Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 1
Israels Obstinacy▪ A COMMENTARY ON The fourth Chapter of Amos.
AMOS 4.1.
Hear this word yee Kine of Bashan, that are in the mountains of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush [or destroy] the needy, which say to their Masters, bring and let us drink.
THis Chapter contains the summe of the Third Sermon which the Prophet Amos made to Israel, wherein he exhorts them to Repentance; and because by nature we are very averse and backward to this duty,
1 He sets before them their hainous and hideous Sins, which for number and nature were very great and grievous.
2 He rehearseth the Judgements which they had already endured, and tells them of greater Judgements which would follow, unless by speedy repentance they did prevent them.
3 He sets before them the Goodness, and the Greatness of God, the better to draw and drive them home unto him.
1 He sets before them his Goodness, viz. he was their God in Covenant still, ready to receive them to mercy upon their returning to him.
2 His Greatness (vers. 13.) he forms the Mountains, and creates the Winds, &c. and can with ease destroy such as rebell against him.
The Prophet had before reproved the Rulers, and people in general for their Idolatry, Carnal security, Ingratitude, and Apostacy; now he comes to reprove the Counsellours and Rulers of the Kingdom of Israel in particular; for their oppression and cruelty, for their Epicurism, and beastly kind of life, vers. 1. Hear this word yee Kine of Bashan. This is the Prophets exordium and Preface, wherein he calls for attention, both in respect of the Persons he speaks to, and the matter he treats of, viz. the Sins of the Rulers and People.
2 We have the Judgements denounced against them for those Sins, set forth by a double Metaphor, ver. 2, 3.
3 Here is the confirmation of this threatning. 1 By the Oath of God, I have sworn by my Holiness, saith the Lord, that I will bring evil upon them; and secondly, their Sins have justly deserved it: for 1. They are a People given up to Idolatry, and hypocritical worshipping of me, vers. 4.5. 3. They were indurate, impenitent, and incorrigible under variety of former judgements, vers. 6. to 12. The Prophet names Six.
1 Famine, I gave them cleanness of teeth, &c. ver. 6.
2 Drought, I will hold the rain from them, ver. 7, 8.
3 Blasting, Mildew, and the Palmer-worm, ver. 9.
4 The Pestilence, ver. 10.
5 The Sword, ver. 10.
6 Terrible Destruction, ver. 11.
4 Here is the unhappy success of all these dispensations of God towards them, which is annext to every particular Judgement, as a Versus intercalaris, the burden of this mournful complaint, Yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord, vers. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
5 Seeing their incorrigibleness, the Prophet goeth on to denounce a sorer and sharper Judgement than any yet had befaln them, vers. 12. Therefore thus will I doe to thee O Israel. The Judgement was so dreadful that the Prophet seems unable to express it, and therefore he doth as 'twere draw a Vail over what he could not in words express: with a Thus will I doe unto thee; q. d. since nothing will move thee, I will bring upon thee some direful desolation, and utter destruction, for so it follows, Chap. 8.14. They shall fall and never rise up again.
6 He concludes the Chapter with an Exhortation to Repentance, calling upon them to prepare to meet the Lord, by unfeigned Humiliation, and Reformation, that so they might prevent those Judgements which were yet coming upon them, vers. 12.
7 The better to awaken them he useth two Motives, the first is drawn from the dreadfulness of the impending Judgements, which since they were not able to resist, hee exhorts them to prevent, considering also the advantage they had of a Covenant yet in being betwixt God and them, ver. 12. The second is drawn from the Majesty and Power of God, who was marching in wrath against them.
In the first Verse the Prophet prosecutes the Charge which hee had begun (Chap. 3.9, 10.) against the Rulers and Judges of Israel, for their cruelty in oppressing the poor and needy. These usually are ring leaders in sin, their examples incourage others in wickedness, and therefore the Prophet begins his Charge against them; and after descends to the Priests and People, who were confederate with them in their wickedness. Here we have
1 The Summons, Hear this word.
2 Who must hear? The Rulers of Israel, whom for their effeminacy he calls, Kine of Bashan.
3 Where doe they dwell? In the mountain of Samaria. This was the Metropolis and chief City of Israel, situate upon a Mountain; here was the Kings Palace where these Courtiers resided.
4 What doe they doe there?
Why they
Oppress the Poor.
They crush the Needy.
They call for drink.
