Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4

CHAP. III.

HEar this word of the Lord against you: because he had spoken of judgments, which none should escape, and men are averse from hearing anything against him, therefore he presseth them to hear this, and the like should every Preacher do, and not forbear to declare the will of God in anything, because the hearer will distaste it.

And what is it that he would have them hear? You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you: Here he speaks to all the tribes of Israel together, which he brought out of Egypt, v. 1. whom only, he saith, he had known peculiarly to choose them, and to do such mighty things for them, and to give them his laws. Of the like comparison, see Ps: 147. 20. whereby we may see, that to live in sin is more heinous in those that are of the Church, then in any other people, and they shall therefore most certainly be [Note.] punished for all their iniquities, so far will it be from being a shelter to such sinners, that they are of the Church, that they shall be punished the more.

Can two walk together except they be agreed? that is, the Prophet cannot walk with God in speaking in his behalf, by threatening judgments against sinners, as he doth, but they might be sure that it was done by the consent and according to the will of God.

Will a Lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey? Here is another similitude to show, that his threatening being according to God's will, is as the Lions roaring, and not as a contemptible man's uttering his voice, of which roaring see before ch. 1. 2. And as the Lion roareth not, but being sure of a prey, so the Lord roareth not by his instrument, a Prophet, but the people against whom, shall surely be made a prey to them, that he shall send out to destroy.

Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? but if a snare be set so cunningly that he cannot escape, then he must needs fall, and till the bird falleth thus, the fowler will not take up the snare that he laid. Now God is the Fowler, of whose snares to take sinners it is spoken Psal. 11. and the meaning is, if God had not by me his Prophet laid a snare in threatening judgments against you for your sins; ye needed not to fear the coming of such judgments upon you, but now the snare is laid, and shall not be taken up again, till ye be entangled with these destroying judgments, unless ye repent.

Shall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city and the Lord hath not done it? Here is a third similitude tending to express the same, as a trumpet being blown by a potent enemy signifying his entrance into a City to destroy it by his soldiers thus called together and animated to the fight, all the Citizens tremble for fear, so the Lord sounding an alarm by the trumpet of his Word, it stands the people in hand, against whom, to tremble and seek to make pecce with him with speed. And if they do not so, but harden their hearts, and evil betides them, they must not count it a casualty, but a judgment justly sent by God for their neglecting of his voice; see the like to this before, Isaiah 45. 7. touching God's making of evil, that is not sin, but the evil of destruction coming for it.

Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets. This is added for explication and confirmation of that which went before: for having said, there is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done, and before spoken of the Lions roaring, the snare laying and trumpet sounding to war and bloodshed, hereby is all explained, that the Lord was meant in all the former passages as hath been said, for he doth those things, and agreeth with his Prophets to publish them: and confirmed, because his Prophets denouncing judgments speak by revelation from God, and not of their own heads. Before such revelations they are secrets, and it is unknown what kind of evil, or by what means it shall come upon a wicked people, but such is God's candor in his dealing with them, that he will not bring it till the Prophets be acquainted therewith, that they may first denounce it, which is also partly done to grace his Prophets by thus making them of his privy council, as of old he did Abraham.

The Lion roareth, who can but tremble? the Lord hath spoken, who can but Prophesy? Here by the Lion again is meant the Lord, whose threatenings by his Prophets, should make all men to tremble, and when he speaketh by revealing his will to any man, commanding him to declare it to others; no man may refrain from prophesying, whatsoever danger through men's tyranny comes of it, when Jonah did otherwise, we see, in what danger he himself was, and Ezek. 3. the watchman not speaking as he is bidden, must answer for the blood of others, and Jeremy 1. 17. Speak all that I bid thee (saith God) or else I will slay thee.

Publish it in the Palaces of Ashdod, &c. Here to shame the Israelites the more, he calleth the Heathen Philistines and Egyptians together to be spectators of the abominations done in Samaria the head city of the ten tribes, as who should say, that they were so gross, that they exceeded the wickednesses practiced amongst them that were without teaching and all knowledge of the true God. And yet in Ashdod, as Gwalther saith, they were so cross in running to all excess of riot, that at their feasts they used to have a dead man's soull shown, and then it was said, Eat and drink freely, for after death ye shall be such. And if they were so vile and yet Israel exceeded them in wickedness, how vile was Israel, and worthy of most severe judgments? see the like exprobration, Jer. 2. 10, 11. & Mat. 11. & 12. 1 Cor. 5. See the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressions, of which more particularly, ch. 2. 6, 7, 8. and this he calleth violence and robbery in their Palaces, charging them that they knew not to do right, not for want of theorical knowledge, but of an heart well affected, but contrariwise addicted to all evil, the like unto which is said Jer. 4. 22. and he speaks of robbery in their palaces to denote theie Kings and Judges, who are also called for their bribery, companions of theaves, Esa. 1. 23.

An adversary shall be round about thee. Having laid open their gross sinning, now he cometh to show the punishment, which should be such, that which way soever they made account to escape, their hopes of so doing should be vain.

For first, if by fleeing, he saith, that enemies should compass them round about.

2. If they confided in their palaces or fortifications, he saith, thy palaces shall be spoiled, and in further amplifying the same, v. 15. I will smite the winter house, and the summer house, and the houses of ivory, and the great houses.

3. To express further their great destruction, if they should trust to their multitudes of people, he saith: As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the Lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell as Samaria, of the corner of a bed, or at Damascus, out of a couch, that is, they shall be destroyed, as sheep by a Lion who having killed and eaten what he listeth of them, the shepherd coming findeth nothing but fragments, all the sheep being destroyed, so that of great multitudes he hereby showeth, that they should be brought to nothing, only as the shepherd coming after such destruction takes up these parts, hereby to show, how many sheep are destroyed, so he meaneth that nothing shall be left in Israel, but testifications of their ruin, and this should be done by enemies, who should be to them as Lions to sheep.

For, that which is added of a corner of a bed, and a couch; it serves to set forth their security, who notwithstanding the judgments threatened lay sleeping upon their soft beds and couches of ease, as fearing nothing. And Samaria is spoken of, the chief City in Israel for the strength thereof, in which they trusted, counting it impregnable, and therefore slept securely there. And Damascus, because part of Israel's confidence lay in Damascus, that is, the Syrians their confederates, Esa. 7. 1. so Jerome. But Lyra, by the corner of a bed understands some part of Judah, to which the Israelites fled in Hezekiah his time, and by a couch in Damascus, taking Damascus for an appellative signifying victual, some place, where he made provision for such as fled unto him. Some again reading the word Damashcus render it, ta bed, the corner of a bed. But both pervert the meaning, which is, as hah been before said, although I do not think, that a confederacy with the Syrians was in Jeroboams time, any part of the Israelites confidence, but rather their having Syria and Damascus also in their power. For 2 King. 14. 24. Jeroboam their present King is said to have enlarged his Kingdom from the entering in of Hamath to the Sea of the Wilderness, that is, saith Rabanus, all over Syria, see my exposition there. And upon this Gwalther goeth, saying, they had Samaria and Damascus both most strong Cities, and therefore thought themselves invincible, for which they are set forth as sleeping securely in a bed or upon a couch.

I will visit the Altars of Bethel, and the horns of the Altars shall be cut off. This is added to show again, that as God was provoked by other sins in Israel before mentioned, chap. 2. so chiefly by their idolatry with the golden Calf at Bethel, which he would have them take special notice of, and that the idol there should be destroyed, and for the horns of the Altar, they are specially mentioned, as being the most goodly part of it, guilt with silver and gold, and whereupon the blood of their sacrifices was put for expiation of their sins. But hereby it is shown, that this service being contrary to the Word of God, yet by them blindly trusted in, should be so far from profiting them, as that therefore they should be destroyed, and so it shall be with all the superstitions, their pains and cost about divine worship of their own devising in [Note.] stead of saving them shall bring them to ruin.

CHAP. IV.

YEe kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, &c. By the Kine of Bashan here Amos understandeth the Judges and Rulers of Samaria, and he styleth them thus, because that being fed in the fattest pastures, that is, abounding most with wealth, and having the honor to judge and rule over others, they regarded nothing less then to govern well and to judge aright, as being addicted more to their ease, and pleasure and gain, whereby their excess might be maintained, like not Oxen that labor, but Cowes who do nothing but feed and fill their bellies and wax fat against the day of slaughter. For Bashan was a most fruitful place of pasture, and therefore they are compared to Kine there, although dwelling in Samaria, and Bashan was on this side Jordan in the lot of the Reubenites and Gadites. And what is it, that he would have these Kine to hear? ye oppress the poor and crush the needy, and say to their Masters bring wine, whereby the poor the borrower is meant, and by the creditor the Master, the meaning being, that whereas Magistrates are appointed to do justice for the relief of the poor debtor against hard hearted Usurers, they contrariwise fulfilled the desire of such misers to the wronging of such poor, and to make themselves the more merry when they did so, they bad these masters bring wine, as if he should have said, give me a quart or pottle of wine and I will do it for you, according to your desire. Whence note how much rulers degenerate, that are led by covetou • nesse and sensuality [Note.] of men in most eminent place, they thus make themselves very beasts fit for nothing, but when they are grown enough to be butchered. Whereas the Prophet may seem to forget himself much in using such base language to Magistrates, whom all ought to honor and speak reverently to, as to God's Vicegerents. Gwalther answers well. All private men indeed ought to speak to them with reverence, but the Prophet or Minister of God, whose Office is publicly to reprove sin in the highest, is not always bound to go by this Law, but if Rulers be beasts, he may call them beasts, as Christ did Herod a crafty fox, and Jeremy telleth Jehoiakim that he should be buried with the burial of an Ass; and Samuel tells Saul he had done foolishly. But this is rarely to be done, and not without an instinct of the spirit moving hereunto, as we may see in Paul calling Anonias a painted wall, but understanding that he was the High Priest, he confessed his error, and proved, that a Judge may not, much less a King be ordinarily spoken to in [Note.] vilifying words. And therefore they do they know not what, who being private persons, if the Judge or other Magistrate displeaseth them, yea or the King himself, are ready by base language to rail upon them: and it would be be noted, that it was thought a just cause of death in Naboth that he had blasphemed God and the King.

Ye shall go out every Cow at the breach that is before her, and ye shall cast them into the Palace, saith the Lord, the Vulg. ye shall be cast into Armon, that is, saith Lyra a country beyond Assyria, and Heb. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which if it be taken for an appellative, signifieth a palace, otherwise being taken for a proper name, it is Armon, hereby some parts of Armenia being meant, whither the ten Tribes were carried, and have there remained shut up by the mountains ever since. This is also Jeromes, and most probably the true meaning, and if it be rendered Palace, I cannot see, how any good sense can be made, ye shall cast them into the Palace; they that follow this reading, say it is meant, some shall attempt to flee away through the breaches made in the wall of the City by the enemy, but not being able return back to their Palaces seeking by the strength of the place to save themselves. But if he had meant so, he would not have said, ye shall cast them into the Palace, but rather they shall cast them, making them for fear to recoil thither after an attempt to escape away. Besides this exposition is plainly forced, after their going out by the breaches, to say, that they were forced to the Palaces, from which they were quite gone out of the City; wherefore I rest in the former as being without all exception. And then by the former words is meant their being carried away captive through the breaches some after other some, yet not so far distant, but that one saw another, and followed him, as one Cow another being driven through a gate from pasture.

For the words of verse. 2. He will take you away with hooks and your posterity with fish hooks, if we follow this reading, the sense will be plain, the Assyrians shall come as fishers, and take you away as fishes being drawn with fishhooks, against which ye shall have no power, as fishes have not, when the hooks are once fastened in their nosethrils, although they be great and strong. The like metaphor is used in speaking of Sennacherib, I will put an hook in thy nosethrils, and Jer. 16. 16. I will send for many fishers, and they shall fish them: but the Vulgar Latin hath it, Levabo vos in contis & reliquias vestras in ollis ferventibus, expounded by Lyra, I will lift you up by such instruments, as wherewith great burdens are raised, this being spoken of them, that were carried away captive, and I will burn you that remain in your houses. The word rendered contis, but in the New Translation with hooks, signifieth also shields, and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the word here used, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth pricks, and therefore it should as I take it be rendered with shields, as if he had said by armed men, that shall come against you, one piece of armor then in use, the shield being named for all. For the next word, about which the difference is, viz. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly signifying pots of fish, it seemeth, that the Vulg. in rendering it respected rather the sense, then the proper meaning of the words, taking it as meant, that like fishes they should be boiled in pots seething upon the fire, understanding by these pots their houses fired by the enemy wherein many of them died & were consumed to ashes, as fishes would be in a pot being without water set upon a most ardent fire. But forsomuch as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth hooks, and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is not so genuine hereby to render it, wherefore I think it best rather to adhere to Jerome. Now because the Israelites would hardly believe when their Kingdom was so mighty, that it could ever come to this, the Lord here saith, I have sworn by mine holiness, that is, by myself, for the holiness of God is God, and there being no greater then God to swear by he sweareth by himself, that for the Oaths sake they might believe and tremble, and turn from their sins, though otherwise most hard to believe.

