flower appearing yet he can say when the Spring comes this and this will come up So it is here God knowes our frames our Principles our Projects and what the issue will be nothing is hid from his All-seeing eye The words are diversly read 1 Some refer the Affix to God thus Hee declareth to man his owne mind and meditation and tells him what hee intends to doe Esay 41.26 Amos 3.7 thus he revealed his mind to Abraham before hee would destroy Sodome and Christ reveals his secrets to his Disciples Iohn 15.15 2 The Septuagint mistaking the Original read it thus He declareth unto man his Christ Meshicho Christum vel Unctum suum but the word is Masecho what is his thought But the proper scope of the Text is to convince the Israelites that they had not to doe with men but with the Omniscient God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins and knoweth the hidden things of man even the most secret turnings and windings ploddings and purposes of the Soul so as he cannot be deceived neither will he be mocked A man may know much by himself but God knowes more our Consciences may accuse us of some things but God is greater than our Consciences and knoweth all things Q. But how doth God declare unto man his Thoughts Ans. Divers wayes 1. Sometimes he discovers and disappoints the most secret aymes and intentions of men and so makes their thoughts visible to the world 2 By his Ministers they opening the Word of God which is a Soul-searching Word doe discover to men the thoughts and intents of their hearts Heb. 4.12 3 Sometimes without the Word God by his Spirit checks men and convinceth the Conscience of the vanity and sinful imaginations which are in them He maketh the morning darkness The Prophet goes on still to shew the Almighty Power of God who can turn the brightest morning into dreadful darkness and the most glorious day into a dismal night If he be angry he can make the morning not only dark but darkness it self in the Abstract that is exceeding dark 2 Others read the words
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
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
Salmaneser King of Assyria and the City and Temple of Ierusalem by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon these God raised up to cool their courage and abate their pride 4 The Lord tells them what this Nation shall doe to Israeâ— They shall afflict them they shall press and oppress them by violence and Tyranny they shall hem them in and so straiten them that none shall escape 5 Here is the extent of this affliction and how farre it shall go and that is from Hemath which was situate in the North border of Canaan looking Eastward vers 2. Unto the river of the Wilderness that is to Sichor a river of Aegypt in the South looking Westward and parting the Land of Israel from the Land of Aegypt Numb 34 5 8. Josh. 13.3 5. 15.47 1 Chron. 13.5 it is called the river of the Desart because it came out of the Desart some think it was the river Nilus but the bounds of Canaan never extended so farre Ieroboam had re-gained those bounds to Israel they were proud of the Prize but about thirty years after Tiglath-Pileser re-gained it all from Israel and laid it to the Assyrians and not long after comes Salmanesar the King of Assyria and takes Samaria and subdues the whole Kingdom of Israel About one hundred years after Iudah was carried captive into Babylon according to that woe denounced against them ver 1. When Warrs arise yet some use to escape but here the Lord threatens that they shall be opprest from one end of the Land to another Though the Country were large and spacious and there were many ways to escape yet the enemy should befet them so strictly that there should be no escaping but all should goe into Captivity As all had sinned so all should now suffer for sin So that this verse seems to be a kind of Antithesis and check to their Carnal confidence in their own strength and success q. d. it is true your King Ieroboam hath recovered your borders but I will send one that shall recover all from you again He restored all from Hemath to the Sea of the Plain and I will send the Assyrian who shall wast Israel from Hemath to the Sea i. e. from North to South and from East to West and then shall you see how infirm your firmness was when your Valour shall be turned into weakness your Glory into shame and your Mirth into mourning 6 Who is it that saith all this why it is one that can and will perform it It is the Lord the God of Hosts who hath the Army of the Assyrians and all other Armies at his beck and command vers 8. OBSERVATIONS 1 Pride goes before destruction In the precedent verse we read of Israels Pride and Carnal-confidence and now see their fall When pride is in the faddle destruction is on the crupper Dan 4.30 we read of Nebuchadnezzars pride and ver 31. we read of his fall Children that hold by their own coats pull themselves down by his own strength shal no man prevail 1 Sam. 2.9 Ezek 28.9 2 The Lord is true in all his Threatnings Not one word shall fail of all that he hath spoken against a rebellious people Hee threatned to send the Assyrian against Israel here he did it He threatned to send the Babylonian against Iudah and they came at last 3 When people are rejoycing and most secure then usually Iudgements are nearest In the precedent verse they were rejoycing and in this verse comes their ruine When the old World was buying selling marrying and merry-making then came the Floud and swept them all away Mat. 24.38 39. When Bellsring Canons roar Fires flame and there is nothing but mirth and jollity then may destruction be at the door When men cry Peace peace then comes sudden and swift destruction 1 Thes. 5.3 2 Pet. 2.1 4 It is God who raiseth up enemies against a rebellious people I will raise up a Nation against you War is one of Gods sore Judgments which he sends against a people of his wrath Ezek. 14.21 when men will not serve God with gladness and sincerity in abundance then he makes them serve their enemies in want and misery Deut. 28.47 48. Isa. 42.24 25. The Assyrian is but Gods â—tod his Staff his Axe his Saw to scourge beat hew and divide they are but Instruments it is God that is the Agent 5 Universality in sin brings universality in suffering As the Land had been â—ilted from corner to corner with uncleaneness so now it should be answerably filled with punishment National Sins bring National Plagues Ezra 9.10 11. When all the old World was corrupt then came the Floud and swept them all away When all Sodom and all Ierusalem were given to wickedness then came Judgements and destroyed them Multitudes in sin are so far from Patronizing the sinners that it hastens wrath 6 Sin brings a people into a desperate condition It brings them into such straits that they know not which way to turn themselves The Land of Canaan was spacious and there were many ways of escaping but their sins had brought things to that pass that they were surrounded with enemies and there was none to deliver them 7 As Kingdoms have their times of flourishing so they have their times of fading too Israel flourisht and was succesful under Ieroboam but they fade and fall in the reign of King Hoshea The Grâ—cian Babylonian and Persian Monarchies which were sometimes famous through the world are now mouldred away and come to nothing and so shall the Roman 8 God usually retaliates Sinners and pays them in their own coyn This people had for a long time pressed the Lord with their sins Amos 2.13 and now themselves are prest and opprest with Judgments Sodom and Gomorah that burnt in lust were burnt with fire Nadab and Abihu that offered strange fire perisht by strange fire from the Lord. Asa that set the Prophet in the Stocks had a disease in his feet Babylon that shed the bloud of Saints hath bloud given her to drink Hee that on earth denied a crumb of Bread in Hell shal not have a drop of water Luk. 16.24 25. They that delight in left-hand blessings Prov. 3.16 shal be placed with the Goats on the left hand Mat. 25.33 and those that delight in darkness shal be sent to darkness 2 Pet. 2.17 They that say unto God Depart now he will say unto them Depart at the last Day He that will not owne Christs truth now shall not be owned by him then They that trample upon the Saints here the Saints shall tread them under their feet hereafter Micha 4.11 12 13. 7.10 so that all the wicked at last shall be compelled to say with Adonibezek Judg. 1. As I have done so hath the Lord rewarded me The Aegyptians that worshipped creeping things were punisht with Froggs and other creeping things Demosthenes and Tully that were proud of their Eloquence perisht by it
Levit. 11.22 3 Locust-Hagab Levit. 11.22 And this last is the Locust-Grashopper in the text It was a devouring Insect that went in great multitudes together eating up all before them and so bringing a Famine on the places where they came Ioel 1.4 6. 2.11 they are called a Nation and an Army of Vermine for their swarmes and multitudes Q. A second Quere is VVhether these Locusts must be taken Literally or Metaphorically properly or symbolically Ans. 1. They may be taken literally for an Army of Insects which devour the fruites of the earth and so cause a famine this is most genuine here and it was one of those rods with which God chastned Israel Amos 4.9 as for War he speaks of that vers 4. but this especially relates to famine and some Judgements begun before the time of Ieroboam the second 2 Others take them Metaphorically for any kind of devastation or wasting whatsoever or else for the Assyrians which like so many Locusts should over-run the Land of Israel and devour all before them Hence the Assyrian is compared to a Razor which should shave them even to the skin Isa. 7.20 3 Here is the Time these Locusts were formed and that is 1. Generally in the beginning of the shooting up of â—he latter growth 2. More particularly It was the latter growth after the Kings mowings After the first fleece was mowed off for the use of the Kings horses which was wont to be sooner than the common mowth Locusts love not to feed on ripe and hard things their delight is in young and tender things and therefore they are very destructive to Immanths and new-sowen fields These hurtful Vermine God sent in abundance amongst them And here againe Interpreters differ 1 Some take this mowing or shearing of the Grass for the grazing with the Kings sheep whose feeding is called a cropping of the grass But this hath no rooting in the text for though the word doe signifie shearings yet it is used for mowen grass Psal. 72.6 2 Others take it for the mowing not only of Grass but of Corn also in the Fields for Husbandmen especially in those fruitful regions used to mow their luxuriant Corn that it might thicken and stand the better and if this latter blade were eaten by Insects or Locusts the Harvest was lost and Famine ensued The vulgar Latine mistaking the Original render it Serotinus imber the latter rain but the word is Lekesh herba serotina sive cordum the latter mowth and not the latter rain and here again some fly to Metaphors and conceive that this mowing adumbrates the devastation of Israel by the Assyrian as â—â—elds when they are mowen and their fleece is gone are naked and deformed so God would raise up the Assyrian that should rob them of their riches and fleece them for their sins The flourishing Grass notes the flourishing condition of Israel but they abusing that condition the Lord mowed them 1. More lightly and overtly by Pul King of Assyria 1 Chro. 5.26 2. More severely by Benhadad King of Syria who afflicted them very sore and gained much of their Land and riches from them 3 There was a latter growth in the dayes of Ieroboam the second when Israel began to flourish and recover its losses 2 King 14.25 but after this they grew worse and worse till the Lord swept them out of the Land and would hear no more prayers for them OBSERVATIONS 1 Formerly God revealed his mind to the Prophets as hee did here to Amos by Types and Visions Jer. 1.11 24.1 Ezek. 1. Heb. 1.1 See more of this Amos 8.1 Obs. 3. 2 All our afflictions come from God It is he that forms the Locusts sends Fire metes out the very Time Quantity Quality and Duration of all our sufferings whatever it be it is he that forms it Ier. 18.11 there is no evil of this kind in the City but the Lord doth it Amos 3.6 This must make us patient and silent since it is the Lord that doth it Psal. 39.9 3 God hath Armies of Insects and little contemptible Creatures wherewith to punish disobedient people He needs not men to destroy us he hath Froggs and Flies Lice and Locusts and these shall doe it Exod. 10.14 Deut. 28.38 42.2 Chron. 7.13 Psal. 78.46 Ioel 1.4 much of Gods might is seen in these little Armies they all fulfill the word of Gods command Let none then murmure at second causes but still look up to the first lest by fretting at our troubles we double them 4 Naturally we are very stupid and sensâ—lesse under Gods hand Though he smite us yet we grieve not Isa. 9.12 13. Ier. 5.3 and though his hand be lifted up against us yet we will not see Isa. 26.11 The Judgement it self here was visible and yet they had not eyes to see it yea though the Prophet held it forth to them by a sensible Type and useth a double Ecce Behold â—oe to excite them and quicken attention No wonder that our Saviour cryed O hard and slow of heart not to beleeve what God hath spoken by his Words and Works Luke 24.25 5 When People are most prosperous many times they are nearest a fall Israel had success and victories but a little before there was a shooting up of the latter growth they lived in peace and plenty forty one years they were grown rich proud and secure and then comes the Locust and devoures them no sooner had they gotten a little greenness but the Assyrian devours it As Herbs when they come to flower begin to wither or as the Sun when it comes to the Zeâ—ith then it declines so man in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal. 39.5 not only in his worst estate when Old age hath seized on him but in his flourishing and most prosperous condition man is but a vaine thing Be jealous then over your selves when you abound with those Creature comforts be like Pigeons when they fare best they are most fearful It is good to think of War in times of Peace and of Famine in times of Plenty we know not what changes may come in the world it is good to fear the worst as Iob did Iob 3.25 6 Gods Iudgements usually are gradual As men sin gradually and grow from one degree of wickedness to another so God is gradual in his punishments First he begins with lesser rods and they being slighted he brings forth greater and plagues men seven times more according to their sins 1. He begins here with Locusts and destroyes the fruites of the earth 2. He takes away part of their Land from them 3. He takes away the whole Kingdom and sends away the people into captivity VERSE 2. And it came to passe that when they had made an end of eating the Grasse of the Land then I said O Lord forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for hee is small THe Prophet understanding the Mystery of the Vision and seeing how
is Amos the Servant of God and the Seer The Prophets of old were called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 Isa. 30.10 God inlightned them by his Spirit and made known to them his secrets by Visions hence they were called Seers Numb 6.12.6 Ezek. 1.1 Some make Amaziah here to call the Prophet Seer Ironically by way of scorn and contempt as if the Prophet had been some Fanatick and his Visions vanities But the contexture of the Discourse is against this for Amaziah gives the Prophet his due title but in a flattering way the better to effect his design upon him 2 Lest this Priest should seeme to be mad without reason he now produceth Arguments to perswade Amos to be gone Man being a Rational Creature may sooner be drawn by reason than driven by force Amaziah will try what this will doe Goe flee thee away into the Land of Judah there eate bread and Prophesie there q. d. Be gone with all speed thou hast yet liberty so to doe thou hast now an opportunity of escaping and mayest freely passe without any stopping let it not slip lest it repent thee when it is too late So that this is an Argument à facili 2 Flee with all speed be gone from amongst us for there is no staying long in safety here thou art encompassed here with snares and dangers and therefore if thou lovest thy life pack up and bee gone Citò citiùs citissimè lest thou bee caught and killed So that this was an Argument a necessario 3 Into the Land of Iudah The better to perswade him to flee this Priest hath found out another Topick viz. a convenient place to flee to and that was his owne Country thou camest from Tekoah Amos 1.1 and no man can blame thee for going home againe especially since thou art so hated here There thou wilt dwell amongst thine owne kindred and acquaintance in peace and plenty in love and safety whereas here thou art a Stranger and a blunt Prophet and canst expect none of these things from us As a friend therefore I counsel thee with all speed to be gone for both King and Kingdome are resolved to keep their Calves and if thou come any more to preach here against them beware lest they catch thee and kill thee But Amos fears no such Scar-crows God sent him not to Iudah but to Israel and there he must and will abide It was Ionahs sin to fly to Tarshish when hee should have gone to Niniveh A Minister is not sui juris but must preach when and where his Lord and Master commands him 4 There eate bread that is Get thy living there Gen. 3.19 for if thou stayest here thou mayest starve here is no body will succour of support thee for thou art a burden both to Prince and people Here is nothing for thee to eate here is no profit to be had and by thy preaching so openly at Bethel against the Calves of Bethel thou marrest our markets too But goe to Iudah there thou wilt be maintained like a Prophet indeed there thou wilt live more securely and be maintained more plentifully there is King Vzziah alias Azariah that loves such precise ones as thou art 2 King 15.1 3. and a people that prize men of thy straine and will not suffer thee to want Thus this mercenary false Prophet measures Amos by himself thinking that gaine would intice him away as if Amos had been one of those who Prophesied for a little Lucre for a handful of Barley or a mouthful of Bread Ezek. 13.19 Micha 3.11 so that this is an Argument ab utili 5 Prophesie there Here this subtile Priest Proleptically prevents an Objection whereas Amos might have said what would you have me idle and leave that employment to which God so signally and extraordinarily called me Not so saith Amaziah I doe not bid thee flee that thou mayest be idle or silent for if he had done so his fraud had been too apparent but I bid thee goe to Iudah and Prophesie there where thou wilt have double honour that is both countenance and maintenance both which thou wantest here Thou lovest to be plaine and free against sin why get thee to Iudah there they will be glad of thee and there thou mayest declaime freely against the sins of Israel and threaten us without fear Here thou art molested with Altars and Calves with Idols and Images Amos 3.14 but get thee to Ierusalem and there thou wilt be free from these superstitious fopperies and lying vanities There exercise thy gift of preaching and get thy living by it as I doe by my Priesthoood at Bethel where I live peaceably and plentifully with my Oblations and Sacrifices I shall not envie thee get what thou canst at Iudah doe not thou envie me my Morsels at Bethel 6 He argues adamno and tells him that it was dangerous for him to preach any more at Bethel as for what is past that is pardoned provided thou come no more amongst us at Bethel for it is the Kings Court and the Kings Chappel and he will not endure to be affronted there OBSERVATIONS 1 That wicked men are very sedulous in opposing the faithful Ministers of God What industry and activity doth this Priest of Bethel use to root Amos out of Israel He sends to the King and accuseth Amos for a Traytor and when force will not doe he playes the Fox and under pretence of friendship prswades him to leave his station and to flee the Land So Pharaoh how industrious was he to destroy Israel how active was Haman to have the Iewes destroyed and what a great sum doth he promise to the King to effect it no less than ten thousand talents of silver Hest. 4.9 So Nehemiahs enemies what force and fraud did they use to hinder his repairing of the Temple how faine would they have had him flee as Amaziah would have had Amos here that so he might have reproached him for a Fugitive and one that was conscious to himself of his own guilt and therefore he fled for it Q. The Question then will be whether it be lawful to flee in time of persecution A. In some Cases it may as 1 If a man be but a young beginner and find not strength to bear the brunt and heat of the day he may with-draw for a time 2 If the Persecution be personal against a particular man or Minister and not against the whole Church he may use his liberty So did Moses Elijah David Christ Paul But when Gods time is come that he calls us to seal to his truth even with our dearest lives we must not love them to the death Revel 12.11 but rejoyce that we have any thing of worth to lay down for Christ like the valiant Horse we must goe forth to meet the armed man Iob 39.21 so did that accomplisht couragious Martyr Mr. Fryth when some that loved him had contrived his escape he told them it must not be for saith he if you should leave me
