and Iob 12.2 26.2 3. and Solomon to the young man Eccles. 11. 9 and the Church to her enemies Lam. 4.21 Rejoyce O Edom and be merry but know that thy feasting shall be turned into fasting and thy mirth into mourning So Ier. 22.20 46 9 11. 51.8 11. Zech. 11.13 Paul used them 1 Cor. 4.8.10 2 Cor. 11.19 2.12 13. yea the Scripture affords many Sarcamus which are biting taunts they are somewhat like an Irony but that they are somewhat more bitter as Gen. 37.19 Exod. 14.11 Nahum 3.14 2 Obs. Wee must shun those places where Idolatry is set up Israel must not once goe to Bethel and Gilgal where Idols are Hos. 4.15 Amos 5.5 what Solomon sayes of the Corporal Harlot may fitly be applied to the Spiritual one Prov. 5.8 Remove thy way farre from her come not nigh the door of her house As we shun Pest-houses so should we shun those infectious places Such as partake with the wicked in their sins shall share with them in their plagues Revel 18.4 not only Corah Dathan and Abiram but their followers also perisht with them Numb 16. It is dangerous for men to hear Quakers and Seducers for by your example you doe not only incourage others so to doe but you make your selves accessary to their sin and punishment what Solomon saies of all the wicked in general holds true in this particular Prov. 4.14 15. we should take heed of going in the way of evil men avoyd it pass not by it turn from it and pass away See how the Holy Ghost useth variety of expressions to the same purpose and all to make the matter sink deeper into our hearts 3 Obs. Idolatry and Sin debase places Bethel and Gilgal formerly famous for the Worship of God yet now become infamous for Idolatry Gods people must not once come there As sin debaseth persons and makes them that they can never excel Gen. 49.4 so it debaseth places too and turns Bethel the House of God into Beth-aven the house of vanity and iniquity Hos. 4.15 what Michal said of David falsly Thou hast made thy self vile 2 Sam. 6.20 that is most true of all Sinners they make themselves and the places where they live vile and contemptible 4 Obs. There is no inherent holiness in places if there had Bethel had not been Beth-aven nor Rome become an Harlor Places are not holy per se simpliciter but only propter usum by reason of the praying preaching and dispensing of the holy Sacraments there The place doth not commend the Prayers but the sincere affection of him that prayeth neither doth the place sanctifie the Prayers but the Prayers the place Churches are made of Wood and Stone and so are uncapable of Holiness Christ came to redeem and sanctifie Souls not seats The Legal Ceremonial Typical Holiness of places is by the coming of Christ abolished now the substance is come and the shadows are gone in Gospel times there is no difference of places in respect of Holiness God will now be VVorshipped in every place Mal. 1.11 Ioh. 4.23 1 Tim. 2.8 the Field and the House are now as holy as the Church yea Paul and Silas pray in Prison and are heard Acts 16.25 so that Churches in themselves are no more holy than other places but it is the Ordinances of God and the Assembly of Gods People met there to celebrate those Ordinances which for that present make it more holy and more to be esteemed by us than all other places or peeces of ground whatsoever Psal. 84.10 and therefore they should be kept sweet and decent though not pompous and gaudy The Heathen Poet could say It is vanity to have gold in Temples Here then is the difference between us and the Papists they make Churches to be holy per se in respect of the ground and building but we in respect of the end and holy use for which they serve viz. for the Service of God and the Assemblies of his People but the exercises of Religion being ended and the Congregation dissolved there is no more inherent Holiness remâ—ining in it more than in another place 5 Obs. It is a great provocation to set up Idols there where wee have received signal mercies God had done great things for his people at Bethel it was the place where hee appeared to his people and Gilgal was very famous for many Mercies at Gilgal they were Circumcised there God rolled away the reproach of Aegypt from them there they had the Passeover and there was Sacrificing c. now to multiply transgressions at Gilgal and to have all their villany acted there Hos. 9.15 must needs be a great aggravation of their sin and hasten wrath To sin against signal Mercies doth double the sin It is said of the Israelites that they provoked him at the Sea even at the red Sea Psal. 106.7 where God shewed them a remarkable Mercy in leading them safely thorow the Sea and drowning their cruel enemies yet there they provoked him at the Sea even at the red Sea it is spoken Emphatically even at that Sea which God had carried them safely thorow Thus they made a Calfe in Horeb Psal. 106.19 where the Lord appeared unto them gave them his Law and Made a Covenant with them yet here they provoked him to wrath to their own destruction Deut. 9.8 it greatly aggravates sin when it is committed in a Canaan and in a Land of Righteousness to deal unjustly Isa. 26.10 Wee of this Land have received many signal Mercies if wee goe on to abuse them as wee have done of late years what can we expect but signal judgements 6 Obs. Wicked men grow worse and worse They fall away more and more they doe not only sin but they multiply sin they think it not sufficient to worship the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel but they must to Gilgal also and there VVorship Baal which was the vilest and highest Idolatry for those that worshiped the Calves worshiped God but in a false way but those utterly forsook the true God to worship Baal whom they made their God as appears by that of Elijah If Baal be a god implying that they esteemed him so When wicked men begin to fall they know not where they shall rest they have no foundation but run from error to error till at last they end in Atheism But of this at large elsewhere Evil men and deceivers grow worse and worse though they be wearied in their wicked wayes yet they will goe on Ierem. 9.3.5 they are in this like the lewd VVoman Lassata non satiatia they never come to their Maximum quod sic in sinful wayes Prov. 23. ult Sin and Error is endless it knowes not when nor where to stop Hos. 10 1. 13.2 Ahaz that at first burnt Incense to Idols at last burnt his Children to them 2 Chron. 28.3 Error minimus in principio fit maximus in fine The cloud that
Rod and the heavie Oxe by the Goad OBSERVATIONS 1 Famine is one Iudgement which God sends upon impenitent Sinners VVhen God is greatly incensed against a People then he sends the Famine which he calls one of his four sore Judgements Ezek. 14.21 it is an Arrow which he shoots against a People of his wrath Ezek. 5.16 The Lord can no sooner call for a Famine but like a faithful Servant it presently obeys 2 King 8.1 hee called for a Famine and it came upon the Land seven years Psal. 105.16 when it comes in extremity it is very sad hence it is called the terrible Famine Lam. 5.10 This will appear in seven particulars 1 It makes men unnatural and cruel even to their neerest Relations as Wife and Children Nature bindes a man to tender and pitty these yet in time of Famine we read of Mothers eating their own Children 2 King 6.28 29. Ier. 14.9 Lam. 4.10 this Curse the Lord threatens against disobedient ones Deut. 28.53.56.57 2 It is a lingring languishing death other Judgements cut men off suddenly but this consumes a man as it were peece-meal Lam. 4.9 They that are slain with the Sword are better than they that are slain with hunger Why so for these pine away for lack of sustenance 3 It makes men faint and feeble and so unfits men for the Service of God in their calling Gen. 47.13 they faint by reason of the famine Hence Bread is called the staffe stay and strength of our natures Levit. 26.26 Psal. 105.16 Isa. 3.1 Ezek. 4.16 take a Staffe from a weak man and he falls to the ground 4 It makes men howl and lament Hos. 7.14 Ioel 2.11 yea rage and be mad Isa. 8.21 5 Hunger burns like a fire which is a most terrible element it wasts the radical moysture Deut. 32.24 Ieremy describing the Famine in Ierusalem tells us that their face was black like a Coal and their skin was black like an Oven because of the terrible Famine Lam. 4.8 5.10 when the Calor nativus hath nothing to feed upon it consumes the Humidum radicale and so the man dyes 6 It brings Poverty with it now extream Poverty is a sore Judgement and puts men upon desperate attempts as robbing killing c. Prov. 6.30 30.8 9. it makes rich men poor and forceth them to sell their Land Catrel Goods Cloath c. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life The Aegyptians sold all that they had to Ioseph for bread and when all was gone they sold themselves Gen. 47.18 7 It is usually attended with other Judgements as Sword and Plague such great Judgements seldome goe alone Ier. 14.15 16. 24.10 Ezek. 7.15 14.21 Let us then fly from sin which turns that God who is mercy and pitty it self into fire and fury and provokes him to send such terrible Judgements on his people Especially take heed of four sins 1 Intemperance Drunkenness and Gluttony bring the famine on a Land Abuse of plenty loseth plenty when men rise early to follow strong drink then their honourable men are famished Isa. 5.11 12 13. Ioel 1. 2 Covenant-breaking when there was a three years Famine in the dayes of David hee inquired of the Lord what was the ground of it the answer was that it was for Saul and for his bloudy house because he slew the Gibeonites contrary to Covenant confirmed by an oath Iosh. 9.7.15.18 2 Sam. 21.1 Ier. 34.17 18. 3 When men spend the strength which they receive from the Creature in the service of the Devil consuming them upon their lusts or in sacrificing to Idols as the Israelites did here they served Baal with the Corn and Wine which God had given them therefore God took it from them 4 Contempt of the Word the wayes and Worship of God God oft punisheth our abuse of Spiritual food with the want of Corporal They that hate his Messengers shall dye by the Famine Ier. 11.21 22. so when men preferre their own interests before Gods and can dwell themselves in seiled houses but the House of the Lord must lye wast this brings a Curse upon their Crops and Labours Hag. 1.6.9.10 2.17.18 19. 2 Since it is the Lord that sends cleanness and want of bread amongst us let us be patient under it let us be dumbe and silent because the Lord hath done it There is no evil in the City of this kind especially but the Lord is the Author and orderer of it it comes not by Accident but by Divine appointment it is the Lord that sends Famines to Cities and Kingdoms and the rather we should bee patient when we consider that our Famines are nothing to what our sins deserve 2 Nothing comparatively when we consider the seven years Famine in Aegypt when for five years together there was neither Earing nor Harvest Gen. 41.40 45.6 In the three years Siege of Samaria the people within did eat their own Children and fed upon Dung 2 King 6.25.28.29 an Asses head was sold for eighty peeces of Silver which is ten pound in our coyn and the fourth part of a Kab of Doves dung for five peeces of Silver now a Kab contained four pound and five ounces and the fourth part was thirteen ounces and for this they gave ten shillings and upward But no famine was like Ierusalems famine as wee may see in the Lamentations of Ieremy when the Children cried for bread and there was none to give them those that were cloathed in Scarlet embraced the Dung-hill their beautiful Nazarites were blacker than Coals and the pittiful Mothers became Butchers of their own Children As the Lord said to his people Goe to Shiloe so say I Go to Germany and to Rochel and consider what God hath done to them for their Sins there you shall see Doggs Cats and Rats sold in the Markets and men and women fighting for them There you shall see Women eating their own Children the living feeding upon the dead and digging up dead Corps out of their Graves that they might feed upon them Beggers coming to doors have been killed and eaten yea the skins of Horses Sheep and Oxen have been their food let us take heed lest Germanies Heresies Blasphemies Apostacies Drunkenness c. be found in England lest Germanies Plagues come hither also O let us be an obedient people let us not fight against God with his own blessings nor abuse his plenty to his dishonour but serve him with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things for it is Piety that breeds plenty Psa. 81.12 13. Isa. 1.19 if there bee but a sincere will and desire to obey we shall eate the good of the Land and in time of famine wee shall be fed Psal. 33.19 34.10 37.19 Iob 5.20 Prov. 10.3 Isa. 33.15 16. 2 Live by faith and then in an holy security at destruction and famine you may laugh Iob 5.22 Faith answereth all distrustful cares and feares as Abraham did