Come to Bethel and transgress, and to Gilgal. Here the Prophet proceeds by way of irony, mocking at their superstition in Bethel, about the golden Calf set up by Jeroboam and in Gilgal, of their sinning in which place also see Hos. 4. 15. And in speaking in like manner of their sacrificing, and bringing their tithes thither, whereby they thought, that their sins were explated, he doth by the way tax one abuse in their sacrificing that they used leaven contrary to the Law of God, Exod. 12. and Levite. 2. 11. but this he saith liked them well, being all done against the will and Ordinance of God, who appointed neither Bethel nor Gilgal, but Zion, for the place to bring all Sacrifices and Tithes [Note.] unto. See here the blindness of the superstitious, although they do in way of devotion clean contrary to the revealed will of God in many things, yet they sooth up themselves in an opinion of doing service to God most highly pleasing unto him, as the Papists at this day going to Rome for devotion, especially in a year of Jubilee or to Saints shrines, making offerings there, praying unto them, and serving God by images so flatly forbidden in many places. But the judgment of such followeth, verse. 6. I have given you cleanness of teeth in all your Cities, that is, famine for want of bread, as is further expressed, ver. 7. I have also withholden rain from you, &c. In which words and the words following he showeth what judgments had been by God laid upon them, whereby they should have been converted, as first famine, so that they needed not a toothpicker, as a man doth after that he hath eaten flesh, which is generally by Expositors referred to the famine in Ahab's time, and to that of seven years in Jorams time. 2. Witholding of rain three months before the harvest, whereby both the corn instead of growing to maturity, and abounding became very scaree, and that which was, withered, and their want of water came to pinch them as much as the want of bread, yet that it might appear to have come so to pass by a Divine providence and not by chance, he saith, it rained upon one City and not upon another. And this most probably was in the time of the famine of seven years, 2 King. 8. for when the rain was with held in Ahab's time, there was neither dew nor rain upon any City in Israel. 3. God's smiting them with blasting, and mildew, and the palmer-worm, of which I have spoken upon Jcel 1. 4. I have sent the Pestilence amongst you after the manner of Egypt, Heb. in the way of Egypt, whereupon it is thought, that when they in their straights sought to Egypt for help against their enemies, the Lord thus smote them, although it be nowhere before recorded in the sacred history. 5. His flaying their young men with the sword, and the taking away their horses, whence a stink came up into the nosethrils of the survivors, which most probably is spoken of the great slaughters made amongst them in the days of Jehoahaz, 2 King. 13. 7. when only fifty horsemen were left and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen, the rest being slain and taken, and of these slain ones, the corps lying unburyed stank to their great annoyance. Lastly, his overthrowing of them, as Sodom and Gamorrah, so that they were as firebrands plucked out of the fire: This similitude is used not to show, that Israel was at any time dealt with altogether as Sodom, but that as God was extremely provoked by Sodom, so he was by Israel, and as Sodom was destroyed therefore by fire, so Israel by fire and sword: but whereas none of Sodom were preserved from that common burning, some of Israel were, fifty horsemen, as was said before and ten thousand footmen, and the destruction being so great, it was the singular mercy of God these were preserved, they being here in dealt with as a brand being in the fire, as other wood, but snatched out and so preserved, through his mercy who bare them so great favor. And in conclusion of every of these judgments capitulated he saith, yet they turned not to me. And that they suffered such grievous things, the course of the history in Ahab's time, and in Jeroboams, and in the days of Jehoahaz doth abundantly show.

Therefore I will do thus unto thee (O Israel) and because I will do thus unto thee, prepare to meet thy God. Here followeth the judgment that, was yet to come after all these things suffered which he expresseth not, but as men commonly in making an Oath used of old to say, God do so to me, so the Lord here saith, I will do thus or so to thee, meaning, being yet more severe to the utter rooting of them out without any favor, prepare to meet thy God; which Calvin saith, is taken two ways, either ironically, as if he had said, prepare to go against him if thou canst, and stop the course of his judgments, or seriously be moved by repentance to prevent the evils, that are further coming upon thee; which he rather approveth, as there is good reason: And that they might be the more moved he addeth; He that formeth the mountains and createth the winds, &c. in which words the Almighty power of God is abundantly set forth to move their minds the more to fear and tremble before him. For shall we not fear and turn to him, ceasing by our sins to provoke him, that ruleth over the greatest and mightiest things that are, the high and huge mountains, the boisterous and turbulent winds, against which nothing can stand, for they rend the rocks and mountains, 1 King. 19. he declareth to man what is his thought, by piercing into his heart by his word, so that if any evil thought be in him, his Word as a sword laying it open or entering into it pricks and wounds him, so that when God will he shall have no quiet within, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth. These two are by Lyra expounded of the morning of the Gospel turned into darkness to the Jew, and of the power, which God getteth over Kings and Princes amongst the heathen, hereby making them to prostrate themselves at his feet, this being his treading upon the altitudes of the earth: which exposition although I reject not, as setting forth the allegorical sense, yet the literal meaning is first to be embraced, he turneth comfort set forth by light into sorrow set forth by darkness, to wicked men that go on obstinately in their sins, and treads underfoot the greatest in this world, set forth by high places, that by their wickedness provoke him, be they never so potent, as at the time of speaking, this Jeroboam the King of Israel was, for which he concludeth, saying the Lord of hosts is his name, that no man might harden himself through unbelief saying, how can this be? for how can any potentate of the earth prevent it, seeing he that threateneth it is the Lord of hosts, all creatures both celestial and terrestrial are his armies, whom no force is or can be able to resist.

CHAP. V.

THe Virgin of Israel is fallen. Here the Prophet foreseeing by the spirit the destruction to come upon Israel lamenteth it as Jer. 9. that Prophet doth, and the more because he foresaw not any deliverance to come from her captivity, as to Judah after 70 years, for which he saith, there is none to raise her up, although under the Gospel, as is often said by other Prophets, the time cometh that all Israel shall be saved, as Saint Paul gathereth, Rom. 11.

For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me and ye shall live. Here a remedy yet is prescribed against this misery, and because he foresaw that his exhortation to repentance would not take effect in them, he falleth again to threatening, v. 16, 17, &c. and showeth how unpleasing their devotions were to God, whereby they thought these judgments might be turned away, ver. 21. then exhorting again to righteousness, verse. 24. But because this never took effect with them, he recounteth, to make them the more odious to themselves their abominations past, ver. 25, 26. and concludeth with threatening captivity unto them, v. 27.

Seek not to Bethel, &c. Of Bethel and Gilgal, see before chap. 4. 4. but here Beersheba is also forbidden to be gone unto: for that was another holy place, wherein Abraham worshipped, and dwelt long, Gen. 21. 33. and superstitious men were ready to take such occasions to worship false God's in other places besides that, which was alone appointed, thus committing two sins together, one of idolatry, the other of going from God's injunction in respect of the place. For the last of these none shall have to answer now, but for the former the papists shall have an heavy answer to make, viz. for their idolatry in any place, as this was the sin chiefly laid to the charge of Israel here. And hence it [Note.] appeareth, that they seek God in vain that do it otherwise then he hath prescribed in his holy word: for Bethel shall go into captivity, that is, the Worshippers in Bethel, and Gilgal. Vers. 6. Seek the Lord and ye shall live, lest be break out like fire in the house of Joseph, that is, by bringing the enemy with sword, and fire against Israel, set forth by the house of Joseph, because Ephraim coming of Joseph was the principal tribe of the ten, and none in Bethel shall quench it, that is, your worship exhibited there to idols shall be so far from averting this judgment, as that therefore the flame of that fire shall be more increased, only seeking the Lord by penitent prayer and turning to him shall avert it.

Ye that turn judgment into wormwood: Here he showeth, who should turn, even the most wicked, that hitherto regarded not righteousness, but sitting in the Judgment seat imbittered the causes of the poor by judging against them, thus filling them with bitter sorrow. Vers. 8. That maketh the seven stars and the Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning. That they might the more be moved to seek God, he here speaks more of him to set forth his infinite power and ability at his will to bring enemies upon a land, wherewith he is displeased. His power spoken of first is ordinary, appearing in the stars of heaven and ordering of the days and nights, so that the time which is in winter darkness, in summer is turned into the morning light, which is meant according to Gwalther, when he saith, he turneth the shadow of death into the morning, &c. and contrariwise shortening the days, which were long in summer, he in winter turneth the day, that it is dark as the night long in the morning. And he saith, that in speaking of the seven stars and Orion, all the stars are meant, of which God is the Creator, but these are specially named because in these the power of God specially shineth, for that they always appear and keep their times. Calvin for the seven stars hath Pleiades, and saith some turn it Arcturus, saying that these stars in special are mentioned, because the 7 stars or Pleiades appear against the spring, when mild weather followeth, Orion against winter, when the weather is more turbulent. Some others make them both signs of rain, and stirrers up of winds, they rising both in the North, Orion sometime in September, the 7 stars in the spring, of which also see Job 9. Calling the waters out of the Sea, and pouring them out upon the Earth, that is, exhaling them up in vapors into the air, and thence at his will causing them to descend to water the earth: And here again he concludes the sentence almost as ch. 4. 27. the Lord, or Jehovah is his name, by speaking thus magnifically of God again seeking to strike terror into the wicked, that they might humble themselves before him. For the whole verse, some separate it from the former, as a perfect sentence in itself, and having no coherence, with the former, and so read it in the nominative case, but I prefer reading it rather in the accusative, as cohering with v. 6, 7. according to that which hath been already said.

And hitherto of things ordinary in the course of Nature arguing God's almighty power, v. 9. he cometh to other particular acts of his showing the same. That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress: Vulg. who laugheth at wasting upon the strong, and brings depopulation upon the mighty: Calv. who strengtheneth the waster above the mighty, and the waster shall ascend upon the strong holds: and this is verbatim according to Hebr. the meaning being, that the Lord showeth his power in strengthening enemies against the mighty, such as the Kingdom of Israel now was, when he is provoked by sin, so as of what strength soever he be, he shall not be able to stand, and if he trusteth to a strong hold, the same wasting enemy shall break through into that also: which is spoken to move Israel not to stand out against the Lord exhorting to repentance: but fearing what he is able to do, to turn unto him.

They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaks uprightly: Here again he returneth from speaking of God's power to show to what an height of sin their Judges were grown, it was matter enough of hatred in the chief magistrate, if any durst be so bold as to reprove him, whether Prophet or other wise man, when he erreth from the way of justice. For when such men look more at base gain, or the dishonor that is thus done unto them, [Note.] then the righteousness of the thing spoken, being hereby exasperated, they lay unto them, and the state where they rule a foundation of ruin, it being the property of godly rulers in all times to hearken to such reproofs, but of the wicked to rage hereat, as of David, who being by Nathan reproved humbled himself, and Jehoshaphat having holpen Ahab, for which a Prophet reproved him, did likewise, and Hezekiah being reproved by Isaiah, and threatened for bringing Merodach Baladans Ambassadors into the Lord's house and showing them his treasures, heard it patiently. Contrariwise Asa being reproved, raged against the Prophet and put him in stocks, Ahab sent Michaiah to prison, and Joash and his Princes murdered Zechariah, all which suffered therefore, but those godly Kings bearing reproof prospered. And David saith, to teach other rulers what they should do, Let the righteous smite me: And godly Theodosius when Ambrose smote him with excommunication said, that he had found him only worthy to be a Bishop in all his Empire. Wherefore how can this Land and the Rulers hereof but finally come to ruin, seeing it is now done contrariwise, such as are set up to judge others being most impatient at any reproof although never so just, and even hating the reprover, as I have found it in some in my own experience. The Lord turn their hearts, and turn away the judgments hanging over our heads for this wickedness.

If any man shall say, how may it hence be gathered, that Magistrates and Judges are here spoken against, for nothing else is said, but they hate him that reproveth in the gate? Sol. this is a description of Judges, for of old they sat to judge in gate-houses at the entrance of cities, to which places all men might freely resort and hear and see the justness of their proceedings, and the same is in effect still done, there being shire-houses for this end in all places until that of late a new generation of Judges being set up in these inordinate times, they sit to judge in private chambers, the doors being locked, as if they were ashamed that the country should hear how unjustly they proceed in many things, or come to know the rules, whereby they proceed to take heed that they fall not into their danger.

Moreover, that Judges are here inveighed against, is plain from that which followeth, v. 11, 12. For as much as your treading is upon the poor and ye take from him burdens of wheat, ye have built houses of hewn stone, &c. I know your manifold transgressions and mighty sins, they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and turn aside the poor in the gate: whereby is meant that when unjust Judges proceed violently against poorer and meaner men, against justice and equity, this is a treading upon them, and trampling them under their feet as the dust, according to that which was said before, ch. 2. 7. an intolerable indignity to be offered to men by men, if the Proverb be not now verified, homo homini daemon, I know how it can be. Touching burdens of wheat, they are bribes taken of their best corn, which have no money, but a little corn to sustain them and their families, by bribes ver. 12. moneys or other things taken by Judges to show them favor are meant, and because hereby they are much impoverished, he calleth it an afflicting of the just, and as for poor men, that have nothing to give, they are said to turn them aside in the gate, that is, send them back to prison to go from thence to the place of execution; and thus the German proverb is fulfilled, the rich are hanged up by their purses, and the poor by their necks. But for all this injustice, whereby Judges grow rich, and for their pomp and pleasure build stately houses, make them pleasant gardens, and ruffle it out in silks and velvets in one fashion after another, there being no end of their luxury and pride, but they bear themselves towards the common people like demi-gods; the Lord who knoweth all this, and what under hand ways they have to get such wealth, will not suffer them to go unpunished, by turning them out of their houses and places of pleasure to live in misery all their days after. And his knowing of it is spoken of, to intimate, that they thought, that he either took no notice of these their unjust dealings, or else accounted them not so heinous, but would pass them over as light offenses.

Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time: whereby he meaneth not that they might do so, and by their silence let such unrighteousness go unreproved: [Note.] but that their harsh dealing with men cordially affected to justice should be so great, as that it should be of force to make wise men silent, seeing they could do no good by speaking, and many for fear should be silent, yet not be herein justified. For it is the duty of such men to speak still and not be silent, as Ezek. 3. it is commanded, and Jeremiah sometime seeing how desperately they were set upon evil, for which he thought to speak no more, felt the word in him as a fire whereby he was forced again to break out into bitter declamations against the sins of the highest.

Seek good and not evil, and the Lord shall be with you, as ye have said, that is, ye bear yourselves upon God as your God, presuming and saying, because ye are his people, the seed of Abraham and circumcised, he is with you and will defend you from all your enemies: but do not for this sooth up yourselves in doing evil, seek good and not evil, and then it shall be so indeed. And hereby he intimateth two things.

1. That good is not so easily done, but whoso will do it and so have God [Note.] with them, must strain themselves to seek and find it out, and then to walk in it, as it is also said, Seek first the Kingdom of God, Mat. 6. 33. and strive to enter in at the straight gate Mat. 7. 14.

2. That he who would have God to be with him must so seek good, as that he mingle not any evil with it, but flee all and every sin.

Establish judgment in the gate: here one good thing in particular which we are bidden to seek and love is commended unto us, as whereupon much more good depended, that is, the Judges doing justly, and that constantly, whereupon he saith, it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph, which he speaks in reference to that which was said, v. 31. the City that went out by 1000, shall leave 100, &c. to this remnant he saith here, it may be the Lord will be gracious, which he speaketh not doubtingly, but to stir them up the more to repentance, as whose case was now come to be such, that God's favor could hardly be recovered again, therefore it was high time to make hast to do this good and to delay no longer.

Therefore the Lord saith thus, wailing shall be in all streets, &c. Having since his inveighing against their sins interposed an exhortation to good, v. 14, 15. now he returneth again to tell them, if they did not thus, what a lamentable case they should be in, as he had begun with lamentation, v. 1. so he showeth now, that what he there foretold should come to pass in all places, and to all sorts of men, v. 17.

Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord: Some, saith Calvin, understand this as if he had said, woe • o you that desire that the Lord would take you out of this world, as being impatient of living, by reason of their miseries, but this he saith rightly is far from the Prophets meaning. He therefore will have this to be the sense, woe to you hypocrites that speak so much of God, as if when his day or time cometh to show his almighty power, it would be for your safety and the destruction of your enemies, forsomuch as ye are his people, and live under his ordinances, as other nations do not: for this must be his meaning, although not so fully expressed, and being thus taken, it agreeth very well, unless we shall understand it as some others do, as spoken by profane mock-gods, who made a scoff of all his threatenings, saying in derision, Let the day of the Lord come, we fear it not, surely he will do great matters when it cometh, for thou terrifiest us only with words, which we believe not, shall ever take effect, so Jer. 17. Let the word of the Lord come, and 2 Pet. 3. Where is the promise of his coming? But I prefer the former for the words following, what have ye to do with the day of the Lord? it is a day of darkness, as Joel 2. 2. and not of light to you, which argueth that they who said thus, believed that a day was coming, but contrary to that which should then be done against them, they hoped that great matters should be done for them, which made them desire it, as profane mockers do not, but hear it spoken of only, as a scarcrow.

And v. 19. maketh further for this our exposition, As if a man fled from a Lion, and a Bear met him, or went into an house and leaned upon a wall with his hand and a serpent bit him: whereby is meant that these men, who desire the day of the Lord in hope of some help against their enemies contrary to God's threatenings called the roaring of a Lion, ch. 3. do but herein flee, as it were, from a Lion, but are torn by a Bear, lean for some case to a wall, but are bitten by a serpent to their destruction inevitable, forsomuch as some serpents biting causeth swelling, and kills the party bitten without remedy.

Whereupon he inferreth v. 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and no light in it? as if he had said, judge now, since it shall be thus, whether it shall not be as I said, a day of darkness.

I hate, I despise your feast days, &c. Here he preventeth them, if they should think, yet by festivals and incense and sacrifices to avert his wrath, by saying, that he hates these, when they come from wicked men, see the like Isaiah 1. 12.

Take away the noise of thy songs, I will not hear the melody of thy viols, which is added because by singing and music God's people sought to come into favor with him besides by sacrificing, but the sweetest melody of singing Psalms hath but an harst sound in his ears when wicked men make it, for singing must be with grace in the heart.

Let judgment run down like waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream: Vulg. judgment shall be revealed as water, that is, saith Lyra, the judgments of God against Israel shall appear as waters, when it is a great flood, and by these sent in righteousness for their sins they shall be carried away into captivity, as things are violently carried away by a strong stream. This is also mentioned and not rejected by Calvin, who speaks of two more brought by others.

1. Understanding by judgment and righteousness, just proceedings in Judges, and all parts of righteousness in dealing both in them and in all other men, as if he had said, ye Judges give sentence so justly in all cases, which are many that come before you, that judgment may flow from your months as a flood, and all ye people be so earnestly see upon righteous dealing, that no unrighteousness may be able to stand against it, no more then hey or stubble in the way of a strong stream can stand, but all are carried away hereby, and this is followed by Gwalther, comparing this to Esa. 1. 16. where after sacrifices also rejected, judgment is commanded.

2. Understanding the judgment and righteousness of Christ when he cometh in time of the Gospel, who is often by these two celebrated. But he brings and prefers another, as if this were spoken by way of answering an objection, Wouldst thou not have us sacrifice and keep festivals then, which God hath commanded? Sol. Yes verily, do so still, but when ye do abound this way, be sure to fill all the courts with justice as floods fill all channels and all your habitations with righteousness carried on with all earnestness, and so being as a strong stream bearing down all unrighteousness and sin. Betwixt this and that of Gwalther there is little difference, and that wherein, of encouraging them to sacrificing, I cannot embrace, because all the sacrificing of the ten tribes, being done out of the place appointed was sin, and therefore I rest in that of Gwalther. For Lyra his Exposition I see no ground here, because that having rejected their sacrifices, and bidden take away their music, he addeth, and let judgment roll, as the words signifieth, go on currently without any impediment, by a conjunction copulative, showing, that as he would have the service before named so abominable taken away, so he would have judgment and justice to be with all diligence attended to, as the thing wherein he most delighteth. It may also be prophetically spoken of Christ's proceeding under the Gospel, because in every of the Prophets something is said of Christ, as being the main end both of the Law and the Prophets.

Have ye offered unto me sacrifices in the wilderness the space of forty years? Here he resumes the argument in hand v. 22, 23. against their sacrificing, proving that this service was not of old so strictly stood upon, because there was a time when it was not performed, and yet they not reproved for this neglect 40 years together; yea instead of sacrifice offering to God, they most impiously sacrificed to Mol • ch and Chiun, which the Lord would not endure, but therefore threatens their carrying away beyond Damascus, verse. 26, 27. upon which words, I have said enough in my Expositions upon Act. 7. 42, 43.

CHAP. VI.

WOe to them that are at ease in Zion, that trust to the Mountain of Samaria: Here the Prophet denounceth Judgments against Judah and Israel both, especially the great ones in both Kingdoms, lest Israel should bear herself upon Judah, and say, there be as great sins amongst the best and greatest in Judah, as amongst our great ones, why then are we so greatly threatened, but they not? To prevent this they are now both threatened together under the name of Zion and Samaria, the head cities of either Kingdom. For whereas he may seem to speak only to the Princes of Zion, threatening them for trusting to the Kingdom of Israel, as Lyra takes it, he indeed threateneth them both, and therefore these words are to be supplied between Zion, and that trust, and to you, as if he had said, Woe to you secure ones in Zion, and to you that trust in the Mountainous situation of Samaria; for of the men of Judah this cannot be understood, because the strength of Samaria, was nothing to them, and we seldom read of Israel's helping Judah, but of joining with other forces against them often: which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came, Vulg. Optimates, capita populi ingredientes pompatice domus Israel: Cald. which were famous in the beginning of the Nations, and the house of Israel went into them: Hebr. expressly named the head or beginning of Nations, to whom the house of Israel came: hereby setting forth the honorable esteem in which Zion and Samaria were most anciently, and since they became the principal habitations of the children of Israel, they were of greatest note in all the Kingdom for the people's resorting thither as to their Metropolitical cities. And therefore there being many great ones dwelling in both these places, who abounded in wealth, and yet tasted not of miseries by war or famine, and therefore went on in living in pleasure, nothing moved at those things which the meaner sort suffered, and such as dwelt about in more remote places, he denounceth a woe against them, to awaken them if it were possible, from their security unto repentance.

Passe ye to Calneh and see, then go to Hamath the great, then go down to Gath, be they better then these Kingdoms, or their border greater then your border? Vulg. and to their best Kingdoms also, if their border be larger then yours: but the first is most agreeable to the Hebrew, a comparison is here made between two Kingdoms of the Israelites, and other famous places, that it being made hereby to appear, that Israel was more bound to God for his special favor in placing them in so fruitful and ample countries, sometimes being above 30 Kingdoms, the old inhabitants being cast out, that they might be planted in, their ingratitude might the more appear, and the Justice of God in proceeding against them, as is threatened ver. 7, 8, 9, &c.

For the places here named: Calneh was famous of old in Nimrods time, it being the head of his Kingdom. Hamath the great is so called, to distinguish it from Hamath at the entrance of the Land of Israel, of which see v. 14. 16. It was also a city of great note, and therefore when Rabshakeh would terrify the Jews by his Master Sennacherib's puissance, he telleth what places he had already subdued, and beginneth with Hamath as the chief, Gath of the Philistines is well enough known. Calvin will have the meaning to be, that they should consider the greatness and fruitfulness of these places, and yet they were unable to descend themselves against the enemy, and therefore much less should they whose Kingdoms were not so fruitful and large as those. But then the words must be read thus, Are ye better then these Kingdoms? whether or no are their borders larger then yours? it must be confessed that they are not: for although the land of Israel were very fruitful and large, yet all confess that these countries were some of them more fruitful and large. And being thus understood no force shall be done to the words, and the exposition will be most sensible, their destruction being laid before their eyes, who were of greater power, well might they fear destruction also. Whether of these expositions to follow therefore, I leave to the judicious reader to choose. But for the first make the words before going, verse 1. which are named the chief of the Nations.

Having spoken of their sin in general, here he sets it forth more particularly and at large, showing in what pleasure and excess they lived and were not affected at the miseries of their brethren, the meaner sort of the ten tribes, called Joseph, because the tribes coming of him, Ephraim and Manasseh, were the greatest part of them.

But what affliction of theirs is meant? It is generally answered, the sufferings in the days of Jehoahaz 2 King. 13. in whose time Israel was brought very low, although in Jeroboams time that state flourished again, but the meaner sort most probably were pulled so down, that they could not recover again, but lived still in misery, although the greater ones about the King, by many victories obtained, came to wallow in wealth, and consequently in all manner of sensual pleasure. But I rather think that the Prophet speaks this against the men of Zion with whom he began, taxing them for want of all sympathy with their brethren of the ten tribes when they were in that low ebb of misery before spoken of, yet the next words show that he speaks thus against Zion, so that as he began with Zion and Samaria together, v. 1. so he taxeth and threateneth them both together, or after the invective drawn out, he in the next words singleth out Samaria, to which he was more specially sent, saying, Therefore they shall go into captivity with them that go first into captivity, and the banqu • t of them that stretched themselves shall be removed, according to that which was before said, they stretch themselves upon their couches, v 4. And as it is here said, they went first into captivity, being taken by Shalmaneser King of Assyria.

The Lord God hath sworn by himself, I hate the excellency of Jacob, and abhor his palaces, therefore will I deliver up the city, &c Hebr. the Lord hath sworn by his soul, or life: whereupon Hilary gathereth against the Arians, that the Son of God is equal with God the Father, understanding him by his life, but as Calvin saith, this is frivolous, because in saying, by his life, he meaneth himself, as in other places: For excellency here, the Vulg. hath the pride of Jacob, which is both by Lyra and Gwalther expounded of their pomp and pride in their buildings, household stuff, excess in feasting, and apparel, and elate carriage, to express which he addeth, their palaces, that by this one part of their ostentation we might understand the rest. Calvin confessing that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth either pride or excellency and glory, according to the use of the word, Isaiah 2. & Psal. 46. expounds it yet of that wherein Jacob excelled other Nations, as namely, that they were God's peculiar people, and were graced with his Ordinances and miraculous works wrought for them above other Natio • s, wherein they prided themselves and disdained all reproofs and threatenings, as thinking that they were by reason hereof sartitecti from the danger of their enemies: this the Lord saith he abhorreth in Jacob, because they upon whom such excellency is conferred, being unanswerable to it in their doings, are to God the more abominable. Let the Reader judge, and take it either this or the former way he shall not err, but I prefer the first as most consonant to the words before-going, v. 3, 4, 5, 6. and following after in this and v. 9, 10, 11. For God's swearing by himself, by his sold, it is spoken after the manner of men, because to men hard of belief, that they might believe it and tremble, seeing if a King swears by his soul to punish his wicked rebels, he will certainly do it, much more will the Lord.

If there remain ten men in one house they shall die: Here the Prophet goeth on to show that the Lord's hating of Jacob for his sins, is not to be slighted, but by all men to be trembled at: for where he abhors, death follows, and that so universally, that in a populous family not one is left alive. The plague of God is great, when in a family consisting of 40 or 50 persons, all are taken away to ten, but if these ten be not suffered to remain, no nor one of them, the destruction is far greater and more to be trembled at. But this he showeth should be their case, for he saith, if there remain or be left ten, intimating the death of many in that house before.

And v. 10. serveth yet further to set forth their extraordinary mortality. And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring the bones out of the house, and shall say to him that is by the sides of the house, Is there any yet with thee? and he shall say, Nay, hold thy tongue, for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord: Hebr. the last words are, because, not to remember the name of the Lord, so that they may be supplied either thus, we may not remember, or there is not one left to remember; and for nay, it is nothing, there is none, Vulg. finis, an end, and for the sides of the house, hath in penetralibus domus. The meaning of all the words is, that the mortality shall be so great, that whereas the office of taking and carrying out the dead to the burial is commonly committed to poor mercenary men, now mankind should be so wasted in Israel, that there should be none to be hired to do this, but a kinsman whose love is most to their deceased kindred, must do this office himself, or else the dead must lie unburied, and because the corps is too heavy for him alone to bring out, he is enforced to burn it in the house and then to carry out the bones and bury them only.

And he shall say to him in the sides of the house, that is, in some outer house not formerly used for men to lodge in, but to avoid the contagion for the present made his refuge, is there any in the house yet living? and he shall say, none: approving hereby further that which was said before of the dying of all ten in the house remaining, when others had died before. For the last words all Expositors generally read it, we may not make mention, some understanding it, as Calvin saith, of such as were ready to dy to express their desperate rejecting of prayer in this extremity, as thinking it of no force herein to mention the Lord: some of men averse from hearing of God in this case, as being one that they can have no comfort in, because he had always been reproving them, and now it was by his hand, that they suffered. And this indeed is Gualters, saying that some are most averse from hearing God named, of which he giveth an example of one in Germany, who lying upon his death bed desired his friends, that came to see him, not to mention the name of God unto him, for this was so great a terror to him, that he could not bear it: and another example of a Jew brought by a friend of his to hear him, and having heard him, his friend asked, how he liked, he answered, he liked all well, but only when he mentioned Jesus he was troubled and terrified at the hearing of that name. But Calvin is for another sense, viz. that this is spoken in opposition to that which was said be fore of hypocrites desiring the day of the Lord, when they see the hand of God against them indeed, they are whist and say no more so, for now they have too much of it, finding him clean contrary to their expectation of a Patron and de • ender a most severe Judge. All which is good, but I prefer rather the reading which I have mentioned before, because not one is left to remember the name of the Lord, for whilst one is alive of God's people, although not in sincerity, yet in extremity he will call upon God, but now everyone in the house was past this, they being all dead and gone into the land of silence and forgetfulness. Against all other Expositions maketh, that the Lord is not before spoken of, but only one being asked is there any in the house, he answers, None, hold thy peace, but of the Lord nothing is said by the inquirer; whereupon the answerer should use these words. Yet Gwalther to make his sense good, saith, it is an eclipticall speech, something in the inquirers words being lest to be understood, as thus, Hath the Lord left no man in the house alive with thee? unto which the answer will so be apt, Be silent, make no mention of the Lord. But reading it as hath been said, we shall not need to understand any other words and yet the sense is perfect.

