6 God oft retaliates men and pays them in their own kind God will spoyl those that spoyl his people Isa. 33.1 Hab. 2.8 Woe unto thee that spoylest and wast not spoyled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou shalt cease to spoyl then shalt thou be spoyled He speaks here of the cruel Assyrian who spoyled Gods people causelesly and unprovoked and dealt treacherously with those that offered no such measure unto him God will retaliate such in their owne kind and when they have done spoyling others God will raise up the Chaldeans who shall spoyl them God usually raiseth up some to deal hardly with those that deal hardly with his people These Rulers here trod upon the poor and now the Lord raiseth up the Assyrian to trample on them They built their houses upon the bones and ruines of the poor and now they lose them So true is that Iob 20.22 The hand of the wicked shall be upon him viz. to oppress and spoyl him who had spoyled others before But of Retaliation see more on Amos 6. ult VERSE 12. For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins they afflict the just they take a bribe and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right IN this Verse we have a Reason why the Lord would bear no longer with this people viz. because of their obstinacy cruelty bribery and unrighteousness and because the high and lofty ones of the world are apt to contemn the poor plain Prophets of the Lord and to sleâ—ght their Message and say to Gods Amoses you wrong us for we are not the men that you take us for therefore the Prophet brings in the Lord himself saying I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins q. d. Though you act your wickedness never so secretly and hide your oppressions and palliate and put glosses on your unrighteous practices before men yet nothing is hid from mine eye I understand your thoughts afar off and know them before you think them your words before you speak them and your works before you doe them Psal. 139.1 2 3 4. So that however you may deceive men with your pretences of Law and Equity yea and deceive your selves too yet you cannot deceive me for all things are naked to mine eye The Prophet having to doe with stubborn Sinners to make the threatning the more ponderous and effectual he brings in the Lord himself saying I know your wayes and your wickedness you think your selves Lords Paramount and none may question you or say unto you what doe you But you must know that there is a Lord above you and a greater than you to whom you must certainly and suddenly give an account The Prophet sets down the Sins of these great ones especially 1 Generally and in the lump 1 They were for Number Rabbim many 2 For Nature Gnatzumim great and grievous Their sins were not secret infirmities but great and crying enormities so hideous that they were no longer to be endured or born and therefore the Holy Ghost multiplies words the better to work upon them They were guilty of Transgressions manifold transgressions Sins and mighty sins The word which we render Transgression signifies a proud transgressing of Gods Law and a malicious rebelling against God Psal. 5.10 The word Guatzumim signifies both mighty in strength and many in number Such were the sins of this people they were for number numberless and for nature grand and grievous habitual chronical sins They were such as admitted of all manner of aggravations 1 They were multitudes they were three transgressions and four oft so called Amos 2.4 6. i e. they were exceeding many and manifold for so the number seven is oft used in Scripture for many as Levit. 26.24 Eccles. 11.2 they abounded with Idolatry Oppression Unjustice Security c. 2 All these were acted in a time when God was powring Mercies upon them saving them by the hand of Ieroboam the second and giving them Victory over their enemies 2 King 14.25 27. now these are called strong Sins either because they cried strongly for punishment and did as it were bind Gods hands that he could shew them no mercy or rather because they were committed with a stiff and stubborn mind strongly bent upon sin and wickedness drawing on iniquity with the cords of vanity and sin as it were with Cart-ropes Isa. 5.18 they were wilfully set on sin and did use all means to draw it to themselves 2 He sets down their sins particularly specifically and as in were by retail 1 They afflict the just 2 They take bribes 3 They oppress the poor 1. They afflict the just whom they should have defended This Sin was written in Capital Letters as it were on their fore-heads and therefore they are so oft charged with it The word Tsorer signifies to bind one hard together as we doe an enemy and straiten vexe oppress and afflict one So Psal. 129.14 Many are they that afflict me from my youth God hath cut their cords 2. They take a bribe viz. to pervert Justice contrary to Gods express command Exo. 23.8 Deut. 