Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 3 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Verſe 1. THus hath the Lord God ſhewed unto me,] ſc. in a Propheticall viſion: this being the firſt of thoſe five that follow, to the end of the Propheſie: all foretelling the evils that ſhould befall this people, to whom Amos is again ſent, as Ahijah was to Jeroboams wife with heavie tidings, and as Ezekiel was afterwards to his rebellious countreymen, with a roul written full of lamentations, and mourning, and woe.Ezech. 2.10.
and behold he formed graſhoppers,] Or, locuſts, fore-runners of famine, Joel 1.4. (See the Note there) or, (as ſome will) of the Aſſyrians, whom the divine juſtice made a ſcorpion to Iſrael, as Iſrael had been a ſcourge to Judah. When the Iſraelites were in their flouriſh, as the graſſe or wheat is in the beginning of the ſhooting up of the latter groweth, they had been firſt mowed by Benhadad, king of Syria: but, growing up again under Jeroboam their king, they were devoured by Pul and his Army, as by ſo many greedy locuſts.
In the beginning of the ſhooting up of the latter growth,] For in thoſe fat and fertile countreys they uſed Luxuriem ſegetum tener â depaſcere in herba.Virg. Georg. 1. Now if the latter growth were eaten up too, what elſe could follow but extreme famine?
It was the latter growth after the kings mowings.] Or, ſheep-ſhearings, as ſome read it: but the former is better: and Diodate here noteth, that it is thought that the kings did take the firſt crop, in eſum & uſum jumentorum, to keep their warre horſes, and for other ſervices: leaving the latter mowings for other cattle, who were taught to ſay, After your Majeſtie, is good manners.
Verſe 2. When they had made an end of eating,] Not the corn onelyonly, but the graſſe, to the very roots; beſides a peſtilent ſtench left behinde them; when, I ſay, they had done their worſt. Prayer is the beſt lever at a dead lift: as is to bee ſeen, Jam. 5.18. upon the prayer of Elias the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit, after three years and a halfs drought; when it might well have been thought that root, and fruits, and all had been dried up, and that prayer had come too late. But that's ſeldome ſeen: as all Gods people can ſay experimentally. But what ſhall we think of Jamblicus, Lib. 5. cap. 27.a Heathen Authour, who hath ſuch a commendation of prayer, which might well beſeem an experienced Chriſtian? He calleth it, Rerum divinarum ducem & lucem, copulam, quâ homines cum Deo conjunguntur, the guide and light of divine duties: the band whereby men are united to God. Nay he proceedeth and ſaith, that prayer is clavis inſtar, qua Dei penetralia aperiuntur, inſtead of a key, wherewith Gods cabinet is opened: and much more to the ſame purpoſe: All this the Prophet knew full well, and therefore ſets to work in good earneſt: and as when a cart is in a quagmire, if the horſes feel it coming, they'le pull the harder, till they have it out: ſo He.
Then I ſaid, O Lord God forgive, I beſeech thee,] Sin, he knew, was their greateſt enemy; the mother of all their miſery. Of that therefore hee prayes for pardon, and then hee knew all ſhould be well: as when the ſore is healed, the plaiſter falleth off. Of Chriſt it is ſaid, that He ſhall ſave his people from their ſinnes, Mat. 1.21. as the greateſt of evils: and the Church in Hoſea chap. 14.2. cries, Take away all iniquity. Feri Domine, feri, ſaith Luther, nam à peccatis abſalutus ſum. Smite me as much as thou pleaſeſt, now that thou haſt forgiven my ſins.
By whom ſhall Jacob ariſe? for he is ſmall.] Here is much in few. It is Jacob, thy confederate: and he is down upon all four: and he is but ſmall, low and little, and (as ſome render it) Quis ſtabit Jacobo? Behold, He whom thou loveſt is ſick, Ioh. 11.3. They that are thine by covenant, are at a very great under: trodden on by the buls of Baſan, as a poor ſhrub of the wilderneſſe, ſo the Pſalmiſts word imports, Pſal. 102.17. Why ſhouldeſt thou be as a man aſtonied, (that knowes not whether he had beſt help or not?) or as a mighty man that cannot ſave? Jer. 14.9.Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midſt of us; and we are called by thy Name: leave us not. Thus the Prophets indeed prayed for their unkind countreymen: ſo did Paul, Athanaſius, Luther. I have obtained of God, ſaid He, that never whileſt I live ſhall the Pope prevail againſt my countrey: when I am gone, let thoſe pray that can pray. And indeed, he was no ſooner gone, but all Germany was on a flame:Act. & Mon. as when Auſtins head was laid, Hippo was ſoon ſurprized by the enemy; and when Pareus's, Heidelberg.