Worship his Word his Ordinance his Prophets his People and to all that is good Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 VER 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord thy Wife shall be an Harlot in the City and thy Sons and Daughters shall fall by the Sword and thy Land shall be divided by Line and thou shalt dye in a polluted Land and Israel shall surely goe into Captivity forth of his owne Land IN this Verse we have a dreadful Judgement denounced against this High-Priest of Bethel consisting of many Branches 1 Constupration of his Wife and that openly 2 Loss of his Children 3 Loss of his Lands 4 Loss of his Liberty and 5 Loss of Israel Loe this is the fruit of silencing Preachers and forbidding Gods Ministers to Prophesie 2 Here is the confirmation or ratification of all this Dixit Dominus the Lord hath said it who will certainly doe it Thy Wife shall be an Harlot in the City Interpreters are divided about the meaning of these words some take them Actively and the Original seems to favour it viz. that his Wife should be an open Harlot and a common Strumpet not so much forced by Souldiers as voluntarily addicted to it Others take the words Passively that she should be violently forced and ravished by the Assyrians when they should take the City according to that threatning against disobedient ones Deut. 28.30 So Iob 31.10 Isa 13.16 Lament 5.11 But if it were violent and involuntary where were the Harlotry Thy Wife shall be an Harlot and to shew her impudency she should act it not in the house or in the fields or in a forreign Land but openly in the City This is the first Punishment the second follows 2 Thy Sons and thy Daughters shall fall by the sword Wicked Parents bring a Curse upon their Children not only their Cattel but all their Relations fare the worse for them 3 Yet this is not all Thy Land shall be divided by Line Conquerours were wont to divide every one his Lot and portion by Lines and Cords for of old they used Cords instead of Measuring-Rods to divide their Land Hence the Lines in Scripture are put for the Inheritance or portion allotted to every one by Line Deut. 32.9 2 Sam. 8.2 Psal. 16.6 Micha 2.5 Thus he should not only lose his Heires but his Inheritance also And thou shalt dye in a polluted Land This is the fourth Punishment Thou shalt dye a Captive in Assyria which was polluted with Heathenism and Idolatry This is reckoned as a Judgement Levit. 26.38 against Pashur Jer. 20.6 and Coniah Jer. 22.25 26. The Land of Promise was called the Holy Land and in comparison of it all other Nations were called and counted unclean and they looked upon it as a misery to be buried in a strange Land and not in Canaan And Israel shall goe into Captivity Not only thou but all Israel whom thou hast helpt to deceive and hast hardned in their Idolatry and Sin shall goe into Captivity with thee and this men get by following Idolaters and Impostors when the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch Israel shall surely goe into captivity God will no longer bear with them since King and Kingdom are setled upon their Lees and had so long sinned together now the Lord tells them that they should suffer together and goe Captives into Assyria as we see 2 King 15.29 17.6 18 23 24. 18.11 since they had abused that good Land which the Lord had given them now it should spew them out for their Idolatry OBSERVATIONS 1 God useth to retaliate Sinners and to pay them in their owne coyn This we see here excellently exemplified in Amaziah 1 He inticed Israel to Idolatry which is Spiritual Harlotry therefore his Wife shall be an Harlot 2 He had destroyed those that were Gods Children by external profession therefore his Children were destroyed 3 He made his Goods his God and was all for gain therefore now he shall lose all 4 He that had polluted Gods People shall now dye in a polluted Land He that would not follow the true God to his Salvation shall follow false ones to his own destruction 2 Silencing and persecuting of Gods faithful Ministers is a God-provoking Sin Thou sayest Prophesie not what follows therefore thy Wife thy Children thy State thy Self and the Land of thy Nativity shall smart for it Now if Amaziah paid so dear for endeavouring to silence one faithful Amos what may they expect who doe actually blow out many burning and shining Lights c. let such remember Pashur Jer. 20.2 3 4. and the men of Anathoth Ier. 11.21 22 23. and Ieroboam the first with his withered hand which was smitten for stretching it forth against the Prophet 1 King 13. and Elimas the Sorcerer who was smitten blind for opposing the truth Acts 13.10 11. never any man hardned himself against God especially in this kind that ever prospered Iob 9.4 Amaziah had many other sins as Idolatry Superstition Covetousness c. but this Persecuting of Amos was his fatal sin and ruined both him and his 3 Wicked Parents bring a Curse upon their Posterity God oft punisheth the sins of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him Exod. 20.5 34.7 Deut. 28.18 32 41. Ier. 29.32 Hieron on Exod. 34.7 in my Com. on Hos. 13. ult p. 80. and Dr. Gorge Lam. 5.7 the seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned Isa. 14.20 4 Goods ill gotten seldome prosper Treasures of wickednesse profit not Prov. 10.2 Amaziah had scraped much wealth together but his enemies became his heirs And so it is with many Usurers and oppressing Cormorants who treasure up riches for their enemies 5 Marriage is lawful in Ministers as well as others The Apostle tells us that Marriage is honourable not only in some but in all sorts and degrees of men Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all men and God himself hath appointed it for the comfort of all degrees Gen. 1.28 2.18 and bids him that cannot contain marry 1 Cor. 7.2 9. none can vow that which is not in his owne power but continency is the gift of God Matth. 19.11 all cannot receive this saying and therefore not only Amaziah here but the Priests and Prophets in the Old Testament had Wives Zachariah the Priest hath an Elizabeth to his Wife and shee descended of the Daughters of Aaron Luke 1.5 Ieremiah was the Son of a Priest Ier. 1.1 and Hophni and Phineas the Sons of Eli the Priest 1 Sam. 1.3 and Iohn Baptist the Son of Zachariah the Priest yea many of the Apostles had Wives as Peter Philip Iames and Barnabas Mat. 8.14 Acts 13.2 Saint Ambrose affirms that all the Apostles were married save Iohn and Paul and the Apostle expresly saith that he had power to marry as well as Cephas 1 Cor. 9.5 and he allows a Bishop to have one
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
we do the works of Abraham Iohn 8.39 Rom. 9.7 8. Let our Ancestors be never so gracious unless we follow their gratious example and walk in their steps we are no better in Gods esteem than Ethiopians and out-casts yea the piety of predecessors is so far from justifying any in their sins that it aggravates them in that they had such good patterns set before them and yet they would not follow them A Noble Pedigree is little worth where the line of well-doing continues not and 't is much more glory to begin the honour of ones house than either to end it or not encrease it What did it profit Châ—m that he was the Son of Noah or hurt Abraham that his Father Terah worshipped Gods of Clay or hurt Timothy â—hat he was born a Gentile Honesty how mean soever the birth be knows no disgrace The Prince of Satyrists though a Heathen yet hath spent a whole Satyr to very good purpose against those that boast of their Noble Pedigree when themselves have nothing that is truly Noble in them 2. Priviledges abused increase wrath Mat. 11.20 21 22 23. Rom. 2.9 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4 5. Heb. 2.1 2 3. When men ungratefully abuse their mercies and the God of their mercies 't is just with God to strip them of those mercies But of this at large elsewhere 3. Sin debaseth a people and makes glorious Nations like to unglorious and contemptible Heathens Whilst Israel walked up to his priviledges he was exalted but when he offended in Baal and fell to Idolatry he died and lost his reputation with God and Man both at home and abroad Hos. 13.1 Ezek. 16.3 4. The changes in Nations aud translating of Kingdomes from one to another are not casual but providential There is the finger of God in them all 'T is he that destroyed the Canaanites and brought in Israel 'T is he that cast out Israel and brought in the Assyrian he rooted up Iudah and brought in the Chaldean and rooted up the Chaldeans by the Medes and Persians and brought the Philistines and Syrians out of Caphtor and Kir He puts down one and sets-up another in the Throne and none may say unto him What dost thou Deut. 2.21 4.21 5. External favours and deliverances are no Arguments of Gods internal love and favour to a people Uncircumcised Philistines and Idolatrous Syrians may be delivered from a Caphtor and a Kir and yet these preservations may be to them but reservations to greater wrath Pharaoh was delivered from many plagues yet his heart being hardened at last hee perisht in the Sea All things come alike to all and there is no judging of Gods favour by these external things Eccles. 9.1 2. The Sun of prosperity shines as well on the barren Wildernesse as upon the fruitful Pastures VERSE 8. Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful Kingdome and I will destroy it from off the face of the Earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Iacob saith the Lord. THe Prophet goes on in the confirmation of what he had denounced against Israel by an Argument drawn from the Justice of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity with the least approbation and who will not acquit persons or Kingdomes that persevere in their wickednesse Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful Kingdome to punish and destroy it In the words wee have 1. A note of Attention Behold 2. The matter to be attended and that is 1. A judgement threatned God will destroy Israel from the Superficies on face of the earth that is he will extinguish their memorial from amongst men and root them out of the world so that they shall never have more the face of a Nation upon Earth The like expression we have Exod. 32.12 Deut. 6.15 Warnings could not mend them now Judgements shall rid the world of them 2. Here is the reason why the Lord will thus destroy them and that is because they are a sinful Kingdome or as the words are in the fountain they are a sinning Kingdome a Kingdome even composed of sin and drowned in iniquity A Kingdome that sinned not through weakness but wilfulness whose sins were not infirmities but enormities They fell not by the violence of temptation but 't was their trade to be sinning they were wholly given up to it both Superiours and Inferiours had for many years been a race of Idolaters persisting obstinately in their wicked waies no wooing nor warning no mercy nor menaces could work upon them they were incorrigible and incurable and therefore the Lord now resolves to ease himself of them Quest. But who is meant here by the sinful Kingdome A. Some conceive that by Kingdome here is meant any sinful Kingdome indefinitely but I conceive that Amos being sent more especially to prophesie against the Idolatry of the Kingdome of Israel doth directly and primarily speak against the Idolatry of the Kingdome of Israel for Idolatry is called The sin by way of eminency as I have shewed before on Amos 8. ult now Israel persevering as in other sins so especially in this great sin of Idolatry is here called Mamlachah Hachattaah Hoc regnum peccans this sinful Kingdome the article Ha is emphatical and the Text saith not Mine eyes are upon a sinful Kingdome indefinitly but upon This sinful Kingdome viz. of Israel and then secondarily it includes the Kingdome of Iudah which had deeply corrupted it self and not long after they also were carried Captives to Babylon 3 Here is the certainty of the judgement The Eyes of the Lord are intent upon them for this purpose see Vers. 4. before he hath set his face in anger against them to destroy them 4 Here is a mitigation or qualification of the Threatning Yet he will not utterly destroy the house of Iacob but in the midst of judgement he will remember mercy and having purged out the dross and destroyed the prophane body of the people and rebellious rout he will preserve the penitent as a remnant for himself according to his promise made of old to Abraham Isaac and Iacob Lev. 26.40 41 42. Though the Lord beat Heathenish Nations to dust and stock up the wicked root and branch and though Israel deserved a total destruction yet for his own Name sake he will not deal so with his Church and chosen he never utterly destroyes them but leaves some remnant to praise him and to shine like lights in the midst of a perverse people and if he do bring them into Captivity yet a remnant both of Israel and Iudah shall return again according to that precious promise Ier. 30.3.10 â—o the dayes come that I will bring again the Captivity of my people Israel and Judah saith the Lord and will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers and they shall possess it This was fulfilled when a remnant of Israel returned out of Assyria and
in your walls Samaria had been long besieged and the Assyrian had made many breaches in the walls of the City at which they attempted to run out and save themselves by flight even as Beasts when they are frighted run out at a gap Every Cow at the breach which is before her that is to say any way for they had neither Gates nor Walls whole Valiant men keep their ranks and files in despight of all opposition Ioel 2.7 8. but faint-hearted fearful sinners shift for themselves and take the next gap to run out at As beasts when chased run on heaps disorderly so these fly from their enemies tumultuously and confusedly without any respect to their companions seeking only to save themselves Amos 2.14 15 16. And yee shall cast them into the Palace q. d. that yee may fly away the swifter yee shall cast away your pleasant and precious things and shall fly naked from your enemy The Learned conceive there may bee an Ecclipsis in the words which may be thus supplied yee shall cast away those things which yee have brought into the Palace as Bribes Treasures Jewels and precious things which you brought into the Palace for security and safety in that strong place yee shall now in your fear cast them all away This is conceived to bee the most genuine sense yet the learned are divided 1 Some render the word thus Yee shall bee cast as Captives into Armenia or into Mount Armon but these mistake the Original word Haharmonah where Harmon is not a proper name but a common name and signifieth a Palace High-house or Tower from Ram altus excelsus 2 Others thus You shall cast your selves into the Palace viz. to hide your selves there from the fury of the Assyrian but in vain for hee shall batter those Towers and take you there 3 Calvin thus You shall cast your selves e Palatio out of the Palace that is yee shall fly for your lives and leave all your pleasant things behind you in your forsaken Palaces 4 The Dutch Annotations thus Yee shall throw away that which was brought into the Palace i. e. that which you gathered into your Palaces by violence and robbery you shall now throw it away alluding to that of Amos 3.10 Yee store up violence and robbery in your Palaces but when the Sword comes yee shall throw all away and think it well if yee can save your lives so that in these two Verses we have a three-fold punishment threathed against Israel 1. Banishment and transplantation out of their own Land Vers. â— 2. Flying before their enemies 3. Loss of goods ver 3. OBSERVATIONS 1 Fear and amazement is the proper portion of wicked men Those that fear not God have cause to fear every thing All are enemies when God is an enemy Deut. 28.65 Prov. 28.1 Ioel 2.6 these men here run some this way and some another way one runs out of the City and another runs into the Palace but all in vain for there is no escaping when God pursues Amos 9.1 2 3 4. though wicked men may seeme full of courage and confidence in times of peace yet when Judgement shall arrest them none so amort and amazed as they Levit. 26.36 Isa. 33.14 Dan. 5.6 But of this at large elsewhere 2 Obs. Wicked men are the Pests of the places where they dwell By their sins they bring down the walls of Cities and make breaches in them for their enemies to enter and destroy them the very stones and timber cry for judgement against them Zech. 5.4 3 Observe Partners in sin will leave men in their sorrow Those that were united before yet when judgement comes they look for the nearest Breach to run out at not staying for others When Iudas was troubled in conscience for betraying his Lord and Master his companions in sin leave him to shift for himself with a Look thou to that Mat. 27.4 4 Obs. Creature-comforts cannot steed us in a day of wrath Prov. 11.4 Silver and Gold will not then avayl Ezek. 7.19 all Jewels and Treasures fayl us in time of distress only the jewel of a good Conscience like a faithful friend will never leave us nor forsake us VERSE 4.5 Come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply transgression and bring your Sacrifices every morning and your Tithes after three years And offer a Sacrifice of thanks-giving with leaven and proclaim and publish the Free-offerings for this liketh you O yee children of Israel saith the Lord THe Prophet goes on with his Charge against Israel and that the justness of Gods Judgements which he threatned to bring upon this people might bee made apparent to the world he comes to set forth their gross Idolatry together with their obstinacy and induration therein insomuch as no Punishments could work upon them this makes the Lord begin with a most biting and bitter Sarcasm saying Goe to Bethel and transgress The Prophet had before charged them with cruelty now he upbraids them for their Idolatry and false-worship set up by Ieroboam their first King augmented by many of the succeeding Kings and endured so long as the Kingdom endured till at last it brought them into Captivity as I have shewed at large elsewhere The Prophet here by a Prolepsis prevents an Objection whereas they might think to escape Gods Judgements by their Sacrifices and Idolatrous services the Prophet tells them that this is so farre from pacifying Gods wrath that it incenseth him the more against them and therefore to express his great indignation against them hee sarcastically bids them Goe to Bethel and transgress c. In the words we have 1. An Ironical concession or Sarcastical exhortation Goe to Bethel and transgress This seems to be a Precept but is indeed a strong Prohibition as appears Hos. 4.15 Amos 5.5.21 22. Seek not Bethel enter not into Gilgal and therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast sets it down positively by way of assertion Yee have come to Bethel and transgrest yee have multiplied sins in Gilgal There they Worshipped the golden Calves out of a good intention conceiting that they Worshipped God when indeed they sacrificed unto Devils 2 Chron. 11.15 and therefore the Lord here in an holy indignation Ironically upbraids them with their Idolatry q. d. Since by no means you will be reclaimed but are desperately set on your own wayes since there is no remedy goe on take your own hearts lusts and fill up the measure of your iniquity Hee gives them the reins in wrath and since they will be filthy he bids them be filthy still As angry Parents are wont to say to their desperate Children I see you will have your own wayes why since there is no remedy goe on and perish The like Sarcastical taunting speeches testifying Gods indignation against sin we have in other places as Ier. 7.21 Ezek. 20.39 Goe and serve every one his Idols q. d. follow your Idols if you please I had rather yee did so than