should wee bee constant in Gods way and not bee like Planets or wandring Stars carried to and fro with every wind of doctrine Iude 13. 4 They have great Influence upon the creature though not so great as judicial Astrologers would make the world beleeve 5 Obs. Rain is the gift of God It is hee that calls for the waters of the Sea by whose vapours the clouds and rain are made and poureth them out upon the earth Iob 5.10 But of this at large on Amos 4.7 and 9.6 5 Obs. That second causes must lead us to the first cause of all The Prophet here describing the Physical original of the rain and shewing that the waters of the Sea were the material cause of it and the Sun the instrumental cause to draw up those vapours yet hee tells us that God is the efficient cause of all it is hee that calls for the waters of the Sea and unless hee move the other can do nothing Nil si prima vetat causa secunda valet Many talk of nature and study nature so long till they forget the God of nature and pore so much upon the creature that they forget their Creator 6 The consideration of Gods Omnipotency should humble us This is the reason why the Prophet so much insists on this point Amos 4. ult and 9.6 VERSE 9. That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong so that the spoyled shall come against the Fortress THe Prophet having set forth Gods Omnipotency in the works of Creation comes now to clear it further by his works of Gubernation and Providence hee can with ease strengthen the weak and destroy the strong there is nothing too hard for him In this verse wee have a Prolepsis or preventing of an objection whereas the Israelites might say Wee dwell in Samaria a strong fortified City that hath stood it out many a time successfully against its enemies wee have likewise a potent and successful King Ieroboam the second and therefore it is not for us to fear To this the Prophet answers that they had no reason to trust in these creature-coâ—fidences for the Lord could easily raise up the Assyrian who should spoil both them and their Kingdome Object If hee do come wee will flye to our strong Holds and Fortresses Answ. And I will send the Destroyer saith the Lord against the Fortress There is no power nor policy against the Lord all Forts and Fortifications are but vain if hee be our enemy God can send mighty Adversaries against us who shall destroy our Forts and us in them In the words wee have 1 A Position or Proposition God strengtheneth the spoyled against the strong 2 An Inference Therefore the spoyled shall come against the Fortress and take it The vulgar Latine and all the Popish gang that leave the Original and follow the Latine Translation render it subridet vastatorem God laughs at the destruction of wicked men But the word signifies to corroborate and strengthen and not to laugh or smile Others conceive that the Lord here threatens that if they did not seek him but would trust in their strength and creature-confidences and still went on to conremn his warnings he would send some weak spoyled contemptible enemy and strengthen him with the spoyl which hee should get so that hee should destroy them for hee gives victory to whom hee pleaseth and can make the weak to prevail against the mighty and therefore Israel ought to stand in awe of him and sue unto him for mercy This way the Chaldee Paraphrase goes But the Original favours the Geneva Translation which runs thus Hee strengtheneth the destroyer against the mighty and the destroyer shall come against the Fortress The original word Shod which our Translation renders spoyled is usually rendred a Destroyer a Waster a Spoyler a Plunderer Isa. 16.4 Let mine out-casts dwell with thee Moab be thou a covert to them from Shod the spoyler for the Extortioner is at an end the spoyler ceaseth and substantively it is put for devastation waste and spoyl Isa. 22.4 and 59.7 Hos. 7.13 So that wee may take the words either generally that the Lord is hee that strengtheneth the Destroyer against the Mighty when they sin against him and provoke him Or particularly as spoken to Israel it is the Lord that strengthens the Assyrian who is called the Spoyler by way of eminency against these Idolatrous Israelites who thought themselves strong and mighty And the Lord will bring him against the Fortress that is against the fortified City of Samaria and the other Cities and Towns depending on it Isa. 17.3 q. d. You think your selves safe and well because you are armed and fortified and therefore you sleight my Threatnings and promise your selves peace and think that none shall bring you down not once considering that you have to do with God and not with man who can strengthen the weak against the strong and hath many Destroyers at hand ready to execute his vengeance upon a rebellious people OBSERVATIONS 1 If wee take the words according to our Translation the Observation is That God can strengthen the weak and make them overcome the strong It is hee that strengthens one and enfeebles another Ezek. 30.24 and can make wounded men to subdue his enemies Ier. 37.10 He can make one Abraham with his family to conquer four Kings Gen 14.9.18 he can make a Ioshua to slay Amalakites destroy Midianites and subdue Canaanites Num. 31.7 We should not then kiss our own hands or sacrifice to our own nets but ascribe the praise of all our victories to the Lord who strengthens the wasted and the spoyled against the spoyler and can make Iacob a worm to thresh mighty Mountains Isa. 41.14 15. so Iosh. 6.5 15. 1 Cor. 2.27 Ier. 31.22 2 No Forts nor Fortifications can preserve a sinful people from destruction Though they should build walls as high as heaven and dig ditches as deep as hell yet if sin bee within all Fortifications without are vain as I have shewed at large elsewhere VERSE 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly THere are two great impediments that keep men from Repentance The one is a low conceit of God The other is an high conceit of themselves The first the Prophet removed Verse 8.9 by setting before them the glorious Majesty of God The second hee comes to remove in this and the following verses by setting before them their sin and misery that so if possible hee might fit them for mercy In this Verse wee have a second sin and cause of Israels ruine and that is obstinacy and hating of reproof This was their sinning sin which helpt to ruine them with a witness the Lord in great mercy sent Physitians to them but they abused them and like frantick Patients threw the physick to the walls they hated to bee reformed and cast Gods words behinde them The words admit of some difficulty The question
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
time decreed by God for their final overthrow is come As men gather ripe fruits into their Baskets and then eate them so shall the cruel and greedy Assyrian devour and destroy those rebellious Sinners who are ripe and ready for destruction and therefore the Lord addes I will not again pass by them any more The like expression wee have Amos 7.8 q. d. I will not spare them nor pass by their sins any more as I have done So Micah 7.18 the Lord is said to pardon and pass by the sins of his people but these had so provoked him that he would no longer defer the punishment of their iniquity They had enjoyed a long summer of peace and prosperity which instead of ripening their Graces had ripened their Vices and therefore now the Lord resolves to make a final end with them and utterly to consume them from the face of the earth As if the Lord had said The cry of their sins is so great that I can no longer forbear them but I will execute my Iustice upon them without any inclination to mercy which they have so greatly abused it is true I have foâ—merly pluckt off some of their fruits and have destroyed some of their people but now I will come with a basket and gather all that grows upon Israel and will make such an end of this gathering that there shall bee no more of this kind left for hereafter OBSERVATIONS 1 Sacred and Majestick Rhetorick becomes the Ministers of Christ. A vain light frothy flourish of words is below the Ministers of Christ but a grave solid serious finding out of acceptable words the better to work upon the affections of people becomes our calling Hence the Lord himself here useth an Erotesis a Paranomasie c. Metaphors c. 2 When the Sins of a People are ripe and full God will no longer spare them He lets the wicked fill up the measure of their iniquity before he destroys them Gen. 15.16 Ioel 3. Nah. 3.12 13. Revel 14.18 Though he bear long yet he will not alwayes bear but when sin is come to maturity he will cut it down with the sickle of his wrath and will recompence his patience with the fierceness of his fury and then though Noah Iob and Daniel should stand before him for such a people yet they could not prevail Ezek. 14.14 20. nor preserve them from ruine Ier. 16.5 Lam. 4.18 Ezek. 5.11 7.5 6. Nah. 1.8 9. Q. But when are a people ripe for ruine A. I have shewed at large elsewhere viz. when the multitude magnitude strength growth impudency and obstinacy of peoples sins are come to the height then is a peoples downfall near when no Preaching no Praying no Judgements no Mercies can better a People but they fall away more and more and grow worse and worse it is a most certain sign that sin is ripe and that people nigh to ruine 3 God will not spare his own people when they rebel against him Though Israel be his People and in Covenant with him yet if they walk not up to the terms of the Covenant God will cast them off and bring an end even upon Israel for so saith the text The end is come upon my people of Israel People are apt to sooth themselves up in their Priviledges and to think that their Prerogatives should save them from wrath but in vain as I have shewed elsewhere VERSE 3. And the Songs of the Temples shall be howlings in that day saith the Lord God there shall be many dead bodies in every place they shall cast them forth with silence THe Prophet goes on to amplifie the greatness of the approaching Judgements the better to awaken them to this end he tells them 1. That the Songs of the Temples used at their sacred Solemnities and Divine Service should cease and be turned to howling and lamentation for the miseries that should come upon them This Howling notes the greatness of the grief and the height of horrour which should surprize them they should not only weep for the calamities which should come upon them but they should weep till they howl again for anguish of spirit Hence when sore Judgements light upon a people we read of howling wayling and weeping joyned together Isa. 15.3 Ier. 4.8 Ezek. 21.12 Hos. 7.14 Micah 2.8 Q. But what is meant by the Temple here A. The word signifies both a Palace and a Temple and therefore some render it The Songs of the Palace shall be howlings q. d. those Palaces and great Houses of the great ones which have been hitherto filled with Mirth and Musick shall be now filled with weeping and howling The Septuagint and the Vulgar mistaking the word Scirot cantica render it Cardines laquearia Templi stridebunt but the word signifies a Temple as well as a Palace and by it here is meant not so much the Temple at Ierusalem which was not destroyed till a considerable time after but the Idolatrous Temple of Bethel where the golden Calves were and other high places where they had set up Idols for though this Prophet doth sometimes glance at Iudah and Ierusalem yet the primary bent of his Prophecy is against Samaria and the ten Tribes as appears vers 14. I will punish those that swear by the sin of Samaria which was not farre from Bethel against whose Idolatry Amos so much inveighed Amos 7.13 2 There should be so great a Mortality of all sorts and Sexes that many should dye by the Sword Plague Famine Captivity and other Judgements every word hath its weight There shall be dead Bodies many dead Bodies many dead Bodies in all places and these shall be cast out with silence i. e. they shall cast them into common pits and bury them without lamentation or any funeral solemnity The word Has Tace Sile is the same with Amos 6.10 Be silent Some give the same sense of the word as they do Amos 6.10 he that buries the dead shall say to him that helps him Be silent not a word for God is just in all that he hath brought upon us for our Apostasie and Idolatry So the word is used Amos 5.13 6.10 Hab. 2.20 Zeph. 1.7 Zach. 2.13 or else thus Throw these dead bodies into pits and say nothing lest we be sequestred as unclean by the Law 3. Here is the time when all this misery should fall upon them viz. In that day i. e. in the day of Israels final overthrow 4 Here is the certainty of all this Dixit Dominus The Lord who cannot lye hath spoken it OBSERVATIONS 1 The joy of Idolatrous worshippers shall end in sorrow They may feast and fiddle and sing for a time and walk in the light of those sparks which themselves have kindled but this they shall have at Gods hands they shall lye down in sorrow Isa. 50. ult God hates both them and their singing and will turn their songs into howling Amos 5.23 Superstitious persons are apt
is here rightly stiled a famine Man consists of two parts of Soul and Body and both these must be fed the body which hath its Original from the earth is maintained by earthly nourishment but the soul which is spiritual must be fed with the spiritual food of Gods Word for as bread is the stay and staff of mans body and the body cannot live without it so Gods Word is the support of the soul and it cannot live without that hence it is called Food Ier. 3.15 15.16 Iohn 21.15 17. Act. 20.28 'T is here and here onely that Christ the bread of life is revealed unto us Iohn 6.35 Prov. 9.1 to 7. 'T is in the Gospel that wee have a feast full fraught with spiritual delicates Psal. 65.4 Isa. â—5 6 55.1 2. Hence David makes such bitter lamentation for want of it Psal. 42.2 3. and 84. and 't is made one note of Gods people that they mourn for want of the holy Assemblies Zeph. 3.18 Lam. 1.4 7. and 2.6 7. and 4.1 and 5.18 Iâ—â— esteemed the word of the Lord above his necessary food Job 23.12 He did not only esteem it above Lands and livings above gold and silver but even above his appointed food without which he could not live He did more earnestly desire it more heartily delight in it and more highly prize it than he did his necessary food without which he could not â—ubsist He had rather lose his usual meals than lose his opportunities of meditation on the Word of God Hence 't is that Gods Ministers are called Stewards 1 Cor. 4.1 2. Titus 1.7 which must dispense this Bread of Life according to the capacity of their Hearers They must give Milk to Babes and strong meat to strong men for Gods Word is both Semen Pabulum it is the seed by which we are new-born Iam. 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 and the food by which we are nourisht after 1 Pet. 2.2 by this the dead are inlivened Ioh. 5.25 the dark inlightned Psal. 19.8 and the sorrowful comforted Isa. 40.1 2. This shewes the great necessity and benefit of the preaching of Gods Word and should make us prefer it unto our chiefest joy But to this point I have spoken at large in a set Treatise 2 Contempt of Gods Word brings a famine of the Word The Lord here suites his Judgements to his Peoples sins He had in great mercy raised up for this people of their owne Sons for Prophets and taught them not by strangers but by Children that came from their owne loyns yet they ungratefully said to the Prophets Prophesie not Amos 2.11 12. and commanded this our plain-dealing Prophet to preach no more at Bethel but to goe see some other Countries Amos 7.12 13 16. Hinc illae Lachrymae This brought the famine amongst them VVhen God shall bestow the preaching of the VVord upon a people which is the choycest gift which he can bestow on the Sons of men and they shall loathe this Mannah and vilifie those that bring it it is time the Lord should cease giving when such gifts are scorned and cease loving when his love is contemned The Iewes that stoned the Prophets killed the Apostles and crucified Christ for this great contempt they have been a people of Gods Curse this sixteen hundred years When men grow weary of truth it is just with God that they should be left to error and when they are weary of a faithful Amos that they should have a flattering Amaziah When men will not receive the truth in love God will give them over to strong delusions that they shall beleeve lyes A dreadful Curse 2 Thes. 2.11 q. d. Since I have given them Light and shewed them my Truth and the way to Heaven but they have rejected it therefore there shall come false Prophets and shall cry down Ordinances Sabbaths c. and you shall beleeve them that shall set up humane inventions and you shall follow them When Children abuse their Bread and play with it and trample it under feet it is time for Parents to take it from them To bring these things à Thesi ad Hypothesin and to apply this contempt of the Word to our seâ—ves it may make us tremble to think whither we are fallen Since the Apostles times the Gospel never shone so brightly as it doth at this day and never was it and the Ministers of it more openly vilified and that by many old Professors who are turned blasphemers than at this day and therefore wee may justly fear that the Lord will punish our abuse of Light with the darkness of Popery and take his Gospel from us and give it to a people that shall yeeld him better fruits of it than wee have done Sad tidings alwayes follow the contempt of the glad tidings of the Gospel and they that think they have too much Preaching shall at last have none at all When Ierusalem began to abuse the Prophets they were quickly made a desolation 3 The loss of the Word of God is the sorest losse No famine like this famine no judgement like this judgement Lam. 1.4 it is the heaviest that can befall a people on this side Hell which made Luther say I would not live in Paradise without the Word but with it I could make a shift in Hell it self David knew this full wel and therefore in the midst of all his wants he was most sensible of this and begs it as that one thing necessary that he might dwell in the House of the Lord Psal. 27.4 It is true Corporal famine is very terrible and brings people into sad perplexities and extremities as you may see Lam. 1.11.19 2.12 20. 4.4 9. 5.16 but this Spiritual famine is farre worse For 1 That and other Judgements pinch but the body but this pines the soul now as the soul is more noble and excellent than the body so its Judgements are farre more dreadful because Spiritual It is sad when men shall cry for bread and they have a Stone given them for meat and they have a Serpent for drink and their Pastors or Impostors rather give them Poyson 2 That may be a means to bring a man home to God but this increaseth and confirms the separation between God and the soul. 3 That kills but the body at worst but this destroyes both body and soul. So that as our Saviour said in another case about fearing of men so may I say about fearing of â—amines fear not that famine which can but kill the body but I will fore-tell you what you should fear Fear that Famine which can destroy both body and soul yea I say unto you fear that 4 Here is a Thirst added to the famine a thirst of water Though God sometimes punisheth Cities with famine yet they may have water to drink but if they want both bread and especially water the distress lyes very heavy for Thirst if it be in extremity is one of
