VVorld they would have Miracles and Angels to doe it when God saies they shall have Ministers and Preaching by men to doe it It is a Satanical delusion for men to think of being converted or comforted by any other way than that which God himself hath prescribed If God hath planted thee under a godly and a faithful Ministry and that cannot convert thee then assure thy self if an Angel from Heaven or a Ghost from Hell should come and preach every Sabbath to thee thou wouldst not be converted Sad is the condition then of many amongst us who visifie and contemn who mock and scorne at the Preaching of the Word accounting the publishers of it the Pests of a place and the troublers of Israel 1 King 18.17 grudging at their maintenance and slaying their persons this is a sign of remediless ruine to a Nation 2 Chron. 36.15 16. Levit. 26.14 15 16. Ier. 25.4 7 8 9. Prov. 13.13 2 Obs. There is a Divine hand of Providence that governs the world This brings plenty and poverty rain on one City and not on another one City is fired and another is rescued as a brand out of the fire These things come not by chance or fortune but there is a signal providence of God in them all Hee feeds the Sparrows cloathes the Lillies numbers our Hairs and takes special care of his people Hee hath a directing protecting compassionate vindicating care over all his he tenders them as the apple of his eye and writes them upon the palmes of his hands they are ever in his sight Isa. 49.15 63.9 Ezek. 16.8 Zach. 2.8 Mal. 3.17 Acts 9.4 This Providence of God is 1 Watchful 2 Distinct. 3 Strong 4 VVise in working We should therefore comfort our selves in this special Providence of God and cast all our burdens of cares fears on him Hee that provides for the meanest creatures will not suffer his noblest Creatures to want He that provides for Sparrows said good Mr. Herne when he was dying to his sad wife will not suffer Herns to want Yea he that provides so liberally for his enemies what will he not doe for his friends Away then with all carking distrustful care only commit thy way unto the Lord and hee shall direct thy paths Bee patient under all wrongs and injuries remembring that Gods eye takes special notice of all the wrongs that are done to his people to avenge them Exod. 3.9 2 Chron. 16.8 9. Let our moderation be made known to all since the Lord is at hand Phil. 4.5 See more of the Providence of God in Mr. Perkins on the Creed Artic. 1. p. 154. folio Vol. 1. Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 10. p. 56 57. Lessius de Attributis p. 625. Dr. Gouge his Arrows p. 373. Rutherford Lect. Latine c. 11. p. 122. Corbet Fast Ser. on 1 Cor. 1.27 p. 5 c. Dyke on Matth. 4.4 p. 260 c. Strong 31 select Ser. p. 657. Raworth Iacobs Ladder p. 5 c. B. Andrews Catechis chap. 7. folio mihi p. 29. Herberts Poems p. 109 c. Pemble folio p. 263. to 279. Minutius felix per totum Par his Grounds of Divinity p. 33 c. 3 Obs. God is the destroyer of sinful Cities If you would know who it is that overthrows your Cities It is I saith the Lord that in justice for your provocations have made your Cities a desolation I fired Sodom destroyed No Niniveh Samaria Babylon Ierusalem As the Lord raiseth Cities and defends the good 2 King 19.34 20.6 so he ruines and layes waste the bad Hos. 13.16 Luke 19.44 keep sin then out of your Cities if you desire to keep them from fire plunder ruine Take heed of offending God who is a consuming Fire and can in a trice consume us and turn our dwellings into ashes 4 Obs. In the midst of Iudgements God remembers mercy Hee doth not stirre up all his wrath nor suffer his whole displeasure to arise but le ts fall only some drops upon us when he might pour a whole Sea of wrath upon our heads Psalm 78.38 God might justly have destroyed all these Israelites for their Idolatry and Apostasie yet he remembred his Covenant though they had fouly forgot it and transgrest it Hos. 6.7 and saves a remnant he destroyed but some not all their Cities So oft elsewhere we read of a remnant that were saved 2 King 19.31 Isa. 1.9 10.22 Rom. 9.27 5 Obs. Neither Iudgements nor Mercies can work upon hardned Sinners Some of these Israelites were destroyed like Sodom and others in mercy were pulled like a Brand out of the fire yet nothing works upon them but they are Israel still as Idolatrous and obstinate as ever VVhen the heart is once hardned by a long custom of sinning it is not all that Mount Ebal or Mount Gerizim Mount Sinai or Mount Sâ—on can afford not all the dreadful Curses of the one nor all the gracious Promises of the other that can work upon mens hearts Prov. 23.29 34 35. Ezek. 20.5 6 7 8 18 21. neither Iohns austerity nor Christs lenity could work upon hard-hearted Iews If God by his Spirit set not in with the means nothing works kindly upon us yea wee shall bee the worse for beating as these Israelites all these six Rods doe but stupifie them and make them fitter for a greater Judgement One rod being sanctified may bring a man home to God as the Prison did Manasses want the Prodigal and the Earth-quake the Jaylor they had Gods Spirit that taught them to profit by afflictions and so were blessed Psal. 94.12 but a thousand stripes on a Pharaoh Saul c. doe but make them the more sensless and indurate and is not this Englands Sin may not we behold our own faces in this Glass may not the Lord justly complaine of us as he doth here of Israel I have smitten England with Sword Plague and Famine some of their Towns and Cities I have fired and the rest were as a brand pulled out of the fire Many a time have I broken and blasted the Power and Policy of many great Achitophels and delivered them from many eminent imminent dangers and yet such is their incorrigibleness and incurableness that they have not returned unto me saith the Lord. If any thing destroy this Nation it is our obstinacy and impenitency under all those various Dispensations of Mercies and means which we have so long enjoyed God like a good Physician hath long studied our Disease and given us many Purgative draughts to drink he hath visited us with variety of Judgements and hath let us bloud several times the better to obtain our Cure and yet he may complaine of us as hee doth of Israel here that we have not for all this returned to him VERSE 12. Therefore thus will I doe unto thee O Israel and because I will doe thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel WEE have heard before of Israels Sin and Israels Punishment
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
Rod and the heavie Oxe by the Goad OBSERVATIONS 1 Famine is one Iudgement which God sends upon impenitent Sinners VVhen God is greatly incensed against a People then he sends the Famine which he calls one of his four sore Judgements Ezek. 14.21 it is an Arrow which he shoots against a People of his wrath Ezek. 5.16 The Lord can no sooner call for a Famine but like a faithful Servant it presently obeys 2 King 8.1 hee called for a Famine and it came upon the Land seven years Psal. 105.16 when it comes in extremity it is very sad hence it is called the terrible Famine Lam. 5.10 This will appear in seven particulars 1 It makes men unnatural and cruel even to their neerest Relations as Wife and Children Nature bindes a man to tender and pitty these yet in time of Famine we read of Mothers eating their own Children 2 King 6.28 29. Ier. 14.9 Lam. 4.10 this Curse the Lord threatens against disobedient ones Deut. 28.53.56.57 2 It is a lingring languishing death other Judgements cut men off suddenly but this consumes a man as it were peece-meal Lam. 4.9 They that are slain with the Sword are better than they that are slain with hunger Why so for these pine away for lack of sustenance 3 It makes men faint and feeble and so unfits men for the Service of God in their calling Gen. 47.13 they faint by reason of the famine Hence Bread is called the staffe stay and strength of our natures Levit. 26.26 Psal. 105.16 Isa. 3.1 Ezek. 4.16 take a Staffe from a weak man and he falls to the ground 4 It makes men howl and lament Hos. 7.14 Ioel 2.11 yea rage and be mad Isa. 8.21 5 Hunger burns like a fire which is a most terrible element it wasts the radical moysture Deut. 32.24 Ieremy describing the Famine in Ierusalem tells us that their face was black like a Coal and their skin was black like an Oven because of the terrible Famine Lam. 4.8 5.10 when the Calor nativus hath nothing to feed upon it consumes the Humidum radicale and so the man dyes 6 It brings Poverty with it now extream Poverty is a sore Judgement and puts men upon desperate attempts as robbing killing c. Prov. 6.30 30.8 9. it makes rich men poor and forceth them to sell their Land Catrel Goods Cloath c. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life The Aegyptians sold all that they had to Ioseph for bread and when all was gone they sold themselves Gen. 47.18 7 It is usually attended with other Judgements as Sword and Plague such great Judgements seldome goe alone Ier. 14.15 16. 24.10 Ezek. 7.15 14.21 Let us then fly from sin which turns that God who is mercy and pitty it self into fire and fury and provokes him to send such terrible Judgements on his people Especially take heed of four sins 1 Intemperance Drunkenness and Gluttony bring the famine on a Land Abuse of plenty loseth plenty when men rise early to follow strong drink then their honourable men are famished Isa. 5.11 12 13. Ioel 1. 2 Covenant-breaking when there was a three years Famine in the dayes of David hee inquired of the Lord what was the ground of it the answer was that it was for Saul and for his bloudy house because he slew the Gibeonites contrary to Covenant confirmed by an oath Iosh. 9.7.15.18 2 Sam. 21.1 Ier. 34.17 18. 3 When men spend the strength which they receive from the Creature in the service of the Devil consuming them upon their lusts or in sacrificing to Idols as the Israelites did here they served Baal with the Corn and Wine which God had given them therefore God took it from them 4 Contempt of the Word the wayes and Worship of God God oft punisheth our abuse of Spiritual food with the want of Corporal They that hate his Messengers shall dye by the Famine Ier. 11.21 22. so when men preferre their own interests before Gods and can dwell themselves in seiled houses but the House of the Lord must lye wast this brings a Curse upon their Crops and Labours Hag. 1.6.9.10 2.17.18 19. 2 Since it is the Lord that sends cleanness and want of bread amongst us let us be patient under it let us be dumbe and silent because the Lord hath done it There is no evil in the City of this kind especially but the Lord is the Author and orderer of it it comes not by Accident but by Divine appointment it is the Lord that sends Famines to Cities and Kingdoms and the rather we should bee patient when we consider that our Famines are nothing to what our sins deserve 2 Nothing comparatively when we consider the seven years Famine in Aegypt when for five years together there was neither Earing nor Harvest Gen. 41.40 45.6 In the three years Siege of Samaria the people within did eat their own Children and fed upon Dung 2 King 6.25.28.29 an Asses head was sold for eighty peeces of Silver which is ten pound in our coyn and the fourth part of a Kab of Doves dung for five peeces of Silver now a Kab contained four pound and five ounces and the fourth part was thirteen ounces and for this they gave ten shillings and upward But no famine was like Ierusalems famine as wee may see in the Lamentations of Ieremy when the Children cried for bread and there was none to give them those that were cloathed in Scarlet embraced the Dung-hill their beautiful Nazarites were blacker than Coals and the pittiful Mothers became Butchers of their own Children As the Lord said to his people Goe to Shiloe so say I Go to Germany and to Rochel and consider what God hath done to them for their Sins there you shall see Doggs Cats and Rats sold in the Markets and men and women fighting for them There you shall see Women eating their own Children the living feeding upon the dead and digging up dead Corps out of their Graves that they might feed upon them Beggers coming to doors have been killed and eaten yea the skins of Horses Sheep and Oxen have been their food let us take heed lest Germanies Heresies Blasphemies Apostacies Drunkenness c. be found in England lest Germanies Plagues come hither also O let us be an obedient people let us not fight against God with his own blessings nor abuse his plenty to his dishonour but serve him with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things for it is Piety that breeds plenty Psa. 81.12 13. Isa. 1.19 if there bee but a sincere will and desire to obey we shall eate the good of the Land and in time of famine wee shall be fed Psal. 33.19 34.10 37.19 Iob 5.20 Prov. 10.3 Isa. 33.15 16. 2 Live by faith and then in an holy security at destruction and famine you may laugh Iob 5.22 Faith answereth all distrustful cares and feares as Abraham did
but an hundred and an hundred shall be brought to ten saith the Lord who doth this OBSERVATIONS Sin is the grand depopulator of a Kingdome It makes Cities that go out by thousands to return by hundreds and reduceth their hundreds to tens Wee use to complain of such as unpeople Towns and Villages sin is the Arch-depopulation of Towns and Cities it brings the Sword Plague and Famine upon Nations which sweep men away by thousands As obedience multiplies a people and makes them like the sand of the Sea for multitude 1 King 4.20 So disobedience makes men few in number which were before as the Stars of heaven for multitude Deut. 28.62 We should therefore unanimously rise in arms against this Cut-throat sin if an enemy should come to Town that had killed our fathers mothers wives and children and robbed us of all our pleasant things with what indignation and fury would men women and children joyntly rise to ruine such an enemy Sin is this adversary it robs Sovereigns of their subjects Pastors of their people and robs us of our dearest relations We should therefore do by it as the Iews did by Paul whom they lookt upon as their adversary Act. 22.27 28. when they saw him they stirred up all the people and laid hands on him saying Men of Israel help This is he that is against this people and against the Law and against this place So should we encourage each other against sin and suppress it saying Magistrates Ministers men and brethren help this is that which destroyes our people wastes our Cities unpeoples our Towns opposeth the Laws and brings confusion every where 2 Obs. In the midst of judgement God remembers mercy All had deserved death here yet such is his clemency that hee spares a Tenth and leaves a remnant Isa. 1.9 and 6.11 12 13. 'T is the Lords singular mercy that any remain alive and it is his overflowing goodness that wee are not all utterly consumed and hurled out of the world at once Lam. 3.22 In the midst of these devastations here is a gleaning left to praise him 3 Obs. The threatnings of Gods Ministers are Gods threatnings Thus saith the Lord the City that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred T is not I saith Amos but the Lord by mee his weak instrument that tells you this Wee are Ambassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 Now the words of an Ambassador are esteemed as the words of him that sent him This made Cornelius though a Souldier and a Commander yet to set himself as in Gods presence and so to hear as if God himself spake to him Act. 10.33 and so did the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 2.13 when our preaching agrees with the word of God it is to bee esteemed as the word of God himself If this were truly beleeved it would make us come with other affections to hear the word than most now do VERSE 4. For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel seek yee mee and yee shall live THe Prophet having shewed this people their misery and affrighted them with the Threatnings hee comes now unto the Remedy and shews them how they may prevent all that misery which like a flood was rushing in upon them especially for their Idolatry and that is by Repentance by forsaking their Idols and turning to the Lord. Where there is no ground of hope people grow desperate and run from God and therefore the Prophet gives them some glimpse of mercy inviting them once and again to seek the Lord that so they might prevent his fury In the words we have 1 A preface Thus saith the Lord. This is oft used before by this our Prophet in the first second third and fourth Chapters and this hee doth 1 To quicken attention 2 To make them attend with the greater reverence and fear since it is the word of God and not of man 3 To assure them of the certainty and truth of what hee spake and that it should bee certainly and suddenly effected for hee that is Almighty hath said it 2 Here are the persons to whom hee speaks viz. To the house of Israel i. e. to the ten Tribes The invitation is general to take off all excuse that none might say They were not exhorted to the duty 3 Here is a Precept Seek yee mee Where wee have 1 The Act Seek 2 The Object Mee 4 A Promise And yee shall live The Precept is short but very comprehensive It is indeed a brief of the whole body of Religion or a summary of the whole duty of man The Scripture doth in many places epitomize our duties reducing them sometimes to eleven heads as Psal. 15. Sometimes to six as Isa. 33.15 and Heb. 6.1.2 Sometimes to three viz. Justice Mercy and humble walking with God Micah 6.8 Our Saviour hath epitomized them and reduced them all unto two viz. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy self But our Prophet here comes and summes them all up in one saying Seek the Lord. The word Seek is emphatical and signifies not a bare wishing or woulding or some cold velleities but an earnest accurate exquisite inquiring after God and his wayes and therefore the Septuagint render it by a compound word which signifies to seek out with earnestness and diligence till wee finde the Lord. The Apostle useth the same word Heb. 11.6 The Lord is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him The word implies labour industry and constancy wee must never rest till wee have found the Lord as the woman that had lost her groat continued seeking till shee had found it Luke 15.8 3 Here is the causative particle For which may bee rendred therefore and then the sense will bee more current thus q. d. Since the Lord hath threatned to make such havock amongst you therefore seek him sincerely that yee may live for hee desires not your ruine but your returning Yet some make the particle redundant here and look upon it onely as an expletive particle oft so used by the Hebrews The sense is here entire without it 4 Here is the object of our seeking and that is God Seek yee mee Excellent things are the object of our desires now there is none like God and therefore none to bee desired like him Hee is our Creator Redeemer Preserver ours in all sweet Relations our Father Husband Lord King c. and therefore to bee sought and served by us in an especial manner One of these obligations call for observance and duty but when all shall concenter and meet in one how great should our observance bee 2 This seeking of God implies a sincere turning to him a loving him with all our heart a seeking him simply for himself it notes a trusting in him a fear to offend him a forsaking of all Idols and false wayes as it follows in the next verse delighting only in his pure word and worship 1 Chron. 16.10 and praying to him
careless but he useth a prudent well tempered speech which on the one hand might keep them from presumption and on the other from desperation so wise and cautious should all Gods Ministers be yet he gives them a little crevise of light and hope and comes with a peradventure the Lord may yet be gracious to them He speaks somewhat doubtfully to shew the difficulty of the work and the better to excite their industry and awaken them out of their security Such bene sperantium formulae such hints of hope are very frequent in Scripture 1 Sam. 14.6 and 2.12 22. and 16.12 Lam. 3.29 Ioel 2.14 Ionah 3.9 Zeph. 2.3 Ob. The Papists to keep their vassals in darkness and doubting amongst other Scriptures they bring in this to prove that no man can be assured of his Election and Salvation in this life Answ. But the Answer is easie 1 The Lord doth not speak here of the Election or eternal salvation of such as truly repent but of their deliverance from outward afflictions and calamities which were threatned against them for their sins vers 6. These sometimes the Lord inflicts upon his people notwithstanding their repentance as we see in David and this he doth either for chastisement to make them flye from sin for the future or else for trial 2 The Lord sometimes after he hath threatned judgements upon the wicked yet upon their feigned humiliation holds his hand that the world may see how highly he esteems the true repentance of his people as we see in Ahab and the Ninivites Considering therefore these various dispensations of God the Prophet speaks doubtfully here and exhorts them to repent referring the event to Gods wise and gracious providence So that such places speaking of temporary chastisements make nothing against the certainty of our Election 3 The particle Ulai peradventure is not alwayes dubitative but sometimes assertive q. d. seek the Lord sincerely and then without doubt he will receive you graciously and so the word is used Iosh. 14.12 Peradventure the Lord will be with me and I shall drive them out Caleb speaks not here dubitatively but beleevingly q. d. Though the work be difficult yet the Lord will be with me and by his help I shall drive out these formidable Giants out of Canaan so Hester 4.14 So here the Prophet doth not question whether God will receive a penitent sinner to mercy for that the Scripture proves abundantly Ezek. 33.11 but the Prophet by this peradventure gives them some hopes that if they would turn to God he would turn to them and either remove or sanctifie these calamities which were coming on them 4 Dato Suppose we grant that it is a doubting speech yet it makes not for their purpose for it is not to be referred to God as though it were doubtful whether he would pardon the sins of penitents for we have his hand and seal for that But it is to be referred to those secure sinners of whose repentance the Prophet might well doubt lest either it would be none at all or else but feigned and hypocritical Yea fifthly Should we grant that it is a doubtful speech and to be referred to God yet it maketh nothing for Popish or Arminian doubting for the Prophet seeing to what a height of impiety these sinners were come thought it not fit to comfort them presently and raise them up suddenly but first to humble them and by speaking doubtfully to give them a hint of the hainousness of their sins as though it might well be doubted whether the Lord would forgive them or no that so they being feared and humbled might be fitted for mercy And because things that are hardly come by are more earnestly sought therefore the Prophet intimates unto them that it was no easie matter to obtain forgiveness for such hainous sins that he might hereby incite them to a more thorow repentance and crying for mercy OBSERVATIONS 1 Good things must be often pressed upon us This People were so hardned and habituated in sin and Sathan had so besotted them that they took darkness for light and evil for good so that the Prophet was forced to double and treble his Exhortations to them and to give them line upon line and Precept upon precept and to drive the nails of the Temple day after day till they were fastned in their hearts Eccles. 12.11 We are like a dull Knife which must be whetted over and over till it be brought to an edge It is the very metaphor of the Holy Ghost Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach or whet my word upon thy Children they must so sharpen it that it may make a deep impression upon their hearts 2 Obs. Sin is an evil thing Hate evil that is hate sin it is indeed the evil of evils all other plagues and evils are as nothing compared with this A man may lye under sad afflictions and yet be under dear affections It is sin alone that makes us the object of Gods hatred and therefore it should be the object of ours it should be abominable in our sight which is so abominable in it self Ier. 44.4 3 Obs. We must not only forbear sin but we must hate it As many a man refraines from an Oath that yet never fears an Oath Eccles. 9.2 so many a man forbears sin that doth not truly hate it A wicked man for fear or shame or for some self-ends may refraine sin for a time but a good man hates it with a deep deadly implacable irreconcileable hatred Such as love the Lord cannot but hate evil Psal. 97.10 yea they abhor it now abhorrency is the height of hatred Rom. 12.9 Abhor that which is evil hate it as you would hate Hell it self 2 We must hate it Universally true hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle it is against the whole kind He that truly hates one sin as it is sin will hate every sin Quatenus ipsum includit de omni As the Persecutors hatred is not against one or two good men but against the whole Church of God his desire is that the very name of Israel might be had no more in remembrance Psal. 83.4 and therefore they seek to raze it to the very foundation Psal. 137.7 even so should we deal with sin 3 We must hate it not only Odio aversationis but also Odiâ— iâ—imicitiae not only fly from it but pursue it with an hatred of enmity 4 Obs. Executing of Iustice and Iudgement is a duty very pleasing unto God Hence the Lord so oft calls for it both here and elsewhere Ier. 1.17 Psal. 82.3 4. See my Comment on that place 5 Obs. When the Lord delivers his people from outward Iudgements or pardons their sins it is meer grace and mercy but no merit of ours that moves him to it Peradventure the Lord will be gracious to you It is one of Gods royal Attributes to be Gracious and to love freely Exod. 34.6 from the Alpha of our Election