Verſe 3. The Lord repented for this: it ſhall not be, ſaith the Lord.] Here was mutatio rei, non Dei: facti, non conſilij: a change not of Gods will, but of his work; therefore (by way of explication) it followeth, it ſhall not bee ſaith the Lord. To ſpeak properly, there can be no repentance in God, 1 Sam. 15.20. but this is ſpoken after the manner of men: and it notably ſetteth forth the power of faithfull prayer, able after a ſort, to alter Gods minde, and to transfuſe a dead Palſie into the hands of Omnipotencie, Exod. 32.10. where God is fain to be-ſpeak his own freedom: and Moſes is repreſented as the great Chancellour of heaven.
Verſe 4. And behold the Lord God,] whoſe Aſterisk, or ſtarry Note this behold is, ſaith Tarnovius, ſtirring up to attention. Another compareth it to an hand in the margent of a book, pointing to ſome notable thing. Another to the ſounding of a trumpet before ſome proclamation: or to the ringing of a bell before the ſermon of ſome famous Preacher.
the Lord God called to contend by fire,] that is, by parching heat and drought, cauſing dearth, as Joel 1.19. For which purpoſe, God called his Angels, thoſe miniſtring ſpirits that execute his judgements upon the wicked (as they did once upon Sodom) to contend for him (a metaphor from civil courts) to plead for him by fire, to deſtroy the perverſe Iſraelites by fire and brimſtone,Eſay 66.16. Ezech. 38.22. as they had done Sodom and Gomorrah (ſo ſome interpret it according to the letter) or by the woe of warre, compared to fire, 2 King. 14.26. Eſay 26.11. as being a miſery which all words (how wide ſoever) want compaſſe to expreſſe: Or, by immoderate heat and drought, as afore: ſo great, that it devoured the great deep,] as that fire of the Lord in Eliah's time licked up the water that was in the treuch, 1 King. 18.38. See Eſay 51.10.
and did eat up a part.] Or, it devoured alſo the field: Not onelyonly the waters, in and under the earth, that ſerve to make it fruitfull, but a part of the earth it ſelf: which was altogether above and againſt the common courſe of nature.Kimchi. Some render it, and did eat up that part, or that field, ſc. that mentioned verſe 1. the Kings field; that as the King had chiefly offended, ſo he ſhould be principally puniſhed.Druſius. Other, interpret it by chap. 4.7. One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereon it rained not, withered.
Verſe 5. Then ſaid I, O Lord God, ceaſe I beſeech thee.] See verſe 2. and perſevering in prayer for the publike, remember to plead, not merit but miſery, Pſal. 79.8, 9. and with all humility to acknowledge that it is of the Lords mercies that we are not conſumed: becauſe his compaſſions fail not, Lam. 3.22.
Verſe 6. The Lord repented for this,] As he is gracious, Exod. 22.27. and quickly repenteth him of the evil, Joel 2.13. Redire nos, non perire deſiderat. I ſaid,Chryſelog. I would ſcatter them into corners, &c. Deut. 32.26, 27. Mercy could not behold ſuch ſtrange wrath and cruelty, and not weep her ſelf even ſick, as it were.
this alſo ſhall not be, ſaith the Lord.] So ready is he to yeeld himſelf overcome by the ſuits of his ſervants. Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus. See verſe 3.
Verſe 7. This he ſhewed me, and behold,] See verſe 4.