Before he had described them darkly, and figuratively, calling them unruly Kine, but now he tells them plainly and punctually what they are, they are full fed Beasts, that goared their fellows, and trampled the poor under their feet:
5 But what said the Lord to all this▪ Why he swears by his Holiness that they shall dearly pay for this their cruelty, vers. 2.
So much shall suffice for the Logical Analysis, and resolution of the words, I come now to the Grammatical explication of them.
Hear this word, viz. of the Lord, as it is explained, chap. 3.1. q. d. I come not to you in mine own name, or in the name of men, but I come to you in Gods name, it is his Message that I bring to you,Shimgnu, audita, a shamang, audivit. obedivit. Gen. 3.17. Haddavaer Hazzeh, hoc verbum, hoc ipsum. and therefore justly calls for their best attention and obedience, the Original implieth both. Hear this word, 'tis emphatical in the Original, for the Article is doubled, q. d. Hear this word which the most true and eternal God (all whose words are works) hath spoken against you, and hear what hee hath decreed to bring upon you.
Yee Kine of Bashan. Thus he calls these wicked, wealthy, wanton Rulers, who managed the affairs of the Kingdom for the King, and did abuse their power to the oppressing of the poor; those feasted and fatted themselves with the spoyls of the poor whom they opprest in judgement; and therefore the Prophet calls them not men, but Beasts, and fat Bawsons, whose hearts were fat as grease: and their eyes star'd out with fatness; they were stupid, and therefore he useth sharp expressions, the better to awaken them; he speaks to them in the feminine Gender (not because they were Women, as some conceive, for the sins which he reproves are more proper to men, especially the Rulers of a People) but because of their effeminate, wanton condition, being given to their bellies,Metaphoricae designat eos qui opibus & potentiâ pollebant in regno Samariae, ac praeeipue confiliarii, Iudices, prafecti. Paraeus in locum. therefore he calls them in his Herds-mans Dialect, *Hoc nomen recte in eos convenit, quoniam ventri tantum & delitiis indulgebant qui significat cos non agriculturae, sed immolationi & esui esse praeparatos, i. e. occasioni & captivitati. Hierom.Cowes; not Oxen or Horses which Plow and labour for us, but lazy lascivious Cowes and Heifers which were put into rich Pastures to fill and fat them the sooner for the slaughter. They were like to fat, unruly, refractory Heifers which could endure no yoke. 'Tis usual in Scripture to call such idle, effeminate, loose persons, by the name of Females, Isa. 3.12. Revel. 17.3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 18. such wealthy wicked men are elsewhere called, fat Bulls, and Bulls of Bashan, for their fierceness and cruelty, Psal. 22.12. Ier. 50.11. Hos. 4.16. & 10.11.
2 He calls them Kine of Bashan, because of the plenty of fat Cowes, and rich Pastures in that Country; hence we read of the fatlings of Bashan, Ezek. 39.18. and Rams of the brood of Bashan, Deut. 32.14. now the Rulers of Samaria were like the Kine of Bashan, loaded with fatness, secure and drunken with worldly wealth and pleasures, insomuch as they sleighted the Word of God, and contemned the Prophets which publisht it unto them, and so became like fat Beasts fitted for the slaughter.
Caution. The Lord doth not here simply condemn them for their Riches (which are blessings simply considered in themselves) but for the abuse of their riches and power. 1. In getting wealth by extortion and indirect practises. 2. For abusing them to the Oppression of the poor.
Q▪ Are we not forbidden to revile the Rulers of the People, and commanded to give no offence to any, and therefore Paul became all things to all men that hee might win them, 2 Cor. 10.32, 33.
Ans. 1. We are forbidden reviling of Rulers, (Exod. 22. 28. Eccles. 10.20. Acts 13.5.) but never reproving of them, neither is this an offence given, but unjustly taken by them.