16.17 and it is made the badge of a wicked man to doe so Prov. 17 23. they condemned the poor innocent man that could not bribe and absoâ—ved the wicked rich man that could bribe well Thus they justified the wicked and condemned the just both which are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17.15 The word which we translate a Bribe signifies a Ransome these mercinary Judges put Malefactors to ransome themselves with money and to pay a rate for their redemption E. G. If one had killed a man it was but paying a Ransome though the Law say no Ransome shall be accepted for such a sin Numb 35.31 and he was quit So if any were accused for Theft Adultery Witch-craft c. it was but bribing lustily and they were presently acquit and pronounced innocent thus instead of punishing them with death for their sins they onely fined and merced them They turn aside the poor in the gate from their right The Judges sate in the gate to do Justice as I have shewed before vers 10. yet even there they perverted Justice They oppress the poor in the gate i. e. in the publick judgement which was exercised in the gate In open Court they perverted the cause of the poor either by a corrupt stating of the case or concealing the merit of the cause or by delays c. The good man trusting to the equity of his cause is cast and for want of a bribe which the rich man brings is non-suted Thus their Fountains did run poyson their Courts of Justice were Courts of Injustice and their Courts of Equity courts of Iniquity and therefore the Lord is now resolved to bear no longer with them but even to destroy them OBSERVATIONS 1 Hardned incorrigâ—ble sinners are not worthy of a reproof And therefore the Lord here turns his
thread till the whole peece bee consumed Iob 13. ult Psal. 39.12 Hos. 5.12 Sometimes to the Wrath of a King and if that bee as the Messenger of death Oh what is the wrath of the King of Kings Prov. 16.14 1 Then take heed of provoking him to anger better have all the world inraged against us then God against us Their wrath is but finite and limited both in respect of time and place but Gods wrath is infinite without either bank or bottome Take heed of all sin especially of those God-provoking sins as 1 Idolatry Deut. 4.23 24. and 32.21 22. 1 Cor. 10.5 7. and following Antichrist Rev. 14.9 10. and 19.20 2 Prophanation of holy things Lev. 10.2 Numb 16.35 3 Neglecting to reform the things amiss in Gods worship Ezra 7.23 4 Fornication and Sodomitical sins Gen. 19.24 1 Cor. 10.5 8. 5 Murmuring at Gods dispensations 1 Cor. 10.5 10. 6 Apostacy and back sliding Heb. 10.38 2 When ever we perceive the fire of Gods wrath to break out in Sword Plague c. by our prayers and tears we should labour suddenly to quench it Numb 16.46 A fire the longer it burns the more dreadful it is and the harder it is to quench it 3 In all our approaches to this great and mighty God whether in Prayer Sabbaths Sacraments c. come with the greatest fear and reverence for hee is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 This holy fear must bee an ingredient into all our services Psal. 2.11 It is said of Luther that hee prayed with such fear and reverence as remembring hee had to do with God and yet with such affiance and confidence as with a Friend and Father 4 Bee thankful for Christ who hath delivered us from wrath to come The Angels fell and lye under this wrath but Christ was cursed that wee might bee blessed and hath undergone Gods wrath for us that wee might bee freed from it In time of tentation set this as a skreen between the fire of Gods wrath and thy soul. Hide thy self in the clefts of this Rock and get thy soul covered with thy Saviours Righteousness and then thou mayest stand with comfort and confidence before this consuming fire VERSE 7. Yee who turn Iudgement into wormwood and leave off Righteousness in the earth THe Prophet having called on Israel to repent hee comes now to set before them their sins which they should repent of Hee had called upon them before to forsake their Idolatry and sins against the first Table vers 5. now he calls on them to repent of their sins against the second Table viz. their perverting of Iudgement and Iustice their cruelty and oppressing of the poor verse 11. and their Bribery verse 12. Seek yee the Lord yee who have turned Iudgement into wormwood 1 Here is a fin reproved and that is perverting of Judgement set forth by an elegant Metaphor and Allusion of turning Judgement into wormwood 2 Here is an exegesis or fuller explication of this sin They leave off righteousness in the earth It is usual in Scripture to make the latter clause explain the former 3 Here are the persons which are guilty of this sin and those are the Princes Judges and Rulers of Israel included in the Pronoun Yee 4 Here is their duty set down in the next verse They must turn from their sin and seek the Lord who is the great Creator and