Company of Haberdashers by way of thankfulness for their care taken and to be taken in the right managing of these acts of charity he gave a considerable sum I have mentioned this at large to shame the rich men of this age for their coldness and aversness to works of Piety VVhere oh where shall we find such Ioneses as this He gave pounds we give not pence he gave thousands we give not hundreds hee erected Schools and Hospitalls he promoted Preachers and Piety when we are ready to pull down all The zeal and piety of this good man will rise in Judgement against the Luke-warmness and impiety of the men of this Generation 6 Sensibly and compassionately with a tender pittifulsympathizing-heart We must not only pour out our riches but our souls to the poor Isa. 58.10 we must have a sight and sence of their miseries within our selves considering that they are flesh of our flesh we are all of one and the same bloud Isa. 58.7 Acts 17.26 as good hands made them as made thee and as great a price was paid for their Redemption and though thou mayest be his superiour in Temporals yet he may excel thee in Spirituals in faith obedience humility Great reason therefore that we should put on bowels of mercy i. e. all sorts of mercy to soul body estate give lend visit cloath counsel comfort and doe all that in us lyes for them Coloss. 3.12 The good Samaritan when he saw the misery of the man that fell amongst Theeves hee took compassion on him Luke 10.33 Iob wept for those that were in trouble and his soul was in heaviness for the poor Iob 30.25 let a man give never so much if he doe it with an upbraiding insulting and not with a compassionate spirit it is abominable It is a greater mercy to have a compassionate heart than it is to give an Almes A wicked man may give some of his Goods but a compassionate man gives some of himself To move compassion in us 1. Let us put our selves into their cases and make them our own 2. Make use of thine Eye that is one great means to work upon the heart observe their poor fare their tattered cloathing their cold lodging and feeble bodies The Samaritan saw the Wounded man and then hee had compassion on him Christ saw the People as Sheep without a Sheperd and had compassion on them By this means we shall the better know the necessities of the poor and how to suit our almes to their wants This will make us thankful when we see how others lye on Straw drink Water want Cloathes to their backs and bread for their Bellies c. 7 Largely and liberally As Araunah gave to the King like a King so should we give bountifully to works of mercy A mean man must be frugally liberal a man of an ordinary estate must be moderately liberal but a rich man must be magnificently liberal especially in great and extraordinary cases A Christian must bee a man of a more excellent spirit Numb 14.24 not of a sordid low ignoble spirit Almes is compared to Sowing which usually is done with a full hand to encourage us the Apostle adds a gracious Promise that if we sow liberally we shall reap liberally 2 Cor. 9.6 we should therefore abound in this work of the Lord and bee merciful not as Abraham or Iob were merciful but as our heavenly father is merciful Now the Lord abounds in mercy to us and so should we in our degree to others We should not confine our Almes to an Easter-day or a Christmas-Eeve or a Communion-day but be ready on all occasions for the duty we should not give a penny but a portion to the poor Eccles. 11.1 2. Cast thy bread that is all things necessary for thy poor Brothers support cast it franckly and freely without grudging or repining at him but then it must bee Thy bread got by thy lawful labour cast it on the Waters that is upon the Poor and though it may seem to be lost as that which is thrown down the River yet after many dayes wee shall find it 1. Sometimes in this life we shall have an hundred fold The Shunamite that entertained the Prophet had a Son The Widow of Sarepta by succouring the Prophet had an increase of her Oyl 2. Sometimes to the Posterity when the fathers dead then the Child hath favour shewed him Psalm 112.3 3. Sometimes not till the Resurrection Luk. 14.13 we should therefore give a portion to seven and also unto eight that is unto many for Bonum quo communius eò melius the more communicative our goodness is the better Obj. But we know not what evils may come upon us and therefore we will save Sol. Nay therefore give saith Solomon whilst thou hast any thing to give before all be gone for thou knowest not what evils shall be upon the earth Sad times may come and then those that have been bountiful to others shall finde bounty from others and as they have meted to others so God will raife up some to mete unto them again Wee see the Wheel turns round and those that have been on the top as Bajazet and Belisarius have been brought to the bottom we should therefore improve our Talent while we have it to our Masters praise God hath much dishonour done him by miserable unmerciful men we should help to take off those dishonours by our pious merciful and munificent walking they instead of giving bountifully give basely to the poor mouldy-bread stinking meat that one would scarce give to Doggs yea their horses many times have more and better Corn than poor wanting Christians If base offerings were abhorred of Davids soul how much more are such sordid gifts abhorred of Gods soul. 8 Discreetly according to our estate and abilities and proportionable to our neighbours necessities Rich men must give like rich men and poor men must doe as they can Thus Acts 11.29 when the godly were in distress the Church resolves to send them relief according to their ability We must so give to one that we doe not disable our selves from giving to others Though few offend on this hand yet it is better and safer offending in the excess and giving too much than too little The Macedonians are commended for giving beyond their ability 2 Cor. 8.3 The poor Widow had rather want her self than bee wanting to others and in the Primitive times they sold all that they had to supply the Churches necessities Acts 2.45 4.34 But ordinarily the measure of our almes must be regulated according to our estates this is to order our affairs with discretion Psal. 112.5 according to the ability wherewith God hath blest us we must lay aside somewhat for the poor 1 Cor. 16.2 Divines conclude that the tenth part of our comings in ought to be set apart by way of thankfulness for pious uses upon this account Iacob vowed the tenth to God Gen. 28. ult
Hence we read not only of the Levites Tenths but of Tenths for the Poor Deut. 14.28 29. and to these Tenths the text alludes and if the Iewes who had so many Sacrifices to offer and Tenths to pay yet must give another Tenth to the Poor shall not wee that are freed from those Ceremonial burdens be much more bountiful 2 Wee must be discreet in respect of the persons to whom wee give though we are bound to give to all that are in extream necessity Luke 6.30 Give to every one that asketh viz. if he be truly in need and thou art able to releeve him But especially we must succour the godly poor and communicate to the Saints necessities Gal. 6.10 we must give unto them Majore affectu effectu with greater love and greater bounty Ioseph shewed kindness to all his Brethren but Benjamin whom he loved had a five-fold mess. Those are near and dear to God and so they should be to us They oft meet with hard usage from the world and therefore we are commanded to supply what in us lies their necessities Rom. 12.13 Next to those our poor Kindred and the poor of our own Town must be releeved Deut. 15.7 and then Strangers though they be farre distant Gal. 2.10 yea enemies if they be in want must be fed by us 2 King 6.21 22. Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.20 Only such as are lusty wandring Beggers that are able to work but are lazie and will not wee must take heed of releeving such unless they bee in extream necessity and that with admonition There are two sorts of Poor in the world 1 Impotent Poor of Gods making 2 Impudent Poor of the Devils making 1 Impotent poor when God by Sickness Fire Shipwrack Persecution great charge of Children Old age c. such poor whose work is done must bee succoured by us Levit 25.35 2 But Impudent poor who are talkative brazen-faced idle dissolute and disordered correction is the best almes for such as can work and will not A rod is fittest for the back of such fools 1 God hath expresly said He that will not labour shall not eate it is not he that is sick and cannot but he that is able and will not labour shall rot and perish 2 Thess. 3.10 Prov. 20.4 2 Such as maintain them in this idleness sin against the good Lawes of the Land 3 Against the Law of Nature which teacheth every man by his industry to provide for his own 4 They are Theeves and eate up that which should maintain the true poor 5 By a constant releeving of them you maintain them in their idle trade harden them in their sin and so become accessary to all their abominations 6 The Godly that have been very tender to other kind of poor yet have been very terrible to these Iob that was eyes to the blinde yet made these to run and hide themselves Iob 30.3 4 5. Paul condemns them for their disorderly walking and commands us to with-draw from such 2 Thess. 3.6.10.14 They are the Devils Nursery and Seminary out of which hee chuseth some for Theft some for Bastards some for Murderers and all manner of villany Hence Plato one of the wisest Heathens allowed not any Beggers in his conceited Common-wealth as being a great blemish and dishonour to it 3 We must be discreet in shunning the causes of Poverty which disable us from works of Mercy The first is Idleness this wasts and consumes the estate so that in a short time a man cannot help himself much less others Idleness and uncharitableness were Sodoms Sins Ezek 16.49 the vertuous Woman is commended for her liberality to the poor but what inabled her for it why shee seeks for Wool and Flax and worketh willingly with her hands Prov. 31.13 14 20. 2 Intemperance in eating drinking pleasures and pastimes c. when men shall give five pound for a Dogge ten pound for a Hawk twenty pound for a Horse and forty pound spent on a Whore and hundreds in Drink and Tobacco when men shall thus make provision for the flesh to fulfill the luâ—ts of it no wonder if such cannot help others when they have beggered themselves Prov. 21.17 23.21 3 Familiarity with lewd Women The Harlot will bring a man to a morsel of bread and will quickly root out all a mans increase Iob 31.12 4 Pride when ordinary building will not serve sumptuous building breeds sorry-house-keeping So pride in Apparel eates up charity when men have such large Items for Silk for Satten for Laces for Ribbands c. when men shall carry Woods and Lordships on their backs no wonder if they have nothing for the poors bellies As B. Iewel complained sometimes that he had no Benefices to bestow on good men for Capon his Predecessor had devoured them all so these have nothing for the Poor for Dr. Pride hath devoured all 5 Rash Suerti-ship hath disabled many and therefore Solomon so oft cautions us against it Prov. 6.1 2 3. 11.15 9 Give constantly In the morning let us sow our Seed and in the evening let us not hold our hand Let us never bee weary of well-doing for in due time we shall reap if we faint not so long as there are poor to be releeved and we have goods to releeve them withall we should be distributing amongst them now the poor we shall have alwaies with us so long as the world endures so long the poor shall endure and therefore we must still be sowing As God is alwayes succouring us so should we alwaies be succouring our Brethren As he renewes his mercy to us every morning so should we renew our bounty we must ever be following that which is good 1 Thess. 5.15 Iob was addicted to it from his youth and in his old age he practised it Iob 31.18 As the Husband-man thinks it not sufficient that hee hath sowen his ground in former years but he continues his sowing to the end of his dayes so must wee in this Spiritual sowing our last dayes must be our best dayes and our works more at the last than at the first Revel 2.19 Constancy is one ingredient that helps to make an action Morally good It must bee done Scienter Volenter Constanter first we must know our duty and then perform it cheerfully and constantly and this serves to distinguish between the charity of the Hipocrite and the godly the one gives by starts and fits when the wind of praise and the weight of profit moves them but the righteous doth righteously at all times and that from a Principle of life and habit of grace within Hee that would see more may peruse Drexelius De Eleemosyna Taffin on Amendment p. 121 c. Synopsis Purioâ—is Theolog. Disput. 37. p. 473. Trapp at the end of his Comment on N. T. p. 1049. folio Clerks Mirrour chap. 19. p. 63. folio Mr. Wheatly's Poor mans Advocate Dr. Harris on Matth. 5.7 Perkins Cases of Consc. lib. 3. c. 5. p. 143.