The Lord ſtood upon a wall made by a plumb-line, &c.] Here he was ſet, or ſtood firme, (as the word ſignifieth) as not to be removed from his purpoſe, by any intreaties: he was fully reſolved upon their ruine, and it ſhould be done exactly, ad amuſſim, by line and by rule, as it were, and with ſo much juſtice, and moſt exquiſite diligence, that againſt it ſhould lie no manner of exception. It is ſaid of the Areopagites in Athens, that their ſentence was ſo upright, that none could ever ſay he was unjuſtly condemned of them. How much more true is this of the righteous judgement of God, who muſt needes therefore be juſtified and every mouth ſtopped? Mat. 22.12. And he was ſpeechleſſe, becauſe ſelf-condemned Tit. 3.11. and had not what to requeſt.
with a plumb-line in his hand] To ſhew that he would accurately examine their actions, and puniſh their pravities. (See Lam. 2.8. and 2 King. 21.13.) not ſparing them as heretofore. A heavy ſentence ſurely Pſal. 130.3.
Verſe 8. Behold I will ſet a plumb-line] I will call them to a ſtrict account and ſhew them no favour Jer 16.13. I will now actually execute my juſtice which I have hitherto ſuſpended; and pay them home for the new and the old; bringing upon them an evill, an onelyonly evill, without mixture of mercy Ezech. 7.5.
I will not againe paſs by them any more] A metaphor from men that paſſe by ſuch things as they ſlight and count inconſiderable: winking at ſmall faults as not worthy to be reckoned upon. Hence Mic. 7.18. God is ſaid to pardon iniquity and paſſe by tranſgreſſion: as elſewhere he is ſaid to bind them up in a bundle, to ſeale them up in a bag, to caſt them behind his back, to remove them as far as the Eaſt is from the Weſt, Pſal. 103.ſo that he beholdeth no ſin in Jacob, nor perverſeneſſe in Iſrael Num. 23.21. The Church, privy to her own infirmities, calleth her ſelf black Cant. 1.5. but Chriſt calleth her faire all over chap. 4.7. She ſaith, God hath puniſht us leſſe then our ſins, Ezra 9.13. He ſaith, She hath received double for her ſins Iſa. 40.1. Too much ſaith God; too little, ſaith She. O beautifull contention? But this is a priviledge proper to the communion of Saints, with whom God will not deale according to the rigour of his law (as he doth with the wicked) but according to his prerogative.
Verſe 9. And the high-places of Iſaac ſhall be deſolate] The Edomites alſo came of Iſaac: but by a Synechdoche the Iſraelites only are here and ver. 16. to be underſtood. Like as elſewhere Heber is put for the Iſraelites only Num. 24.24. and Ioſeph, for Ephraim Rev. 7.8. Some think that the high places of Iſaac are here mentioned, to ſhew that they were erected by the people in an apiſh imitation either of Beerſheba where Iſaac worſhipped, or of mount Moriah where Iſaac ſhould have been offered: And that Iſaac is here written with Sin and not tſadi to ſhew that God held himſelf not adored, but derided by thoſe high-places of irriſion, or thoſe ridiculous ultars, which therefore he threateneth to deſolate, and lay waſt.
and I will riſe againſt the houſe of Jeroboam with the ſword] as a prelude to the utter extermination of all by the Aſſyrians. See this fullfilled 2 King. 15.10. and chap. 17. Jeroboam was very proſperous and victorious: yet deſigned to deſtruction.Aug. Mat. 6.30. It is ſaid of wicked men, that foeneâ quadam felicitate temporaliter floreant, they flouriſh to day as graſs, and to morrow are caſt into the oven: and as the mettle whereof men make glaſs is neareſt melting when it ſhineth brighteſt, ſo are graceleſſe perſons neareſt deſtruction, when at greateſt luſtre. The Turks obſerving that few of their Viſiers die in their beds,Grand Sig. Serag. have this proverbe amongſt them, that the greateſt man is but as a ſtatue of glaſſe.
Verſe 10. Then Amaziah the Prieſt of Beth-el] Obſerving that the prophet had foretold a deſolation, and not prayed as before that it might be averted: becauſe he ſaw God was fully reſolved, and their deſtruction determined.
