Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 3 · Section 4
VERSE 4.
That lye upon Beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their Couches, and eat the Lambs out of the flock, and the Calves out of the midst of the stall.
THe Prophet goes on with his Charge against the Rulers of Iudah and Israel. In this verse hee chargeth them with a fourth Sin, which was an effect and evidence of their security, and that is Luxury and Sensuality; they spent their time in eating, drinking, sleeping, in mirth and musick, without any sense or sorrow for the afflictions of Ioseph. Like Swinish Epicures, they minded nothing but their pleasures, stretching themselves on their Ivory-beds, eating the fattest of the flock, inventing variety of Musick and Melody, and new waies to increase their mirth; drinking wine in deep carousing cups, and anointing their bodies with the principal and most precious oyntments which those times and places afforded. And that which highly aggravates their sin was this, that all this was done in a time of mourning, when Gods hand was upon the Regions round about them, and they should have humbled themselves in dust and ashes, and lay on the very ground for their great provocations; yet then were they lying on beds of Ivory, and gave themselves up to all manner of pastimes and merriment. The Prophet therefore the better to awaken them, doth raise his stile, and in a most curious Rhetorical strain doth set before them their lust and luxury, their sin and misery.
Quest. The question then will bee, whether this curious fare, costly beds, and other creature-delights be simply unlawful?
Ans. They are not per se, and in themselves simply unlawful. God allows great men to lye better, and fare better, and go finer than inferiour persons, provided they use them soberly, seasonably, and thankfully. The Lord hath given us all things richly to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6.17. But then we must not abuse them to riot and excesse,V. my Com. on 2 Tim. 3.3. p. 89, 90. especially in a time of mourning, for that is a God-provoking sin, Isa. 22.12, 13, 14. So that it is not the sober use, but the prophane abuse of the creature which displeaseth God; use them we may, but not luxuriously and unseasonably. 'Twas the sin of this people, that they were riotous in a time of mourning, and did indulge themselves in these sensual delights, even when the fire of Gods wrath was kindled against them, and the Prophets were denouncing the utter destruction both of King and Kingdome; when they should have abated, rather than abounded, and have abridged themselves of their lawful liberties, …eeing Gods hand on their Brethren round about them; but they, like sottish Epicures, laid not to heart the afflictions of Ioseph, but like the rich glutton, they fared deliciously every day, not once thinking of the misery of poor Lazarus, Luke 16.
So that here wee have, 1. The Sin reproved, and that is, Luxury. 2. The kinds or specification of this Luxury, and that is fourfold,
They exceeded
1 In Eating, Verse 4.
2 In Musick, Vers. 5.
3 In Drinking, Vers. 6.
4 In Costly Oyntments, Vers. 6.
They lye upon beds of Ivory.
Ordinary beds content not these effeminate ones, they must have costly, curious beds made of the finest Ivory, filled with the softest feathers, and no doubt but they were adorned with gold and silver, as others had been before them, Hos. 1.6. They were so proud, that even their beds, which should have minded them of their graves, proclaimed their pomp and vanity.
They lye upon Ivory bed-steeds; or as the words are in the fountain,Gnal Mittoth Shen, super lectis dentis. Met. Mat. they lye upon Bed…steeds of the Tooth, viz. such as were made of the Elephants Tooth, which we call Ivory. Not that the Bed-steeds were wholly made of Ivory, but some principal parts of them were adorned with this rarity, which came from India, and remote parts, Ezek. 27.15. They were not lecti eburnei, but eburati, not totally made, but checkered or covered with Ivory; for herewith stately things were wont to be garnished because of its whitenesse and dearnesse, for what is far fetched, and dear bought, delights the wantons of the world. In those Eastern parts they delighted much in Ivory; hence in Scripture wee read of Ivory-houses, 2 Kings 22.39. Amos 3.15. Ivory-Palaces, Psal. 45.9. Ivory-Thrones, 2 Chron. 9.17. Ivory-benches, Ezek. 27.6. Ivory-Towers, Cant. 7.4. Ivory-Vessels, Rev. 18.12. and Ivory-beds, as in the Text.Hashshokebim, Iacentes, … Shacab, procubuit, jacuit; It was their daily Trade so to do, as the participle implies. On these they lay sleeping, having little else to do. They were not lecti discubitarii, beds to lye and eat on, (as the custome then was) but lecti lascivi, soft beds on which they lay sleeping, and stretching themselves idly and lasciviously, for so it follows,
They stretch themselves upon their Couches. When they should be serving God in their places and callings, they in a lazy, luskish, lustful manner, lye yawning and stretching their pampered carkasses upon their Couches.