Governour of all q. d. O yee rulers of Israel who have not onely provoked mee by your Idolatry but have also cast away all care of Righteousness and Equity and given your selves up to all manner of cruelty bribery rapine and iniquity and have thereby turned the sweetest Iustice into the bitterest wormwood now repent and seek the Lord that yee may live for ever The Prophet here principally taxeth the great ones and the Rulers of the people who had the deepest share in this guilt they should have been patterns of Justice and Righteousness to their inferiours but they being evil themselves corrupted the rest as bad humours use to flow from the head to the body and therefore the Prophet falls heavy upon them as hee did before Chap. 4.1 These corrupted Justice and made that which is in it self most profitable and pleasant to become bitter and distasteful by oppressing the poor and helpless This is called Wormwood here and gall and poyson Amos 6.12 1 Because such unrighteousness and oppression is very displeasing and bitter to God 2 It is bitter to the poor and oppressed 3 In the end it will bee bitter to the Oppressors themselves This is finis operis though not finis operantis In the conclusion it will bee gall and wormwood yea deadly poyson to their souls though they intend it not Justice and Equity is a most sweet and precious thing and doth wonderfully help to preserve the peace and prosperity of a Land This is a sanctuary and shelter for the innocent and the oppressed but these oppressing self-seeking Rulers had made a poyson of a remedy and turned that which was ordained for the safety of the afflicted to his ruine These Rulers had turned Justice into wormwood many wayes 1 By Bribery Amos 4.1 2 By Partiality justifying the wicked rich man favouring the kinsman the friend the briber but condemning the poor and innocent who had no bribes to give them 3 By delayes tyring out the poor and so forcing him to give up his cause 4 By wresting and perverting the Law to their own ends contrary to the genuine sense of it 5 By hindring such evidence as might clear the cause And leave off righteousness in the earth They let it lye in the dust and trod it under foot That which was their duty yea their glory viz. the execution of Justice that they neglected and sleighted as a most contemptible thing They abused the righteous and did grinde the faces of the poor Amos 8.4 5 6. There was no place left for any righteousness amongst them their seats of justice were places of injustice and their Courts of equity Courts of iniquity OBSERVATIONS 1 Perverting of Iustice is very bitter and displeasing to God and man Look how distastful Gall and VVormwood is to us so distastful is unrighteousness to the righteous God It is as poyson and hemlock to him Amos 6.12 Hence he so oft complains of it and denounceth so many woes against it as in Psalm 82.2 3. and in Isa. 5.7 20 23. 10.1 59.4 13. and Lam. 3.35 36. As nothing is more sweet and delightful than an impartial administration of Justice so nothing is more bitter and displeasing to God and man than unrighteousness It is a sin to omit righteousness but it is a farre greater aggravation of the sin to contemn it and trample it under foot as these did here Great is the number of wicked men and were it not for Justice that did restraine them every mans lust would be a law and the reins would be let loose to all manner
23. Colos. 3.9 10.1 Pet. 3.11 It is not sufficient that we turne from evil but we must doe good A negative Christian is no Christian. Dives did not rob Lazarus yet is condemned for not releeving him So those Matth. 25 42 43. c. Many would have God and their sins too like the Samaritans that served God and their Idols too 2 King 17.33 34 but he that turns to God must give a bill of divorce to his former sins he must forget his kindred and his fathers house Psal. 45.10 11. we that were sometimes slaves to sin must now become servants to God and it must be as natural and delightful to us to serve him as ever it was to sin against him As a vessel that is full of poyson must bee emptied of it before it can bee filled with better liquor so our hearts must be purged from corruption before they can be filled with grace Most pretend that they are the Lords people and that they belong to him but if we be his he saies to us as Iehu said to the men of Samaria when they complemented with him and told him they were his servants and would do all that he should bid them If you will be mine saith Iehu then cut off the heads of your Masters sons and send them to me 2 King 10.5 6. So if we be the Lords real servants we must cut off not the heads of our sons but of our sins nor sacrifice our children but our selves to God mortifying our beloved corruptions and then he will be our God and we shall be his people 4 Obs. The special presence of God with a people is a choice mercy Hence the Church