Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 1 · Section 10
VERSE 11.
I have over-thrown (some) of you [or some amongst you] as God over-threw Sodom and Gomorrah, and yee were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning, yet have yee not returned to me, saith the Lord.
WE are now come to the Sixth and last Rod which God wasted on this stubborn People in vain, and that is the subversion of their Cities. I have over-thrown some of you, &c. Where we have, first the Judgement executed, viz. the subversion of some of their Cities. Some read the words Prophetically, as if they were a Prophesie of some Judgement to come, q. d. I will raise up Salmaneser the King of Assyria, Hapachti, subverti, vel everti vos, i. e. civitates vestras. Met. subj. Possessores prore possessâ.who shall besiege Samaria, and take it, and shall subdue the Kingdome of Israel. But this is clear against the text and context, for the word is in the Preterit Tense, and not in the Future; it is not I will, but I have overthrown your Cities; and yet yee have not returned unto me; which clearly shews that he speaks of Judgements past, and such as had been ineffectual upon them, and therefore he goes on to threaten more grievous things against them. But now, thus will I doe unto thee, &c.
2 Here is the Author of this subversion, viz. the Lord, I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom, q. d. As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, so have I overthrown your Cities. God speaks of himself according to the Hebrew Dialect in the third Person, setting forth thereby his Honour, and his power in this signal Judgement. The like expression we have, Gen. 19.24. The Lord rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom from the Lord; that is, from himself. It is an Hebraism, when a Noun is put for a Pronoun, the more emphatically to express that it was not by Accident, or any ordinary course of Nature, but by the immediate and almighty Power of God, that such showers of Fire came upon them.
3 Here is the dreadfulness of this subversion, it was like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. As God made them examples of terrour to all the wicked in succeeding Generations, by consuming them with fire from Heaven (2 Pet. 2. 6. Iude 7.) so the Lord brought those Israelites to the very brink of utter ruine and destruction.
Q. Wee read of no Cities in all the Scriptures, that ever the Lord destroyed with fire and brimstone immediately from Heaven, but only Sodom and Gomorrah, upon whom he brought the saddest and most stupendious destruction that ever we read of; how then are these Cities said to be destroyed like them?
Ans. It is an Hyperbolical speech, frequently used in Scripture, to set forth the most terrible desolation, and dreadfullest devastation that can befall a People, and therefore when the Holy Ghost would set forth the signal Wrath of God against a place, he tells us it was like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus it sets forth the destruction of Babylon, Isa. 13.19. & Jer. 50.40. and so of Moab and Ammon, Zeph. 2.9. so that it is a Figurative speech, and must not be taken Literally,Synecdoc. specici. but Allusively; Sodoms destruction is put for dreadful and extream desolation, and doth denote rather the measure of Gods displeasure, than the manner of the punishment, so Isa. 1.9. Ier. 49.18. Hos. 11.18. Israel here was brought so low, and to such extreamity by their enemies, that their destruction seemed like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, and those that escaped out of those great trials were so few, that they seemed like a brand pulled out of the fire. This seems to relate to that time when God raised up Hazael, and the Syrians, who smote Israel in all their Coasts, burnt their Cities, laid wast Gilead and Bashan, killed their young men, slew their Children, ript up their VVomen with Child, opprest them in their Estates and Persons, so that they became like the dust by threshing, that is, very weak and contemptible, their strong Holds were lost, and they had no Humane helper; they had but fifty Horse-men left, and ten Chariots, and ten thousand Foot, a poor Guard for a Kingdome. To so low an ebbe were they brought, as appears 2 King. 10.32, 33. & 2 King. 13.3.7, 20, 22. & 14.26.
4 Here is Gods mercy to Israel, set forth by a kind of correction or mitigation; yee were indeed like Sodome, yet not altogether like Sodome, for all their Cities were burnt and none escaped; but the Lord hath spared your Metropolis, and chief City Samaria, and pulled some of you as a brand out of the fire, q. d. when you were in a very low and lost condition, being like a peece of Timber half burnt, yet then had I pitty on you, and remembred my Covenant, and rescued you out of your present misery by the hand of Ieroboam the second, the Son of Ioash, even as a brand out of the flame, and saved a remnant of you from the sword (2 King. 14.25.) To pull one as a brand out of the fire is a Proverbial speech,Torris ab incendio. Proverb. and signifies the great danger which a man is in. Thus Ioshua the High Priest, whom the Lord delivered out of the Babylonian fiery Furnace, is called, A brand pluckt out of the fire, Zach. 3.2.
5 Here is their horrid obstinacy still under this hideous and stupendious Judgement,Versus intercalaris dicitur, qui frequenter post aliquantulos interponitur versus. Yet have yee not returned unto me, saith the Lord. This is Versus intercalaris, the usual burden of Gods sad complaint, though he had sent amongst them Aegyptian Plagues, and Sodomitical destructions, yet so obdurate were they, that neither the one nor the other could work upon them.