2. We must distinguish between private reproaches, and Prophetical reproofs; for a Minister in the name of the Lord to reprove men for their open enormities is no rayling, nor reviling, but a faithful discharge of that duty which God hath intrusted them with, and strictly under severe penalties enjoyned them, Isa. 58.2. Ezek. 3.33. 1 Tim. 5.20. and all the Prophets, with Christ and his Apostles, did practice it. Now Amos was a Prophet of God, and so by vertue of his Office might doe that which a private person who wants that Call, may not doe; besides, he being called extraordinarily, he had an extraordinary measure of the Spirit, hee knew the projects and practises of these ungodly great ones, and so might the more boldly reprove them. Hence David calls wicked men Doggs, Lions, Bulls, Psal. 22.12, 13.21.22. and Solomon his Son calls wicked Princes hungry Bears, Prov. 28.15. and Paul calls Nero a Lion, and Christ calls Herod a Fox, and Amos here calls them fatted Cowes. This downright Prophet being not bred at Court, nor coming from the Hall, where men use silken words, and lofty titles of Honour; but coming from the Stall, according to his blunt and rustick language, he calls a Spade a Spade, and such as neglected their duties to pamper their Carkasses, he calls Beasts, not men; q. d. their flatterers look upon them as so many Heroes, and Gods on earth, but I that have seen their loathsome lusts, doe look upon them as so many fat Bulls, filthy Swine, and unruly Heifers, that will not bear the yoke of God.
3 To that of the Apostle, in becoming all things to all men; 1. It was in all lawful things, and such as rended to the edification, and not to the destruction of any, 2. It was only in such things as are left indifferent by the Word of God, and in this sence only the Apostle became all things to all men, (1 Cor. 9.19, 20, 21, 22.) amongst the Gentiles hee walks, as one that was not under the Ceremonial Law, that he might win them, Acts 15.19, 20. and amongst the Iewes he observed the Ceremonial Law, that hee might not offend them, Acts 16.3. & 18.18.
4 It is the favour of men which is gained by flattering and unlawful means, which the Scripture condemns, Gal. 1.10. Doe I seek to please men? then should I not bee the Servant of Christ; the Interrogation is a strong Negation, q. d. when I was a Pharisee I pleased men, and followed their Tradititions, but now I desire in singleness of heart to approve my self to God.
5 When the favour of men is sought in the first place, this cannot stand with sincerity, but when it is cast in upon us after a faithful discharge of our duty, wee may thankfully and joyfully receive it. It is said of Christ that he grew in favour first with God, and then with men, Luke 2.52. and it was Demetrius his Honour, that he had a good report of all men, yea and of the truth is self, 3 Joh. 12. It is possible for a Christian so to live that he may approve himself both to God and man; Christ walked so convincingly, that the Pharisees complained, that all the world went after him, (Joh. 12.19.) and no wonder, since all the world was made by him; it is prudence therefore for a Minister so to live, and so to act; that if it be possible (without detriment to the truth, and a good conscience) he may have peace with all men. A free, sincere, and prudent discharge of his duty is the only way to obtain this.
Who oppress the poor, and crush or bruise the needy; q. d. By *Gnashak, oppressit vi & dolo. v. Leigh. Critica. S. p. 182force and fraud you oppress them, and by your might and power you break and bruise those that have no helper. This is their daily practice, and constant trade, asrhe †Opprimentes pauperes, a…cidentes egenos. Montan. Ratsati, confringitis ac conquassatis egentes vestua potentia, insignem de notat violentiam rapacitate conjunctam. Tarnovius in locum. See more in my Comment. on Psalm 82.2. p. 105, 106, 108.Participle of the Present Tense, implies. Great Men many times are great Oppressors of the poor, which cannot help themselves against them. No doubt but they abused the rich by their Bribery and injustice, yet since the rich have many friends, but the poor is hated usually by his nearest relations, therefore they exercise their cruelty on them who have no helper.
Which say to their Masters, Mali principes quid aliud faciunt quam intimes suos, qui merito Domini eorum sunt, quos conciliis suis regunt, exhortari, ut spolient populum, ut ipsi babeant suarum alime…ta voluptatum▪ Hos recte Homerus foreign appellat, i. e. populi devoratores. Ribera in locum.bring, and let us drink. Those corrupt Rulers thought it not enough that themselves opprest the poor, but they incouraged such as had authority over the People to fleece and flay them, that they might make merry together with their spoyls. They call on their Comrades to adde affliction to the afflicted, and to oppress the oppressed, which is such gross inhumanity, and horrid cruelty, that the Lord swears in the next verse, that he will not pardon it.