at first shewes but like a mans hand may suddenly over-spread the whole Heavens 7 Obs. Good intentions are no warrant for evil actions Ieroboam pretended well when hee set up the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel saying Behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt 1 King 12.28 his meaning was not to cast off the true God but to set him forth by some visible resemblance thinking that this might bee as good a way of Religion as the Ark and Cherubims at Ierusalem but the Lord tells them that since they had set up a worship of their own inventing hee abhorred both them and their services Amos 5.21 22. and calls it a worshipping of Devils 2 Chron. 11.15 Thus Aaron and the Israelites pretended well when they set up the golden Calf Exod. 32.4 5. Micah and his Mother had a good meaning when they erected the Ephod and Teraphim for the service of the true God Iudg. 17.3.13 Paul had a good meaning when hee persecuted the Saints Acts 26.9 yea and many that kill them think they doe God good service Ioh. 16.2 3. Uzzah it is conceived was a good man and out of a good intent would have kept the Ark from falling yet for medling with that which belonged to the Priests God smote him dead 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Those gifted men amongst us that presume to Preach without a Call no doubt but many of them have good intentions and think they doe God good service but because they have no command nor commission from God so to doe it is an abomination to him and he will one day ask them Who required this at your hands Saul out of a good intent viz. that hee might sacrifice spared the fat Cattel and Gideon made an Ephod for Gods Worship which God had not commanded but this ruined both them and their Families Iudg. 8.27 1 Sam. 15.21 Nadab and Abihu had no evil intent in offering strange Fire yet were smitten dead for their pains Levit. 10.2 3. So the Papists and the worst of men have their good meanings which at last brings them to evil ends It cannot excuse their evil dealing with God and his people What Sin so vile that is not covered with the vayl of a good meaning How many wayes are there which seeme good in mens owne eyes yet the issues thereof are the wayes of death Prov. 14.12 we may not therefore doe every man what seemeth good in his own eyes but what is good in Gods eyes Deut. 12.8 Those things which in themselves are evil may not for any good ends or plausible intentions be practised None may doe evil that good may come thereof Rom. 3.8 wee must have a command from God for what we doe else our ownâ— good minds and meanings will doe us no good yea this would open a gap to all manner of villanies the Murderer the Drunkard the Traytor c. they all pretend they have good meanings in what they doe but such vain conceits and crooked Rules of multitudes custom good meaning c. hath brought thousands to destruction we must to the Law and to the Testimony and walk according to that rule if ever wee expect peace Gal. 6.16 8 Obs. In the Worship of God we must keep close to the Rule for matter manner time and place Israel failed here in these particulars and therefore God rooted them up 1 They changed the place of Gods Worship 1 King 12.29.2 The time vers 32.3 The manner vers 28.4 The Priests vers 31 33. and this ruined them 1 King 13.33 34. it is not the Traditions of men or Customes of Fore-fathers Antiquity or Succession that is our rule the Israelites here might have pleaded Prescription for their Idolatry for above two hundred years all their twenty Kings successively were Idolatrous from first to last and the people generally followed them yet this did not make their practice good all will-worship is vain worship Mat. 15.9 it is a Sin equalized to Murder Levit. 17.3 4. it is called here transgressing and multiplying transgressions in Gilgal In Gods Worship we must doe nothing without the warrant of his VVord Numb 15.39 Deut. 12.8.11.13 14. ult Ezek. 20.19 Mat. 28.20 Col. 2. ult his VVorship must bee simple and pure agreeable to his own will not ours The Head of the Sacrifice was to be cast away implying that in matters Divine and heavenly we must cast away our own fancies and devices keeping close to Gods VVord as Moses and Gods people did Exod. 39.2.5.7.21.26.29.32 42 43. 9 Obs. Religious duties must be our daily task VVe must not bring our Sacrifices once a month or once a year but as the Lord renewes his Mercies every morning so must we renew our sacrifices of Prayer and Praises Exod. 29.38 39. Numb 28.3 4. our daily wants our daily dangers our daily temptations call upon us for daily Prayer such constant Customers shall be sooner and better served than such as are strangers to those duties David was a constant Trader in Prayer Morning and Evening and see what follows Thou shal hear me Psalm 55.17 As the Priest was every morning to renew the Fire on the Altar and to lay thereon the Morning Sacrifice so should we when we awake bee still with God Psal. 139.18 all things are blest unto us by Prayer As the Ark when it came to the house of Obed-Edom it brought a blessing with it so when duties are set up in their power there God comes and blesseth his people we should therefore dedicate our houses to God by Prayer as David did Psal. 30. title and 2 Sam. 6.20 It was an high commendation of Aurelian the Emperours Family that is was refertabon s Ecclesia Dei it was full of good people and was a little Church So were the houses of the faithful in the Primitive times hence we read so oft To the Church in thy house Rom. 16.5 1 Cor. 16.19 Col. 4.15 Philemon 2. the words will bear a double construction 1. It implies that the people of God met in those houses to hear his VVord preached to celebrate the Sacraments and Pray for publick places were not then allowed them 2. Or else it notes unto us that their private Families were now so piously ordered and religiously instructed that they seemed to be little Churches rather than ordinary houses because of the Praying Reading of Gods Word singing of Psalmes and other religious Exercises that were practised there So Ioshua resolved that hee and his house would serve the Lord Iosh. 24.15 Religion makes the best Families it breeds the best Children and makes the most obedient Subjects and Servants as wee see in Abrahams Family Sad is the condition then of those Christians that take no care of their Families but let Luxury Riot and disorder debase them such houses may better bee called Taverns or Tap-houses rather than Churches of God That daily duties ought to be performed in Families see Mr. Rob. Boultons
we take no notice of it Hos. 7.9 God cries to us by his Judgements To day if yee will hear his voyce harden not your hearts while it is called to day make your peace with mee before the night of warre dearth and death surprize you God hath set forth a Third Edition of Warre he hath printed his Wrath in Capital letters his Spurs stick deep in our sides and our lashes are heard over all parts of Christendome and yet how little are we affected therewith and how careless are we to prepare to meet the Lord. With what a horrid stupidity are wee benummed the Plague of Lots Wife hath fallen upon us and we are turned into Stones and Pillars so that as our Saviour wept over Ierusalem so should we weep over England for its induration and not knowing the day of her Visitation There is a dark and dismal cloud of wrath hangs over our heads there is but one way left to prevent its falling on us and that is 1. Personal Repentance every one to amend one 2. Domestical Repentance every Family apart must humble themselves for their family sins Zach. 12.12 3. National Repentance when the Magistrate shall command the whole Nation to humble themselves for the crying sins and great provocations which have been daily committed in the midst of us Till this be done I shall never expect that truth or peace should abide long amongst us Let us then every one fall heartily to this work which must of necessity be done or else we are undone Luke 13.3 Ioh. 3.5 let us humble our selves and then God will raise us up Iob 22.29 Iam. 4.10 Let us weep now and we shall have joy when troubles come Iob 5.22 Hab. 3.16 Our sins are the Achans which have troubled our Israel our sins are the Ionahs which have raised these storms and tempests amongst us our sins are the Sheba's that have raised rebellion in the Land it is our malignant sins which have raised up against us malignant enemies let us then stone these Achans and our troubles will cease drown these Ionahs and our storms will over cut off the heads of these Sheba's and our troubles will end let us destroy our malignant sins and God will soon destroy our malignant enemies If men would but judge themselves they should not be judged of God 1 Cor. 11.31 Let us then set upon this Soul-inriching-work of Self-examination and Self-judging Let us arraign our selves and set our selves as in Gods presence before his bar Let us examine and take a view of our selves in the Glass of Gods Law and when wee have found out our corruptions let us with shame and sorrow confess them and spread them before the Lord to move him to shew pitty to us Let us judge our selves worthy to be destroyed for them humbly imploring pardon in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ. Doe but this soundly and sincerely and it will qualifie thee for mercies Temporal Spiritual and Eternal and give thee title and interest in many gracious Promises as Levit. 26.40 41 42. Prov. 28.13 1 Ioh. 1.9 The Lord is now upon his march against us it is time therefore for us to meet him with our Prayers and mollifie him with our Tears considering our own inability to grapple with him Can dust and ashes contend with the God of Heaven and Earth Can we with ten thousand Lusts meet the Lord with twenty thousand of Angels Can impotency vie with Omnipotency O no. 2 Consider we cannot run from God Psal. 139.7 Amos 9.2 3. we can goe no where from God but we must fall into his hands Let us therefore run from him to him Ab irato ad placitum from him as an angry God to him as a reconciled Father Bloud-letting is the cure of bleeding and to close with an enemy is the way to avoyd the blow 3 Consider If we goe not to meet God he will fetch us He will either fill our souls with terrours or else send outward afflictions to arrest us When Ioab would not come to Absolon he commands his field of Corn to bee fired and then Ioab arose and came 2 Sam. 14.30 31. Physicians sometimes to cure the Lethargy doe cast into a Feaver so doth God oft cure us of one evil by another If the Word cannot the Sword shall fetch us in or else doe that which is worse send us to Hell Let us then learn to prevent blows hearken to counsel and you may be safe else rods are prepared for the backs of fools Prov. 26.3 If we come not in of our selves let us expect some sad Messenger to fetch us therefore while the sea is calm and the weather fair let us set out to meet our God What the Lord said of Hezekiah is too true of England that he rendred not according to what he had received so we are much behind hand with God we receive much but we return little the Christian World is turned Bankrupt and God is now issuing forth Process to seize upon Body Goods and Life Hee cannot have what he would have he will therefore have what he should have He is now setting us as low as we have hitherto set his love Long-suffering is now at an end God will have all paid now or else Justice will set abroach our bloud O England then repent and prepare to meet thy God and to incourage us know that if wee will goe to meet God he will come to meet us he will meet our sorrow with his sense of it our Prayers with his presence and propitious answers and our tears with his handkerchief Nay he will meet us with embraces as the father of the Prodigal did his returning Son Luke 15.20 Let us then goe to him with humble acknowledgements in our mouthes and say to him Father we have sinned against Heaven and before thee we have abused thy Mercies despised thy Judgements despited thy Spirit and have not returned unto thee Let us thus in humility fall down at Gods feet and he will fall on our necks and embrace us in the armes of his love Seeing therefore God will doe thus unto us let us prepare our selves to meet our God See more concerning the necessity and excellency of Repentance in Master Perkins Mr. Dyke and Doct. Tho. Taylor their particular Treatises of Repentance Mr. Hookers Souls-preparation for Christ Mr. Bridge on Matth. 4.2 D. â—restons Iudas Repentance and Pauls conversion Mr. Fenners Danger of deferring Repent Many Treatises of Mr. Baxter about Conversion Mr. Swinnocks Key to Regeneration on Iohn 3.3 Binchius his Mellific Theolog. Loc. 19. P. 4. p. 90. Doct. Holdsworth on Hos. 14.2 Dyke on Conscience p. 49. and on the Sacrament p. 37. Taffin on Amendment p. 422. Mr. Baines Ser. Rev. 2.4 p. 17. Doct. Loves Ser. on Isa. 21.12 Doct. Burges his Fast Serm. on Jer. 4.14 Harsenet on Repentance Mr. Case his Morning Lectures in quarto p. 485. c. Reyner his Precepts for Practice p. 4 5.
Gods people whether they be imminent or present we must weep with them that weep and as fellow members of the same mystical body wee should have compassion one of another Rom. 12.15 1. Pet. 3.8 Especially this concerns Gods Ministers to commiserate the sad condition of Gods people and to intercede for them at the Throne of Grace Ier. 9.1 and 18.20 Ioel 2.17 So did Moses for Israel Exod. 32.31 32. and Samuel for Saul 1 Sam. 15. ult Ieremy writ a whole book of Lamentations for Ierusalem and Christ wept over it Luke 19.41 42. Hence the Lord so oft commands the Prophets to take up a Lamentation for the Princes of Israel Ezek. 19.1 yea for Tyre Ezek. 27.2 and for Egypt Ezek. 32.2.16 and threatens such as neglected this duty Ezek 13.5 and 22.30 31. How great then is the sin of those wicked men who mock at such as mourn for them who hate those which help to keep off judgements from them who seek the destruction of those which seek their salvation and desire their death who use all means to bring them to life such horrid ingratitude shall not pass without some signal vengeance 5 Obs. Such as contemn Gods Iudgements shall at last lament their folly These obduratesi nners scoft at the Prophets Threatnings and asked when will the day of the Lord come why it shall come upon you in a day that you look not for it and shall bee a lamentation and a burden that shall sinke you Patience abused turns into fury though God bear long yet hee will not alwayes bear VERSE 2. The Virgin of Israel is fallen shee shall no more rise shee is forsaken upon her Land there is none to raise her up IN the precedent Verse the Prophet tells us of a Lamentation given him by God to publish against Israel In this Verse he comes to tell us exegetically what it is viz. the fatal and final overthrow of the whole Kingdome of Israel set forth in emphatical termes and variety of words to assure this unbeleeving people of the certainty of those Judgements which they should shortly feel In the words wee have the summe of this Funeral Lamentation or Samaria's Epitaph The Virgin of Israel is fallen Where wee have 1 A Judgement threatned and that is a fall Israel is fallen viz. into the hands of the Assyrians 2 Here are the persons upon whom this judgement shall fall and that is upon the Virgin of Israel or the ten Tribes 3 Here is the certainty of it Is fallen that is they shall as surely come down as if they were this day in the dust Quest. How is Israel called a Virgin whereas shee had plaid the Harlot with Idols and is therefore called on Harlot Hos. 1.2 Answ. Kingdomes and Cities are called Virgins in Scripture on several accounts As 1 when they flourish in riches and renown and remain unconquered and unaccustomed to any yoke of servitude now such in Scripture though they bee Heathenish and Idolatrous yet are called Virgins As Tyre Isa. 23.12 Babylon Isa. 47.1 and Aegypt Jer. 46.11 2 In respect of their Effeminacy Delicacy and Wantonness priding themselves in their Beauty and Bravery and tricking themselves up like Virgins and thus Israel was effeminate living daintily and deliciously giving themselves up to feasting mirth and musick Amos 6.4 5 6. priding themselves in their wealth and ornaments and in this respect they might be called Virgins 3 In respect of their weakness and unableness to help themselves so Israel shall fall and be like a poor helpless forlorn Virgin that sits alone in distress without any helper she shall now be deflowred and wasted by the Assyrian 4 Israel is here called a Virgin after her Apostacy but this is in relation to former times before they were Idolatrous as in Davids time before the division of the ten Tribes when they served God in purity without the mixture of humane inventions and likewise in relation to their duty shewing what they should have been and not what now they were and in this sense Iudah is also called a Virgin after their Apostasie Ier. 18.13 31.21 they had both the name of Virgins but were indeed Idolaters and by consequence Adulteresses that broke the Covenant of their God 5 The City of Samaria was a maiden City it was never subdued or conquered by any Nation before the Assyrian King Salmaneser brought it under the yoke of Servitude and carried the ten Tribes captive into Assyria and Media and in this respect it might be called a Virgin 3 Here is the certainty of this Judgement set forth in the Present Tense The Virgin of Israel is fallen that is shee shall as surely fall as if it were already done and this is usuall with the Prophets to signifie the certainty of a rhing by putting it in the Present or praeterit Tense Thus the Scripture speaks of Eastern and Western Babylon in the Present Tense Babylon is fallen is fallen that is it shall suddenly surely and irrecoverably fall Isa. 21.9 Ier. 51.8 Rev. 14.8 18.2 So Iude 14. The Lord cometh that is he will as surely come as if he were now coming to Judgement This was about forty years before the final overthrow of Samaria that the Prophet fore-told this yet since God had decreed their fall he tells them it shall as surely be effected as if it were done this day and it is usual with all the Prophets to speak thus assertively not only because of the certainty of what his denounced but because from the first denuntiation the plague begins though not discerned nor sometimes accomplisht till many years after 4 Here is the aggravation of her fall 1 She shall fall so that she shall never rise again 2 She shall be forsaken in her own Land 3 There shall be none to raise her up Many fall but they rise again but when a Kingdome shall fall from its former splendor and dignity and never be restored again that is very sad yet this was Israels case they were carried Captive into Assyria and the body of the Kingdome and generality of the People never returned again nor had they ever the face of a Kingdom more 2 King 17. Hos. 4.5 5.5 When the remainders of Iudah returned out of the Babylonish Captivity to Ierusalem some few of Israel joyned themselves with them and are reckoned with Iudah the rest of the ten Tribes being scattered and dispersed up and down the world degenerated into Gentiles and some of those dispersed were converted in the Apostolical times as appears by the inscriptions of the Epistles of Iames and Peter Obj. But we read in our Saviours time of the lost sheep of the house of Israel Matth 10.6 15.24 and that Nicodemus was a Master in Israel Ioh. 3.10 and therefore some conclude that the Kingdom of Israel was not totally ruined Ans. The word Israel hath many significations in Scripture but that in Matthew hath relation to
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