so oft glories in this Psal. 46.1 7.11 The Lord of hosts is with us and the God of Jacob is our refuge and sadly laments the want of it Ier. 14.8 9 as the in-let into all misery Deut. 31.17 Ier. 6.8 Gods special presence is the glory of a place Zach. 2.5 God himself will be an impregnable wall of fire to defend his people and to offend their adversaries and their glory in the midst of them Where God comes peace and plenty consolation and protection and all good comes Hence they are pronounced blessed and happy that have the Lord for their God Psal. 144. ult as I have shewed at large elsewhere As the residence of a King is the glory of a place so Gods presence amongst his people makes them glorious Hence the name of Gods Church is Iehovah-Shammah The Lord is there Ezek. 48. ult hee is there as the founder favourer and preserver of it It is more to say The Lord is here than to say peace and plenty and all creature-comforts are here you may make what you will out of it for all happiness is summed up in this short promise I am with thee 5 Obs. Impenitent sinners may think themselves highly in Gods favour when he is greatly incensed against them for their wickedness These Israelites because they had some priviledges therefore they concluded that God loved them and would never punish them for their Idolatry bribery cruelty But they conceited that he would abide still amongst them as they had vainly said but the Lord tells them That he abhorred both them and their services whilst they walked in such irreligious practises vers 21 22 23. So it was in Iudah their Judges were corrupt and their Prophets covetous yet they lean upon the Lord and conclude that God was amongst them and for them still Micah 3.11 but vers 12. they found that he was amongst them to their sorrow VERSE 15. Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgement in the gate it may be that the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph THe Prophet still goes on with his Exhortation to Repentance he had to do with an hardened people upon whom sleight Exhortations would make no impression such hard knots and knarls must have hard beetles and wedges such tough humours must have stronger physick and therefore the Prophet that he might drive this nail to the head renews his Exhortation and calls upon them a fifth time to forsake their evâ—l wayes and to turn to the Lord who was ready to receive them Repentance consists of two parts The first is dying to sin The second is a living to Righteousness We have both in the Text. 1 We must hate evil there is dying to sin 2 Love good there is living to Righteousness Hate evil that is hate sin which is the evil of evils It is evil in it self and the cause of all the evils in the world Do not onely forbear sin and refrain from it for a time and then return with the dog to his vomit but hate it not with a sleight toothless hatred but with a deep implacable hatred such as men use to have against their deadly enemies whom they prosecute with the greatest violence Do good It is not sufficient that we shun evil but we must also do good We must not onely pull up weeds but we must bring forth good fruit for man matter and manner We must do good not compulsively and forcedly but freely Psal. 110.3 sincerely out of love to goodness cheerfully Deut. 28.47 and constantly Luke 1.5 6 7. Zachary and Eliazabeth lived in the dayes of Herod a known Tyrant yet they feared him not but kept their righteousness not onely in their youth but in their old age the Text saith they were well stricken in years yet they continued righteous before God 3 Because their Master-sin was injustice therefore he calls upon them to testifie the truth of their repentance by parting with their beloved sin establishing justice openly in the gate by setting up such just Judges as should execute justice faithfully and impartially without respect of persons q. d. Hitherto ye have neglected â—ustice Amos 4.1 and 5.12 and have made your lusts your Laws and have ruled according to your own will and not according to my will but now repent and execute justice then will I shew mercy and favour to you 4 The better to encourage them here is a promise of mercy The Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph The Assyrian had made great slaughters amongst them and left them but a remnant 2 King 14 26. yet he bids this remnant reâ—urn for then he would be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is to the remnant of â—srael as before verse 6. He had told them before vers 3. that God would decimate them and here he tells them that God would be merciful to this decimated Remnant if they would but return to him 5 To keep them from security the Prophet comes in with a peradventure the Lord will bee gracious to you He sayes not positively and absolutely The Lord will destroy you for then hee had made them desperate nor yet assertively that God would deliver them for that would have made them presumptuous and