Some read the words thus, They are luxurious upon their Couches, that is, they stretch themselves luxuriously and lasciviously upon their beds, vers. 7. the word is used, Ezek. 17.6. for a luxuriant Vine. The sense is the same.
They eat the Lambs out of the Flock, and the Calves out of the midst of the Stall.
Sins seldome go single; before they lay daintily, and now they feed daintily; ordinary fare will not down with them, they must have the fattest and finest that can be pickt out of the flock,Marbec, saginarium, ubi vitali saginantur. and most fa…ning fold. They chuse the fattest out of the places where they were kept to be fatned, be it field or fold. Great beasts are fed in Pastures, but Calves are fed in Stalls,Agnos è grege & Vitulos è niedio saginarii, i. e. Agnos optimos è grege, & Vitulos op…imos ex saginario; nam Praepositio Ex, nomini apposita foreign & praeminentiae cujusdam significationem ipsi quandoque tribuit, seu foreign notat. Glassius in Philog. S. l. 3. Tract. 6. Canon. 8. mihi p. 765. Ubi Plura. where they are fed with their Damms milk quietly and obscurely, which helps concoction, and fattens them sooner. Thus they gave themselves up to ease and delicacy, pampering themselves with the finest fare.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. A lazy, sensual, Epicurean life that is spent in eating and drinking, sleeping, and pastimes, is very displeasing unto God.
This makes him set a woe upon the head of those that are at ease in Sion, lying on beds of Ivory, stretching themselves upon their Couches, and feeding on the finest fare, fatting, and feasting themselves every day, like the rich glutton, Luk. 16.19. Such Sensualists, that live in pleasure and wantonness St. Iames rebukes, Iames 5.5. These are sins Majoris adhaerentiae, they are hardly shaken off; these sensual Epicurean lusts do estrange the heart from God,See the vileness of Epicurus, in Ross against Browns vulgar Errors, p. 255. and Culverwells Light of Nature, ch. 17. p. 185. close up the eye of the soul, emasculate the spirit, and unfit men for the service of God or man. Hence the Scripture so oft condemns them,Against Luxury and Gluttony. See Mr. Greenhill on Ezek. 16.13. Obs. 1. p. 183. and 16.49. p.280. Deut. 21.20. Eccles. 10.16, 17. Luk. 21.34. Rom. 13.13, 14. Wee should therefore carry weaned affections to these creature-enjoyments, and use these things, as though we used them not. He that hath beds of Ivory, and lives in a Princely Palace, yet should carry such mortified affections to them, that if the Lord should call him to lye on a pad of straw in prison, he must be ready chearfully to do it. Grace it humbles a man, and makes him know his deserts; a good man that goes in Silks and Sattins, yet can be thankful for Raggs (when God calls him to them) knowing that he is less than the least of all Gods mercies. We should therefore keep a watch over our hearts in our eating, drinking, sleeping, cloathing, for fear of excess. Licitis perimus omnes.
2. Ministers must not rest in Generals, but they must descend to particulars. 2 Sam. 12.7.
When the Prophet had denounced a woe against those that were at ease in General, vers. 1. now he descends to Particulars, and tells them of the sins of their beds and boards, of their gluttony, drunkenness, sensuality, inhumanity, &c. This particular applying of the Word to the souls of people, is the onelyonly way to convince and convert them; for what is spoken in general to all, few will apply particularly to themselves. This made the Prophets and Apostles to deal so plainly with their people,See more in my Com. on 2 Tim. 4 10. Obs. 2. p. 421. Isa. 58.1. Ezek. 16.2. Mat. 11.21, 23. Ioh. 4.17, 18. Act. 2.36, 37.
Be not then offended at the plain and powerful preaching of the Word. You will suffer the Lawyer to tell you of the flawes in your estates, the Physician to tell you of the diseases in your bodies, the Watchman to tell you of an approaching enemy; and will you not suffer the Minister to tell you of eternal dangers, that so you may prevent them?
3. Sins (especially great ones) seldome go alone.
Security went before, now followes Luxury, Sensuality, Drunkenness, and Inhumanity. As great men have great attendance, so great Sins have many followers; and as there is a concatenation of Vertues,See my Com. on 2 Tim. 3.2. p. 21, &c. 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8. so there is a concatenation of Vices al…o, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5.