reverence as in Gods presence 4 Decently As all other Duties must be done decently and in order so must this 1 Cor. 11. ult As all curiosity Quavering and Vain-descants must be avoyded so rudeness disorder and confusion must be shunned We must observe the Tune and joyn all together as one man in the Duty as those Singers did 2 Chron. 5.13 with the voyce all together must we sing unto God Esay 52.8 See more about singing of Psalmes and all Cavils answered by Master Cotton in his Treatise for singing of Psalmes and Mr. Sydnam in his Treatise of Infants Baptism p. 165. Mr. Manton on Iames 5.13 Downams Guide to Godliness l. 3. c. 17. p. 240. Mr. Ambrose his Media p. 259. M. Eaton against the Quakers p. 25. Clapham against the Quakers in the end of his Treatise against them Mr. Philip Goodwin in his Family-Religion p. 269 c. Mr. Sam. Cradocks Knowledge and Practise Part 2. Cha. 6. p. 340. Zanchy in Ephes 5.19 20. 2 Obs. Wicked men are apt to abuse the Practices and Examples of Gods people Sometimes they take offence and stumble at their infirmities and falls which should be a means to keep them from falling Sometimes they imitate their good actions but then they do it in an evil manner and to an evil end if David dance before the Ark then the wicked will dance before Dagon and wrest that purely zealous act of David to Patronize mixt dancing If David set up Musick to praise God they will set up Musick to please their Lusts. They had Musick here like David but they had not the heart of David They had the matter but they failed in the manner They abused Davids example for though he was a great Musician a Master of Musick and the sweet Singer of Israel yet all his Musick was not for Carnal but Spiritual pleasure to fit him the better to praise God and to meditate upon his works Two men may doe one and the same thing and yet not be the same because it comes not from one and the same Principle nor tends to the same end Cain and Abel both offer Sacrifice yet from different Principles and with different acceptation Gen. 4.3 The Pharisee and the Publican both pray the one hollowly the other heartily Luke 18.10 wicked men may doe the very same work which good men doe Materially but formally and finally they differ much David here used Musick piously but these Epicures prophanely David was bettered by it and his affections were raised Heaven-ward but these were corrupted by their Musick and their hearts made more sensual and base VERSE 6 7. That drink Wine in bowls and anoynt themselves with the chief Oyntments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph Therefore they shall goe Captive with the first that goe Captive and the banquet of them that stretch themselves shall be removed THe Prophet goes on with his Charge against the Grandees and Rulers of Iudah and Israel In this Verse he chargeth them with Apostacy Inhumanity and want of compassion to their distressed brethren The whole Land was over-run and exposed to the mercy of merciless men but because themselves were safe in their fenced Cities viz. Ierusalem and Samaria they lightly regarded the afflictions of others but instead of mourning with such as mourned they drunk Wine in bowls and drowned themselves in sensual delights So that we have here a further amplification and fuller description of their Luxury 1 They drink Wine in bowls 2 They anoynt themselves with the chief Oyntments 3 Which highly aggravates their Sin they did all this in a time of sorrow even when Ioseph that is their Brethren and relations round about them were in deep distress but they were not at all affected or afflicted with it They drink Wine in bowls They made it their Trade so to doe The Participle of the Present Tense notes a continued act They drunk not Wine in ordinary Cups Beakers content not them they must have Bowls and those not ordinary ones but large and capacious Vials and Vessels Silver or Golden Goblets like Basons for so the word Mizrak is used for such Vials or Basons as used to carry the bloud of the Sacrifices to the Altar where it was poured out Exod. 27.3 Numb 7.13 1 King 7.40 Zach. 14.20 They drunk by measure out of measure they were so addicted to drinking that they could scarce find Vessels bigge enough to satisfie their lusts They anoynt themselves with the chief Oyntments In those hot Eastern Countries the Iewes were wont to anoynt themselves especially at Feasts with sweet smelling Oyl and other sweet Oyntments to express their joy and cheerfulness and for the refreshment and consolidation of their Limbs With it they anoynted their Members and specially their Head for the preserving of health and reviving of the spirits hence those Aromatical Oyntments were of great esteem amongst the Iewes as being a special part of their treasure 1 Sam. 8.13 2 King 20.13 The thing was lawful in it self and therefore we find it commanded by Christ Matth. 6.17 and practised by holy Persons as Ruth 3.3 David 2 Sam. 12.20 14.2 Psal. 23. ult Hezekiah 2 King 20.13 Hence our Saviour justified the VVoman that anoynted his feet with Oyntment Luke 7.46 And another that poured a box of precious Oyntment upon his head Mat. 26.7 to 13. 'T was used much by the Jews at their Feasts and Funerals Luk. 23.56 but now in Gospel-times and especially in our cold Countries 't is out of use The thing in it self was good for God gives Wine and Oyl to delight us Psal. 104.15 Iob 29.6 Prov. 27.9 And therefore the Prophet doth not here simply condemn the use but the abuse of these things He blames them for their riot and excesse they must have Wine in great bowls and the first or top of the Oyl that is they must have the best and costliest Oyntment not for necessity but for luxury and lust and that in a time when Gods judgements were on the Regions round about them and many were gone into captivity yet they are not at all moved with it but go on securely in their mirth and merriment without any sympathy of the afflictions of Ioseph for so it follows But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph This But is a sore blot upon them let Ioseph sink or swim yet they are not broken in spirit for the breaches of Ioseph they have no pain fellow-feeling or heart-grief for the oppression of their brethren or for those calamities past or present which were upon them Some take this affliction to be that particular breach and great rupture which the Syrians made amongst them when they had broken them to shivers as the word imports as appears 2 King 13.4.22 and 14.26 Their affliction was bitter for there was none shut up nor any help left many were slain and many carried into captivity Though
precious Psal. 56.8 their Desires are precious Psal. 10.17 their Names are precious and their Death is precious Psal. 112.6 116.15 Now if we must pray for all men even for Pagans then much more for these precious ones if we must pray for our enemies Matth. 5.44 and must be affected with their miseries Psal. 35.13 14. then much more for our friends If the Prophet wept for Moab and Babylon what should wee doe for Zionâ— Esay 16.11 and if Abraham were so importunate for wicked Sodom and all the people must lament for Nadab and Abihu two notorious wicked men who perisht for their Sin Levit. 10.6 how tender should we be of Sion and if we must sympathize and be sensible of the sorrowes of a particular good man Iob 2.13 how much more when a community of good men suffers And if Gods Servants have been affected with Impendent Judgements that were but in the Clouds and afarre off how should we bee affected with the present miseries of Gods people When Elisha fore-saw the evil that Hazael would doe to Israel some years after he wept and Daniel ch 8.11 12 13. fore-seeing the misery which would come upon Ierusalem two hundred years after his death he was even sick with sorrow vers 27. How would those Saints have wept in our dayes to have seen these present real evils which press and oppresse the people of God To incourage us let us know that this work never goes unrewarded God takes the kindness we shew to his people as done to himself he is fed when they are fed Matth. 25.35 36. The Kenites kindness unto Israel was rewarded four hundred years after 1 Sam. 15.6 Wee never please God better than when we seek the good of his people though we forget such labour of love yet he will not Heb. 6 10. Laban was blest for Iacobs sake and Pharaoh for Iosephs Rahab that hid the Spies was hid her self Obadiah that sheltred the Prophets of the Lord was himself sheltred by God Ebedmelech for the kindness which he shewed to Ieremy had his life for a prey God hath a Book of remembrance wherein he records all that we doe for him or his Mal. 3.16 How sad then is the condition of those that are sensless and regardless of Sions miseries So themselves can but live in wealth and ease they never regard the afflictions of Ioseph like Gallio they care for no such matters Christ looks upon such Luke-warm Newters as his profest enemies he that is not with him is against him Matth 12.30 and Meroz was cursed not for hurting but for not helping Gods people in their troubles Iudg. 5.23 and so was Edom Obad. 11 12 13 c. But most sad is the condition of those that instead of praying for Gods people they persecute them and adde affliction to the afflictions of those whom he hath wounded These may forget their owne cruelty but God will not he hath not only said but sworn it that he will not forget their cruelty Amos 8.7 He punisht Amaleck four hundred years after for his inhumanity towards Israel 1 Sam. 15.2 3. In all Ages God hath shewed himself terrible to such he will spoyl the spoylers of his People If Pharaoh pursue Israel God will pursue him If Edom shed Israels bloud God will have Edoms bloud Ezek. 35. Let us then every one sympathize with Sion and give the Lord no rest till he make our Ierusalem the praise of the earth Isa. 62.1 Every one in his place must help and doe something for Gods afflicted Ioseph Those that can pray must pray those that are in Power and Authority and have parts must assist in their places Souldiers that can fight must fight for Gods Church At the building of the Tabernacle every one did something In the body Natural each part is serviceable to the head The Church of Christ throughout the Christian World is in deep distress and cryes as the men of Macedonia did Come and help us Let us therefore by our Prayers and Tears come forth to the help of the Lord against the mighty Inquire how it fares with Sion as Eli and Nenemiah did 1 Sam. 4.13 Neh. 1.2 and then pray for them accordingly Psal. 122.6 Isa. 45.11 Ier. 51.50 Get affectionate desires Psal. 14. ult Isa. 64.1 Affectionate prayers Psal. 25. ult 51.18 and Affectionate endeavours in your places as Magistrates Ministers c. for the good of Sion here and then you shall rejoyce with Sion hereafter VERSE 7. Therefore shall they goe Captive with the first that goe Captive and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed WE have before seen the Sin of the Rulers of Israel we are now come to the several branches of their Punishment whereof the first is Captivity and deportation out of their owne Land The Lord had borne long with them and waited many years for their returne but they abused his Patience and turned his grace into wantonness and therefore now he is resolved to put an end to all their Pastimes and pleasures In this Verse we have 1. A Iudgement threatned and that is Captivity Yee shall goe into captivity 2 Here are the Persons which must goe into Captivity and those are the secure Grandees and Voluptuous Rulers of Israel They shall goe Captive with the first that goe Captive of the Inhabitants of those Cities for the Country was spoyled and many of them captivated before But the Rulers who were the prime offendors and had been first in sin should now bee first in punishment They shall have the primacy amongst the Captives they shall goe in the front of them and lead them the way into Captivity As in Dignity and Luxury they went before others so now they shall have precedency in Punishment as you may see 2 King 17. Before they were all for the head of the Oyntments and now they should have the head in Punishment They must have the head and chief delights and now they shall have the head and chief of sorrows 3 Here is the Time when they should goe into Captivity and that is suddenly Now shall they goe i. e. it shall not be long but the Assyrian shall carry them out of their owne Land into Captivity in Gods due time it shall come to pass It was about sixty years after that the Captivity came which was but a short time comparatively it is said even now to come upon them because Gods decrees are sure and what he determines to doe is as sure as if it were already done Thus to shew the certainty of Babylons downfall it is said Babylon is fallen Revel 14.8 that is It shall as certainly be destroyed as if it were already done Her fall is decreed by God and is already begun in the hearts of Gods people and shall from henceforth be more and more advanced till it be utterly destroyed So the Lord had decreed the Captivity of this People and exercised them with
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
things grew to extremity and observing that all the fruits of the earth both Corn and Grass were like to be suddenly consumed by the devouring Locusts and so a fearful Famine would come upon the Land he betakes himself to his Prayers as the best remedy against such a malady 1 King 8.37 he deprecates the Judgement and prevails So that here is 1 The Judgement threatned and that is the Famine one of Gods sore Judgements Ezek. 14.21 2 Here is the means that was used for the stopping of the execution of it and that was the prayers of the Prophet and other good people This Prayer is Argumentative it is short but sweet little in words but full of matter little for quantity but full of faith as appears by the speedy answer and the good effect which it had God delights not in babling or multiplicity of words Eccles. 5.2 it is the faith and fervour of the Person praying and not the bare words which God regards The Prophet useth two Arguments to move the Lord to shew mercy to them The first is drawn from the Covenant of Free-grace which God made with his people it is Iacob that is in distress by whom shall Jacob arise q. d. I plead not for Babylonians Aegyptians Assyrians or any barbarous Nation that know thee not but my suit is to thee in the behalf of thine owne Church and chosen it is for Iacob thine inheritance which is near and dear to thee that hath made thy servant thus bold to speak unto thee Psa. 105.6 135.4 Isa. 19. ult Ier. 2.14 Remember O Lord thy Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob spare thy people pitty thine inheritance there is nothing works more upon God than the remembrance of the Covenant of Free-grace which he hath made with his people he delights in that Deut. 7.9 12. and therefore the Saints so oft urge it Exod. 32.13 Psal. 74.20 By Iacob here is primarily meant the ten Tribes or the Israelites which were the posterity of Iacob though Iudah be not totally excluded for Amos oft glanceth at them also Amos 2.5 6.1 A second Argument is drawn from the shattered sad condition which this People were in they were little very little and low O Lord forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small He is small and low in Men in Spirituals and Temporals in Church and State Money in Spirituals and Temporals in Church and State Strength in Spirituals and Temporals in Church and State 1 They were little and low in Temporals both in Number Riches and Power they were much impaired and wasted by various calamities of Sword Famine and Pestilence as appears by chap. 4. 2 King 14.26 when Ieroboam the second came to the Throne the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter for there was none shut up or left nor any helper in Israel 2 They were low in Spirituals in Ahabs time the Worship of God was generally corrupted his Truths despised his Ministers persecuted 1 King 18.4 and such a general face of Idolatry had over-spread the Land that Elijah complains he was left alone 1 King 19.10 and in the ninth verse of this Chapter the Lord threatens to lay their Sanctuaries wast and that they should have a famine not of Bread but of the Word of God chap. 8.11 12. Thus the Prophet pleads not Iacobs merit but Gods mercy and free-grace so much the original word imports to be favourable and propitious to spare and pardon The word is often used in the Law for forgiveness upon oblation and intercession made by the Priest Numb 14.19 Levit. 4.20 26 c. Psal. 25.11 He first beggs for pardon of their sin for he knew right well if the cause were removed the effect would quickly cease Neither doth he plead Iacobs excellency but his misery to move the Lord to shew him mercy q. d. Consider O Lord the low and sad estate of thy people they are low in Temporals and low in Spirituals and few in number and if thou still goe on thus with thy Iudgements all must perish and there will be none left to praise thee if thou shouldst enter into judgement with thy Servants there were no abiding Bâ—ut as it is the glory of a man to pass by an offence so it will make much for thy glory to pardon and pass by the sins and transgressions of thy poor afflicted people It makes not for thine honour nor doth it suit with thy nature to afflict the afflicted nor to oppress the oppressed Hold then thy hand spare thy People and pitty thy distressed flock Thus this good Prophet did commiserate their condition and intercedes for the life of those who sought his death it is true he had plainly and powerfully reproved them for their sins according to his place and calling yet that they might see he did nothing out of hatred but by office and command from God not out of passion but out of compassion to them he now prays for them and prevails By whom shall Jacob arise Or who shall raise Iacob or how should he subsist if thou still pursue him with thy Judgements The Original word Kum hath many significations which hath caused these various lections it signifies to arise to stand to establish and abide Some render the word Transitively for to raise Who shall raise Jacob i. e. who shall raise and restore him and make him happy in the enjoyment both of Temporals and Spirituals Thus the sense is the same take it which way you will By whom shall he arise The Prophet could not see who should effect this and therefore he asketh the question By whom shall he arise he could discerne no visible means how the weakness of Iacob should be strengthened and the lowness of Iacob be exalted and therefore he goes unto God by Prayer As when the enemy is high we are apt to question who shall bring downe these Gyants these sons of Anak these great Zanzummims of the world for they are high and mighty So when the Church is low and lies in the dust our unbelief is apt to question its arising By whom shall Jacob arise for he is low OBSERVATIONS 1 Afflictions are a means to bring us to God When all the fruit of the Land was almost devoured now comes Praying Spare Lord. We are all too like Ioab in this Absolom sent twice for him but he would not come at last he set fire on his Corn fields and then Joab arose and came 2 Sam. 14.30 31. Hence the Lord takes it for granted that in our affliction we will seek him diligently Hos. 5. ult and so they did Hos. 6.1 and so did the Woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 and the Prodigal Luke 15. and Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 and David Psal. 120.1 and Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 2 In Gods Ministers there must be a due temperature of sharpness and sweetness of severity and mercy They must have a holy anger against
us much in this duty of Prayer The Lord repented also for this this also shall not be vers 6. I will hold my hand saith God the fire which I threatned shall not yet come the Land shall not be deâ—troyed at this time So gracious is the Lord and ready to forgive and so quickly he repents him of the evil which he intends against his people especially when his Ministers intercede for them Ioel 2.13 he afflicts not willingly Judgement is his strange work and Fury is not in him Isa. 27.4 But though the Lord at the intercession of his Servants may suspend his fiery Judgements here though oft-times hee pleads with them here by Fire Sword Famine c. Isa. 66.15 16. Ezek. 38.22 yet without repentance the fire of the last Day will certainly devour them God will then contend with fire and execute the fierceness of his fury upon the workers of iniquity 3 Obs. Hence note That short Prayers full of faith and fervency may prevail very much with God for a People It is not the loudness or the length or the neat expressions which take with God 1 King 18.26 Eccles. 5.2 Mat. 6.7 7.21 But it is the faith and sincerity of him that prayes poor broken Prayers coming from a broken heart are of great worth in the sight of God Matth 15.25 Eliâ—ahs Prayer was short and pithy and prevailed 1 King 18.36 so Psal. 6.3 My soul is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long viz. wilt thou delay to help me It is an abrupt broken speech but God can pick sense out of our non-sense Prayer is a work of the Heart and not of the Tongue words are but the out-side of Prayer it is the Hearts desire which God eyes and respects and if thy affections fly aloft though thy words doe but creep yet thy faith shall get what thy words cannot yea if thou canst not speak yet if thou canst weep God will hear the voyce of thy weeping Tears have a voyce Psal. 6.8 as well as words The Lord called to contend with fire Or the Lord proclaimed that he would contend with fire or plead that is punish them with fire Thus Hos. 4.1 The Lord hath a Controversie that is a Plea or Process not only verbal but real that is he had Judgements ready to execute on them This contending notes Israels obstinacy we use not to contend or goe to suit till we have tried all other means to get our right yet cannot get it then we are constrained to contend As War so Law is or ought to be our last refuge God had used all means to win this People but in vaine and therefore he is now constrained to contend with Fire and Sword against them Q. But what is meant by Fire here A. Interpreters vary 1. Some take it Literally for some extraordinary fire which should fall from Heaven and consume them as it did Sodom and Gomorrah and Aarons Sons Levit. 10.2 and Iobs Sheep and Servants Iob 1.16 So say some God called his Angels to execute judgement on these wicked men and to contend or plead for him by fire in their destruction 2 By fire others understand a great Drought when the violent heat of the Sun-beams should pierce the deepest parts of the earth below the roots of the Corn and Trees and so should make a perfect famine This extream heat and scorching of the Sun is called a Fire Ioel 1.19 20. A fire hath consumed the Pastures of the Wilderness and a flame hath burnt up all the trees of the field that is the great heat of the Sun like to a fire hath consumed all 3 By Fire may be meant the Wrath of God which was now inflamed against this stubborn People and this is the kindler of all Penal fires and is oft in Scripture called Fire Iob 31.12 Isa. 26.11 Amos 5.6 Heb. 12. ult 4 And most genuinely Fire is here taken Metaphorically for some direful and dreadful Judgement for Fire of all the Elements is most terrible which should consume their men money health strength Iob 15.31 34 More especially here it adumbrates War which should be managed by some fiery furious enemy who like fire should wast and consume all before it So Ezek. 20.48 Behold I will kindle a fire in thee which shall devour every green tree and every dry tree that is all sorts of people both old and young rich and poor the fire of War shall consume them all So Numb 21.28 Isa. 66.15 16. Ier. 48.45 Lam. 2.3 Amos 1.4 7 10. 2.5 OBSERVATIONS 1 When lesser Iudgements will not mend a People God usually comes with greater The devouring Locusts could not stir this people God wil now see what the Fire will doe Great impenitency calls for great punishment Levit. 26.18 But of this elsewhere 2 Sin is the great make-bate between God and his people It breeds contention and dissention between them God hath a Suit and an Action against such Hos. 4.1 God had a Controversie against Israel and cites them to answer the Plea which he had against them for their ignorance cruelty swearing lying c. God loves his Creature as it is his Creature but when it becomes a sinful rebellious Creature he abhors it and delights in its destruction Prov. 1.26 This bred the Quarrel between God and the Old world Gen. 6.2 3. and between him and Ierusalem Jer. 30.15 Hos. 12.2 Micha 6.2 3. Sin bred the first Controversie and Quarrel between God and the Angels and between God and Adam This turns him who is sweetness it self and mercy it self into wrath and fury Isa. 64.5 it is sin that warres against God and therefore no wonder if he warre against it it is directly opposite to his holy Nature Psal. 5.5 and dishonours him in all his Attributes Sinners deny his Omniscience as if he did not see what they doe and his Omnipotence as if he were unable to punish and his Iustice as if he would never call them to an account c. no wonder then if God have a quarrel with such Sin warres against the Lawes of God against the Spirit of God Isa. 7.13 Ephes. 4.30 against the Saints of God against the wayes and Worship of God yea against all that is Gods No wonder then if he contend by Fire against that which so fiercely contends and fights against him and his 3 Warre is a dreadful Iudgement It is one of Gods last and sore Rods Ezek. 14.21 hence it is compared here to fire which is one of the most terrible elements that are If the Lord should contend with Water and send a floud upon the world that were sad but Fire Fire is farre more terrible to the nature of man As Peace is one of the choycest Mercies so War is the saddest Judgement Peace sweetens our blessings and makes them blessings indeed To have Houses Goods Lands and be in continual danger of losing by enemies imbitters all to us Hence when the Lord