have long lived in sensuality and security as if you had been far from an evil day and yet you are marked out and set apart for an evil day All the evil dayes which you have hitherto escaped do but lead you to an evil day from which there will bee no escaping But the words are better read actively according to our Translation setting forth the danger that attends voluptuous and sensual men whose belly is their God who lye upon beds of Ivory and sing to the sound of the Viol yet put the evil day far away Their work all the day long was to do evil and yet they put the evil day far from them with abundance of scorn and contempt And cause the seat of violence to draw near Here is a second effect and fruit of their security and that is Tyranny and Injustice Cruelty and Oppression They cause the seat of Violence to draw near This sin doth necessarily follow the former for when men are hardened in sin and security putting off the Threatnings of God and driving away all fear of danger from themselves such must needs grow outragious and cruel terrifying others with their Violence Oppression Rapine and Unrighteousnesse Amos 3.10 So much the word in the Original implies Iniquity acted by force and violation of Justice Quest. But what is meant by causing the Seat or Throne of Violence to draw neer Answr 1. Negatively it cannot be meant of the Assyrian or any other enemies power that was coming neer Yee cause the seat of Violence to draw neer that is say some by your sins yee cause the violent Assyrian and Babylonian to draw neer and come against you to your own destruction This is a Truth but not from this Text. 2. Much lesse can it be meant of causing any false feasts or Sabbaths to draw neer as the Septuagint mistaking the Original as they do very often do render it appropinquantes Sabbata mendacia as if they had set up false Sabbaths which God abhorred But this is far from the scope of the Text. 3. Neither is it put Antithetically by way of opposition to the former clause q. d. O yee voluptuous and secure sinners yee put the evil day far from you and yet by your sins yee pull it upon you persevering still in your oppression and cruelty you would fain put off the judgement from you yet you will not remove your sins which cause the Iudgement But the meaning briefly is this The Prophet chargeth them with their going on in their Luxury and Inhumanity oppressing and vexing the poor and needy which had no helper They were so hardned in their sin that now nothing but unrighteousness and violence reigned amongst them They had turned the Seat of Justice into the Seat of Injustice and the Throne of Majesty into the throne of Iniquity establishing mischief by a Law Psal. 94.20 rushing violently into sin as the Horse into the battle abusing their power to the abasing of their brethren So much is implied by the Seat and Throne of violence as appears by the like expression Revel 2.13 Christ commends the Church of Pergamus for her constancy to the truth and that in a place where Satan had his throne i. e. in a place where Heresie Superstition Idolatry and all kind of wickedness prevailed and bare sway without controul for where sin reigns there Sathan rules and there he erects his throne So these sensual and secure sinners had set up a throne of violence and a seat of iniquity that is they were come to the height of oppression and cruelty as being monsters rather than men OBSERVATIONS Three Observations do Naturally flow from these words 1 That God hath an evil day to bring upon evil men 2 That evil men put this evil day farre from them 3 That when they do so then they run into violence and outrage 1 Of the first That God hath an evil day to bring upon evil men As they have had their time of provoking him with the evil of sin so he will find a time to vexe them with the evil of punishment Such violent oppressors are the proper objects of Gods hatred Psal. 11.5 and though for a time they may escape trouble yet they are not delivered from it all their preservations from evil are but reservations to greater evils The Lord hath many wayes to deliver the godly but he hath no way to deliver the wicked they having refused all wayes of his appointment for their owne deliverance therefore as to them he knoweth many wayes to reserve them to the Day of Judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 When Beasts have been fatted in pleasant Pastures then they are brought forth to the slaughter Ier. 12.1 3. As God hath made all things for himself so he hath destinated the wicked for wrath Prov. 16.4 2 It is the property of wicked men to put the evil day farre from them They look upon Gods Judgements at a distance not so much as once dreaming of them till they light upon them They cry Peace peace when sudden and swift destruction is at hand This is usual with wicked men the god of this World hath blinded their eyes and they wilfully put out their owne eyes lest they should see that which would but trouble them and hinder their carnal mirth They cry Let us eat and drink even when Judgements are ready to fall upon their heads and if wee must dye to morrow let 's be merry before we dye Isa. 22.13 thus they are jeering when they should be fearing they take no notice of Gods Judgements they are farre above out of his sight Psal. 10.5 Let Noah warn the Old World one hundred and twenty years together of an approaching Judgement yet they knew nothing till the floud came and swept them all away and as it was then so saith our Saviour it will be at the end of the world Mat. 24.37 38 39. 