He will smite the greater house with breaches and the little with clefts, that is, the house of Israel shall be smitten so, as that it shall come to utter ruin, but the house of Judah is smitten with clefts, which may be mended up, to intimate their return out of captivity again, to become a common-wealth, so Lyra; some under both Israel & Judah and richer and meaner sort of people called the little house, and the Chaldee, the kingdom, and the Kingdom, great and little. Calvin. the Nobles and great ones of the land and the meaner sort, for wickedness generally overspread all sorts. With Lyra agreeth Jerome and most Expositors, I prefer Gwalther here, for both kingdoms may be understood so, as not to exclude these two sorts in them both, of one of which it is said, that it shall be smitten with breaches, by Calvin rendered mixtionibus, and of the other with clefts, after which a poor cottage crumbleth all down alone, but great houses by greater force must be ruined altogether being brought to mingled heaps, and the words going before, ver. 8. require this exposition, and chap. 3. 15.

Shall horses run upon the rock? can one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, as chap. 5. 7. the meaning is, horses and Oxen will not do contrary to their nature, but ye do contrary, when as instead of judgment for the comfort of the poor being wronged, ye turn it through covetousness to their damage, if not undoing to the imbittering of their souls; the interlinear gloss, ye by your sins turn God's sweetness and goodness into bitterness to yourselves and others, hereby forcing him to give you the bitter cup of misery to drink.

Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? Here he reproveth them for their boasting and confidence in the dignity to which they had attained, set forth by horns wherewith they pushed, as it were, their adversaries in Jeroboams time getting so many victories over them, through the pity, that God took upon them, though wicked, when they were very low, but they proudly and ungratefully ascribed it to their own strength, as wherein they trusted, but it was as nothing. And for this God threateneth to stir up enemies against them from the entering in of Hemath to the river of the Wilderness, that is, throughout all the land from the North where Hemath was, to the south where this Wilderness was.

CHAP. VII.

THus hath the Lord shown unto me the former grassehoppers in the beginning of the latter growth. Amos having hitherto spoken plainly against their sins and in threatening judgments therefore, now he proceedeth to speak to the same effect by similitudes as God shown them unto him, and these were represented to him being three in three Visions: 1. Of Grass-hoppers setting on to eat up the grass springing again after the mowing. 2. Of a devouring fire verse. 4. 5. &c. 3 Of a line and plummet held against a wall, v. 7, 8, 9. By the first of which the state of Israel, saith Gulater, was represented after the division in Jeroboams time, when the whole land was as a meadow new mown, and he speaks of the Kings mowings in the similitude, because the medows lying together, the King used to set a day to begin to mow, and then all men mowed. Now the land is set forth by this similitude, because at that time it was bare, as being weakened by this division, and although it might grow again, yet as the after grass never groweth to the height of the first: so Israel after this denuding could not come to the power, of which he was in David's and Solomon's time. But when Ahab reigned it began to grow, he through God's mercy obtaining three victories against the Syrians, but at length they compared here to grassehoppers by cutting him off at Ramoth Gilead began; as it were to eat up the grass springing up again, only the prayers of God's servants prevailed then for the averting of this judgment, to set forth which Amos saith, that he prayed, so the Lord repented, that is, suffered not the destruction then to go forward; for by Elishah his means Iohoash gate the victory three times over the Syrians, when as after Ahab's death they had been eating the grass springing again, all the time of Jehu his reign, or part of it, and in the time of Jehoahaz his son. And hitherto of the first, touching the second similitude of devouring fire, verse. 4, 5, 6. The Lord called to contend by fire, and it did eat up the great deep and devoured a part, hereby that which was done by Hazaell King of Syria, and his cruelty to Israel is set forth foretold by Elishah, and recorded 2 King. for great mischief was by him done by fire and sword; for which he may well be compared to fire. But against this evil Amos also prayeth and prevaileth, setting forth how the servants of God of that time by their prayers kept away destruction from Israel, so that it yet continued a kingdom. Thus it being twice endangered, 1. at the death of Ahab; 2. In the time of Hazael tyrannizing over Jehoahaz and his people, [Note.] it was still upheld by prayer, which is to be noted, that we might learn what to impute our victories over our enemies now to, viz. not the strength and martial skil of men, but to the prayers of God's servants, the Prophets, not inferring hereupon, that now certainly we shall always prevail. For the sins continuing, for which judgments come, although they be for a time kept away, and all good success may be in expeditions against the enemy, yet the time shall come, that such a wicked Nation shall by other enemies be destroyed, as is here next set forth, verse. 7. wherein is the third vision of one holding a line and plummet in his hand, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand: by which wall Israel is set forth, being made exactly as a wall made by a line and plummet, there being no unevenness, or exorbitancy in it; and by this means comely and strong. For thus Israel was made by God, when he peculiarly chose this people, and built them by his Word and Sacraments, in which state if they would have stood, they should have continued as a strong stone wall, or brazen, not to be beaten down. But being now by sin made full of cracks, and bowing and ruinous, so that God the builder took no more plea • ure therein, he stood upon it not to repel the enemies coming against it, but with a plumb line of destruction in his hand, as denoting hereby all the dimensions of it in the longitude, altitude and latitude thereof, now d • noted to destruction by them without any hope of preservation any longer. For by a plumb line the like is set forth, 2 King. 21. 13. and Esa. 34. it is threatened that a line should be stretched over Idumea in the same sense. And a line is spoken of to show the justness of God's proceeding in judgment against a wicked people. Calvin applieth the first similitude to the time of Jehoahaz, but of the second he makes no application. Lyra to the destruction by Shalmaneser and Nebuchadnezzar, by the Kings mowing understanding these Kings cutting down Israel and Judah, or one eating them as locusts, the other cutting them down as grass is mown, in Glos. ordin. but I rest in the former, not seeing any good sense in these applications, but the first abundantly satisfying in all things.

I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. Here the application of the third Vision is made, as hath been before said, showing Israel to be meant by the wall, Heb. it is, I will not add anymore a passing, that is, I will no more pass over their sins, sparing them still for any entreaty, but set the straight line of my justice amongst them by bringing utter destruction to that Kingdom, as they deserved, and this was fulfilled in the time of King Hoshea by Shalmaneser. So that now we read no more of the Prophets praying against this judgment, as against the two former, because the Lord had declared his resolution, whereby is intimated that there shall come a time, when there [Note.] shall be no Prophet more to make intercession for Israel, being found after sundry judgments incorrigible, but destruction shall go on without remedy to the ruining of such a state, and it shall no more be repaired.

And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, &c. Here he plainly showeth what was before set forth verse. 7, 8. obscurely, approving the Exposition before going, and showing the main cause of this grievous ruin, viz▪ the abominations committed in places counted holy by reason of Isaac's and Jacob's worshipping there. For in this regard more holiness was thought to be in them, and what devotions were there performed must needs be acceptable to God, when as indeed now after one place appointed for all to resort unto, whatsoever worship was exhibited elsewhere was abominable: such was Shechem in the limits of Samaria, concerning which the woman of Samaria said, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and Beersheba, where Isaac built an Altar, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword, this was fulfilled in the time of Zechariah his son, 2 King. 15. 10. when Shallum slew him and reigned in his stead.

Amaziah the Priest complaineth to Jeroboam against Amos, but in his complaint he exceedeth the truth, for he chargeth Amos to have said, that Jeroboam should die by the sword, and that Israel shall be carried away captive, whereas he said only, I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword, and of Israel indeed to the same effect that he speaketh, but touching Jeroboam he was plainly mistaken, for by his house was not meant his person anymore then by the first Jeroboams house, which was likewise threatened, his person; and it is to be thought, that as malice moved him to complain of the Lord's Prophet, so hereby he was willingly carried to relate his Prophesying contrary to the meaning, that the King might be the more provoked to slay him; and if Jeroboam died not by the sword, his prophesying in all other points might be made the more contemptible, which was a most wicked thing in a Priest of eminency, as he doubtless was being so near the King to attend upon him, and to come and go, and to speak to him as he would.

The answer of Amos to Amaziah is set forth, and first, because he called him Seer, that is, Prophet, Vers. 12. he saith, that he was no Prophet nor Son of a Prophet, but an heardman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruits, whereby he meaneth, that he was not of that order of men, who were called sons of the Prophets, he had no such education, as it is certain, that many had in sundry places, as in Colleges, the Governors whereof were some Prophets of note. And this he speaketh, adding his mean manner of living of the fruits of Sycomores, so that he could not be suspected, that from his youth had been thus bred up, through ambition to put himself upon this Office of teaching of his own head, but must needs be conceived to be by the Lord employed in it, or else he would never have had any such thoughts, but been content to go on always in looking to Cattle, not knowing what belonged to teaching of men, but ordering of cattle, and there being nothing to move him, that he might have more dainty fare at the Court it could not be thought, that he was moved hereby, especially in regard of the harsh message that he went upon, for which he was not likely to have any but course entertainment there. Thus almost that excellent Expositor Gwalther. But Amaziah biddeth him go to Judah and eat bread there, and prophesy there as being the country, whereof he was, by which words it is implied, that he would have him to be thought to come to the Court, as drawn by the good cheare which was there to be had, which caused Amos to make such an answer about his diet hitherto, wherewith he could doubtless still have been content. Lastly, Amos having answered him, touching his calling to prophesy to Israel, for his spite that he shown against him in seeking to stir up the King to revenge, and forbidding him to prophesy at Bethel anymore, he concludeth with a threatening Prophesy against him, that his wife should be a whore, and that his sons and daughters should be slain, that he should be captived and die in an heathen, which he calleth a polluted, country, and confirmeth his Prophesy against Israel in the words before spoken by him. In saying his wife should be an whore, he meaneth her stupration, or being forced, as he had forced God's Prophets that they should go into captivity. Gwalther in the former words notes the cunning of Amaziah, when complaining to the King he could do nothing, that he returns to Amos, and biddeth him by way of friendly counsel to flee into Judah, here might be danger to him to stay, and it was not likely, but if he continued, he might starve before any would give him bread to eat. Moreover Bethel which he spake against was the Kings Chapel, and an house by him set up for divine worship; therefore it was not for him to think by his speaking to prevail for any alteration to be made there. And such is the cunning [Note.] of other adversaries of the truth at all times, if they cannot get a true Prophet of God suppressed by force, they will seek by some means or other to infinuate into him, seeking thus if they can to stop his mouth, but who so doth thus, let him look to the judgment of God upon such a man, and fear that which may come to him.

CHAP. VIII.

BEhold a basket of summer fruit; and the Lord said unto me, What seest thou Amos, &c. And the Lord said, the end is come upon my people Israel. Here by another Vision the speedy and inevitable destruction of Israel is again set forth together with the cause: For when are baskets filled with summer fruit but when it is ripe, so that hereby was shown, that the sins of Israel were ripe, and therefore they must soon be gathered by cutting down, and so be destroyed and carried away into captivity, as the 7 chapter concluded, so that this is nothing else but a further confirmation of that, which was said before. And it is not unusual by similitude taken from fruits that are ripe to set forth sin grown to full maturity, as Joel 3. 13. and here Expositors note an elegancy in the Hebrew more then in the Translations, for in saying summer fruits, he useth the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and for end he hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . For passing by it anymore, see before chap. 7. 8.

When will the new Moon be gone, and the Sabbath that we may sell wheat. Here the Prophet returns again to the recounting of other sins, as first of profaneness, they had rather have other days then Sabbaths. 2. Of deceit in buying and selling of corn, making the Ephah, that is, the corn measure so called small and the shekel great, and falsifying weights. 3. Oppression of the poor for the words used, see chap. 2. 6. but here another thing is also meant which is an horrible sin, viz. by oppress men to bring them to such poverty, that they enforced to sell themselves for servants, and that for a small matter, whereas by the Law of God Hebrew servants were to have favor shown them, if by casualty any became poor, that he was enforced to sell himself, no man ought to hold such a servant any longer then to the seventh year, and then not to dismiss him empty, but being furnished with some stock our of his chattels. 4. Having thus inthralled their brethren they kept them with food not fit for men, but beasts, set forth in the next words, the refuse of the wheat, whereby is meant either the bran, wherewith they fed them, or light wheat mingled with soil, so as that it was food for hogs, or fowls, and not for men, or else that they mingled such base stuff with better, and so sold it altogether for the best, poorer men, who have but from hand to mouth, being necessitated to buy it so or none. And this reproveth not only such as do so, but the like in any other commodities of this life, as putting anything to that which is sold by weight to make it heavy to the detriment of the buyer, or in cloth that, which is vile and makes it soon to wear out, but to show as fair.

The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works. Here again after their sins follow judgments almost in the words used before chap. 6. 8. only there it is said, the Lord hath sworn by his soul, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, here by the excellency of Jacob, the same word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 being used, which, as was said there signifieth either pride or excellency, but here the word is manifestly used for God himself, who was the excellency of Jacob above all other Nations, in that he graced them by his dwelling amongst them. And he rather sets himself forth here by this Periphrasis, then in plain terms, to tax their ingratitude the more, and to intimate, that they were well worthy of the judgments threatened, in that when the Lord had made them so much to excel other Nations, they made themselves so base by their sins. And he sweareth, that none might be unbelieving but beleeveing, and fear and repent. But what meaneth he by saying, I will not forget any of their works? Sol. This is spoken, because he may be thought to forget men's wickednesses all the time that he forbears to punish them, but when he punisheth, then it appears, that he forgot them not, so that hereby he meaneth, that he would severely punish them, as followeth, verse. 8, 9, 10. Shall not the land mourn for this, and everyone that dwelleth therein? it shall be cast out and drowned as by the flood of Egypt, which drowneth the whole land, as an huge flood by the overflowing of Nile, many days together, so that in all the plain parts no land appeareth, but it is all as a Sea, and he doth not only to express this say, that it shall be cast out and drowned, but also it shall rise up wholly as a flood, which Calvin saith is by some expounded thus, it shall be lifted up as a flood and then be cast out, saying, first it shall be thus lifted up, and then it shall be drowned, whereas the meaning is plain, that from land it shall be all turned, as it were into a Sea, all places being covered with miseries, as Egypt with waters, and these waters shall be as a flood sweeping and carrying away the inhabitants, and making the land as no land anymore to them, or to be inhabited by them.