the High places of Laughter or the ridiculous High places and the Altars of Derision for what is more ridiculous than for men to worship a Stock or a Stone which themselves have carved shall be desolate But this is a ridiculous version of this text for though there be a change of one Letter in the name of Isaac Scin instead of Tsade yet the Learned in that Language observe that these Letters are used promiscuously the one for the other and it is the same Isaac here spoken of which is mentioned Gen. 17.19 Psal. 105.9 By high places here are meant Temples and Altars erected on Mountains and Hills for the honour of their Idols Amos 4. ult Though God had confined them by a strict command to worship at Ierusalem yet they must have somewhat of their owne inventing they must be sacrificing on their owne high Hills high Altars and high Places though they dye for it These are called the High-places of Isaac say some 1 Because as Abraham was ready to offer Isaac in Sacrifice at Gods command so these offered their Sons and Daughters in imitation of Abraham to Moloch and Baal but there is no ground for this in the text 2 They garnisht their Idolatry with the names and examples of Isaac and Iacob because in their times they had set up secret Altars and offered Sacrifices there to the God of Heaven Thus did Isaac at Beersheba Gen. 26.25 and Iacob at Bethel Gen. 35.7 And the Sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid wast That is the Idolatrous Temples Altars and Groves in Dan and Bethel and other Cities consecrated to the golden Calves shall be destroyed by the Assâ—rian These places are called Sanctuaries and Holy places not that they are so indeed but the Scripture speaks according to mens opinions of them as here it calls these Idols Temples Sanctuaries when indeed they were dens of Devils and great provocations of Gods wrath against this people And I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the Sword This Ieroboam was not Ieroboam the Son of Nebat which made Israel to sin the first Author of Schism and Idolatry in the Kingdome of Israel but this is Ieroboam the second one of the same name and of the same religion a chip of the old block he was Son of Ioash Nephew to Iehu and Father to Zachariah in his dayes the Kingdom flourisht they recovered many Cities and inlarged their borders but they abusing these Mercies God threatens to destroy both the Kingdome and the Kings posterity as he did when Zachariah the Son of Ieroboam was slaine openly in the sight of the people by Shallum after he had reigned six moneths who translated the Kingdome to his owne family 2 King 15.10 and this put an end to Iehu's Stock according to the threatning 2 King 10.30 Two vaine props this People rested on 1. In their external Idolatrous services 2. In the power of their Kings Both these the Lord tells them should faile them for their Sanctuaries should be laid wast and the house of the King cut off and this made way for their utter ruine by the Assyrian Q. But why doth the Lord threaten the house of Jeroboam rather than any other family A. Because the Leaders of People especially if they be wicked lead them into Sin with themselves and so have the Peoples sins to answer for as well as their owne The twenty Kings of Israel were all of them Idolaters and drew the people into Idolatry with them and therefore the Lord threatens to begin with the house of Ieroboam first both Princes Priests and People had sinned together and now the Lord tells them they shall perish together So Samuel told the people that if they persevered in their wickedness both they and their King should perish 1 Sam. 12. ult OBSERVATIONS 1 Corruptions in the Church usually ruine the State For Church and Common-wealth are like the Vine and the Elme or like those twins which are said to weep and laugh together so long as purity in religion is preserved the State prospers and hath peace 2 Chron. 17.5 10. Isa. 60.12 13 18. God will preserve that people which preserves his truth Revel 2.10 but he will depart from those that depart from the purity of his wayes and when God departs peace plenty comfort glory c. all goes with him and all misery comes in like a floud Deut. 31.17 Ier. 6.8 Hos. 9.12 2 God will destroy Idolatrous places The Sanctuaries and high places of Idolators shall be ruined if Magistrates will not destroy them God will Levit. 26.30 Deut. 12.23 Ezek. 6.3 Amos 4. ult 5.5 3 Sin especially the Sin of Idolatry ruines great men as well as others God is no respecter of persons but if great men be great offenders they must look for great punishment God is terrible not only to inferiour wicked men but even to the Kings of the earth if Ieroboam will worship golden Calves those Calves shall be his ruine Idolatry is a God-provoking and a Land-destroying sin Psal. 106.39 Amos 2.4 5. 4 Gods Ministers must denounce Iudgements against great men when they sin as well as against inferiour persons Yea rather against them because by their example they doe more hurt This makes Amos as it were threaten the house of the King Thus Elijah reproves Ahab Nathan David and Iohn Baptist Herod See more in my Com. on Psal. 82.2 Obs. 1. p. 96 97. 5 God transferres Kingdoms from one family to another as pleaseth him He pulls down one and sets up another in the Throne and none may say to him what dost thou After the division of the Kingdom of Israel from Iudah they had twenty Kings of ten several Stocks whereof one destroyed another Ieroboams Stock was cut off by Baasha and Baashaes by Zimri and Tibni by Omri and Omries by Iehu and Iehu's by Shallum and Shallum's by Menahems and Menahems by Pekah and Pekah's by Hoshea All these Kings were Idolaters and the most of them cruel Tyrants and Persecutors and therefore God cut them off that they did not live out half their dayes VER 10 11. Then Amaziah the Priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam King of Israel saying Amosâ—ath â—ath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel the Land is not able to bear all his words For thus Amos saith Jeroboam shall dye by the Sword and Israel shall surely be led away Captive out of their owne Land WEE have seen Amos his fidelity and love to this People in the faithful discharge of his duty to them We are now come to the issue and event of his Sermons and to see how he is required for his pains and this makes the second part of this Chapter where we have a notable History of the Persecution and treachery of Amaziah the Idolatrous Priest of Bethel and the constancy of Amos in asserting the truth maugre the malice of all adverse power whatsoever This
prophane Priest being netled with the plaine and powerful preaching of Amos at Bethel fearing lest the people should see the truth and be wrought upon by Amos his Sermons to cast away their Idols and return to the Worship of God at Ierusalem and so his gaines which he had by the Sacrifices and Oblations at Bethel might be lost yea if Amos and his Party should prevail he might fear not only the loss of his Priesthood and authority but the loss of his life also as a false Prophet he therefore resolves to doe all he can both by force and fraud to rid the Land of this turbulent and â—editious Amos. The Urchin we say hath but one shift but the Fox hath many and so hath Amaziah here 1 He gets on the Lions skin and accuseth Amos to the King for a trayterous Conspirator against him and a seditious Disturber of the peace of the Kingdome Thus he pretends great kindnesse to the King and tells him the cause was his when in truth self was in the bottom of the design for he knew if Amos prevailed he should lose his fat morsels at Bethel both he and his Idols might starve together Ierusalem would have all the custom from him 2 Since this way did not take he now gets on the Foxes skin and as a seeming friend counsels him to leave the Kingdome of Israel and goe to Iudea his owne Country and Prophecy there where he might avoyd the Kings fury q. d. It is not safe for thee O Amos to Prophecy here against the King and Kingdome but goe to Judea and tell them of the downfall of Israel there thou wilt be safe and welcome but this is Bethel and it is no discretion for thee to preach against the King and Kingdome here To this Charge and crafty counsel of Amaziah Amos piously prudently and peaceably answers with much courage and constancy Vers. 14 15. proving his extraordinary call to the work denouncing Gods Judgements against Amaziah and Israel vers 16 17. In this Verse we have an Accusation or Charge drawn up against Amos where we have 1. The Party accusing and that is Amaziah the Idolatrous Priest of Bethel so called to distinguish him from Amaziah King of Iudah 2 King 12. ult he was Successor to those Idolatrous Priests which Ieroboam had set up at Bethel some great man he was at Court in all probability and neer to the King which made him send so boldly to him to incense him against Amos the Jesuit calls him the High Priest of the Idols at Bethel there Ieroboam had placed a Colledge of Priests 1 King 12.33 Amaziah might be the Praefect or Governour of it The word Chohen is used promiscuously for a Priest or a Prince for an Ecclesiastical or a Civil Governor In those days except it were in Iudea many persons were both Priests and Princes and ruled in Church and State Hence the word is used for a Counsellor of State or a great man Iob 12.19 for a Priest Levit. 1.12 and for Idolatrous Priests as here and Gen. 41.45 47.22 2 Here is the Party accused and that is Amos a poor plaine pious harmless Prophet 3 Here is the Person to whom he is accused and that is the King Amaziah sent to the King he could not well suppresse him himself and therefore he sends to the Secular Power for ayd desiring he may be either silenced or banisht or put to death 4 Here is the Matter for which he is accused viz. for Sedition Rebellion Conspiracy and Treason this he speaks to exasperate the King against him the good Prophet did only discharge his duty faithfully and perform that office which God had called him to yet this is called Sedition and conspiracy 5 He aggravates the Crime from the Place where all this treason was acted and that was not privily in a corner or in another Kingdom but openly in thy Kingdom and in the midst of thy people Israel even at Bethel where was the Court and greatest confluence of all the subjects so that thou hadst best look to it O King for intestine commotions are very dangerous 6 Here is the Peoples ill resentment of all this The Land is not able to bear all his words Amos signifies a grievous burden and he had not his name for nought for he came loaded with many sad burdens and comminations against Israel which made this stubborn people so unable to bear his words q. d. Such a seditious dangerous fellow is this New-found Amos that if thou O King doe not suppress him the people will for the Land that is the people of the Land cannot brook nor bear his blunt and down-right preaching for they hate him that reproves them in the Gate and abhor him that speaks uprightly Amos 5.10 Thus they complaine of Amos without a cause for conspiring against the King when themselves conspired and combined together against the King of Kings without controul The Land cannot bear his words much less can I or any one that is devoted to the service of the King His Prophesies are intolerable for he disheartens the people by making them despair of their owne safety so that he is no longer to be endured O King by thee or thine for the Land will never bee quiet till it be rid of him either by banishment or death there will be nothing but tumults and factions so long as he is tolerated to seduce the people Thus we see how this malicious false Prophet layes on load thinking that somewhat would stick every word hath its weight Quot verba tot verbera so many words so many daggers to stab this good Prophet Had the charge been true as it was notoriously false Amos had been a man of death indeed To clear up all let us look into the Charge more exactly Then Amaziah Priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam King of Israel Then when the Prophet had made known to the people the Visions of God concerning the ruine of the Kings house and of the Kingdome then Amaziah the Priest can hold no longer but he must persecute and prosecute the Prophet Thus persecution ever attends the faithful dispensing of the truth flattery we say findes friends but truth hatred He sent to King Ieroboam that is he sent Letters or Messengers to the King to incense him against Amos and that clancularly and unknown to Amos that so he might be condemned unheard No doubt but this High Priest had his Spies and Intelligencers about him to observe what Amos preached and now having got matter enough as he conceived against him to root him out he spit his poyson saying Amos hath conspired against thee The word which we render to conspire properly signifies to bind or to be compactly bound together in a body but Metaphorically it signifies to conspire to rebel to conjure and band together against one so the word is used 1 Sam. 22.8 13. 1 King 15.27 16.9 2 King 10.9
ordinary Priests that were obedient to the faith Acts 6.7 when the High-ones were enemies to the Gospel The Apostle complaines that all men seek their owne ease profit praise but few or none seek the things of Jesus Christ Phil. 2.21 How many plead for the Papacy and Prelacy for their bellies sake rather than out of conviction or in good earnest 4 It is an old trick of Satan and his agents falsly to accuse the servants of God of Sedition Treason and Rebellion Amos that was the glory and Saviour of Israel that by his Prayers kept off many Judgements from them yet now is called the Troubler of Israel and commanded to pack out of the Land which he not hasting to doe he was knockt in the head with a Club by Amaziahs Son as Epiphanius Ierom and others affirm Thus Elijah who was called the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel is called by wicked Ahab the Troubler of Israel 1 King 18.17 18. Haman accused the Iewes for a People that kept not the Kings Lawes and that it was not for his profit to suffer them to live in the Land Hest. 3.8 Thus Ieremy that wept in secret for the sins of the Land and by his Prayers did keep off many Judgements yet is called a man of contention and one that weakned the hearts and hands of the People and that sided with the Chaldeans against his owne Country-men Ier. 15.10 37.13 14 15 18. 38.4 Moses one of the meekest men in the world yet is accused of ambition and one that takes too much upon him Numb 16. Yea Christ himself was called and counted an enemy to Caesar a Fanatick a Mad-man and one that had a Devil The Apostles were counted troublers of the Land and the Pests of the places where they came walking contrary to the Decrees of Caesar and setting the world on a flame Acts 16.20 21. 17.6 7. So Paul was counted a pestilent incendiary Acts 21.28 30 31. 24.5 and B. Latimer in his Sermons often tells us that when his enemies could finde no just exceptions against his matter yet they would accuse him for a Seditious and turbulent fellow Truly saith he the Preaching of Gods Word is the cause of Sedition and Rebellion as Tonterton-Steeple was the cause that Sandwich-Haven was stopt up with Goodwins Sands The Devil began his Kingdom with a Lye and by Lyes he still upholds it he was a Lyar and a Murderer from the beginning but first a Lyar and then a Murderer he cannot handsomely murder untill he slander first hee must put a Bear-skin upon our backs before he can wel bait us So they did in the Primitive times and if any calamity befel the Land they presently cried Away with the Christians to the Lions as if they had been the cause of it whereas the world was full of miseries before they were born and will be when they are dead and gone The Pagans in those times gave out that the Christians did worship an Asses Head used promiscuous Lusts and drunk the blood of Infants c. These and many more Slanders they invented meerly to make them odious that they might murder them the better As a man that will hang his Neighbours Dogge must first give out that he is mad This made so many Learned men to Apologize for the Christians and to wipe off those calumnies which malice had cast upon them Thus did Iustin Martyr Apolog. ad Sanct. Romanum p. 41. edit Graecolat 2 Apolog. ad Anton. Pium p. 53. Tertullian Apologet. Minutius Felix p. 102. 116 c. ☜ Origen Lib. 3. contra Celsum Tom. 3. p. 681. Cyprian contra Demetrianum p. 163. Arnobius lib. 1. adversus gentes August de Civit. Dei per totum He writ those twenty two Books to clear the Christian Religion from vile aspersions The wicked like Athaliah cry Treason Treason when shee her self was the Traytor The wicked complaine of the godly for troubling Israel when it is themselves that are the true Reshagnims and troublers both of Church and State As they have no peace in themselves so they hinder it in others It is the covetous Achan the Idolater Iudg. 5.8 the Swearer Ier. 23.10 the Sabbath-prophaner Ezek. 20.13 the Covenant-breaker Levit. 26.23 the debaucht Drunkard the unclean Zimri and Cozbi these these are they that trouble Israel Touching the turbulency of Iesuits and Mass-priests and what Incendiaries they are and touching their seditious Doctrine leading to disobedience and rebellion what a Catalogue of about forty Kings and Princes destroyed or vexed by the Pope and his Clergy see this clearly proved by Mr. Iohn White in his Way to the true Church chap. 6. p. 25. and Mr. Baxter his Key to Catholicks chap. 48. p. 348. 356. See Watsons Quodlibets p. 69 c. 75 c. 112 c. Dr. Abbot Antilogia p. 1. p. 36. p. 115. they teach King-killing Bolton Comfort Afflict Consc. Preface p. 3 4 5. D. Morton De potest Regia S. 3. and Mr. Pryn The Treachery and Disloyalty of Papists to their Soveraigns printed 1643. and Romes Master-peece Yet to come nearer our times what notorious slanders and lyes have the Papists raised against our Reformers to instance but in three Luther Calvin Beza 1 Luther was loaded with Papistical Lyes he was accustomed to them saying Mihi maxime pro sunt qui de me pessime loquuntur Lutherus pascitur convitiis They gave out that going merry to bed and drunk he was found next morning dead in his bed c. when Luther was alive and testified the falshood of this Fiction under his owne hand The like they did by Calvin and Beza 2 Calvin they were not behind hand with him they accused him of Ambition Covetousness Incontinency c. that he was a branded Sodomite consumed of Lice and dyed blaspheming all which calumnies are fet off by the Writers of his life His enemies finde it farre more easie to calumniate him than to imitate him Most of our Modern Writers doe but descant upon Calvins Plain-song yea the Jesuits themselves are very Plagiaries who doe first rob him and then rail at him 3 Beza They gave out that he was dead and had recanted and turned Papist when he was alive and did confute the slander It were easie to tire the Reader with such instances but these may suffice This may serve 1 For Comfort 2 For Caution 1 For Comfort if the like befall us remember the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. Let us be patient till the coming of the Lord for then there will be a Resurrection of Names as well as of Bodies and Christ himself will be our Compurgator 2 For Caution It must make us wary and cautious what reports we receive against the godly and not to beleeve every Idolatrous bloud-thirsty Amaziah when they revâ—le and calumniate Gods faithful Ministers and People if bare accusations were sufficient
