Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 2 · Section 12
VERSE 12.
For I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins, they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
IN this Verse we have a Reason why the Lord would bear no longer with this people, viz. because of their obstinacy, cruelty, bribery, and unrighteousness, and because the high and lofty ones of the world are apt to contemn the poor plain Prophets of the Lord, and to sle…ght their Message, and say to Gods Amoses, you wrong us, for we are not the men that you take us for, therefore, the Prophet brings in the Lord himself, saying,
I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins. q. d. Though you act your wickedness never so secretly, and hide your oppressions, and palliate and put glosses on your unrighteous practices before men; yet nothing is hid from mine eye. I understand your thoughts afar off, and know them before you think them, your words before you speak them, and your works before you doe them, Psal. 139.1, 2, 3, 4. So that however you may deceive men with your pretences of Law and Equity, yea and deceive your selves too, yet you cannot deceive me, for all things are naked to mine eye.
The Prophet having to doe with stubborn Sinners, to make the threatning the more ponderous and effectual, he brings in the Lord himself, saying, I know your wayes, and your wickedness, you think your selves Lords Paramount, and none may question you, or say unto you, what doe you? But you must know that there is a Lord above you, and a greater than you, to whom you must certainly and suddenly give an account.
The Prophet sets down the Sins of these great ones especially.
1 Generally, and in the lump.
1 They were for Number, Rabbim, many.
2 For Nature, Gnatzumim, great and grievous.
Their sins were not secret infirmities, but great and crying enormities, so hideous that they were no longer to be endured or born, and therefore the Holy Ghost multiplies words, the better to work upon them. They were guilty of Transgressions, manifold transgressions; Sins, and mighty sins. The word which we render Transgression,Peshegnechem, à Pashang, transgressio, praevaricatio, rebellio. Guatsum, sortis, potens, n… merosus. Peccata fortiae i. e. gravia, grandia, crudelia, obstinita. V. Schools-Guard, Rule 25 signifies a proud transgressing of Gods Law, and a malicious rebelling against God, Psal. 5.10.
The word Guatzumim signifies both mighty in strength, and many in number. Such were the sins of this people, they were for number numberless, and for nature, grand and grievous, habitual, chronical sins. They were such as admitted of all manner of aggravations. 1 They were multitudes, they were three transgressions, and four, oft so called, Amos 2.4 6. i e. they were exceeding many and manifold, for so the number seven is oft used in Scripture for many, as Levit. 26.24. Eccles. 11.2. they abounded with Idolatry, Oppression, Unjustice, Security, &c. 2 All these were acted in a time when God was powring Mercies upon them, saving them by the hand of Ieroboam the second, and giving them Victory over their enemies, 2 King. 14.25, 27. now these are called strong Sins, either because they cried strongly for punishment, and did as it were bind Gods hands that he could shew them no mercy; or rather because they were committed with a stiff and stubborn mind strongly bent upon sin and wickedness, drawing on iniquity with the cords of vanity, and sin as it were with Cart-ropes, Isa. 5.18 they were wilfully set on sin, and did use all means to draw it to themselves.
2 He sets down their sins particularly, specifically, and as in were by retail.
1 They afflict the just.
2 They take bribes.
3 They oppress the poor.
Hostes …usti, vel affligentes justum. Vatabl.1. They afflict the just, whom they should have defended. This Sin was written in Capital Letters, as it were on their fore-heads, and therefore they are so oft charged with it. The word Tsorer signifies to bind one hard together as we doe an enemy, and straiten, vexe, oppress, and afflict one. So Psal. 129.14. Many are they that afflict me from my youth, God hath cut their cords.
2. They take a bribe, viz. to pervert Justice, contrary to Gods express command. Exo. 23.8. Deut. 16.17. and it is made the badge of a wicked man to doe so, Prov. 17 23. they condemned the poor innocent man that could not bribe and abso…ved the wicked rich man that could bribe well. Thus they justified the wicked, and condemned the just, both which are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 17.15.
Cophar, foreign, vel redemptionis pretium.The word which we translate a Bribe, signifies a Ransome; these mercinary Judges put Malefactors to ransome themselves with money, and to pay a rate for their redemption. E. G. If one had killed a man, it was but paying a Ransome (though the Law say, no Ransome shall be accepted for such a sin, Numb. 35.31.) and he was quit. So if any were accused for Theft, Adultery, Witch-craft, &c. it was but bribing lustily, and they were presently acquit, and pronounced innocent; thus instead of punishing them with death for their sins, they onelyonly fined and merced them.
They turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
The Judges sate in the gate to do Justice (as I have shewed before, vers. 10.) yet even there they perverted Justice. They oppress the poor in the gate, In porta i. e. in publico judicio. Met. subj.i. e. in the publick judgement which was exercised in the gate. In open Court they perverted the cause of the poor, either by a corrupt stating of the case, or concealing the merit of the cause, or by delays, &c. The good man trusting to the equity of his cause, is cast, and for want of a bribe (which the rich man brings) is non-suted. Thus their Fountains did run poyson, their Courts of Justice were Courts of Injustice; and their Courts of Equity, courts of Iniquity; and therefore the Lord is now resolved to bear no longer with them, but even to destroy them.