I will cause the Sun to go down at noon, this is spoken, because that in this Jeroboams time, it was noon as it were, the day being most clear through the great prosperity, wherein the land then was: but in thus saying, he showeth, that the case should be quite altered to greatest adversity, as it was in the time of Hoshea the last King of Israel.

And I will turn your feasts into mourning, that is, when my judgments shall come upon you, as hath been said, ye shall see how little acceptable your keeping of feasts to me have been, ye rejoiced and were merry then, as believing, that much good would hence redound unto you, as from singular devotion, but because ye lived in abominable sins, it shall fall out clean contrary, ye shall have sorrow for this your joy as impious, it being also had in abomination.

I will send a famine, not of bread and water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. Having hitherto threatened corporeal judgments, now he proceedeth to threaten spiritual, as Amaziah, chap. 7. had put the Word of God away, bidding the Prophet flee to Judah, and not to prophesy there. As a punishment therefore of this sin, of being against the Prophesying of some holy men, sent of God, who are disliked for their tartness against the sins of the great ones, and rich ones of the land, a famine of the Word is here threatened, as most grievous of all judgments, a corporeal famine being nothing comparable to it, as is implied in the words. And indeed, if it be rightly considered, there is no judgment to this, for men consisting of souls and bodies, if they want bodily sustenance, are in an evil case, for hunger is a sharp sauce, but as the soul excels the body, so if spiritual sustenance be wanting to them, their misery is far greater. But when there is no man of God to teach anymore, there is a famine of hearing his Words, which be as food to the soul, for which teaching is called the sincere milk of the Word, and some part of it strong meat, yea it is both milk, and wine, and water and bread, hereby Christ, the true bread that came down from heaven is conveyed into the soul, when by the working of the spirit together with the Word preached Faith is wrought in the heart, believing being an eating hereof, although not the only eating, for we are also enjoined to eat the bread and drink the wine of the Lord's Supper, and that often, that we may eat his flesh and drink his blood, and live eternally. Therefore they that want preaching, want the food of the soul to the hunger-starving thereof, they are in a wilderness, as it were without Manna, and so cannot but perish everlastingly, there being nothing in this world, more then in a barren wilderness for the body, for their souls to feed upon: which should serve to make all men to take heed how they provoke God to deprive them of his Word, as [Note.] they do, that seek to stop the mouth of any good Preacher as not able to bear his reproofs, or if they give such the hearing, but bring forth no fruits agreeable to their teaching, for this Christ threateneth the taking away of the Kingdom of God, which is by withdrawing the Ministry of his Word, seeing where the Word is preached, God's Kingdom is, but where not now, but it hath been, it is taken away.

They shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it: this Prophesy was notoriously fulfilled in the Israelites, for through their putting of the Word of God from them, and rejecting the Messiah sent unto them, they have ever since been like hunger-starved persons, running sometimes after one impostour, and sometimes after another, thinking him to be the promised Messiah, and from one Rabbin they go to another for comfort in this respect, but can nowhere find any. But as St. Paul once said unto them, for so much as ye put the Word of God from you, we go to the Gentiles, so the Gentiles hear • he Word at this day, but the Jews not, wherefore it hath been a famine of a long continuance, and their wandering from one part of the world to another hath been long, even to 1615 years, God have mercy upon them and open their eyes, that they may repent and turn yet to Christ; and so have bread and not lie still under this judgment of famine, whereby so many have perished these many generations past. And Christian Nations for rejecting the Word have also many of them suffered by the like judgment, as those seven [Note.] famous Churches in Asia, and some others, to which Saint Paul wrote his Epistles, swallowed up by the Turk and his Mahumetism long ago, and Rome by the Pope and Popery, no true servant of God teaching there, or in any of his Dominions, but superstitious sworn servants of his, that are authors to their blinded Proselytes of wandering for pieties sake to Rome from remote parts, and running to and fro to other places in Pilgrimage, but all in vain, there being in all this no comfort to any poor hunger-starved soul, because neither in one place or another they can find the Word of God, which alone feeds the famished soul, that it may live. Let us in England that may suffer by famine of bread, bless God yet, that we suffer not by this famine, but live in [Note.] plenty, and feed upon it, not with the ear, but with the heart, that we may never be deprived of this blessing, as otherwise we are in danger to be. Lyra, whom some follow, saith, that this Prophesy was then fulfilled, when being besieged in Samaria three years, and in great straights, they had some emissaries, who wandered about into all parts to some Prophet from whom they might have comfort, as when three Kings being together they were distressed for want of water, inquiry was made after a man of God, that might speak some comfortable word from God unto them, and then Elishah came; 2 King. 3. from whom also some words of comfort came at the siege of Samaria, in time of famine, 2 King. 7. But now he saith, they should wander from Sea to Sea, and from North to East, that is, the Assyrians coming to destroy them when they should be in greatest distress by famine through a three years siege, they should send out all over the longitude and latitude of the land for a Prophet to comfort them by some good words from God, but should find none.

Then in the next words, their fair young maids and men faint for thirst, he expoundeth of the famine corporeal, which was at that time, when each one had so little for himself, that even such as to whom men's affections are most moved, could not get a cup of cold water to save their lives, whether fair maids or youngmen. But against this it maketh, that he said before, not a famine of bread and water, but only a spiritual famine, and therefore it cannot be understood, as Lyra saith, but rather as was before said out of Gwalther, who therefore expounds this of fair maids, and young men's fainting through thirst of a spiritual thirst, in the want of teaching, this famine falling soar upon young persons, that grow up in stature, and are comely of body, but hearing nothing to form their manners, their souls that never lived in the time of teaching to make them well liking in grace, are in a most languishing condition of all others, seeing some others, though but a few, might before this defect of bread and water be so well fed, that they might walk still in the strength thereof, being holpen by their own private meditations and prayers. Here then is a Prophesy chiefly of the Evangelical times according to that which was said before. And herein Amos his Prophesying extends further then to the judgments of God by Assyrians or Chaldeans.

They that swear, Thy God O Dan, liveth, and by the sin of Samaria, and the manner of Beersheba, shall fall and never rise again: Here the Prophet showeth, that the judgment which should come upon them in spiritual things was most just, because that rejecting God and his Word, commanding them to swear by his name, they sware by idols in Samaria, Dan and Beersheba, upon which it hath been spoken before, which was an abomination, for which they were worthy to hear the Word of God no more, but to come to all misery, and therein to lie without ever being raised up again, he chargeth them first with the sin of Samaris, because that was the seat of the Kingdom whereby idolatry was set up in other places, that is, by the Kings dwelling there. Then Dan and Beersheba are named as the most remote places, in which idols were set up. Dan in the North, and Beersheba furthest South, to travel to which therefore they counted the greatest piety, for which the way of Beersheba is spoken of, for so it is in the Hebrew.

CHAP. IX.

I Saw the Lord standing upon the Altar, and he said, Smite the lintell of the door, that the posts may shake, and cut all of them in the head, &c. This is by Gwalther reckoned the seventh sermon of Amos, chap. 8. the 6. chap. 7. the fifth. chap. 5. the fourth, chap. 4. the third, chap 3. the second, chap. 1. 2. the first. And herein he prophesieth first against Jutah, left he should be thought partial to his own country, unto verse. 7. where he speaketh to all Israel together. For these words, they set forth another Vision, which the Prophet had of the Lord standing upon his own Altar, for with the Altars in the kingdom of the ten Tribes he would have nothing to do, either in Bethel, Dan, Gilgal, or Beersheba, of which it is spoken before, so that this was the Altar of burnt-offerings at Zion, where the house of God was. Standing here he biddeth an angel smite the lintell of the door, which is supported by posts on each side, so that they might shake, and to cut everyone of them, hereby showing, that for the abuses committed about his Worship and service there, such wicked worshippers should be smitten and cut down both Princes and Priests, that were as the superliminare or lintell, and the common people as the posts. For although they offered Sacrifices, yet they did not that, which the Lord by their sacrificing would have them put in mind to do, that is, repent them of their sins, praise God in sincerity of heart and order their conversation aright, as Psal. 50. 23. For doing otherwise, living in sin and trusting to be accepted, because they brought God Sacrifices, is rejected both Psal. 50. and declared to be an abomination, Isaiah. 1. and 66. And what he saw in Vision is immediately expressed in word, I will slay the last of them with the sword, and be that fleeth of them shall not flee away, &c. that is, not flee so, but to be overtaken with judgment, and if any have escaped death at the first, he shall be destroyed afterwards, thus Gwalther. But in the Vulg. it is rendered, Smite the hinge and the lintels shall be shaken, expounded by Jerome, of the lower parts of the doorway, which being smitten, the upper parts, the lintell and posts supported hereby must needs be shaked, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth a globule, wherewith they used to adorn the upper part of the dooreway, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly signifieth groundsels Now the difference in the Expositions arise from hence, that the round little globe is by some taken for works made in such a form by curving upon the lintell, and figuratively for the lintell itself, but by others for the hinge which is round whereupon the door turneth which is below, but for rendering the next words lintels or posts, I see no reason, because it signifieth nothing else, but thresholds, and because it is a plural, I conceive that both limen inferius, and superius are meant, and therefore that it may best be read, smite the hinge and the limina both beneath and above shall be shaken, that beneath, being in English called a threshold, and that above lintell or transome, in Latin Limen and superliminare: for strike that whereupon the door hangeth extending from the threshold to the lintell and both of them will shake; here by a part the whole house is meant that should be ruined. In the next words the Vulgar differeth from ours more, rendering them covetousness is in the head of all, and in the Hebrew it is, their covetousness is in the head of them all, Indeed the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth signify both covetousness and to cut, and it seemeth more to stand with sense hereby to render it, because he is speaking of the supporters of an house, and having said smite them, and spoken of shaking following hereupon, what can be more agreeable in the next place then to bid cut them, that they may fall and the house be ruined? And therefore most of them prefer that reading even them in the head, all of them, that is, all the supporters of the building cut them in the head, that is, where their chiefest strength is, hereby meaning as is by and by explained, that both Temple and City should be destroyed, neither should the inhabitants escape. And this is most commonly understood of the destruction of all made by Nebuchadnezzar; but by some, of that made long after by the Romans. Yet for the other reading covetousness, it may have a good sense so, it we take the first words as a sentence by it self against the house, and this against the people, they sacrifice and hear the word indeed, but covetousness is in the chief of them all, and from them it goeth to the meaner sort, and therefore I will slay them from the first to the last. Russin will not have this taken as spoken to the Jews, but to the kingdom of Israel, as it the Prophet went on here in the same argument, with which he concluded chap. 8. But for so much as the altar was not here, which must needs be understood when the altar is named, and nothing else added, it must needs be taken for the altar of the Lord, and therefore this prophesy of the destruction of Jerusalem, and I will stay the last of them with the sword. This is the explication o • the vision, as hath been said, showing that not some or many, but all of them shall be smitten from the first unto the last.

For v. 2. it is the same in effect that is said Psal. 139. Although they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence: It may seem strange that Carmel an high hill should be spoken of as a place for them to hide themselves in, for where may men be seen if not upon the top of an hill? but Gwalther saith, that there were caverns upon the top of Carmel, and of these, wherein men might be hid, he speaketh. Lyra; Carmel is named, because a very high h • ll, and hereby the highest hills, the tops whereof seem to touch the heavens, which I think is rather to be preferred, for having spoken of ascending up to heaven v. 2. here he further explaineth what he meant thereby, viz. going up to the tops of mountains, where they that are seem to be in heaven above the sight of mortal eyes. If in the bottom of the Sea, I will command the Serpent and he shall bite them: where by serpent the whale or some other dreadful beast in the sea that devoureth men is commonly understood; but because the same word is used here and before, ch. 5. 10. where a serpent biting in an house is spoken of, the same seemeth to be meant some poisonous serpent keeping in the water or upon the land indifferently. The meaning of all being, that neither being in most low or most high places, in the sea or land, the [Note.] wicked shall be safe, but drawn forth to destruction, or perish there: and for the Jews it is meant, that by the Chaldees he would deal thus by them.

Although they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them: This is by some understood of their going into Babylon, but because that being once carried away, this is against the law of arms to kill captives, I rather assent to them, that understand it of their voluntary going away for fear of the Chaldees into Egypt. For it is plainly shown Jer. 43. that the sword should seize upon them notwithstanding.

It is be that toucheth the land and it shall melt, &c. Here that none might be unbelieving and harden thamselves in their sins, as thinking that God could not do such things as were threatened, he sets the power of the Lord forth, as he had partly done before, ch. 4. 13. 5. 8. but every time he varieth, bringing in only here the same words against Judah that he used against Israel, ch. 8. 8. it shall rise up wholly as a flood.

He that buildeth his stories in heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth, the Vulg. that hath built his ascension in heaven, and sounded fasciculum suum, his little bunch b ••• d together as a faggot upon earth, expounded the one of his glory appearing most in heaven, the other of the elementary heavens consisting of air and water, which are little in comparison of all the starry heaven, and that above where the waters are, called by Philosophers coelum crystallinum, so Lyra, and indeed the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth fasciculum, and the word rendered ascensions, upper chambers, as I have shown before Ps. 104. 3. Calvin renders the first words, as the Vulg. by ascensions, understanding one wonderful work of God above another in heavenly places, 1. the air, 2. the fire above that, 3. the starry heavens above the element of fire. But the next the rendereth coagmentations, understanding by coagmentations sounded upon the earth, the earth itself being compacted together, as a solid thing. But that which is founded upon the earth and the earth itself cannot be one and the same, therefore by ascensions or lofts we are rather to understand, as was said before, the starry heavens, and by the other the three regions of the air, which are often said to be founded upon the earth, or the earth upon them to declare God's almighty power the more.