conduceth very much to the peace and prosperity of a Nation Where the salt of Grace is there is peace Mark 9. ult It was Prophesied that in Gospel-times they should not hurt in all Gods holy Mountain and why so for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord and that will make men pious and peaceable Isa. 11.9 Ignorant men are brutish merciless men the dark places of the earth are habitations of cruelty None so bloody as blind Idolaters VERSE II. For thus saith Amos Jeroboam shall dye by the sword and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their owne Land IN this Verse Amaziah the Priest labours to make good his Charge against Amos to this end he produceth a double accusation against him 1 He chargeth him as an enemy to the King and that hee had conspired against him saying Ieroboam shall dye by the sword this was a manifest untruth for Amos never said the King shall dye by the sword but that God would rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword vers 9. and so he did for though we do not read that Ieroboam himself dyed by the sword yet Zachariah his Son was slaine by Shallum in the sight of the people which put an end to the Stock of Iehu according to what the Lord had threatned against the house of Iehu viz. that in the fourth generation his Stock should cease so that Amaziah reports Amos his Doctrine to the King not fully but fraudulently applying that to the Father which Amos spake against the Posterity Thus wicked men like their Father the Devil adde and detract from Gods Word and mens words so as may best suit with their owne designes 2 He chargeth him with disheartning the people in saying that Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their owne Land This was true but so farre from being a Crime that it was Amos his glory that he faithfully and freely delivered the Message that God commanded him to deliver to his people and here we may observe that when this false Prophet recites Amos his words to the King there he alters the words and makes things worse but when he comes to speak of the people then he can speak truth He had used all his Oratory to perswade the King to punish Amos but Ieroboam knew that he was a Man of God and therefore durst not doe his Prophet any harm and the rather because he had observed that God had sharply punished Ieroboam the first with a withered arme and Ahab and other his Predecessors that had opposed his Prophets their harms made him wise The context shewes that the King was cold in the cause for we read of no answer that the King gave to Amaziah peradventure he might discerne his falshood and his flattery and so sleight him this is very probable by that which followes in the next verse where Amaziah falls to flattering Amos since by force he could not hurt him OBSERVATIONS 1 It is an old trick of the Devil and his agents to wrest and misâ—recite the words of Gods servants When they can finde nothing justly against them then they fall to belying them and to devise devices against them The Devil is termed Diabolus he hath this name given him because he is a violent and virulent Calumniator and belyer of the Saints and so are his followers and therefore they also are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calumniatores by their Fathers name false-accusers So Iob 1.9 Acts 6.11 13. Rom. 3.8 2 It is the property of false Prophets to mingle some truth with their lyes the better to deceive the simple So doth this Priest of Bethel here and so doe Mass Priests As the Fowler mixeth some Wheat with his Chaff and sticks some Corn upon his Lime-twiggs to catch the sooner so Satan puts a fine gloss upon his false wares that they may sell the better He and his can produce Scripture for a need they can transforme themselves into Angels of Light and can cite Scripture to draw you from Scripture and tempt you to irreligion by religious Arguments mis-applied Epicurus that was licentious in his Life and lewd in his Opinions holding that there were no Gods or else that they were idle and cared not for governing the World yet sometimes he commends the pleasures of the mind that so he might vend his Epicurean pleasures the better 3 That Princes usually are more indulgent to Gods Prophets than Idolaetrous Priests Amaziah the Priest would have Amos put to death for a Traytor but the King spares him It is observed that the greatest hatred is usually amongst men of the same profession it is not the King but the Priest of Bethel that prosecutes Amos Thus it was with Ieremy when the Priests were inraged against him and sought his life then the Princes plead for him and save him Ier. 26.8 16. and after when the Princes cast him into the Dungeon then the King released him Ier. 38.10 So our King Edward the Third preserved Wickliffe from the fury of Simon Sudbury Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and after the Duke of Lancaster became his great Patron against the persecuting Prelates of those times VER 12 13. Also Amaziah said unto Amos O thou Seer goe flee thee away into the Land of Judah and there eate bread and Prophecy there But Prophesie not againe at Bethel for it is the Kings Chappel and it is the Kings Court. THis false Prophet seeing he could not remove Amos by force sets upon him now by fraud the King not being moved with his Message and refusing to meddle with Amos either for fear of the people who knew Amos to be an holy and eminent Prophet and so must needs have great influence upon them or else for some other politick respects the King spared him But since the Lions skin will not doe this Promotor will try what the Fox can doe to this end he gives Amos 1. An honourable title 2. Friendly counsel one would think perswading him by any means to leave Israel and goe to Iudah where he might be safe and free q. d. I am the High Priest of Bethel and have my preferment and profits in Israel but thou art of Judah and camest from Tekoa prethee goe to thy Tekoits again and trouble not my Bethelians come not in my Diocess I promise thee I will not come in thine hinder not my gaine and take thine and spare not In this Verse this subtile Sophister packs up much in a little room and useth almost as many Arguments as words 1 He gives him an honourable Compellation O Seer it is not O unlearned Herdsman or O seditious Seeds-man as before but he gives him a title of honour the better to hide his malicious designes and to insinuate himself into Amos. See how quickly wicked men can change their Language and blesse those whom but lately they cursed before it was Amos the Conspirator but now it
Shall not the Land tremble for this viz. for this cruelty cozening Idolatty and Apostasie q. d. I appeal to your Consciences how can it be othe â—ise it is impossible that such men as have thus perverted all equity and order have brought in confusion and exercised all manner of Tyranny and cruelty upon the poor should ever escape unpunished when the very earth trembles and groans under such lewd and rebellious inhabitants 1 Some make it a Prosopopeical speech thus so great is the sin and so great shall be the sorrow of Israel that the very insensible earth cannot but tremble and be moved at it for all Creatures by a Natural instinct are sensible of the Voyce and beck of their Creator how much more of his anger 2 Here is an Exegesis or explanation of the precedent Clause the earth should so tremble and there should be such trouble and fears there that every one that dwells in it should mourn As all had sinned so all without exception should suffer for sin 3 He illustrates their Calamity yet further by the similitude of an over-flowing floud which carries down all before it and it shall rise up wholly as a floud The earth shall rise up as a floud for the floud should rise up over it it is an Hypallage frequent in Scripture q. d. As waters rise up and cover the Land that it doth not appear so shall the Assyrians arise and over-spread the whole Land of Israel and carry away both them and their riches And it shall be cast out As the Sea and Flouds doe cast out mire and dirt which they raise Isa. 57.20 so should the Land spue out these yet more and be drowned as by the floud of Aegypt that is by the River Nilus which by way of eminency is called The River i. e. that noted and famous River which watered the Land of Aegypt making it fat and fruitful Israels Captivity is here compared to an over-flowing River which no banks nor bounds can hold It is usual in Scripture to set forth great Calamities by the name of great Waters so Psal. 18.16 32.6 69.2 15. 124.4 5. 144.7 Ier. 46.7 8. Amos 9.5 So the Lord here the better to expresse the great Calamities which were coming upon Israel â—eâ—cheth a Similitude from the River Nilus which was wont yearly to over-flow the Plains of Aegypt there was no raine ordinarily in Aegypt but the over-flowing of Nilus supplied that want and covered the Plains for about two months space Now as the River Nilus over-flowed all the Land of Aegypt and made it like a Sea so the Land of Israel should be swiftly and suddenly over-run with the Army of the Assyrians which like a sweeping floud should carry away all before them as they did in the reign of Hoshea the last King of Israel when they were carried into Captivity out of their owne Land 2 King 17. OBSERVATIONS 1 The very earth trembles and groans under the sins of wicked men Wicked men are a burden to the whole Creation Psal. 60.1 2. Rom. 8.22 and could they speak as they doe tacitly and in their kind they would say Lord let us not be Servants to those that will not be Servants to thee The earth cries let me devour them as I did Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.31 32. The Sea cryes Let mee drown them the Air saith Let mee choak them c. Thus all creatures are ready to testifie their indignation against sin and sinners and therefore the Lord calls so oft upon the inanimate creatures to be ashamed and astonished at the rebellion of his people Isa. 1.2 Ier. 2.12 As a man whose stomach is surcharged is sick till he hath vomited up that which burdens his stomach so the creature is even sick again till it have spued out those wicked inhabitants that burden it Levit. 18.25 20.22 Now shall the insensible creatures groan for our sin and shall not we groan for our selves shall they be affected with our wickedness and we be insensible God forbid 2. Wicked men are the troublers of Israel The world is apt to charge Gods people with rebellion and troubling of Israel As Ahab did Elijah and Amaziah the Priest did Amos chap. 7.10 and the Jews the Apostles Acts 17.6 But t is the wicked that are the true Reshagnims and troublers of the places where they dwell Ier. 4.28 9.12 13. Hos. 4.3 'T is the Idolater the Oppressor the Cheater c. that are the true troublers of Israel and make the Land to tremble under them 3. Floods of sin bring floods of sorrow Where floods of Idolatry Atheism Security and Unrighteousness go before there floods of misery ever follow In the old world there was a deluge of sin which brought upon them a deluge of water which swept them all away God hath variety of floods to sweep-away impenitent sinners from the earth 4. When Iudgements come they seize on rich men as well as on others When the flood of Gods judgements comes every man shall mourn without exception Not one of these covetous Cormorants shall escape their silver and their gold shall not avail them in the day of Gods wrath Prov. 11.4 Ezek. 7.19 27. Zeph. 1. ult The sin of such Oppressors cryes and rests noâ— till it hath brought plagues upon the heads of such sinners Ezek. 16.49 22.7 13. Iames 5.4 Thus as they had sinned universally so now God brings upon them universal destruction VERSE 9. And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord that I will cause the Sun to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in the clear day WEE have seen Israels sin and sorrow in part here we have it more fully amplified 1. Their prosperity shall be turned into misery and their mirth into mourning vers 9 10. 2. They shall lose their Pastors and their Preaching and shall have a famine of spiritual food sent amongst them vers 11 12. 3. Then follows utter destruction vers 13 14. The Prophet Allegorically sets forth under elegant Metaphors the greatness of that sorrow which was falling upon Israel Their light should be turned into darkness their joy into sorrow their prosperity into adversity their feasts into mourning and their songs into lamentation as for an only Son Israel had injoyed a little gleam of prosperity which they thought would alwaies last they thought this Sun would never set nor this light ever be darkened but the Lord tells them he would suddenly send the Army of the Assyrians upon them when they little dreamed of it so that their Sun should set at noon and the light be turned into sudden darkness Some take the words literally that the natural Sun should set at noon but the Prophet speaks not of natural but metaphorical darkness viz. of the night of adversity as appears by that which follows I will darken the earth in the clear day what 's that why I will turn your
11. Sacrificing to the Calves and not to God therefore the Lord threatens to turn even those religious feasts and songs for of these the Prophet seems more especially to speak into mourning and lamentation q. d. Hitherto you have lived secure and careless feasting and singing without any fear of God or thoughts of his judgements but now saith the Lord I will turn your feasting into fasting and your songs into lamentation 2. Here is the greatness of their sorrow set forth by two Ceremonial Rites which were used in those Eastern Countries viz. Sackcloth and Baldness 1. Sackcloth was a course mourning garment made of black Goats hair bound with a girdle about their loyns 'T was a sign and symbole of misery and mourning as appears Gen. 37.34 2 King 6.30 Psal. 30.11 Isa. 3.24 25.3 22.12 Ier. 4.8 48.37 Lam. 2.10 Ezek. 7.18 Ioel. 1.8 At Abners funeral David commanded them to put on Sackcloth and weep 2 Sam. 3.31 And Ahab hearing of Gods judgements coming on him he humbled himself in Sackcloth 1 King 21.27 The two witnesses were cloathed in Sackcloth mourning to see so many fall away to Popery Rev. 11.3 The Lord threatens to make them put off their ornaments and gorgeous attire Exod. 33.4 5. and put on sackcloth and mourning weeds as most suitable to such mournful times They would not humble themselves nor mourn in their prosperity now they should be humbled and made to mourn in their adversity 2. Baldness also was a sign of the greatest mourning among the Jews and therefore the Lord threatens here that he would bring baldness upon every head that is their miseries should be so great that they should pluck off the very hair of their heads for anguish and sorrow for the Jews when they were in deep distress did testifie their sorrow as by sackcloth and renting their garments so by Baldness also either pulling the hair off their heads for very anguish and indignation as Ezra did Ezra 9.3 or else shaving their heads and beards as Iob did when he heard that his children were dead this he did not out of impatience but according to the custome of those times and Countries to express the greatness of his sorrow Iob 1.20 So Isa. 3.24 15.2 Ier. 7.29 16.6 47.5 and 48.37 Ezek. 7.18 and 27.31 Micah 1.16 The hair of the head and beard is counted an Ornament and the cutting it off was a debasement and therefore it was used onely in cases of very great sorrow Though they might not conform themselves to the Heathen who shaved their heads and then dedicated their locks to Idols Levit. 19.27 28. Deut. 14.1 yet in sorrow for sin and deep distress it was commanded Isa. 22.12 Micah 1.16 3. Here is the universality of this calamity it shall seize upon all loyns and every head none shall escape but as all had sinned so all should now suffer for sin 4. Here is a further Amplification of their sorrow drawn from the Example of one that mourns for the death of an onely Son which is wont to be very bitter and great The Prophet seems to be at a stand as here whence to borrow comparisons to set forth the greatness of their sorrow A Father which hath many children disperseth his love among them all but he that hath but one onely Son his love is united and is more vehemently set upon him hence Unice amare est vehementer amare and the Philosopher saith the strongest love is between two not twenty for if it be divided amongst many 't is lessened and weakened as a River that is cut into many channels When Parents lose one of many it troubles them but yet they comfort themselves that they have others left still but if they have but one only Son and he dye to bury all their hopes in one onely hopeful childe is very bitter and causeth great lamentation Hence great sorrow in Scripture is thrice compared to the sorrowing for an onely Son 1. In the Text then Ier. 6.26 where the Prophet calling upon the people to make most bitter lamentation for the great calamities which were coming on them hee calls on them to mourn as for an onely Son So Zach. 12.10 When the Jews shall be converted and called 't is said They shall look upon him whom they have pierced by an eye of Faith and thou shall mourn for him as for an only Son that is in an high degree and measure 'T is a kinde of Proverbial speech used by the Heathen Hence that of Tully I mourn said he for the misery of the Common-wealth as a Mother doth for her only Son 4 Here is the duration of this misery it shall endure to the end of the Kingdome of Israel and extend itself to their posterity The end thereof viz. of the Land which is put for the inhabitants of the Land by a frequent Meâ—onymy shall be as a bitter day that is as a funeral mournful day because they shall be destitute of all true comfort from the VVord of God which alone can keep us from perishing in our troubles Psalm 119.92 The Prophet seems to prevent an evasion and stop a gap at which impenitent sinners are wont to creep out oh say they though these troubles be sharp yet they will be but short they are clouds that will soon vanish but deceive not your selves saith the Prophet for the VVrath of God shall abide upon you and upon your Posterity even to the end and when one wave is over another shall come till it have swept you all out of your owne Land OBSERVATIONS 1 Plain preaching is the best teaching The Prophet in this Verse expounds his Metaphors and allusions and makes them plaine for the meanest capacity But of this elsewhere 2 What is dark in one place the Scripture makes plaine in another What was spoken mystically vers 9. is explained ver 10. But of this elsewhere 3 Carnal joy ends in sorrow As they that sow in godly sorrow shall reap in joy so they that sow in carnal joy shall reap in sorrow When men abuse their feasts and lawful liberties God will turn them into fasts and mourning Hos. 2.11 Amos 5.16 17. 6.5 6 7. 8.3 How sad then is our condition for if the Lord turn the feasts of his owne appointment into lamentation to a back-sliding people what may we expect who are mad upon the Saturnalia Bacchanalia Floralia of the Heathen Festivals which God never once instituted or ordained wherein men drink dance dally and give themselves up to all manner of debauchery and prophanenesse and that in dayes of such glorious light as the Nation never enjoyed the like since it was a Nation shall not the Lord visit for these things he will suddenly and certainly send some Assyrian or other to avenge the dishonours done to his name If the Lord will turn holy Feasts and Songs into lamentation what will he doe to those that use prophane