Emphatically sets a Woe upon their heads Woe to them that are at ease in Sion 3. Gods Ministers must denounce Woes against the wicked As they must proclaim promises to the penitent so they must denounce judgements against the obstinate They must make a difference to some they must shew lenity and to others severity Iude 22 23. What dreadful woes do all the Prophets denounce against impenitent sinners Christ who was love it self and in whom there was no gall nor guile yet how many dreadful woes did he denounce against the hypocritical Pharisees even eight woes together Mat. 23.13 14 15 16 23 25 27 29. If men will be so bold as to proclaim their wickednesse Ministers must be so bold as to proclaim their woes 4. Woe and sorrow is the portion of secure sinners Both Legal woes and Evangelical woes temporal spiritual and eternal woes The Law cryes Woe to such sinners and so doth the Gospel but Gospel-woes are the sadder of the two for if the Law say woe to us yet the Gospel may say mercy to us but if the Gospel say woe to us where shall we finde mercy 'T is true sinners may laugh and be merry in the acting of sin but woe and weeping is in the conclusion Luk. 6.25 The end is death Rom. 6.21 As all the promises of Grace and Mercy hang over the heads of the godly and drop blessings upon them which way soever they go so clouds of wrath hang over the heads of the wicked dropping judgements upon them even in their highest prosperity when they think themselves most free from misery The mirth of every secure sinner that goes singing to hell is no better than madnesse for where security goes before destruction ever follows When men cry Peace Peace then comes sudden and swift destruction Luk. 12.19 20. 1 Thes. 5.3 Secure Laish became a booty to its enemies Iudg. 18.27 Carelesse Ethiopians shall be made afraid Ezek. 30.9 And carelesse Daughters shall be troubled Isa. 32.9 10 11. God is much displeased with a people when the fire of his wrath shall beset them round about and yet they remain unhumbled and insensible Isa. 22.12 13. and 42. ult 5. God usually fore-warns us of woe before hee sends woe Hee first cuts men down with the sword of his mouth before he cuts them off with the sword of his hand Hee delights not to take sinners at an advantage but loves to exercise his patience towards them that they might repent as wee see in both the destructions of Ierusalem the one by the Caldeans which was fore-told by the Prophets and the other by the Romans which was fore-told by Christ. But of this at large elsewhere 6. Carnal Confidence ruines a Land When men forsake God and trust in men and mountains in Kings and Kingdomes in Guards and Garrisons both they and their creature-confidences shall perish for as there is no policy so there is no power or fortifications that can defend us against God Prov. 21.30 31. Use means wee may but we must not Idolize them prepare armies and strong-holds but not trust in them They are branded that trust in Riches Psal. 52.7 9. and cursed that trust in men Jer. 17.5 6. 7. Ingratitude is a God-provoking and a Land-destroying sin God had made this people the head of the Nations and chose them for himself from amongst the Nations but they fought against God with his own blessings and as they were increased so they sinned against him abusing the good Land which hee had given them to Idolatry riot and excess till at last the Land spewed them out VERSE 2. Pass yee on to Calneh and see and from thence go to Hemath the great then go down to Gath of the Philistims bee they better than these Kingdomes or their borders greater than your borders THE Prophet goes on to awaken Israel and Iudah out of their security and to drive them from their carnal confidence in their Mountains Ammunition and fortified Cities to this end hee sets before them Gods Judgements on the Assyrians Caldeans and Philistims those Idolatrous and Heathenish Nations whose bounds were larger and their Cities stronger than theirs Hee instanceth in three Calneh Hamath and Gath. 1. Calneh this was an ancient wealthy great City built by Nimrod after the Flood in the Territories of Babylon Gen. 10.10 It was afterwards inlarged by the Parthians and called Ctesiphon and was made the Metropolis of the Kingdome 2. Hamath called here the great and mighty City to distinguish it from a City of that name in the Land of Israel Iosh. 19.32 35. It lay on the North side of Israel and was a boundary of the promised Land Numb 13.21 34.8 Zach. 9.2 'T was built by Antiochus and thereupon called Antiochia and was the Metropolis of Syria 'T was destroyed by the Assyrian for all its power and greatness Isa. 10.9 3. Gath a strong City of the Philistims well known to Israel for its enmity against them 2 Sam. 1.20 'T was at last taken its walls were broken down and it made tributary to others 2 Chron. 26.6 These bordering famous Cities were well known to them and therefore the Lord instanceth in them though under them synecdochically other flourishing Cities which were made a desolation may also bee included Hee bids them See and diligently consider the downfall of those places that their falls might make them fear and flye from security oppression and carnal-confidence lest they bee ruined as these were and they bee made an example unto others since they will not bee warned by others Bee they better than these Kingdomes or the borders of their Land greater than your borders These words admit of some difficulty Some make the Interrogation a Negation q. d. Are these Nations better than yours in no wise for do but compare your Kingdome of Iudah and Israel with those Kingdomes your Cities with their Cities and your borders with theirs and it will easily appear that none of those Nations are better than your Nation for either they are Tributary to others or ruined God hath done more for you than for them in many respects the greater is your sin and the sorer will your punishment bee if you abuse so pleasant a Land and such rich mercies to the dishonour of him that gave them Thus they bring in the Lord upbraiding them for their ingratitude that they had not rendred according to the mercies hee had shewed them This sense is good and many learned men go this way and though it must bee acknowleded that if wee look on Canaan Israels Land with all its priviledges it was the glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.15 yet other Nations might surpass it for strength and greatness of Cities for largeness of borders and for amenity and fruitfulness of soil as Babylon did But with submission to better judgements I conceive the Interrogation to bee here an Assertion and the genuine sense of the place to bee
would promise a choyce Mercy he tells his People that hee will break the Bow and the Sword and make them to lye down in safety Hos. 2.18 Levit. 26.5 6. Iob 11.19 Isa. 2.4 33.20 Hence the Psalmist calls upon Gods People to praise him for this mercy of mercies in making our barres strong and setling peace in our borders Psal. 147.12 13 14. It is in times of Peace that Fields are tilled the Gospel spreads Learning increaseth and the Church is edified Ezek 37.26 Acts 9.31 See more for Peace Sibel 1 Tom. p. 576 c. D. Tuckney Good day well improved Mr. Harvey his Olive Branch D. Stoughtons Ser. on Psal. 144.15 D. Tho. Taylors Ser. fol. on Heb. 12.14 p. 418. D. Gauden on the same text Church his Treasury p. 309. Barlow on 2 Tim. 2.22 p. 160. VERSE 7 8. Thus he shewed me and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a Plumb-line with a Plumb-line in his hand And the Lord said unto me Amos what seest thou and I said a Plumb-line Then said the Lord behold I will set up a Plumb-line in the midst of my People Israel I will not again pass by them any more WEE are now come to the Third Vision wherein the Lord sets forth the utter destruction of Israel God had born long with their provocations and waited long for their return but since they were incorrigible and incurable hee resolves now to make a final end with them and to pass by and pardon them no more but to destroy them by the Sword of Salmaneser King of Assyria which is here typified by a Plumb-line Where we have 1. The Vision it self vers 7. 2. The explication of it vers 8 9. Thus he shewed me This is the usual Preface as before vers 1 4. And behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a Plumb-line or on the wall of a Plumb-line it is an usual Hebraism that is the Lord stood on a perpendicular wall such a one as was curiously made and exactly squared by the Plummer The word Anach which signifies a Plumb-line is variously rendred 1 Some call it a Masons Truel so the vulgar Latin with which they build and parget walls for strength and elegancy so God had been the strength and glory of Israel 2 The Septuagint the Syriack and the Arabick render it thus I saw the Lord standing on an Adamantine wall with an Adamant Stone in his hand implying that God had been the firme defender of his people and a wall of Adamant to them which no Hammer could break Both these are truthes but they have no foundation in the text 3 The word Anach which is used only in this text genuinely signifies a Plumb-line which Masons and Carpenters use for the keeping of their work straight and even Thus Zerubbabel when he was to build the Temple is said to have a Plummer or Tin-stone in his hand that is a Measuring-line to which a weight of Tin Stone or Lead was tied Zach. 4.10 hence it is called Lead Metonymically because a Plummet of Lead is usually tied to a Cord or lines end to keep it straight We read of a double use of the Plummet in Scripture 1 For Building and Rearing 2 For Ruining and Demolishing 1 The Plummet is used in building to make the Work proportionable to the Model thus Metaphorically God himself is said to work by Rule and Line Iob 38.5 Isa. 44.13 Ier. 31.39 Ezek. 47.3 Zach. 10.16 21. by this the Mason and the Carpenter try the rectitude of the Structure and what upon trial he findes to be right and regular that he preserves and what is irregular and exorbitant inclining either too much to the right hand or to the left that he pulls down 2 The Plummet is used in levelling and demolishing When the Mason layes the Line to the Work and findes upon trial any place to swell and belch out that he demolisheth and pulls down thus when the Lord threatned to ruine Edoms Country he tells us That he will stretch upon it the line of confusion and the stone of emptiness Isa. 34.11 that is the Lord will measure it out for utter destruction and perpetual ruine so that it shall never be built or be inhabited more The like expression we find Isa. 28.17 Lam. 2.8 and especially in the 2 King 27.13 where the Lord threatning to destroy Ierusalem tells them That he will stretch over Jerusalem the Line of Samaria and the Plummet of the house of Ahab that is I will deal with Ierusalem as I have dealt with Samaria and with the house of Manasseh as with the house of Ahab as I destroyed those for their sins so will I destroy these Thus the Lord stood upon the Wall with a Plumb-line in his hand as ready to execute his just and righteous judgements upon Israel This is an Embleme of Gods Mercy and Justice who is the Master-builder of his Church 1 It denotes his Mercy in that he made this Church right and firme like a perpendicular wall made exactly by Line and Rule he had curiously built it and as carefully defended it 2 It is an Embleme of his Iustice he stands upon the wall of his Church continually trying and examining whether it continue right or not bearing with its defects untill like a wall quite bending and belching out it can no more be mended or set upright as it was at the first for then he resolves to throw down all Isa. 30.13 This wall by some is made a Type of all the people of Israel whom the Lord of old had built for a peculiar people to himself These resembled a wall For 1 Walls cannot raise themselves but are built by some skilful Architect so this people of Israel did not raise themselves but God of his owne free love and grace chose them for his owne peculiar and exalted them above all the Nations of the world 2 Walls have foundations and so had this people many gracious Promises to build upon which the Lord made to Abraham and his Seed which they contemning came to ruine 3 An Architect builds the walls by Line and Rule so God did all for this People with the greatest judgement and exactnesse imaginable They had all of the best the best Church the best Sate the best Lawes the best Rulers and the most successful Judges and Kings The Lord himself was for walls and bulwarks to them he was Salvation round about them and their glory in the midst of them so great was his care and tendernesse over them Isa. 26.1 60.18 Zach. 2.5 But since neither Mercies nor Judgements could mend them the Lord resolves to forbear them no longer but as he had built them up in mercy so now he would ruine them in justice and punish them exactly according to their demerits OBSERVATIONS 1 Though the Lord bear long with the Sins of a People yet he will not alwayes bear Though the Prayers of his
21.23 so that this conspiring implies that Amos had some confederates with him that helped to carry on this conspiracy against the King when alas Amos was so farre from conspiring that he was now considering how he might prevent the ruine both of King and Kingdom and avert the approaching judgements By his Prayers he had prevented two judgements and now counsels them to prevent the third yet Amos is a Conspirator and troubler of Israel when it was their owne Idolatry and Apostacy and not Amos that troubled them 2 Amos did not vent his Passion or speak his owne private opinion but he tells them the mind and Message of God which he had shewed him in a Vision and commanded him to publish touching the destruction not of the King himself for we read not that Ieroboam dyed by the sword but of the Kings Posterity vers 9. I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword But Amaziah conceiving that the King would be more inraged against Amos for Prophecying against him than for Prophecying against his Children thereupon forgets this accusation and saith Amos hath conspired against thee and hath said the King shall dye by the Sword Not a word of truth for Amos did not conspire against the King neither did he say that he should dye by the Sword yet this hath been the lot of all Gods faithful Ministers to bee counted Seditious and the troublers of a State solely for discharging the duty of their places faithfully Now by this high Charge we may see that this false Prophet sought the life of the true one as will appear if we frame his Accusation into an Argument thus He that hath conspired the ruine both of King and Kingdom ought to dye But Amos hath done so Ergo. But it pleased the Lord in whose hand is the heart of the King to make the King so farre to favour the Prophet as that hee sleighted this Priests accusation and therefore Amaziah pretends friendship to ths Prophet as we shall see hereafter Now let us view the Transactions of this High-Priest and we shall finde a compleat Character of a false Prophet or the perfect picture of a Polititian 1 They use to flatter and delude great ones making them to beleeve that none are their friends but such as say as they say and doe whatever they would have them doe and humour them in their sins and that they are their foes that like Amos here deal faithfully and plainly with them and this is no small part of great mens misery that they have few about them that dare or will deal faithfully with them They may use the Letany in this sense with that alteration which the poor Curate used when he saw his Lord come into the Church O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon us Right Honourable Sinners Their state in this respect is farre worse than that of inferiour persons who are plainly and truly told of their sins when these are soothed up to their destruction 2 They calumniate and belye the true Prophets they observe Machiavels rule Calumniare audacter saltem aliquid adhaerebit Lye lustily somewhat will stick though it be never so false So it was with Amos here 3 They labour with might and maine to suppress and silence the true Prophets they know that their Kingdom cannot long stand if once the faithful Ministers of Christ bee countenanced Light and Darkness the Ark and Dagon Christ and Belial can never subsist together This made Amaziah here to use both force and fraud to rid the Land of Amos. 4 They labour to suppresse good men before they can be heard They must not speak nor dispute the case Thus Amaziah here clancularly accuseth Amos to the King when he could make no defence for himself 5 They usually mingle some truth with their lyes As Fowlers doe mixe some Wheat with their Chaff to catch the Birds the sooner So did Amaziah here he mixed some truth with his lyes Amos hath said Ieroboam shall dye by the Sword that was false and Israel shall surely goe into Captivity that was true OBSERVATIONS 1 In all ages there have been false Prophets to oppose the true There was a Iannes and a Iambres to resist Moses 2 Tim. 3.8 and four hundred false Prophets against one good Micaiah a Pashur and an Hananiah against the Prophet Ieremy and here Amaziah against Amos. So in the New Testament how bitter were the High Priests against Christ Ioh. 11.47 48. accusing him as an enemy to the State and no friend to Caesar. How did the Stribes and Pharisees oppose the Apostles and since Antichrists Kingdom hath been set up how have Gods faithful witnesses been persecuted and slaine Persecution hath ever been the lot especially of Gods zealous Messengers Acts 7.51 let a man faithfully discharge the duties of his place and then let him look for some Idolatrous Amaziah to oppose him When we have opportunities of doing any good we must look for many adversaries 1 Cor. 16.9 Let us not then be offended when we meet with the like usage from the world 2 It is the porperty of Persecutors to undermine Gods Servants clancularly Amaziah sends to the King privily unknown to Amos and accuseth him for a Traytor that so he might be condemned without hearing or answering for himself Thus they deal with Ieremy when they could finde nothing justly against him then they secretly devise devices against him Ier. 11.19 12.6 18.18 where we may observe the vile ingratitude of men this Prophet had by his Prayers averted two Judgements from Israel yet now they seek his death who saved their life and accuse him of Rebellion who saved them from destruction Valiant men charge their adversaries in the face it is for Cowards to creep behind Truth seeks no shifts nor corners it loves the light as true gold fears neither the Touch-stone nor the ballance but falshood being a work of darknesse loves darknesse and is not able to stand bare-faced before truth and therefore it makes lyes and falshood its refuge 3 Wicked men what ever they pretend yet intend Self Haman pretended the Kings profit when his owne ambition envie and revenge was that he really sought Hest. 3.8 So this Idolatrous Priest here pretended great love and service to the King when Self was in the bottom of the design Hee was the Priest of Bethel and got much profit by the place and therefore he hated Amos heartily who forbad the people to come any more at Bethel but to shun it as a place infected with Superstition and Idolatry Amos 5.5 and so all the fat of this self-seeking Priest of Bethel ran into the fire This he could not bear for it struck at his dignity and livelihood Such men make their bellies their gods and little regard what becomes of truth modo hic sit bene as the Monk said when he stroked his fat paunch Wee read of low and
time decreed by God for their final overthrow is come As men gather ripe fruits into their Baskets and then eate them so shall the cruel and greedy Assyrian devour and destroy those rebellious Sinners who are ripe and ready for destruction and therefore the Lord addes I will not again pass by them any more The like expression wee have Amos 7.8 q. d. I will not spare them nor pass by their sins any more as I have done So Micah 7.18 the Lord is said to pardon and pass by the sins of his people but these had so provoked him that he would no longer defer the punishment of their iniquity They had enjoyed a long summer of peace and prosperity which instead of ripening their Graces had ripened their Vices and therefore now the Lord resolves to make a final end with them and utterly to consume them from the face of the earth As if the Lord had said The cry of their sins is so great that I can no longer forbear them but I will execute my Iustice upon them without any inclination to mercy which they have so greatly abused it is true I have foâ—merly pluckt off some of their fruits and have destroyed some of their people but now I will come with a basket and gather all that grows upon Israel and will make such an end of this gathering that there shall bee no more of this kind left for hereafter OBSERVATIONS 1 Sacred and Majestick Rhetorick becomes the Ministers of Christ. A vain light frothy flourish of words is below the Ministers of Christ but a grave solid serious finding out of acceptable words the better to work upon the affections of people becomes our calling Hence the Lord himself here useth an Erotesis a Paranomasie c. Metaphors c. 2 When the Sins of a People are ripe and full God will no longer spare them He lets the wicked fill up the measure of their iniquity before he destroys them Gen. 15.16 Ioel 3. Nah. 3.12 13. Revel 14.18 Though he bear long yet he will not alwayes bear but when sin is come to maturity he will cut it down with the sickle of his wrath and will recompence his patience with the fierceness of his fury and then though Noah Iob and Daniel should stand before him for such a people yet they could not prevail Ezek. 14.14 20. nor preserve them from ruine Ier. 16.5 Lam. 4.18 Ezek. 5.11 7.5 6. Nah. 1.8 9. Q. But when are a people ripe for ruine A. I have shewed at large elsewhere viz. when the multitude magnitude strength growth impudency and obstinacy of peoples sins are come to the height then is a peoples downfall near when no Preaching no Praying no Judgements no Mercies can better a People but they fall away more and more and grow worse and worse it is a most certain sign that sin is ripe and that people nigh to ruine 3 God will not spare his own people when they rebel against him Though Israel be his People and in Covenant with him yet if they walk not up to the terms of the Covenant God will cast them off and bring an end even upon Israel for so saith the text The end is come upon my people of Israel People are apt to sooth themselves up in their Priviledges and to think that their Prerogatives should save them from wrath but in vain as I have shewed elsewhere VERSE 3. And the Songs of the Temples shall be howlings in that day saith the Lord God there shall be many dead bodies in every place they shall cast them forth with silence THe Prophet goes on to amplifie the greatness of the approaching Judgements the better to awaken them to this end he tells them 1. That the Songs of the Temples used at their sacred Solemnities and Divine Service should cease and be turned to howling and lamentation for the miseries that should come upon them This Howling notes the greatness of the grief and the height of horrour which should surprize them they should not only weep for the calamities which should come upon them but they should weep till they howl again for anguish of spirit Hence when sore Judgements light upon a people we read of howling wayling and weeping joyned together Isa. 15.3 Ier. 4.8 Ezek. 21.12 Hos. 7.14 Micah 2.8 Q. But what is meant by the Temple here A. The word signifies both a Palace and a Temple and therefore some render it The Songs of the Palace shall be howlings q. d. those Palaces and great Houses of the great ones which have been hitherto filled with Mirth and Musick shall be now filled with weeping and howling The Septuagint and the Vulgar mistaking the word Scirot cantica render it Cardines laquearia Templi stridebunt but the word signifies a Temple as well as a Palace and by it here is meant not so much the Temple at Ierusalem which was not destroyed till a considerable time after but the Idolatrous Temple of Bethel where the golden Calves were and other high places where they had set up Idols for though this Prophet doth sometimes glance at Iudah and Ierusalem yet the primary bent of his Prophecy is against Samaria and the ten Tribes as appears vers 14. I will punish those that swear by the sin of Samaria which was not farre from Bethel against whose Idolatry Amos so much inveighed Amos 7.13 2 There should be so great a Mortality of all sorts and Sexes that many should dye by the Sword Plague Famine Captivity and other Judgements every word hath its weight There shall be dead Bodies many dead Bodies many dead Bodies in all places and these shall be cast out with silence i. e. they shall cast them into common pits and bury them without lamentation or any funeral solemnity The word Has Tace Sile is the same with Amos 6.10 Be silent Some give the same sense of the word as they do Amos 6.10 he that buries the dead shall say to him that helps him Be silent not a word for God is just in all that he hath brought upon us for our Apostasie and Idolatry So the word is used Amos 5.13 6.10 Hab. 2.20 Zeph. 1.7 Zach. 2.13 or else thus Throw these dead bodies into pits and say nothing lest we be sequestred as unclean by the Law 3. Here is the time when all this misery should fall upon them viz. In that day i. e. in the day of Israels final overthrow 4 Here is the certainty of all this Dixit Dominus The Lord who cannot lye hath spoken it OBSERVATIONS 1 The joy of Idolatrous worshippers shall end in sorrow They may feast and fiddle and sing for a time and walk in the light of those sparks which themselves have kindled but this they shall have at Gods hands they shall lye down in sorrow Isa. 50. ult God hates both them and their singing and will turn their songs into howling Amos 5.23 Superstitious persons are apt
and filthy Songs to the corrupting both of themselves and others 4 When all sin all must look to suffer for sin When all sin then all loyns and all heads must be made bald National Sins bring National Judgements VVhen All the Old VVorld All Sodome All Ierusalem had corrupted their wayes then All must perish But of this before 5 In calamitous times we may and must expresse our inward sorrow by outward Vestures and Gestures When Gods hand lies heavie upon a people they must not be stupid and stoical but they must hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6.9 They must humble themselves under Gods mighty hand laying aside their costly attire and put themselves in mourning weeds It is not sufficient that we grieve inwardly for our sins and Gods Judgements upon us for sin but we must also expresse our sorrow by external signs David wept and put on Sackcloth Psal. 38.11 and so did Ier. ch 9.1 and Nehem. ch 1.4 Iob abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes Iob 42.6 Caut. Yet a Caveat must be here entred we must not rest in bare external weeping or wearing of mournful Vestures but our outward humiliation must expresse our inward humiliation of the heart else hypocritical out-side service is odious to God Isa. 1.11 12 13. 66.3 Matthew 6.2 Luke 16.15 6 Sin is a bitter thing It is bitter in it self and brings forth bitter effects It brings bitter dayes and bitter calamities upon a people Sin like Sathan its Father makes large promises but sorry performances It promiseth pleasure but yeelds pain it promiseth liberty but brings men into prisons it promiseth peace but brings warre Take heed then of the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3.13 7 When a Nation is ripe for ruine God will utterly destroy them His patience will no longer wait upon them but they and theirs shall perish in their iniquity and the end shall be a bitter day The wicked use to promise themselves light but they shall finde darknesse they promise themselves deliverance and joy but they shall finde bitternesse and sorrow even to the end of their dayes VERSE 11 12. Behold the days come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it THe Prophet had before set forth those sad Calamities and external Miseries which should seize upon the ten Tribes be now proceeds and fore-tells them of farre greater evils which should come upon them viz. not a famine of bodily bread for of that he had spoken before Amos 4.6 but a Spiritual famine of the Word of God which should feed their souls to eternal life This is the Judgement of Judgements usually the last and sorest As the giving of Gods VVord to a People is the choysest Blessing so the taking of it away is the heaviest Curse as having all other Curses attending it It is a sign of Gods rejecting and reprobating of a people when he will not vouchsafe to speak unto them by his Ministers As it is a sign that God hath some people in that place to which hee sends his Messengers Acts 18.9 10 11. so their departure from a place and people is an evident sign of his displeasure against them Acts 13.46 Mat. 10.14.15 In this Verse we have 1. A note of Attention Behold q. d. I shall now tell you of a more direful and dreadful Judgement than ever and therefore it concerns you diligently to attend 2 Here is the Judgement threatned and that is a Famine which is amplified and illustrated by an Antithesis it is not an external corporal famine 't is not a famine of material bread but which is far worse 't is a spiritual famine a losse of heavenly food a want of the bread of life this famine should be so great that they should run from Sea to Sea and from one part of the Land to another and yet should not injoy it The Lord in great mercy had sent his Prophets amongst them to call them to repentance but they like ungrateful and rebellious sinners contemned Gods Ordinances prophaned his holy things and persecuted his Messengers till the wrath of the Lord broke forth and there was no remedy They loathed Gods Mannah and longed to be at their Garlick and Onions in Egypt again They were dead under lively Oracles and barren under fruitful means of grace and therefore the Lord was now resolved no longer to plow such Rocks nor sow such sands but since they would not serve him with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things therefore they should now be made to serve their enemies in the want of all things They that would not hear and obey the Prophets of God in their own Land should now be caâ—t out of all and be made to serve strange gods in a strange Land As God had before exalted them to Heaven in the use of means and given them many excellent Prophets that did fully and faithfully dispense his Word unto them so now their Prophets should be taken from them and they should have a spiritual famine and be made to know the price of Gods mercies by the wanting of them The word Famine implies two things 1. It sets forth the nature of Gods Word 't is the food of the soul. Look what bread and water is to the body that and much more is the Word of God unto the soul. 2. It imports the greatness of the judgement it should be a Famine not a famine of bread that is but a petty-petty-judgement a flea-biting as nothing comparatively to this though the bodily famine simply considered in it self be one of Gods sore judgements as I have shewed before on Amos 4.6 yet that pincheth but the out-side the carkass and may bee sent in mercy to the soul but this famine of the Word is a spiritual judgement that destroies the soul and is a sign of Gods greatest wrath against a people and is usually accompanied with many other judgements 3. Here is the Author of this famine and that is God I will send or I will let it loose I have hitherto chained it up like a wilde beast that it might not hurt you but now it shall out amongst you and destroy you 4. Here is the time when this should be and that is suddenly The dayes come q. d. The time will come and is now at hand when your Sun shall set at noon and a spiritual famine shall surprise you 5. Here is the certainty of all this 'T is not man but the Lord that saith it who will fulfil every threatning upon the heads of these sinners OBSERVATIONS 1. The preaching of the Word is the spiritual food of the soul and therefore the want of it
is here rightly stiled a famine Man consists of two parts of Soul and Body and both these must be fed the body which hath its Original from the earth is maintained by earthly nourishment but the soul which is spiritual must be fed with the spiritual food of Gods Word for as bread is the stay and staff of mans body and the body cannot live without it so Gods Word is the support of the soul and it cannot live without that hence it is called Food Ier. 3.15 15.16 Iohn 21.15 17. Act. 20.28 'T is here and here onely that Christ the bread of life is revealed unto us Iohn 6.35 Prov. 9.1 to 7. 'T is in the Gospel that wee have a feast full fraught with spiritual delicates Psal. 65.4 Isa. â—5 6 55.1 2. Hence David makes such bitter lamentation for want of it Psal. 42.2 3. and 84. and 't is made one note of Gods people that they mourn for want of the holy Assemblies Zeph. 3.18 Lam. 1.4 7. and 2.6 7. and 4.1 and 5.18 Iâ—â— esteemed the word of the Lord above his necessary food Job 23.12 He did not only esteem it above Lands and livings above gold and silver but even above his appointed food without which he could not live He did more earnestly desire it more heartily delight in it and more highly prize it than he did his necessary food without which he could not â—ubsist He had rather lose his usual meals than lose his opportunities of meditation on the Word of God Hence 't is that Gods Ministers are called Stewards 1 Cor. 4.1 2. Titus 1.7 which must dispense this Bread of Life according to the capacity of their Hearers They must give Milk to Babes and strong meat to strong men for Gods Word is both Semen Pabulum it is the seed by which we are new-born Iam. 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 and the food by which we are nourisht after 1 Pet. 2.2 by this the dead are inlivened Ioh. 5.25 the dark inlightned Psal. 19.8 and the sorrowful comforted Isa. 40.1 2. This shewes the great necessity and benefit of the preaching of Gods Word and should make us prefer it unto our chiefest joy But to this point I have spoken at large in a set Treatise 2 Contempt of Gods Word brings a famine of the Word The Lord here suites his Judgements to his Peoples sins He had in great mercy raised up for this people of their owne Sons for Prophets and taught them not by strangers but by Children that came from their owne loyns yet they ungratefully said to the Prophets Prophesie not Amos 2.11 12. and commanded this our plain-dealing Prophet to preach no more at Bethel but to goe see some other Countries Amos 7.12 13 16. Hinc illae Lachrymae This brought the famine amongst them VVhen God shall bestow the preaching of the VVord upon a people which is the choycest gift which he can bestow on the Sons of men and they shall loathe this Mannah and vilifie those that bring it it is time the Lord should cease giving when such gifts are scorned and cease loving when his love is contemned The Iewes that stoned the Prophets killed the Apostles and crucified Christ for this great contempt they have been a people of Gods Curse this sixteen hundred years When men grow weary of truth it is just with God that they should be left to error and when they are weary of a faithful Amos that they should have a flattering Amaziah When men will not receive the truth in love God will give them over to strong delusions that they shall beleeve lyes A dreadful Curse 2 Thes. 2.11 q. d. Since I have given them Light and shewed them my Truth and the way to Heaven but they have rejected it therefore there shall come false Prophets and shall cry down Ordinances Sabbaths c. and you shall beleeve them that shall set up humane inventions and you shall follow them When Children abuse their Bread and play with it and trample it under feet it is time for Parents to take it from them To bring these things à Thesi ad Hypothesin and to apply this contempt of the Word to our seâ—ves it may make us tremble to think whither we are fallen Since the Apostles times the Gospel never shone so brightly as it doth at this day and never was it and the Ministers of it more openly vilified and that by many old Professors who are turned blasphemers than at this day and therefore wee may justly fear that the Lord will punish our abuse of Light with the darkness of Popery and take his Gospel from us and give it to a people that shall yeeld him better fruits of it than wee have done Sad tidings alwayes follow the contempt of the glad tidings of the Gospel and they that think they have too much Preaching shall at last have none at all When Ierusalem began to abuse the Prophets they were quickly made a desolation 3 The loss of the Word of God is the sorest losse No famine like this famine no judgement like this judgement Lam. 1.4 it is the heaviest that can befall a people on this side Hell which made Luther say I would not live in Paradise without the Word but with it I could make a shift in Hell it self David knew this full wel and therefore in the midst of all his wants he was most sensible of this and begs it as that one thing necessary that he might dwell in the House of the Lord Psal. 27.4 It is true Corporal famine is very terrible and brings people into sad perplexities and extremities as you may see Lam. 1.11.19 2.12 20. 4.4 9. 5.16 but this Spiritual famine is farre worse For 1 That and other Judgements pinch but the body but this pines the soul now as the soul is more noble and excellent than the body so its Judgements are farre more dreadful because Spiritual It is sad when men shall cry for bread and they have a Stone given them for meat and they have a Serpent for drink and their Pastors or Impostors rather give them Poyson 2 That may be a means to bring a man home to God but this increaseth and confirms the separation between God and the soul. 3 That kills but the body at worst but this destroyes both body and soul. So that as our Saviour said in another case about fearing of men so may I say about fearing of â—amines fear not that famine which can but kill the body but I will fore-tell you what you should fear Fear that Famine which can destroy both body and soul yea I say unto you fear that 4 Here is a Thirst added to the famine a thirst of water Though God sometimes punisheth Cities with famine yet they may have water to drink but if they want both bread and especially water the distress lyes very heavy for Thirst if it be in extremity is one of
joyning themselves to Iudah came again into the holy Land after the seventy years Captivity It was usual with the Prophets to mollifie their Threatnings with the intermixture of some Promises the better to incourage them to return by giving them some glimpse of acceptance and hope of mercy for the Prophet having before uttered hard things against this people he comes now in the close of all to end his Prophesie with promises of comfort to a remnant whom God would hide in the midst of their Captivity till better times should come under the Gospel Some construe the words Ironically and make them a confirmation of the punishment q. d. I have punished Nations that never had the teaching which you have had and do you think to go scot-free But this sense seems to be racked It is better therefore to take the words as they simply import a promise of mitigation moderation and favour to a remnant because of the Covenant and because of the Elect amongst them and their Seed who were to be the Seminary of the Church This is most agreeable to the contexture and suits best with the next Verse where the Prophet promiseth that albeit God be resolved to sift the house of Israel yet the least grain should not fall to the ground and therefore the Geneva translation renders it well Nevertheless I will not utterly destroy the house of Iacob Destroying I will not destroy it that is I will not totally destroy the family and stock of Israel but will preserve a remnant for my self though they be captives in Assyria and Chaldea yet as I have brought them in so I will bring some of them out again that they may praise me 5 Here is the confirmation both of the Commination and the Consolation Dixit Dominus the Lord who cannot lye hath said it who both can and will perform what ever he hath spoken OBSERVATIONS 1 The eyes of the Lord are upon sinful Kingdomes to destroy them The Kingdomes that will not submit to Christ and serve him be they never so many or mighty must perish Isa. 60.12 As his eye is upon the righteous to preserve them so his eye is upon the wicked to destroy them as I have shewed before on vers 4. As he looks upon the righteous not with a bare look of intuition but with a look of approbation in order to their assistance to do them good and to exert his strength for them so he looks upon the wicked with an eye of indignation for evil and not for good 1 Pet. 3.12 When men are given up to sin and are become hardened and habituated in iniquity as these were then judgement is near Ier. 13.23 24. especially when Kingdomes are defiled with Idolatry that wickedness with a witness that sin with an accent which truly and properly denominates a Kingdome to be The sinful Kingdome Where ever this sin goes before destruction is at the heels of it It is a soul-damning and a land-destroying sin Iudg. 5.8 Psal. 78.58 to 63. Ier. 22.7 8 9. one such a sinner in grain destroyes much good Eccles. 9.17 The Idolater is a grand Traitor to the state he lives in He helps to bring Sword Plague Famine and all curses upon a Land Ezek. 14.7 8 21. Gods eye is upon such to cut them off from the face of the earth 2 Gods Ministers must wisely intermix Iudgement and Mercy They must like the good Samaritan have Wine and Oyl Wine to search and cleanse mens wounds and Oyl to supple and heal them The sharpness of the Law must be allayed with the sweetness of the Gospel Luke 10.34 Amos had often threatned now he comforts Obstinate sinners must be certified and pulled with violence out of Satans jaws others that are humbled must be handled gently Iude 23. We must frame our reproofs according to the necessities of our Auditors All sores are not cured with one salve that may be poyson to one which is medicinal to another The soul must be throughly purged from sin before it can be cured or expect any health It is in this case as it is in sores if any corruption be left unexpelled the wound will wrankle and may become mortal For sin is like Bishops-weed if you leave but little spangs unweeded they will run over your garden and suffer nothing that is good to grow near it Ministers then had need to have the Tongue of the Learned to know how to speak a word in season for if we preach al mercy we shall teach men to presume if all Judgement to despond and despair We must therefore wisely sing both of Mercy and Judgement hence the Prophets did usually give some glimpses of comfort and grounds of hope to Gods people in their distresse They had some peradventure you may be hid and heard Joel 2.14 Ionah 3.9 Zeph. 2.3 Take away hope and you take away endeavours impossibility of obtaining breaks the heart and therefore 't is that the Lord usually gives people some crumbs of comfort in their deepest distresse that so they might be incouraged to come in unto him 3. In the midst of Iudgement God usually spares a remnant Isa. 1.9 37.32 Ier. 5.18 Rom. 9.27 11.5 Though God make a full and final end of other Nations yet he makes not a full end with his people but corrects them in measure and in mercy Ier. 46. ult Though he punish some yet he destroys not all but moderates publick calamities for the Elects sake Mat. 24.22 In the Babylonish captivity the Lord preserved Ieremy Daniel and others When all the Old World was drowned yet a little remnant was spared viz. Noah and his family God is ever mindful of his Covenant to his people and in the midst of all confusions he is a Tower to his As I have shewed elsewhere VER 9. For loe I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as Corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the Earth THe Prophet having mentioned a mitigation of the punishmen in the cloze of the precedent verse he comes in this verse to confirm and illustrate this mitigation and moderation by a Metaphor or Allusion taken from Husbandmen who sift and winnow away the Chaff but carefully preserve the Wheat For loe I will command the Assâ—rians and Babylonians and they shall seize on Israel and Iudah and shall sift them and if I command who shall hinder it how Israel was sifted we have seen how Iudah was sifted up and down you may see Lam. 1.3 5.5 6. And I will sift them as corn is sifted in a sieve which similitude implies three things 1. That the men of Israel and Iudah should be tossed and scattered among all Nations as Corn is tossed to and fro in a sieve 2. As the Corn and Wheat is preserved in the sieve when the Chaff flies away and falls to the ground so in the midst of all these tossings and
