where every word hath its weight And that 1 By his Names and Titles He is the Lord Jehovah the Creator and Preserver of all things and therefore his Threatnings ought not to be contemned 2 He is the Lord of Hosts he hath the superiour and inferiour Armies of Heaven and Earth of Sea and Land as it were horse and foot to march against his enemies 3 His Almighty Works set forth his Majesty and Power 1 The Earth which is in it self a most solid firm hard immoveable body yet acknowledgeth the Power and Dominion of its Almighty Lord and Creator and therefore if he do but touch it at least with any of his rods and in displeasure it presently melts like wax before the fire or snow before the Sun 2 If he be provoked to anger he can make a sinful land to mourn by bringing upon them the punishment due to them for their sins he can make both things and persons melt Therefore fear to offend him this must be annexed to every branch of this description of God e. g. He is Jehovah the Lord of Hosts therefore fear him He makes the earth to melt and the inhabitants thereof to tremble therefore do you humble your selves before him 3 If all this will not work upon you yet consider he can drown you and make his floods to go over all the land as he did in Noahs time and as he doth in many Islands and other places at this day See before Chap. 8.8 4 If ye will not fear him for his Majesty and Power that appears on earth then look up to the heavens vers 6. and see his Wisdome and Power there in creating the several Regions of the air as so many stories one above another besides the variety of creatures which he hath on earth as so many Troops ready prest to do him service and his sending of the waters of the Sea upon the earth either by rain or inundation to punish it These all shew the Power and Glory of that God with whom we have to do and therefore should make us fear to offend him and speedily to make our peace with him The summe of all is this Hitherto ye have trusted in your own strength and priviledges and have set light by Gods Threatnings as if they had been but so many scar-crows but now consider O ye infirm and sinful dust and aâ—hes against whom do ye rebel against whom do ye thus harden your selves Is it not against the great and mighty God the Lord of Hoasts the Creator of all things whose Almighty power appears in that with a touch he can make the mighty and massy earth to melt and dissolve like wax before a mighty fire and fill it with such horror that all the inhabitants thereof shall mourn and make it as inhabitable as if it were drowned with a flood OBSERVATIONS 1 God is the Lord of Hoasts See before Amos 4. ult 2 He is an Almighty God See before Amos 4. ult Obs. 1. 3 If God do but touch the earth or its inhabitants in wrath they melt and mourn and fade away If he but touch Mountains Natural or Mountains Metaphorical there is no abiding 1 The earth Natural quakes at Gods displeasure the Rocks and Hills melt at his presence 2 Sam. 22.8 Psal. 18.7 and 144.5 6 7. The massy Mountains which no art or wit of man can move yet Gods bare presence how much more his wrathful presence makes them tremble as Mount Sinai did at the presence of the Lord Exod. 19.18 Iudg. 5.5 Iob 9.6 Psal 68.8 Hab. 3.10 2 The earth Metaphorical that is wicked men that live in the earth the guilt of their sins doth so daunt them that they are not able to stand in Gods presence Ezra 9. ult Adam when he had sinned hides himself from God and Cain runs from his presence Especially at the day of Judgement they will not be able to stand before Gods Tribunal Psal. 1.5 but will cry to Rocks and Mountains to hide them and shall be driven to utter desperation when they think of that dreadful sentence Go ye cursed yea when the Lord appears for his people here these Metaphorical Mountains shall be dissolved and meâ—â— like wax before the fire The Churches enemies are oft compared to Mountains Isa. 64.1 Zac. 4.7 1 Because Mountains are higher than other parts of the earth so are the wicked puft up with pride and think themselves higher than God himself and therefore they set their mouthes against the Heavens and blaspheme him Psal. 73.9 2 Mountains hinder us in our way 3 They are barren it is the low Valleys that are fruitful The Church being troubled with these Mountains seeks to remove them by that Omnipotent Engine of Prayer Isa. 64. 1 2. Oh that thou wouldest rend the Heavens and come down what then why the Mountains that is the Princes and Potentates of the world that now are puft up with success opposing and oppressing the people of God should melt at thy presence and vanish to nothing When God ariseth then the Dukes of Edom are amazed and trembling takes hold on the mighty ones Exod. 15.15 16. Hence 't is that the Church desires that God would arise for then his enemies should be scattered and those that hate him should flee before him and be driven away like smoak which the higher it riseth the more 't is scattered and melt like wax before the fire Psal. 68.1 2. The Sons of Zerviah may be too strong for David but not for the God of David If he do but touch these Mountains they vanish 'T is no trouble to us to breathe why God can with as great facility overthrow the Churches enemies one blast breath word or look from him undoes them Iob 4.9 10 11. By the blast of God they perish and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed And if the Earth melt and tremble when God is angry how sad is the condition of hard-hearted sinners who are viler than the Earth and more insensible than the very senselesse and inanimate creatures yea worse than the very Devils themselves for they beleeve and tremble Iames 2.19 4. The Lord can turn our Land into a Sea and make our arrable sailable so that there shall be no dwelling in it but it shall rise up wholly as a flood and shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt The water is naturally above the earth so that he can float it and flood it at his pleasure and can easily pull up his â—luces and let in the Sea upon us and bury us in one universal grave of waters Let us then fear to provoke him who hath Wind and Sea at command against us The Lord wonders that any should be so sottish as not to fear him upon this very account Ier. 5.22 Fear ye not mee saith the Lord who have placed the Sand for a bound to the Sea that it cannot pass q. d. Whom will ye fear if ye will
make our Sun to set at Noon and darkness to surprize us in the brightest day and make us run from Sea to Sea to hear a Sermon and it shall not be granted to us Amos 8.9 10 11 12. Let us then walk in the light whilst we have the light lest our unthankfulness deprive us of it Iohn 12.35 Rom. 13.12 13. 5 Obs. If we take the words in the second sense then observe That God is the Maker both of Day and Night Hee creates Light and he creates Darkness he makes the Morning and the Evening the rising and the setting Sun give praises unto him Gen. 1.5 and we are bound to him for both 1. That he hath given us the Day wherein to serve him and secondly that he hath given us the Night wherein to rest that we might be fitted for his service 6 Obs. God is the most High This appears in that all high places are subject to him whether you take them Literally or Metaphorically he treads upon all the high places of the earth all Mountains all Idols all high conceits of men and whatsoever exalts it self against his Kingdom he will bring it down If he touch any of these Mountains they presently vanish into smoak Esay 64.1 Iam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 7 Obs. God is Iehovah This is the most proper Name of God and therefore is so frequently given to him in the Old Testament S. Ierome observes that there are ten Names given to God in Scripture of which Jehovah is the chief and most proper and is never given to any but only unto God It sets forth his eternal infinite incomprehensible Self-being and serves to distinguish him from Idols which have no life or being in them Hence it is called Gods glorious and fearful Name Deut. 28.58 To let pass those Jewish and Rabbinical nicities and quiddities about this Name we have the sum and substance of it in Exod. 3.14 34.6 Revel 1.4 8. He is Alpha and Omega who is who was and who is to come This name implies 1 Gods Self existency 2 Eternity 3 Soveraignty 4 Immutability 5 Fidelity 1 God is Jehovah one that hath his being in himself and of himself and from no other He is an absolute perfect independent Self-being All Creatures depend on him Psal. 104.27 but he needs none of us Iob 22.3 c. 35.6 7. All have their being and their well-being from him and therefore great reason we should live unto his praise Prov. 16. Acts 17.28 Rom. 11. ult 2 He is an Eternal Self-being without beginning or ending from everlasting to everlasting he is God Heb. 13.8 of all Gods Names this doth most fully set forth Gods eternal Essence This must comfort us in all our distresses when all other beings fail yet God is an eternal being When the Cisterns are broken yet this Fountain abides when Fathers and Mothers dye yet he lives for ever Psal. 18.46 102.27 28. Our Fathers where are they and the Prophets doe not live for ever but the God of the Prophets lives for ever Zach. 1.5 3 He hath supream absolute and unlimited Soveraignty over all Hee is King of Kings and Lord of Lords All have their dependance on him but hee depends on none 4 Immutability hee is I Am still the same there is not in him so much as a shadow of changing Mal. 3.6 Iames 1.17 5 Fidelity he is most true both in his Threatnings and Promises They are all Yea and Amen and shall certainly be fulfilled first or last to Gods people See more of this Name Jehovah in Zegedines Loc. com p. 599. Rivet on Exod. 3.13 Doct. Gouge his Arrowes on Exod. 17.15 p. 317 c. V. Wilsons Dict. Ravanel in V. Iehova prae aliis Gerard. Loc. com Loc. 2. Vol. 1. p. 225. ad p. 235. Edit ult Una cum Illyrico in calce clavis Script p. 354. ad p. 360. Binchius Mel. Theolog. Loc. 2. p. 30. Fullers Miscel. Lib. 2. cap. 6. p. 201. l. 4. cap. 13. p. 550. Concerning Gods other Attributes see Doct. Preston on the Attributes Stock Larkham Church his Miscelan Zanchius Lessius de Attributis Mr. Leighs Body of Divinity lib. 2. c. 2. M. Randal his Treat of God and Christ p. 19 c. Mr. Norton his Orthodox Evangel p. 4.10 Obs. 8. God is the Lord of Hosts This Title is oft given to God as 1 Sam. 1.3 4.4 2 Sam. 5.10 Psal. 24.10 God is the soveraign Lord of all Creatures whether visible or invisible reasonable or unreasonable living or liveless they are all his not only because he created them and preserveth them but because he governs them so that they stand continually ready prest for his service when ever he shall command them Psal. 103.21 Isa. 45.12 God hath all Armies in Heaven Earth and Hell at his command 1 He hath the hosts of Heaven at his beck The Angels are ready to execute his will Gen. 32. Numb â—2 22 Iob 25.3 The Stars of Heaven fight for his people Iudg. 5.20 Isa. 40.26 Thunder and Lightning Wind and Hayl observe his commands Iob 37.4 38.24 Psal. 18.14 29.3 13.5 7. 148.8 2 He hath Terrestrial Armies at his command as 1 All men whether good or bad he can make them execute his will even against their own 2 The Beasts of the field Levit. 26.22 2 King 2.24 17.25 3 He hath Armies of Insects and inferiour Animals to vexe his enemies withall as Froggs Flies Lice Catterpillars Locusts c. Exod. 8. Deut. 28.28 Ioel 1.4 2.25 Amos 7.1 and if these will not doe he hath the Sea to drown men Gen. 7.11 Exod. 14.28 and the fire to burn them Gen. 19. and the earth to swallow them up alive Exod. 15.12 Numb 16.30 26.10 3 All the Devils in Hell are Gods Serjeants to arrest the wicked and his Jaylors to keep them fast till the Judgement of the great Day But of this see more at large before on Vers. 10. Obs. 5. AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS UPON The Fifth Chapter of Amos. VERSE 1. Hear yee this word which I take up against you even a lamentation O house of Israel IN this Chapter wee have the summe and substance of the fourth Sermon of the Prophet Amos which contains a Lamentation for the Captivity and utter desolation which was coming upon the Kingdome of Israel for their obstinacy and Idolatry Where wee have 1 A short Exordium to quicken attention verse 1. Hear this word which I take up against you 2 Here is a Commination and denouncing of Gods Judgements against them 1 More briefly vers 2 3. 2 More amply and Rhetorically vers 11 16 17 18 19 20 27. 3 Here is a Catalogue of those enormities and crying sins which brought these Judgements upon them As 1 Unrighteousness vers 7. 2 Obstinacy and hating of Reproof vers 10. 3 Cruelty and Oppressing of the poor vers 11. 4 Bribery vers 12. 5 Presumption and vain