Amos hath conſpired againſt thee in the land] Thus Eliah was the Troubler of Iſrael, Jeremy a feedſman of ſedition, Chriſt an enemy to Caeſar, Luther a trumpet of rebellion, all Contra-remonſtrants, antimagiſtraticall. As Athaliah cryed Treaſon, Treaſon, when her ſelf was the greateſt traytour: and as in Nero's dayes Sedition was unicum crimen corum qui crimine vacabunt, Lipſiu….laid ordinarily to the charge of thoſe that were moſt free from it, ſo was it here. Amos bath conſpired &c. whereas Amos might well have ſaid as Latimer did,3 Serm. bef. K. Ed. 6. As for ſedition, for ought that I know, methinks I ſhould not need Chriſt, if I might ſo ſay. Religion is an utter enemy to rebellion: and as there are few conſcionable Chriſtians, (Prophets eſpecially) that have not paſſed under this calumniation: ſo he cannot be rightly eſteemed ſuch an one, that deſerveth it. But Amazia's honour and incomes were now at ſtake: as he well perceived when he heard Amos ſay, Go not up to Bethe-el &c. the high-places of Iſaac ſhall be deſtroyed: and hence, his zeale againſt the Prophet, like as Eraſmus told the Electour of Saxony, that the Pope and his ſhavelings were therefore ſo ſharp ſet againſt Luther, becauſe he lifted at the triple crown; and ſought to bring down the monks fat paunches.
the land is not able to beare all his words] his burdenſome propheſies (See Mal. 1.1. with the Note) much leſſe can I endure them, or any faithfull ſervant of thine, true to his truſt. Such a lying accuſation we read of Eſth. 3.8. made by haughty Haman againſt the innocent Jewes, that they kept not the kings lawes, and that therefore it were good policy to weed them out, as not to be longer endured. So Francis King of France, deſiring to excuſe to the Proteſtant-Princes of Germany his cruell perſecution of the Lutherans in his Kingdome, wrot to them that he looked upon them all as Anabaptiſts, and as enemies to civil government: and therefore uſed ſuch ſeverity againſt them. This gave occaſion to Calvin to write his admirable Inſtitutions, to vindicate our religion from that ſoule aſperſion:Saultet. Annal. 454. the like diveliſh policy was afterwards uſed to blanch over that horrid French maſſacre. For it was given out, that the Proteſtants had conſpired againſt the King, the Queen-mother, the kings brethren, the king of Navarre, and the Princes of the blood. There was alſo coyne ſtamped in memory of the matter, in the forepart whereof with the kings picture was this inſcription, Virtus in rebelles: Cambd. Eliſab. 163.and on the other ſide, Pietas excitavit juſtitiam: Piety hath ſtirred up juſtice. Here was a faire glove drawn upon a foule hand: and this they learned of the devill, who was firſt a ſlanderer and then a murtherer: as thoſe that have a mind to kill another mans dog, make the world beleeve he was mad firſt, that they may do it with the better pretext.
Verſe 11. For thus Amos ſaith, Jereboam ſhall die by the ſword &c.] When did Amos ſay ſo? he ſaid indeed that the houſe of Jeroboam ſhould be ſmitten with the ſword ver. 9. and this Amaziah maliciouſly transferreth to the perſon of Jeroboam, the more to enrage him againſt the Prophet: whom therefore he nameth once and againe, to create him the more diſpleaſure. That Jeroboam died by the ſword, we read not, but that his ſon Zechary was ſlaine, and his houſe deſtroyed in the next generation we find 2 King. 15. according to Amos his Prophecy. But to colour this calumny, ſome truth ſhall be admingled.
and Iſrael ſhell ſurely be led away captive] This indeed the Prophet had oft affirmed, (though not in any of thoſe three laſt viſions) and it proved too true: but becauſe Amos ſaith ſo, he muſt paſſe for a traytour againſt the majeſty both of the king and of the people. What an impudent ſycophant was this? The king and people are pretended: and what good ſubject can endure it? but that which irked him was, that his own authority was by this plain-dealing Prophet impaired, and his gaine like to be leſſened, if the ſuperſtition of Bethel were thus decried. It is ſaid of Phlugius and Sidonius (authours of the Interim in Germany) that among other points of Popery therein defended, they ſpake much for Chriſme and extreame unction, ut ipſi diſcederent unctores, Melch. Adam.that thereby they might hold fat biſhopricks. Such arguments prevaile much with all ſelf-ſeekers, whoſe covetouſneſſe and ambition uſually ride without reines, and over whoſe neck it mattereth not.