2 Pet. 3.3 4. This hastens wrath when men cry the dayes are prolonged and because Judgements are deferred therefore they will never come this makes the Lord come suddenly upon such sinners Ezek. 12.22 27. Amos 9.10 Sensuality and security close mens eyes that they cannot see an evil day approaching Luke 21.34 it makes men feel trouble before they see it and to be past hope before they had any fear of hurt Wicked men when they are in prosperity they dream they shall so continue to eternity hence the Prophet brings them in making Covenants with Death and agreements with Hell and compacts with all other troubles that they should not come nigh them Thus they foolishly conceit and speak Isa. 28.15 If the over-flowing scourge pass thorow yet it shall not come nigh us Thus they make lyes their refuge and under falshood doe they hide themselves Notwithstanding all the Judgements threatned against them for their sins yet they vainly promised themselves safety and impunity as if they had been at a fee
us much in this duty of Prayer The Lord repented also for this this also shall not be vers 6. I will hold my hand saith God the fire which I threatned shall not yet come the Land shall not be deâ—troyed at this time So gracious is the Lord and ready to forgive and so quickly he repents him of the evil which he intends against his people especially when his Ministers intercede for them Ioel 2.13 he afflicts not willingly Judgement is his strange work and Fury is not in him Isa. 27.4 But though the Lord at the intercession of his Servants may suspend his fiery Judgements here though oft-times hee pleads with them here by Fire Sword Famine c. Isa. 66.15 16. Ezek. 38.22 yet without repentance the fire of the last Day will certainly devour them God will then contend with fire and execute the fierceness of his fury upon the workers of iniquity 3 Obs. Hence note That short Prayers full of faith and fervency may prevail very much with God for a People It is not the loudness or the length or the neat expressions which take with God 1 King 18.26 Eccles. 5.2 Mat. 6.7 7.21 But it is the faith and sincerity of him that prayes poor broken Prayers coming from a broken heart are of great worth in the sight of God Matth 15.25 Eliâ—ahs Prayer was short and pithy and prevailed 1 King 18.36 so Psal. 6.3 My soul is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long viz. wilt thou delay to help me It is an abrupt broken speech but God can pick sense out of our non-sense Prayer is a work of the Heart and not of the Tongue words are but the out-side of Prayer it is the Hearts desire which God eyes and respects and if thy affections fly aloft though thy words doe but creep yet thy faith shall get what thy words cannot yea if thou canst not speak yet if thou canst weep God will hear the voyce of thy weeping Tears have a voyce Psal. 6.8 as well as words The Lord called to contend with fire Or the Lord proclaimed that he would contend with fire or plead that is punish them with fire Thus Hos. 4.1 The Lord hath a Controversie that is a Plea or Process not only verbal but real that is he had Judgements ready to execute on them This contending notes Israels obstinacy we use not to contend or goe to suit till we have tried all other means to get our right yet cannot get it then we are constrained to contend As War so Law is or ought to be our last refuge God had used all means to win this People but in vaine and therefore he is now constrained to contend with Fire and Sword against them Q. But what is meant by Fire here A. Interpreters vary 1. Some take it Literally for some extraordinary fire which should fall from Heaven and consume them as it did Sodom and Gomorrah and Aarons Sons Levit. 10.2 and Iobs Sheep and Servants Iob 1.16 So say some God called his Angels to execute judgement on these wicked men and to contend or plead for him by fire in their destruction 2 By fire others understand a great Drought when the violent heat of the Sun-beams should pierce the deepest parts of the earth below the roots of the Corn and Trees and so should make a perfect famine This extream heat and scorching of the Sun is called a Fire Ioel 1.19 20. A fire hath consumed the Pastures of the Wilderness and a flame hath burnt up all the trees of the field that is the great heat of the Sun like to a fire hath consumed all 3 By Fire may be meant the Wrath of God which was now inflamed against this stubborn People and this is the kindler of all Penal fires and is oft in Scripture called Fire Iob 31.12 Isa. 26.11 Amos 5.6 Heb. 12. ult 4 And most genuinely Fire is here taken Metaphorically for some direful and dreadful Judgement for Fire of all the Elements is most terrible which should consume their men money health strength Iob 15.31 34 More especially here it adumbrates War which should be managed by some fiery furious enemy who like fire should wast and consume all before it So Ezek. 20.48 Behold I will kindle a fire in thee which shall devour every green tree and every dry tree that is all sorts of people both old and young rich and poor the fire of War shall consume them all So Numb 21.28 Isa. 66.15 16. Ier. 48.45 Lam. 2.3 Amos 1.4 7 10. 2.5 OBSERVATIONS 1 When lesser Iudgements will not mend a People God usually comes with greater The devouring Locusts could not stir this people God wil now see what the Fire will doe Great impenitency calls for great punishment Levit. 26.18 But of this elsewhere 2 Sin is the great make-bate between God and his people It breeds contention and dissention between them God hath a Suit and an Action against such Hos. 4.1 God had a Controversie against Israel and cites them to answer the Plea which he had against them for their ignorance cruelty swearing lying c. God loves his Creature as it is his Creature but when it becomes a sinful rebellious Creature he abhors it and delights in its destruction Prov. 1.26 This bred the Quarrel between God and the Old world Gen. 6.2 3. and between him and Ierusalem Jer. 30.15 Hos. 12.2 Micha 6.2 3. Sin bred the first Controversie and Quarrel between God and the Angels and between God and Adam This turns him who is sweetness it self and mercy it self into wrath and fury Isa. 64.5 it is sin that warres against God and therefore no wonder if he warre against it it is directly opposite to his holy Nature Psal. 5.5 and dishonours him in all his Attributes Sinners deny his Omniscience as if he did not see what they doe and his Omnipotence as if he were unable to punish and his Iustice as if he would never call them to an account c. no wonder then if God have a quarrel with such Sin warres against the Lawes of God against the Spirit of God Isa. 7.13 Ephes. 4.30 against the Saints of God against the wayes and Worship of God yea against all that is Gods No wonder then if he contend by Fire against that which so fiercely contends and fights against him and his 3 Warre is a dreadful Iudgement It is one of Gods last and sore Rods Ezek. 14.21 hence it is compared here to fire which is one of the most terrible elements that are If the Lord should contend with Water and send a floud upon the world that were sad but Fire Fire is farre more terrible to the nature of man As Peace is one of the choycest Mercies so War is the saddest Judgement Peace sweetens our blessings and makes them blessings indeed To have Houses Goods Lands and be in continual danger of losing by enemies imbitters all to us Hence when the Lord
People may keep off Judgements for a time yet the Sins of a People may be so great that the Lord will hear no more prayers for them Ier. 15.1 Ezek. 14.16 18 20. and therefore the Prophet here seeing this People were incurable and Gods determination fully set to destroy them for their Idolatry and Apostacy he forbears any further interceding for them quietly acquiescing in the righteous Judgements of God upon them There is a time when the Lord will shew a People no more favour Ier. 16.13 an evil day an only and extreme evil day in which the Lord forbids Prayer Ier. 7.11 14. and restraines a spirit of prayer and relenting from his people Ezek. 24.23 Dan 9.13 2 Gods Iudgements upon wicked men are just and righteous They are all exactly framed as it were by line and measure Dan. 5.27 Justice is essential to God he may as soon cease to be God as cease to be just hence he is called the righteous Iudge Gen. 18.25 and the just Lord who will doe no iniquity Zeph. 3.5 he is just in and of himself and just in his Lawes just in his Decrees just in the execution of those Decrees just in the Government of the World just in his Rewards and just in his Judgements he is not only righteous in some but in all his wayes Psal. 145.17 Doe not then fret or murmure at his Dispensations towards thee or thine his Judgements may be secret but they are alwayes just whatever therefore God doth to thee or thine yet say with David Righteous is the Lord and just are his Iudgements Psa. 119.117 and with Hezekiah when he was told that he must lose all Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken Isa. 39.8 We should