They say to their Masters, Adonehem, Dominis suis, i. e. potentioribus qui sunt Domini pauperum. Dominos appellat hic, exactores, quibus feil. pauperes erant obarati. Calvin.or Lords of the poor, that is, to such as have the mastery over them, viz. their rich Creditors, and Usurers, who have and keep them under as their Slaves and Vassals; these Rulers say unto them, Bring, that we may drink; that is, bring in Money and Presents, bring bribes and rewards that we may make merry, drink wine, and *Shatch, bibit, convivatus est, quia in convivio largitur bibi solet. Summam impudentiam notat, quod non modo quaevis muucra sponte oblata recipiant; verum etiam ille sibi efferri pestulent; & quidem non in alium usum quam ut Po…andi & voluptandi materie sufficiat. Gualter in locum.feast with the prey and spoyls of the poor. Thus they claw one another in their wickedness, saying, Bring but Money and yee shall have what yee will, especially against the poor and needy, we will deliver them into your hands, doe you pick their bones, suck their blood, and use them as you please; only bring and bribe well and you may have any thing at our hands against them. At feasts they were wont to drink freely, Ad hilaritatem non ad ebrietatem, for cheerfulness, not excess, (Gen. 43.34. Cant. 5.1. Ioh. 2.10.) and therefore by a Synecdoche, Drinking is put here for Feasting, where there is both eating and drinking, yet because drinking of Wine was much used in feasting, therefore in Scripture it is oft put for feasting; as Isa. 5.11. Ioel 1.5. Amos 6.6. hence the Greeks called their Feasts, Symposia, compotiationes, not eatings, but drinkings.
1 God wants not Instruments to doe his work; if he will have a people taught, he can raise up Amos an Herdsman to reprove a bruitish people; yea by an Asse hee can reprove the madness of a Balaam, 2 Pet. 2.16. Hee usually chuseth the things that are not, viz. of any esteem in the eyes of carnal men, to confound the things which are of high esteem amongst them, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28, 29. 1 Sam. 2.6, 7, 8. Psal. 8.2. & 78.70, 71. Matth. 4.18.
Caution, not that this gives liberty for every one that supposeth himself Gifted to Preach without any Call; for though Amos were an Herdsman, yet he was both gifted and called extraordinarily by God, as appears, Amos 7.15. The Lord took me as I followed the flock, and said to me, Goe, Prophesie unto my people Israel. Here is his Call, and he shewed his extraordinary Call, by his extraordinary gifts; whereas those Enthusiasts amongst us, who pretend to an extraordinary Call, upon trial are found not to have ordinary gifts; they can hardly write one line of true English.
2 Obs. It is lawful sometime to use a Preface, the better to quicken attention. We are by nature dull and slow to beleeve, or practice the truthes of God, and therefore we had need of all good means to quicken us. But of this *See my Comment. on Psal. 82.1. p. 9, 10.elsewhere.
3 Obs. Ministers must Preach the Word of God to the people. They must not preach their own Fancies, or mens Inventions, but they must publish Gods Counsels, teaching men to observe whatsoever he commands them, Matth. 28.20. 1 Cor. 11.23. De Deo nil sine Deo, we must doe nothing in Gods Worship without the warrant of his Word; all must be done according to Gods pattern,See this Point excellently inlarged, and all superstitious cavils answered, by Master Attersol, on Numb. 3.4. p. 137. to 143. & p. 167 without adding or detracting, Deut. 12. ult. Prov. 30.6. Hence it is that all the Prophets (as Amos doth here.) came with a Dixit Dominus, Thus saith the Lord, and, Hear the Word of the Lord, Ezek. 1.3. Hos. 1.1. Jonah 1.1. Micah 1.1. Zech. 1.2. Mal. 1.1. Hee that preacheth to Gods people must publish his Oracles to them, 1 Pet. 4.11. such a man may preach with power and authority. It is this Word of God which Gods people must read, Deut. 6.6, 7. this they must search into, Ioh. 5. 39. this they must meditate on, Psal. 1.2. and this they must practise, Joh. 13.17. and therefore great reason that this, and this Word only they should hear.
1 Away then with those Atheistical Sectaries who contemn Gods Word, and prefer their own brainsick Revelations. Raptures, New Lights, and Satanical delusions before the pure and perfect Word of God, These are not of God, because they reject his Word, 1 Ioh. 4.6. these follow lying Vanities, and so forsake their own Mercies; they reject the Law, which shewes they have no light in them, Isa. 8.20.
Those Ministers then are to be blamed: that instead of saying with Amos, Hear the Word of the Lord, they cry, Hear what Aristotle, Tully, Plato, Plutarch, Pindarus, Seneca, say; how oft doe they cry, Thus saith Austin, and thus saith Ambrose, when it may be they never once saw, much less perused those Authors, only they name them to get a name for Learned men, when indeed it is a very poor peice of learning to get a few fragments, and scraps of Latine in that kind together. Wee are Gods Embassadours, and must keep close to our Commission; and though we may *See my Schools Guard, ch. 3. p. 48.occasionally (as the Apostle did) and sparingly cite Heathens to convince them out of their own VVriters, or else to shame Christians that come short of them; yet we may in no wise make it our constant practise.