Veeſe 12. Alſo Amaziah ſaid unto Amos] After he had maliciouſly miſinformed the king, but prevailed not; ſo God would have it, in whoſe heart is the kings hand, & who rebuketh even kings for their ſakes, ſaying, Doe my Prophets no harme. O thou Seer] Faire words; the better to inſinuate.
Mel in ore, verba lactis:
Fel in corde, fraus in factis.
Some think he calleth the Prophet thus by way of jeare, quaſi fatidicum aut fanaticum, as a fortune-teller or diſtracted. Others, that he giveth the Prophet good words, and ſeemeth to give him good counſel, as fearing the people,foreign ligam fecit. with whom Amos was in ſome credit: and therefore the king was told of a conſpiracy againſt him in the middeſt of the houſe of Iſrael, verſe. 10.
Flee-thee away into the land of Judah] Age. fuge: as a friend wrote to Brentius, when he was in danger to be ſurprized by the Emperours Agent,Melch. Adam. in vita Brent. Fuge, fuge Brenti citò, citiùs, citiſſimè, Flie for thy life, haſt, haſt, haſt. So the Phariſees (for no great love, be ſure, but only to be fairely rid of him) came and ſaid to Chriſt, Get thee out and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee Luk. 13.31.
into the land of Judah] This he ſpeaketh ſcornfully, q. d. we are not good enough for you? you are ſo ſtrict &c.Mercer.
and there eat bread, and propheſie there] Invidiosè omnia & contemptim dicit: If you ſtay heare, you may hap to ſtarve for it. Away therefore into your own country: and there make thee a living by propheſying. He ſeemes to meaſure Amos by himſelf: as if he were of thoſe that propheſied, for an handfull of harly, and a morſell of bread, Ezek. 13.19. Mic. 3.11. and as a certaine Popiſh Prieſt confeſſed concerning himſelf and his ſymmiſts, We preach the goſpell ſaid he, tantum ut nos paſcat & veſtiat, only to pick a living out of it.
Verſe 13. But propheſie not any more at Bethel] Take heed of that: leſt, by diffuſing too much light amongſt us, thou marre our markets, and hinder the ſale of our falſe wares. This was the naked truth of the buſineſſe: though ſomething elſe was pretended, and the kings intereſt pleaded.
for it is the kings chappell, and the kings court] Touch theſe mountaines and they will ſmoake, Truth is a good miſtreſſe, but ſuch of her ſervants as follow her too cloſe at heeles, may hap to have their teeth ſtruck out. Ahab hateth Michaiah: and Herod, Iohn Baptiſt, and the Pope Savanarola, for their plaine dealing, laying them faſt enough for it.foreign. Great ones love it foreign they muſt heare pleaſing things: or, if told of their faults, it muſt be done with ſilken words, as She ſaid. They are uſually beſet with their Aiones and Negones as One hath it,Bucloc. that will ſay as they ſay: & mirifica eſt ſympathia inter magnates & paraſitos, and there is a wonderfull ſympathy betwixt kings and court-paraſites, as was betwixt Ahab and the falſe prophets. Few Veſpaſian… are to be found (of whom as it was ſaid, that he was the only One who was made the better man by being made Emperour, ſo) Quintilian commendeth him for this, that he was patientiſſimus veri moſt patient of truth, though never ſo ſharp. Jeroboam was none ſuch: or at leaſt Amaziah the Prieſt of Bethel would make the Prophet ſo beleeve, when he tells him it is the kings court, an ill ayre for truth to breath in. Nihil veritate gravius, nihil aſſentatione ſuavius.
Verſe 14. Then anſwered Amos and ſaid to Amaziah] With no leſſe courage,So Ioh. 1.19.21. I ſuppoſe, then Paul and Barnabas uſed to the ſtubborne Jewes Act, 13.46. or Baſil to Valent the Emperour, or Johannes Sarisburienſis to the Pope Anno 154. or Biſhop Ridly, when offering to preach before the Lady Mary, and receiving a repulſe, he was brought by Sr. Thomas Wharton her ſervant to the dining place and deſired to drink. Which after he had done, he pauſed a whille looking very ſadly: and ſodainely brake out into theſe words. Surely I have done amiſſe: why ſo? quoth the knight: for I have drunk, ſaid He, in that place where Gods word offered hath been refuſed: whereas if I had remembred my duty, I had departed immediately and ſhaken off the duſt of my ſhooes;Act. & Mon. fol: 1270. for a teſtimony againſt this houſe. Theſe words were by the ſaid Biſhop ſpoken with ſuch a vehemency, that ſome of the hearers afterwards confeſſed the haires to ſtand upright on their heades.