confounded in Scripture and used promiscuously one for another 2 Here is the effect of their prudence They shall keep silence 3 Here is the time when they shall keep silence it is In that time viz. in that time of Israels obstinacy and in that time when God shall punish them for their obstinacy and give them up into the hand of the Assyrian for a prey for he speaks not of present but future evils and therefore it is not in hoc but in isto tempore it is not in this but in that time 4 Here is the reason of their silence and that is because it is an evil time both in respect of the evil of sin and of the evil of suffering 1. They were evil times in respect of the evil of sin All manner of sin in all manner of persons abounded both in City and Country Sin was come to that height amongst them that it was dangerous to speak truth unto them yea they silenced the true Prophets and commanded the Amos to bee gone and molest them no more with his preaching They hated reproof they afflicted the just and opprest the poor therefore the Prudent shall keep silence 2 The times were evil in respect of the evil of Punishment for where the evil of sin goes before the evil of punishment alwayes follows The Sword Plague Famine should all pursue them and if they escaped one of those evils yet another should arrest them vers 19. In both these respects times are called evil in Scripture Ier. 18.11 Ephes. 5.16 2 Tim. 3.1 though the latter seems here to some to be the most genuine it is a time of evil viz. of punishment of great misery and desolation so the word is oft used for the evil of punishment Psal. 37.19 Ier. 15.11 Micah 2.3 therefore the prudent shall be silent before the Lord and not once murmure against his just dispensations 3 Others but not so properly make the words to be a commination of a punishment q. d. Since you will not hearken to the counsel of my Prophets but shut your eyes against the light hating to be reformed and abhorring such as speak truth unto you vers 10. therefore I will punish you with the silence of the true Prophets Ezek. 3.26 and other pious men they shall bestow no more counsel in vaine upon you since you are snarling Doggs my holy things shall not be given to you Mat. 7.6 but I will leave you to Sycophants and Flatterers that shall daub over your sins and lead you blind-fold to destruction They could not endure sound Doctrine and therefore they should be fed with lies for that pleased them best There is hope of good when good men speak their lips will disperse knowledge Prov. 15.7 but when a people shall delight in none but fools and flatterers their ruine is not far off 4 Others thus their enemies shall be so Tyrannical and cruel that it will be their prudence not once to mutter but silently keep in their grief to themselves lest if they complained they should exasperate their enemies and so be worse used This is an ancient Gloss but not so genuine 5 These times were evil times for even the Rulers of the people were unruly and corrupt both in doctrine and manners They were grown so violent and virulent that they would neither hear nor bear a reproof they sought his death who sought their life and threw dirt in his face who shewed them the glass if any reproved them they wrested and misinterpreted all their sayings devising devices against them to destroy them They were come to that height of sin that the malady was too strong for the medicine and good counsel could doe them no good it was but casting Pearls before Swine which would be trampled under foot and lost the more they reproved them for their Bribery Oppression Idolatry and cruelty the more they enraged them and therefore the prudent shall keep silence since it is such an evil time This sense suits best with the context ver 10 11 12 13. Q. But must not Ministers speak against Sin for fear of bringing themselves into danger nor speak against the evils of the times unless they be sure to be free from suffering Ans. Ministers are bound by their Office to witness against the worst of evils in the worst of times so did the Prophets so did the Apostles A Minister must not presently give over his Ministery or forbear reproof because of some approaching danger yet he may be silent and forbear reproof when those sins have been sufficiently witnessed against already and men sin not for want of light but desperately against the light in such a case we have no reason to run our selves upon danger and therefore our Saviour bids us let such alone Mat. 15.14 when we see that our reproofs doe but exasperate and harden we may yeeld for a time and reserve our selves and our exhortations for better times when mens passions are qualified and they will hearken to us so that this makes nothing for Court-Parasites and Time-servers who under pretence of Prudence live like dumb Doggs never once barking against the Idolatry Superstition Apostacy and prophaneness of the times for fear of displeasing the Grandees of the time they dare not pray for Sion nor speak in defence of Gods Cause and People for fear of suffering This is so farre from prudence that it is the greatest imprudence in the world for any man for fear of mans wrath to run into Gods displeasure and to avoyd Temporal pains to run into eternal Christ will be ashamed of such as be thus ashamed of him and his truth before an adulterous Generation Mark 8. ult Rev. 21.8 Obj. Tyrants threaten me Ans. And thou must learn to contemne their threatnings He is not fit to be a Minister of Christ that cannot suffer as well as doe for him Every Minister is or at least ought to be a Souldier of Christs now a Souldier must not be a whining Milk-sop but a hardned seasoned peece 2 Tim. 2.3 Necessity is laid upon us and woe to us if we preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 When God commands us to preach and man forbids the Apostle in this very case tells us that it is better to obey God than man Acts 4.19 5.29 It is no dishonour to the Kings on earth to see the King of Heaven served before them yea the worse the times are the more should the zeal for Gods glory consume us When Lot saw the wickedness of Sodome his righteous soul was vexed from day to day with their aâ—ominations No prudent man can be totally silent when hee sees his God openly dishonoured as we see in David Nathan Michaiah Paul c. The Prophet therefore speaks not here De jure but De facto not what men should doe or not doe but he rather intimates such was the iniquity of the times and the malice of those in authority that De
not returned to me saith the Lord. 4 VVe have had Sword Plague and Famine amongst us and yet yee have not returned unto me saith the Lord. 5 And now the Lord seems to threaten greater Judgements and to deal more severely with us for our obstinacy and impenitency and yet we are as stupid and stubborn as ever and never once think of returning to him that smites us O that the Lord would awaken every soul of us out of this deep and deadly sleep oh that every one would now goe into his Closet and there seriously ask his soul What have I done Against what light and love against what wooings and warnings against what Mercies and Judgements have I rebelled None so beloved of his God as I and none that hath so abused his love as I have done Oh that we could now take shame to our selves for our stubborn standing out so long against so good and gracious a God! oh that we could judge our selves for our rebellion and loathe our selves for our great provocations then would the Lord repent of the evil he intended against us and we might hope to see better days than yet we have seen 6 Obs. Hipocritical turning is no turning in Gods esteem This People did sometimes howl in their misery and fast and pray Hos. 7.14 but it was but counterfeit and therefore the Lord chargeth them still with this Yet have yee not returned to me saith the Lord. False things in Scripture are counted as no things A wicked man is accounted as no man Ier. 5.1 the streets of Ierusalem were full of men but because they were not good men God calls them no men Thus the wicked are said to have no heart i. e. no good heart and so as good have none at all Hos. 7.11 VERSE 7.8 And I also have with-holden the rain from you when there were yet three months to the Harvest and I caused it to raine upon one City and caused it not to raine upon another City one peece was rained upon and the peece whereupon it rained not withered So two or three Cities wandred unto one City to drink water but they were not satisfied yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. THe Prophet descends to the enumeration of new Judgements two of which were the Causes of the Famine The first was Drought and want of Rain vers 7 8. The second was Blasting Mil-dew and the Palmer-worm vers 9. This People were like Clouds without water and yeelded no obedience to God but followed Idols and now his clouds have no water for them When God is against us all are against us so that here we have a second Scourge where-with the Lord chastised this people that he might bring them home to himself viz. Drought and Barrenness he had before punisht them with Famine and want of Bread now he punisheth them with Thirst and want of Water Thus the Lord tried all conclusions to better them but in vain as will appear by the sequel In this Verse we have 1. The efficient cause of this Judgement viz. the Lord I have with-holden the rain from you viz. the latter rain which that hot Country had most need of I have forbidden it to fall upon you saith God 2 Here is the continuance of the Judgement it was not for a week or two but for three months even till the fruits of the earth withered and were destroyed and this the Lord did the more deeply to affect them with their sins One months want of rain in that hot Country especially should have startled them two months should have astonisht them but three months should have fully awakened them yet such was their gross senslesness and stupidity that they laid it not to heart And therefore the Lord the better to set forth his patience and this peoples impenitency sets forth his dealings particularly with them and tells us how he brought the Famine the Drought the Palmer-worm and the Pestilence c. upon them He came not suddenly upon them but gave them space to repent and time to consider their wayes and the tokens of his displeasure against them But such was their obstinacy and malice that nothing could work upon them their Disease was too strong for the Physick and their Maladies for Gods remedies his labour was lost upon them 3 Here is the juncture of time when this rain was with-held from them viz. three months before Harvest which was about March for about the latter end of May in that hot Country was their Harvest this was called the latter rain and was very needful to fit fill and ripen the Corn for Harvest For the better understanding of this we must know that the Land of Canaan was not like the Land of Aegypt for in Aegypt they seldome or never had any rain Zech. 14.18 for the River Nilus did once a year over-flow the greatest part of their Country and so did mellow and soften the earth for all the year after But Canaan was a mountanous place and could not be so watered and therefore the Lord took more special care of it and watered it with rain from Heaven Deut. 11.10 11. In this Land there were two more especial seasons for rain viz. the former rain about September when the Seed was sown that it might take the better rooting and the latter rain in the Spring time when the Corn was grown up and earing to fit it for the Harvest and this was called the latter rain which is said to fall in the first month that is in March which with them was the beginning of the year Ioel 2.23 Hence are those frequent expressions in Scripture of the former and the latter rain Deut. 11.14 Ier. 5.24 Hos. 6.3 Zech. 10.2 Iam. 5.7 for in Harvest it seldome or never rained in those hot Countries and therefore when Samuel by Prayer had obtained rain in Harvest they looked upon it as a prodigious thing 1 Sam. 12.16 17 18 19. now the want of either of these rains was sad but specially the latter when a man shall see his Corn sown grown up and then when he expects a Harvest after all his pains for want of rain to have it wither and dye before his eyes this must needs be grievous to him 4 Here is the accurateness of Gods Judgements he distinguisheth between City and City Feild and Feild I caused it to rain upon one City and not upon another As hee commanded the Sun to shine on Goshen and not on Aegypt so he commands the rain to fall on some and not on others These things came not by chance but by providence it is I faith the Lord that commanded it to rain upon one parcel of ground and not upon another 5 Here is the effect of this Judgement it makes them run from City to City for water vers 8. but in vain for they could not get enough to satisfie their necessities They were sensible of bodily wants but insensible of Spiritual wants