4 Obs. Gods Ministers who are sent by him, must plainly tell even great men of their sins; so doth Amos here, he sleights the sinful greatness of men, and emboldens himself upon his authority and calling, Though they were fat and full, high and haughty, yet he tells them to their faces, that they acted rather like Beasts, than men, and should dearly pay for their cruelty. It is true, poor men must be reproved when they sin, but rich men especially, because the sins of great men are great sins,See more in my Comment, on Psal. 82.2. Obs. 1. p. 96, 9…, and by their example they doe much hurt to others. Hence Samuel reproves Saul, and the man of God reproves Ieroboam for usurping, and intermedling with the Priests Office, which belonged not unto him, 1 King. 13.1, 2, &c. Their falls are not only Personal, but Epidemical, and teach general disobedience, as they complained of Queen Vashti, that her disloyalty would make others disloyal, Hest. 1.16, 17. It is in the body Politick, as in the body Natural, if the Vitals be poysoned, the inferiour parts cannot bee free; each Vein, and Nerve, and Artery, like the flowing streams of some polluted Springs, are receptacles of their infection, as well as nature. Let Ieroboam but set up Calves, and all Israel is presently upon their knees to them. How many silly people by following their Rulers have run themselves into destruction; like the Prince of Frisland, V. Munsters Co…mograph in Frisland.who asking what became of his Progenitors and Friends that were dead in their ignorance and error? Answer was made, That they were in Hell; hee desperately replied, that then hee would goe thither after them. Subjects are ambitious to follow their Princes, Tenants their Landlords, and Servants their Masters, though they forsake God to doe it. It was none of the worst counsel which the good Judge in Lucian gave to Sostratus when he released him; Bee good (saith hee) and see thou teach not thy offence to others; for there are some who doe at once, in the very same act, both commit and teach sin, and so to the numberless number of their own transgressions, adde the sins of thousands.
Yee Kine of Bashan.
5 Obs. Wicked men are brutish men. Their prosperity and pomp besots them, Ier. ….5.21. it fills them with insolence and blasphemy (Psal. 73.5, 6, 7, 8, 9.) and debaseth them beneath the beasts that perish, Psal. 49.20. because they have no changes, In my Comment. on Psal. 73.22. Obs. 6. and on Psal. 82.4. Obs. 6. p. 122therefore they fear not God; because they are not emptied from vessel to vessel, but they live secure and at ease, therefore their scent abides within them, Ier. 48.11. Hence it is that they are so oft compared in Scripture to Bulls, Bears, Doggs, Swine, &c. as I have else where shewed at large.
That dwell in the Mountain of Samaria.
6 Obs. God takes notice of the dwellings of men. He knows where his enemies dwell, Obadiah 3. and he knows where his people dwell, Ezek. 26. Zech. 2.7. Revel. 2, 13. he knows our *See this point largely handled, in Attersol, on Numb. 1.6. Doct. 2. p. 20. to 28.names, our natures, our callings and conditions, Act. 16.14, 15, yea not only our integral parts, but even the hairs of our head are numbred by him, Mat. 10.30. He sees us though we see not him, Iohn. 1.47. and knowes us by our names before we have a being, Iosiah was called by his name three hundred years before hee was born, 1 King. 13.2.
God hath a particular and distinct knowledge of every man and woman in the world: hee perfectly knowes all things past, present, and to come, (Acts 15.18.) and that not successively and by discourse, by debating and searching out the causes of things, but in a moment, by one eternal act of understanding he knoweth all things, with their causes and conditions, in himself, and of himself, without any reasoning or help from others, what was done, or is to be done a thousand years hence, is as present with him as a thing that is past, Psal. 90.4. Hee calls the things that are not as if they were, Rom. 14.17. and knew Ieremy before he was formed in the Womb, and ordained him to be a Prophet, Ier. 1.5. Gods knowledge is infinite, and eternal, like himself; our knowledge is dark, imperfect, uncertain, confused; but Gods knowledge of us, and ours, is an absolute, perfect, clear, certain, distinct knowledge; we know the outside and superficies of things, but God searcheth the heart, and knowes not only our faces, but our spirits (1 Sam. 16.7. Ier. 17.9, 10.) all things are naked and anatomized before him, Iob 34.21, 22. Heb. 4.13.