the VVord of the Lord and should not find it But this is too lax and general and is against the context which applies it to the ten Tribes vers 14. OBSERVATIONS 1 Those that will find the Lord when they seek him must seek him whilst he may be found Isa. 55.6 Psal. 32.6 2 Cor 6.2 VVe must walk in the light whilst we have the light the night comes when no man can work Ioh. 12.35 36. This people here lost all for want of seeking in a right manner and season they sought the VVord but it was when it was too late 2 The scarcity of the Word many times makes it to bee more highly prized by us VVhen this Mannah fell thick about this people they regarded it not but now they have lost their Prophets they can run from Sea to Sea to seek them Those Sermons and Ordinances which people vilify now when God removes them they will magnifie and praise them It is with those good wayes of God as it is with good men whilst they be alive amongst us we are ready to stone them but when they are dead we are ready to Idolize them Usually Gods blessings are more esteemed and valued by us when they are Rare and we want them than when we surfeit and abound with them Things that are very rare are very precious Isa. 4.1 13.12 Hence we read of dayes wherein the VVord of the Lord was rare and then it was precious in those dayes and why because there was no open Vision there was not a known Prophet in those dayes to teach the people and this made the Ordinances so precious then 1 Sam. 3.1 The Commonness of the Sun of VVater Food Rayment Health VVealth Peace Liberty Sleep Senses c. make them little esteemed whereas if the Lord should deprive us of any one of them we should quickly know the worth of them Lament this thy folly and beseech the Lord to make thee know the worth of his blessings by the enjoying rather than by the wanting of them 3 When people want the Word of God they should goe from place to place yea from Land to Land rather than pine and perish for want of instruction In times of Dearth we see how farre people will travel for food for their Bodies as Iacobs Sons did from Canaan to Aegypt and shall not we take more pains for our immortal Souls If the Queen of Sheba a person of great wealth and worth went above a thousand miles to hear the VVisdome of Solomon how farre should we goe to hear a greater than Solomon Luke 11.31 How farre will men ride and run for the profits and pleasures of their bodies and shall not we be at more pains to save our Souls In the dayes of Christ the people followed him from City to City on the Week-dayes to hear him and he never reproved them for it but fed their souls and bodies Luke 6.17 VER 13. In that day shall the fair Virgins and the young men faint for thirst IN the two precedent Verses the Prophet threatens a Spiritual famine now follows a Corporal famine and destruction from which none should escape neither the Young mans strength nor the Virgins Beauty should any whit avayl them in that day In this Verse we have 1 A Judgement threatned and that is Thirst they should faint for thirst The question will be what is meant by Thirst here 1. Some take it literally for corporal thirst which in those hot Countries where they wanted water was a very grievous thing Poor that want bread yet have water many times to refresh them but when a people have neither bread nor water it must needs go hard with them 2. This Thirst sets forth the great poverty and extream want of all things which this people should be brought into so the word is used Deut. 28.48 Isa. 44.3 for great afflictions and the terrour of that final judgement which was coming upon them They should not have so much as a little water to quench their thirst but they should faint for thirst as men use to do in such cases Psal. 107.5 Isa. 51.19 20. This sense I take to be the most genuine 3. Yet others take Thirst Metaphorically for Spiritual Thirst Gods wrath should burn them and burden them and yet they should have none to refresh and comfort them in their trouble VVe have a Comment on this Text in Hos. 2.3 4. where the Lord threatens to strip these Idolatrous Israelites naked as in the day when they were born and to make them a wilderness and set them in a dry Land and stay them with thirst that is he would destroy them with the scorching heat of his wrath not tempered with any grace or comfort So great should their misery be that they should want both corporal and spiritual refreshing 2. Here are the persons which should perish and those are the prime and flower of the Land the very hope of posterity The beautiful Virgins and the Young Men. These usually sin with an high hand in open contempt of God and his word they sin with more height and violence of affection than elder persons use to do and therefore the Lord threatens them especially Virgins use to be spared by men for their tenderness and beauty but God is no respecter of persons and young men are strong and can better shift for themselves yet these even these for all their beauty vigour and strength shall faint and dye sorrow and perplexity shall cover and overwhelm them as the word signifies and if these cannot hold out what shall become of children and old persons This shews the generality of the Judgement and that none shall escape 3. Here is the time when all this shall come upon them 'T is in that day viz. when Israel shall go into captivity and be carried out of his own Land by the cruel Assyrians when Samaria should be taken and Gods Prophets scattered then shall they faint for thirst OBSERVATIONS 1. Where spiritual Iudgements go before there corporal Iudgements follow after Such as contemn spiritual bread shall want corporal Before we read of a spiritual famine now follows corporal distress of the choicest and fairest of both sexes So true is that of Solomon Prov. 13.13 18. Whoso despiseth the Word shall be destroyed yea poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction 2. Beauty is vanity Prov. 31.30 Isa. 3.24 40.6 7. 'T is a brittle thing what disease almost doth not make â—t fade and wither however it may take with vain man yet it moves not God If beautiful Virgins will sin against God even the fair Virgins shall faint Many have beauty that have not piety Prov. 6.25 11.22 Saul and Absolom were goodly personages yet wicked men Of the two better have Piety without Beauty than Beauty without Piety An upright pure soul in a black decrepit body is excellent God many times makes up outward deformities with
inward excellencies Socrates and Esop were deformed in body yet who more wise and witty 3. Sin sweeps all before it It deprives us not onely of bread but also of water too yea it deprives us not onely of corporal but also of spiritual bread It robs us of all our comforts great reason then we have to hate it 'T is like that weed which we call Bishopsweed which frets away all the corn and good grain that grows neer it 4. The sins of young persons provoke the Lord to cut them off Their sins are committed with more wilfulnes heat and violence and so are more displeasing unto God As I have shewed before on Amos 4.10 Obs. 6. 5. 'T is the great misery of wicked man that they have no comfort in their misery VVhen they be scorched with the wrath of God yet they faint for thirst The godly that thirst in a right spiritual manner have Gods Spirit and Ministers to comfort them and pronounce them blessed Mat. 5.6 But the wicked faint and sink under their burdens and have not so much as one shower of Rain from Heaven to quench and allay the flaming fire of Gods indignation Ezek. 22.24 VERSE 14. They that swear by the sin of Samaria and say Thy God O Dan liveth and the manner of Beersheba liveth even they shall fall and never rise up again THe Prophet having reproved them before for their oppression and unrighteousness towards men comes now to denounce Gods Judgements against them for their Superstition and Idolatry towards God In the words we have 1. A Commination or a Judgement threatned and that is the irreparable ruine of the Ten Tribes They shall fall and never rise up again They shall so fall for their cruelty and Idolatry that they shall rise no more If a man fall and yet hath hope of rising again it upholds and comforts him but these Israelites felt into captivity and never were restored Iudah which was the better of the two after the seventy years captivity returned again into their own Land but the Ten Tribes were carried out of their own Land by Salmaneser King of Assyria and never returned any more Amos 5.2 The Lord had tried all gentle means to cure them but all in vain and therefore now he resolves to make a final end with them and to smite them so as they shall fall irrecoverably and never rise up again nor return more to their own Land as appears 2 King 17. To fall and never rise to dye and not live to be set below and not above to sit in darkness and have no light such amplifications in Scripture are vehement asseverations and are not used in vain by God 2. Here is the ground or reason of this Commination and that is their Superstition and Idolatry They sware 1. By the sin of Samaria 2. By the God of Dan. 3. By the manner of Beersheba That is They sware by the Molten Images and Golden Calves which Ieroboam the King of Samaria had set up at Dan and Bethel These Idols are called The sin of Samaria because Samaria was the Metropolis and chief seat of their Kings and they setting up Idolatry at Bethel which was not far from Samaria drew Samaria and all the people of the Land with them and therefore this sin is properly laid at their doors When the people of Israel in Moses his time did worship the golden Calf it is called their Sin Deut. 9.21 I took your Sin that is I took the Molten Calf wherewith you had committed that abominable sin of Idolatry and burnt it with fire and the Scripture frequently calls Idols by the name of sin 1 King 12.29 30. Isa. 27.9 31.7 Hos. 10.8 Zach. 5.8 They thought they had done God an high peece of service in sacrificing and swearing by the Calves but the Lord plainly tells them that 't was their great sin so to do 3. He goes on to prove their Idolatry by their forms of swearing then in use for our oaths are a kinde of confession of our Faith whereby we testifie that hee whom we swear by knows our hearts and is able to punish us if we swear falsly hence swearing is frequently put for religious worship This swearing by Idols and fictitious Gods as Idolaters use to do as if they had no other God to swear by could not but highly provoke the Lord to cast them off who thus ungratefully and dis-ingenuously forsook him the fountain of all their happiness They say Thy God O Dan live or they swear by the life of Dan which yet was a dead Idol and had no life in it This was the usual form of swearing in those daies as you may see Gen. 42.15 Iudg. 8.19 Ruth 3.13 Ier. 12.16 They used the same form of swearing by their Idols as the godly did by the true God Thy God O Dan lives i. e. Let thy Calf live O Dan or as sure as thy Calf lives O Dan. They sware by this Idol as if there were some Deity and Divinity in it when 't was a meer abomination and Idol of their own inventing Hos. 8.5 6. Ieroboam when he came first to the Crown set up two Golden Calves as tutelar Gods the one at Bethel not far from Samaria the other in Dan which was in the North part of Canaan it being one of the utmost coasts thereof 1 King 12.29 30. Ier. 4.15 4. Yet more They swear by the manner of Beersheba Beersheba was a City of Canaan Iosh. 19.2 being the utmost bound of the holy Land toward the South as Dan was toward the North hence from Dan to Beersheba are oft put for the whole Land of Israel from one end to the other they being the utmost borders of the whole Land Iudg. 20.1 1 Sam. 3.20 2 Sam. 3.10 1 Chron. 8.2 ` T was a famous City where the Judges used to sit 1. Sam. 8.2 yet this place was infected with Idolatry as well as Bethel and Gilgal and therefore they are commanded to pass by it Amos 5.5 and yet they swear that the manner of Beersheba lives Or the way of Beersheba lives as 't is in the fountain that is they swear by a strange God whose way Rites Ceremonies and manner of Worship they had set up at Beersheba for by way in Scripture is meant the manner of divine worship and serving of God 'T is here taken in a bad sense See Ier. 32.39 Act. 9.2 18.25 24.14 Thus we see how the whole Land was infected with Idolatry from one side to another there was no sound part in it which serves to justifie Gods Justice in their universal ruine OBSERVATIONS 1 Idolatry it is a sinning sin It is the Sin with an Emphasis and by way of eminency which destroys a Land Deut. 9.21 it is a great sin in it self and the root of many other abominations whatever Sin God bears withall yet he cannot he will not bear with this as I have shewed at
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
darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day darkness and light are both alike to thee Iob 34.11 12. VERSE 3. And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the Sea thence will I command the Serpent and he shall bite them THe men of Israel and Iudah being sottish and sensual and drowned in deep security resting upon their carnal confidences and resolving to fly to them instead of God The holy Ghost who knows our indurate frames better than we our selves multiplies words and as Fishers when they would catch Fish drive them out of their holds so the Lord here labours to drive them out of all their strong holds to himself Having therefore shewed them that Heaven and Hell could afford them no security he comes now to stop a third gap by which they might think to escape viz. by flying to Rocks and inaccessible Mountains But though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence and deliver them into their enemies hands There were two Carmels The one was in Iudea as appears Iosh. 15.55 1 Sam. 25.2 the other in the Text was an high pleasant fruitful Mountain in Canaan good for Pasturage and therefore is used in Sripture sometimes Largely for any fertile place so Isa. 29.17 Ier. 2.7 Amos 1.2 I brought you into a plentiful Country or as it is in the fountain I brought you into a Land of Carmel So Cant. 7.5 2. 'T is taken strictly for that famous fruitful Mountain which is joyned with Bashan another fruitful hill Isa. 33.9 This Carmel had a City on it or joyning to it and was situate by the Sea jer 46.18 Here Elijah vanquisht the worshippers of Baal 1 King 18.19 and Elisha dwelt here 2 King 4.25 By Carmel here is meant Synecdochically very high hills and inaccessible Rocks and Mountains for in those times and in those Countries when they were in great danger they were wont to run and hide themselves in Mountains in Caves in Rocks in Pits and high places as appears Iudg. 6.2 1 Sam. 13.6 Isa. 2.10 19. Ier. 4.29 But in vain do men run to these hills and holds for refuge for if God be not our strong hold they are but miserable shelters and we may say of them as Iob said of his friends Miserable comforters are yee all We read of five Kings that hid themselves in a cave yet were they all taken and hanged Iosh. 10.16 23. Titus and Vespatian besieging Ierusalem found many of the Jews hid in Vaults and Privy-houses and other obscure places where they were slain Those that sin against the Lord let them go to the very head and top of Carmel to hide themselves yet there will the Lord search for them and bring them forth to Judgement Mountains are Gods servants as well as other creatures yea they melt like wax at his presence so that although wicked men should beg of them to fall upon them and hide them they cannot they dare not do it Rev. 6.15 16 17. 'T is true David oft made use of Mountains and Caves but he never trusted in them but made the Lord his Rock and Refuge Psal. 18.2 and the best of Saints have hid themselves as occassion required But for impenitent sinners to think to hide themselves from Gods hand and eye is gross Atheism and madness Obj. But if we cannot hide our selves in Mountains wee will try what the deeps will do Ans. You may do so but it shall be in vain for though they hide themselves from my sight in the bottome of the Sea that is though they think they have hid themselves from my sight so that I cannot see nor finde them for no man can actually hide himself from God who is omnipresent but only opiniatively and in his own conceit 'T is an Hyperbole q. d. if it were possible for these wicked men to go to the very bottome and Pavement of the Sea to hide themselves from mine eye and Ire yet there mine eye would see them and my hand should reach them for I have Serpents and Serjeants even there ready to arrest them and fulfil my commands Thence will I command the Serpent and he shall bite them By Serpent here is not meant a Land Serpent but a Sea-Serpent as the Crocodile or the Leviathan that is the Whale or some such great Sea-monster for so we finde the Whale in Job 26.13 called the crooked or piercing-Serpent God hath many Serpents at command He hath Serpents Natural to bite and devour us and Serpents Metaphorical as the Devil and his Agents he hath the Assyrian and Babylonian here to devoure Israel and Iudah q. d. Which way soever these wicked men go death and destruction shall finde them out all shall make against them both by Sea and Land and the Assyrian my Rod and Executioner shall finde and ferret them out in all places where ever they be OBSERVATIONS 1. God hath variety of Servants and Serjeants to arrest his enemies where ever they be All the Elements and all the Creatures are enemies to those that are enemies to God He hath Armies at Sea and Land against them He hath not onely Serpents Metaphorical the Devil and his Instrument Rev. 12.9 but also natural Serpents and Sea-monsters innumerable ready to execute his commands on his enemies God is the best friend and the saddest foe If he be against us he is an Omnipresent enemy and can pursue us by Sea and Land for he is every where by his Essence Presence and Power He is God above all through all and in us all Iob 11.8 9. Ephes. 4.6 He is over all by his Power in all the Saints by his Spirit and through all the world by his providence He is an Omnipresent Essence and Being Prov. 15.3 There is no hiding our selves in secret from him Ier. 23.23 24. He is in Heaven by his glory and Majesty in Hell by his justice wrath and power in Sea and Land by his providence Act. 17.27 Take heed then of displeasing him other enemies you may flye from but there is no flying from his presence Walk therefore sincerely as in his eye as Enoch Noah and Abraham did Seneca counselled his scholars to do all tanquam spectet Cato as if some severe Cato did alwaies behold them But we should rather do all tanquam spectet Deus remembring his All-seeing eye is still upon us This is an excellent preservative against sin This kept Ioseph chaste Gen. 39.9 and Iob and David pure Iob 31.4 Psal. 119.136 I have kept all thy precepts why so because all my waies are before thee Heb. 4.13 'T is meer Atheism and the want of consideration of that All-seeing eye of God which is the root of all the villany that is acted in the world Psal. 94.5 6 8. Ezek. 9.9 As Nimrod was said to be a
not only the Iewes but all other Nations The Apostle Iames following the Septuagint speaketh the same sense though not the very same words The Prophet saith the Gentiles shall be called and he instanceth in the residue of Edom but Iames here speaks more generally and saith all the Gentiles which includes Edom shall seek after the Lord. In these five last Verses of this Chapter we have a notable Prophesie of glorious things to come and a cluster of precious Promises no lesse than five 1 Here is a Promise of the restauration of Davids Kingdome 2 Of the calling of the Gentiles 3 Of the abundance of Spiritual gifts which should be in Christs Kingdom typisied by the abundance of Corn and Wine 4 Of the gathering of the Captives from banishment into the Kingdom of Christ. 5 Of protection from their enemies and perpetual habitation in their own Land VERSE 11. In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen c. THis general Promise is pregnant and contains many particular branches within it 1 The Lord promiseth that he will build up the Tabernacle of David which is fallen 2 He will close up the breaches thereof 3 He will raise up his ruines 4 He will build it as in the dayes of old 5 Here is the Time when all these glorious things shall bee accomplished and that is In illo die In that day viz. in that glorious day of the Gospel when Christ the Son of righteousness should come into the world In that day of Salvation in that day of Light and Grace when the substance should come and the shadowes be gone in those glorious Gospel-times should this glorious restauration and reparation of the house of David come by Christ Or in that day say some of Israels deep distresse and sad Captivity will I arise and raise them out of the dust That Christ should come in the flesh the Prophets had assured them but of the punctual day and year when he should come they were uncertain and therefore the Prophets made diligent search as farre as they might with sobriety into this Mystery 1 Pet. 1.11 this made them speak so modestly and generally In that day or in that time for it is an usual Hebraism to put a day indefinitly for time as Hos. 2.21 Ioel 3.1 which was fore-told by the Prophets Gen. 49.10 Isa. 11.1 Dan. 9.24 and appointed by God when the fulnesse of time should come Gal. 4.4 then would the Lord raise up the Tabernacle of David which was fallen q. d. In the dayes of the Messiah I will restore the Kingdom of David and make that which was before a temporal and mutable Kingdome to become a Spiritual and eternal Kingdom and let this Rule be remembred once for all That these promises of temporal blessings must be understood Spiritually they must not be taken literally for the setting up of any earthly external pompous Kingdome in the Posterity of David such a one as the Iewes look for Acts 1.6 and the Millenarians fancy to themselves who take this Text in the Letter for building of fine Houses and plenty of Corn and Wine and delighting themselves with the Quintessence of the Creature whereas it is usual with the Prophets in the Old Testament to shadow forth Spiritual blessings by Temporal things and this the Lord did the better to work upon the Iewes who were a carnal rude rugged people and not so easily wrought upon by Spiritual blessings as by Temporal and visible ones so that as the Legal threatnings were usually of Temporal Judgements though they comprehended Spiritual ones also Deut. 28.16 17 18 c. so the Promises under the Law were usually of Temporal blessings though they included Spiritual ones also But the Gospel proclaims Spiritual mercies which are more noble and divine for though peace and plenty are the Concomitants of the Gospel yet these are poor uncertaine things compared with Covenant-Mercies which are called sure Mercies Isa. 55.3 Besides Christs Kingdome is not of this world his Kingdome is not meat and drink Rom. 14.17 but it is a Spiritual kingdome and so must be taken here This Kingdome Christ will restore when he shall gather his Church out of Iewes and Gentiles in which Church there shall bee greater glory than ever David or Solomon had though in respect of outward splendor it be lesse yet in respect of inward glory it shall excel Hag. 2.9 Let us take the Text in the Letter and see what absurdities will follow 1 If you take this building of the Tabernacle of David for a restoring of the Kingdome of Israel to its former pomp and power and for the subduing of Edom and other Nations by the Sword and that they should never be rooted out of their owne Land c. See how all these things are contradicted For 1 When they returned out of Babylonish Captivity they had indeed a Kingdome but it was a poor torn contemptible one 2 They were so farre from reigning over Edom and the other Nations that they were Tributary a long time to the Medes and Persians to the Aegyptians and Syrians and at last were brought under the Roman yoke Herod the Asclonite tyrannizing over them even when Christ was born and at last for rejecting Christ and Crucifying the Lord of Glory their City and Temple was destroyed and themselves despersed like Vagabonds over the whole World and so have continued this sixteen hundred years so that literally this Text was never yet fulfilled nor ever will be whatever vaine men may fancy But let us take the words in a Spiritual sense in reference to Christ who hath indeed repaired the ruines of the House of David by sending his Apostles to preach the Gospel thorow the world and to gather Iewes and Gentiles into the unity of his Church and so erecting to himself an everlasting Kingdome according to that of the Angel Gabriel Luke 1.32 33. He shall be great and he shall be called the Son of the most high and he shall sit upon the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever These words are an excellent Comment upon the text The Lord shall give him the throne of his father David that is Christ shall have a Spiritual Kingdome over his Church whereof Davids worldly Kingdome was a Type and he shall be a Spiritual King over the spiritual house of Iacob for ever Thus you see it is a Spiritual raising up of the decayed Tabernacle of Iacob and not any Temporal one that is here spoken of and this Spiritual sense St. Iames confirms in the fore-mentioned place Acts 15.7 13. to 17. where he proves the conversion of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel from this very text in Amos and this will better appear when we come to ver 12. Now whether shall we beleeve Saint Iames who saith that this text in Amos relates to Christ and to the conversion