Are ye not as Ethiopians to me, O children of Israel? Here to show that there was reason why the Lord should proceed so against Israel, as was said before, v. 2, 3, 4. he declareth the foul blackness of their evil manners, as Jer. 13. 23. And for this there was just cause of his dealing so with them, there being now in them nothing amiable, but abominable, as most contrary to the most holy and pure God, whose people he had taken them to be, and that doing miraculously for them in bringing them out of Egypt, as in the next words, whereby they above all people's were bound to keep themselves white through sanctity and holiness of life and righteousness in all their doings. Whereas some gather, because Israel is spoken to, that all said hitherto is spoken to the ten tribes, and not to Judah, their reason is weak, for here after prophesying against Judah he cometh to join all Israel together, recounting God's extraordinary mercy towards them and their vileness and unanswerablenesse hereunto, instead of keeping their garments undefiled fouling them, and making them black, as the swine wallowing in the mire after washing. And the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Assyrians from Kir, the Vulg. from Cappadocia, and the Syrians from Cyrene. And this agreeth best to the Hebr. and the meaning of the whole verse is, Ye bear yourselves upon this, that ye are Abraham's and Israel's children, but truly ye are Blackamores to me through your sins; and if ye think that my love is singular to you because I brought you out of Egypt, rely not so much upon this, for I brought the Philistines also out of Cappadocia, as may be gathered Jer. 47. Deut. 32. and the Syrians, not Assyrians, for the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying Syria, a part of the fruitful land of Canaan, or whereof Canaan was a part, in which the Syrians were placed as well as they, being brought from another place thither also, yet the Lord for sin judged both Philistines and Syrians, as we may see ch. 1. 3, 6. it is threatened. Thus Jerome, Rupertus, and Chrysostom, and herein we may well rest as the genuine meaning. Of the Caphtorites brought hither, see Deut. 2. 23. for Kir it was the place to which the Syrians were carried captive, 2 King. 16. 9. Amos 2. 5.

Saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord: Having in the former part of the verse said, that he set his eyes upon this sinful nation of Israel to destroy it from off the face of the earth, here he beginneth to speak some comfort in Christ to the faithful amongst them, as the next words v. 9. and specially v. 11. which is applied so by James, show.

I will sift the house of Israel as corn is sisted, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth: And this Gwalther will have spoken by way of answer to an objection that might be made, Will God destroy Israel? how then shall his promise to the seed of Abraham. and Israel be made good, of being their God forever? Sol. Such as be good corn in this common destruction shall be preserved, that is, the faithful, a remnant, as they are often elsewhere called, and the chaff and dross only shall be sifted out and fall to the ground and be blown away, of which comparison see Ps. 1. Luk. 3.

In that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and I will close up his breaches: This is by the Jews applied to the rearing up of David's temporal Kingdom at the coming of the Messiah, but it is certainly to be spiritually understood, because it being so long ago spoken there hath never yet been any such repairing of his house or tabernacle, but it hath manifestly been repaired it most remarkably, by subduing through the Gospel unto him, all Kingdoms wheresoever the sound thereof came. And his Kingdom or Church is called a tabernacle to denote, that the faithful are here as pilgrims dwelling in tents, they have another to which they go when they depart out of this life. For other things in this prophesy, and the difference in relating it by James in the words, see in my Expositions upon Act. 15. 13, 14.

The days come that the Plough-man shall overtake the Reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed &c. which is to be understood spiritually of the increase of grace in time of the Gospel, as it is a time of wonderful plenty when as new seed is sown, and the ground is ploughed for this purpose, before that all the corn of that year is reaped, and before all the corn be sown; the Vintage is ready to be gathered. So fruits of preaching the Gospel, the meaneth, shall come in most plentifully, people after people being converted unto Christ. And to ploughing and reaping our Lord alludeth, Joh. 4. and calleth people ready to be converted regions white unto the harvest. And the mountains shall drop sweet wine, of which see Joel 3. 18. and all the hills shall melt, Vulg. all the hills shall be tilled, but the word signifieth melting, whereby is not meant melting through fear, as v. 5. making the hearts of the Inhabitants of the land to melt, but flowing with milk as the Mountains wich wine, according to Joel 3. 18. the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 musram, or the sweet liquor of Pomgramates, it is an hyperbolical description of plenty, as it is said often of the land of Canaan, that it was a land flowing with milk and honey, all yet being to be understood spiritually of things appertaining to the Kingdom of Christ.

And I will bring again the captivity of my people, and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them: Here under the restitution from the Babylonish captivity, and their rebuilding of their ruined cities, which was a figure of turning our spiritual captivity by Christ, the redemption of the faithful by him is meant. For that it cannot be restrained to that deliverance out of Babylon is plain, because although they built in their own land after this, yet they continued not always there, but were afterwards expelled again by the Romans: understand we it therefore of the spiritual building under the Gospel by the Apostles in knowledge and faith, and the planting of vineyards and gardens, of planting Christian Churches which bring forth fruit unto God. For this building is upon a rock, Mat. 16. 16. and although in particular places whilst the Church is militant upon earth, the Gospel preaching and embracing may sade away, yet it never shall be so put down again, but that it shall have a place here always to the worlds end. Persecutors indeed have and may bend their forces to ruin this building, but they shall never be able to effect it, and in the world to come, which is chiefly the land of faithful, the Church shall stand gloriously forever and ever.

THE PROPHESIE OF OBADIAH:

AFter three Prophets sent to prophesy to Judah and Israel, now follow three sent to prophesy to other Nations, Obadiah, and Jonah, and after Micah, Nahum. Touching Obadiah, he is thought by some to be that Obadiah, who in Ahab's time fed 100 Prophets of the Lord being hid in caves. But the time doth so ill agree, that this appears to bean audacions invention of the Jewish Rabbins, because as the contents of this Prophesy show, he lived after the Babylonish captivity, for he speaks of this, as the Edomites sin, that they holp to destroy their brethren the Israelites, or Jews, that came of Jacob their Father Esau his brother, and betwixt Obadiah and this were about 200 years. He is sent to Prophesy against Edom, Jonah against Nineveh, and Nahum likewise, whereby it appears, that not only they that live under the means and are taken to be the Church of God, but even heathens, that are without the Word, shall be severely judged for their sins.

We have heard a rumour from the Lord and an Ambassador is sent amongst the heathen, touching these words, see before Jer. 49. 14. for they seem to be borrowed from thence. Vers. 2. I have made thee small amongst the heathen, Jer. 49. 15. I will make thee small, both speaking to the same effect, for the Prophets in speaking of things to come use sometime the future, sometime the Pretertense, because they shall as certainly come to pass, as if it had been already done. Therefore Edom is here threatened, as proud as he was, that he should be brought to a poor and weak estate, and despicable. Calvin will have it spoken of the straight and rocky places allotted unto Edom, of which Mal. 1. 2. I have laid his mountains wast, but I see no reason for that, since that which is spoken here is spoken by way of Prophesy, and not of history, to show anything touching Edom past or present.

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee. Here is one sin for which Edom is threatened, and his punishment before spoken of is suitable to it, for as he swelled and was big through pride, so he was threatened that he should be made small, and despicable, so God useth to punish the wicked in their kind, as also is to be noted, Judge. 1.

For the next words, if thieves come to thee, &c. see what hath been written before upon Jer. 49. 9. touching this pass.

All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border. Here the Prophet showeth by what means the Edomites should be brought down, even their confederates and friends, upon whom they relied for help, when the Chaldeans came, joined with them and holp to do it, and being subdued to bring them to their border, thence to be carried away into captivity. Or as Calvin hath it, the Chaldeans with whom they were for a time joined in confederacy turning afterwards their enemies, have laid a wound under thee, that is, thou hast been wounded and brought down thus by them unawares, for of open enemies men may take heed, and if they be too strong for them, yet they wound them before, fighting, or behind, fleeing; only a feigned friend whilst he is showing friendship, as it seemeth to the other, woundeth him under this false show, as Joab Abner under his fifth rib, that he died. There is no understanding in him, that is, in this Edom, he was a fool to be thus ambitious of the friendship of these mighty ones, that could so easily crush him when they would. For the words of v. 8. see before Jer. 49. 7.

For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever; here another sin of Edom is mentioned, his continuing in hatred against not an enemy, but a brother coming of the same father and mother, and for this was also suitably punished by confederates, and friends that did eat bread with him, verse. 7. for of the hatred of Esau against Jacob in person, we read Gen. 27. and from him it was derived to his posterity against the posterity of Jacob, so that they had none more infest enemies, then Edomites, of which see somewhat, Psal. 137. 2 Chron. 20. and in many other places. Touching Edom's being cut off forever, see the like, Jer. 49. 17, 18. as Sodom. Vers. 11. In the day that thou stoodst on the other side, &c. Here the Prophet amply fieth Esau his hatred in his posterity against Israel by that which he did, when the Chaldees destroyed their City, by his standing on the other side he meaneth his taking part with their enemies, and sharing with them when they took the spoils of Jerusalem.

As ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea they shall drink and swallow it down, and be as if they had not been. This is by Gwalther expounded thus, as if the Prophet by an Apostrophe had turned himself to the Jews, telling them that they should drink, who were the people of his holy mountain, but as they had done so should all Nations about them do, that were their enemies, viz. drink also of the cup of God's wrath, till they were reduced to nothing. Of drinking being put for being punished, see Jer. 35. and of the drinking thus of all Nations, and the comparison made betwixt the drinking of God's people and theirs, if his people, then much more they. But he saith, others expound it thus, as ye (O Edomites) have drunk and made merry at Jerusalem for the destruction thereof, so both ye and all the heathen your fellows in this wickedness shall drink in another sense, viz. by being judged of God continually, that is, so as that his judgments shall never be taken off you again, but ye shall hereby utterly perish, this as Gwalther relates so he saith, hath something in it to act, and therefore he rejecteth it, but I prefer it as most genuine, and so we shall not need to flee to an Apostrophe, which it is not probable, that Obadiah useth here, but take the word ye, as it is plainly spoken of the Edomites. Jerome and Cyril, as ye Edomites have kept festivals for joy for Jerusalem's destruction, so all Nations shall do for yours, and that continually, intimating their destruction not to come all at once, but by degrees, never ceasing, till that their very name should be quite rooted out, as it is at this day, for so much as there are now no people in the world called by this name, but against this, though followed by Calvin, maketh that they who drink are destroyed, and not the Edomites only by them, which argueth plainly that this drinking is of the cup of God's wrath.

But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness, and they shall possess their possession. Here Obadiah, as all other Prophets, for the comfort of the faithful, having spoken of the destructions of Edomites and other Heathens their enemies cometh to prophesy of their happiness in Christ Jesus. But in making this gracious promise, he meaneth first their deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, and returning to possess their own land again. For he saith not from Zion, but upon Zion, intimating the deliverance of that place, in that as for the present during their captivity there, it differed not not from other heathen countries for any holy service there performed, so when their deliverance should be wrought, it should again be a peculiar place for the holy Worship and service of God there again performed. Then our deliverance, who are the Church of God by faith through Christ, from sin and everlasting death, figured out by the deliverance before spoken of.

And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau, for stubble. Because they might say, What is this to us, to hear thee prophesying against Edom? here, as also verse. 17. he showeth, that as Edom their spiteful enemy should be destroyed, so they should be delivered, and the Edomites cruelty formerly used against them should turn into a fire to the devouring of the Edomites, God's judgment to their utter destruction being hereby procured against them; of the fulfilling of this, see 1 Mac. 5. 3. & 2 Mac. 10. 15. & Joseph. l. 11. antiq. l. 17.

And they of the South shall possess the Mount of Esau, and they of the plain the Philistines, and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. Having spoken of the Edomites destruction by the house of Jacob, that is, Judah, and of Joseph, that is, Israel, who should be as a fire and flame unto them: and in the mystery hereof, of the Apostles by the spirit, in the power whereof as of fire, they went out Preaching amongst the Gentiles, set forth by the house of Esau, being in their superstitions but as stubble before the flame, for so the light of the truth coming these vanished, being as it were consumed as stubble by fire. Now he proceedeth to show further, how they should being come into their own country again enlarge their possessions more then ever they had done before, they of the South, that is Judah, called before the house of Jacob, verse 18. shall possess the Edomites Country called the Mount of Esau, because it was all mountainous; they of the plain, that is, the house of Joseph, as they are before called, shall possess the Philistines land; that is, such of them as being one Kingdom with Judah went with Judah into captivity, and returned again, viz. men of the ten Tribes as joined themselves to Judah, of whom see 2 Chron. 11. 16.

For the fields of Ephraim, which it is said, that they should also possess, and the fields of Samaria, hereby are meant the rest of the possessions of the ten Tribes, called often Ephraim, as well as the house of Joseph, because Jeroboam was of Ephraim, and it was the most populous Tribe and had largest bounds, and Samaria was the chief City of that Kingdom. For the fulfilling of these things according to the letter, see 1 Maccab. 5. before named, where the Jews prevailings against the Idumeans, or Edomites, is not only set forth, but also against Azotus a chief City of the Philistines; and Joseph. fil. Gorion lib. 3. 13. tells how Gaza another of their Cities was taken likewise, and the Altars therein overthrown, and their graven Images burnt with fire, for this is said expressly of Azotus, and therefore it is not to be doubted, but they dealt likewise with Gaza also, of the subduing whereof it is spoken under the name of Gazara, 2 Maccab. 10. And the same Josephus further saith, that Alexander the son of Hircanus King of the Jews brought it under again, when it had revolted, lib. 4. cap. 11. For the land of Ephraim, that is, of the ten Tribes, it appeareth to be in the possession of the Jews, because Galilee, and the Cities thereof were in the time of our Savior Christ, who Preached in Nazareth, Bethsaida, Capernaum, &c. to the Jews there. For Samaria although it and the places about it were inhabited by the Samaritans then, as appeareth Joh. 4. yet it was also brought under the power of the Jews, for thus Joseph. Gorion. also writeth thereof. Hircanus went against Shechem and smote it, because it opened not unto him, he smote also Mount Garizim and overthrew the Temple built there by Sanballat the Father-in-law of Manasseh, brother to Iddo the High Priest An. 200. after it was built. He smote also the Chuthaeans of Mount Samaria, who were the people brought first thither by Shalmaneser King of Assyria to inhabit there, and chap. 4. he came to Samaria and besieged it a year, and the Lord delivered it into his hands, then he smote all the males with the sword and overthrew the houses therein. Thus also the other Joseph. antiq. lib. 13. cap. 17, 18. adding that King Hircanus not being content to lay the City even with the ground, brought in also a flood of filthy water, which overflowing it filled all things with filthiness. For Benjamins possessing Gilead, that followeth next, see 1 Maccab. 5. where it is said, that Judas took Bosor upon the sudden and slew all the Males therein, and in recounting the places taken by him, it is said he took Cushan, Mageth, and Bosor, and the other Cities of Gilead. And Josephus saith, that having overcome the Arabians he laid tribute upon the Moabites and Gileadites, which argueth, that the land of Gilead, was also brought under by the Jews.