How careful then should we be, to walk in the midst of our houses with perfect hearts, (Psal. 101.2.) since Gods eyes are upon our habitations, and he sees our walking there. This should make us dedicate our houses to the service of God, (Psal. 30, the title of the Psalm, 2 Sam. 6.20.) that so they may be Bethels, houses of God, and not Betha-vens, houses of vanity and iniquity. Wee should put away sin farre from our Tents and Tabernacles, that the eyes of Gods jealousie may see nothing amongst us to displease him, Iob 22.23 see the benefit, v. 24. to 30. Let the name of our dwellings be, Iehovah Shammah, the Lord is there: Ezek ult. ult. let not idleness, ryot, and prophaneness dwell there, but let the glory of the Lord, and his fear dwell there; let it bee said of your houses as Hagar said of her VVell (Gen. 16.14.) Beer-la-hai-roi, the Well of him that lives and sees me. So say thou, Beth-la-hai-roi, The house and dwelling of him that lives and sees me. Wee shall never bee sincere till wee can walk as in Gods eye continually, as Enoch and Abraham did, Gen. 5.24. & 17.1. & 24.40.
7 Obs. Great men many times are great Oppressors. It is these fat Cowes of Bashan that goar their fellows. Riches accidentally make men cruel and insolent; it were rich men that opprest the poor, and drew them by violence before Judgement Seats, Iam. 2.6.
8 Obs. Luxury breeds oppression. As covetousness is never satisfied, so neither is intemperance; when great men are wedded to their lusts, then to maintain them they fall to oppression, crying, Give, give, that we may drink. Men devoted to their lusts are insatiable, though they have enough, yet, like fat beasts they must drink more; they make their bellies their gods, and therefore it is no wonder to see them active in promoting its interest to the utmost, Isa. 22.13. 1 Cor. 15.32. this ruines Persons and Nations. The Curii, and Fabritii, by their contentation and temperance advanced the Roman Empire, when their Successors by Covetousness and Luxury destroyed it.
9 Obs. Wicked Rulers usually are great Bribers. They are all for gifts and rewards,Against Bribery, see my Comment. on Psal. 82, 1. p… 89. crying, Hab, Hab, Give, give, Bring, bring, Hos. 4.18. they ftirre up Lawyers, Attornies, and other inferiour Officers, to bring in Griest to their Mills, that they may divide the spoyl, and make a prey of their poor Clients. Great men want not instruments to assist them in their wickedness be it never so vile; let Iesabel but contrive the Tragedy of Naboths death; and she will finde Elders that will act it for her. If Amnon be sick of Lust, there is a Ionadab ready to adde fuel to the flame. Did not the Lord bind Kings in chains, and great ones in fetters of iron, setting them their bounds which they cannot pass, there would be no living for good men in the world.
10 Obs. It is the property of wicked men to incourage one another in their wickedness. They cry, Come, let us drink, and be merry with the spoyls of the poor. Thus Persecutors say, Come let us lay our heads together, and work wisely, that we may destroy Gods people, Exod. 1.10. Prov. 1.11. The unclean Person also hath his Come, let us take our fill of lust, Prov. 7.18. The Idolater hath his, Come, let us joyn together to make our Idols, Isa. 42.7. The Drunkard saith, Come, let us fetch Wine, and fill our selves with strong drink, to morrow shall be as to day, and much more abundant, Isa. 56. 12. q. d. though we drink till we be drunk, and stark mad, yet we fear no punishment, we shall fare no worse to morrow than we have done to day; God regards not such things as these; and if the wicked have their Comes, Gen. 11.3. why should not Gods people have their Comes? wee should incourage each other in goodness, and call one another to the publick Assemblies, saying, Come, let us goe to the house of the Lord, Isa. 2.3, 5. Zech. 8.21. wee should call men to Christ as the Prophet doth, saying, Come, come, come, Isa. 55.1.3. Philip calls Nathaniel to come to Christ, and the VVoman of Samaria calls her Neighbours, Ioh. 1.46. & 4.29. this duty of stirring one another up to the best things is oft commanded, as a special preservative against sin, 1 Thes. 5. 11. Heb. 3.12, 13. & 10.24. it is not sufficient that wee practise the Truth our selves, but wee must encourage those about us also so to doe, Gen. 18.19. wee are dull and backward to the best things, and have need of quickning, Prov. 27.17.