and therefore 6 The Lord concludes with the usual Epostrophe Yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. Though they were thus sadly afflicted yet were they not bettered but remained incurable under all corrections OBSERVATIONS 1 Want of seasonable rain is a punishment for sin When God is angry with a People then hee with-holds the former and the latter rain from them God hath rain enough in store but it is our sins which keeps in from falling upon us his hand is not shortned that it cannot save but it is our iniquity that turns away good things from us these shut the Heavens and make them hard as Iron so that they cannot heare the earth when in its kind it gapes and cries for rain Deut. 28.23 24. Hag. 1.9 10. it is obedience that brings rain Those Cities that were rained upon in the text some conceive to have been godly Cities which hated Idolatry and worshipped the true God though the text will not bear such a glosse for God makes his Rain which is but a common Blessing to fall in the Wilderness Iob 38.26 27. and upon the unjust as well as upon the just yet it is most certain that Piety hath the promise even of Temporal blessings and such as are faithful with God in Spirituals shall have Temporals given in to the bargain Levit. 26.3 4. Hos. 2.21 22. Hag. 2.18 19. Zech. 8.12 Matth. 6.33 beware then of Disobedience Apostasie and abusing the Creature to intemperance or the service of Idols which provoke the Lord to strip us of our mercies Ierem. 14.4 5 6. wee finde the people mourning for want of rain but vers 7.10 you may see the procuring cause of that Judgement for our backslidings are many and we have sinned against thee and have loved to wander after Idols and this was Israels Sin here which more especially brought this Judgement on them 2 Obs. Rain falls by appointment and not by accident by providence and not by chance It is not the Sun the Moon the Starres or any other Natural cause much less any Idols that can procure raine but it is the Lords Prerogative Royal to give and order rain it is he that makes it rain on one City and not on another The Clouds are Gods Servants hee bids them goe rain here and not there and they exactly obey his commands Iob 37.11 12 13. hence they are called His Clouds Job 26.8 1. In respect of Effiâ—iency he causeth the Sun to draw up moyst Vapours and then turns them into Rain-water preparing the Clouds to hold it Hence God is called the Father of the rain Iob 38.28 36.27 37.6.2 They are his Clouds in respect of Subserviency they are no sooner produced but they are presently acting in their sphere and region for their Lord and Master one while raining on this Country and anon on that These are Gods Water-pots with which hee waters the World the Bottles of Heaven Iob 38.37 out of which God sends rain to refresh the earth and make it fruitful he crowns the year with his goodness when he makes his Clouds to drop down fatness on us Psal. 65.12 The earth is as it were Gods Garden the Sea his Cistern and the Clouds his Bottles to refresh the earth and mollifie it and make it fit for our service This is a great mercy let not the commonness of it take away the sense of it but let us fear to offend him who gives us rain God takes it ill when we slight his Providence in this particular Ierem. 5.24 neither say they let us fear the Lord who giveth the former and the latter rain q. d. what a strange thing is this that the sweet showers of rain have not softned your hard hearts and made you fear to offend him wee should fear him who hath not only Fire but Seas of water to pour on such as displease him Give not thou Gods glory to another many ascribe rain as the Philistims did their destruction to chance 1 Sam. 6.9 so say many this wind hath brought us rain or this Moon or this Planet or this Idol god the Prophet confutes all these in the text It is I that caused it to rain saith the Lord. Hence the rain is called His gift Job 5.10 Psal. 104.13 14. 147.8 Isa. 30.23 which is given sometimes in mercy Psal. 68.9 Acts 14.17 and sometimes in judgement Ezra 10.9 Job 37.13 Prov. 28.3 Ezek. 38.22 no Men nor Creatures no Idol-gods no nor the Heavens themselves can give a shower of rain without a word of command from God Ier. 14.22 and therefore the Lord commands us in the want of rain to ask it of him Zech. 10.1 so did Elijah Jam. 5.18 and hee promiseth to hear our Prayers in this particular 1 King 8. 35 36. 2 Chron. 7.13 14. Away then with those vain Prognosticators that take upon them to fore-tell rain and snow and the times and seasons which God hath concealed from the sons of men Rain is a future contingent thing and therefore no man can positively say it shall rain on such a day but not on such a day besides the text tells us that it may rain on one City and yet not rain at the same time on another The folly of such persons is sufficiently known to every observant eye Nulla dies sine errato let a man write fair weather when they write foul and he may hit as true as they Especially take heed of Iudicial Astrology when men take upon them to Calculate mens Nativities to fore-tell Warres Plagues Famines and changes in States and Kingdomes and all this by the Stars this is a Satanical cheat it is great folly and madness if you will beleeve St. Austin They bring people into miserable slavery who take upon them to fore-tell by the Starres the manners of men together with the acts and events of things This judiciary Astrology is the very Key that openeth the door to Witch-craft and Idolatry Hence we find South-sayers Astrologers and Idolaters many times yoked together as Dan. 2.2.11 Amos 5.16 The Devil delights to have men study this Art 1 Because it robs God of his glory and ascribes the foretelling of things contingent to the Stars which is proper only unto God Isa. 41.23 2 It is injurious to men and keeps them in perpetual fear and slavery telling them that if they be born under such or such a Planet then they must be burnt drowned or hanged c. When people beleeve not Gods Word then hee gives them up to these delusions Isa. 66.4 have nothing therefore to doe with those Pandors of the Devil and Brokers for Hell buy not their Lying Jugling ambiguous Books but burn them Acts 19.19 if such Books as derogate from great men must be burnt how much more such as draw mens hearts from trusting in the living God The Astrologer saith the learned Binchius sins against God against men and against himself because this Art is full of
follows them with Plague upon Plague as hee did them I have sent upon you Pestilence after the manner of Aegypt They were incurable and incorrigible like the Aegyptians and now God smites them with Aegyptian Plagues according to that threatning Deut. 28.61 I will cause the diseases of Aegypt to cleave unto thee Sin hardens Gods heart against his people and makes him deal with them as hee useth to doe with his enemies It turns him who is our best friend into the saddest foe That power which he used in destroying his peoples enemies if his people forsake him and rebel against him hee will exert that power in destroying them Thus the Lord used here the same weapons of his wrath against his people as before hee used in destroying the Aegyptians And may not England now fear lest that power which the Lord hath shewed in the saving of us from the hands of unreasonable men should now bee turned against us for our Blasphemies and Apostacies and as we have partaken with Germanies sins and Polands sins and Irelands sins so wee should be made like them for plagues Wee have given the Lord just cause by our provocations to turn his hand against us and to consume us after he hath done us good Iosh. 24.20 And as hee hath made us the head so now hee might make us the tayl and as he hath made us the terror of the Nations so now he may justly make them a terror to us for our ungrateful dis-ingenuous walking towards him 4 Obs. The Pestilence comes more immediately from God It is his Messenger it is commanded and commissioned by God to goe to such and such Families Towns and Persons that so if any one ask How came the Pestilence here why I sent it said God it is a servant of his sending 2 Sam. 24.15 and an Arrow of his shooting Psal. 91.5 with this hee wounds kills and consumes his enemies Ezek. 5.16 17. The Plague is not Casual but Providential there is a Divine hand of immediate Providence in this Judgement as there is no evil of affliction in the City so much less this signal evil but it comes from God Amos 3.6 It is he that decrees it he increaseth it and he removes it how and when he pleaseth Hence it is called his Sword 1 Chron. 21. ult it is not the sword of a weak man but of an Almighty God which none can resist or fly from it is his Hand out of which none can deliver us 2 Sam. 24.14 Moses tells Pharaoh that if he refuse to let Israel goe behold the hand of the Lord i. e. the Plague shall light on thy Cattel Exod. 9.3 this hand of his will finde out all his enemies Psal. 21.8 this is a sign of Gods great Wrath. God brings not out this great Rod till men have greatly provoked him by their great sins Numb 11.33 16.46 47. Levit. 26.25 Deut. 32.22 23. As 1. Idolatry This is a God-provoking and a Land-destroying Sin and brings the Plague upon a Land Psal. 106.29 Ezek. 5.11 12. Rev. 16.2 11. 2 Contempt of Gods Word and wayes Deut. 28.21 Ier. 29.18 19. 3 Fornication and uncleanness For this Sin God cut off twenty four thousand of the Israelites with the Pestilence Numb 25.9 men will not judge and punish such but God will Heb. 13.4 4 Murmuring and unbelief when men repine at Gods dispensations and will teach him how to rule the World this brings the Plague Numb 14.2.3.11.12.36 37. 16.46 5 Persecuting Gods Ministers and people Pharaoh that persecuted Israel had variety of Plagues laid on him God shoots this Arrow especially at such Psal. 7.13 Ier. 29.18 38.2 The Heathen Emperours which persecuted the Christians were punisht with great Plagues 6 Prophanation of holy things This brought the Pestilence as it is conceived upon the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.30 he will be sanctified of all that draw nigh unto him in mercy if they come preparedly in judgement if they come irreverently Wee should therefore be careful by unfeigned Repentance and Humiliation to remove Sin which is the cause and then the Plague which is but the effect will soon cease but without this all Physick flying washings burning c. are but vain Till God bee appeased the Plague will never bee appeased till we humble our selves before him he will not heal us 2 Chron. 7.13 14. till by faith we fly unto him he will not hide us from the Pestilence Psal. 91.1 to 8. 1 This speaks Terror to the wicked and impenitent they have not to doe with men in this Judgement but with God who is a consuming fire and from whom there is no flying Amos 9.1 to 5. when men oppose men they may make some resistance but when Omnipotency comes against Impotency and the Creator against the Creature whose heart can be strong or whose hands endure Ezek. 22.14 The Plague when it seizeth upon a man in wrath it is a Terrible Judgement and that in many respects 1 In respect of pain it torments men with terrible burning in so much that many run mad and make away themselves yea and the stronger men are usually the sooner they are cut off by the Pestilence It is a noysome loathsome Disease hence called The noysome Pestilence Psal. 91.3 and if any doe recover yet are they seldome well some lose their Hearing some their Sight some their Memory most carry the prints of it with them to their Graves It is a woful Judgement and brings with it woful fears woeful sorrows woful desolation and woful terrours even the terrours of death 2 It is a Judgement that seldome goes alone but is attended with famine poverty depopulation ruine Ier. 22.6 9. 28.8 Ezek. 14.21 3 It deprives us of many choyâ—e Blessings which in other distresses men doe enjoy 1 It deprives us of the liberty of Gods House and Ordinances A sad affliction much lamented by David Psalm 42. 84. 2 It deprives us of our Callings so that we cannot serve God in them which is one great end why a good man desires to live 3 Of the comfort of Friends which in other Diseases they enjoy Two are better than one and woe to him that is alone 4 The suddenness of it addes much to its terror it slayes thousands suddenly we read of seventy thousand slaine in three dayes 2 Sam. 24.15 it is an Arrow that flies speedily Psal. 91.5 In Senacheribs host in one night there dyed of the Plague as some conceive one hundred fourscore and five thousand men 2 King 19.35 2 It may comfort the Godly that they have not to doe with unreasonable men whose tender mercies are cruelties but with a gracious God who in the midst of his Judgements remembers mercy It is the Cup which their Father gives them it is his Hand his Arrow his Messenger hee sends he orders he moderates and mittigates it He bids it goe and it goes stay and it staies 2 Sam. 24.15 16. It is a mercy when the
VVorld they would have Miracles and Angels to doe it when God saies they shall have Ministers and Preaching by men to doe it It is a Satanical delusion for men to think of being converted or comforted by any other way than that which God himself hath prescribed If God hath planted thee under a godly and a faithful Ministry and that cannot convert thee then assure thy self if an Angel from Heaven or a Ghost from Hell should come and preach every Sabbath to thee thou wouldst not be converted Sad is the condition then of many amongst us who visifie and contemn who mock and scorne at the Preaching of the Word accounting the publishers of it the Pests of a place and the troublers of Israel 1 King 18.17 grudging at their maintenance and slaying their persons this is a sign of remediless ruine to a Nation 2 Chron. 36.15 16. Levit. 26.14 15 16. Ier. 25.4 7 8 9. Prov. 13.13 2 Obs. There is a Divine hand of Providence that governs the world This brings plenty and poverty rain on one City and not on another one City is fired and another is rescued as a brand out of the fire These things come not by chance or fortune but there is a signal providence of God in them all Hee feeds the Sparrows cloathes the Lillies numbers our Hairs and takes special care of his people Hee hath a directing protecting compassionate vindicating care over all his he tenders them as the apple of his eye and writes them upon the palmes of his hands they are ever in his sight Isa. 49.15 63.9 Ezek. 16.8 Zach. 2.8 Mal. 3.17 Acts 9.4 This Providence of God is 1 Watchful 2 Distinct. 3 Strong 4 VVise in working We should therefore comfort our selves in this special Providence of God and cast all our burdens of cares fears on him Hee that provides for the meanest creatures will not suffer his noblest Creatures to want He that provides for Sparrows said good Mr. Herne when he was dying to his sad wife will not suffer Herns to want Yea he that provides so liberally for his enemies what will he not doe for his friends Away then with all carking distrustful care only commit thy way unto the Lord and hee shall direct thy paths Bee patient under all wrongs and injuries remembring that Gods eye takes special notice of all the wrongs that are done to his people to avenge them Exod. 3.9 2 Chron. 16.8 9. Let our moderation be made known to all since the Lord is at hand Phil. 4.5 See more of the Providence of God in Mr. Perkins on the Creed Artic. 1. p. 154. folio Vol. 1. Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 10. p. 56 57. Lessius de Attributis p. 625. Dr. Gouge his Arrows p. 373. Rutherford Lect. Latine c. 11. p. 122. Corbet Fast Ser. on 1 Cor. 1.27 p. 5 c. Dyke on Matth. 4.4 p. 260 c. Strong 31 select Ser. p. 657. Raworth Iacobs Ladder p. 5 c. B. Andrews Catechis chap. 7. folio mihi p. 29. Herberts Poems p. 109 c. Pemble folio p. 263. to 279. Minutius felix per totum Par his Grounds of Divinity p. 33 c. 3 Obs. God is the destroyer of sinful Cities If you would know who it is that overthrows your Cities It is I saith the Lord that in justice for your provocations have made your Cities a desolation I fired Sodom destroyed No Niniveh Samaria Babylon Ierusalem As the Lord raiseth Cities and defends the good 2 King 19.34 20.6 so he ruines and layes waste the bad Hos. 13.16 Luke 19.44 keep sin then out of your Cities if you desire to keep them from fire plunder ruine Take heed of offending God who is a consuming Fire and can in a trice consume us and turn our dwellings into ashes 4 Obs. In the midst of Iudgements God remembers mercy Hee doth not stirre up all his wrath nor suffer his whole displeasure to arise but le ts fall only some drops upon us when he might pour a whole Sea of wrath upon our heads Psalm 78.38 God might justly have destroyed all these Israelites for their Idolatry and Apostasie yet he remembred his Covenant though they had fouly forgot it and transgrest it Hos. 6.7 and saves a remnant he destroyed but some not all their Cities So oft elsewhere we read of a remnant that were saved 2 King 19.31 Isa. 1.9 10.22 Rom. 9.27 5 Obs. Neither Iudgements nor Mercies can work upon hardned Sinners Some of these Israelites were destroyed like Sodom and others in mercy were pulled like a Brand out of the fire yet nothing works upon them but they are Israel still as Idolatrous and obstinate as ever VVhen the heart is once hardned by a long custom of sinning it is not all that Mount Ebal or Mount Gerizim Mount Sinai or Mount Sâ—on can afford not all the dreadful Curses of the one nor all the gracious Promises of the other that can work upon mens hearts Prov. 23.29 34 35. Ezek. 20.5 6 7 8 18 21. neither Iohns austerity nor Christs lenity could work upon hard-hearted Iews If God by his Spirit set not in with the means nothing works kindly upon us yea wee shall bee the worse for beating as these Israelites all these six Rods doe but stupifie them and make them fitter for a greater Judgement One rod being sanctified may bring a man home to God as the Prison did Manasses want the Prodigal and the Earth-quake the Jaylor they had Gods Spirit that taught them to profit by afflictions and so were blessed Psal. 94.12 but a thousand stripes on a Pharaoh Saul c. doe but make them the more sensless and indurate and is not this Englands Sin may not we behold our own faces in this Glass may not the Lord justly complaine of us as he doth here of Israel I have smitten England with Sword Plague and Famine some of their Towns and Cities I have fired and the rest were as a brand pulled out of the fire Many a time have I broken and blasted the Power and Policy of many great Achitophels and delivered them from many eminent imminent dangers and yet such is their incorrigibleness and incurableness that they have not returned unto me saith the Lord. If any thing destroy this Nation it is our obstinacy and impenitency under all those various Dispensations of Mercies and means which we have so long enjoyed God like a good Physician hath long studied our Disease and given us many Purgative draughts to drink he hath visited us with variety of Judgements and hath let us bloud several times the better to obtain our Cure and yet he may complaine of us as hee doth of Israel here that we have not for all this returned to him VERSE 12. Therefore thus will I doe unto thee O Israel and because I will doe thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel WEE have heard before of Israels Sin and Israels Punishment