And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Conadnites even to Zarephath, and that of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, the Cities of the South. That is, the two houses before spoken of returning out of captivity shall amongst them possess such large bounds, as they never yet did, each one the parts nearest to him, Israel the Canaanites land as far as Sareptah in Zidon, for there lay their Country, and they that went Captives from Jerusalem and had dwelt in Sepharad in Babylon, the Southern Cities nearest to which their country lay, as was before said. Here by Zarephath Lyra following R. Solomon understnnds France, and by Sepharad, in the Vulgar Latin rendered Bosphorus, Spain, and applying it mystically to the times of the Gospel he saith, this of possessing the Canaanites Country even to France was fulfilled, when divers Countries as far as France being converted to the faith Saint Saminianus one of the 72 Disciples came thither and converted the City of Sennon then the chief City of France and called the golden City, and his fellows went and converted others. And for Spain James the Apostle and his Disciples by Preaching the Gospel there possessed it for Christ, the Cities there being called the Cities of the South, because Spain lieth south in respect of France. Then coming to verse. 21. where it is said, Savior's shall come up to Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, and the City shall be the Lord's, he saith, that here by Savior's Peter and Paul are set forth, being so called, because by Preaching they converted and saved. For their judging of the Mount of Esau, that was done when Rome set forth hereby was converted in Constantine's time, Peter and Paul appearing unto him, and after this he left Rome to be the seat of Saint Peters successors, going to Bizantium, and making that the seat of his Empire and calling it Constantinople, for then the City became the Lord's, thus Lyra. But if his ground whereupon he frameth this Exposition be overthrown, the building must needs fall also. It cannot be proved that France was ever called Zarephath, or Spain Sepharad, or Bosphorus: but Zareptah a City of Zidon, is manifestly set forth by the first 1 King. 17. 6. and of the Jews subduing all the Country of the Canaanites unto Zareptah in Zidon, and Zidon it self, it as is plainly intimated when 2 Maccab. 12. it is said, that Judas took Jamnia and Joppe, for these and Dor, Cesarea, Palestine and Ptolemais were Cities lying from Palestine to Zidon, called here the Canaanites country. And for Zidon and Tyrus also possessed by the Jews, Joseph. Gorionis saith, that Aristobulus the son of Hireanus was a great King, and that he overthrew Tyrus and Zidon, and slew innumerable souls, and circumcised and subjected to the Jews, the survivours to the time of Pompey the Roman Prince. Wherefore this being fulfilled according to the word here used, why should any man flee to any other Country to draw that in here, as France being never in holy Scripture set forth by any such name? Now for Shepharad by Lyra expounded by Spain, by the Vulgar called Bosphorus, because in the Hebrew it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which if we take 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for a preposition, must be rendered, in Serapbad, if for part of the name here spoken of Bosphorud, and turning d into s, Bosphorus, which Jerome saith in the Assyrian tongue is the same that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is in Hebrew, that is, a bound of a Country, so that hereby may be understood the uttermost bounds of Babylon, where they of Jerusalem were placed, and in particular a place thus called there, where the Sea was so narrow and shallow, that Oxen might made through according to Pliny, and such a narrow Sea was between Chalcedon and Byzontium, and an Ox in Latin is bos. Moreover the same Jerome saith, that the Jews have a tradition, that they were not only placed in Media and Persia, that were carried away, but also in the furthest North parts called Bosphorus. Whereas many besides Lyra, as Vatablus and the Chaldee Paraphrase and all the Jews are for Spain, it is of little moment, seeing we never read of the carrying of the Jews into Spain, and it is to be thought, that R. Solomon hath been herein followed without discretion by others. And hitherto of the fulfilling of these things according to the letter; now let us see, how far forth all this hath been mystically fulfilled under the Gospel. Deliverance came to Zion, when to the faithful by Christ, and he was the holy one teaching there, and working miracles for the curing both of soul and body, then Jacob, that is, the people of God by Preaching brought Kingdoms and Nations into subjection, and so took possession of them as it were for Christ, they being made his inheritance. And this was done by being fire unto them through the fiery spirit consuming their former vanities, and that not only by the house of Jacob, that is, the Jews going forth to Preach, but also by Joseph fignifying adding, that is, some of the Gentiles added to them by the coming down of the Spirit upon them, whereby they had the gift of speaking with tongues. And nothing shall be left of Esau, that is, in all Countries, where they came preaching the Gospel, nothing Gentilish was left, but abolished, by Esau here all Heathens living before in idolatry being understood. Then the parts, of which they first took possession for Christ, are set forth, the Mount of Esau, whereby the proud Nations in general may be understood, and the Philistines, all others before being enemies. Then in particular Ephraim and Samaria being all one are spoken of, and touching the faithfulls being dispersed all over this Country, and preaching here, see Act. 8. Then Benjamin in particular possessed Gilead, which, as Jorome saith, was the same with Arabia, and here Paul of the Tribe of Benjamin preached, as he himself saith, Gol. 1. 17. And for the taking in for Christ's possessing the land of Ephraim unto Sarepta, see Act. 11. they that were dispersed came to Phenice, the Country wherein Sarepta was, for Tyrus and Zidon, to which Sarepta belonged, were in Phenicia, and again Act. 8. Philip was carried to Azotus a City of the Philistines, Act. 10. Peter was at Joppe and Caesorea, which were some of those parts before mentioned. Lastly, the Jews in Shepharad or Bosphorus, that is, the most remote parts, where they are still shut up for their unbelief, shall have their eyes opened and be converted unto Christ and return to their own Country again called the Cities of the South, as is by Saint Paul gathered out of Prophesies, Rom. 11.

For the last words, Vers. 21. Savior's shall come up to Mount Zion and judge the Mount of Esau, and the Kingdom shall be the Lord's. Here by Savior's understand, as often in the Book of Judges, men stirred up by God to smite the enemies of his people and to deliver them, such was Mattathias, Judas Maccabeus and his brethren, and others succeeding them, as Princes of the Jews, who mightily subdued their enemies, as hath been before shown, and in particular the Edomites, thus bringing that Kingdom under, and compelling them to receive circumcision and other rites of God's people, whereby it is said to become the Kingdom of the Lord. Mystically this was fulfilled, when men endued with the Spirit of God brought under the Gospel Heathen Kingdoms everywhere, and is daily fulfilled in stirring up successively faithful Pastors, who by teaching beat down and destroy the Devils Kingdom consisting of sin, that they who were before under this god of the World may turn subjects of the Kingdom of God, Christ by his Spirit reigning in their hearts, till he deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, and so he reigneth in them forever by making them to reign with him in glory.

THE PROPHESIE OF IONAH:

TOuching the time when Jonah prophesied, it is agreed by all that it was in the days of Jeroboam the second, because of his prophesying then mention is made 2 King. 14. and therefore he is well placed next unto Obadiah, as being contemporanean with him, whereas he is most commonly held to be the son of the widow of Sarepta, whom being dead Elisha raised to life again: this hath been confuted upon 2 King. 14. 25. He was a known Prophet, as we may gather both from 2 King. 14. and from that which is here said, and not now first called to this office. For it is begun with a conjunction copulative, Hebr. and the word of the Lord came, or was to Jonah, implying something prophesied by him before, whereby he was well enough known, and it seemeth that there was a greater book of his prophesies, of which this was but a part, and no more is now extant, because God in his providence saw that the Church should need no more: and although he prophesied nothing he prophesieth nothing touching Christ, yet he himself was an eminent type of him both in his name Jonah, signifying a Dove, seeing the spirit came down in the likeness of a Dove and rested upon him, and in his being in the Whales belly three days and three nights, as Christ in the heart of the earth, Mat. 12. 40.

The place to which Jonah was sent, was Nineveh that great City, which was the chief city of the Assyrian Kingdom built first by Ashur, Gen. 10. 11. having the name Nineveh from the beauty thereof, and the pleasantness of the situation, and not from Ninus, as is commonly held, saith Gwalther; Calvin leaveth it undetermined, whether it had the name from Ninus or no, because he repaired it. Lyra and some others say, that the same man was Ashur and Ninus called by two names. It was 400 furlongs about, and had 1500 towers, being doubtless most rich and wealthy, as being the lady city of the world, and of so long a continuance, viz 1300 years, in all which time the Kings that made it their seat, could not but enrich it wonderfully.

To this City Jonah is sent, and therefore about a task full of difficulty and discouragement, in that he a man alone, and a stranger, must go to the chief city of the world of so long a standing, to threaten destruction to it within 40 days. For to what scofts and dangers might he think that he should by this means be exposed? yet God would have him undertake it.

1. To show, that as great as Nineveh was, yet it was not too great for God [Note.] to pull down, neither is any City or Kingdom of the world.

2. That the Israelites, amongst whom he and others prophesied before, might be the more confounded when they should hear of the repentance of Nineveh an heathen City at once prophesying, when as they having had so much prophesying so long a time, were not by all this moved to repentance, but went on still in their sins.

3. Because Ashur was then most flourishing and ruled far and wide, and yet full of wickedness, if nothing had been threatened against that state, when Israel was so greatly threatened, the faithful might have been much discouraged, as thinking God's people in worse case then any others.

Jonah not willing to go about this difficult task, fled by Sea, to go to Tarsis a City in Silicia, where Paul was afterwards born, and went down to Joppae a Port town of his own country and there took shipping. Some by Tarsis understands the Islands in the Sea in general, which had this name from Tarsus the son of Javan, who went and inhabited the Islands of the Sea. But surely Jonah bent his course to one certain place thus called, and paid his sare accordingly, although some who stand for his going to Sea in general say, that he being full of fear, and unresolved to what place to go, might go with the mariners to any place that they went to as it should happen, all his desire being to be gone, not caring whither, Whereas it is said, that he fled from the presence of the Lord, it may seem strange, that so wise a man as he, who knew well that God is present everywhere, should by fleeing to Tarsis think that he should be out of his sight or danger. But surely he did not thus out of any such opinion, but rather because he thought that if he were out of the land, where commonly God used to single out some to go upon his messages, he would let him go and take another man.

But the Lord sent a mighty wind; which showeth that he is the Former of the winds, as he is called Amos 4. 13.

The men in the ship then cast lots to find out who amongst them was the cause why the Lord was thus angry to toss them so fiercely up and down in the sea: and to shake their ship with so great violence. A marvelous matter that they being heathens and untaught, should show so much piety, first to pray, and to stir up others to pray, according to that precept, Call upon me in the time of trouble. Verily this plainly showeth, that it is by the light of nature [Note.] known, that there is a God, and that he ruleth over sea and land, and over the most boisterous winds, and he only can save such as are in peril of death.

Secondly, to know and acknowledge, that in time of an extraordinary judgment upon any man or a company of men together, chance or fortune do not work, but God who is offended, and for some great offense committed against him, sendeth such a judgment, as Amos 3. 7.

Thirdly, that God knoweth the secrets of all men, and can and will when need requires discover any offender, that he may come to condign punishment therefore.

Fourthly, that lots are the means when otherwise an offender cannot be found out to bring him and his offense to light, as it is said, that Joshua did Achan by that which he did, approving the thing done in this place. Wherefore Christians that are strangers to prayer, believe not that there is a God, attribute judgments coming upon men to Fortune, not acknowledging their sins to be the cause, think to hide any wickedness that they commit, from God, or that God moderateth not in lots, and therefore in no case will use them, are worse then the very heathen, who shall rise up in judgment against them and condemn them.

But touching lots, to say somewhat more, they are by some distinguished into three sorts, 1. Divisory, as the land of Canaan was divided by Lots. 2. Divinatory, to find out either one chosen of God to some high and eminent office, as lots were cast to find out who should be King when God appointed Saul; and again, what man should succeed in the Apostleship in the room of Judas, when Matthias was appointed: Or to find out one for whose wickedness God did by signs show himself offended, and many by his judgments were endangered, as Joshua found out Achan; and this kind of lot was used in common both by God's people and heathens, God working hereby amongst them, as well as amongst these, and demonstrating the man, that he might come to condign punishment, as his providence is over all everywhere to bring to light to punish notorious offenders, as appeareth abundantly in profane histories as well as in sacred. And the common using of lots in such cases amongst God's people is intimated, Prov. 16. where it is said, the lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord and amongst heathens, Isaiah 11. 4. 13. thou didst cast lots upon the nations of the earth, whereby is shown that the King of Babylon used to do so, see also Ezek. 21. 3. Lots consultory to find out what is to be done in some difficult and doubtful case, but of this sort no instance is given, and in such cases the people of God rather consulted with him by the Ephod, and heathens with the Oracle of Apollo or Wizards, and so did Saul with the Witch at Endor. And hitherto of Lots; now to look back a little to the cause of their casting Lots, it may be demanded whereby they conjectured, that some man in the ship had committed some foul sin, for which they came into that danger? The Rabbins are bold to say, that they saw other ships at the same time sailing out of this danger; but how do they know this? for it is said, the Lord sent a mighty wind upon the sea, and not upon that part only, where this ship was. It is therefore rather to be conceived, that it was an unusual tempest, and such as the Mariners having been long used to travel by Sea, had never felt before: happily also they were moved by a secret divine instinct to cast Lots, that Jonah might be found out, who thought now that he was gone out of Israel, that the Lord would no more look after him or question him.

I fear the Lord God of heaven, v. 1 • . then they were exceedingly afraid: because that by Jonah his speech they conceived, that the God of the Hebrews whom they served not, had sent this tempest, and therefore they feared lest he would now destroy them. For they had doubtless heard of his almighty power shown against the Eyptians and Canaanites, and therefore great reason why they should fear before him. And it is further added as a reason of their fear, that Jonah had told them that he fled from the presence of the Lord, and they unwittingly had taken him into their ship, so that for this they thought themselves now to be in so great danger, forsomuch as it must be acknowledged to be a great offense against an earthly master, to receive and convey away a fugitive servant of his sent about another business by him.

Then they cried to the Lord, saying, Lay not this man's life to our charge we beseech thee: Having labored what they could to bring the ship to the shore, but not being able to do it, wherein they shown their humanity, and unwillingness to drown Jonah, although a stranger, and offering himself to be cast into the Sea; now they beseech God not to impute this for a sin unto them, whereby many Christians are condemned that regard not a man's life, as indeed God requireth that we should all do; and mark their reason, Thou hast done as it pleased thee, we do nothing but as thou directedst, and this is a plea sufficient to bear men out in all things to do nothing but what he directeth them to do in any execution doing upon others.

And having cast Jonah into the Sea it was calm, wherein he was a figure of Christ, who being voluntarily hanged upon the cross and suffering for us, we that believe in him, being before tossed with storms of fears, and endangered of being drowned in the pit of everlasting destruction, attain to peace with God, and so come to quiet and rest in our souls.

Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered sacrifice, and made vows: Being in danger they greatly feared lest they should have been drowned, but being delivered, they feared the Lord much more, to turn to him by sacrificing and vowing from thenceforth to serve him, and to continue as his faithful servants in the frequent doing of this duty, and honoring him with their substance all their days. Thus was that saying of the Psalmist verified, There is mercy with thee, therefore shalt thou be feared: As Jacob greatly feared at Bethel, and made an oblation, and vowed to give to the Lord the tithe of all that he had. Gwalther conjectureth that their vow was constantly to persevere in the worship of God, adue being bidden to Idols and false God's for all time to come.

Touching their sacrificing, he saith, that it was some oblation that they made of such things as they had, although Jerome saith, it was the sacrifice of praise, called by Hosea, the calves of the lips: I conceive with Gwalther, that it was some meat-offering of flour and oil made in the ship, out of which, although they had cast their wares to lighten it of them, v. 5. yet they kept some provision still for their necessary uses. Some because they cannot conceive how or of what they should do sacrifice in the ship, seeing they had before cast out all heavy things, conjecture that this was done when they came ashoar. Note here, how God works the conversion of some sinners, and what it is for a sinner to be converted, viz.

1. To turn from the sin that he formerly lived in, as these men did from [Note.] calling upon false God's anymore, to call upon the true God.

2. To fear the Lord, and that not a little, but exceedingly; for the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

3. To do sacrifice unto him, that is, all duties of piety, which he hath commanded.

4. To bind ourselves to go on in all piety the more strongly to vow unto God so to do, and that no covetous desires of the profits of the world shall ever make us to serve Mammon by defrauding God of any of his dues, or love of pleasure to serve the belly, by defrauding God of an heart taken up with delight in his service above all things; for when God is served with a pure heart, this is his delight, and herein he takes pleasure: for the Lord delighteth in them that truly fear him, not in the strength of horses, or in any man's legs. And happy are they whom the Lord terrifieth with his judgments to make them thus to turn unto him.

Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah: and this is said by our Lord to be a whale, Mat. 12. 40. And herein Jonah was specially a type of Christ, as is there plainly taught. If any shall doubt how this could be, that a man should lie in a fishes belly so long and not be suffocated, let him consider how all sorts of wild beasts and fowls came into the Ark to Noah to be preserved, and fed by him contrary to their fierce and savage nature; again, how the waters of the Red sea, or of Jordan, could be divided for the children of Israel to pass through upon dry ground; or how a fish came so soon to Peters angle with money in the mouth; or which is commonly done, how a child can live 5 months in the mothers belly, which is much more straight to hold a child, then the whales to hold a man. God is almighty and can do whatsoever he pleaseth, therefore we are to believe, that he could do, and did this, unless we will be Infidels. For that wherein Jonah was a figure of Christ besides that which hath been said and is plainly taught, Gwalther hath two more.

1. As Jonah being cast into the Sea the mariners were converted from Idolatry to the service of the true God, so Christ being crucified, and buried and rising again, many heathen countries and nations were converted.

2. As after Jonah his coming out of the whales belly, he went and preached to Nineveh, and the men of Nineveh repented and were saved from the destruction threatened to them: so shall all they that at the preaching of the Gospel, since Christ's resurrection, are brought to faith and repentance, be saved from the wrath to come, with which they were before threatened, now is the axe laid to the root of the trees, therefore every tree that brings not forth good fruit shall be hewn, &c.

CHAP. II.

ANd Jonah prayed to the Lord out of the fishes belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction: R. Solomon hath upon this a most ridiculous comment, that this fish was a male, and having swallowed Jonah, he having room enough, as in a ship, prayed not, but this male fish soon put him out again into the mouth of a female being big with young, and there he was much straightened, and so called upon the Lord, which he gathereth from the change of the gender, because, first it is said, God prepared a fish, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a masculine being used; then when he comes to say, he prayed out of the fishes belly, he useth the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a feminine. But how foolish and absurd this exposition is, appeareth v. 10. where when the fish vomited up Jonah again upon the dry land, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used, as at the first, and therefore he might as well for this have added another invention, that the female being too much pained with Jonah in her belly, and her young ones also, put him out again into the mouth of the male. Thus many times when the Rabbins would show themselves wise, they prove fools, and many times deliver such things, as that it would irk one to relate. The word in the masculine or feminine, is used promiscuously to set forth a fish at large, either male or female, and so it is in this place. Some will not have it understood when Jonah prayed out of the whales belly, that there he uttered these words, but being delivered and restored to the land again, because the words of prayer here used, are not so much a prayer as confession and Psalm of praise to God for that which he had done for him; neither do the words, say they, agree to him being in that condition, but delivered out of it, for he saith, I cried unto the Lord and he heard me, as of a thing past. Yet others more ancient conceive these words to have been uttered in the whales belly, holding that God assured Jonah of his deliverance, whilst he was there, and then he saw himself in safety and therefore spake he thus. But I rather assent to the former, for how can any man tell, that God assured Jonah of deliverance before he was delivered, that he should then speak of himself as already delivered? But after his easting out upon the dry land again, there was great reason that he should thus confess to the praise of God who had done so wonderfully for him. His prayer then is not set down, but only in general it is said that he prayed there, and he said, v. 2. which may be as well referred to the time of his being out, as in, as if he had said, and being heard and brought out of that nasty and dangerous place, he said, as followeth.

Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look again towards thy holy temple: This further confirmeth, that Jonah compiled this hymn after that he was come to land again, when he had hope that he should again go to the house of the Lord, of which he intimateth here, that he had no hope when he was in the whales belly, but counted himself now an abject, and one whom the Lord hated and could not endure to look upon for his rebellion anymore, which is implied in these words, I said, that I am cast out of thy sight.

I went down to the bottom of the Mountains, the earth with her bars was about me, yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption: In speaking of the danger of death, wherein he was, he diversely amplifieth it, that the mercy of God in delivering him, might be the more magnified. And he calleth the Sea compassed with high Mountains, the bottom of the Mountains for the low lying thereof in respect of them, and the rocks keeping anything therein from coming to land, and these are the bars of the earth for this cause so called. And in that he saith, thou hast brought my life from corruption, it is again plainly intimated, that when he spake thus he was delivered. And this he attributes to the power of his prayer made in the fishes belly, v. 7. whereupon he gathereth, that they who observe lying vanities for sake their own mercy, that is, they who seek in a superstitious way for help and deliverance in time of danger, are far from prevailing for mercy of which they stand in need at God's hands, who alone can and will help and show mercy to those that seek to him according to the directions of his holy word, and not according to men's inventions. For whoso hereby thinketh to prevail, shall be utterly deceived, and perish, but whoso observes the word o • God to seek to him according to the rules thereof, shall be saved, and this is called his own mercy, because so the mercy of salvation promised to such as call upon God shall be made his, and if any good be hoped for by such as do otherwise, it is but mere delusion, and they that do so forsake him in whom there is mercy indeed for a vain imagination. Whereby we may see how great pains Papists take in vain, in seeking to the [Note.] Saints departed, going in pilgrimage to the holy land, and to Saints shrines for help, making there oblations to their great cost, and also they that seek to Wizards, or observe signs trusting to them: yea they hereby make themselves uncapable of mercy, and run headlong to destruction: Some, as Calvin saith, understand this of the mariners taxed hereby by Jonah for their calling everyone upon his God, and now although for the present they sacrificed to God, yet he foresaw that they would soon turn from him again to Idolatry, and so should finally obtain no mercy, but he rejecteth this, and might well do so, as uncharitable, seeing in all probability they were so wrought upon that they truly turned.

And the Lord spake to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land: Here see the effect of Jonah his praying, and the almighty power of God, who by a word speaking doth whatsoever he pleaseth, his word and command being alike heard and understood by dumb and senseless creatures and by those, that are endued with reason and understanding. And it must be a great power that must bring so great a fish to the shore, where it seldom cometh for the shallowness of the water, for which it declineth places near the shore and keepeth in the deepest places of the Sea altogether, that we may admire and praise the power of God and fear and trust in him. The whales casting up of Jonah did notably figure out not only Christ's resurrection, but the resurrection of all the dead at the last day, when the earth shall give up the dead therein, and the Sea the dead therein, Rev. 20.

CHAP. III.

HERE Jonah being bidden the second time, went and denounced destruction to Nineveh, the news whereof coming to the King, he went from his throne, laid away his robes, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes, making proclamation by the advice of his Nobles, that neither man nor beast should eat or drink, but put on sackcloth and cry mightily to God and turn from their evil ways, which they doing, God repented of the evil threatened, and did it not.

The Septuagint here for 40 days have 3 days and Nineveh shall be destroyed, but it is manifestly an error in the Scribe, and can no way be excused, so that this plainly evinceth that translation to be corrupted. For the Kings requiring man and beast to fast and to be covered with sackcloth, it may seem strange both because beasts sin not, and it may seem impossible so suddenly to get sackcloth enough to cover all the beasts of Nineveh and men also both great and small. To the first it may be said, that although beasts sin not, yet for men's sins, whose beasts they are, they are punishable together with their masters, and therefore to express the greater sorrow they must fast also, that they might together with them mourn for want of food, the cry being thus made the greater, and God whose creatures all are, hearing this great cry might be the more moved to compassion. For putting on of sackcloth upon beasts, I conceive that not all generally were thus clad, but such as men to set forth their pomp the more, covered commonly with cloth of more worth, and upon which they hanged rich trappers and foot cloths, that as in them they had offended by pride, they might express humility now by taking these rich things off, and putting course sackcloth upon them instead thereof, as the King himself laid away his robes at this time and put on sackcloth and ashes. How long they fasted and did thus, it is not said, but because Jonah was three days in proclaiming this, it is probable that where they heard first of it, they thus humbled themselves all that time. But it was not their fasting or crying to God, but turning from their evil ways, that prevailed for mercy, as is here expressly noted. For the Lord's repenting, it hath been spoken of before, Jer. 18. & 1 Sam. 15. so that I shall not need to add anymore here.

CHAP. IV.

HEre Jonah his weakness is again laid open, in that he was offended and greatly vexed in seeing his prophesying of destruction to Nineveh not to take effect. If it be demanded, how did he know that Nineveh should not be destroyed within 40 days, when as this time was not yet expired: for his sitting without the city to see, argueth that the time spoken of was not yet come? Sol. The same God, who had commanded him to threaten it, revealed now his will before those days were ended, most probably soon after his threatening upon the Ninevites repentance that he would now spare them. But was Jonah angry because the people repenting were spared? this had been great inhumanity in him, and altogether mis-becoming a Prophet of the Lord, who one would think should rather have rejoiced to see so good an effect of his prophesying, and gone amongst them to instruct them further in the fear of the Lord, and to stir them up to go on according to this good beginning? Sol. It was not their being saved from destruction that vexed him, but that hereupon men would have him in derision, as being no true but a false Prophet, so that hereafter there would be danger, as he conceived, of people's contemning and slighting of prophesies to his great dishonor, from whom they came. But if by revelation from God, he knew now that Nineveh should bespared, why did he sit upon some hill without the City expecting the event? Sol. He knew not but that the Ninevites repentance might be momentary, they within the time limited returning with the swine to wallow in the mire again, because this is a thing common with many, being in present danger to repent for 2 or 3 days, and then to fall to sinning again, when the danger is over, as Pharaoh and Ahab, and Esa. 50. And because Jonah was angry in the respect before said, God did but gently reprove him, Doest thou well to be angry Jonah?

For his prayer made now, I pray thee (O Lord) was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? In which words he addresseth himself to God in the way of supplication, yet he expostulateth with him for his being offended at his fleeing away to Tarshish, as if the Lord were more to blame then he: but both this and the words following, take away my life, came from his passion and distemper of spirit, as we read of the like before touching Elijah, which blindeth the eye of reason for the time, for which the Lord bare with them both, and spared them. It is not set forth as exemplary to us, that we in time of discontent [Note.] and danger, or disgrace, as weary of our lives, might do the like; but to show what infirmities be in the best, that he who standeth may take heed lest he fall, and not be high minded for any grace conferred upon him above other men. The next words are the same with Joel 2. 13. and seem to be borrowed thence.

And the Lord prepared a gourd that it might be a shadow over his head. Jonah having made him a booth to sit in, whereby he might be somewhat shadowed from the heat of the Sun, but not sufficiently, the Lord out of his mercy provided this shadowing also for him, aiming yet herein at another end, as is by and by shown. About the word rendered gourd much contention hath anciently been, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying either a gourd or ivy, or a kind of tree that in a short time groweth up with broad leaves, like the leaves of a vine, and thick, and so most fit to shadow him that sits under it, and it differs herein from a gourd or ivy, that they grow not erect without a supporter, this upon a stiff stalk standing erect by itself without anything to support it, but for any name, whereby to express it in other languages, there is none, for which Jerome rendered it, Ivy, and saith in an Epistle of his written long after, when controversy arose about his translation, that in the Syriac and Punic tongue it is called Elceroa, which kind of tree groweth here and there in Palestine upon sandy and light ground, and it is a tree which cometh of a seed being cast into the ground, and growing up in two or three days, but the Lord by his power made it to grow up in one night.

God prepared a worm, &c. As God made a gourd suddenly to grow in a night, so having stood a day he made it suddenly to wither, giving us herein an emblem of the vanity of worldly things wherein we delight, that we may not [Note.] set our hearts upon them which are so transitory. When the gourd was withered, Jonah his vexation was renewed, because now both the wind and Sun smote him exceedingly. Then the Lord said, Art thou grieved for the gourd for which thou labouredst not, but it came up in a night and withered in a day, and should not I avoid, as a thing that would be grievous to me, if I should do it, to destroy Nineveh, wherein are sixscore thousands that cannot discern between their right hand and their left, and much cattle? It may seem strange here, that omitting to speak of their repentance, he speaks of these things, as if he were chiefly moved hereby, whereas it was said before, that because Nineveh repented, God repented and did not bring upon it the evil threatened. But it is to be understood, that he speaks not here of their repentance, because it was spoken of before, although that were the main reason why they were spared, and the considerations here spoken of but additional, whereby God yet showeth his care over little children, that have actually done neither good nor evil, notwithstanding their original corruption, for which he might justly cast them into hell fire, yea and other inferior creatures also, the very beasts, that men in a good way might not be doubtful, but steadfastly believing that he will much more tender their good and preservation from evil.

THE PROPHESIE OF MICAH: