Exposition of Amos 4-9, Title page – To the reader
AN EXPOSITION By way of Supplement, ON THE Fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth Chapters of the Prophecy OF AMOS.
Where you have the Text fully explained, other Texts occasionally cleared, many Cases Stated, many Practical Observations raised, and many Polemical Points debated: Together VVith a Confutation of
Dr. Homes,
and Sir Henry Vane,
In the end of the Commentary.
By THO. HALL, B. D. and Pastor of Kings-norton.
O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of way-faring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them, for they be all Adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
Jer. 9.2.
They bend their tongue like their bow for lyes, but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth, for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not mee, saith the Lord.
Verse 3.
LONDON, Printed for Henry Mortlock, at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard, near the Little North-door. 1661.
Ornatissimo Viro, amico amicissimo, Ecclesiae Pastorum que fidelium Patrono notissimo, Orthodoxae fidei propugnatori acerrimo, Gervasio Piggot de Thrumpton in Comitatu Nottingham. Armigero:
TAm à Romanistarum faece ac Scabie; quàm à Fanaticorum Spuma ac rabie, liberrimo:
Qui Natales eruditione, Eruditionem virtute, Virtutem moribus usque quáque nobilibus adornavit:
Cui medulla inest & Quintessentia Pietatis, Poesios, Philosophiae ac Theologiae:
Lucubrationes hasce quales, quales, Amoris & Honoris ergô. D. D. D.
THO. HALL.
TO THE READER.
IN my Exposition on Hosea, I had occasion to consult the Prophet Amos, who was Hosea's Contemporary; and finding that Dr. Benefield, Lady-Margaret-Professor in Oxford, had commented on that Prophecy; upon perusal I found that hee had expounded onelyonly the three first Chapters; whereupon, I finding the fourth to bee very suitable to our times, I onelyonly set upon that, not intending to go any further; for the clouds thickned so fast over us, that I despaired of proceeding to another Chapter; but being incouraged by some to go on with so useful a work begun, I made a further Essay, and by a good hand of providence, have brought the work (totally beyond my own expectation) to a total perfection, having finisht the Exposition of the whole Prophecy.
Many Posthumous works have had Supplementators surpassing their Predecessors, this cannot bee expected here. All that I can promise thee is this, that I have not baulkt any doubt or difficulty, but have as fully and faithfully explained the Text as possibly I could; I have spared for no cost or pains, I have spent both Purse and Person freely in the work. 'Tis for the Lord, and I have not offered to him of that which cost mee nothing.
I have studied brevity, the times will not bear long discourses, besides I naturally affect brevity, and love to see much matter compact together in a little room.
Here thou hast Practicals, Polemicals, References, and what ever else might compleat the work.
Here wee have a Glass wherein wee may see the Misery of Security, the Downfall of Sensuality and Idolatry, the Sword, Plague and Famine pursuing an obstinate and incurable people to destruction. Here wee have the sins that ruined Israel, viz. Oppression and Cruelty, Amos 2.8. and 8.6, 7. Bribery, Amos 4.1 and 5.12. Notorious Lust, Amos 2.7. Odious Ingratitude, Amos 2.9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Wilful Ignorance, Amos 3.10. Hating of Reproof, Amos 5.10, 13. Formality, and a Ceremonious Religion, Amos 5 21, 22. Unrighteousness in dealing, Amos 8.5. And Weariness of Gods worship, Amos 8.5 And if these be Englands sins, these will be likewise Englands ruine. Parity of sin will bring parity in suffering. All the Symptomes of Iudgements approaching are upon the Land. 1 Good men fall, Psa. 12.1. Isa. 57. 1. 2 Ill men rise, 2 Chron. 19.2. Psal. 12. ult. 3 Gods Vine, the Church, is grown wilde and luxuriant for want of pruning; Professors are turned Blasphemers, and instead of the Grapes of Obedience, they bring forth the wilde Grapes of Apostacy, Idolatry, Security, Pride and Hypocrisie. Wee grow weary of Mannah, and long to be at our Garlick and Leeks, and Onions in Egypt again. It was the great sin of Israel, that when the Lord had brought them out of Egyptian bondage into Canaan, yet then they cryed, Come let us make us a Captain, that so wee may return into Egypt again, Numb. 14.4. Such horrid Apostacy alwaies ends in misery, Isa. 1.4, 7. Ezek. 9.9. Heb. 10.38. Besides, the sad divisions and subdivisions which are amongst us fore-tell some approaching Iudgement. Wee cannot gratifie Antichrist more, than to weaken our selves by our divisions. England is like a great Animal (as the Duke of Rohan hath well observed) and cannot dye unless she help to kill her self. Like a Diamond, she is not so easily broken with hammers and swords, as she is cut in peeces with her own dust. 'Twas our divisions at first that brought in the Romans, Normans, and Saxons into this Land; what they may do again, a little time will shew.
Many amongst us have run round to Popery, and therefore 'tis just with God to make that the scourge, which so many have made their refuge; and after the Rod hath done its work, then hee'l burn it; God is letting Antichrist loose once more, to hasten his fall; the more blood he sheds, the greater will the cry be against him. The measure of Babylons sins will be made up in blood before her final ruine; and when she shall have once more filled her self with the blood of the Saints, she shall have blood given her to drink, for she is worthy.
The good Lord awaken us, and humble us all for our own sins, and for the sins of the times we live in, and make us to mourn for the things wee cannot mend, and inable us to receive the Truth in the love of it, and make us at last to serve him with gladness of heart, in the abundance of all things, that wee may not provoke him to make us serve our enemies in want and misery. This is, and shall bee the prayer of
Thy Servant in the Lord, THO, HALL. Kingsn. July 25. 1661.