Direct for Walking p. 244.249 Fenners Catechism p. 76. Cobbet on Prayer p. 88. Ier. Dyke his Epistle Dedicatory to Philemon Ambrose his Medita p. 199 c. Mr. Philip Goodwin his Family Duties 10 Obs. It is not sufficient that we be religious towards God but we must also be righteous and merciful towards men It is not enough that we bring our Sacrifices to him every morning but we must also bring our Tithes to maintain his Messengers and to succour the poor the fatherless and the widow Many will seeme religious-towards God yet are unrighteous towards men and others there are that wil seem righteous towards men and yet are irreligious towards God both these miscarry and come short of Heaven the one for his religious unrighteousness and the other for his righteous-irreligiousness the one for his Hipocrisie the other for his meer Morality and civility God hates Holiness when it is not joyned with righteousness He hath redeemed us that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness not in holiness or righteousness the Holy Ghost hath joyned them and we may not separate them Luk. 1.75 2 Pet. 1.6 7. Psa. 15.2 Tit. 2.12 we must practise equity as well as piety remembring that unrighteousness is an abomination as well as ungodliness Ministers have a right to their maintenance both in foro poli in foro soli both by Gods Law and mans Law as I have elsewhere proved at large and he that robs them robs not men but God 2 For Mercy to the Poor there is scarce any Duty more pressed upon us in the Scripture with precepts and presidents Dan. 15.7.10 Luke 6.36 What promises and rewards are made to the merciful and what heavie curses are denounced against the unmerciful and cruel man Hee shall have judgement without mercy that shewes no mercy Iam. 2.13 as he stops his ears at the cry of the poor he also shall cry and shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 Dives that shewed no mercy to Lazarus at last had none himself and if they be accounted Murderers who doe not releeve the poor what are those that oppress them and grind their faces the Lord hath a quarrel and controversie with such as shew no mercy Hos. 4.1 Amos 2.6 7. such penuriousness is the way to Poverty Prov. 11.24 There is that spares more than is meet and it tends to poverty The way to increase Corn is not to keep it in the Bag but to sow it The curse of the Poor lights upon the cruel Prov. 28.27 and brings a curse upon their Children Psal. 109.12.16 Let none pity his fatherless Children why so because he remembred not to shew mercy to the poor Let Sodomites be cruel and merciless Ezek. 16.49 and Heathens that know not God Romans 1.30 but let us that are Christians resemble Christ our Head and be merciful as he is merciful who went up and down doing good to the souls and bodies of men and whose usual saying was It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive Acts 20.35 Hee was even compounded of love and compassion and became poor that wee thorow his poverty might bee made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 To incourage you to a merciful frame of spirit in a time when mercy is almost fled out of the world take these following Consideratins 1 By this we shall evidence our Election and Sanctification Col. 3.12 Put on as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies Doe not only give an Almes but give it with a compassionate heart and render affection this will make us like the elect children of God who are all in their generation liberal bountiful men according to their several abilities they are such as devise liberal things Isay. 32.8 Job was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Job 29. he never did eate his morsel alone Iob 31.20 David describing the godly man makes this one Character of him that he is gracious full of compassion disperseth to the poor shewes favour and sends Psal. 112.4.5.9 Paul how oft doth he command and commend such as did administer to the necessities of the poor Saints Dorcas cloathed the poor with those garments which she made of her own cost in her life time Zacheus when he was converted gave the one half of his goods to the poor Luke 19.8 it is not I will give at my decease when I can keep them no longer but it is in presenti I doe give 2. Not of another mans goods but of mine own 3. Not to the rich but to the poor 4. Not a penny but the one half of my goods do I give to the poor See how grace enlargeth the heart and looseneth it from earthly things yea I have read of the Turks that once a year the Bashaws and great men have their whole estates cast up by their Stewards and they give the tenth part yearly to charitable uses if this be true how will these Infidels rise in Judgement against most Christians 2 Consider that it is a service and sacrifice well pleasing unto God Phil. 4.18 Heb. 13.16 Hence it is that the Lord so oft calls for it and in some cases prefers Mercy before Sacrifice Hos. 6.6 Learning and Valour may make a man admired but it is humility and bounty that makes us best beloved 3 This will make us like unto God then are we men after his own heart when we are merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful and good as he is good not by way of Equality but by way of Analogy and similitude according to our degree and measure Mat. 5.45 now the more like unto God we are the more he loves us for similitude is the ground of love 4 Hereby wee bring must glory to God Ioh. 15.8 As hee that oppresseth the poor despiseth him that made him so hee that pittieth the poor honours him that made him for God takes the kindness done to them as done to himself He that gives to the poor lends to the Lord. 5 It is one chief end why the Lord gives us riches viz. that wee might be his Almoners to succour the poor he could feed them and cloath them without our help but he hath ordained that there shall be Poor always with us to try our bounty love and pitty and to manifest it unto the world Ioh. 12.8 it is Gods Corn and Wine that we enjoy it is his blessing and free bounty that hath made us rich when others are poor all that we have comes from him and it is of his own that we give unto him 1 Chron. 29.14 16. if hee have given us pounds we may well give pence by way of thankfulness to his poor afflicted ones else he that hath raised us can as easily ruine us and strip us naked as in the day that wee were born Let us put our selves in the poor mans case if we our selves were poor and in distress wee would think it the rich mans duty to succour us As
about Tything of Mint and Cummin and Annise but the weighty matters of the Law lay unregarded these forget that obedience is better than sacrifice Thus our perfect Pharisees the Quakers how precise seeme they in their words even beyond the rule What adoe doe they make about Pulpits Hour-glasses Churches Steeples Bells Gownes Clokes Laces Fringes Hatbands making of Leggs Curchies Titles of Honour c. and yet these Atheistical Libertines whose Religion is meer Irreligion make no bones of Blasphemy Heresie Lying Equivocating Rayling Witch-craft c. God will smite such gross Hipocrites 2 Obs. Sacrifices of praise are due only to God The Lord was here greatly displeased with Israel for offering their Sacrifices of praise to their Idols which were due to him As it was their Sin that they spent the silver and the gold which God had given them in the service of Baal Hos. 2.8 so to give the calves of their lips as Praises are called Hos. 14.2 as well as the calves of their stalls to Idols must needs be a God-provoking sin As all our Blessings come from him so it is great reason that all our Praises should bee given to him This hath ever been the practice of the Saints Psal. 56.12 93.30.33 107.22 Ionah 2.9 and is oft commanded Psal. 50.14 15. Ephes. 5.20 3 Obs. God delighteth in Free-will offerings The Prayers and Praises that we offer unto God must be voluntary ingenuous free Exod. 25.2 1 Chron. 28.9 Esa. 1.19 2 Cor. 8.12 Christ saved us willingly Psal. 40.6 7. and therefore we should serve him willingly yea the Angels which are more noble Creatures than we yet serve God willingly Psal. 103.20 we must resemble them yea the unreasonable creatures delight to serve God Psal. 19.5 Compulsive obedience is no obedience the service wee perform to God must have three ingredients in it it must bee done Scienter Volenter Constanter 1 Our service must be reasonable service for blind obedience is no obedience Rom. 12.1 2 It must be performed cheerfully and willingly for as God loves a cheerful Giver so he loves a cheerful Hearer a cheerful Prayer and a cheerful observer of his Sabbaths Isa. 58.15 It was Prophesied that in Gospel times Gods people should be willingnesses in the abstract and Plural Number that is they should bee a prompt People that are even composed as it were of willingness so ready should they bee to worship him Psal. 110.3 3 It must be constant we must not only doe righteousness at sometimes but at all times Psal. 106.3 4 Obs. Idolatry is marvellous pleasing to our corrupt natures Men love to have it so Ier. 5. ult Corrupt Principles suit well with our corrupt hearts Hence it is that men are said to be wedded to their Idols Hos. 4.17 those they love and serve and seek to worship Jer. 8.2 this makes multitudes goe after the Whore with her bewitching alluring golden Cup Revel 13.3 on this side Hell there is not a sorer Judgement than thus to be given up to our own currupt affections VERSE 6. And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your Cities and want of bread in all your places yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. WHen God would convert a People he useth Blessings and Curses Mercies and Judgements one or both of which usually work upon all ingenuous natures Levit. 26. Deut. 28. 30.1 2. God had tried all conclusions upon this people he had tried to reclaime them by Mercies Amos 2.9 10 11. 3.2 but these being ineffectual he now tries what Judgements will doe and therefore sends his three Arrowes of Famine Pestilence and Sword amongst them to convert them if it might be and not to destroy them as appears by that Emphatical Epistrophe annext to every punishment yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. Not only his Mercies but his Menaces not only his favours but his frownes and rods were all ineffectual upon the hearts of this impenitent people As a tender father will use all means to reclaime his rebellious Son so God had used all means to reclaim this People from their Idolatry and Apostacy but all in vain for they were so wedded to their lusts that they had rather lose their Land and Lives than part with them so that this is the third Sin which the Lord by his Prophet chargeth them withall viz. Obstinacy and incorrigibleness no cords of love could draw them nor judgements drive them The Lord had wasted all his rods on them in vain five or six he mentions here viz. 1 Famine 2 Drought 3 Blasting 4 Mildew 5 Plague 6 Sword But they were so farre from returning that they grew worse and worse and therefore the Lord resolves to make a final end with them In this Verse we have 1 A Judgement executed and that is Famine which is Paraphrastically set forth by cleanness of teeth and is exegetically explained in the next Clause by want of Bread and provision I have given you cleanness of teeth what is that why want of bread in all places when men have nothing to eat their teeth are clean nothing adheres to them to foul them In the precedent Verse the Lord tells us what pleased Israel viz. Sin and now hee tells us what pleased him viz. to punish them for their sin as they had abused their food like fat Beasts to luxury and riot so now they should fast for it and I also have given you or therefore have I given you cleanness of teeth it is a suitable Judgement that unclean hearts and lives should be punisht with cleanness of teeth This Judgement was in part fulfilled in Elijahs and Elishaes dayes when in Ahabs reign there was a three years famine 1 King 17. 18. 2 King 6.25 8.1 and in the dayes of King Ioram for the Idolatry that then reinged 2 King 4.38 yet some conceive that the Prophet here speaks of some latter famine which was then fresh in their memories 2 Here is the Extent or Universality of this Judgement the famine was not in one or two but in all their Cities and in all places 3 Here is the effect which this Judgement had upon them viz. It was ineffectual yet have yee not returned to me saith Lord. Their hearts were so hardned and they so indurate in sin that they were become incorrigible and incurable they were Judgement-proof no chastning could work upon them Yet have yee not c. This yet shewes that there was great reason why God should expect their return and that hee had done that which in all probability might have caused them to return when he sent these Judgements on them therefore God inculcates and oft repeats this sentence Yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord as being greatly troubled that his corrections had no better operations on them when even Phrygians and Barbarians are bettered by blows yea the dull Asse is quickned by the
follows them with Plague upon Plague as hee did them I have sent upon you Pestilence after the manner of Aegypt They were incurable and incorrigible like the Aegyptians and now God smites them with Aegyptian Plagues according to that threatning Deut. 28.61 I will cause the diseases of Aegypt to cleave unto thee Sin hardens Gods heart against his people and makes him deal with them as hee useth to doe with his enemies It turns him who is our best friend into the saddest foe That power which he used in destroying his peoples enemies if his people forsake him and rebel against him hee will exert that power in destroying them Thus the Lord used here the same weapons of his wrath against his people as before hee used in destroying the Aegyptians And may not England now fear lest that power which the Lord hath shewed in the saving of us from the hands of unreasonable men should now bee turned against us for our Blasphemies and Apostacies and as we have partaken with Germanies sins and Polands sins and Irelands sins so wee should be made like them for plagues Wee have given the Lord just cause by our provocations to turn his hand against us and to consume us after he hath done us good Iosh. 24.20 And as hee hath made us the head so now hee might make us the tayl and as he hath made us the terror of the Nations so now he may justly make them a terror to us for our ungrateful dis-ingenuous walking towards him 4 Obs. The Pestilence comes more immediately from God It is his Messenger it is commanded and commissioned by God to goe to such and such Families Towns and Persons that so if any one ask How came the Pestilence here why I sent it said God it is a servant of his sending 2 Sam. 24.15 and an Arrow of his shooting Psal. 91.5 with this hee wounds kills and consumes his enemies Ezek. 5.16 17. The Plague is not Casual but Providential there is a Divine hand of immediate Providence in this Judgement as there is no evil of affliction in the City so much less this signal evil but it comes from God Amos 3.6 It is he that decrees it he increaseth it and he removes it how and when he pleaseth Hence it is called his Sword 1 Chron. 21. ult it is not the sword of a weak man but of an Almighty God which none can resist or fly from it is his Hand out of which none can deliver us 2 Sam. 24.14 Moses tells Pharaoh that if he refuse to let Israel goe behold the hand of the Lord i. e. the Plague shall light on thy Cattel Exod. 9.3 this hand of his will finde out all his enemies Psal. 21.8 this is a sign of Gods great Wrath. God brings not out this great Rod till men have greatly provoked him by their great sins Numb 11.33 16.46 47. Levit. 26.25 Deut. 32.22 23. As 1. Idolatry This is a God-provoking and a Land-destroying Sin and brings the Plague upon a Land Psal. 106.29 Ezek. 5.11 12. Rev. 16.2 11. 2 Contempt of Gods Word and wayes Deut. 28.21 Ier. 29.18 19. 3 Fornication and uncleanness For this Sin God cut off twenty four thousand of the Israelites with the Pestilence Numb 25.9 men will not judge and punish such but God will Heb. 13.4 4 Murmuring and unbelief when men repine at Gods dispensations and will teach him how to rule the World this brings the Plague Numb 14.2.3.11.12.36 37. 16.46 5 Persecuting Gods Ministers and people Pharaoh that persecuted Israel had variety of Plagues laid on him God shoots this Arrow especially at such Psal. 7.13 Ier. 29.18 38.2 The Heathen Emperours which persecuted the Christians were punisht with great Plagues 6 Prophanation of holy things This brought the Pestilence as it is conceived upon the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.30 he will be sanctified of all that draw nigh unto him in mercy if they come preparedly in judgement if they come irreverently Wee should therefore be careful by unfeigned Repentance and Humiliation to remove Sin which is the cause and then the Plague which is but the effect will soon cease but without this all Physick flying washings burning c. are but vain Till God bee appeased the Plague will never bee appeased till we humble our selves before him he will not heal us 2 Chron. 7.13 14. till by faith we fly unto him he will not hide us from the Pestilence Psal. 91.1 to 8. 1 This speaks Terror to the wicked and impenitent they have not to doe with men in this Judgement but with God who is a consuming fire and from whom there is no flying Amos 9.1 to 5. when men oppose men they may make some resistance but when Omnipotency comes against Impotency and the Creator against the Creature whose heart can be strong or whose hands endure Ezek. 22.14 The Plague when it seizeth upon a man in wrath it is a Terrible Judgement and that in many respects 1 In respect of pain it torments men with terrible burning in so much that many run mad and make away themselves yea and the stronger men are usually the sooner they are cut off by the Pestilence It is a noysome loathsome Disease hence called The noysome Pestilence Psal. 91.3 and if any doe recover yet are they seldome well some lose their Hearing some their Sight some their Memory most carry the prints of it with them to their Graves It is a woful Judgement and brings with it woful fears woeful sorrows woful desolation and woful terrours even the terrours of death 2 It is a Judgement that seldome goes alone but is attended with famine poverty depopulation ruine Ier. 22.6 9. 28.8 Ezek. 14.21 3 It deprives us of many choyâ—e Blessings which in other distresses men doe enjoy 1 It deprives us of the liberty of Gods House and Ordinances A sad affliction much lamented by David Psalm 42. 84. 2 It deprives us of our Callings so that we cannot serve God in them which is one great end why a good man desires to live 3 Of the comfort of Friends which in other Diseases they enjoy Two are better than one and woe to him that is alone 4 The suddenness of it addes much to its terror it slayes thousands suddenly we read of seventy thousand slaine in three dayes 2 Sam. 24.15 it is an Arrow that flies speedily Psal. 91.5 In Senacheribs host in one night there dyed of the Plague as some conceive one hundred fourscore and five thousand men 2 King 19.35 2 It may comfort the Godly that they have not to doe with unreasonable men whose tender mercies are cruelties but with a gracious God who in the midst of his Judgements remembers mercy It is the Cup which their Father gives them it is his Hand his Arrow his Messenger hee sends he orders he moderates and mittigates it He bids it goe and it goes stay and it staies 2 Sam. 24.15 16. It is a mercy when the
for their sin We are now come to the third and last part of this third Sermon of the Prophet which contains an Exhortation or Invitation to Repentance where we have 1 The Illative Particle or the note of Inference Therefore The Lord draws a conclusion against them from the former Premises q. d. since none of my former Judgements will reclaime you I am now resolved that you shall reap the fruit of your disobedience you shall no longer be my People but I will cast you out of Covenant and send you into an impure Land so that yee shall not only lose your Land but your Religion too not only your Soyl but your Souls to boot not only your goods but your God I have sent out my Foot-men saith God and you have contemned them and contended with them I will now see what you will doe with Horse-men Ier. 12.5 I my self will now arise in armes against you as against a pack of rebels 2 Here is the Lords Commination of some greater Judgement implied and couched in general terms Thus will I do unto thee The Lord seeing their incorrigibleness goes on to denounce a sorer and sadder Judgement against them than any yet had befallen them He doth not tell them how or in what kind he will punish them but leaves them to imagine the worst thereby intimating that he would bring upon them sadder evils than they could imagine Thus terribly thus severely in a more furious manner than formerly wil I deal with thee The Judgement was so dreadful that the Prophet seems either loath or at least unable to express it and therefore he doth as it were draw a Vail over what hee could not in words set forth with a Thus will I doe unto thee q. d. I will bring upon thee some direful desolation and utter destruction for so it follows Amos 8.14 They shall fall and never rise again Since they be impenitent I will speedily execute upon them what I formerly threatned ver 2 3. I will give Samaria your Metropolis into the Assyrians hand and you shall be carried Captive into a strange Land There seems to be in the words a kind of Pathetical Aposiopesis when a man for anger and indignation cannot speak out his words but cuts off some word or part of a sentence which is to bee understood and such kind of speech is very frequent both in sacred and prophane Writers Thus Psal. 95.11 To whom I sware in my wrath if they enter into my rest q. d. they shall never enter into my rest if they come there let me not be God or let me not be true Thus the Hebrews in their execration Oathes were wont to speak Thus and thus let God doe to me 1 Sam. 25.22 without expressing the imprecation as fearing to name those dreadful evils 3 Hee allaies this sharp Commination with a gentle and sweet exhortation full of clemency and consolation telling them that he is yet their God in Covenant ready to receive them if they will but truly repent and come in unto him and therefore he counsels them speedily to prepare for where no time is exprest there as the Debt say Lawyers so the Duty say Divines is presently to bee performed to meet him Isa. 21.12 return and come but when why presently that is implied So here prepare to meet thy God but when why presently before the decree bring forth and it be too late Zeph. 21.2 The Lord having told them what he would doe to them now such is his goodness that hee shewes them what they should doe to prevent his Judgements viz. prepare to meet him Since he was ready to cast them off he adviseth them to cast themselves down and to implore his mercy and make peace with him Q. But what is meant by preparing to meet God Ans. To meet one hath various meanings in Scripture 1. Sometimes we goe to meet Persons that we may honour them thus Abraham and Lot went to meet the Angels Gen. 18.2 19.1 2 Sometimes we goe to meet Persons that we may scoff and jear at them as Michal the Daughter of Saul did David 2 Sam. 6.20 3 Sometimes we goe to meet Persons to fight with them as David did with Goliah 1 Sam. 17.48 And thus some take the words in the Text for an Ironical taunting speech as if the Lord had said Since I am coming against thee prepare your selves to meet me and see if yee bee able to encounter me and keep me back who am coming against you as an enemy come on and meet mee with your hardned hearts muster up your Armies recollect your Forces call in to your ayde all your Creature-confidences and see if they can deliver you from my hand and save you from my wrath which is even ready to seize upon you But this sense is very harsh and contrary to the scope of the place for all along the Lord calls upon them not to stand out against him but to submit unto him and therefore he so oft complaines even five times Yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. Besides there is no meeting of God with Armes and Armies or any warlike Forces what can all the hosts in the world doe against the Lord of Hosts or who ever hardned himself against him and prospered Iob 9.4 let the Potsheards strive with the Potsheards of the earth but woe be to him that striveth with his Maker 4 Sometimes we goe out to meet Persons to humble our selves before them and to submit to them as Shimei did to David 2 Sam. 19.16 and thus it is in the text Prepare to meet thy God viz. by Prayers and tears by humble supplication and real humiliation for sin by forsaking your Idols and cleaving to Gods true Worship and by amendment of your lives run to meet him that you may prevent the execution of his wrath upon you c. This is the most proper meeting of God which is here called for this is the genuine and true scope of the place for the words are not a challenge Come out and meet me but a precious direction shewing us what we must doe to appease and pacifie God viz. not meet him in a way of Opposition and rebellion for this were to set Bryers and Thorns in battle against a consuming fire Isa. 27.4 but meet him in a way of submission as Abigail met David when he was coming to destory Nabal and his house 1 Sam. 25.32 So here since the Lord hath taken up this determination to punish thee O Israel and is resolved to bring some greater Judgement on thee therefore prepare thy self saith the Prophet by unfeigned humiliation and repentance that so thou maist prevent the execution of the sentence Put on thy mourning weeds take up a lamentation make ready thy Petition goe forth upon thy knee and beseech him to spare thee that so thou maist prevent thy utter destruction which is now at hand Q.
apply to themselves It is this Soul-searching Preaching that is the best teaching But of this elsewhere 4 Obs. God usually warnes before he smites In mercy here he warnes his people of approaching Judgements and bids them prepare to meet him He Lightens before he Thunders and shoots off his Warning-peeces before he shoots off his Murdering-peeces He might have come suddenly upon them and swept them away like dung from the face of the earth for their obstinacy but see his transcendent clemency and pitty he warnes them before he destroyes them and counsels them before he condemns them 5 Obs. God usually mingles Mercies with his Iudgements and Consolations with his Comminations Hee tells Israel here of Judgements but withall he tells them of mercy upon repentance with the one he drawes us as with cords of love and with the other he drives us home to himself The best have need of both we have all need to hear of Iudgements to keep us from presumption and of Mercy when humbled to keep us from despair Hence God so oft joyns both together as Levit. 26. Deut. 28. and the Prophets doe usually allay the terrours of the Law with the comforts of the Gospel Ioel 2.14 6 Obs. God ownes his people even when they are guilty of great sins He is God and not like Man that casts off men for every light offence Hee tells them here I am thy God still by profession though thou hast not walkt up to that priviledge I am thine by Covenant and thou art mine Israel still therefore prepare to meet me and stand no longer out against me 7 Obs. When the Lord is coming against a people in Iudgement he then expects that they should presently prepare to meet him by humble supplication and real repentance 1 We must meet God with a Petition in our hands thus Subjects usually address themselves to their Soveraign especially when they come under the notion of Offenders or Malefactors to beg a pardon We should dispatch these our Ambassadours our Prayers and teares to meet him in the way Luke 14.32 while he is yet afarre off that we may prevent the Wrath that is coming upon us Thus did Moses when he perceived that Gods Wrath was kindled against Israel he sought by humble and fervent Prayer to stop it Exod. 32.11 12 13. so when the Plague was new broke forth hee commands Aaron presently to mediate and intercede for them and so stayed the Plague Numb 16.46 47 48. Yea God takes it ill when in publick calamities there is no intercessor to meet him thus and mediate for a Nation Esay 59.16 Ezek 22.30 These Ambassadours in all ages have prevailed wonderfully with God A Prayer rightly qualified and circumstantiated for man matter manner what cannot it doe with God 1 It hath an Universal power in removing Judgements or procuring Mercies The most signal providential changes that ever were made in the world have been made by the Prayers of Gods people Prayer is as it were the Midwife to bring great Blessings into the world and remove great Judgements from us and therefore when the Lord would destroy a people he commands his Ieremies to forbear praying for them they must not meet him in this kind to mediate or intercede for them Ier. 7.16 14.11 thereby implying that he cannot deny the Prayers of his people 2 These Ambassadours have an awakening power God seems to sleep and take no notice of the miseries of his people many times but then by their Prayers they must awaken him Iob 8.5 6. There are two things which doe more especially awaken God 1. The Rage of wicked men Psal. 12.5 78.65 66. and 2. The Prayers of Gods people Psa. 82. ult 141.1 Isa. 51.9 3 They have a binding and a loosening power Moses by his Prayers binds Gods hands that hee cannot strike till he aske leave as it were of Moses and bid him let goe that hee may smite them Exod. 30.10 Numb 14.17 18 19 20. And Prayer hath a loosening power sin ties Gods hands that they cannot help but Prayer unties them Iudg. 10.10 to 17. 4 They have a commanding power such is Gods great condescention that though he be the Commander of all yet hee suffers himself to be commanded by the Prayers of his people Isa. 45.11 Gods people have often experienced the power of Prayer and therefore in all their distresses they fly to their Prayers and have ventured their lives resolving rather to loose them than their praying opportunities Dan. 6.10 yea and this hath made them so earnestly beg the Prayers of Gods people Romans 15.30 they will not part with their interest in them for a Kingdome Yea such is the power of the Prayers of the godly that even wicked men when they are in distress have begged for them Thus Pharaoh beseeches Moses to pray for him and Saul calls for the Prayers of a Samuel The time would fayl me to tell of the great exploits which the Prayer of faith hath done no Conqueror can shew such famous Trophies and Triumphs as it can doe Prayer actuated and inlivened by faith hath subdued Kingdoms stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the Sword c. Heb. 11.32 33 34 35 36. and hath done the Churches enemies more mischief than all the Armies in the world Psal. 56.9 how lightly soever wicked men esteeme of them This is Gods Ordinance and hee ever loves to be found in his own way 2. The Prayers of Gods people suit best with Gods interest and ends they seek the advancement of Gods glory the good of his Church the increase of his graces in their souls all which are very taking with God 3. Their Prayers must needs be powerful if you consider the Persons praying they are Gods Sons and Daughters his peculiar people the Spouse of Christ. Now Relations can doe much and if we who are evil will give good things to our Children when they cry to us much more will God supply the wants of his when they call upon him Matth. 7.11 4. They are put up in Christs name and indited by his Spirit and God cannot deny Christ that makes intercession for us and his Spirit that makes intercession in us with sighs and groans 2 We must meet the Lord humbly and submissively As Benhadads servants met the King of Israel with ropes about their necks because that they had heard that the Kings of Israel were merciful Kings So let us put ropes about our necks as signs of our acknowledgement that we are worthy of death and the rather because the God of Heaven is a merciful God 1 King 20.31 Rising and raging at Gods Chastisements like a wilde Bull in a net when men are full of the fury of the Lord Esay 51.20 this is the way to provoke God to goe on in wrath against us and to double his strokes upon us Levit. 26.24 If a Potent Prince should raise
confidence in their vocal and instrumental singing in their sacrifices and hypocritical services promising themselves safety and deliverance though they lived in all manner of wickedness vers 18 21 22 23. The summe of the Prophets Argument is this That people which is unrighteous obstinate cruel hypocritical and Idolatrous shall perish But such are you O ye house of Israel Therefore yee shall perish 4 Here is an exhortation to Repentance repeated again and again to make the deeper impression upon their hearts that so they might prevent the Judgements approaching and this is done partly for the Elects sake that they might not perish with the wicked and partly for the wickeds sake that they mighr bee left without excuse Here wee have the two parts of Repentance 1 The terminus à quo from what they must turn viz. from Idols which cannot help in a day of wrath vers 5. and from the evil of sin which brings with it the evil of punishment vers 14 15. 2 The terminus ad quem to whom they must return viz. to God which is oft repeated to shew the great necessity of it vers 4 6 8 14 15 24. Seek yee the Lord seek goodness seek righteousness 2 Here are Motives to inforce the duty The first is a drawing Motive taken from the benefit which attends Repentance viz. life and salvation vers 4. Seek yee me and yee shall live and with all the gracious favour and presence of God vers 14 15. The second is a driving Motive drawn from the evil which will necessarily follow the neglect of it God will bee to them a consuming fire vers 6. Seek yee the Lord lest hee break forth like fire in the house of Joseph and devour it A third Motive is drawn from Gods power which is seen in the works of Creation Hee maketh the seven Stars and Orion vers 8.2 In his works of Providence Hee strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong VERSE 1. Hear this word which I take up against you even a Lamentation O house of Israel IN this Chapter the Lord goes on with his charge against Israel and the Prophet as his Atturney-general doth manage the charge against them Hee opens the case shews them their sins and Gods Judgements coming on them for those sins yet withall puts them in a way to prevent them by perswading them to reform the things amiss amongst them In this first Verse the Prophet makes as it were an O yes calling for silence and attention Hear yee this word which I take up against you Hee had called for audience twice before Amos 3.1 4.1 but this people had stopt their ears and hardned their hearts they were become Sermon-proof and Judgement-proof nothing could work upon them yet the Prophet calls a third time if by any means hee might work upon them This Verse is as it were the Preface to the Sermon and is set in the front to quicken attention where we have 1 The matter to be attended and that is the word of the Lord published by the Prophet Amos. Hear this word which I take up against you or as it is in the Original which I lift up against you that is which I utter against you by Gods command more clearly and more fully with more spirit and life than formerly so Iob 21.2 2 Here are the persons against whom this Sermon is intended and that is the ten Tribes here called The house of Israel q. d. I speak not against strangers but against you O house of Israel and therefore it concerns you to attend 3 Here is the nature of the Sermon it is a Lamentation or lamentable Prophesie of the utter destruction of Israel q. d. Both I and Hosea and other Prophets have for a long time warned you of approaching judgements but since you sleight our Threatnings and give your selves to mirth and merriment I will now take up a Lamentation for you and will mourn for you that will not mourn for your selves So that this Lamentation implies first the deep sense and apprehension which the Prophet had of that misery which was coming upon Israel for their Idolatry Incredulity Security and Impenitency This was to him matter of bitter and great lamentation as the word imports Ezek. 2.10 and 19.1 ult and such lamentation the Lord expects from his people Ezek. 26.17 and 28.12 and 32.2 Thus David lamented for Saul and Ionathan 2 Sam. 1.17 Secondly This Lamentation implies a sad song a doleful ditty a burdensome and lamentable Prophesie of dismal judgements against Israel that which the Prophet calls a Lamentation here is oft called a Burden as Isa. 13.1 and 22.1 Ezek. 12.10 Nahum 1.1 Hab. 1.1 Zach. 9.1 Mal. 1.1 q. d. You laugh at my Threatnings now but you will finde them an heavy burden shortly and that which will bring great lamentation with it Quest. But why doth the Prophet lament for these impenitent sinners that would not lament for themselves hee should rather have rejoyced in Gods just judgements on them according to that Psal. 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when hee seeth the vengeance Answ. Wee must distinguish of sinners 1 Some are within the pale of the Church and are Gods people by profession being in Covenant with him having a remnant of elect ones mingled amongst them Now Gods judgements either imminent or present on these have been in all ages lamented by the Saints they have alwayes been deeply affected with the misery of Sion though their sins have brought it justly upon them yea and the Lords own bowels do yern over them even when in justice he cannot but punish them Hos. 6.4 and 11.8 Besides we must lament the sins to these even when wee adore Gods just judgements on them and must denounce his theatnings against them with tears lamentation 2 Others are without the Church and many within that are malicious implacable incorrigible and incurable enemies to God his wayes his worship and his people now in the destruction of such we may and must rejoyce we are commanded so to do Psal. 58.10 Prov. 11.10 Rev. 18.20 and 19.12 Cant. Not that wee may rejoyce in their destruction simply as they bee our enemies or as they be creatures but as they are wicked rebellious creatures and implacable enemies to God and his wayes so we may yea and God himself doth rejoyce in their destruction Deut. 28.63 Prov. 1.26 OBSERVATIONS 1 Ministers may sometimes preface as occasion requires so did Paul Act. 13.16 Men of Israel hear and yee that fear God give audience But of this before on Amos 4.1 2 Obs. Ministers must not preach their own inventions but what God commands them Hear the word which God commanded mee to deliver to you But of this at large before on Amos 4.1 3 Ministers must preach Iudgement as well as Mercy Law as well as Gospel and Lamentation as well as consolation See Amos 6.1 4 T is our duty to bee affected with the miseries of
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
this Idol-god were enshrined in some little portable Tabernacles as the Image of Diana had its shrines little houses or caskets to put it in Acts 19.24 which the people as many of them as were given to Idolatry carried about with them among their stuffe So Rachel stole her fathers gods and brought them with her stuffe into Canaan Gen. 31.34 As good men by Prayer take in God for their companion with them in their journeys Gen. 35.3 Acts 21.5 6. so Idolaters carry about with them their Idols Hosts Crucifixes c. for religion and protection sake as so many tutelar gods in their voyages and journies 3 Here is the multitude of their Idols set forth in the Plural number and Chiun your Images which imports the great number of them and doubles their sin 1. They make New-gods 2. They make Images of those New-gods in honour of them contrary to Gods express Command Exod. 20.4 Or Chiun your Images that is say some your notable Image the plural number for the singular as oft especially in names of dignity Hence we may observe against the Papists that the Scripture condemns not only Idols which themselves confess unlawful but also Images for religious Worship God will not be Worshipped by any visible Picture and therefore the Prophet condemnes both Moloch and Chiun with their Images yea the Evangelist condemnes the very Figures of those Idols which they make to themselves Acts 7.43 The star of your god Or the star which is your god or rather the Images which you worship are like a Star either like the Sun or Saturn for their gods were nothing but Planets or Stars which they worshipped in or by Images representing them Acts 7.41 43. Figures which yee made to worship them saith St. Stephen even the Host of Heaven as the Stars are oft called Deut. 17.3 Psal. 33.6 Isa. 34.4 45.12 Ier. 33.22 Dan. 4.35 The Heathen Idolaters were great worshippers of the Host of Heaven and this peece of Idolatry the Iewes had learnt from them Ier. 8.2 and with this St. Stephen chargeth them Acts 7.42 that they worshipped the Host of Heaven i. e. Sun Moon and Stars as it is written in the Book of the Prophets viz. of the lesser Prophets of which Amos is one out of which this text is quoted all the twelve being bound together in one Book lest they should be scattered or lost by reason of their smallness Many of the Iews conceited that all the Stars were Gods and that there was some Deity in them and therefore they worshipped them as appears 2 King 23.11 Ier. 7.18 8.2 19.13 44.17 19 25. Zeph. 1.5 With the like Sin the Prophet here chargeth them viz. with Idolizing the star of their god or the star your gods Hee speaks it sarcastically and tauntingly q. d. see what goodly gods yee have gotten these are thy gods O Israel Stars and Planets Idols and Images you have forsaken the living God for dead ones and so have changed your glory into shame and have left the God that protected you for Idols that cannot protect themselves Which yee have made to your selves All these feigned Deities with their Images are your owne inventions and figments of your owne brain I never commanded any such kind of worship from you Hence Idols are called the work of mens owne hands Psal. 115.4 and the Lord threatens such as worshipped the work of their own hands because they provoked him to anger thereby Ier. 2.16 25.6 44.8 Acts 7.41 to shew the vanity and nothingness that is in Idols and the folly of Idolaters in worshipping such things as themselves had made they are oft called The work of mens owne hands and their owne inventions with which they please themselves though they displease God Q. But whom doth the Prophet charge here with all this gross Idolatry whether the Ancestors or the Posterity A. Both. 1. Hee begins with their fore-fathers in the Wilderness and the better to humble them who so much boasted of their fore-fathers he labours to convince them of their gross Idolatry and shewes how early they began to practise this Sin when they worshipped the Golden Calf and Moloch as appears by the prohibitions against the worshipping of it Levit. 18.21 20.2 2 He chargeth the Posterity and brings down this Idolatry along to their times shewing how they had justified their ancestors in their Idolatry by worshipping the Calves at Dan and Bethel and following Baal yea and worshipping the Host of Heaven 1 King 11.5 2 King 23.5.11 Ezek. 8.16 Zeph. 1.5 The summe of all is this It is true O yee children of Israel that your Progenitors made a great shew of serving and honouring me carrying my Tabernacle about with them in the Wilderness pretending that it was their glory to have me present amongst them when indeed their hearts were set upon their Idols and false Deities as Moloch and Chiun the Sun the Moon the Starres and all the Host of Heaven as appears by the multitude of those Images and representations of their Idol-gods which they carried about with them to Worship them and you their Posterity have trod in the sinful steps of your fore-fathers and have out-gone them in Idolatry therefore I will now banish you to the remotest parts of Assyria even beyond Babylon OBSERVATIONS 1 Naturally we are exceeding prone to Idolatry This is clear from the example of these Israelites to whom the Lord so oft appeared Exod. 19. 33 c. both in ways of Judgement and of Mercy To them the Law was given and to them were committed the Oracles of God Psal. 147.19 20. Rom. 3.2 9.4 5. and yet how frequently and fearfully did they and their Fathers fall into this sin and this was not only the temper of these Iewes but of us Gentiles also we are easily seduced and lead away with dumb Idols 1 Cor. 12.2 2 When men know God yet walk not up to their light but wilfully sin against it then God gives them up to a reprobate sense so that they worship Stocks and Stones Starres and Images as these did here Acts 7.42 Thus it was with the Gentiles Rom. 1.24 25 26 c. Those that will not beleeve and obey the Truth God will give them up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes 2 Thes. 2.10 11. false Prophets shall arise and cry down Ordinances and you shall beleeve them they shall cry up Superstition Idolatry Libertinism c. and you shall follow them This is a sad Judgement yet usually God thus punisheth Sin with Sin as blindness with blindness ignorance with greater ignorance and idolatry with grosser idolatry when men begin to fall from God they fall to worship Calves Starres Stocks and Images They never rest till they come to destruction As all Sin so especially this of Idolatry is very prolifical The Cloud that at first is like a mans hand will suddenly overspread the whole Heavens The