But why doth the Lord call upon his people to prepare themselves when their hearts were hardned and he tells us that the way of man is not in himself and that the preparation of the heart is his work and not ours Psal. 10.17 Besides he had decreed here to carry them into captivity and hee tells them as much and therefore all their repentance was but vain Ans. 1. The Lord had some elect and hidden ones both called and to be called amongst them and to these he principally speaks for all Gods commands are effectual in beleevers they are not an empty sound as they are in the ears of unbeleevers but there goes forth a power from god inableing them to obey if he command them to beleeve hee inables them so to doe If he command them to prepare to meet him by repentance there goes forth a power from him which inables them so to doe As when our Saviour commanded Lazarus to arise there went forth a power from him that raised him Moti movemus acti agimus when the will is regenerate and made pliable then it readily obeyes all Gods commands be they never so hard or harsh to flesh and bloud yet they can doe all things Evangelically through Christ that strengthens them God gives them his preventing assisting co-operating persevering grace Iob 11.13 14. 2 Such commands as these shew us our duty not our ability and must make us in the sense of our own inability prepare our selves to sue unto him for preparation 3 Such commands make the wicked more inexcusable who had power in Adam to obey all Gods commands but they in him have lost it and by their daily obstinacy and falling away from God and his wayes they have justified that grand Apostasie of our first Parents 4 The threatnings of God are not alwayes absolute and irrevocable but for the most part they are conditional and to be understood with this exception viz. except they repent and amend and this condition is sometimes expressed as Ier. 18.7 8. Ioel 2.13 14. and sometimes suppressed and concealed as Ionah 3.9 Yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall bee destroyed that is if they repented not So here though Israels case seemed desperate yet the Lord bids them turn and he would be propitious to them 5 Admit the Judgement be irrevocable and Gods people must notwithstanding their repentance bee Captives to the Assyrians yet their repentance had not been fruitless for they should have escaped eternal misery 2 In this Life the punishment of such Penitents is oft mitigated though not totally removed Hence we usually see that in times of publick Calamity it goeth best with the best men to them these are but fatherly Chastisements when to the wicked they are fore-runners of greater wrath A Ieremy Ezekiel Daniel may goe into Captivity but it is for good as the Lord said sometimes of his People I will send them into the Land of Caldea for good Ier. 24.5 such mourners shall be marked for Mercy when Judgement comes Ezek. 9.4 4 Here are the Persons to whom this Exhortation is applied and directed and that is to the ten Tribes who are often called by the name of Israel as being his off-spring 1 King 14.18 2 King 3.3 10.32 hee names them twice and ingeminates the title the better to awaken them and quicken their attention as also to shew his great affection to them as David named Absolon twice whom he loved So our Saviour speaking to Ierusalem doubles the title O Ierusalem Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 to awaken them to shew his tender love and compassion to them and to shew his anger against their sins he Pathetically cries out O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets c. q. d. Thou that hast been the place which God hath honoured with his special presence and chosen above all the places of the earth for his habitation to fix his name there art thou become a den of Devils and Murderers So the Lord here the better to rouze these Israelites out of their security and impenitency by an Epanodos doubles their name saying Thus will I doe to thee O Israel and because I will doe thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel 5 Since we are backward and averse to this duty of Returning he backs his Exhortation with a double Motive 1 The first is a drawing Motive taken from the consideration of Gods readiness to pardon Penitents Hee is thy God prepare to meet thy God hee is thine by Profession though thou hast walkt unanswerably to it And 2. he is Thy God in Covenant with thee and so ready to receive thee if thou wilt but truly turn to him The second is a driving Motive and is drawn from the consideration of Gods Almighty Power vers 13. who was now marching against them This power the better to awaken them he sets forth by six Royalties 1 He formeth the Mountains 2 Creates the Winds 3 Knows mens Thoughts 4 Maketh the Morning-darkness 5 Treads upon the high places of the Earth 6 He is the Lord of Hosts OBSERVATIONS 1 When lesser Iudgements will not mend a People God usually comes with greater When Blasting Mildew Famine Pestilence and Sword can doe no good then look for a Thus will I doe unto thee that is I will utterly destroy thee for remedies are in vain when the sore is so desperate So Isa. 1.5 Why should yee be smitten any more q. d. your case is desperate and incurable and therefore I will trouble my self no more with you but will now utterly destroy you And this is that which highly aggravates Englands Sin we have been long incorrigible under lesser Judgements and therefore what can we now expect but that the Lord should come with a Thus will I doe unto thee O England and because I will doe thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O England 2 Obs. God will not stick to punish his owne people and that severely when they sin against him Where he bestowes the greatest Priviledges there he inflicts the greatest Judgements He is sharper with them than with Heathens because they are nearer to him and so their sins doe more dishonour him The sins of a David doe more dishonour God than the sins of many uncircumcised Philistims God will be sanctified of all his nigh ones Levit. 10.2 He dwells amongst his people and cannot endure their provocations We can endure dung in our fields but not in our houses we can bear with briars and thorns in the Wilderness which we cannot endure in our inclosed Gardens Such sin against great light and great love and therefore will bee surely and sharply punisht for their iniquity Amos 3.2 as wee see in Eli David Hezekiah Zachariah Ierusalem Esa. 22.1 Dan. 9.12 3 Obs. Ministers must apply the Word unto their people Thus will I doe to thee O Israel This is the only way to convince and convert men what is spoken in general to all few will
we read of the strict accurat exquisite Sect of the Pharisees Acts 26.5 but our righteousness must exceed theirs It is obedience that God preferres before all the Sacrifices in the world Psal. 50.8 9 14 25. 51.16 17. hence Samuel tells Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15.22 it is more Spiritual and so more pleasing to God A wicked man may sacrifice a Beast but a good man offers himself in sacrifice Rom. 12.1 now the more difficult the service the more acceptable it is to God and all good men A zealous David loves not cheap out-side services he will not offer to his God of that which cost him nothing the service which God delights in is spiritual service Ioh. 4.23 24. and this Gods servants delight to give him Rom. 1.9 As they desire that God should not put them off with shewes and shadowes and shelles of duties so they desire not to serve him by halves but to doe what they doe for him and to him with all their hearts and with all their might Luther was wont to say that God preferred Adverbs before Adjectives and loved bene better than bonum he looks to the manner as well as the matter of our services This may convince any sober man that the Popish Religion is a false religion because it is such a Ceremonious out-side religion all for Bowing Ringing Singing Saying Knocking and the traditions of men and in these outside performances they exceed the godly as an Harlot in painting and outward attire may excel an honest Woman but the Kings Daughter hath an internal excellency she is all glorious within being adorned with all the graces of the Spirit Psal. 45.13 VERSE 22. Though yee offer me Burnt-offerings and your Meat-offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the Peace-offerings of your fat beasts THis people confided much in their hypocritical Services and multiplicity of Burnt-offerings Meat-offerings Peace-offerings c. they thought by the bare performance of these duties to pacifie Gods wrath against them for their sins The Prophet therefore goes on still to convince them of this their folly and tells them plainly that God neither regarded them nor their Sacrifices In the time of the Law we read of divers Oblations and Sacrifices amongst the rest we have three in the text 1 Burnt-offerings 2 Meat-offerings 3 Peace-offerings 1 The Burnt-offering was one of the most excellent and the choysest of all the Sacrifices for sin and the most acceptable to God it is called an Holocaust or whole Burnt-offering because it was wholly consumed by fire there was no part reserved for the Priest or for the People but all was burnt and offered up to God It hath its name from ascending because by burning all in the fire it went up in smoke and vapour It was a daily sacrifice made by fire Numb â—8 3 Levit 1.9 Iob 1.5 42.8 and was used both at ordinary and extraordinary Feastivals It consisted either of Fowls as Turtles and Pigeons for the poorer sort Levit. 1.14 or else of Lambs Rams Goats and Bullocks c. for the richer sort The end of it was to make an atonement for Sinners Levit. 1.4 Obj. But the burning of a Beast is a poor unsavoury thing and unfit to represent so great a mercy Ans. We must not look upon Gods Ordinances with carnal but spiritual eyes else to an eye of sense Circumcision which was an honourable seal of the Covenant would seeme contemptible and dishonourable yea a bloody and a cruel thing as it did to carnal Zipporah Exod. 4.25 So in our Sacraments how contemptible to a carnal eye is the sprinkling of a little water a bit of Bread or a sup of Wine but consider them as Gods Ordinances which he hath ordained to seal and assure us of our reconciliation with him in the Bloud of Christ and so they are weighty matters A little Wax and Paper are small matters to look upon yet they may be a means to convey matters of great worth unto us 2 Meat-offerings Minchah in a large sense is taken for any gift but here it is taken strictly for an Oblation made of fine flower Levit. 2.1 2. Numb 6.17 15.4 27.39 2 Chron. 7.7 Ezek. 43.27 it was alwayes joyned to the Burnt-offering or daily Sacrifice only the voluntary Meat-offering was not The end of it was to acknowledge that they had all their food and provision from the bounty and blessing of God 3 Peace-offerings These were Euchariftical for Mercies received and resembled our sacrifices of Praise and Thanksgiving Heb. 13.5 It is called Shelem because this sacrifice was offered for the peace safety and prosperity that they had already received or should hereafter receive either generally or particularly and this they did either voluntarily of their owne accord or as bound by vow Levit. 7.15 1 Chron. 16.1 2. 2 Chron. 7.7 but the other Sacrifices were necessary and commanded 2 Here is Gods detestation of all their Sacrifices I will not accept them neither will I regard them i. e. I abhor them yea though yee bring the fattest of your Beasts I will not vouchsafe them a look They were wont to feed their Oxen very fat that so their Sacrifices might bee the more acceptable But the Lord tells them that since the persons that offered them were so lewd and lean in obedience that he took no pleasure in such sacrifices and therefore he bids them desist till they had mended their manners and reformed the abuses that reigned amongst them But here Bellarmine that great Achilles of the Antichristian Cause comes in with his Sophistry and would prove from hence the ineâ—ficacy of the Sacrifices of the Old Testament But the Answer is easie 1. Legal Sacrifices are to bee considered either abstractly absolutely and simply in themselves and so the bloud of Bullocks and Rams could not expiate sin But secondly consider them Relatively and Typically as relating to Christ who was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Vertually though not Actually Revel 13.8 and so they were of great weight and worth assuring beleevers that by the Bloud of Christ all their sins were blotted out and pardoned 2 We must distinguish of Sacrifices 1 Some are commanded by God and offered to him by beleevers in a right manner and these are highly pleasing unto God and beneficial to beleevers as we see in Abel Heb. 11.4 and Levit. 5. God never saith to the seed of Iacob Seek my face in vain The sincere services and sacrifices of such are a sweet smelling savour unto God 2 There are Sacrifices which are meer Will-worship offered up by wicked men in a false manner without faith and of these Amos here speaks and sayes that their Sacrifices were odious unto God Now let us see what Jesuitical and Sophistical arguing here is 1. Because Sacrifices doe not expiate sins per se therefore they doe not expiate sins Relatively
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
sin yet mourn withall for the hardness of mens hearts so did our Saviour Mar. 3.5 so Lot reproved the Sodomites yet calls them brethren Gen. 19.7 and Moses in his zeal was angry at the people for their Idolatry yet prayes for them Psal. 106. So Amos here sharply inveighs against the sins of this People yet takes up a Lamentation for them Amos 5.1 and here intercedes for them Our zeal must be mixt with love though we may and must sometimes reprove men sharply Titus 1.13 yet must we not forbear praying for them 1 Sam. 12.23 so did the Vinitor intercede for the barren Fig-tree Luke 13.6 7 8 9. every Minister must be Adamas magnes he must harden his face like a flint and have browes of brass to oppose the wicked yet must he withall be a Load-stone by his amiable tender and compassionate carriage to win them to Christ lying in the breach for them and running hazards to save them from destruction Ezek. 22.30 3 As it is the duty of all the godly so especially of Gods Ministers to sympathize with Gods People in their misery and to intercede for them at the Throne of grace We must not only preach but also pray for our people as it is their duty to pray for us 2 Thes. 3.2 3. so it is our duty to pray for them especially in their troubles it is both commanded Joel 1.13 2.17 Ephes. 6.18 and commended to us by the examples of the Saints Abraham intercedes for Sodom Moses for Israel Exod. 32.31 32. Ieremy for the Iewes Jer. 18.20 yea so zealous was he in praying for them that the Lord is faine to bid him hold Ier. 7.16 How earnestly did Paul pray for the Iewes though they were his deadly enemies Rom. 10.1 Phil. 1.4 9. Colos. 1.3 9. 1 Thes. 1.2 As Natural fathers so Spiritual ones in a spiritual sense should lay up a stock of prayers for their People Thus the living are commanded to pray for the living Iam. 5.16 but we have neither Precept nor President of any that ever prayed for the dead now whatsoever is not of faith is sin but such Prayers have no foundation in the Word of God therefore they cannot be of faith Such prayers doe neither avayl the Saints in Heaven nor the Damned in Hell because both have an irrecoverable doome past upon them as is fully proved by a Learned Pen. 4 Our Prayers must be Argumentative Prayers We must stirre up our selves that we may lay hold on God using Arguments to move the Lord to pitty us So doth Amos here and so did Abraham Gen. 18.2 3 c. and Iacob Gen. 32.11 12. and Moses Exod. 32.11 12 13. Ezra 9.9 Neh. 9. Dan. 9. David Psal. 79.6 7. 88.9 to 13. 90.13 14. 130.3 4. especially we should press the Covenant so doth Amos here and David Psal. 74.20 5 In our Prayers we must plead mercy and not merit The Prophet here beggs for pardon and forgiveness because they were low so doth David Psal. 79 8 9. our Merit is Gods Mercy it must needs be so since all our righteousness is as filthy raggs Hence Nehemiah when he had done great things for God yet being conscious to himself of many infirmities he beseecheth the Lord to spare him according to the greatness of his mercy Neh. 13.22 So Daniel a man highly beloved yet beggs for mercy and for pardon Dan. 9.18 23. 6 VVe must be earnest with God for the pardon of our sin So is the Prophet here O Lord I beseech thee pardon the sin of this People He knew right well that sin was the cause of all their sorrow and when this peccant humour was once removed the effect would cease and therefore the Church prayes Take away our iniquity and receive us graciously Hos. 14.2 the godly can bear any suffering but not sin When the Plague lay upon the people David cries Take away the sin of thy Servant and then the Plague will cease 7 Gods owne people by profession may be brought to a very low condition both in Temporals and Spirituals So it was with Israel here which made the Prophet question By whom shall he arise He was brought so low that thee could neither raise himself neither was there any other that could help him up their strength was so exhausted that there was no visible effectual means of their restauration We may say of all Creature-comforts as Iob said of Wisdome Iob 28.12 13 14. Where shall Wisedome be found the Earth saith it is not in me and the Depth saith it is not in me c. so where shall ayd in troublous times be found The Earth saith It is not in me Friends say It is not in us and Riches say It is not in us c. It is only to be found in the Almighty we are never so little or low but he can help us there is nothing too high or too hard for him though Salvation be not in our Hills yet it is in Gods hand Ier. 3.23 he is the Lord of Hosts and hath all power at command and therefore the Prophet betakes himself to his Prayers as his best refuge O Lord I beseech thee spare thy people This is one reason why the Lord lets things run to extremity that he may drive us to our Prayers as we may see in Hesters case Now if ever we would raise a Land out of the duâ—t 1 We must raise our Prayers be servent in them it is none but wrastling Iacobs that shall become prevailing Israels Hos. 12.4 2 Raise your Faith this layes hold on God and ingageth him in the Quarrel whilst Creatures oppose Creatures they may make some resistance but when Omnipotency comes against impotency there is no abiding See what great things faith hath done Heb. 11. 3 Raise your Holiness grow therein be holy in all manner of conversation God never yet destroyed an holy obedient people such holy ones are the glory of a Land and upon all this glory there shall be a defence Isa. 4.5 VERSE 3. The Lord repented for this It shall not be saith the Lord. HEre we have the success and good effect of the Prophets Prayer he prayes in faith and is heard the Lord holds his hand and saith it shall not be so willing is the Lord to be intreated for to spare his Church and People The Lord repented for this He changed not his eternal Decree but suspended the full and final execution of it according to his eternal Decree When God is said to repent it is an usual Anthropopathy and speaking after the manner of men according to our capacity Gen. 6.6 Exod. 32.14 Ier. 26.19 for God is not as man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 and therefore it is added exegetically This shall not be it was no change in God but only a stopping of the execution of the Judgement threatned according to Gods Decree such threatnings being conditional as I have
would promise a choyce Mercy he tells his People that hee will break the Bow and the Sword and make them to lye down in safety Hos. 2.18 Levit. 26.5 6. Iob 11.19 Isa. 2.4 33.20 Hence the Psalmist calls upon Gods People to praise him for this mercy of mercies in making our barres strong and setling peace in our borders Psal. 147.12 13 14. It is in times of Peace that Fields are tilled the Gospel spreads Learning increaseth and the Church is edified Ezek 37.26 Acts 9.31 See more for Peace Sibel 1 Tom. p. 576 c. D. Tuckney Good day well improved Mr. Harvey his Olive Branch D. Stoughtons Ser. on Psal. 144.15 D. Tho. Taylors Ser. fol. on Heb. 12.14 p. 418. D. Gauden on the same text Church his Treasury p. 309. Barlow on 2 Tim. 2.22 p. 160. VERSE 7 8. Thus he shewed me and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a Plumb-line with a Plumb-line in his hand And the Lord said unto me Amos what seest thou and I said a Plumb-line Then said the Lord behold I will set up a Plumb-line in the midst of my People Israel I will not again pass by them any more WEE are now come to the Third Vision wherein the Lord sets forth the utter destruction of Israel God had born long with their provocations and waited long for their return but since they were incorrigible and incurable hee resolves now to make a final end with them and to pass by and pardon them no more but to destroy them by the Sword of Salmaneser King of Assyria which is here typified by a Plumb-line Where we have 1. The Vision it self vers 7. 2. The explication of it vers 8 9. Thus he shewed me This is the usual Preface as before vers 1 4. And behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a Plumb-line or on the wall of a Plumb-line it is an usual Hebraism that is the Lord stood on a perpendicular wall such a one as was curiously made and exactly squared by the Plummer The word Anach which signifies a Plumb-line is variously rendred 1 Some call it a Masons Truel so the vulgar Latin with which they build and parget walls for strength and elegancy so God had been the strength and glory of Israel 2 The Septuagint the Syriack and the Arabick render it thus I saw the Lord standing on an Adamantine wall with an Adamant Stone in his hand implying that God had been the firme defender of his people and a wall of Adamant to them which no Hammer could break Both these are truthes but they have no foundation in the text 3 The word Anach which is used only in this text genuinely signifies a Plumb-line which Masons and Carpenters use for the keeping of their work straight and even Thus Zerubbabel when he was to build the Temple is said to have a Plummer or Tin-stone in his hand that is a Measuring-line to which a weight of Tin Stone or Lead was tied Zach. 4.10 hence it is called Lead Metonymically because a Plummet of Lead is usually tied to a Cord or lines end to keep it straight We read of a double use of the Plummet in Scripture 1 For Building and Rearing 2 For Ruining and Demolishing 1 The Plummet is used in building to make the Work proportionable to the Model thus Metaphorically God himself is said to work by Rule and Line Iob 38.5 Isa. 44.13 Ier. 31.39 Ezek. 47.3 Zach. 10.16 21. by this the Mason and the Carpenter try the rectitude of the Structure and what upon trial he findes to be right and regular that he preserves and what is irregular and exorbitant inclining either too much to the right hand or to the left that he pulls down 2 The Plummet is used in levelling and demolishing When the Mason layes the Line to the Work and findes upon trial any place to swell and belch out that he demolisheth and pulls down thus when the Lord threatned to ruine Edoms Country he tells us That he will stretch upon it the line of confusion and the stone of emptiness Isa. 34.11 that is the Lord will measure it out for utter destruction and perpetual ruine so that it shall never be built or be inhabited more The like expression we find Isa. 28.17 Lam. 2.8 and especially in the 2 King 27.13 where the Lord threatning to destroy Ierusalem tells them That he will stretch over Jerusalem the Line of Samaria and the Plummet of the house of Ahab that is I will deal with Ierusalem as I have dealt with Samaria and with the house of Manasseh as with the house of Ahab as I destroyed those for their sins so will I destroy these Thus the Lord stood upon the Wall with a Plumb-line in his hand as ready to execute his just and righteous judgements upon Israel This is an Embleme of Gods Mercy and Justice who is the Master-builder of his Church 1 It denotes his Mercy in that he made this Church right and firme like a perpendicular wall made exactly by Line and Rule he had curiously built it and as carefully defended it 2 It is an Embleme of his Iustice he stands upon the wall of his Church continually trying and examining whether it continue right or not bearing with its defects untill like a wall quite bending and belching out it can no more be mended or set upright as it was at the first for then he resolves to throw down all Isa. 30.13 This wall by some is made a Type of all the people of Israel whom the Lord of old had built for a peculiar people to himself These resembled a wall For 1 Walls cannot raise themselves but are built by some skilful Architect so this people of Israel did not raise themselves but God of his owne free love and grace chose them for his owne peculiar and exalted them above all the Nations of the world 2 Walls have foundations and so had this people many gracious Promises to build upon which the Lord made to Abraham and his Seed which they contemning came to ruine 3 An Architect builds the walls by Line and Rule so God did all for this People with the greatest judgement and exactnesse imaginable They had all of the best the best Church the best Sate the best Lawes the best Rulers and the most successful Judges and Kings The Lord himself was for walls and bulwarks to them he was Salvation round about them and their glory in the midst of them so great was his care and tendernesse over them Isa. 26.1 60.18 Zach. 2.5 But since neither Mercies nor Judgements could mend them the Lord resolves to forbear them no longer but as he had built them up in mercy so now he would ruine them in justice and punish them exactly according to their demerits OBSERVATIONS 1 Though the Lord bear long with the Sins of a People yet he will not alwayes bear Though the Prayers of his
21.23 so that this conspiring implies that Amos had some confederates with him that helped to carry on this conspiracy against the King when alas Amos was so farre from conspiring that he was now considering how he might prevent the ruine both of King and Kingdom and avert the approaching judgements By his Prayers he had prevented two judgements and now counsels them to prevent the third yet Amos is a Conspirator and troubler of Israel when it was their owne Idolatry and Apostacy and not Amos that troubled them 2 Amos did not vent his Passion or speak his owne private opinion but he tells them the mind and Message of God which he had shewed him in a Vision and commanded him to publish touching the destruction not of the King himself for we read not that Ieroboam dyed by the sword but of the Kings Posterity vers 9. I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword But Amaziah conceiving that the King would be more inraged against Amos for Prophecying against him than for Prophecying against his Children thereupon forgets this accusation and saith Amos hath conspired against thee and hath said the King shall dye by the Sword Not a word of truth for Amos did not conspire against the King neither did he say that he should dye by the Sword yet this hath been the lot of all Gods faithful Ministers to bee counted Seditious and the troublers of a State solely for discharging the duty of their places faithfully Now by this high Charge we may see that this false Prophet sought the life of the true one as will appear if we frame his Accusation into an Argument thus He that hath conspired the ruine both of King and Kingdom ought to dye But Amos hath done so Ergo. But it pleased the Lord in whose hand is the heart of the King to make the King so farre to favour the Prophet as that hee sleighted this Priests accusation and therefore Amaziah pretends friendship to ths Prophet as we shall see hereafter Now let us view the Transactions of this High-Priest and we shall finde a compleat Character of a false Prophet or the perfect picture of a Polititian 1 They use to flatter and delude great ones making them to beleeve that none are their friends but such as say as they say and doe whatever they would have them doe and humour them in their sins and that they are their foes that like Amos here deal faithfully and plainly with them and this is no small part of great mens misery that they have few about them that dare or will deal faithfully with them They may use the Letany in this sense with that alteration which the poor Curate used when he saw his Lord come into the Church O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon us Right Honourable Sinners Their state in this respect is farre worse than that of inferiour persons who are plainly and truly told of their sins when these are soothed up to their destruction 2 They calumniate and belye the true Prophets they observe Machiavels rule Calumniare audacter saltem aliquid adhaerebit Lye lustily somewhat will stick though it be never so false So it was with Amos here 3 They labour with might and maine to suppress and silence the true Prophets they know that their Kingdom cannot long stand if once the faithful Ministers of Christ bee countenanced Light and Darkness the Ark and Dagon Christ and Belial can never subsist together This made Amaziah here to use both force and fraud to rid the Land of Amos. 4 They labour to suppresse good men before they can be heard They must not speak nor dispute the case Thus Amaziah here clancularly accuseth Amos to the King when he could make no defence for himself 5 They usually mingle some truth with their lyes As Fowlers doe mixe some Wheat with their Chaff to catch the Birds the sooner So did Amaziah here he mixed some truth with his lyes Amos hath said Ieroboam shall dye by the Sword that was false and Israel shall surely goe into Captivity that was true OBSERVATIONS 1 In all ages there have been false Prophets to oppose the true There was a Iannes and a Iambres to resist Moses 2 Tim. 3.8 and four hundred false Prophets against one good Micaiah a Pashur and an Hananiah against the Prophet Ieremy and here Amaziah against Amos. So in the New Testament how bitter were the High Priests against Christ Ioh. 11.47 48. accusing him as an enemy to the State and no friend to Caesar. How did the Stribes and Pharisees oppose the Apostles and since Antichrists Kingdom hath been set up how have Gods faithful witnesses been persecuted and slaine Persecution hath ever been the lot especially of Gods zealous Messengers Acts 7.51 let a man faithfully discharge the duties of his place and then let him look for some Idolatrous Amaziah to oppose him When we have opportunities of doing any good we must look for many adversaries 1 Cor. 16.9 Let us not then be offended when we meet with the like usage from the world 2 It is the porperty of Persecutors to undermine Gods Servants clancularly Amaziah sends to the King privily unknown to Amos and accuseth him for a Traytor that so he might be condemned without hearing or answering for himself Thus they deal with Ieremy when they could finde nothing justly against him then they secretly devise devices against him Ier. 11.19 12.6 18.18 where we may observe the vile ingratitude of men this Prophet had by his Prayers averted two Judgements from Israel yet now they seek his death who saved their life and accuse him of Rebellion who saved them from destruction Valiant men charge their adversaries in the face it is for Cowards to creep behind Truth seeks no shifts nor corners it loves the light as true gold fears neither the Touch-stone nor the ballance but falshood being a work of darknesse loves darknesse and is not able to stand bare-faced before truth and therefore it makes lyes and falshood its refuge 3 Wicked men what ever they pretend yet intend Self Haman pretended the Kings profit when his owne ambition envie and revenge was that he really sought Hest. 3.8 So this Idolatrous Priest here pretended great love and service to the King when Self was in the bottom of the design Hee was the Priest of Bethel and got much profit by the place and therefore he hated Amos heartily who forbad the people to come any more at Bethel but to shun it as a place infected with Superstition and Idolatry Amos 5.5 and so all the fat of this self-seeking Priest of Bethel ran into the fire This he could not bear for it struck at his dignity and livelihood Such men make their bellies their gods and little regard what becomes of truth modo hic sit bene as the Monk said when he stroked his fat paunch Wee read of low and
the Margent of a Book points to some notable thing and is like the sounding of a Trumpet before some famous proclamation or the ringing of a Bell before an excellent Sermon 3. Here is the Vision to be attended and observed and that is A basket of Summer fruit Amos saw a basket of Summer fruit After all the Visions means and menaces which the Lord had given them he adds yet this Of a basket of Summer fruit if at last he might work upon their hard hearts By this sacred Hieroglyphick the Lord typifies the manner of Israels end and shews it to the Prophet in Vision the better to affect both Prophet and People A basket of Summer fruit is quickly ripe as the great heat of the Sun doth more speedily ripen fruit so the great means and mercies which this people did injoy hastened the maturity of their sin and made them as the Rod of an Almond-tree which blossometh before other trees Ier. 1.11 12. When fruit is ripe and gathered 't is a sign that Summer is past and Winter is at hand so this Vision did shew that the Winter of a final overthrow was nigh to the ten Tribes The word which we render Basket the Vulgar render it Uncinus an Hook wherewith we get the fruits which are past our reach from the tops of trees 'T is true the word is Homonymous in the Original and admits of divers significations as a Basket a Hook a Cage but most properly it signifies a Basket though there is a truth in all these for as the Hook pulls down those Apples which are ripe with ease and brings the boughs to our hands and as ripe fruit in a Basket or birds in a Cage Ier. 5.27 are easily carried whithersoever the owner pleaseth so the Israelites which were ripe for ruine should be easily and suddenly carried away out of their own Land by the Assyrians as appears 2 King 17. OBSERVATIONS 1. The Servants of God must persevere in their Ministery notwithstanding peoples obstinacy The Prophet had preacht five Sermons before and though he were affronted by Amaziah the Priest and accused of sedition and advised to fly and be gone that so the Kingdome might be shut of him yet he goes on in his duty still and adds a sixth Sermon to the rest and publisheth another Vision to his former Visions if by any means he might reclaim them The barrenness and baseness of a people must not make us barren Ezek. 2.3 6 7. 1 Cor. 9.16 but by an holy Antiperistasis the more vile our people are the more zealous must we be for God as Elijah was in the midst of an Idolatrous Generation If men be hardened in their sins and oppose the truth we must harden our fore-heads against their oppositions and set our faces as a flint against them as our Saviour did Isa. 50.7 and Ier. 1.18 Yeelding to the wicked in their wickedness makes them more Tyrannical and violent Wee must therefore add Sermon to Sermon and Precept to precept Isa. 28.13 If one blow or one woe will not awaken sinners we must add seven more Mat. 23.13 to 29. 2. 'T is lawful in weighty cases to use a Preface before wee speak The Prophet here begins with a Thus hath the Lord shewed mee to quicken their Attention But of this elsewhere 3. Ministers must preach plainly to their people Hence the Lord so oft useth similitudes by his servants the Prophets Isa. 5.1 c. Ier. 2.21 Ezek. 17.6 Mat. 13. 3 c. and condescends to our capacities by setting forth Visions signs and sights before his Prophets for the better instruction of his people Numb 12.6 24.4 Isa. 6.1 Ier. 24.1 2 3. Ezek. 1.1 c 8.3 Dan. 1.17 2.19 Amos 1.1 7.1 4 7. Zach. 3.1 In those Visions the Lord revealed himself in an extraordinary manner to his Prophets yet so clearly and certainly as if they had seen the things presently fulfilled which they fore-told hence they were called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 And though these Visions and Revelations be ceased in our daies yet in these Gospel-daies he hath spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1.1 2. and hath given to us a more sure word of Prophecie both for perspicuity and certainty because 't is both written and sealed 2 Pet. 1.19 4. Ministers must preach nothing to their people but what they have received from the Lord. Of this see before Amos 4.1 Obs. 3. 5. Matters of moment must bee marked Therefore the Lord sets a Behold here upon this Vision and questions with Amos about it the better to excite him and his hearers to the due observation of it Wee are all dull and slow of heart to beleeve the holy things of God and had great need of quickning VERSE 2. And he said Amos what seest thou and I said A basket of summer fruit then said the Lord unto mee the end is come upon my people Israel I will not again pass by them any more IN the precedent Verse we had the Type propounded in this Verse it is expounded The better to awaken both Prophet and People and to quicken their attention 1 The Lord questions with the Prophet Amos what seest thou Questions and Colloquies are more lively and make a deeper impression than plain positive assertions hence the Lord so often useth them Amos 7.8 Zach. 4.2 5.1 2 Here is the Prophets answer And I said a basket of summer fruit This was the Vision which the Lord shewed him what these ripe fruits were whether Cherries as some affirm or Figgs as others or Pears Plumbs Grapes as others or Apples as A Lapide labours more subtilly than solidly to prove by eight Analogies it is not material for us to know it is sufficient that they were summer fruits gathered towards the end of summer when fruits ripen and even fall into the hands of the gatherer 3 Here is the Lords explanation of this Vision Then said the Lord unto me the end is come upon my people of Israel There is an elegant Paranomasy between the two Hebrew words viz. that which signifies summer fruits and that which signifies an end they both sound much alike so that the one may easily put us in mind of the other the ripeness of their sins of the nearness of their ruine The Lord had tried all means and medicines both as a Father and a Physitian to cure this people but since they were incorrigible and incurable he now resolves to trouble himself and his Prophets no more with them for now he intends utterly to destroy them The end is come Hypocrites and presumptuous sinners are wont to promise themselves a longer time still No saith the Lord you are ripe for ruine and therefore now you shall reap the fruit of your owne wayes I will bear no longer with you but as ripe fruit falls of its own akind with ease so shall this people drop into the mouth of the Assyrian now that the term and
and filthy Songs to the corrupting both of themselves and others 4 When all sin all must look to suffer for sin When all sin then all loyns and all heads must be made bald National Sins bring National Judgements VVhen All the Old VVorld All Sodome All Ierusalem had corrupted their wayes then All must perish But of this before 5 In calamitous times we may and must expresse our inward sorrow by outward Vestures and Gestures When Gods hand lies heavie upon a people they must not be stupid and stoical but they must hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6.9 They must humble themselves under Gods mighty hand laying aside their costly attire and put themselves in mourning weeds It is not sufficient that we grieve inwardly for our sins and Gods Judgements upon us for sin but we must also expresse our sorrow by external signs David wept and put on Sackcloth Psal. 38.11 and so did Ier. ch 9.1 and Nehem. ch 1.4 Iob abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes Iob 42.6 Caut. Yet a Caveat must be here entred we must not rest in bare external weeping or wearing of mournful Vestures but our outward humiliation must expresse our inward humiliation of the heart else hypocritical out-side service is odious to God Isa. 1.11 12 13. 66.3 Matthew 6.2 Luke 16.15 6 Sin is a bitter thing It is bitter in it self and brings forth bitter effects It brings bitter dayes and bitter calamities upon a people Sin like Sathan its Father makes large promises but sorry performances It promiseth pleasure but yeelds pain it promiseth liberty but brings men into prisons it promiseth peace but brings warre Take heed then of the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3.13 7 When a Nation is ripe for ruine God will utterly destroy them His patience will no longer wait upon them but they and theirs shall perish in their iniquity and the end shall be a bitter day The wicked use to promise themselves light but they shall finde darknesse they promise themselves deliverance and joy but they shall finde bitternesse and sorrow even to the end of their dayes VERSE 11 12. Behold the days come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it THe Prophet had before set forth those sad Calamities and external Miseries which should seize upon the ten Tribes be now proceeds and fore-tells them of farre greater evils which should come upon them viz. not a famine of bodily bread for of that he had spoken before Amos 4.6 but a Spiritual famine of the Word of God which should feed their souls to eternal life This is the Judgement of Judgements usually the last and sorest As the giving of Gods VVord to a People is the choysest Blessing so the taking of it away is the heaviest Curse as having all other Curses attending it It is a sign of Gods rejecting and reprobating of a people when he will not vouchsafe to speak unto them by his Ministers As it is a sign that God hath some people in that place to which hee sends his Messengers Acts 18.9 10 11. so their departure from a place and people is an evident sign of his displeasure against them Acts 13.46 Mat. 10.14.15 In this Verse we have 1. A note of Attention Behold q. d. I shall now tell you of a more direful and dreadful Judgement than ever and therefore it concerns you diligently to attend 2 Here is the Judgement threatned and that is a Famine which is amplified and illustrated by an Antithesis it is not an external corporal famine 't is not a famine of material bread but which is far worse 't is a spiritual famine a losse of heavenly food a want of the bread of life this famine should be so great that they should run from Sea to Sea and from one part of the Land to another and yet should not injoy it The Lord in great mercy had sent his Prophets amongst them to call them to repentance but they like ungrateful and rebellious sinners contemned Gods Ordinances prophaned his holy things and persecuted his Messengers till the wrath of the Lord broke forth and there was no remedy They loathed Gods Mannah and longed to be at their Garlick and Onions in Egypt again They were dead under lively Oracles and barren under fruitful means of grace and therefore the Lord was now resolved no longer to plow such Rocks nor sow such sands but since they would not serve him with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things therefore they should now be made to serve their enemies in the want of all things They that would not hear and obey the Prophets of God in their own Land should now be caâ—t out of all and be made to serve strange gods in a strange Land As God had before exalted them to Heaven in the use of means and given them many excellent Prophets that did fully and faithfully dispense his Word unto them so now their Prophets should be taken from them and they should have a spiritual famine and be made to know the price of Gods mercies by the wanting of them The word Famine implies two things 1. It sets forth the nature of Gods Word 't is the food of the soul. Look what bread and water is to the body that and much more is the Word of God unto the soul. 2. It imports the greatness of the judgement it should be a Famine not a famine of bread that is but a petty-judgement a flea-biting as nothing comparatively to this though the bodily famine simply considered in it self be one of Gods sore judgements as I have shewed before on Amos 4.6 yet that pincheth but the out-side the carkass and may bee sent in mercy to the soul but this famine of the Word is a spiritual judgement that destroies the soul and is a sign of Gods greatest wrath against a people and is usually accompanied with many other judgements 3. Here is the Author of this famine and that is God I will send or I will let it loose I have hitherto chained it up like a wilde beast that it might not hurt you but now it shall out amongst you and destroy you 4. Here is the time when this should be and that is suddenly The dayes come q. d. The time will come and is now at hand when your Sun shall set at noon and a spiritual famine shall surprise you 5. Here is the certainty of all this 'T is not man but the Lord that saith it who will fulfil every threatning upon the heads of these sinners OBSERVATIONS 1. The preaching of the Word is the spiritual food of the soul and therefore the want of it
the most painful and intolerable Passions that is in this life now the Prophet applyes this to the Spiritual famine and want of Gods Word q. d. if it be a great Judgement to be tormented with bodily famine and thirst how great is the Judgement then that I denounce against you who shall have both famine and thirst and that not of bodily bread or water but of the Word of God which is the Bread and Water of Life and as farre excells all Corporal bread as the Soul excells the body And as it is sad to have children cry for bodily bread and there is none to give them so it is much more sad when men shall cry for Spiritual bread and there is none that can or will give it them 2 As the giving of Preachers to dispenâ—e the Word unto us is reckoned as the choycest mercy Job 33.23 24. Isa. 30.20 21. Jer. 3.15 Ephes. 4.11 because it brings light in darknesse joy in sorrow life in death health in sicknesse strength in weaknesse and brings us to an interest in God and having him we have the Mine the Fountain All. So on the contrary the removal of the Word from a people is reckoned amongst the sorest Judgements 1 Sam. 28.6 Psal. 74.9 Prov. 29.18 Lam. 2.9 Ezek. 3.26 Hos. 4.17 Micah 2.6 Mat. 15.14 dry Breasts are reckoned as a Curse Hos. 9.14 for when the Word goes the greatest Mercies and Priviledges of a People goe with it Rev. 2.5 As I VVhen the VVord goes God goes too 2 Chron. 15.3 and woe to a people when God goes Hos. 9.12 then men may persecute us and there is none to deliver us Psal. 71.11 when he is gone the glory of a People is gone Isa. 4. â— As the Ark that was a Symbol and sign of Gods presence amongst his People was called the Glory of Israel 1 Sam. 4. ult So the Preaching of the Gospel amongst us is our glory Hag. 2.9 and if it depart we may write Ichabod upon all our other enjoyments that is There is no glory for the glory is departed from Israel since the Ark of God is taken It is said of Constantinople that it is fortified with three Bulwarks 1. VVith Wood i. e. with Shipping 2. VVith Stones i. e. with high VValls 3. VVith Bones i. e. with valiant men But it wants a fourth viâ— The presence of God in his Ordinances without which all other Fortifications are but vain Isa. 22.8 9 10 11 12. Nahum 3.12 13. Christ is called a King Psal. 2.6 110.3 Zach. 9.9 now the presence of a King is the glory of a place and where he is truly preached there he is truly present though the place and people be never so mean Vilissimus pagus est eburneum Palatium ubi est sincerus Pastor fideles aliqui Luther 2 The Protection of a people goes Where there is no Vision there a people lye naked and exposed to Divine displeasure and all Gods sore Judgements break in upon them Prov. 29.18 the contempt of the VVord laid this potent and flourishing Kingdome of Israel in the dust 3 Peace Plenty Comfort Riches all goe when the Gospel goes As the Gospel comes not empty handed to a People but brings Peace Plenty Renown and Glory with it Exod. 20.24 Isa. 60. that whole Chapter so when ever the Gospel goes these concomitants goe along with it As we see in Ierusalem which lies now in the dust and the seven Churches of Asia 4 Salvation goes for the Preaching of the VVord is the ordinary means of Salvation Those that sin away the ordinary means must never look for extraordinary whom God saves now he saves by Preaching Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.21 5 VVithout the VVord we cannot grow in Grace it is not sufficient that we have the truth of Grace but God looks that we should shew it by our growth in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Pet. 2.2 6 Without the VVord no comfort we shall perish in our afflictions unlesse Gods Law be our delight Psal. 119.92 It is through comfort of the Scriptures that we have hope Rom. 15.4 7 VVithout the VVord we are naked and cannot defend our selves it is with this sword of the Spirit that we defend our selves against the assaults of our Spiritual adversaries Ephes. 6.17 8. If the Word be gone we have no Rule to walk by no Star to direct us and so shall run into the boggs of unwritten Traditions Revelations New-lights and a thousand old errours If once we forsake the Law and the Testimony to walk in the light of our own fire following our own corrupt reason we are sure at last to lye down in sorrow Isa. 50.11 9. When the VVord departs and goes out then all miseries croud in Non datur vacuum holds true in Divinity as well as in Philosophy 1. Then the Devil sets up his Throne Rev. 2.13 and wickednesse abounds VVhen Christs Kingdome goes down then Satans comes up when the Sun sets night follows 2. Your children will be Idolaters and you will bring forth children to the murderer when people have not the true God they will have a false one 3. Many temporal plagues will follow as appears by the two following verses vers 13 14. Where the famine of the Word goes before there Sword Plague Famine and other Judgements usually follow In Queen Maries time when we lost the Word we had losses by Sea and losses by Land and had such a terrible famine that the people were forced to make bread of Acorns When Truth and Gods Ordinances are gone Vines and Fig-trees will not be long after Hos. 2.11 12. When the Lord would make way for his extreamest wrath to come upon a people he first takes away his faithful Ministers that should lye in the breach to intercede for them that so his wrath may come upon them to the utmost Psal. 74.8 9. Lam. 2.7 8. Let us then use all means to prevent this Land-destroying Judgement to this end 1. Be humbled for the sins of the times which call for the removing of our Candlestick out of its place 2. Besiege Heaven with your prayers Mat. 9.36 this is an Omnipotent Engine whereby we conquer God To quicken your prayers consider what a sad losse the losse of the Word is as you have seen in nine particulars before 3. Walk as becomes the Gospel if any thing remove the Gospel from amongst us 't is our prophane impure ungospel-like loose conversation that will do it 4. As corporal so spiritual famine comes from God As all evil of affliction so this amongst the rest comes from him 1. He sometimes sends it immediately when he chargeth the Prophets to prophesie no more in his name As he commands the clouds to with-hold their Rain and so brings a corporal famine so when sinners grow obstinate he commands his Ministers to with-hold their spiritual showers and to let them alone that they may perish in their iniquity Hos. 4.17 Mat. 15.14 2.
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
slaine the rest shall goe into captivity and banishment which is a civil death or which is worse they shall dye Gladio Spirituali saith Mercer by the sword of the Spirit being blinded and rejected of God so that they cannot repent But this though it be a truth yet not from this text 2 Here are the Persons upon whom this Judgement shall fall and those are Sinners all the sinners that are impenitent Idolatrous presumptuous sinners especially Idolaters those sinners with a witness and such was the body and bulk of this people All those be they high or low superiours or inferiours first or last they shall fall by the sword since they will not beleeve Gods Word they shall feel his Rod. Obj. But we are the Lords People by external profession by Covenant and by visible Adoption A. Be it so yet all the sinners of my people by profession since they contemn the counsel of my Prophets and persist in their loose conversation shall perish in their sin 3 Here is a further Character of them or another brand set upon them whereby they may be known and that is their security and incredulity in sleighting and contemning both God and his threatnings They say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us See how diametrically opposite they are to God The Lord sayes the evil of punishment shall come upon them They say the contrary This evil and calamity shall not come upon us at least It shall not overtake us or antâ—cipate and prevent us that is either it shall not come or it shall not come in our dayes but when we are dead and gone or if it doe come yet it shall not come upon us it shall not come neer us to surprize us They thought themselves priviledged from such perils and that they should never seize on them But what saith the Lord to all this why he cannot bear with such high and horrid contempt of him and his Word and therefore he tells them plainly that all those incorrigible and incurable Sinners should fall by the sword since they say This evil shall not overtake us therefore it shall overtake them and destroy them OBSERVATIONS 1 Carnal security ends in misery When once men begin to put the evil day farre from them and sing a Requiem to their Souls then comes sudden and swift destruction Isa. 28.15 17 18. Ier. 2.35 5.11 12 13. there we have their security and Vers. 14 15 16 17. the punishment follows So Mat. 24.48 49. see their security and vers 50 51. the punishment follows When people are secure and incredulous and will not hear they shall be made to feel the truth of the Threatnings as Lots Sons-in-law that would not beleeve were burnt to ashes Gen. 19.14 yet the world abounds with such tell the Idolater the Oppressor the Fornicator c. of Judgements ready to seize upon them and they are ready to mock and say Let the day of the Lord come that we may see it Isa. 5.19 Ier. 17.15 so they shall to their sorrow Deut. 29.19 20. Amos 5.18 2 No priviledge can preserve an impenitent Idolatrous people from ruine No though they be my people yet if my people will not walk in my wayes but will rebel against me even the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword But of this oft before VERSE 11. In that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it as in the dayes of old WEE are now come to the Third and last general part of this Chapter and that is consolatory containing many precious Promises concerning the Kingdom of Christ and the restauration and inlargement of the Church in the dayes of the Messiah The Prophet before had been Minatory terrifying them with many dreadful comminations of desolation and utter ruine for their Apostasie and rebellion but now that his Sun might not set in a Cloud hee concludes all with most sweet Evangelical consolations for the refreshing of the remnant of the Elect under those sad Calamities which for many years they lay under To this end he assures them that though all at present were in confusion and the house of David lay in the dust yet the Lord who usually brings lâ—ght out of darkness and comfort out of discomfort would in the conclusion restore the Kingdom unto Israel and make up all their losses in a better kind with spiritual blessings And this was the frequent practice of the Prophets to intermixe comforts with their Threatnings the very first Judgment that was pronounced against fallen man was allayed with a Promise presently annexed 1 They used to awaken and humble their Hearers with terrours and threatnings and then to raise them up again with consolations especially with the promises of the Messiah who was the salvation and consolation of Israel yea the joy and desire of all Nations Hag. 2.8 in whom all the Promises were ratified and confirmed 2 Cor. 1.20 Both Israel and Iudah were falling into a very forlorn scattered sad condition the Prophet therefore to keep the godly amongst them from sinking into utter despair comforts them with this that in the midst of judgement God would remember mercy being ever mindful of his Covenant and though he punisht them for their transgressions yet in due time he would send the Messiah with healing under his wings mongst them Some goe about to confine this glorious Prophesie to Hezekiahs time when Senacherib and his Host was slain Others refer it to the times when Iudah returned out of their Babylonish Captivity in the reign of Cyrus King of Persia when they repaired the ruines of Ierusalem But the text is clear against this for those were but poor sleight slender restaurations comparatively with this For 1. but a remnant came out of the Babylonish Captivity and those poor and low and farre fewer of Israel returned out of Assyria But the restauration here spoken of is most ample and glorious as appears by those high and Hyperbolical expressions of possessing all Nations and the Mountains dropping wine and the Hills running with Milk and Honey and all Israel returning out of Captivity It is therefore confest by all even by some of the Iewes themselves that these Promises have relation to Christ and should be fulfilled in Gospel-times according to that Apostolical allegation and interpretation of this very Text by Saint Iames in the Synod at Ierusalem Acts 15.16 17. After this I will return and build again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down that is the Church of God in which Christ the Son of David should dwell and reign it should be repaired and restored by the Messias and I will build again the ruines thereof viz. by planting in it the beleeving Iewes and bringing in the Gentiles as living stones in the stead of the unbeleeving Jewes That the residue of men may seek the Lord that is
the true Sabbath of rest unto the Lord in that seventh part of the time of the worlds duration All worldly strength wâ—sdome power shall then as the walls of Jericho fall flat before Iesus the true Joshua and these true Israelites as having been by them compassed about six dayes and now on the seventh a thousand years being with the Lord as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 making way for the end mentioned 1 Cor. 15.24 so that now men may know when the Day of Judgement shall be viz. about four hundred and forty years hence But how doth Sir H. prove all these high-flown Notions why ipse dixit he that never erred sayes it witness our self at W. It will be the wisdome of those in authority speedily to suppress such real Fanatical opinions else Hae nugae seria fient These trifles may become troubles If any shall take offence at my plaineness against these loose Principles I shall answer with Bernard Malo in me murmur hominum quam in Deum bonum est mihi si Deus me utatur pro clypeo FINIS A Table of the Principal things contained in this Commentary A. Pages AFflictions come from God 517 518 552 and lead to God 371 Angels their Office 517 Apathy condemned 327 Application necessary 108 308 Assurance attainable 208 Almes how to be given 43. Motives to it 31 32. Gavils answered 37 c. B. BEauty is vanity 499 Beggars lusty not to be releeved 51 52 Beleeve we are slow to it 337 Bethel what it was 21 Bribery base 12. 190 Burial decent a mercy 344 Burnt-offerings what they were 231 C. Carmel what it was 523 Carnal confidence vain 295 Carnal security dangerous 303 304 Children fare the worse for wicked Parents 16 17 Churches how holy 25 Church Musick a Novelty 314 Church must be dear to us our love to it rewarded 327 Cities ruined by Sin 100 299 Come every wicked man hath his come 13. and good men should have their come ibid. Company of the wicked to bee shunned 24 Conversion the end of correction 65 Consideration how necessary 298 299 Covetous men are carnal 468 469 Creature is vanity 356. How to improve it to Gods glory 536 Curiosity to be shunned 503 D. DArkness what it signifies 217 224 Decrees of God abide 340 Despair the wicked doe so 347 Drinking put for feasting 8 Duties daily to be practised 29 E. ELection free 568 Englands Mercies 67 Epicurism vile 308 Evil shun it 204 205 Examples of Saints abused 317 Examples of great men when wicked do much hurt 10 Extremity Gods people oft brought to it 373 F. FAmine a sad Iudgement 61 62. what Sins bring it 62. famine of the Word most sad 489 Feasting when unlawful 322 323 Family-duties to be set up 30. false Prophets enemies to the true Chap. 7.10 Obs. 1 Fear proper to wicked men 19 Few are saved 569 Flying will not avail the wicked 518 521 523 222 223 Free-will we have lost 105 153 Fruit lost by sin 80 G. GAtes how used 179 180 God is Omnipotent 125 585 fear him 125 127. a fix fold comfort in it 126 127 He is Omniscient 11 12 189 He is just 384. hee is most High 135 136. most Holy 15. Good 204 Patient 353 Lord of Hosts 137 337. Hee is the saddest enemy 524 525. if he be against us all is against us 148. his special presence the glory of a place 205. Hee is merciful 100 108 Gilgal what it is 22 26 Gods Worship wearisome to wicked men 464 465 Godly vilified 469. they are Gods graine 552 Good things must be often pressed 209 Good intentions no warrant for evil actions 27 Godly not seditious but peaceable proved at large Chap. 7. Vers. 10. Obs. 4. H. Hâ—rdened Sinners are incurable 65 66 100 101 Heart searcht by God 127 128 130 Holy Ghost is God 120 Hope upholds us 211 Humiliation goes before consolation 564 Hypocrites are Ceremonious their service no service 57 67 347 I. Idolatry brings Iudgements 74. it is a great Sin 502. it is a flesh-pleasing sin 59. it is very dangerous 253 254 458 Jehovah what it notes 136 Ingratitude vile 295 Instruments God wants not to doe his work 8 Ironies lawful 24 Mr. Jones his bounty 47 Judicial Astrology vile 72 73 Judgements seldome goe alone 340. they usually begin at Gods house 514. wee are slow to beleeve them 15. God hath variety of them 74 75 78 79 302. they are gradual ch 7. v. 8 Judgements on others must make us fear 298 299 The Iudgement of God differs from mans judgement 503 Justice God delights in it 239 how it must be performed 240 when perverted it is a crying sin 353 354 Ivory much used by the Iewes 306 307 Judge our selves we must 346 L. LEven how used 55 Legal Promises adumbrate Spiritual Blessings 559 Lesser Iudgements contemned make way for greater 107 Life Spiritual its excellency 158 468 Luxury breeds cruelty 323 M. MAtter 's of moment must bee marked 350 Mercy to the poor our duty 31 c. at large Mercies abused provoke wrath 26 Mercy and Iudgement mixt 546 Mirth of the wicked turned to mourning 331 Ministery is searching 133 322 Ministers must persevere in their Ministery 452. they must preach plainly 253. they must be prudent 371 Mockers how vile 218 219 Moloch what it was 247 248 Mountains melt when God is angry 530. They are mercies to the world 118 119 Musick abused unlawful 235 310 O. OBedience qualifications of it 58 59 Oppressors rich men many times are such 12 Oppressors of others shall be opprest themselves 15 16 P. Patience in calamities necessary 200 201 346 Perseverance necessary 553 578 Parity of sin brings parity of suffering 83 Persecution dangerous 328 Pestilence comes from God 84. what sins bring it 84 85. a sad Iudgement 86. whether wee may fly from it 87 88. Good men may dye of it 89 Piety brings plenty 574 Places debased by sin 25. shun Idolatrous places 160 Pleasures carnal costly 321 Plots broken by God 128 Poverty the causes of it to be shunned 53 Plaine Preachers disliked c 7 13 Prayer our daily practice 29. it is powerful 109 374. when Argumentative 372. persevere in it 377. short prayer if fervent may prevaile much 378 Praises due to God 58. 357 Preach none may without a Call 8. Preaching to be preferned before Miracles 97 98. it is the Souls food 487. contempt of it brings a famine 488 Priviledges cannot keep off Iudgments 294 337 Presence of God the glory of a place 205 Progenitors though pious cannot avail an impious people 541 Providence governs all 99 100 Proverbial speeches commendable 353 Prudence three-fold 192. Pious men are prudent 196. which appears in eight particulars 197 198 Q. QUakers how vile 57 58 131 Questions how useful 245 R. RAine falls by appointment 71. want of it a Iudgement 70 71 A Remnant saved 547 Relicks of Saints vain 345 Repentance difficult 75. its excellency 113 116