VERSE 13. For loe he that formeth the Mountains and createth the Winds and declareth unto man what is his thought that maketh the morning darkness and treadeth upon the high places of the earth the Lord the God of Hosts is his name IN the precedent Verse the Lord seeks to draw his People to himself by Mercies he mindes them of his Covenant and tells them they were his Israel still and therefore they ought not to stand it out against him but speedily submit themselves and meet their God with intreaties of peace who was still ready to receive them But least this should not work upon such indurate Sinners the Prophet comes in this Verse to proclaime Gods Majesty Omnipotence Omniscience c. The better to affect and awaken these drowsie ones and to make them fear We have here a multiplicity and heap of excellent Titles given to God for the bare naming of God is little regarded by most men but when the Transcendent Excellencies of God shall in variety of words bee set forth to the life unto us this strikes an awe and reverence in our hearts In the words we have 1 An elegant description of the glorious Majesty of God set forth in state and solemnity by Six Royalties 2 Here is the note of Attention Loe or behold q. d. doe not lightly pass over this but deeply ponder and diligently consider the Power and Majesty of this great God with whom thou hast to doe 3 Here is the reason of this glorious description of God included in the Particle For for hee that formeth the Mountains and creates the Winds c. It is he that is marching in fury against thee who is a consuming Fire whose Power and Majesty thou art not able to resist and therefore beware of provoking him to wrath against thee by thy impenitenâ— for Quot tituli tot ora all these Titles and Elogies are as â—o many mouthes to call upon us to fear the Lord and to turn unto him As first It is he that formeth the mighty and the massie Mountains therefore fear him and turn unto him 2. It is he that by his Almighty power creates the fierce and terrible Winds therefore fear him and turn unto him 3. It is he that searcheth the heart and trieth the reins therefore dissemble not with him but truly and totally turn unto him 4. He can turn the light into darkness and thy joy into sorrow therefore fear to offend him and prepare to meet him 5. He is the most High having the Heaven for his Throne and the Earth for his foot-stool therefore beware of provoking him and return unto him 6. He is the Lord of Hosts and can arme all the Powers in Heaven and Earth and Hell against thee therefore resist him not but speedily prepare to meet him with intreaties of peace before his wrath surprize thee and it be too late This Verse is a Mine full of rich Treasures I shall therefore dig for them 1 He formeâ—h the Mountains They were not cast up by Noahs Floud as some weakly have imagined but are here expresly said to be formed and framed by the most wise God for the benefit and ornament of the Universe God made them out of the rude Mass and confused Chaos of earth when he gathered the Waters into one place and the dry land appeared Gen. 1.9 and it is apparent that the Mountains were in being before Noahs Floud for it is said that all the high Mountains were covered with waters Gen. 7.19 they were then in being before they are said to be fixed and setled by God Prov. 8.25 and framed in weight and measure by him Isa. 40.12 He hath made the Mountains strong and stable high and unmoveable for his own glory Psal. 148.5 9. and the good of Mankind Psal. 65.5 By the Mountains the violence of the Winds are broken and kept from hurting us and so they are for Muniment By them the Universe is adorned and made more glorious and wonderful and so they are for Ornament By them the Vallies are kept warm and inriched by them they are watered with Springs and showers that run down from them Iob 24.8 Psal. 104.10 To them men run for shelter and defence in times of trouble Psal. 11.1 Iosh. 2.16 Matth. 24.16 Heb. 11.38 By them Cities are defended under God against their enemies Psal. 125.2 upon them growes Grass for the sheep and beasts of the field and here they feed Iob 39.8 Psal. 50.11 148.9 Isa. 18.6 Here many Treasures of Mettals and Minerals of Lead Iron Brass Stone Silver Gold c. are hid Deut. 8.9 This should make us 1. Love the Lord who hath so curiously formed and framed the Universe for the good of man 2 It should make us fear to offend him who by his Almighty Power hath created these mighty massie Mountains and before whom they tremble and melt like Wax These obey God and praise him in their kind Isa. 44.23 and if the Lord of these Mountains be against us no Mountaine can fence or shelter us Ier. 3.23 Ezek. 38.20 A due apprehension of Gods Majesty will make us perform all our Duties with fear and reverence Psal. 2.11 Heb. 12.29 We should take shame to our selves for our hardness of heart and great insensibleness when we consider how the Mountains and inanimate Creatures tremble at his presence how much more when he is angry and if these be overthrown by God in his anger Iob. 9.5 28.9 much more shall wicked men those metaphorical Mountains which exalt themselves against God and his wayes bee overturned by him Isa. 64.1 Zach. 4.7 2 Hee createth the Wind. This is the second Prerogative Royal of the great God By creating the Mountains and the Wind two mighty things under which Synecdochically are comprehended the other Works of God the Prophet sets forth Gods Omnipotency for it would have been too much to have enumerated all the rest of God glorious VVorks and therefore he pitcheth on some chief ones and leaves us to conclude of the rest Before he had spoken of the creating of the Mountains now he comes to speak of the VVinds which arise as some conceive out of those Mountains These two differ in nature for the one is gross and unmoveable but the VVinds are of an airie thin substance which cannot be seen and yet such is their power that they toss the Seas overthrow the strongest Trees cast down Houses yea and overturne Mountains when these VVinds are shut up in their bowels The word Ruach is Homonymous and hath various significations which hath bred various Lections and various interpretations 1 Some read it thus he createth the Soul or Spirit Calvin conceives that the Prophet speaks of the spirit of man though he excludes not the VVind and his reason is because of that which follows viz. The shewing to man his thoughts But if this way of reasoning were valid we may better say Salva semper reverentia tanto viro
thus He maketh the morning and the darkness that is he maketh both Day and Night God shews his Power not only in creating the World but also in governing the whole course of Nature continually exactly ordering the Vicissitude and change of Day and Night It is he that makes the Light and the Darkness in the morning he makes the light to arise out of darkness and in the evening he makes the darkness to follow the light This sense is good But the first I look upon as most genuine from the text Hee treadeth upon the high places of the earth This is true both in a Literal and in a Metaphorical sense 1 Take the words Literally for the highest Hills and the lofty things of the World even these are subject unto God and lye at his feet he treads upon all worldly glory and excellency As Heaven is his Throne so the Earth even the highest places of the earth are his foot-stool Hee treads upon high Mountains high Buildings high Fortifications and walled Cities all which are comprehended under the name of High places Deut. 32.13 these hee turns upside down when ever pleaseth him This is the most proper sense But take it Metaphorically either for the high places of the earth where Altars were erected to Idols as Numb 33.52 2 Chron. 11.15 33.3 Ier. 32.35 Ezek. 16.16 even these will God tread upon and destroy Levit. 26.30 2 If you take it for the high and lofty of the earth even these Gods hand doth reach yea and his feet tread upon Hee makes the proud of the earth his foot-stool Psal. 110.1 though they be high yet he will make them know that there is an higher than they Eccles. 5.8 though they bee mighty yet they shall know that there is one who is Almighty who pulls down the mighty from their seats and is terrible even to the Kings of the earth Psal. 76.12 Esay 2.10 Luke 1.52 Now though the literal sense bee here principally intended yet the Mystical and Metaphorical sense would not be excluded Q. But who is it that doth these great and glorious things A. The Prophet tells you it is Iehovah the God of Hosts that is his name a name full of Power Majesty and Excellency and therefore to be reverenced of all his people OBSERVATIONS 1 God is Omnipotent Creation is a work of Omnipotency but that is here ascribed to God it is he that formeth the Mountains and createth the Winds and turns Light into darkness and hath all Creatures at his command and therefore he must needs be Almighty Man can make something out of something but to create the Universe out of nothing and that by the word of his mouth this speaks his wonderful Omnipotency Psal. 33.6 9. He is able to doe whatsoever he will Psal. 115.3 yea his Power is beyond his Will for of stones he could raise up Children unto Abraham but hee will not Matth. 3.9 There is nothing too hard for him no difficulties can hinder him in his working Iob 4.9 Matth. 19.26 Luke 1.37 Those impossibilities in nature which are the reproach of Physitians yet are they Gods Cure The power that is in the Creature is but derivative and by participation but all Power is in God perfectly eminently infinitely and originally Fear then to offend him chuse rather to displease all the world than to displease him Ier. 5.21 22. they can but kill the body but he can kill both body and soul Mat. 10.28 A Tenant especially if he be a Tenant at will is afraid of displeasing his Landlord who can when ever he pleaseth cast him out of all The men of Tyre and Sidon made peace with Herod because their Land was nourished by the Kings Land and he might doe them a displeasure Acts 12.20 Beleeve and fear his Power now else you are like ere long to feel it for though he be slow to anger yet is he great in power and will by no means acquit the wicked Nahum 1.3 2 Serve him with fear and doe all that wee doe to him with the greatest reverence So did Iob ch 40.4 42.5 Esay 6.5 let us readily doe his commands If he doe but call to any of the Creatures they stand up together as ready to execute whatever their great Lord and Master commands them Esay 48.13 yea so pliant are they to doe his will that they contradict their owne natures to serve him Fire descends from Heaven at his command and the fluent Waters stand as a wall to defend his people and destroy their enemies which may shame us out of our rebellion and disloyalty when we see how the inferiour Creatures serve him with one consent 2 It likewise serves for singular comfort and that many wayes 1 It may be thou hast great enemies coming against thee yet remember still that there is a greater than they Suppose Nations all Nations should come against thee yet compared to God they are but as the drop of a busket nothing less than nothing Esay 40.12 c 51.12 13. Rom. 8.30 There are more with us than are with them with them is but an arme of flesh but with us is the Almighty not as a bare Spectator but as an Assister and fighter for us 2 Chron. 32.7 8. 2 It may be thou art troubled with strong corruptions why goe unto this strong God there is nothing too hard for him Though thy sins have been habitual customary con-natural sins yet he is the God of Nature and can change Nature Though we cannot make a Black-more white yet hee can Ier. 13.23 though thy sins have been of a Crimson dye yet he is able to make them white as Snow Esay 1.18 3 Art thou troubled with great tentations and sad afflictions yet remember God is Almighty and can make Medicines of these Poisons and will in the conclusion turn all to thy good Rom. 8.28 and therefore be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 6.10 4 It may comfort us against Apostasie Thou fearest that thou shalt never be able to hold out walk humbly with thy God and then thou needst not fear what Man or Devil can doe unto thee for stronger is he that is in us than he that is in the world 1 Ioh. 4.4 Did we stand by our own strength we were undone for in his owne strength shall no man bee strong but we are kept by the mighty Power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Though we be weak yet our Redeemer is strong Ier. 50.33 34. and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against us Let the world rage the Devil roar and corruption fret yet God is greater than all and none shall be able to pull them out of his hand Ioh. 10.28 29. He that hath called us hath promised to keep us he is both able and willing to doe it Esay 42.5 6. 5 It may comfort us against the fear of death what though
of villany so that it would be safer living amongst so many wilde Beasts than amongst men Justice is Rulers duty security and glory as I have shewed at large on Psalm 82.4 p. 35 36 111 139. VERSE 8. Seek him that maketh the seven Starres and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning and maketh the day dark with night that calleth for the waters of the Seas and poureth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his name THis rustick plain Prophet begins here to raise his stile The better to awaken these sensual and secure sinners he sets before them the dreadful glorious Majesty of that God with whom they had to doe q. d. you have not to doe with a dead and impotent Idol that will be pleased with dead and dull services and pacified with childish toyes and trifles but you have to doe with the living and Omnipotent God who is the Creator and Governour of all things who appoints the vicissitudes of Day and Night of Summer and Winter who numbers the Starres of Heaven and calls them all by their names who waters the earth with rain and strengthens the weak against the strong and makes the spoyled victorious over the spoyler It was the great study of the Prophets and specially of this our Prophet to set forth the Lord in his Majesty and Glory that they might the better work upon their Hearers See Amos 4.13 6.14 9.6 In this Verse we have a magnificent description of Gods Omnipotency he is The Creator of the Starres The Disposer of the Times The Former of the Clouds and The Orderer of VVarres And therefore the Prophet calls upon them yet once more to seek this Great Almighty one This oft pressing of this duty notes the necessity Excellency and difficulty of it It is not so easie a matter to repent as many imagine the heart of man is exceeding hard and his eares are stopt against Gods counfels so that the Lord is forced to call again and again for audience and admittance See yee him These words are not in the Original but are necessarily understood and to be supplied from Vers. 4 6. Who maketh the seven Starres and Orion The Prophet begins first with the Stars because the Majesty Power and VVisdome of God is wonderfully seen in their motion order multitude and magnitude Under these two Constellations all the rest of the Starres are comprehended by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole for he that made one made all and the least are ordered by him as wel as the greatest But because these two were most eminent and obvious and commonly