I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets ſon] Neither born, nor bred a Prophet: neither have I raſhly or ambitiouſly put my ſelf upon this tremend employment: my call thereto was extraordinary. The Prophets ſcholars were called their ſons 2 King. 2.3, 5, 7, 15. Eſa. 8.18. Mar. 10.24. 1 Cor. 4.14, 17.
but I was an heardman, and a gatherer of Sicomore fruit] Of meane condition, and hardly bred; ſo that I could live with a little, and needed not to turn Prophet ventris cauſâ, for food ſake. When one ſaid to the Philoſopher, If you will but pleaſe Dionyſius, you need not feed upon green herbs, he preſently replied, And if you can feed upon green herbes,Melch. Adam. you need not pleaſe Dionyſius. Nature is content with a little, grace with leſſe. It is not for a ſervant of God to be a ſlave to his palate: Luther made many a meale of a herring.
Verſe 15. And the Lord took me, as I followed the flock] As he took Eliſha from the plow-taile, the Apoſtles from caſting and mending their nets &c. Aſinos elegit Chriſtus & idiotas, ſed …culdvit in prudentes: ſimulque dona dedit, & miniſteria, he called them to the office, and withall he gifted them. He called alſo learned Nathaneel, and Nicodemus, a Maſter in Iſrael: leſt, if he had called none but ſuch as were ſimple, (ſaith Ioh. de Turrecremata) it ſhould have been thought, they had been deceived, through their ſimplicity. But it is Gods way to chuſe the fooliſh things of the world, to confound the wiſe; and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28, 29.
and the Lord ſaid unto me,] He often inculcates the Name of the Lord, to ſhew that there was a neceſſity of his propheſying: for who can ſafely diſobey ſuch a commander. See chap. 3.8. Aut faciendum, aut patiendum. The Philoſopher could tell the Emperour, who challenged him to diſpute, that there was no conteſting with Him that had twenty Legions at his command.
Go propheſie unto my people Iſrael.] Keep within my precincts, and thou ſhalt bee ſure of my protection: be true to thy truſt, and I will ſee to thy ſafety. If thou have not fine manchet (as Bucer ſaid to Bradford, encouraging him to beſtow his talent in preaching) yet give the poor people barley-bread, or what ever elſe the Lord hath committed unto thee. Having therefore ſuch a call from heaven to this work,Act. & Mon. 1454. with what face canſt thou hinder me therein? with what countenance will ye appear before the judgement-ſeat of Chriſt (ſaid Dr. Taylour Martyr to Stephen Gardiner, Lord Chancellour, who had thus ſaluted him, Art thou come, thou villain? how dareſt thou look me in the face for ſhame? knoweſt thou not who I am, &c?) How dare ye for ſhame look any Chriſtian man in the face, ſeeing you have forſaken the truth, denied our Saviour Chriſt and his word,Ibid. 1387. and done contrary to your own oath and writing. And, if I ſhould be afraid of your Lordly looks, why fear you not God, the Lord of us all? who hath ſent us on his errand, which we muſt deliver, and truth be ſpoken, however it be taken, 1 Cor. 9.16.
Verſe 16. Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord,] Hear, thou deſpiſer and wonder, and periſh: for I work a work in thy dayes, a work which thou wilt in no wiſe beleeve, though a man declare it unto thee, Acts 13.41. But whether thou wilt hear, or forbear, beleeve or otherwiſe, thy doom is determined, and ſhall bee pronounced. Hear, therefore, and give ear: be not proud, Ezek. 3.27.for the Lord hath ſpoken it. Oh that thou wouldſt give glory to the Lord, and confeſſe thy ſinne! Oh that thou wouldſt ſubmit to Divine juſtice, implore his mercy,Jer. 13.15, 16. and putting thy mouth in the duſt, ſay as once that good man did, Veniat, veniat, verbum Domini, Melc. Ad.& ſubmittemus, ei ſexcenta ſi nobis eſſent eolla. Let the Lord ſpeak, for his ſervant heareth! But becauſe there is little hopes of that, ſtand forth and hear thy ſentence, and the evil that ſhall befall thee, as ſure as the coat is on thy back, or the heart in thy body. For hath the Lord ſpoken, and ſhall he not do it?