OBSERVATIONS.
1 Hardned, incorrig…ble sinners are not worthy of a reproof: And therefore the Lord here turns his speech from these Rulers, and complains to himself and to his people, saying, They afflict the just, In my Com. on Psal. 82.5. Obs. 1. p. 130.take bribes, &c. We do but wash a Blackmore, and labour in vain, when we speak to such posts and stones, as I have shewed elsewhere.
2 Obs. All the wayes and works of men are under the inspection of an All-seeing God.
All things are naked and anatomized before the eyes of him with whom we have to do, Psal. 94.9, 10. Heb. 4 13. Hee knows not only an action or two, but hee knows all the wayes that men take, Iob 23.10. Men may deceive others, and themselves too, but they cannot deceive God; he sees through their projects, and sayes to them as the Prophet said to the wife of Ieroboam, Come in thou wife of Jeroboam, why fainest thou thyself to be another than thou art? See Hildersham on Ioh. 4.16. Lect. 14 p. 64. Dyke on Ioh 2.24. p. 84.The secret plottings and contrivements of mens hearts are not hid from him, Psal. 94 11. Ezek. 11.5. The great ones of the world may vail their villanies, and hide them from the eyes of men, and escape their hands; but there is a greater than they whose eyes behold all their doings, and whose hand will bring them unto justice. All their pomp shall shortly lye in the dust, and they stand stript and naked before Gods dreadful Tribunal.
Ne pecces, Deus ipse videt, bonus Angelus astat, accusat Satanas, conscia mens cruciat. See more in my Com. on 2 Tim. 4.3. Obs. 1.We should therefore all of us lead a life worthy of such a presence, and take heed of provoking him by our sins, who cannot look upon them but with a vindictive eye, and one look of his eye puts all into terrour▪ if hee but look on the earth (which never sinned against him) it trembles, Psal. 104.32. I have read of some, that have had such lively, sparkling eyes, that they have affrighted such as beheld them, but what are their eyes compared with Gods?
3 Obs. Wicked men by long continuance in sin come at last to be high and mighty sinners.
As in goodness the repetition of the act intends the habit, and the sons of Sion go on in Gods wayes to perfection, Philip. 3.13, 14. Heb. 6.1. So the sons of Belial conceive sin, travel with it, and then bring it to perfection, Iames 1.15. As men when they come to their full growth, are strong, and men of might; so when sinners are come to their full growth, they become great and mighty sinners, as we see, Eccles. 8.11. Ier. 3.5. and 44.16, 17. Hos. 2.5. They set their hearts upon sin; their greediness after it, shews the strength of their affection to it, Eph. 4.19.
See my Com. on Hos. 13.16. p. 109. &c.This bodes some judgement approaching, when mens sins are for number many, and for nature hainous and habitual. As there is a woe hangs over the heads of such as are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to powre down strong drink Isa. 5.21.Fortes & strenui sunt non contra bostes, sed ad …xbauriendos catices, gigantes non ad b…llandum, sed ad potandum & peccandum. So judgements are prepared for all obdurate, mighty sinners, Deut. 29.19, 20. It is said of Nimrod that he was a mighty Hunter, Gen. 10.9. so wee may say of too many, they are mighty Oppressors, mighty Worldlings, mighty Epicures, &c. and therefore we must look for mighty miseries. Ingentia beneficia, ingentia vitia, ingentia supplicia. As it is the glory of a man to be much and mighty in the service of God, Luke 24.19. Act. 7.22. So it is mens great debasement, when they are much and mighty in the service of sin and Satan, Ier. 8.2. Micah. 7.3.
See more in my Com. on Psal. 8.2. Index Bribery, and on Amos 4.1. Cartwright on Psal. 15. ult.4 Obs. Bribery is base.
It blindes the eyes, perverts judgement, condemns the innocent, acquits the nocent, and brings confusion and disorder into a land. These wicked men acted their sins in all the six Cases, but would confess them in no case. They acted in the Nominative case by seeking a name to themselves. In the Genitive by fornication both spiritual and corporal, Amos 2.7, 8. In the D…rive by Bribery. In the Accusative by detracting and slandering of the righteous. In the Vocative by flattering,Mr. Patrick in his Jewish Hypocrisie, ch. 9, 10. &c. and in the Ablative by robbing.
5 Obs. Perverting of justice to the oppressing of the poor, is a Land-destroying sin.
That which brought Israel and Iudah into Captivity,See my Com. on Psal. 82.2, 3, 4. p. 100, &c. was more especially their sins of Injustice and Cruelty, as is fully proved by a learned Pen.