known therefore he chiefly instanceth in these two they are mentioned only three times in Scripture viz. Iob 9.9 38.31 and in the Text. The Pleiades oâ— seven Starres and Orion are opposite one to another 1 They have contrary situations Orion dwells in the East and Pleiades in the West 2 They appear in contrary seasons Pleiades ariseth about March and brings in the Spring but Orion appears about November and brings in Winter so that when hee saith Seek the Lord who made Pleiades and Orion it is as if hee had said in plain English Seek him who makes Summer and Winter 3 They have different Influences 1 Pleiades is a Constellation usually called the seven Stars They arise in our Hemisphere about the Spring and are therefore called Vergiliae quasi ver is vigiles Hence wee read in Iob 38.31 of Pleiadum deliciae the sweet influences of the Pleiades because they bring in the sweet and pleasant Spring with them when they appear the trees and plants begin to flourish These Pleiades have their name from sayling because after the cold and stormy Winter is past Saylers begin to put to Sea These Chimah or seven Stars appear in a cluster about the midst of heaven they are commonly known by Shepherds and Rusticks Amos being an Herdsman had taken notice of them Orion is a Conâ—tellation of Stars that produceth cold when it appears then Winter comes It ariseth in our Hemisphere about November As the Pleiades do loose the earth and set it at liberty that it may bring forth delightful fruit so Orion by his frosty bands is said to binde up the earth Iob 38.31 and bring in variety and change of weather with many storms and tempests Hence the word Chesil as it signifies a fool and one who is unconstant now of one minde and anon of another so this Star is called by this name by reason of the unconstancy and mutability of weather which it brings with it Seek yee him who turns the shadow of death into the morning These words are taken by some literally and by others metaphorically I shall take in both though the literal bee most genuine q. d. It is this great and mighty Lord who makes great changes in the Air and wonderful alterations in States and Kingdomes It is hee that turns the grossest darkness into the brighrest day and the lowest adversity into the highest prosperity and on the contrary hee can when pleaseth him turn our day into night ourlight into darkness and our mirth into mourning By the shadow of death here is meant great gross horrible and terrible darkness such as is the very image of death Any darkness is sad but darkness and the shadow of death is the height of sadness Such deadly darkness Iob wisheth to the day of his birth Iob 3.4 5. and David put the worst of his case and the best of his faith when hee said Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evil Psal. 23.4 that is in the greatest of evils I will fear none evil In the very danger of dangers in exceeding great dangers hee would comfort himself in his God It may also signifie symbolically and metaphorically great dangers and deep distress And maketh the day-dark with night The vicissitudes of day and night are not casual but providential It is the Lord who is the great disposer and dispenser of time that by his Almighty power hath appointed the day to succeed the night and the night the day which no gods nor Idols can do Who calleth for the waters of the Sea by vapours and clouds and powreth them out upon the face of the earth by showers of rain Hee calls for the waters of the Sea viz. beyond its ordinary bounds that it may overflow the earth with inundations so some But more genuinely thus It is the Lord that appoints and orders the waters as by express command to rise up from the Seas and turn into rain which afterwards hee powres forth upon the earth The Sun draws up vapours out of the Sea which are condensed in the middle region of the air into rain and then fall down upon the earth These waters which come salt and bitter from the Sea and so in all probability should make things barren yet are so
strained and purified by the Almighty hand of God that they become sweet and fruitful Quest. But who is it that doth all these wonderful things Answ. Why it is Jehovah The Lord is his name bee is no dead Idol as Baalim the god of the Sidonians or Moloch the god of the Ammonites but hee is Jehovah who hath his being in himself and who gives life and breath and being to all creatures from him by him and in him are all things and therefore hee will not bee deluded with your superstitious fopperies The summe of all is this Seek yee him who hath formed and framed the heavens and all the Stars therein who turneth the blackest night into a clear morning and causeth the brightest day to end in a dark night who waters the earth with rain the Lord is his name who doth this OBSERVATIONS 1 It is lawful for a Minister to press the same truths again and again upon his people Thrice in this Chapter doth the Prophet call on Israel to seek the Lord. Thrice in one Psalm is Gods Almighty power repeated that the Church might triumph in it Psal. 46.1 7 11. Christ presseth that Precept Hee that hath an ear to hear let him hear again and again Rev. 2.11 Paul oft put his hearers in minde of what hee had delivered to them Rom. 15.14 15. So Peter put his hearers in remembrance of the same things 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Yea so long as I live I will put you alwayes in remembrance This is profitable and safe for our people Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to me is not grievous but for you it is safe Abundans cautela non nocet This is a means to help the memory wee are naturally forgetful of the best things and therefore had need to have line upon line and precept upon precept Isa. 28.10 13. especially fundamental practical precepts such as Faith Repentance Obedience Death Judgement c. should oft bee prest When the Gentiles heard Paul preach Christ they desired to hear the same things again the next Sabbath day Act. 13.42 This helps to strengthen our graces to quicken us to our duties as the sounding of the Trumpet quickens the spirit of a valiant Souldier and it confirms us in the truth of the things delivered as the doubling of Pharaohs dreams assured him of the certainty of the thing Caut. Yet a Minister must not preach the same things out of idleness spending all the week in an Alehouse or in some secular affairs and then come with a crambe recocta some crude idle addle undigested stuffe Cursed are such as do this work of the Lord negligently An idle Minister is the worst man in a Parish for whereas an idle Artificer hurts but his Family an idle Minister hurts a whole Congregation But when wee repeat and inculcate things out of conscience and for the good of our people this is commendable Besides there is no Minister that is studious but if hee do come to press the same point again hee hath some new arguments or enlargements for Divinity is such a depth that wee are alwayes learning and may finde out somewhat which wee knew not before Bee not then offended when you hear necessary truths oft prest this is â—afe for us and good for you Many have itching ears they must have novum aut nihil they are all for novelty they cannot endure wholesome plain preaching whereas wee have but two things to preach credenda agenda faith and good works 2 Obs. The names which are commonly given to Stars may bee used by us Chimah and Kesil Pleiades and Orion were names given to those Stars by men and yet the Holy Ghost useth them here and speaks with the vulgar in their own language So it useth Heathenish names in the New Testament Act. 28.11 wee read of a Ship in which Paul sayled called Castor and Pollux two Pagan-sea-gods So for dayes and months wee may call them by such names as are best known to the people with whom wee live If wee live amongst a people that usually say the first second third month or day wee must say so too But if wee live in a land where they say Ianuary February March c. Munday Tuesday c. wee must say so too else how shall wee understand one another Thus the Iews called their months sometimes by Caldean names as Nisan Adar Cisleu and Tammuz from the Idolatrous feasts of Tammuz which they celebrated yearly in the fourth month Ezek. 8.14 wee may as well say Lammas as the Iews say Tammuz It is true David sayes hee will not once make mention of Idol gods Psal. 16.4 but that was by way of adoration and reverence or to swear by them but in a civil respect to distinguish dayes and to make known our mindes to those that wee speak to thus the Prophets themselves have used them 3 Obs. The Lord is the maker of the Stars Hee that made these two Constellations made all the rest for under these two the rest are comprehended Iob 9.9 It is hee and hee onely that hath garnisht the heavens with Sun Moon and Stars Iob 26.13 Much of Gods Power and Wisdome is seen in the Stars of heaven every flower of the field sets forth his praise but these declare his glory in a more eminent manner Psal. 19.1 and therefore the Lord calls upon his people in the Text to seek and serve him why so for it is hee that made Pleiades and Orion i. e. hee made all the glittering Stars and if the floor of heaven bee so admirable what is the inside Wee should therefore dayly admire and praise him who hath made the Sun to rule the day and the Moon and Stars to rule the night for his mercy endures for ever Psal. 136.7 8 9. Much of God is seen in the Multitude of the Stars Magnitude of the Stars Motion and Influence of the Stars 1 For Multitude they are for number numberless none but God that made them can number them Psa. 147.4 He tells the number of the Stars and calls them all by their names hee knows them as exactly and particularly as we know those men whom wee can presently upon sight call by their names Men can reckon some and count to about a thousand three hundred but hee calls them all by their names 2 Their Magnitude such great bodies shew the greatness of that God which made them Most men look upon the Stars as some small lights like the blaze of a candle but when it shall bee made appear by reason that one Star is bigger than the whole earth it may well move admiration in us 3 Their swift and regular motion That these mighty bodies should bee carried about the world every day and more exactly in order not one of them out of course though they have shone above five thousand years yet still they continue their former vigour and brightness The fixed Stars keep their own Orbs constantly so
to sweep both the workmen and their work out of the Church of God These are a meer Noyse a Voyce and nothing else they draw nigh to God with their lips scarce that when their hearts are farre from him yet this is the greatest part of their Worship as Gualter hath well observed Ringing of Bells and roaring of Organs is a great part of Papists Divine Service It is the musick of the Heart and not of the Tongue that God delights in it is this which makes us like the Angels in Heaven when in our degree we praise that God on earth which the Angels continually adore and praise in heaven We should therefore be much in this duty of praising God for though the Ceremony be vanisht yet the substance abides still Away then with that Histrionical and confused chaunting which even the Learned and wiser sort of Papists have condemned as Aquinas Alredus an Abbot Cajetan and others as I have proved at large on Amos 6.5 At present hear what A Lapide the Jesuit sayes against those Qui inconditis confusis vocibus tumultuarie boant ululant Videant cantatores ne totam Psallendi devotionem collocent in voce câ—nora in subtilitate modulandi in agilitate tonos minuendi c. Dum instar avium minuriunt ut curiosorum aures titillent ad se rapiant ne aâ—diant a Deo Aufer a me tumultum canticorum tuorum VERSE 24. But let judgement run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream WEE have seen before what God did not require of this People and that was Sacrifices without faith and obedience 2. Wee are come to that which hee did require of them viz. an active lively faith shewing it self in justice and righteousness towards our neighbour so that if they should say Since God rejects our Services and Ceremonies what would he have us doe why the Prophet answers He hath shewed thee O man what is pleasing to him and what he desireth of thee viz. to doe justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Interpreters vary about the sense of the words 1. The Rabbins and those that follow them make it a commâ—â—atâ—on of Gods Judgements against Israel for their sins they read it thus And judgement shall run down or be revealed as waters q. d. Though you abound with Ceremonies and Sacrifices and think to shroud your selves under their shadow yet I will cause my Judgements to break in upon you like waters in abundance and my righteous vengeance as a mighty stream shall bear down all before it because of your Idolatry and Hypocrisie 2 But the words are properly an exhortation to amendment of life this people had been grosly guilty of injustice and unrighteousness and therefore God calls upon them now to break off their unrighteousness and to give themselves up to equity and righteousness that their repentance might be as eminent as ever their sin had been Let Judgement therefore run down or rouâ— down like waters i. e. be alwayes ready to doe Justice and Judgement let it abound and extend it self to all doe not suppress it as formerly you have done Amos 4.1 5.7 12. but let it run fully and freely to every one that hath need content not your selves with a drop or two but gâ—â— rivers of righteousness which may abundantly refresh all the opprest and needy of the Land so much the phrase imports as you may see Isa. 48.18 O that thou hadst harkened to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea q. d. Hadst thou obeyed my commands then had thy peace been as a river that abides and runs continually and thy righteousness i. e. the fruits of thy righteousness viz. thy prosperity and happiness should have been as the waves of the sea which are abundant and perpetual This sense is most genuine and agrees best with the contexture and thread of the discourse the former sense is Rabbinical and wrackt 3 Others distinguish between judgement and righteousness thus 1 By Iudgement they understand a faithful and impartial execution of justice 2 Under Righteousness they comprehend all the duties of the first and second Table relating both to God and man So the word righteousness is sometimes used in Scripture as Rom. 6.18 Ephes. 6.14 But with submission to better judgements I conceive that Judgement and Righteousness here are Synonima's signifying one and the same thing and that the latter clause is exegetical and illustrates the former as it doth frequently in the Scripture Let Iudgement run down as waters what is that why let righteousness run down as a mighty stream i. e. let nothing hinder you from a constant and vigorous execution of Justice and Equity and this execution of Justice is oft called Righteousness Psal. 72.2 Acts 17.31 OBSERVATIONS 1 God delights in Iustice and Righteousness more than in Sacrifices I hate your Sacrifices I abhor your feasts saith God but let judgement run down as waters it is that I delight in As obedience is better than Sacrifice and Mercy than Burnt offerings Hos. 6.6 so Justice and Equity which is one branch of our obedience is better than Sacrifice of the two God had rather have Justice without a Sacrifice than Sacrifice without Justice and therefore saith God Away with your songs and sacrifices give me righteousness and obedience It is not thousands of Rams nor rivers of Oyl but doing justly which God requires of us Micah 6.8 so Isa. 1.17 Learn to doe well seek â—udgement releeve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the widow without this all our religion is vain Let men profess Angelical Sanctity yet if they doe not what is just and righteous all is but hypocrisie Iames 1. ult 2 Obs. Rulers must abound in judgement and righteousnes They must not only doe an act or two of righteousness for one act doth not denominate but they must be rivers always running with righteousness This elegant Metaphor of a River may give us some hints how Justice should be executed Viz. 1 Openly 2 Fully 3 Freely 4 Universally 5 Constantly 6 Zealously 1 Iudgement must be executed openly that all may see the equity of the sentence Rivers run openly who so will may see them So Courts of Justice should be open hence the Judges of old sate in the Gates where all might see and hear what they did 2 Fully Justice must run with a plentiful and an abundant stream They must not confine Justice nor imprison it but as occasion requires they must abundantly dispense and disperse it abroad They must not content themselves with a few drops or acts of Justice but it must run down with a mighty stream Goodness is of a diffusive nature now Justice is a singular good and therefore should be communicated to all 3 Freely the river offers it self freely to all who ever is athirst may drink of it freely Men
abused to my dishonour 3 Here is the confirmation of this Commination The Lord hath sworn it even the Lord of Hosts who is Omnipotent and hath all power in his hand to execute his purposes The Lord doth not only say it but swear it the Iewes were hard of belief and sleighted the threatnings of the Prophets therefore the Lord confirms it with an Oath saying I have sworn by my self or as the words are in the fountain I have sworn Benaphsho in anima sua by my Soul or Life the Lord swears by himself because there is none greater than he The soul is the man and he that swears by his soul swears by himself and therefore the soul according to the Hebrew Idiom is oft put for a mans self as Psal. 3.2 Ier. 51.6 Matth. 25.26 It is an Anthropopathy frequent in Scripture Gen. 22.16 Ier. 51.14 it is spoken of God after the manner of men as an Hand an Eye a Face a Foot is oft ascribed to God so here and elsewhere a Soul is ascribed to God Isa. 1.14 Ier. 5.9 29. which is God himself for whatsoever is in God is God Q. d. If we beleeve men who swear by their soul or life which yet is as nothing how weighty ought my Oathes to bee with you saith the Lord when I put my self to pledge and if yee will not beleeve my Prophets yet beleeve me whose Decrees are immutable whose Iudgements are intolerable who cannot deceive nor be deceived who am Omnipotent and able to put all my Threatnings in execution against you since I am the Lord of Hosts whom all Creatures doe obey as their supreame Commander OBSERVATIONS 1 Swearing in it self is lawful God himself who cannot sin yet swears by himself Isa 45. 23. 62.8 Heb. 6.13 The Lord to strengthen our faith in the truth of his Promises sometimes swears Gen. 22.16 Psal. 132.11 Heb. 6.17 and sometimes he confirmes the truth of his Threatnings with an Oath to make us fear Psal. 95.11 Heb. 3.11 thrice happy they for whose sake the Lord swears and most unhappy they that beleeve him not when he swears since he that beleeves not God makes him a Lyar 1 Ioh. 5.10 not by any transmutation of God but because hee esteemes his Word and Promises as a false thing 2 Wicked men are hardly brought to beleeve the Threatnings of God The Lord must swear here to awaken them out of their stupidity so sottish are men by nature especially when hardned in a way of sin and if Gods owne people in whom there is a Principle of Grace be slow of heart to beleeve the Doctrin of the Gospel Luke 24.25 26. how hard is it to work those truths upon those who have neither eyes to see nor ears to hear 1 Cor. 2.9 3 God is the Lord of Hosts He hath all Power in his hands and all Creatures at his command ready to execute his wrath upon wicked men This Title is given to God above two hundred times in the Old Testament and but once in the New Iam. 5.4 the reason is because this is a name of Majesty and Terror suitable to Old Testament times but in the New Testament he hath more sweet and mild Titles as Father of Mercies God of all consolation the Saviour of all men c. We should therefore fear to displease him who hath the higher Host of Heaven Myriads of Angels and the lower Host of Creatures on earth all ready at the least beck of their Lord and Master to destroy his enemies 4 No Privilâ—dges can preserve a sinful people from ruine Let them be exalted to Heaven in excellency and glory and be loaded with riches nobility dignity and preheminence yet if they abuse those Priviledges they shall be thrown down to Hell Matth. 11.23 God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation such as work righteousness are accepted of him and such as work unrighteousness be they Iewes or Gentiles are rejected of him When God shall chuse a people to be an holy people to himself and they shall walk unholily and live like the prophane of the world it is just with God that they should perish with them Many boast that they are Christians they are Baptized they hear the Word and receive the Sacrament Aye but do you walk up to those Priviledges and answer them with obedience if not you are but baptized Heathens yea a drunken Turk is nearer Heaven than a drunken and dissolute Christian. Meer Titular Christians are no Christians As he is not a Jew that is one outwardly so he is not a Christian that is one only nominally we must be internal ones in spirit and in truth answering our Gospel Priviledges with Gospel-Practises and then we shall be happy Rom. 2.25 28 29. 5 Sin makes God to hate our very dwellings and Palaces He loathes the habitations of wicked men and looks upon them as so many Swine-styes and sinks of sin The habitations of the wicked are cursed of God Iob 12.6 15.34 Zach. 5.4 As we should keep our bodies pure as becomes the Temples of the Holy Ghost so wee should keep our Houses pure from sin and put away iniquity farre from our Tabernacles that they may be Bethels houses of God and not Bethâ—avens houses of vanity and iniquity Iob 11.14 22.23 this is the way to keep our houses in peace Iob 5.24 Prov. 1. ult 8.6 and to make our Families flourish Prov. 14.11 We should rather desire with those holy Patriarcks Abraham Isaac and Iacob to live in Tents and mean houses where we may serve God remembring that we are but Strangers and Pilgrims here but Citizens of Heaven than to live as these Epicures in the Text in stately Palaces abounding with sensual luxury and all manner of riot till they be destroyed 6 When men will not beleeve the Threatnings they shall feel the punishment The righteous doe hear and fear but the wicked never fear till they feel the Sword and Pestilence upon them When no warnings can mend a People then Judgements end them as we see in the old World Ierusalem and others Lots Sons in Law would not beleeve till they were burnt Gen. 19.14 nor Pharaoh till he was drowned 7 It is Sin that ruines Cities Israel sinned and now City and all is taken It is this that hath brought fire and sword desolation and destruction upon the most glorious Cities Many complaine of Instruments that have betrayed them but it is our sins that have betrayed us into their hands and therefore Magistrates Ministers and Governours should improve their interest for the stopping of sin that so they may prevent the ruine of those places where they dwell VERSE 9. And it shall come to pass if there remaine ten men in one house that they shall dye WEE have heard of Israels Captivity before but since that could doe no good now comes the Pestilence and that no ordinary one which usually leaves some
to condemn men Christ himself had not been innocent As for the godly they are of those who are peaceable in Israel they are endued with the wisdome which is from above which is first Pure and then Peaceable Jam. 3.17 they are peaceable in themselves and are Peace-makers and Peace-preservers they are for Peace Ecclesiastical Political Domestical they are for all manner of Peace save peace with sin Peace and Piety Peace and Truth is their hearts desire Zach. 8.19 Heb. 12.14 the Gospel like a Sword divides between men and their sins and so breaks worldly wicked peace Mat. 10.34 35. but establisheth internal real solid peace I came not to send Peace but a Sword Christ speaks not of the effect but of the event of the Gospel not what the Gospel procures properly Et per se but Accidentally when it meets with wicked mens corruptions not what it works in the faithful but in the unfaithful The Gospel in it self brings that peace which passeth all understanding to such as submit unto it but wicked men opposing it make the tumult and division and therefore it is they and not the Gospel that must be blamed Real godly men that walk up to their Principles and Priviledges are the Blessings of a Land the Pillars of a Nation the Beauty and Bulwarks of the places where they live They keep Islands from destruction Iob 22. ult and therefore they cannot truly be called the destroyers of them As Sampsons strength lay in his hair so the Governours of the Nation shall say that in the inhabitants of Ierusalem is our strength Zach. 12.5 It is ignorance and prophaneness which makes a people rude and rebellious but where Religion comes in the power of it and men obey not for fear but for conscience sake there are no better Servants and Subjects in the world none more faithful to their trust none pray more for their Governours nor pay their dues more freely and fully to them These are they that will venture their Lives and Estates for their honour when such as serve them for their owne ends will leave them and forsake them Yet lest any should think me singular take the testimony of one that as the times goe may passe for many Be tender over good men saith Doctor Gauden these are those that shall see Gods face in glory and so are more fit to enjoy the favour of Kings on earth These are they that best know the duty honour and fidelity they owe to Majesty and make a conscience to pay it because it is a point of holinesse so to doe These are the Propugnacula munimenta regni Ecclesiae as was said of St. Ambrose the strength honour and security of Church and State under God and his Majesties care and pious providence these are in some sort the Tutelares genii Protectors of his Majesties Person health wealth life Queen Crown and Posterity whilst they daily lift up pure hands and holy hearts to the God of Heaven for his Majesties safety and happinesse These are like Moses and Elias the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel These have power with God by their Prayers counsel and good examples they lye in the gap and hinder the inundation of Sin and Iudgement To these we owe under God the enjoyment of our peace plenty safety and religion and of the blessing of blessings temporal a pious and gracious Prince Thus fully and truly the Doctor so that it appears on all hands that Gods people are not the Troublers but the Pillars and peaceable ones in Israel this will yet further appear if we consider these four things 1 Their Principles 2 Their Titles 3 Their Prayers 4 Their Practices 1 Sedition and conspiracy is against their Principles they are taught to fear God first and then to honour the King as his Vice-gerent on earth They obey not for fear as wicked men doe but for conscience sake as they give unto God what is Gods so they give unto Caesar what is Caesars It is the want of good Preachers saith Bishop Latimer that is the cause of Rebellion if there were good Bishops saith he there would be no rebellion it is ignorance that breeds rudeness and rebellion as we have seen in the Welch Irish c. Light and Grace take away that ferity cruelty and turbulency that is in our natures it makes the Lion and the Lamb to dwell together in peace Isa. 11.6 7 8. Inordinate love of the World is the great make-bate of the World now Grace loosens mens hearts from the world makes Abraham to part with his owne right to Lot though he were superiour to him in age and place yet he yeelds to him for peace sake Gen. 13.8 9. and Christ himself lest he should give offence to others paid tribute to Caesar though he could have pleaded immunity Mat. 17.27 Besides their God is the God of peace Rom. 15.33 2 Thess. 