this That it was in vain for them to trust in their Mountains Riches and strong Cities since other Nations with their Metropolies which were greater and stronger than theirs were now decayed and ruined That Almighty hand which brought them down notwithstanding all their Ammunition and Fortifications will also bring Israel down notwithstanding all their riches and strength Behold therefore as in a glass whither Luxury Oppression Security and abuse of Mercies hath brought those Cities and do you fear by their Examples The summe of all is this O yee Inhabitants of Jerusalem and Samaria that glory in Mount Sion and trust in the Mountain of Samaria Go and see what I have done to Calneh Hemath and Gath three potent populous famous Cities seated in three different Kingdomes viz. Babylon Syria and Palestina consider how I have made them a desolation for their sins and have brought their borders into a narrower compass though they were larger and pleasanter than theirs and were fortified both by Art and Nature Bee warned therefore by their example and go not on in your Idolatry Luxury Security and Obstinacy lest you also become a desolation like to them OBSERVATIONS 1. Wee should diligently observe and carefully consider the Iudgements of God on others We should not let a judgement passe that we see at home or hear of abroad without learning something of God from it As wee should consider his mercies to make us love him so we should consider his judgements to make us fear him Hence 't is that God bids his people here Go Go Go Go to Calneh Go to Hemath Go to Gath and consider what I have done to them for their sins Go not with your feet but with your affections go not in body to view the ruines of those places for that you may do and be never the better but in your Meditations go thither and observe Gods hand upon them to awaken you As a man may go to Heaven even whilst his body is on earth yet by Meditation hee may ascend thither so by Meditation we may go to Germany Savoy Ireland Poland and see Gods Judgements there Do not barely think of Gods Judgements but ponder every circumstance and rest not till you have suckt some benefit out of them and got your heart affected with them Wicked men never once think of God or his judgements they forget him daies without number and he is not in any of their thoughts and as for his judgements they are far above out of his sight or if he sleightly think of them that is all But you must know that there are three Acts of the Soul 1. Cogitation 2. Meditation 3. Consideration Cogitation is a thought and away Meditation is a dwelling longer upon an Object But Consideration looks round about and weighs all Circumstances of Judgements and Mercies that they may take a deeper impression upon our hearts and this is that which the Lord so oft calls for Hee would have us consider our waies to humble us Hag. 1.5 7. His Iudgements to fear us Iob 23.15 His Mercies to allure us 1 Sam. 12.24 His Word that wee may attain the practical knowledge of it 2 Tim. 2.7 This consideration fortifies the soul against sin it layes before us the losse and hurt which attends upon sin so that wee cannot rush into it with that boldnesse as the wicked and inconsiderate do Ier. 8.6 2. Gods Iudgements on others must awaken us Their destruction must be our instruction As Gods people here must go to Calneh Hemath and Gath so he bids them go to Shiloh and consider what hee did to that priviledged place and be warned by their woes Ier. 7.12 'T is a great favour when the Lord teacheth us our lessons on other mens books and backs making them examples unto us when hee might have made us examples unto them 3. Sin brings famous Cities to ruine Wee see here three famous Cities with all their Territories made a desolation for their sins Let men make walls as high as heaven and ditches as deep as hell yet if sin reign within it will ruine all Deut. 18.9 12. This brought the Kingdome of Israel into the hands of the Assyrians 2 King 17.7 to 19. and Iudah into the hands of the Chaldeans Sins especially crying sins do emasculate mens spirits and weaken the hearts and hands of a people so that they become an easie prey to a cruel adversary VERSE 3. Yee that put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to draw near IN this Verse the Prophet goes on with his charge especially against the Judges Rulers Counsellours and those in Power and Authority in the Kingdome of Iudah and Israel Hee chargeth them in this Verse with two sins which were the effects and evidence of their security before mentioned Verse 1. The first is the contempt of Gods Threatnings God oft foretold them by his Prophets that Judgements were coming upon them but they would not beleeve it but put the evil day far from them Sleighting Gods Threatnings as if they had been but fables and would never surprize them Though they walk in wayes of wickednesse adding sin to sin and daily provoked the Lord to anger yet they blest themselves in their evil wayes promising themselves peace and prosperity for all that They were setled upon their lees and lived without any fear or thought of danger giving themselves up to Idlenesse Wantonnesse Pride Luxury Violence and all manner of Iniquity not once thinking of the destruction which was coming upon themselves and the Kingdome Yea they counted it a loathsome thing as the word in the Original signifies once to mention the evil day They were so given up to mirth and jollity that they would not once hear of sorrow They thought themselves priviledged by having the Temple and Gods worship amongst them against all storms and tempests But the further they put away the evil day the nearer it was to them and though they could have wished there had been no such day yet their wishes were but vain for the Lord had decreed to bring a dismal day upon them and it is not the counsels of men but the counsels of the Lord that shal stand and the thoughts of his heart unto all generations Psal. 33.10 11. As they had their evil day of sinning so God was determined to bring upon them an evil day of suffering Q. But what was that evil day A. The evil day here meant was more especially the day of their Captivity when the Assyrian should come and carry away Israel and the Babylonian should come and carry away Iudah out of their own Land into Captivity and banishment This evil day the Prophet calls before a day of darkness and not of light Amos 5.18 19 20. The words are read by some passively thus Yee are separated and set apart by divine Justice for an evil day even for a day of banishment and slaughter q. d. Yee
they burne the dead and that is that they might the easier carry the bones out of the house when the flesh was burnt off before 3 Here is a Conference between the Kinsman and him that lies in the house and he shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house that is to him that is within the house as Ionah was said to descend into the sides of the Ship Ionah 1.5 so these for fear did run into some corner of the house to hide themselves from the infection The Question which he asks is this Is there any yet with thee viz. left alive in the family or dead that I may burne them and bury their bones 2 Here is the Parties answer in the Negative No there is an end of all there is not one left they are all dead and gone according to that verse nine If ten men be in one house they shall all dye The Prophet inlargeth himself in this discourse about Gods Judgements the better to awaken these sottish sensual secure sinners 3 Here is the inference upon this answer then shall he say Hold thy tongue be silent be patient doe not fret nor fume doe not mutter nor murmure against God as if he had wronged you because he kills you but acquiesce in his just Judgements and silently submit unto his will for it is his work Amos 5.13 As for us our sins are so great and grievous that we dare not once call on the Name of the Lord for a release or mitigation of his Judgements 4 Here is the reason why they must keep silence viz. Because the Lord was just in all that hee did unto them and therefore they might not once make mention of the Name of the Lord by way of complaint thus some Interpreters sweat and are much perplext with the various Versions of this Text insomuch that there are almost as many Interpretations of it as there be Interpreters 1 Say some It seems to point at these two who agree to be silent in what they had done lest they should bee sequestred as uncleane by the Law being legally polluted by touching the dead Numb 19.14 2 Others give this gloss Hold thy tongue for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord q. d. Be silent lament not for them for they are not worthy lamentation they are so wicked that they will not once remember God nor cry to him though he bind them with the cords of affliction 3 Others make it the voyce of desperate persons according to the Margin of our Bibles VVe have not or we will not make mention of the name of the Lord q. d. it is bootless to pray for God is set to plague us and will not be pacified let us therefore eat and drink since to morrow we must dye Never tell us of Gods name for he is our enemy and we cannot endure to hear of him for neither he nor his Ministers doe ever Prophesie good unto us If we should call upon him we may mind him of us and so bring new plagues upon our selves This agrees best with verse eleven which follows immediately 4 Others thus These Hypocritical ones that formerly gloried that they were Gods people his peculiar his inheritance his holy ones c. Gods wrath shall lye so heavy upon them that they shall boast no more of this for they shall bee dumbe when they hear Gods name and abhor it as desperate reprobates use to doe He will not suffer them any longer to take his name in vaine his wrath shall burne so fiercely against them that they shall not dare once to make mention of his name or to come neer him who is a consuming fire OBSERVATIONS 1 Decent burial is a mercy It is reckoned as a Judgement here that these wicked men should want the honour and solemnity of ordinary burial It is a mercy to have a Grave and therefore when the Kings of Iudah are recorded their burials are also mentioned and those of highest merit were buried in the upper part of the Sepulchers of the Sons of David 2 Chron. 32.33 Asa a good King was honourably buried with great solemnity 2 Chron. 16.14 and so was King Zedekiah Jer. 24.5 But so was not wicked Iehoram 2 Chron. 21.19 and it was a curse upon Iehojakim that he should be buried with the burial of an Asse and be contemptibly cast into a ditch Ier. 22.18 19. It is reckoned as a Judgement when men have no burial Psal. 79.3 Deut. 28.26 1 King 21.23 24. Ier. 14.16 16.4 and therefore David commends the burial of Saul he blesseth and rewardeth the men of Iabesh for it 2 Sam. 2.5 The Body is a peice of Gods Workmanship curiously wrought Iob 10.8 33.4 Psal. 139.5 and therefore must not be carelesly thrown away it was redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ and is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 17. 6.15 29. and shall be raised up at the last day and bee made like to Christs glorious Body Iob 19.25 Phil. 3.21 It is one of the last offices that we can doe for our Relations we should therefore decently commit their bodies to the grave as to a bed of rest Isa. 57.2 there to remaine till the general Resurrection of us all So they did by Steven Act. 8.2 and the Patriarchs Acts 7.15 16. Caution Yet we must beware 1 Of the fopperies of the Papists who keep the bones of Saints supposed Saints most of them unburied that they may worship them kiss them and offer to them 1 Bones are a part of mens bodies and ought to be buried decently as well as the body Exod. 13.19 Iosh. 24.32 it is reckoned as a punishment to have the bones lye unburied Isa. 14.19 Ier. 8.1 2. 2 There is no Precept nor President in all the Word of God that commands such Worship yea the Lord himself hid the body of Moses that it might not be Idolized Iud. 9. 3 Those Relicks have proved to be the bones of Asses Stags Theeves and Murderers 4 It is injurious to Christ and derogates from his Merits yea it is injurious to the Saints who are kept from their graves where they rest in peace till the Day of the Lord. Besides you may see the folly of Superstition when they should be imitating the Graces of the Saints they are gathering their bones and breeches their caps and girdles their hairs and habits At Rome who lists may see St. Martins Boots St. George his Sword S. Crispins Cutting-knife Iosephs Breeches Maries Smock Thomas his Shooe the Milk of Mary the Swadling-clouts of Christ and the Asses Head that he rode on So that Rome is a Church where Relicks and Images are worshipped God Almighty pictured Vowes violated Prophaneness countenanced half Communions administred Humane Traditions equalized with Scripture and Ceremonies multiplied 2 Caut. Yet our greatest care should be for our Souls what will it avayl us to have the body
Bethel whither come a great confluence of people and where Civil affairs and matters of State are debated and therefore it is not safe nor seemly for thy rude rusticity which knowes no Royalty to abide there The King hath Chaplaines enough of his owne that are compleat Courtiers to preach before him he needs no such rustical Prophets and blunt Anti-Courtiers as thou art he hath Natives enough but thou art a Stranger and comest from another Country Hee hath Prelates and Priests of eminent parts every way accomplisht for the work whereas thou art a poor obscure Prophet that camest ab hara non ab ara from the Herds not from the Schools and so art altogether unfit for the Court Wouldest thou but Prophesie smooth and pleasant things thou mightest abide here still but thou art so rough and rugged so plain and down-right that our Courtiers ears cannot abide thy words so that there is no staying for thee here but with abundance of danger Thus this grand Impostor would have frighted the true Prophet from his duty that so hee might keep up the reputation of his Idolatrous Priests at Bethel who for filthy Lucre that they might rob the true Prophets of their Tythes and Offerings did by their preaching foment both Rebellion in the State and Schism in the Church for the Sanctuary at Bethel robbed the Temple at Ierusalem OBSERVATIONS 1 Wicked men doe their utmost to silence faithful Ministers They prohibit them Preaching Prophesie not The like complaint we have Amos 2.12 Micha 2.6 they say to the Prophets Prophesie not they silence them that they may sin without controul and goe to Hell without any hindrance Thus the Rulers of the Iewes forbid Peter and Iohn to preach any more in the name of Jesus Acts 4 17 18. 5.40 what is this but to fight against God and to countermand his commands he bids his Amoses preach the Amaziahs of the World say no. Did ever any man thus harden himself against God and prosper if he that with-holds Corn from the people him shall the people curse Prov. 11.26 what a sad curse will light upon those that with-hold Spiritual corn from them and deprive them of their faithful Pastors which are the light of the World the Guides the Fathers the Physitians the Pillars of the Church such as forbid men to Preach please neither God nor man 1. Thes. 2.15 16. Herod was a wicked man yet this was his sinning sin and is said to surmount all the rest that he put Iohn in Prison Luke 3.20 he added this above all that he shut up John in prison and see what befell Amaziah here for opposing Amos ver ult Obj. But the Minister denounceth Iudgements against us which we cannot bear A. Let him preach Mercies or Menaces if God have sent him we may not silence him but must thankfully receive Threatnings as well as Promises Judgements as well as Mercies they are both necessary for us 2 The great ones of the world cannot brook plain Preachers These Gallants look upon such blunt and bold Amoses as a pack of Fanaticks a company of rude indiscreet Persons that dare venture to reprove such as them for their sins God calls his Ministers Salt Matth. 5.13 but these would have them Honey to preach only pleasing and humerous things unto them Such were those Isa. 30.10 They say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things Prophesie deceits Great men many times have great corruptions which they cannot endure should be touched their tender ears cannot away with sound Doctrine they must have smooth and pleasant things or nothing Courtiers love Verba byssina soft and silken words Though we approve of Prudence in Preaching before great ones yet flattery we abhor We may not betray the truth to please men we are sent to profit not to please to edifie the heart not to gratifie the ear Had Amos preached high-flowen Notions or Doctrine without application he might have been a Priest for Bethel he might preach in generals but he must not Prophesie of Gods Judgements against them Prophesie not Men can bear with Physitians and suffer them to tell them of the Diseases of their Bodies and the Lawyer to tell them of the flawes in their estates only the Minister who is for the Soul he must not speak a word Prophesie not whereas great men have most need of faithful Prophets because they are encompassed with so many flatterers 3 Wicked men put fair names upon foul places and practices Bethel here was become Beth-aven yet they call it a Sanctuary when indeed it was the Devils Brothel-house polluted with viâ—e Idolatry and iniquity So Papists put fine titles upon their foul wares to vent them the better The Pope calls himself the Servant of the Servants of God yet makes himself King of Kings and is a profest enemy to Gods Servants The Quakers call themselves the Saints of the most high when they are profest enemies to God his Worship wayes c. The Arminians seeme to magnifie Free-grace as much as any of the Orthodox but descend to particulars and their errours will soon appear It is often professed by Arminius saith a Reverend Divine that he attributes as much to Grace as any other that there is nothing said by others concerning the efficacy of Grace which is not also affirmed by himself yea that he acknowledgeth whatsoever may be thought or imagined for the opening and setting forth of the power of grace and that he is mis-reported by those that render him injurious to the grace of God and one that attributes too much to Free-wil We find in Augustine that Pelagius professeth as much concerning himself and yet in the meane time this is true that if Arminius his Opinion stand good all this efficacy of grace which he so magnifies and amplifies in words depends on the will of man in regard that by vertue of its native liberty it may receive or reject this grace use it or not use it render it effectual or vain c. Thus he VER 14 15. Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets Son but I was an Herd-man and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit And the Lord took mee as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me Goe Prophesie unto my people Israel WEE have seen Amaziahs design by force and fraud to suppress Amos we are now come to Amos his Answer which consists of two parts 1 An Apology for what he did grounded upon Gods extraordinary calling him to the work 2. His Prophesie which is two-fold 1 Particular containing those particular Judgements which should befall Amaziah His Wife His Children 2 General containing the utter destruction of Israel vers ult In these two Verses we have Amos his answer wherein he constantly and couragiously maintaines what he had done and is so farre from desisting or forsaking of his Station
the most painful and intolerable Passions that is in this life now the Prophet applyes this to the Spiritual famine and want of Gods Word q. d. if it be a great Judgement to be tormented with bodily famine and thirst how great is the Judgement then that I denounce against you who shall have both famine and thirst and that not of bodily bread or water but of the Word of God which is the Bread and Water of Life and as farre excells all Corporal bread as the Soul excells the body And as it is sad to have children cry for bodily bread and there is none to give them so it is much more sad when men shall cry for Spiritual bread and there is none that can or will give it them 2 As the giving of Preachers to dispenâ—e the Word unto us is reckoned as the choycest mercy Job 33.23 24. Isa. 30.20 21. Jer. 3.15 Ephes. 4.11 because it brings light in darknesse joy in sorrow life in death health in sicknesse strength in weaknesse and brings us to an interest in God and having him we have the Mine the Fountain All. So on the contrary the removal of the Word from a people is reckoned amongst the sorest Judgements 1 Sam. 28.6 Psal. 74.9 Prov. 29.18 Lam. 2.9 Ezek. 3.26 Hos. 4.17 Micah 2.6 Mat. 15.14 dry Breasts are reckoned as a Curse Hos. 9.14 for when the Word goes the greatest Mercies and Priviledges of a People goe with it Rev. 2.5 As I VVhen the VVord goes God goes too 2 Chron. 15.3 and woe to a people when God goes Hos. 9.12 then men may persecute us and there is none to deliver us Psal. 71.11 when he is gone the glory of a People is gone Isa. 4. â— As the Ark that was a Symbol and sign of Gods presence amongst his People was called the Glory of Israel 1 Sam. 4. ult So the Preaching of the Gospel amongst us is our glory Hag. 2.9 and if it depart we may write Ichabod upon all our other enjoyments that is There is no glory for the glory is departed from Israel since the Ark of God is taken It is said of Constantinople that it is fortified with three Bulwarks 1. VVith Wood i. e. with Shipping 2. VVith Stones i. e. with high VValls 3. VVith Bones i. e. with valiant men But it wants a fourth viâ— The presence of God in his Ordinances without which all other Fortifications are but vain Isa. 22.8 9 10 11 12. Nahum 3.12 13. Christ is called a King Psal. 2.6 110.3 Zach. 9.9 now the presence of a King is the glory of a place and where he is truly preached there he is truly present though the place and people be never so mean Vilissimus pagus est eburneum Palatium ubi est sincerus Pastor fideles aliqui Luther 2 The Protection of a people goes Where there is no Vision there a people lye naked and exposed to Divine displeasure and all Gods sore Judgements break in upon them Prov. 29.18 the contempt of the VVord laid this potent and flourishing Kingdome of Israel in the dust 3 Peace Plenty Comfort Riches all goe when the Gospel goes As the Gospel comes not empty handed to a People but brings Peace Plenty Renown and Glory with it Exod. 20.24 Isa. 60. that whole Chapter so when ever the Gospel goes these concomitants goe along with it As we see in Ierusalem which lies now in the dust and the seven Churches of Asia 4 Salvation goes for the Preaching of the VVord is the ordinary means of Salvation Those that sin away the ordinary means must never look for extraordinary whom God saves now he saves by Preaching Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.21 5 VVithout the VVord we cannot grow in Grace it is not sufficient that we have the truth of Grace but God looks that we should shew it by our growth in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Pet. 2.2 6 Without the VVord no comfort we shall perish in our afflictions unlesse Gods Law be our delight Psal. 119.92 It is through comfort of the Scriptures that we have hope Rom. 15.4 7 VVithout the VVord we are naked and cannot defend our selves it is with this sword of the Spirit that we defend our selves against the assaults of our Spiritual adversaries Ephes. 6.17 8. If the Word be gone we have no Rule to walk by no Star to direct us and so shall run into the boggs of unwritten Traditions Revelations New-lights and a thousand old errours If once we forsake the Law and the Testimony to walk in the light of our own fire following our own corrupt reason we are sure at last to lye down in sorrow Isa. 50.11 9. When the VVord departs and goes out then all miseries croud in Non datur vacuum holds true in Divinity as well as in Philosophy 1. Then the Devil sets up his Throne Rev. 2.13 and wickednesse abounds VVhen Christs Kingdome goes down then Satans comes up when the Sun sets night follows 2. Your children will be Idolaters and you will bring forth children to the murderer when people have not the true God they will have a false one 3. Many temporal plagues will follow as appears by the two following verses vers 13 14. Where the famine of the Word goes before there Sword Plague Famine and other Judgements usually follow In Queen Maries time when we lost the Word we had losses by Sea and losses by Land and had such a terrible famine that the people were forced to make bread of Acorns When Truth and Gods Ordinances are gone Vines and Fig-trees will not be long after Hos. 2.11 12. When the Lord would make way for his extreamest wrath to come upon a people he first takes away his faithful Ministers that should lye in the breach to intercede for them that so his wrath may come upon them to the utmost Psal. 74.8 9. Lam. 2.7 8. Let us then use all means to prevent this Land-destroying Judgement to this end 1. Be humbled for the sins of the times which call for the removing of our Candlestick out of its place 2. Besiege Heaven with your prayers Mat. 9.36 this is an Omnipotent Engine whereby we conquer God To quicken your prayers consider what a sad losse the losse of the Word is as you have seen in nine particulars before 3. Walk as becomes the Gospel if any thing remove the Gospel from amongst us 't is our prophane impure ungospel-like loose conversation that will do it 4. As corporal so spiritual famine comes from God As all evil of affliction so this amongst the rest comes from him 1. He sometimes sends it immediately when he chargeth the Prophets to prophesie no more in his name As he commands the clouds to with-hold their Rain and so brings a corporal famine so when sinners grow obstinate he commands his Ministers to with-hold their spiritual showers and to let them alone that they may perish in their iniquity Hos. 4.17 Mat. 15.14 2.