excellent fruits of grace in great abundance OBSERVATIONS 1 Gospel-times are blessed times It is the truly Golden Age when all runs Milk and Wine and Honey and all this without price and without money Isa. 55.1 2. Of Christs fulness we all receive grace for grace John 1.16 The weak are now made strong the barren fruitful the Hills are levelled the Vallies enricht the Evangelical Plough makes all mellow and fruitful and fit for Christ. We should therefore blesse the Lord who hath-cast our Lots in this pleasant time of Spiritual riches peace joy and abundant consolation Happy we if in this our day we know the things that concern our everlasting peace before they be hid from our eyes How great then is the folly of those that separate themselves and forsake those fountains and mountains of Wine and living water and goe to stinking Ponds and broken Cisterns of mens inventions that can yeeld them no comfort or refreshing in troublous times 2 Piety brings plenty When men first seek Gods Kingdom as in Gospel-times it is prophesied they should doe Isa. 2.2 3. then Wine and Milk and Honey and all other temporal blessings of peace and plenty shall be given in with the Gospel of Peace The Gospel comes not empty handed especially to an obedient people as we see in Constantines dayes and in Q. Elizabeths dayes when the Gospel flourisht the Nation flourisht with all temporal abundance Piety hath the promise and that vertually is every thing If we be obedient we shall eate the good of the Land Levit. 26.3 5. Isa. 1.19 Hos. 2.20 21 22 23. VERSE 14. And I will bring againe the Captivity of my people of Israel and they shall build the waste Cities and inhabite them and they shall plant Vineyards and drink the Wine thereof they shall also make Gardens and eate the fruit of them THe Prophet having fore-told this People of their misery how their Cities should be ransackt their Land laid wast the inhabitants captivated and slaine comes now to comfort the remnant multiplying words and adding Promise to Promise assuring them of comfort in the end though the body of the People never returned out of the Assyrian Captivity yet the elect remnant should be brought out of this misery into an estate of joy and felicity To the former Promises the Prophet here addes a fourth which brancheth it selfe into four particulars 1 They shall be delivered from Captivity and Banishment I will bring again the Captivity of my people There is a Paranomasy in the words which cannot be translated without loss such elegancies are frequent as I have shewed before This Promise was fulfilled when the Messias came and delivered them from their Spiritual captivity to Sin and Satan and brought them into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God And here the Iewes and their followers are out again taking these Promises Literally which are especially to be understood Spiritually Mystically and Metaphorically For this returning here is an Evangelical returning to Christ when the remnant of the Elect both of Iudah and Israel should be converted which though it be very sparingly now yet in Apostolical times they had many Iewish Converts we read of about three thousand of the House of Israel converted at one Sermon Acts 2.36 37 41. insomuch that St. Iames writes a whole Epistle to the dispersed Iewes and Peter writes two 2 They should have Peace with sweet security and plenty of all things which appears by the fruit es and effects of it As 1. Plantation They should build Cities Plant Vine-yards Make Gardens 2 They should have fruition of all these They should inhabit their Cities Drink the Wine of their Vine-yards And eat the fruit of their Gardens The like Promise we have Isa. 65.21 22. My Servants shall build Houses and inhabit them and plant Vine-yards and eate the fruit of them that is they should peaceably enjoy the blessings of God where still under Temporal blessings are shadowed forth Spiritual and eternal ones As when God was angry with the Iewes he used to terrifie them with legal Curses as before Amos. 5.11 They should build houses and not dwell in them plant Vine-yards but not eate the fruit of them So on the contrary here he promiseth that they should not labour in vaine as they did before when they served Idols and provoked him with their inventions Speaking to the Iewes he tells them still of Legal Blessings which typified Evangelical and Spiritual mercies as was usual with the Prophets for to doe as Mr. Burroughs shewes at large on Hos. 1.11 Lect. 7. p. 183 c. his only fault there is that he inclines too much to that fancy of the Millenaries as Mr. Baily shewes in his Disswasive from the Errours of the Times p. 224 c. And they shall build wast Cities that is they shall restore the pure Worship of God and build up the Elect in their most holy faith They shall plant Vine-yards and Gardens that is particular Churches in which God delights to walk and feed on the grapes of obedience which grow there And drink the Wine thereof that is they shall have comfort in their labours which they should see were not in vaine in the Lord. The Church is Gods Husbandry and the Apostles with their Successors are Gods Husband-men and Vinitors that must plant Churches and water them and as much as in them lyes propagate them all the world over that Christs truth may bee known upon earth and his saving health among all Nations So that this verse is a continued Metaphor taken from such as returned out of Captivity into their owne Country for such are wont to build Cities plant Vine-yards make Gardens c. now the rule must still be remembred that by these are set forth Spiritual blessings OBSERVATIONS 1 When God is at peace with a People then peace plenty prosperity internal and external follow When Gods face shines upon a People then there is a new face set upon things and those that frowned before now smile on us Gen. 32.28 Hos. 2.20 21 22 23. when God is at peace with us he makes all at peace with us 2 Chron. 15.15 17.7 to 12. Psal. 81.12 13 14. Prov. 16.7 Acts 9.31 2. Christ hath redeemed his Elect from the Tyranny of sin and Satan and all the enemies of their salvation Luk. 1.74 Col. 1.13 and 2.14 Heb. 2.14 15. He that brought back the Captivity of his people here hath lead Captivity Captive and hath received gifts for men even for the Rebellious Psal. 68.18 VERSE 15. And I will plant them upon their Land and they shall no more be pulled up out of their Land which I have given them saith the Lord. WEE are now come to the fifth and last Promise which brancheth it self into two particulars 1. A Promise of Plantation and Settlement I will Plant them in their own Land They shall have a settled and sure habitation in
shewed before what in justice he might have done and have done them no wrong yet such is his Mercy and Clemency that he will not doe it but waits yet longer for their return It shall not be saith the Lord whose word is good security the Locusts shall be recalled they shall not devour Israel I will at thy intercession spare them yet a little longer OBSERVATIONS 1 The Prayers of the faithful are very powerful and succesful The Prophet can but speak here and he presently speeds What is it that Prayer hath not done It is a kind of Omnipotent engine that layes all flat before it if any thing can help at a dead lift it is this or nothing All things are possible to faith no Mountains of dangers fears or difficulties but it removes them Mark 9.23 this binds as it were the hands of God and commands the Commander of all things Isa. 45.11 The effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man how much more of many avayls much Iam. 5.16 to these the Promise runs Psal. 34.17 Ioel 2.17 18. God never sayes to the seed of Iacob Seek my face in vaine Isa. 45.19 The Prayer of an holy Moses Samuel Daniel c. what hath it not done If there had been but ten righteous persons in those five Sodomitical Cities that is but two in a City they had been spared We should therefore love the godly and value them according to their true worth who can doe such great things by their prayers It is the happiness of a Nation to have such men in it praying Saints are the Pillars and Supporters of the world and the blessings of a Land Isa. 19.24 they are such a blessing as preserves all other blessings amongst a people they are the strength of a Land Zach. 12.5 the walls and bulwarks of a place to save such praying holy ones God will destroy both Kings and Kingdoms Isa. 43.3 4. the Lord is alwayes nigh to help and to deliver them Deut. 4.7 they advance Gods Name and set the Crown upon Gods head giving the glory of all they have or can doe to him alone and therefore the Lord delights to make them glorious So that the prayers of good men are very precious things Gen. 20.7 Iob 42.8 Obj. The Prayers of an holy Amos might prevail much but we are no Prophets A. Amos was a man subject to infirmities as we are and he was not heard as a Prophet but for the Promises which all beleevers have interest in as well as Prophets VERSE 4 5 6. Thus hath the Lord shewed me and behold the Lord God called to contend by fire and it devoured the great deep and did eat up a part Then said I O Lord God cease I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small The Lord repented for this This also shall not be saith the Lord God WEE are now come to the second Vision and that is of Fire denoting a greater Judgement than the former Locusts devour but the blade and blossoms but fire consumes both roots and fruits The Lord had wasted many Rods in vaine upon them he now casts them into the fire to see whether that will melt or mend them These three Visions are a kind of Gradation that of the Locusts was sad that of Fire was worse and that of a Plumb-line was worst of all This Vision though it differ in matter yet for method it is alike 1 Here is the Preamble or Preface to the Vision Thus hath the Lord God shewed me 2 Here is the Vision it self with an Ecce in the front of it Behold the Lord God called to contend by fire that is by War which the King of Assyria a fierce enemy should bring upon them 3 Here is the fruit and effect of this fire 1 It devoured the great deep or it devoured a great abyss and depth of waters This fire devoured not only wood and waters above the earth but also the waters inclosed in the hollow parts of the earth from whence fountains and rivers doe issue Gen. 7.11 By this devouring fire most understand the Kingdome of Syria which was laid waft and totally devoured by Tiglath-pileser King of Assyria 2 King 16.9 and by the abyss of waters is here meant multitudes of people as Ezek. 31.4 Revel 17.1 the Whore sits upon many waters that is she hath rule and power over many people 2 After this it did eate up a part and had devoured all but that the Prophet interceded for them or it consumed a peece of the Land or a part of the portion and possession of Gods people By this is understood some part of Israel viz. two Tribes and a half which Tiglath-Pileser carried away Captive into Assyria and thereupon is said to eate up a part of Israel 2 King 15.29 2 Chron. 5.26 Isa. 9.1 2. 3 Here is the Prophets sympathy and sense of this Judgement vers 5. it put him upon Prayer and made him deprecate the averting of it Then said I O Lord God cease I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small It is the very same Prayer and the same Arguments that he used before vers 2. only in the place of forgiving he puts ceasing Cease Lord this thine anger against thy people and the sheep of thy pasture hold thy hand for if thou thus goe on to affict thy people who shall remaine of Iacob surely none at all This â—orbearing being a visible effect of pardon he desires that God would manifest it and so it is the same Prayer in effect with the former 1 Obs. Hence note that it is lawful as occasion requires to pray the same Prayer and use the same Arguments as formerly we have done Amos doth so here and speeds So did Christ Mat. 27.44 he prayed the third time saying the same words this he did out of fervency of spirit 2 Obs. We must persevere in Prayer for the people of God As their misery doth renew so must our Prayers for them be renewed Thus did Amos God threatens a second Judgement and Amos by a second Prayer averts that also The work is good and no difficulties should discourage us The Church is near and dear to God t is his Beulah and Hephzibah Isa. 62.4 his beloved Spouse and we never please him better than when we are importunate with him for Sions good Hence he so oft commands us to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and promiseth that they shall prosper who love it yea he bids us command him when it is for the good oâ— his Sons and Daughters Isa. 45.11 4 Here is the good success and happy issue of his Prayer he obtains his request since it is for Israel that he prayes it is but ask and have By his Prayers and Tears he extinguisheth this fire when nothing else could doe it and gets the Judgement suspended for a time to see if their hard hearts would at length relent and return This may incourage
joyning themselves to Iudah came again into the holy Land after the seventy years Captivity It was usual with the Prophets to mollifie their Threatnings with the intermixture of some Promises the better to incourage them to return by giving them some glimpse of acceptance and hope of mercy for the Prophet having before uttered hard things against this people he comes now in the close of all to end his Prophesie with promises of comfort to a remnant whom God would hide in the midst of their Captivity till better times should come under the Gospel Some construe the words Ironically and make them a confirmation of the punishment q. d. I have punished Nations that never had the teaching which you have had and do you think to go scot-free But this sense seems to be racked It is better therefore to take the words as they simply import a promise of mitigation moderation and favour to a remnant because of the Covenant and because of the Elect amongst them and their Seed who were to be the Seminary of the Church This is most agreeable to the contexture and suits best with the next Verse where the Prophet promiseth that albeit God be resolved to sift the house of Israel yet the least grain should not fall to the ground and therefore the Geneva translation renders it well Nevertheless I will not utterly destroy the house of Iacob Destroying I will not destroy it that is I will not totally destroy the family and stock of Israel but will preserve a remnant for my self though they be captives in Assyria and Chaldea yet as I have brought them in so I will bring some of them out again that they may praise me 5 Here is the confirmation both of the Commination and the Consolation Dixit Dominus the Lord who cannot lye hath said it who both can and will perform what ever he hath spoken OBSERVATIONS 1 The eyes of the Lord are upon sinful Kingdomes to destroy them The Kingdomes that will not submit to Christ and serve him be they never so many or mighty must perish Isa. 60.12 As his eye is upon the righteous to preserve them so his eye is upon the wicked to destroy them as I have shewed before on vers 4. As he looks upon the righteous not with a bare look of intuition but with a look of approbation in order to their assistance to do them good and to exert his strength for them so he looks upon the wicked with an eye of indignation for evil and not for good 1 Pet. 3.12 When men are given up to sin and are become hardened and habituated in iniquity as these were then judgement is near Ier. 13.23 24. especially when Kingdomes are defiled with Idolatry that wickedness with a witness that sin with an accent which truly and properly denominates a Kingdome to be The sinful Kingdome Where ever this sin goes before destruction is at the heels of it It is a soul-damning and a land-destroying sin Iudg. 5.8 Psal. 78.58 to 63. Ier. 22.7 8 9. one such a sinner in grain destroyes much good Eccles. 9.17 The Idolater is a grand Traitor to the state he lives in He helps to bring Sword Plague Famine and all curses upon a Land Ezek. 14.7 8 21. Gods eye is upon such to cut them off from the face of the earth 2 Gods Ministers must wisely intermix Iudgement and Mercy They must like the good Samaritan have Wine and Oyl Wine to search and cleanse mens wounds and Oyl to supple and heal them The sharpness of the Law must be allayed with the sweetness of the Gospel Luke 10.34 Amos had often threatned now he comforts Obstinate sinners must be certified and pulled with violence out of Satans jaws others that are humbled must be handled gently Iude 23. We must frame our reproofs according to the necessities of our Auditors All sores are not cured with one salve that may be poyson to one which is medicinal to another The soul must be throughly purged from sin before it can be cured or expect any health It is in this case as it is in sores if any corruption be left unexpelled the wound will wrankle and may become mortal For sin is like Bishops-weed if you leave but little spangs unweeded they will run over your garden and suffer nothing that is good to grow near it Ministers then had need to have the Tongue of the Learned to know how to speak a word in season for if we preach al mercy we shall teach men to presume if all Judgement to despond and despair We must therefore wisely sing both of Mercy and Judgement hence the Prophets did usually give some glimpses of comfort and grounds of hope to Gods people in their distresse They had some peradventure you may be hid and heard Joel 2.14 Ionah 3.9 Zeph. 2.3 Take away hope and you take away endeavours impossibility of obtaining breaks the heart and therefore 't is that the Lord usually gives people some crumbs of comfort in their deepest distresse that so they might be incouraged to come in unto him 3. In the midst of Iudgement God usually spares a remnant Isa. 1.9 37.32 Ier. 5.18 Rom. 9.27 11.5 Though God make a full and final end of other Nations yet he makes not a full end with his people but corrects them in measure and in mercy Ier. 46. ult Though he punish some yet he destroys not all but moderates publick calamities for the Elects sake Mat. 24.22 In the Babylonish captivity the Lord preserved Ieremy Daniel and others When all the Old World was drowned yet a little remnant was spared viz. Noah and his family God is ever mindful of his Covenant to his people and in the midst of all confusions he is a Tower to his As I have shewed elsewhere VER 9. For loe I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as Corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the Earth THe Prophet having mentioned a mitigation of the punishmen in the cloze of the precedent verse he comes in this verse to confirm and illustrate this mitigation and moderation by a Metaphor or Allusion taken from Husbandmen who sift and winnow away the Chaff but carefully preserve the Wheat For loe I will command the Assâ—rians and Babylonians and they shall seize on Israel and Iudah and shall sift them and if I command who shall hinder it how Israel was sifted we have seen how Iudah was sifted up and down you may see Lam. 1.3 5.5 6. And I will sift them as corn is sifted in a sieve which similitude implies three things 1. That the men of Israel and Iudah should be tossed and scattered among all Nations as Corn is tossed to and fro in a sieve 2. As the Corn and Wheat is preserved in the sieve when the Chaff flies away and falls to the ground so in the midst of all these tossings and