3.16 Christ their Saviour is the Prince of peace Isa. 9.6 the Spirit that dwells in them is a Dove the emblem of peace the Gospel which they beleeve is the Gospel of peace they are endued with the wisdome which is from above which is pure and peaceable the peace of God rules in their hearts and moderates their passions Col. 3.15 so that we need not fear their offending who are so strictly bound against offending 2 The Titles which are given them in Scripture shew that they are men of peace Davids Motto is theirs I am for peace Psal. 120.7 hence they are called Doves not Kites Lambs not Lions Sheep not Wolves and the Church is compared to a Vine not to a Thorn to a Virgin to a Widow to a Worm Isa. 41.14 all which are harmless innocent inoffensive creatures subject to wrong but doe none and this the Churches enemies know right well which makes them so ready to abuse them The Crow will pull wool off a Sheeps back it dares not bee so bold with a Wolf or a Fox 3 It is against their Prayers to be turbulent they pray for the peace of Ierusalem and for the peace of the places where they dwell Ier. 29.7 whilst others are drinking Healths and breaking the Kings Lawes by their debauchery these are praying for Kings and for all in authority under them that by their means we may live in godliness and peace yea so farre are they from creating troubles that by their Prayers counsel and good example they keep many troubles and disorders out of a Land 4 It is against their Practices Their practice is to bless them that curse them to pray for them that persecute them to doe good to them that hate them and to preserve their lives who seek their deaths as Bradford did by Bourn If their enemy be hungry they feed him if naked they cloath him and so heap coals of fire upon his head Rom. 12.20 Besides in the places where they dwell they labour to suppress Sin and to promote Piety and this
mixt with Chaff Cockle light-corn litte-stones and dust This refuse which is not marketable and is seldome sold but is usually given to Beasts or Birds yet these Muckworms sell this Muck for pure Grain to the Poor who were necessitated to buy this or starve and make them pay as if it were good corn This accumulated cruelty makes the Lord to swear their ruine in the next verse OBSERVATIONS 1 Worldly men are very industrious for Mammon and riches They move every stone for the attaining of it and care not how they come by it whether by right or by wrong on the Lords Day though their hands be tied yet their hearts are on it and on the week-days 1. They get false Weights 2. False Wares 3. They inhance the price of those Wares 4. They get not only the poor mans Purse but his Person too Thus they that will be rich fall into many snares and temptations of the Devil which drown men in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. and if men be so violent for earth what should we bee for Heaven 2 Life is a precious thing Men will sell their Cattel their Cloathes their Children yea themselves for food to preserve life Gen. 47.20 23.25 Nehem. 5.2 3 5. so true is that Iob 2.4 Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life It is a Proverbial speech some by skin understand a mans cloathing which at first was made of Skins Gen. 3.21 q. d. a man will part with his Cloathes rather than with his Life for the body is more than raiment Mat. 6.26.2 Others by Skin for skin understand riches goods and all the outward estate which are like a Skin to cover and â—ence us from poverty and misery but life is better than all these and hatâ—â—â—en greatly prized by good men Gen. 32.11 Hest. 7.3 and bad men Gen. 25.32 Hest. 7.7 Eccles. 9.4 3 Covetous men are cruel men They buy and sel not only Cattel but men Neh. 9.37 yea righteous men they sell the righteous for silver and condemn the just for a reward Iam. 5.6 anything for money Sell a Boy for a Lust and a Girl for a cup of Wine Ioel 3.3 Some men will transgresse for an handful of Barley or a morsel of Bread Ezek. 13.19 Thus the poor alwayes pay for it especially the meek and modest poor men are apt to goe over the Hedge where it is lowest and to catch the poor by drawing them into their Nets Psal. 10.9 that is into their Debt-books that they may morgage all unto them and at last become their slaves and bond-men As the good man considers the case of the poor and needy that he may be the fitter to releeve him Psal. 41.1 so these mercilesse men consider the poor that they may devour him 4 Men may not debase a Commodity depriving it of its primitive goodness and then sell it for the best at a full value Corn-masters may not cull out the best Grain nor mingle their Grain with refuse and then sell it as they did here for the best We may not mingle Wine with Water nor Drosse with Silver but whatever we would that men should doe to us in equity and justice even so must we doe unto them 5 The world hath a very mean esteeme of the godly They value them no more than their old Shooes and therefore they sell the righteous for a pair of Shooes as if any contemptible rate were good enough for them See how different the judgement of this wicked world is from the Judgement of God The world esteeme the godly as the drosse and dung the filth and off-scouring of the world 1 Cor. 4.13 but God esteemes them as the glory of the world Isa. 4.5 the only excellent ones of the earth Psal. 16.3 he thinketh them too good to live in this wicked ungrateful world Heb. 11 38. 6 Cruelty ends in misery God threatens these Men-sellers and Men-devourers with dreadful Judgements Amos 2.6 8.7 Luke 16.24 Iames 2.13 Though the poor bear it yet God will not alwayes bear it at their hands but swears he will be avenged on them for so it follows VER 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works WEE are now come to the Third Part of this Chapter where the Judgements of God both Corporal and Spiritual are more fully set forth unto us 1 The Prophet shewes the certainty of these Judgements in that the Lord doth not only say but swear that he will bee avenged on them 2 As they had been great Sinners so he sets forth the greatness of their Punishment It shall overflow the Land like a mighty floud vers 8. 3 As he had shewed the certainty so he sets forth the suddenness of their sorrows Their light shall be turned into darkness and that at noon-day their mirth into mourning and their high prosperity into the lowest misery vers 9 10. 4 As if all this were not sufficient he yet goes higher and threatens them with a Famine not of bread but which is worse of the Word of God As Spiritual Mercies are the choyceest Mercies so Spiritual Judgements are the farest Judgements 5 Which strikes all dead He tells them that this their loss should be irreparable They shall fall and shall never rise any more vers 14. We have heard of Israels Sin now follows his Suffering and lest any should flatter themselves and think that these Threatnings were but Scar-crows therefore the Prophet the better to awaken these secure Sinners brings in the Lord swearing their destruction q. d. So sure as I live saith the Lord so sure shall yee dye This Oath of God noâ—es both the certainty and immutability of Gods Counsel and Decree to punish Israel where we have 1 The certainty of Israels ruine The Lord hath not only said but sworn it that is he hath most certainly decreed it for Gods Oath is nothing else but Gods immutable Decree severely to punish these cruel Caytiffs and Oppressors of the poor 2 By whom doth the Lord swear why it is by the excellency and eminency of Iacob that is by himself who is the glory and excellency of Israel and by whose favour and free-election they excelled all the Nations of the world Other Nations had dead Idol-gods but it was Israels glory above all the Nations of the World that they had the Lord for their God and were in Covenant with him The Lord hereby tacitly upbraids them for their ingratitude that having such glorious priviledges from him they should yet rebel against him Some by the excellency of Iacob understand the Ark and others the Temple it is true these are called The glory of Israel but since the Lord hath no greater to swear by therefore he swears by himself who is here called The Excellency of Iacob i. e. of his people Israel The Vulgar leaving the Fountain and following the corrupt streams of the Septuagint
Shall not the Land tremble for this viz. for this cruelty cozening Idolatty and Apostasie q. d. I appeal to your Consciences how can it be othe â—ise it is impossible that such men as have thus perverted all equity and order have brought in confusion and exercised all manner of Tyranny and cruelty upon the poor should ever escape unpunished when the very earth trembles and groans under such lewd and rebellious inhabitants 1 Some make it a Prosopopeical speech thus so great is the sin and so great shall be the sorrow of Israel that the very insensible earth cannot but tremble and be moved at it for all Creatures by a Natural instinct are sensible of the Voyce and beck of their Creator how much more of his anger 2 Here is an Exegesis or explanation of the precedent Clause the earth should so tremble and there should be such trouble and fears there that every one that dwells in it should mourn As all had sinned so all without exception should suffer for sin 3 He illustrates their Calamity yet further by the similitude of an over-flowing floud which carries down all before it and it shall rise up wholly as a floud The earth shall rise up as a floud for the floud should rise up over it it is an Hypallage frequent in Scripture q. d. As waters rise up and cover the Land that it doth not appear so shall the Assyrians arise and over-spread the whole Land of Israel and carry away both them and their riches And it shall be cast out As the Sea and Flouds doe cast out mire and dirt which they raise Isa. 57.20 so should the Land spue out these yet more and be drowned as by the floud of Aegypt that is by the River Nilus which by way of eminency is called The River i. e. that noted and famous River which watered the Land of Aegypt making it fat and fruitful Israels Captivity is here compared to an over-flowing River which no banks nor bounds can hold It is usual in Scripture to set forth great Calamities by the name of great Waters so Psal. 18.16 32.6 69.2 15. 124.4 5. 144.7 Ier. 46.7 8. Amos 9.5 So the Lord here the better to expresse the great Calamities which were coming upon Israel â—eâ—cheth a Similitude from the River Nilus which was wont yearly to over-flow the Plains of Aegypt there was no raine ordinarily in Aegypt but the over-flowing of Nilus supplied that want and covered the Plains for about two months space Now as the River Nilus over-flowed all the Land of Aegypt and made it like a Sea so the Land of Israel should be swiftly and suddenly over-run with the Army of the Assyrians which like a sweeping floud should carry away all before them as they did in the reign of Hoshea the last King of Israel when they were carried into Captivity out of their owne Land 2 King 17. OBSERVATIONS 1 The very earth trembles and groans under the sins of wicked men Wicked men are a burden to the whole Creation Psal. 60.1 2. Rom. 8.22 and could they speak as they doe tacitly and in their kind they would say Lord let us not be Servants to those that will not be Servants to thee The earth cries let me devour them as I did Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.31 32. The Sea cryes Let mee drown them the Air saith Let mee choak them c. Thus all creatures are ready to testifie their indignation against sin and sinners and therefore the Lord calls so oft upon the inanimate creatures to be ashamed and astonished at the rebellion of his people Isa. 1.2 Ier. 2.12 As a man whose stomach is surcharged is sick till he hath vomited up that which burdens his stomach so the creature is even sick again till it have spued out those wicked inhabitants that burden it Levit. 18.25 20.22 Now shall the insensible creatures groan for our sin and shall not we groan for our selves shall they be affected with our wickedness and we be insensible God forbid 2. Wicked men are the troublers of Israel The world is apt to charge Gods people with rebellion and troubling of Israel As Ahab did Elijah and Amaziah the Priest did Amos chap. 7.10 and the Jews the Apostles Acts 17.6 But t is the wicked that are the true Reshagnims and troublers of the places where they dwell Ier. 4.28 9.12 13. Hos. 4.3 'T is the Idolater the Oppressor the Cheater c. that are the true troublers of Israel and make the Land to tremble under them 3. Floods of sin bring floods of sorrow Where floods of Idolatry Atheism Security and Unrighteousness go before there floods of misery ever follow In the old world there was a deluge of sin which brought upon them a deluge of water which swept them all away God hath variety of floods to sweep-away impenitent sinners from the earth 4. When Iudgements come they seize on rich men as well as on others When the flood of Gods judgements comes every man shall mourn without exception Not one of these covetous Cormorants shall escape their silver and their gold shall not avail them in the day of Gods wrath Prov. 11.4 Ezek. 7.19 27. Zeph. 1. ult The sin of such Oppressors cryes and rests noâ— till it hath brought plagues upon the heads of such sinners Ezek. 16.49 22.7 13. Iames 5.4 Thus as they had sinned universally so now God brings upon them universal destruction VERSE 9. And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord that I will cause the Sun to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in the clear day WEE have seen Israels sin and sorrow in part here we have it more fully amplified 1. Their prosperity shall be turned into misery and their mirth into mourning vers 9 10. 2. They shall lose their Pastors and their Preaching and shall have a famine of spiritual food sent amongst them vers 11 12. 3. Then follows utter destruction vers 13 14. The Prophet Allegorically sets forth under elegant Metaphors the greatness of that sorrow which was falling upon Israel Their light should be turned into darkness their joy into sorrow their prosperity into adversity their feasts into mourning and their songs into lamentation as for an only Son Israel had injoyed a little gleam of prosperity which they thought would alwaies last they thought this Sun would never set nor this light ever be darkened but the Lord tells them he would suddenly send the Army of the Assyrians upon them when they little dreamed of it so that their Sun should set at noon and the light be turned into sudden darkness Some take the words literally that the natural Sun should set at noon but the Prophet speaks not of natural but metaphorical darkness viz. of the night of adversity as appears by that which follows I will darken the earth in the clear day what 's that why I will turn your
us from his All-seeing-eye nor secure us from his All-mighty-hand as appears in the next verses VERSE 2. Though they dig into Hell thence shall mine hand take them though they climbe up to Heaven thence will I bring them down THese Apostatizing Israelites being puft up with their Priviledges conceiting that God loved them because he had given them some success and victories hereupon they grew secure and impenitent promising themselves impunity in their sins which makes the Prophet here to thunder out Gods dreadful judgements against them with vehemency and variety of words and to use very lofty and hyperbolical expressions the better to awaken them and drive them out of their vain conceits In the end of the fore-going verse he had shewed them that though they fled yet they should not escape and this he proves in the three following verses by a notable enumeration of five particular places thereby shewing them that they should not escape though they hid themselves 1. In Hell 2. In Heaven 3. In the tops of inaccessible Mountains 4. In the bottome of the Sea 5. In captivity and banishment out of their own Land yet there the Lord would command the sword and it should slay them They should be safe neither at home nor abroad neither in their own Country nor yet in a strange Land so sad it is for a people to have God for their enemy 1. The first means whereby they thought to hide themselves from Gods revenging hand was by digging and taking great pains to hide themselves as low as Hell We have the same word used Ionah 1.13 where the Mariners are said to row hard to save Ionah the word is Iachteru they digged in the Sea by rowing that is they used the utmost means to save him Quest. The Question will be What is here meant by Hell and Heaven Answ. 1. Some take the words literally thus If it were possible for these incorrigible sinners to descend into Hell or ascend up into Heaven yet Gods hand of Justice should finde them out in the one and cast them out of the other 2. Others take the words in an Hyperbolical sense thus By Hell they understand the most abstruse deep secret places of the earth The word Scheol hath many significations 1. Sometimes 't is put for the grave Gen. 37.35 Psal. 16.10 2. Sometimes 't is put for Hell it self as Iob 11.8 26.6 3. Here it signifies the lowest part of the earth and neerest to the center q. d. Though these wicked men should dig ditches or pits never so deep in the earth to hide themselves so that they should get â—lmost as low as Hell yet this digging and delving should not avail them nor be able to shelter them from Gods wrath for even thence would God take them and deliver them into their enemies hands to be slain Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering Job 26.6 Prov. 15.11 Let Adam hide himself amongst the trees and Ionah lye never so close to the sides of the ship yet Gods Almighty hand found out both the one and the other 2. If this will not do and Hell will afford no help they 'l climbe to Heaven and try what that will do but all in vain for thence will God cast them down that the Assyrian may slay them The like Hyperbolical speeches of mounting up to Heaven we read of Gen. 11.4 Deut. 1.28 Iob 20.6 Ier. 49.16 51.53 Obad. 4. Some by Heaven understand high and lofty Refuges and Towers whose tops seemed to touch the Heavens q. d. Let these wicked men seek for refuge in Heaven or Hell above or beneath in Sea or Land yet they shall not secure them in this day of wrath all their hearts their holes and hiding-places are naked before the eyes of him with whom they have to do OBSERVATIONS 1. When God is against a people no place can shelter them from his wrath If men sin against the Lord let them go whither they will the punishment of their sin will finde them out Numb 32.23 Though insolent Edom make his nest in the Stars and think himself out of Gun-shot and free from danger yet his sins will bring him down Obad. 4. God hath a sharp eye and a strong hand to pull men out of their strong holds or to destroy them in them Zimri got into Tirzah a fortified City and then into the Kings Palace and there he burnt himself to death 1 King 16.8 Had we all the power and policy of all the Kingdomes of the Earth for us yet if God be against us these cannot help us Amos 2.14 15 16. Though the wicked mount on high yet at last hee casts them down to the ground Psal. 147.6 'T is not height nor depth Sea or Land Heaven or Hell that can shelter us from Gods fury If God be against us all the elements and all the creatures are against us As when God is for us all are for us Rom. 8.31 and we need not fear Psal. 27.1 56.4 Isa. 43.1 2. There is no flying from Gods Arrests if a man have done wickedly in one place he may escape the Law by flying to another he may get out of our bounds and then he is safe but who can get out of Gods bounds he hath power to arrest us where ever he findes us and he can finde us where ever we are He is higher than Heaven and deeper than Hell and therefore David cryes out Whither shall I go from thy presence Surely no whither Neither men nor Devils are able to go from the common and general presence of God for he fills Heaven and Earth Psal. 139.7 to 13. is a kinde of Comment on this Text and therefore I shall briefly open it vers 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit what 's that why he tells you in the next clause Whither shall I flee from thy presence q. d. Thou art an infinite Spirit and I can go no where to avoid or escape thee Vers. 8. If I ascend into Heaven thou art there By Heaven is meant the upper Region of the world and if I make my bed in Hell and go down to the lowest parts of the earth he hold thou art there q. d. Let mee go whither I will thy presence will finde mee out Vers. 9. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the utmost parts of the world q. d. should I fly never so early or swiftly from East to West as the light of the morning doth vers 10. Even there should thy hand lead mee and thy right hand should hold mee q. d. I should still lye under thy divine disposing and government and finde thee efficaciously present with mee Vers. 11. If I say the darkness shall cover mee viz. so as thou shalt not be able to finde mee out then is the night light about mee that is I shall be as little hid from thine eyes as if 't were noon day why so vers 12. for the
not fear mee when the Sea it self that terrible and tumultuous creature feareth and obeyeth and who have made the weak sands to bound the raging Sea We are bound to bless God that hath thus bounded that unruly element and saith to it Hitherto shalt thou go and no further and here shall thy proud waves be staid Job 38.11 12. VERSE 6. It is he that buildeth his stories in the Heavens and hath founded his troop in the Earth hee that calleth for the waters of the Sea and poureth them out upon the face of the Earth The Lord is his Name THe Prophet goes on in a magnificent description of the Wisdome Power Majesty and Glory of the great Iehovah that so this stubborn people considering with whom they had to do might tremble at his Threatnings and prepare to meet him in a way of humiliation who was now marching against them with his troops for their destruction Before he had set forth Gods All-mighty Power in ruling the Earth and the Rivers now he proceeds to set forth his Majesty in the creating of the Heavens of the inferiour Armies and the Seas And since the bare naming of God is little regarded by most men therefore this blunt rustick Prophet raiseth his stile grows Rhetorical and Philosophical setting forth Gods excellency with variety of words the better to affect his Hearers In this Ver. we have the glory of God set forth to us in his forming framing 1. The Stories of Heaven 2. His Troops on Earth 3. The Rain out of the Sea 4. By his tremendous Name Iehovah The words are very Mystical and difficult they have almost as many Expositions as there be Expositors I shall indeavour to clear the way and lay a good foundation the building will stand the better He buildeth his stories in the Heavens The first Query will be What is meant here by the stories of Heaven Answ. By Heaven here is meant the Aire hence the birds are called the fouls of Heaven and by Stories are meant the heavenly Sphears or Orbs which are distinct ascents as 't is in the Original and Stories one above another We read of three Heavens 1. There is the Aerial Heaven which reacheth from us to the Stars in which there are three Regions 2. There is the Starry Heaven which hath eight Sphears which who lifts may finde set down in a known Author 3. There is the Heaven of Heavens or the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 The first of these is for my Sustentation I live and breathe in it The second is for my Contemplation I see and admire it and the third is my Expectation I long and wait for it By this most admirable and excellent work of God in making the Heavens which consist of so many Sphears and have a certain order within themselves and are as it were so many steps and stairs by which we ascend gradatim till we come to the Heaven of Heavens the Prophet labours to awaken these secure sinners This is the first Glass in which we may clearly see the Majesty of God Iob 37.18 And hath founded his Troop in the Earth The word which we render Troop signifies not onely a Troop as appears by that parallel place 2 Sam. 2.25 The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became Laaguddah the very word in the Text one Troop or were gathered round together like a Globe 2. The word also signifies a little Bundle So Isa. 58.6 Undo the heavy burdens or undo the bundels or fardels 1. Some by a Troop understand the other three Elements of Fire Air Water which are all bound up as 't were in one bundle and founded upon the Earth which is the basis and centre of them all Hence the Geneva render it He hath laid the foundation of his Globe of Elements in the Earth Those three Elements are opposite to the heavenly sphears q. d. as God hath built the glorious sphears of Heaven so he hath founded the terrestrial Sphears and Elements in the Earth out of which he hath formed and framed all other things uniting them in a due series and order and binding them up as it were in one bundle the Elements lying like globes or bundles one upon or over one another 2. Others conceive that by a Troop here is meant all kinds of creatures which are as so many Troops on Earth to serve God hence he is so oft called The Lord of Hosts and these are called His Troops because he is the Author and the Orderer of their Motion q. d. As the Lord hath built the several Contignations of his Orbs in the Heavens so he hath provided Armies of creatures to do his will on Earth 3. Others conceive it to be the whole frame of the world which compared with Gods Immensity is but a little Bundle or fardel yea an empty nothing Isa. 40.17 2. As in a Bundle there are many things wrapt up together so in this terrestrial Globe there are variety of creatures of different kinds and natures all setting forth their creators praise He calleth for the waters of the Sea and poureth them out on the face of the Earth Here is a third thing wherein the All-mighty Power of God appears and that is in the generating of rain By the heat of the Sun he draws up vapours out of the Salt-Sea into the middle Region of the Aire where they condense into clouds and then dissolves them into showers of fresh water for the use and service of man He calls for the waters of the Sea either for Inundation as some conceive to overflow a Land q. d. 't is the Lord that by his command le ts loose the waters of the Sea to destroy his enemies But most genuinely it is applied to the generating of the Rain He calls for the waters out of the Sea into the upper Region of the Air by the Sun beams that he may powre them down again upon the face of the Earth See the same expression before Amos 5.8 'T is true the Rain is generated by Vapours that ascend out of the Earth yet because the Sea doth concur with its Vapours also therefore the generation of the Rain is likewise ascribed to it and herein also the All-mighty Power of God is seen that can at a beck call for the Rain and suddenly the clouds cover the face of the heavens over our heads this shews the incomparable Power of God that can in a trice make such a change Lastly If you desire to know who 't is that doth all those great and glorious things I will tell you in a word 'T is the great Iehovah that is his Name This is the most proper Name of God as I have shewed before Amos 4. ult and notes his eternal essence who gives being to all things and to you O Israelites amongst the rest and therefore there is no hiding your selves from him nor dallying with him who is All-mighty and hath