The sum of all is this, That I might leave no means unassayed (saith the Lord) to reclaim you, I have added this to all the rest of my Iudgements, that I have overthrown some of your Cities, and brought you so low, that you were almost like Sodome and Gomorrah, and you of Samaria were left out of the common destruction, as a brand taken out of the sire, yet all this hath not moved you to return unto me, saith the Lord.
OBSERVATIONS.
1 If the Word of God work not upon mens hearts, neither will Iudgements work upon them. These people had Elijah, Elisha, Ionah, Ioel, Micah, Hosea, Amos, to preach to them, but their Ministery was ineffectual, and now wee see that no Judgement can work upon them. Those that are Sermon-proof, and will not beleeve the Word of God, will quickly be Iudgement-proof, and contemn Gods Sword. Those that have Moses and the Prophets, and yet will not beleeve them, neither will they beleeve though one should arise from the dead, Luke 16. ult. If a man should come roaring from Hell, it would affright men, but it is easier to fright men out of their wits, than out of their sins. Lazarus rose from the dead, yet the Pharisees were so farre from being bettered thereby, that they grew madder against Christ. So at the Resurrection of Christ, many arose, and appeared to many, and no doubt but they told them, how it was with those that were dead, and yet it could not work upon them. He that cavils at the Word, will also cavil at Miracles, as the Pharisees did at the Miracles of Christ.Qui adeò induratus est, ut Scripturae non credat, nec mortuis resurgentibus credet Stella. He that will not beleeve the Spirit of God speaking in the Prophets, will not beleeve a man pretending that he came from the Dead, and telling what the Damned suffer there. How should he beleeve a Creature, that will not beleeve the infallible testimony of his Creator?
The Scriptures are a surer ground for us to build upon, than an Angels voyce (2 Pet. 1.19.) No revelations are to be compared to them, God will never set in with wayes of mens invention, when they despise the waies of his own Ordination. The blind world which is weary of true Doctrine, is apt to think, that if an Angel from Heaven, of a Ghost from Hell would come and teach them, then they should bee converted. These are like Saul, who contemned the counsel of Samuel living, yet desired to speak with him when he was dead. But, 1. why doe you not beleeve Christ who dyed, and is risen from the dead, and speaks daily to you by his Ministers? 2. Why doe you not beleeve the Prophets, who being dead yet speak to you, and have left us a more sure word of Prophesie? 3. Suppose one should come from Hell all in flames, and tell you what the Damned suffer there, yet how is it probable that this should doe you good, when God tells you the same thing in his Word, and yet you will not beleeve him? It is most certain, that those who despise Gods Ordinance, will never beleeve a report from a doubtful and erring authority. Desire not therefore Miracles, or Revelations and Enthusiasms, this is a tempting of God; but suffer God to teach thee in his own way, by his Word and Sacraments; so did *Si in manu mea res esset, non vellem Deum mihi loqui de caelo, aut apparere mihi; hoc autem vellem & quotidie precor, ut in honore digno habeam verbum & Sacramenta. Luther.Luther, and this is the desire of all the Saints, that God would guide them with his counsel here, that is, with his VVord and Spirit, and so bring them to glory, Psal. 73.24. The conversion of a Sinner is not so much from the excellency of the means, or the abilities of the Speaker, as from the power of Gods Grace, which teacheth us to profit, and maketh the means effectual to us. Great then is the folly of those, who take upon them to teach God, how he should teach the VVorld▪ they would have Miracles and Angels to doe it, when God saies they shall have Ministers, and Preaching by men to doe it. It is a Satanical delusion for men to think of being converted, or comforted by any other way, than that which God himself hath prescribed. If God hath planted thee under a godly and a faithful Ministry,Non est necesse ut infornum descendam, & videam quomodo illic saeviat Divina justitia; sufficit mihi ut cam in hoc mundo contempler. Granatonsis. and that cannot convert thee, then assure thy self if an Angel from Heaven, or a Ghost from Hell should come and preach every Sabbath to thee thou wouldst not be converted. Sad is the condition then of many amongst us, who visifie and contemn, who mock and scorne at the Preaching of the Word, accounting the publishers of it the Pests of a place, and the troublers of Israel (1 King. 18.17.) grudging at their maintenance, and slaying their persons, this is a sign of remediless ruine to a Nation, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Levit. 26.14, 15, 16. Ier. 25.4, 7, 8, 9. Prov. 13.13.
2 Obs. There is a Divine hand of Providence, that governs the world. This brings plenty and poverty, rain on one City, and not on another; one City is fired, and another is rescued, as a brand out of the fire. These things come not by chance, or fortune, but there is a signal providence of God in them all. Hee feeds the Sparrows, cloathes the Lillies, numbers our Hairs, and takes special care of his people. Hee hath a directing, protecting, compassionate, vindicating care over all his,See M. Ienkins his Ser. on Deut. 32.11 he tenders them as the apple of his eye, and writes them upon the palmes of his hands, they are ever in his sight, Isa. 49.15. & 63.9 Ezek. 16.8. Zach. 2.8. Mal. 3.17. Acts 9.4.
This Providence of God is
1 Watchful.
2 Distinct.See all these Heads inlarged in Mr. Robinsons Ser. on Psal. 73.24. p. 25. preacht at a Funeral, 1654.
3 Strong.
4 VVise in working.
We should therefore comfort our selves in this special Providence of God, and cast all our burdens of cares & fears on him. Hee that provides for the meanest creatures, will not suffer his noblest Creatures to want. He that provides for Sparrows, (said good Mr. Herne when he was dying, to his sad wife) will not suffer Herns to want. Yea he that provides so liberally for his enemies, what will he not doe for his friends? Away then with all carking,V. Godolphin his Holy Limbeck, p. 207 distrustful care, only commit thy way unto the Lord, and hee shall direct thy paths. Bee patient under all wrongs and injuries, remembring that Gods eye takes special notice of all the wrongs that are done to his people, to avenge them, Exod. 3.9. 2 Chron. 16.8, 9. Let our moderation be made known to all, since the Lord is at hand, Phil. 4.5.
[See more of the Providence of God in Mr. Perkins on the Creed, Artic. 1. p. 154. folio. Vol. 1. Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 10. p. 56, 57. Lessius de Attributis, p. 625. Dr. Gouge his Arrows, p. 373. Rutherford Lect. Latine, c. 11. p. 122. Corbet Fast Ser. on 1 Cor. 1.27. p. 5, &c. Dyke on Matth. 4.4. p. 260, &c. Strong 31 select Ser. p. 657. Raworth Iacobs Ladder, p. 5, &c. B. Andrews Catechis. chap. 7. folio. mihi p. 29. Herberts Poems, p. 109, &c. Pemble, folio. p. 263. to 279. Minutius felix per totum. Par his Grounds of Divinity, p. 33, &c.]
3 Obs. God is the destroyer of sinful Cities. If you would know, who it is that overthrows your Cities, It is I saith the Lord, that in justice for your provocations have made your Cities a desolation; I fired Sodom, destroyed No, Niniveh, Samaria, Babylon, Ierusalem. As the Lord raiseth Cities, and defends the good (2 King. 19.34. & 20.6.) so he ruines and layes waste the bad, Hos. 13.16. Luke 19.44. keep sin then out of your Cities, if you desire to keep them from fire, plunder,See my Com. on Hos. 13.16. p. 70, 71. ruine. Take heed of offending God, who is a consuming Fire, and can in a trice consume us, and turn our dwellings into ashes.
4 Obs. In the midst of Iudgements God remembers mercy. Hee doth not stirre up all his wrath, nor suffer his whole displeasure to arise, but lets fall only some drops upon us, when he might pour a whole Sea of wrath upon our heads, Psalm 78.38. God might justly have destroyed all these Israelites for their Idolatry and Apostasie, yet he remembred his Covenant, though they had fouly forgot it, and transgrest it (Hos. 6.7.) and saves a remnant, he destroyed but some, not all their Cities. So oft elsewhere we read of a remnant that were saved, 2 King. 19.31. & Isa. 1.9. & 10.22. Rom. 9.27.
5 Obs. Neither Iudgements nor Mercies can work upon hardned Sinners. Some of these Israelites were destroyed like Sodom, and others in mercy were pulled like a Brand out of the fire; yet nothing works upon them, but they are Israel still, as Idolatrous and obstinate as ever. VVhen the heart is once hardned by a long custom of sinning, it is not all that Mount Ebal, or Mount Gerizim, Mount Sinai, or Mount S…on can afford; not all the dreadful Curses of the one, nor all the gracious Promises of the other, that can work upon mens hearts, Prov. 23.29, 34, 35. Ezek. 20.5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 21. neither Iohns austerity, nor Christs lenity could work upon hard-hearted Iews. If God by his Spirit set not in with the means, nothing works kindly upon us; yea wee shall bee the worse for beating, as these Israelites, all these six Rods doe but stupifie them, and make them fitter for a greater Judgement. One rod being sanctified may bring a man home to God, as the Prison did Manasses, want the Prodigal, and the Earth-quake the Jaylor; they had Gods Spirit, that taught them to profit by afflictions, and so were blessed, Psal. 94.12. but a thousand stripes on a Pharaoh, Saul, &c. doe but make them the more sensless and indurate; and is not this Englands Sin? may not we behold our own faces in this Glass? may not the Lord justly complaine of us, as he doth here of Israel? I have smitten England with Sword, Plague, and Famine; some of their Towns and Cities I have fired, and the rest were as a brand pulled out of the fire. Many a time have I broken and blasted the Power and Policy of many great Achitophels, and delivered them from many eminent imminent dangers; and yet such is their incorrigibleness, and incurableness, that they have not returned unto me, saith the Lord. If any thing destroy this Nation, it is our obstinacy and impenitency, under all those various Dispensations of Mercies, and means which we have so long enjoyed. God like a good Physician, hath long studied our Disease, and given us many Purgative draughts to drink; he hath visited us with variety of Judgements, and hath let us bloud several times, the better to obtain our Cure, and yet he may complaine of us as hee doth of Israel here, that we have not for all this returned to him.