large elsewhere other sins were Causae adjuvantes they helpt to ruine Israel but their Idolatry was the primary cause of that fatal blow and of their final overthrow 2. The Iudgement of men and the Iudgement of God differ much That which man calls here by way of honour a god that God calls by way of dishonour and detestation A Sin and abominable Ier. 16.18 44.4 Thus the world calls Riches Substance Goods Happinesse Psal. 4.6 but the Holy Ghost calls them Vanities Thorns Husks unrighteous Mammon the world calls Pride Decency but God calls it an abomination The world calls Covetousnesse Good-husbandry but God calls it the root of all evil The Masse with all its Superstitious rites Antichrist calls it Divine Service but God saith In vain doe yee worship me teaching for Doctrines the Precepts of men Satan loves not to have Sin goe bare-faced and therefore he usually puts a fair Glove upon a foul hand and calls Vice by the name of Vertue But God hath cursed those that call evil good Isa. 5.20 many think they highly please God and doe him abundance of service by their Superstitious Self-conceited worship but he tells them here it is their sin and shame so to doe So true is that of our Saviour Luke 16.15 That which is highly esteemed in the sight of carnal superstitious men is an abomination in the sight of God 3 Mixture in Gods Worship is a God-provoking Sin When we are partly for God and partly for Baal partly for Christ and partly for Calves at Dan and Beersheba this mingle-mangle and Linsi-woolsie-religion is very displeasing unto God and ruined Israel here They pretended that they Worshipped the true God in and by those Idols which they sware by but because God had commanded them no such way of Worship he utterly disclaims it and severely punisheth them for their pains 2 King 17.33 34. those that are said to fear the Lord and yet serve their owne gods in the very next verse are said Not to fear the Lord. 4 We may not swear by Idols It is a Deifying of them hence the Lord threatens to punish those that swear by them that are no gods Ier. 5.7 Zeph. 1.5 we may not swear by Creatures Matth. 5.34 35 36. Iam. 5.12 nor by any fictitious gods at Dan and Bethel as many Popish ignorant persons amongst us doe when they swear Ber Lady Ber Lakins by St. Anthony by S. Gys by the Masse by Cock by my Fay by my Feiks by my Feikins by my Truly c. All these are Oathes by Idols and by Creatures which our jealous God will not brook at our hands you may mock men with them but God will not be mocked his Curse will seize upon the houses where such swearers dwell Zach. 5.3 We all professe our selves to be worshippers of the true God yet our swearing by them that are no gods is a kind of renouncing the true God by whom only we should swear as him only we should serve God is very tender of his owne Glory and will not suffer it to be given to others Hence wee are so oft commanded when we swear to swear only by the name of the true and living God Deut. 9.13 10.20 Psa. 63. ult Isa. 45.23 65.16 Ier. 12.16 Oathes are one special part of Divine Worship wherein God is glorified in his Attributes of Omnisciency Omni-presence Omnipotence c. We beleeve that he knowes our hearts and is able to punish us if we perform not our Oathes or swear falsly and to this end we call upon him when wee swear Hence Isaiah Propheâ—ying of the calling of the Aegyptians to the faith tells us that in that day five Cities in Aegypt shall speak the Language of Canaan and shall swear by the Lord of Hosts that is they shall shew that he is their God by their swearing by his name Isa. 19.18 5 Superstition is a toylsome thing They goe here to Dan and Beersheba from the North to the South all the Land over after Idols 1 King 12.30 what pains and Peregrinations doe the Papists take in Journies Whippings and other kinds of Will-worship yet many amongst us will scarce goe out of their doors to hear the Gospel of Salvation Blind Idolaters shall rise in Judgment against the men of this Generation who take more pains in going to Hell than many doe for Heaven 6 Great Cities many times are the Seminaries of great Sins The Idolatry which over-spread all Israel is laid here at Samarias door which was the chief City of the Land and the place of the Kings residence from hence as from a fountain all the streams of Prophanenesse Superstition and Idolatry over-spread the Land here it was practised maintained and upheld and therefore Princes and Rulers should have a special care to keep the great Cities of the Land pure that they may be patterns of Piety and Looking-glasses by which the Country round about them may dresse themselves for such as the Mother such usually are the Daughters 7 Idolaters shall be utterly ruined They shall be at last so broken that they shall never rise more A good man may fall into afflictions and trouble seven times in a day yet he riseth again but the wicked shall fall into mischief irrecoverably and never rise more as the Antithesis implies Prov. 24.16 Iob fell into deep distresse yet at last he rose again and his latter end was better than his beginning Iob 42.12 but the wicked are broken as with an Iron Rod and dasht in peices like a Potters Vessel which can never be sodred together again Psal. 2.9 God strikes them through the gall so that all the Physitians in the world cannot heal them Iob 20.25 AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS UPON The Ninth Chapter of Amos. VERSE 1. I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar and hee said Smite the lintel of the door that the posts may shake and cut them in the head all of them and I will slay the last of them with the sword hee that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered IN this last Chapter which contains the last Vision and Prophecy of the destruction of Iudah and Ierusalem wee have the summe and substance of the seventh Sermon of the Prophet Amos which consists of three parts 1. A Commination 2. A confirmation of that Commination 3. A Mitigation or Qualification of this Commination with Evangelical promises of consolation and restauration So that this Chapter consists both of Law and Gospel of judgement and mercy which is the best mixture that a Prophet of God can use because all ingenuous natures are wrought upon either by judgements or mercies and those that neither of these can work upon are desperate 1. Here is a continuation of Gods Commination by way of Type or Vision wherein we have 1. The Vision propounded viz. the smiting of the lintel of the Temple door that the
posts might shake Denoting thereby the certainty of their ruine and transportation without any possibility of escaping 2. The Vision is expounded vers 1. where we have 1. The persons that shall be cut off and those are the body of the people the generality of the Land both great and small as all had sinned so all must now suffer for sin 1. He commands Smite them in the head that is cut off Kings Princes and Priests both in Israel and Iudah 2. Rest not there but slay the rest of them with the sword that is cut-off the inferiour sort 3. Here is the certainty and inevitableness of their suffering confirmed by Arguments drawn first from the Omnipresence of God no place what ever can protect a sinful people from his revenging hand and this is set forth 1. Generally vers 1. Hee that flyeth shall not flee away and hee that escapeth shall not bee delivered There is no escaping when God pursues 2. By a notable enumeration of some particular places shewing that they should not escape though they hid themselves 1. In Hell vers 2. 2. In Heaven 3. In the tops of inaccessible mountains vers 3. 4. In the bottome of the Sea 5. In Captivity Though they went into banishment out of their own Land yet there the Lord would command the sword and it should slay them vers 4. So that they were safe neither at home nor abroad neither in their own Land nor in strange Countries 4. Their total overthrow is further confirmed by Arguments drawn 1. From the anger of God vers 4 8. I will set mine eyes upon them for evil 'T is a Metaphor from men in whom the anger of the heart discovers it self in the eyes and face 2. From the might and majesty of God who hath power to punish them and this power is set forth 1. By his Titles Hee is the Lord God of hosts vers 5. 2. By the effects of his power 1. If he but touch the Land it shall melt vers 5. with a touch he can destroy a Land and turn it into us first Chaos 2. He can bring an overflowing flood upon it that shall quickly over-run all vers 5. 3. By his work of Creation 1. In Heaven 't is hee that builds the stories of Heaven By his power and wisdome hee created the Heavens and the several sphears and regions of the Air as so many stories one above another vers 6. 2. In the earth he hath founded his Troops in the earth vers 6. He hath variety of creatures as so many Troops on earth ready prest to serve him and execute his commands they are all his servants Psal. 119.91 3. In the Sea He calleth for the waters of the Sea and they presently cover the face of the earth vers 6. By all which he proves himself to be The Great Iehovah of all the world 5. He confirms the certainty of their destruction from the sinfulness of their condition As first They were dis-ingenuous and ungrateful whereas he had brought them up out of the Land of Egypt and made them his Israel yet they behaved themselves more like Ethiopians than Israeliteâ— and therefore as they had been like to Heathens in sinning so now they should be like them in suffering vers 7. 2. They were very secure and regardless of Gods threatnings contemning the warnings of Gods Prophets and therefore the Lord threatens that they should fall by the sword vers 10. 3. The Prophet having before used Driving Motives drawn from the Judgements of God comes now to Drawing Motives taken from the mercies and comfortable promises of God Before he had brought them to Mount Ebal the Mount of cursing but now he brings them to Mount Gerizim the Mount of Blessing Before he tried them with legal Menaces and dreadful Comminations now he closeth his Prophecy with Gospel-mercies and Evangelical consolations 1. He tells them that an elect remnant should be saved in the midst of these calamities till better daies should come under the Gospel Though the Lord were resolved to punish the body of that rebellious Nation yet he would not utterly destroy them all but would preserve some because of his Covenant and though they might be fifted tossed and tried with many afflictions and go into captivity as well as others yet not one grain should fall to the ground nor any one of Gods elect perish eternally vers 8 9. 2. Here is the happy Restauration of the Church in Gospel-times set forth 1. Under the type of raising up the Tabernacle of David which is fallen vers 11. Though the house of David and the men of Iudah and Israel were sorely shattered and sunk very low by reason of their captivity and other miseries which lay upon them so that they were like a Tabernacle fallen down or a Garden laid open the fence being broken down yet in Christ the true heir of David it should in Gospel-times be restored and repaired 3. According to the custome of the Prophets in Old-Testament times he prophesieth of the glory and happiness of the Church which he sets forth by the magnificence and affluence of outward blessings typifying thereby those spiritual mercies which God would give to the elect remnant after their sufferings 1. He promiseth that the Nations should be subdued under them and their bounds should be inlarged by taking in the Gentiles in these Gospel-times into communion with them vers 12. 2. Great plenty in their fields and Vineyards vers 13 14. 3. Re-edifying of their ruined Cities vers 14. 4. Returning from captivity and banishment and re-establisment in their own Land in despight of all their enemies vers 15. Object But 't is impossible that ever such things should be effected Answ. To men who are led by sense and carnal reason these things may seem impossible but to the Almighty all things are possible Now 't is he that undertakes the work and 't is he that will effect it in his due time 'T is I that will bring them again and I will plant them in the Land that I have given them even I will do this saith the Lord Almighty who am Thy God in covenant with thee VERSE 1. I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar c. THe destruction of this people was shadowed out before by four visions This is the fifth and last by which the Prophet confirms that Commination which he had publisht in the precedent chapters The better to confirm the truth and authority of what he should speak he begins first with his usual Preface Amos 1.1 8.1 I saw the Lord the King of Kings and supream Monarch of all the world whom Israel and Iudah have provoked to wrath with their Idolatry him I say I saw in a trance or Prophetical vision standing which implies two things 1. That he was ready to depart from this rebellious people his gracious presence should now no longer abide amongst them 2. Stat ut vindex he stands ready to pronounce the
we do the works of Abraham Iohn 8.39 Rom. 9.7 8. Let our Ancestors be never so gracious unless we follow their gratious example and walk in their steps we are no better in Gods esteem than Ethiopians and out-casts yea the piety of predecessors is so far from justifying any in their sins that it aggravates them in that they had such good patterns set before them and yet they would not follow them A Noble Pedigree is little worth where the line of well-doing continues not and 't is much more glory to begin the honour of ones house than either to end it or not encrease it What did it profit Châ—m that he was the Son of Noah or hurt Abraham that his Father Terah worshipped Gods of Clay or hurt Timothy â—hat he was born a Gentile Honesty how mean soever the birth be knows no disgrace The Prince of Satyrists though a Heathen yet hath spent a whole Satyr to very good purpose against those that boast of their Noble Pedigree when themselves have nothing that is truly Noble in them 2. Priviledges abused increase wrath Mat. 11.20 21 22 23. Rom. 2.9 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4 5. Heb. 2.1 2 3. When men ungratefully abuse their mercies and the God of their mercies 't is just with God to strip them of those mercies But of this at large elsewhere 3. Sin debaseth a people and makes glorious Nations like to unglorious and contemptible Heathens Whilst Israel walked up to his priviledges he was exalted but when he offended in Baal and fell to Idolatry he died and lost his reputation with God and Man both at home and abroad Hos. 13.1 Ezek. 16.3 4. The changes in Nations aud translating of Kingdomes from one to another are not casual but providential There is the finger of God in them all 'T is he that destroyed the Canaanites and brought in Israel 'T is he that cast out Israel and brought in the Assyrian he rooted up Iudah and brought in the Chaldean and rooted up the Chaldeans by the Medes and Persians and brought the Philistines and Syrians out of Caphtor and Kir He puts down one and sets-up another in the Throne and none may say unto him What dost thou Deut. 2.21 4.21 5. External favours and deliverances are no Arguments of Gods internal love and favour to a people Uncircumcised Philistines and Idolatrous Syrians may be delivered from a Caphtor and a Kir and yet these preservations may be to them but reservations to greater wrath Pharaoh was delivered from many plagues yet his heart being hardened at last hee perisht in the Sea All things come alike to all and there is no judging of Gods favour by these external things Eccles. 9.1 2. The Sun of prosperity shines as well on the barren Wildernesse as upon the fruitful Pastures VERSE 8. Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful Kingdome and I will destroy it from off the face of the Earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Iacob saith the Lord. THe Prophet goes on in the confirmation of what he had denounced against Israel by an Argument drawn from the Justice of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity with the least approbation and who will not acquit persons or Kingdomes that persevere in their wickednesse Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful Kingdome to punish and destroy it In the words wee have 1. A note of Attention Behold 2. The matter to be attended and that is 1. A judgement threatned God will destroy Israel from the Superficies on face of the earth that is he will extinguish their memorial from amongst men and root them out of the world so that they shall never have more the face of a Nation upon Earth The like expression we have Exod. 32.12 Deut. 6.15 Warnings could not mend them now Judgements shall rid the world of them 2. Here is the reason why the Lord will thus destroy them and that is because they are a sinful Kingdome or as the words are in the fountain they are a sinning Kingdome a Kingdome even composed of sin and drowned in iniquity A Kingdome that sinned not through weakness but wilfulness whose sins were not infirmities but enormities They fell not by the violence of temptation but 't was their trade to be sinning they were wholly given up to it both Superiours and Inferiours had for many years been a race of Idolaters persisting obstinately in their wicked waies no wooing nor warning no mercy nor menaces could work upon them they were incorrigible and incurable and therefore the Lord now resolves to ease himself of them Quest. But who is meant here by the sinful Kingdome A. Some conceive that by Kingdome here is meant any sinful Kingdome indefinitely but I conceive that Amos being sent more especially to prophesie against the Idolatry of the Kingdome of Israel doth directly and primarily speak against the Idolatry of the Kingdome of Israel for Idolatry is called The sin by way of eminency as I have shewed before on Amos 8. ult now Israel persevering as in other sins so especially in this great sin of Idolatry is here called Mamlachah Hachattaah Hoc regnum peccans this sinful Kingdome the article Ha is emphatical and the Text saith not Mine eyes are upon a sinful Kingdome indefinitly but upon This sinful Kingdome viz. of Israel and then secondarily it includes the Kingdome of Iudah which had deeply corrupted it self and not long after they also were carried Captives to Babylon 3 Here is the certainty of the judgement The Eyes of the Lord are intent upon them for this purpose see Vers. 4. before he hath set his face in anger against them to destroy them 4 Here is a mitigation or qualification of the Threatning Yet he will not utterly destroy the house of Iacob but in the midst of judgement he will remember mercy and having purged out the dross and destroyed the prophane body of the people and rebellious rout he will preserve the penitent as a remnant for himself according to his promise made of old to Abraham Isaac and Iacob Lev. 26.40 41 42. Though the Lord beat Heathenish Nations to dust and stock up the wicked root and branch and though Israel deserved a total destruction yet for his own Name sake he will not deal so with his Church and chosen he never utterly destroyes them but leaves some remnant to praise him and to shine like lights in the midst of a perverse people and if he do bring them into Captivity yet a remnant both of Israel and Iudah shall return again according to that precious promise Ier. 30.3.10 â—o the dayes come that I will bring again the Captivity of my people Israel and Judah saith the Lord and will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers and they shall possess it This was fulfilled when a remnant of Israel returned out of Assyria and
slaine the rest shall goe into captivity and banishment which is a civil death or which is worse they shall dye Gladio Spirituali saith Mercer by the sword of the Spirit being blinded and rejected of God so that they cannot repent But this though it be a truth yet not from this text 2 Here are the Persons upon whom this Judgement shall fall and those are Sinners all the sinners that are impenitent Idolatrous presumptuous sinners especially Idolaters those sinners with a witness and such was the body and bulk of this people All those be they high or low superiours or inferiours first or last they shall fall by the sword since they will not beleeve Gods Word they shall feel his Rod. Obj. But we are the Lords People by external profession by Covenant and by visible Adoption A. Be it so yet all the sinners of my people by profession since they contemn the counsel of my Prophets and persist in their loose conversation shall perish in their sin 3 Here is a further Character of them or another brand set upon them whereby they may be known and that is their security and incredulity in sleighting and contemning both God and his threatnings They say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us See how diametrically opposite they are to God The Lord sayes the evil of punishment shall come upon them They say the contrary This evil and calamity shall not come upon us at least It shall not overtake us or antâ—cipate and prevent us that is either it shall not come or it shall not come in our dayes but when we are dead and gone or if it doe come yet it shall not come upon us it shall not come neer us to surprize us They thought themselves priviledged from such perils and that they should never seize on them But what saith the Lord to all this why he cannot bear with such high and horrid contempt of him and his Word and therefore he tells them plainly that all those incorrigible and incurable Sinners should fall by the sword since they say This evil shall not overtake us therefore it shall overtake them and destroy them OBSERVATIONS 1 Carnal security ends in misery When once men begin to put the evil day farre from them and sing a Requiem to their Souls then comes sudden and swift destruction Isa. 28.15 17 18. Ier. 2.35 5.11 12 13. there we have their security and Vers. 14 15 16 17. the punishment follows So Mat. 24.48 49. see their security and vers 50 51. the punishment follows When people are secure and incredulous and will not hear they shall be made to feel the truth of the Threatnings as Lots Sons-in-law that would not beleeve were burnt to ashes Gen. 19.14 yet the world abounds with such tell the Idolater the Oppressor the Fornicator c. of Judgements ready to seize upon them and they are ready to mock and say Let the day of the Lord come that we may see it Isa. 5.19 Ier. 17.15 so they shall to their sorrow Deut. 29.19 20. Amos 5.18 2 No priviledge can preserve an impenitent Idolatrous people from ruine No though they be my people yet if my people will not walk in my wayes but will rebel against me even the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword But of this oft before VERSE 11. In that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it as in the dayes of old WEE are now come to the Third and last general part of this Chapter and that is consolatory containing many precious Promises concerning the Kingdom of Christ and the restauration and inlargement of the Church in the dayes of the Messiah The Prophet before had been Minatory terrifying them with many dreadful comminations of desolation and utter ruine for their Apostasie and rebellion but now that his Sun might not set in a Cloud hee concludes all with most sweet Evangelical consolations for the refreshing of the remnant of the Elect under those sad Calamities which for many years they lay under To this end he assures them that though all at present were in confusion and the house of David lay in the dust yet the Lord who usually brings lâ—ght out of darkness and comfort out of discomfort would in the conclusion restore the Kingdom unto Israel and make up all their losses in a better kind with spiritual blessings And this was the frequent practice of the Prophets to intermixe comforts with their Threatnings the very first Judgment that was pronounced against fallen man was allayed with a Promise presently annexed 1 They used to awaken and humble their Hearers with terrours and threatnings and then to raise them up again with consolations especially with the promises of the Messiah who was the salvation and consolation of Israel yea the joy and desire of all Nations Hag. 2.8 in whom all the Promises were ratified and confirmed 2 Cor. 1.20 Both Israel and Iudah were falling into a very forlorn scattered sad condition the Prophet therefore to keep the godly amongst them from sinking into utter despair comforts them with this that in the midst of judgement God would remember mercy being ever mindful of his Covenant and though he punisht them for their transgressions yet in due time he would send the Messiah with healing under his wings mongst them Some goe about to confine this glorious Prophesie to Hezekiahs time when Senacherib and his Host was slain Others refer it to the times when Iudah returned out of their Babylonish Captivity in the reign of Cyrus King of Persia when they repaired the ruines of Ierusalem But the text is clear against this for those were but poor sleight slender restaurations comparatively with this For 1. but a remnant came out of the Babylonish Captivity and those poor and low and farre fewer of Israel returned out of Assyria But the restauration here spoken of is most ample and glorious as appears by those high and Hyperbolical expressions of possessing all Nations and the Mountains dropping wine and the Hills running with Milk and Honey and all Israel returning out of Captivity It is therefore confest by all even by some of the Iewes themselves that these Promises have relation to Christ and should be fulfilled in Gospel-times according to that Apostolical allegation and interpretation of this very Text by Saint Iames in the Synod at Ierusalem Acts 15.16 17. After this I will return and build again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down that is the Church of God in which Christ the Son of David should dwell and reign it should be repaired and restored by the Messias and I will build again the ruines thereof viz. by planting in it the beleeving Iewes and bringing in the Gentiles as living stones in the stead of the unbeleeving Jewes That the residue of men may seek the Lord that is