his Troops in Heaven in Earth and in the Sea against you OBSERVATIONS 1. The Omnipotence and Majesty of God doth wonderfully appear in the Heavens the Sea the Rain c. As the Heavens so all creatures do declare Gods glory Psal. 19.1 We should therefore study the book of the creatures that we may learn to fear serve trust love and admire the lord for his greatness and goodness We have but two books chiefly to study The first is the Book of Nature or the works of God and this we have set forth Psal. 19.1 to 7.2 The Book of God the holy Scriptures Psal. 19.7 to 12. We should not lightly think of Gods wondrous works but seriously consider them Psal. 46.8 for this end he hath given us our judgements and an understanding faculty that we might be enabled to consider his works and this is the great end why he made the world and adorned it with such variety of creatures viz. that by beholding them we might be quickned to praise the giver of them Prov. 16. 4. God will destroy such as consider not his works Psal. 28.5 Much of God may be seen in the creature His Wisdome Power Goodness and Bounty are all written as it were in Capital Letters so that he who runs may read them for the invisible things of God may be seen in them Rom. 1.20 As the Rivers lead us to the Sea so these Rivers of Goodness and excellency which lye scattered in the creature must lead us to their Creator in whom are all those Excellencies by way of eminency See the Spiritual improvement of the creature in D. Tho. Taylor at the end of his Treatise of Repent Church his Miscellan p. 161 c. Caryl on Iob 14.8 Polany Syntag. lib. 5. cap. 4 5 7. Woodward Childs Portion chap. 7. p. 90. Mr. Austin his Spiritual use of Orchards and Gardens 2 Part. 2 Obs. All creatures are Gods Troop If he do but call for Fire Water Hail Frost Snow c. they promptly obey the word of his Command Psal. 147.15 16 17 18. Isa. 40.26 and 48.13 Ezek. 36.29 Hag. 1.11 3 Obs. All the world compared with God is but a bundle Yea it is not fascis but fasciculus a very little bundle This the Prophet Isaiah ch 40.12 15 16 17. sets forth in most lively Rhetorical colours he speaks so fully to this point that I shall not inlarge upon it He proves Gods Omnipotency by his Works he names but three vers 12. viz. The Sea The Heavens The Earth 1 For the Sea it is to the Lord but as an handful of water is to us and therefore he is said to measure or weigh the waters of the Sea in his fist or in the hollow of his hand 2 For the Heavens they are but a span with him look how easily we span a thing which we would measure with far more ease doth the Lord mete out the height and latitude of the Heavens He metes out the Heavens with a span or takes the measure of them with a span 3 As for the Earth he makes nothing of it He comprehends its dust in a measure in a Tierce or Triental that is in some small Vessel holding some proportion with the fist and the span He doth this great work with three fingers as it were he puts not his whole hand to it but as we weigh some small matter with three fingers so doth he do this great work with great ease He weighs the Mountains in scales and the Hills in a ballance The greatest Mountains are no more to him than an ordinary weight is to one of us All this bespeaks Gods Omnipotency that can form and proportion out such vast creatures with so much facility and ease as if he were but spanning measuring weighing of them Yet he hath not done vers 15. he goes on to set forth the transcendent Glory and Majesty of God Behold the Nations are but as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance All Nâ—tions all Asia Affrica Europe and America compared with the Almighty are meer nothing they are but as a drop that falls from a full bucket or as a small drop that tarrieth behinde in the bucket when the water is powred out which doth not diminish the measure or like the small dust of the ballance which remains in the ballance when powder or beaten spice hath been weighed in it which is easily blown away with a little puff of wind or such small dust as hangs on the scales without altering the weight Yet more He taketh up the Isles as a very little thing They are to him but as so many atomes or motes which flye up and down in the Sun or as a little thin beaten powder as the word signifies which is blown away with a blast Islanders are apt to be secure and insolent because they have the Sea to surround and secure them but with God they are as a very little thing which is easily overthrown Vers. 16. Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering q. d. so infinitely great is God that if all the trees in Lebanon were fallen for fire and all the beasts there were slain for a burnt offering yet would it hold no proportion with the Dignity and Majesty of the Lord. Vers. 17. As if he could never magnifie God and nullifie man sufficiently he tells us yet more That all Nations before him are nothing less than nothing and vanity See what a heap of diminishing termes are here Nations all Nations compared with God are purum nihil nothing less than nothing vanity yea lighter than vanity Psal. 62.9 Before he had compared the Nations to a drop and a little small dust but now hee goes further and tells us that all Nations compared with God are less than nothing Now if All Nations compared with God be thus contemptible what is one Nation or one great man in a Nation yea or all the great Zanzummims of the world compared with him This may greatly comfort us when we lye opprest by the great ones of the world that though they be great yet there is a greater than they though they bee mighty yet God is Almighty and can with a word of his mouth confound them all 4 Rain is the gift of God It is he that calls for the waters of the Sea raiseth the vapours condenseth them into clouds and then showres them down upon us But of this at large before Amos 4.7 5 If you take this calling for the waters of the Sea for an inundation and drowning of a Land then observe That God can make our Land to become a Sea he can bring a flood upon us as he did on the old world But of this before vers 5. Obs. 4. 6 God is Iehovah He onely is the true and living God who hath his being in and of himself and gives being to all creatures But of
he deal with Calvin Hear how expresly he speaks against the Doctors opinion Quod hic dicitur de tritici et vini abundantia debet exponi pro natura regni Christi ergo quia spirituale est regnum Christi sufficiat etiam nobis affluere spiritualibus bonis Et Iudaei quos Dominus sibi residuos reservarit contenti fuerunt illâ spirituali abundantiâ Siquis objiciat Prophetam hic non Allegoricè loqui responsio facilis est â—empe hunc morem passim receptum esse in Scripturâ ut faelicitas sub commodis praesentis vitae terrenis benedictionibus quasi pingatur ante oculos nostros praesertim hoc observare in Prophetis licet quia stylum accommodabant ad captum rudis infirmi populi What could be spoken more from this text against the Doctors opinion and yet the Doctor still tells us that he mainly contends for a literal sense and for a Corporal bringing back of the ten Tribes into their own country But a greater than Doctor Homes is of another judgement it is the learned Doctor Rivet glossing on Amos 9.13 thus he saith Harum promissionum minima pars ad temporalia referri debet ut ex iis assurgamus ad spiritualia plera etiam non impleri perfectè in hac vitâ teneamus sed coelestem beatitudinem respicere quomodo quando excellentius est quod promittitur regni Christi civibus praestandum quà m unquam temporaliter fuit praestitum necessarium est ut de bonis spiritualibus accipiatur per Christum donandis c. ubi plura But to put all out of controversie St. Iames citing Amos 9.11 12. interprets them Spiritually and proves the calling and conversion of the Gentiles in the Apostolical times from them as I have shewed before Acts 15.7 to 17. now whether shall we beleeve the Apostle Iames that interprets these words Spiritually or Doctor Homes who mainly contends for a literal sense 2 Daâ—â— non concesso giving but not granting what the Doctor saith suppose all these promises were to be taken literally for temporal blessings yet how doth it follow hence that Christ shall reign with the Saints on earth in a visible manner a thousand years Let any one read over all these five Verses and put to any one of them singly or to all conjunctly ergo Christ shall reign with the Saints a thousand years here on earth and see if he can forbear smiling at such gross Non-sequiturs which agree like Harp and Harrow Lastly the Doctor in the close of all challengeth all the Men and Books in the World to shew when ever these promises were yet fulfilled When saith this self-conceited Doctor were all the wast Cities re-built the breaches made up when was there ever yet all spiritual and all outward prosperity in the Church When dâ—d the Mountains ever run VVine or the Hills ever melt into Oyl and Milk and Honey and when were all these enjoyments perpetuated Ans. If you take the Promises spiritually St. Iames hath told us they were fulfilled in the Apostles dayes if you take them literally they never were nor ever will be fulfilled who ever looks for a sinless sorrowless deathless condition as the Doctor dream of in this world when the Mountains shall run Wine c. none but grosse Fanaticks will fancy such fables I am even tired with mentioning them Obj. But if this text in Amos will not prove the point yet the Doctor hath one prime place which will prove it terminis terminantibus and that is Revel 20.4 5 6. Answ. Doctor Homes shall confute Doctor Homes Doctor Nathaniel Homes 1641. shall confute dreaming Dr. Homes 1651. the greatest Antimillenarian could hardly say more against them than he did then when the opinion was not in fashion But he may say as a loose Bishop did sometimes Nunc aliud tempus alii pro tempore mores But hear what he sayes in his Set. on 2 Pet. 3.13 p. 4. to 7. preacht before the Parliament 1641. where he strongly asserts the excellency of the Presbyterian Government p. 29.38 c. I mention this only lest he should face about again but I think his Rump is broken c. Our Divines saith he commonly called Millenaries would understand this text of Peter of the Martyrs reigning a thousand years on earth before they be taken up soul and body into heaven but these are as wide as earth from Heaven Of innumerable particulars which might be alleadged let us at this time be content with some touches on that leading place Revel 20.4 c. 1. The text tells us saith he that it is their Souls shall reign and not their Bodies and by a thousand years is meant an eternity of felicity and reigning in heaven Then he cites Parcus on Rev. 20. against them and perswades his Reader to read that Learned man on that point Then he takes off their objections and at last tells us that Papias the first Author of this opinion was a credulous man and apt to receive fables for verities I wish D. H. were not too like him You see by this time what little credence is to be given to this Weather-cock than can turn and turn but never crow But what talk I of D. H. when I find learned Sir Henry Vane in eadem haeresi in his vain peece of Learned Non-sense to favour this opinion I may say of that Cloudy Book with better reason what one said of Persius Si non vis intelligt debes negligi Truth loves not clouds and corners it is error that is lucifugus and fears the light I shall be brief remembring that of Cyprian Brevitas controversiarum legentibus plurimum prodest dum non intellectum legentis seipsum liber longior spargit sed subtil'ore compendio id quod legitur tenax memoria custodit Sir Henry Vane in his Mystery of Godlinesse ch 25. tells us that when this thousand years are come Magistracy and Visible VVorship and forms of Christian Religion c. shall be destroyed c. Those places which point expresly at the Day of Judgment he wracks and wrests to prove his thousand years reign as Acts 3.19 20 21. 17.31 1 Thes. 4.16 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Q. But when doth Sir Henry say that this thousand years reign shall begin A. So far as I can gather from him this thousand years reign of Christ on earth shall begin in the seventh thousand year of the world viz. about 440. years hence Wisely done S. H. to set a longer time than most of this way doe that so he may not be laught at for his vain calculation whilst he liveth But that I may not wrong him for he hath wronged himself too much already take his own Words ch 26 p. 418 428. The Generall assembly of the first born are to continue and abide for a thousand years in the exercise of this immortal incorruptible bodâ—ly life here in this world keeping