Thou ſayeſt propheſie not,] By a bold countermand to that of God in the former verſ. Go, propheſie, &c. But wee to him that ſtriveth with his maker: Eſay 45.9.let the potſherd ſtrive with the p…tſherds of the earth, let men meddle with their matches,Eccleſ. 6.10, and not with him that is mightier then they.
and drop not thy word,] which is as ſharp as vineger, and nitre. Or, though it were as ſweet as honey, yet it would cauſe pain to exulcerate parts, when dropped upon them.
againſt the houſe of Iſaac.] though commanded ſo to do verſe 9. Toothleſſe truths would be better diſgeſted.
Verſe 17. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, Thy wife, &c.] Thou ſhalt bee ſure of thy ſhare in the common calamity, which thou wilt not hear of; but thou ſhalt hear and be aſhamed, &c. Eſay 26.11. So little is gotten by thwarting with God, and ſeeking to fruſtrate his counſell. With theſe froward pieces, God will ſhew himſelf froward: and if they walk contrary to him, he will alſo walk as croſſe to them: he will tame ſuch ſturdy rebels, as he did Pharaoh, Pſal. 16. Lev. 26.and that way raiſe him a name: all they ſhall get by him is but more weight of puniſhment; as when Jeboiakim had burnt Jeremies roul of curſes, all that he gained, was that the roul was renewed, and there were added beſides thereunto, many like words, Jer. 36.32. See the like, Ier. 20.2. 1 King. 13.4. and 22.25. Acts 5.38, 39.Dum devit… tur impletur. The counſel of God (ſaith Gregory) whiles ſhunned, is executed: the wiſdom of man may wriggle, but cannot eſcape.
Thy wife ſhall be an harlot in the city,] a common ſtrumpet,Kimchi. for a puniſhment of thy ſpirituall harlotry;Rev. 2.20 together with thy ſeducing my ſervants to commit fornication, and to eat things ſacrificed unto idols.
Or,Per vim ſtuprabitur. thy wife ſhall be an harlot,] that is, ſhe ſhall be raviſhed by the enemy before thy face; ſo Theodoret, Calvin, Mercer, &c. See Eſay 13.16. Lam. 5.11. The Iriſh rebels bound the husband to the bed-poſt, whiles they abuſed his wife before his face.
And thy ſonnes and thy daughters ſhall fall by the ſword,] becauſe thou haſt taken my ſonnes and my daughters, and theſe haſt thou ſacrificed unto devils to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a ſmall matter, that thou haſt ſlain my children, and brought them forth to the murtherer? Ezek. 16.20, 21. that thou haſt ſent ſo many ſouls to hell,Peremptores potius quam parentes. Bern. and nuzled up thine own ſons and daughters in ignorance and ſuperſtition, being therein, rather a parricide then a parent?
Thy land ſhall be divided by line,] thy purchaſes ſhall be parted among the enemies:Virg. Eclog. thine ill-gotten riches ſhall be made a ſpoil to the ſouldier. Impius haec, &c.
and thou ſhalt die in a polluted land,] i. e. In Aſſyria, filled with the uncleanneſſe of the inhabitants, from corner to corner, as Canaan was, Ezra 9.11. Lev. 26.38. Here thou ſhalt die for thine abominable idolatries, to thy great regret. Seldom do ſuch eſcape the viſible vengeance of God, as by virulent tongues, or violent hands perſecute his true Prophets. Whether Amos for his boldneſſe was firſt ſcourged by Amaziah, and then wounded to death by his ſon Ʋzziah (as ſome will) is uncertaine.
and Iſrael ſhall ſurely,] though thou wouldſt not beleeve it, verſe 11.