not only the Iewes but all other Nations The Apostle Iames following the Septuagint speaketh the same sense though not the very same words The Prophet saith the Gentiles shall be called and he instanceth in the residue of Edom but Iames here speaks more generally and saith all the Gentiles which includes Edom shall seek after the Lord. In these five last Verses of this Chapter we have a notable Prophesie of glorious things to come and a cluster of precious Promises no lesse than five 1 Here is a Promise of the restauration of Davids Kingdome 2 Of the calling of the Gentiles 3 Of the abundance of Spiritual gifts which should be in Christs Kingdom typisied by the abundance of Corn and Wine 4 Of the gathering of the Captives from banishment into the Kingdom of Christ. 5 Of protection from their enemies and perpetual habitation in their own Land VERSE 11. In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen c. THis general Promise is pregnant and contains many particular branches within it 1 The Lord promiseth that he will build up the Tabernacle of David which is fallen 2 He will close up the breaches thereof 3 He will raise up his ruines 4 He will build it as in the dayes of old 5 Here is the Time when all these glorious things shall bee accomplished and that is In illo die In that day viz. in that glorious day of the Gospel when Christ the Son of righteousness should come into the world In that day of Salvation in that day of Light and Grace when the substance should come and the shadowes be gone in those glorious Gospel-times should this glorious restauration and reparation of the house of David come by Christ Or in that day say some of Israels deep distresse and sad Captivity will I arise and raise them out of the dust That Christ should come in the flesh the Prophets had assured them but of the punctual day and year when he should come they were uncertain and therefore the Prophets made diligent search as farre as they might with sobriety into this Mystery 1 Pet. 1.11 this made them speak so modestly and generally In that day or in that time for it is an usual Hebraism to put a day indefinitly for time as Hos. 2.21 Ioel 3.1 which was fore-told by the Prophets Gen. 49.10 Isa. 11.1 Dan. 9.24 and appointed by God when the fulnesse of time should come Gal. 4.4 then would the Lord raise up the Tabernacle of David which was fallen q. d. In the dayes of the Messiah I will restore the Kingdom of David and make that which was before a temporal and mutable Kingdome to become a Spiritual and eternal Kingdom and let this Rule be remembred once for all That these promises of temporal blessings must be understood Spiritually they must not be taken literally for the setting up of any earthly external pompous Kingdome in the Posterity of David such a one as the Iewes look for Acts 1.6 and the Millenarians fancy to themselves who take this Text in the Letter for building of fine Houses and plenty of Corn and Wine and delighting themselves with the Quintessence of the Creature whereas it is usual with the Prophets in the Old Testament to shadow forth Spiritual blessings by Temporal things and this the Lord did the better to work upon the Iewes who were a carnal rude rugged people and not so easily wrought upon by Spiritual blessings as by Temporal and visible ones so that as the Legal threatnings were usually of Temporal Judgements though they comprehended Spiritual ones also Deut. 28.16 17 18 c. so the Promises under the Law were usually of Temporal blessings though they included Spiritual ones also But the Gospel proclaims Spiritual mercies which are more noble and divine for though peace and plenty are the Concomitants of the Gospel yet these are poor uncertaine things compared with Covenant-Mercies which are called sure Mercies Isa. 55.3 Besides Christs Kingdome is not of this world his Kingdome is not meat and drink Rom. 14.17 but it is a Spiritual kingdome and so must be taken here This Kingdome Christ will restore when he shall gather his Church out of Iewes and Gentiles in which Church there shall bee greater glory than ever David or Solomon had though in respect of outward splendor it be lesse yet in respect of inward glory it shall excel Hag. 2.9 Let us take the Text in the Letter and see what absurdities will follow 1 If you take this building of the Tabernacle of David for a restoring of the Kingdome of Israel to its former pomp and power and for the subduing of Edom and other Nations by the Sword and that they should never be rooted out of their owne Land c. See how all these things are contradicted For 1 When they returned out of Babylonish Captivity they had indeed a Kingdome but it was a poor torn contemptible one 2 They were so farre from reigning over Edom and the other Nations that they were Tributary a long time to the Medes and Persians to the Aegyptians and Syrians and at last were brought under the Roman yoke Herod the Asclonite tyrannizing over them even when Christ was born and at last for rejecting Christ and Crucifying the Lord of Glory their City and Temple was destroyed and themselves despersed like Vagabonds over the whole World and so have continued this sixteen hundred years so that literally this Text was never yet fulfilled nor ever will be whatever vaine men may fancy But let us take the words in a Spiritual sense in reference to Christ who hath indeed repaired the ruines of the House of David by sending his Apostles to preach the Gospel thorow the world and to gather Iewes and Gentiles into the unity of his Church and so erecting to himself an everlasting Kingdome according to that of the Angel Gabriel Luke 1.32 33. He shall be great and he shall be called the Son of the most high and he shall sit upon the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever These words are an excellent Comment upon the text The Lord shall give him the throne of his father David that is Christ shall have a Spiritual Kingdome over his Church whereof Davids worldly Kingdome was a Type and he shall be a Spiritual King over the spiritual house of Iacob for ever Thus you see it is a Spiritual raising up of the decayed Tabernacle of Iacob and not any Temporal one that is here spoken of and this Spiritual sense St. Iames confirms in the fore-mentioned place Acts 15.7 13. to 17. where he proves the conversion of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel from this very text in Amos and this will better appear when we come to ver 12. Now whether shall we beleeve Saint Iames who saith that this text in Amos relates to Christ and to the conversion
the true Sabbath of rest unto the Lord in that seventh part of the time of the worlds duration All worldly strength wâ—sdome power shall then as the walls of Jericho fall flat before Iesus the true Joshua and these true Israelites as having been by them compassed about six dayes and now on the seventh a thousand years being with the Lord as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 making way for the end mentioned 1 Cor. 15.24 so that now men may know when the Day of Judgement shall be viz. about four hundred and forty years hence But how doth Sir H. prove all these high-flown Notions why ipse dixit he that never erred sayes it witness our self at W. It will be the wisdome of those in authority speedily to suppress such real Fanatical opinions else Hae nugae seria fient These trifles may become troubles If any shall take offence at my plaineness against these loose Principles I shall answer with Bernard Malo in me murmur hominum quam in Deum bonum est mihi si Deus me utatur pro clypeo FINIS A Table of the Principal things contained in this Commentary A. Pages AFflictions come from God 517 518 552 and lead to God 371 Angels their Office 517 Apathy condemned 327 Application necessary 108 308 Assurance attainable 208 Almes how to be given 43. Motives to it 31 32. Gavils answered 37 c. B. BEauty is vanity 499 Beggars lusty not to be releeved 51 52 Beleeve we are slow to it 337 Bethel what it was 21 Bribery base 12. 190 Burial decent a mercy 344 Burnt-offerings what they were 231 C. Carmel what it was 523 Carnal confidence vain 295 Carnal security dangerous 303 304 Children fare the worse for wicked Parents 16 17 Churches how holy 25 Church Musick a Novelty 314 Church must be dear to us our love to it rewarded 327 Cities ruined by Sin 100 299 Come every wicked man hath his come 13. and good men should have their come ibid. Company of the wicked to bee shunned 24 Conversion the end of correction 65 Consideration how necessary 298 299 Covetous men are carnal 468 469 Creature is vanity 356. How to improve it to Gods glory 536 Curiosity to be shunned 503 D. DArkness what it signifies 217 224 Decrees of God abide 340 Despair the wicked doe so 347 Drinking put for feasting 8 Duties daily to be practised 29 E. ELection free 568 Englands Mercies 67 Epicurism vile 308 Evil shun it 204 205 Examples of Saints abused 317 Examples of great men when wicked do much hurt 10 Extremity Gods people oft brought to it 373 F. FAmine a sad Iudgement 61 62. what Sins bring it 62. famine of the Word most sad 489 Feasting when unlawful 322 323 Family-duties to be set up 30. false Prophets enemies to the true Chap. 7.10 Obs. 1 Fear proper to wicked men 19 Few are saved 569 Flying will not avail the wicked 518 521 523 222 223 Free-will we have lost 105 153 Fruit lost by sin 80 G. GAtes how used 179 180 God is Omnipotent 125 585 fear him 125 127. a fix fold comfort in it 126 127 He is Omniscient 11 12 189 He is just 384. hee is most High 135 136. most Holy 15. Good 204 Patient 353 Lord of Hosts 137 337. Hee is the saddest enemy 524 525. if he be against us all is against us 148. his special presence the glory of a place 205. Hee is merciful 100 108 Gilgal what it is 22 26 Gods Worship wearisome to wicked men 464 465 Godly vilified 469. they are Gods graine 552 Good things must be often pressed 209 Good intentions no warrant for evil actions 27 Godly not seditious but peaceable proved at large Chap. 7. Vers. 10. Obs. 4. H. Hâ—rdened Sinners are incurable 65 66 100 101 Heart searcht by God 127 128 130 Holy Ghost is God 120 Hope upholds us 211 Humiliation goes before consolation 564 Hypocrites are Ceremonious their service no service 57 67 347 I. Idolatry brings Iudgements 74. it is a great Sin 502. it is a flesh-pleasing sin 59. it is very dangerous 253 254 458 Jehovah what it notes 136 Ingratitude vile 295 Instruments God wants not to doe his work 8 Ironies lawful 24 Mr. Jones his bounty 47 Judicial Astrology vile 72 73 Judgements seldome goe alone 340. they usually begin at Gods house 514. wee are slow to beleeve them 15. God hath variety of them 74 75 78 79 302. they are gradual ch 7. v. 8 Judgements on others must make us fear 298 299 The Iudgement of God differs from mans judgement 503 Justice God delights in it 239 how it must be performed 240 when perverted it is a crying sin 353 354 Ivory much used by the Iewes 306 307 Judge our selves we must 346 L. LEven how used 55 Legal Promises adumbrate Spiritual Blessings 559 Lesser Iudgements contemned make way for greater 107 Life Spiritual its excellency 158 468 Luxury breeds cruelty 323 M. MAtter 's of moment must bee marked 350 Mercy to the poor our duty 31 c. at large Mercies abused provoke wrath 26 Mercy and Iudgement mixt 546 Mirth of the wicked turned to mourning 331 Ministery is searching 133 322 Ministers must persevere in their Ministery 452. they must preach plainly 253. they must be prudent 371 Mockers how vile 218 219 Moloch what it was 247 248 Mountains melt when God is angry 530. They are mercies to the world 118 119 Musick abused unlawful 235 310 O. OBedience qualifications of it 58 59 Oppressors rich men many times are such 12 Oppressors of others shall be opprest themselves 15 16 P. Patience in calamities necessary 200 201 346 Perseverance necessary 553 578 Parity of sin brings parity of suffering 83 Persecution dangerous 328 Pestilence comes from God 84. what sins bring it 84 85. a sad Iudgement 86. whether wee may fly from it 87 88. Good men may dye of it 89 Piety brings plenty 574 Places debased by sin 25. shun Idolatrous places 160 Pleasures carnal costly 321 Plots broken by God 128 Poverty the causes of it to be shunned 53 Plaine Preachers disliked c 7 13 Prayer our daily practice 29. it is powerful 109 374. when Argumentative 372. persevere in it 377. short prayer if fervent may prevaile much 378 Praises due to God 58. 357 Preach none may without a Call 8. Preaching to be preferned before Miracles 97 98. it is the Souls food 487. contempt of it brings a famine 488 Priviledges cannot keep off Iudgments 294 337 Presence of God the glory of a place 205 Progenitors though pious cannot avail an impious people 541 Providence governs all 99 100 Proverbial speeches commendable 353 Prudence three-fold 192. Pious men are prudent 196. which appears in eight particulars 197 198 Q. QUakers how vile 57 58 131 Questions how useful 245 R. RAine falls by appointment 71. want of it a Iudgement 70 71 A Remnant saved 547 Relicks of Saints vain 345 Repentance difficult 75. its excellency 113 116
sin yet mourn withall for the hardness of mens hearts so did our Saviour Mar. 3.5 so Lot reproved the Sodomites yet calls them brethren Gen. 19.7 and Moses in his zeal was angry at the people for their Idolatry yet prayes for them Psal. 106. So Amos here sharply inveighs against the sins of this People yet takes up a Lamentation for them Amos 5.1 and here intercedes for them Our zeal must be mixt with love though we may and must sometimes reprove men sharply Titus 1.13 yet must we not forbear praying for them 1 Sam. 12.23 so did the Vinitor intercede for the barren Fig-tree Luke 13.6 7 8 9. every Minister must be Adamas magnes he must harden his face like a flint and have browes of brass to oppose the wicked yet must he withall be a Load-stone by his amiable tender and compassionate carriage to win them to Christ lying in the breach for them and running hazards to save them from destruction Ezek. 22.30 3 As it is the duty of all the godly so especially of Gods Ministers to sympathize with Gods People in their misery and to intercede for them at the Throne of grace We must not only preach but also pray for our people as it is their duty to pray for us 2 Thes. 3.2 3. so it is our duty to pray for them especially in their troubles it is both commanded Joel 1.13 2.17 Ephes. 6.18 and commended to us by the examples of the Saints Abraham intercedes for Sodom Moses for Israel Exod. 32.31 32. Ieremy for the Iewes Jer. 18.20 yea so zealous was he in praying for them that the Lord is faine to bid him hold Ier. 7.16 How earnestly did Paul pray for the Iewes though they were his deadly enemies Rom. 10.1 Phil. 1.4 9. Colos. 1.3 9. 1 Thes. 1.2 As Natural fathers so Spiritual ones in a spiritual sense should lay up a stock of prayers for their People Thus the living are commanded to pray for the living Iam. 5.16 but we have neither Precept nor President of any that ever prayed for the dead now whatsoever is not of faith is sin but such Prayers have no foundation in the Word of God therefore they cannot be of faith Such prayers doe neither avayl the Saints in Heaven nor the Damned in Hell because both have an irrecoverable doome past upon them as is fully proved by a Learned Pen. 4 Our Prayers must be Argumentative Prayers We must stirre up our selves that we may lay hold on God using Arguments to move the Lord to pitty us So doth Amos here and so did Abraham Gen. 18.2 3 c. and Iacob Gen. 32.11 12. and Moses Exod. 32.11 12 13. Ezra 9.9 Neh. 9. Dan. 9. David Psal. 79.6 7. 88.9 to 13. 90.13 14. 130.3 4. especially we should press the Covenant so doth Amos here and David Psal. 74.20 5 In our Prayers we must plead mercy and not merit The Prophet here beggs for pardon and forgiveness because they were low so doth David Psal. 79 8 9. our Merit is Gods Mercy it must needs be so since all our righteousness is as filthy raggs Hence Nehemiah when he had done great things for God yet being conscious to himself of many infirmities he beseecheth the Lord to spare him according to the greatness of his mercy Neh. 13.22 So Daniel a man highly beloved yet beggs for mercy and for pardon Dan. 9.18 23. 6 VVe must be earnest with God for the pardon of our sin So is the Prophet here O Lord I beseech thee pardon the sin of this People He knew right well that sin was the cause of all their sorrow and when this peccant humour was once removed the effect would cease and therefore the Church prayes Take away our iniquity and receive us graciously Hos. 14.2 the godly can bear any suffering but not sin When the Plague lay upon the people David cries Take away the sin of thy Servant and then the Plague will cease 7 Gods owne people by profession may be brought to a very low condition both in Temporals and Spirituals So it was with Israel here which made the Prophet question By whom shall he arise He was brought so low that thee could neither raise himself neither was there any other that could help him up their strength was so exhausted that there was no visible effectual means of their restauration We may say of all Creature-comforts as Iob said of Wisdome Iob 28.12 13 14. Where shall Wisedome be found the Earth saith it is not in me and the Depth saith it is not in me c. so where shall ayd in troublous times be found The Earth saith It is not in me Friends say It is not in us and Riches say It is not in us c. It is only to be found in the Almighty we are never so little or low but he can help us there is nothing too high or too hard for him though Salvation be not in our Hills yet it is in Gods hand Ier. 3.23 he is the Lord of Hosts and hath all power at command and therefore the Prophet betakes himself to his Prayers as his best refuge O Lord I beseech thee spare thy people This is one reason why the Lord lets things run to extremity that he may drive us to our Prayers as we may see in Hesters case Now if ever we would raise a Land out of the duâ—t 1 We must raise our Prayers be servent in them it is none but wrastling Iacobs that shall become prevailing Israels Hos. 12.4 2 Raise your Faith this layes hold on God and ingageth him in the Quarrel whilst Creatures oppose Creatures they may make some resistance but when Omnipotency comes against impotency there is no abiding See what great things faith hath done Heb. 11. 3 Raise your Holiness grow therein be holy in all manner of conversation God never yet destroyed an holy obedient people such holy ones are the glory of a Land and upon all this glory there shall be a defence Isa. 4.5 VERSE 3. The Lord repented for this It shall not be saith the Lord. HEre we have the success and good effect of the Prophets Prayer he prayes in faith and is heard the Lord holds his hand and saith it shall not be so willing is the Lord to be intreated for to spare his Church and People The Lord repented for this He changed not his eternal Decree but suspended the full and final execution of it according to his eternal Decree When God is said to repent it is an usual Anthropopathy and speaking after the manner of men according to our capacity Gen. 6.6 Exod. 32.14 Ier. 26.19 for God is not as man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 and therefore it is added exegetically This shall not be it was no change in God but only a stopping of the execution of the Judgement threatned according to Gods Decree such threatnings being conditional as I have
shewed before what in justice he might have done and have done them no wrong yet such is his Mercy and Clemency that he will not doe it but waits yet longer for their return It shall not be saith the Lord whose word is good security the Locusts shall be recalled they shall not devour Israel I will at thy intercession spare them yet a little longer OBSERVATIONS 1 The Prayers of the faithful are very powerful and succesful The Prophet can but speak here and he presently speeds What is it that Prayer hath not done It is a kind of Omnipotent engine that layes all flat before it if any thing can help at a dead lift it is this or nothing All things are possible to faith no Mountains of dangers fears or difficulties but it removes them Mark 9.23 this binds as it were the hands of God and commands the Commander of all things Isa. 45.11 The effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man how much more of many avayls much Iam. 5.16 to these the Promise runs Psal. 34.17 Ioel 2.17 18. God never sayes to the seed of Iacob Seek my face in vaine Isa. 45.19 The Prayer of an holy Moses Samuel Daniel c. what hath it not done If there had been but ten righteous persons in those five Sodomitical Cities that is but two in a City they had been spared We should therefore love the godly and value them according to their true worth who can doe such great things by their prayers It is the happiness of a Nation to have such men in it praying Saints are the Pillars and Supporters of the world and the blessings of a Land Isa. 19.24 they are such a blessing as preserves all other blessings amongst a people they are the strength of a Land Zach. 12.5 the walls and bulwarks of a place to save such praying holy ones God will destroy both Kings and Kingdoms Isa. 43.3 4. the Lord is alwayes nigh to help and to deliver them Deut. 4.7 they advance Gods Name and set the Crown upon Gods head giving the glory of all they have or can doe to him alone and therefore the Lord delights to make them glorious So that the prayers of good men are very precious things Gen. 20.7 Iob 42.8 Obj. The Prayers of an holy Amos might prevail much but we are no Prophets A. Amos was a man subject to infirmities as we are and he was not heard as a Prophet but for the Promises which all beleevers have interest in as well as Prophets VERSE 4 5 6. Thus hath the Lord shewed me and behold the Lord God called to contend by fire and it devoured the great deep and did eat up a part Then said I O Lord God cease I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small The Lord repented for this This also shall not be saith the Lord God WEE are now come to the second Vision and that is of Fire denoting a greater Judgement than the former Locusts devour but the blade and blossoms but fire consumes both roots and fruits The Lord had wasted many Rods in vaine upon them he now casts them into the fire to see whether that will melt or mend them These three Visions are a kind of Gradation that of the Locusts was sad that of Fire was worse and that of a Plumb-line was worst of all This Vision though it differ in matter yet for method it is alike 1 Here is the Preamble or Preface to the Vision Thus hath the Lord God shewed me 2 Here is the Vision it self with an Ecce in the front of it Behold the Lord God called to contend by fire that is by War which the King of Assyria a fierce enemy should bring upon them 3 Here is the fruit and effect of this fire 1 It devoured the great deep or it devoured a great abyss and depth of waters This fire devoured not only wood and waters above the earth but also the waters inclosed in the hollow parts of the earth from whence fountains and rivers doe issue Gen. 7.11 By this devouring fire most understand the Kingdome of Syria which was laid waft and totally devoured by Tiglath-pileser King of Assyria 2 King 16.9 and by the abyss of waters is here meant multitudes of people as Ezek. 31.4 Revel 17.1 the Whore sits upon many waters that is she hath rule and power over many people 2 After this it did eate up a part and had devoured all but that the Prophet interceded for them or it consumed a peece of the Land or a part of the portion and possession of Gods people By this is understood some part of Israel viz. two Tribes and a half which Tiglath-Pileser carried away Captive into Assyria and thereupon is said to eate up a part of Israel 2 King 15.29 2 Chron. 5.26 Isa. 9.1 2. 3 Here is the Prophets sympathy and sense of this Judgement vers 5. it put him upon Prayer and made him deprecate the averting of it Then said I O Lord God cease I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small It is the very same Prayer and the same Arguments that he used before vers 2. only in the place of forgiving he puts ceasing Cease Lord this thine anger against thy people and the sheep of thy pasture hold thy hand for if thou thus goe on to affict thy people who shall remaine of Iacob surely none at all This â—orbearing being a visible effect of pardon he desires that God would manifest it and so it is the same Prayer in effect with the former 1 Obs. Hence note that it is lawful as occasion requires to pray the same Prayer and use the same Arguments as formerly we have done Amos doth so here and speeds So did Christ Mat. 27.44 he prayed the third time saying the same words this he did out of fervency of spirit 2 Obs. We must persevere in Prayer for the people of God As their misery doth renew so must our Prayers for them be renewed Thus did Amos God threatens a second Judgement and Amos by a second Prayer averts that also The work is good and no difficulties should discourage us The Church is near and dear to God t is his Beulah and Hephzibah Isa. 62.4 his beloved Spouse and we never please him better than when we are importunate with him for Sions good Hence he so oft commands us to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and promiseth that they shall prosper who love it yea he bids us command him when it is for the good oâ— his Sons and Daughters Isa. 45.11 4 Here is the good success and happy issue of his Prayer he obtains his request since it is for Israel that he prayes it is but ask and have By his Prayers and Tears he extinguisheth this fire when nothing else could doe it and gets the Judgement suspended for a time to see if their hard hearts would at length relent and return This may incourage