then imitate God as he is just and righteous in all his wayes so should we be also in our degree doing all exactly according to the square and rule of Gods VVord As we must be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful so we must be just as he is just though we cannot be so by way of Equality yet by way of Analogy and Similitude we must be so Let us be just in our rewards just in our punishments just in our weights words and works c. that so God may delight in us for the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse Psalm 11.7 VERSE 8. And the Lord said unto me Amos what seest them and I said a Plumb-line Then said the Lord behold I will set a Plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel I will not again pass by them any more THe Lord comes now to threaten not a punishment as formerly but a total destruction of this impenitent People and therefore this Vision is not barely propounded but by a Dialogue is so clearly expounded that he who runs may read it The better to quicken both Prophet and People to attention the Lord begins with a question Amos what seest thou The Prophet could more easily discerne the meaning of the two former Visions viz. that of the Locusts and of the Fire but God standing upon a wall with a Plumb-line in his hand was harder to understand and therefore the Lord goes on to explaine it to the Prophet I will set a Plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel that is I will now actually execute my Justice on them which I have hitherto suspended in passing by their misdeeds as I have formerly built them up by Line and Level so will I now make an utter destruction of them and will lay them in the dust I have examined their works and wayes by the Rule and square of my Word and I finde them so exceeding irregular that I can no longer forbear them neither will I passe by them or pardon them any more This latter clause is exegetical and expounds the former I have spared them twice already but now I will make a final end with them I will spend no more admonitions or corrections in vaine upon them but I will deal with them as men use to doe with ruinous houses whose breaches grow wider and worse every day than other they pull them down and lay them in the duft I will not again passe by them any more That is I will shew them no more mercy I will pardon them no longer I have long winkt at their Sins and let them goe unpunisht but I will doe so no longer I will surely and severely punish them for all together as it follows in the next verse The like expression we have Amos 8.2 Prov. 19.11 It is the glory of a man to passe by an offence that is to spare a man that hath offended and not to punish him or take revenge on him So Micah 7.18 OBSERVATIONS 1 Our rising and our ruining comes from God He builds us by Rule and if we swerve from the Rule he will set up the Plumb-line and ruine us by Rule All our times both of rising and falling are in Gods hands Psal. 31.15 our adversity and prosperity is not casual but providential As the Lord gives so it is he that takes too Iob 1.21 it is he that sent the Locusts and the Fire and now the Plumb-line of utter destruction upon this people 2 Gods Iudgements usually are gradual As mens sins are gradual and rise to their maximum quod sic to the highest ascent by degrees so doe Gods Judgements The judgement of the Locusts was sad that of Fire was worse but now comes the fatal Plumb-line and ends them God doth not presently punish men so soon as ever they sin but his patience waits and allots men space to repent Rom. 2.4 5. Revel 2.21 which they abusing God at last reckons with Sinners for all together as we see in the Amorites the old World Sodom and Ierusalem VERSE 9. And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate and the Sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid wast and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword WEE have in this Verse a fuller explication of the Vision of the Plumb-line and what it typified viz. a total subversion both of the Ecclesiastical and Civil state of Israel They were wont to boast much of their fore-fathers when our Saviour talked with the Woman of Samaria she presently tells him Our Fathers worshipt in this Mountain John 4.20 so here our fore-fathers worshipt in Bethel Beersheba Gilgal c. and therefore they conclude that they must needs please God by following their examples Thus they flattered themselves as the Papists doe at this day preferring the fallible Fathers before the infallible Word of God But the Prophet plainly tells them that the high places of Isaac where they committed their Idolatry should be desolate By Isaac here is meant the house of Israel who were descended from Isaac and Iacob So Vers. 16. the Septuagint the Syriac and the Arabick Versions make the word Isaac an Appellation and not a proper name they render it Laughter or Joy