are ſecure, that think to Morrow ſhall he as this Day, and neither fear nor believe the threatned Judgments of God. 'c By a Syncc- doche put for the Kingdom of the Two Tribes, and principally the In- habitants of Feruſulem and Zion z the Ten Tribes were hitherto threat- ned, now the Prophet warns the Two Tribes. d Wo to them alſo who rely upon the Strength,Wealth, and Policy of the King, Princes,Cities., and Kingdom of Samaria and Iſrael, e Which two Cities, Zion ant Samaria, f Accounted chief Cities among the known Cities of that part of the World : Others refer this Paſſage to the Nobles,Wiſemen, and great Men of each Place z Men that we:e Heads among their own People. & To which Places all 1/r4e! had recourſe, ſo the Two Tribes went up to Zzon, the Ten Tribes went to S1mzriz ; or to whom, ?. e. to which Nobles and Rulers the People of each Kingdom did go on all Occations for Judgment, Counſel or Refuge.
thence go ye to Hamath & the great: then go down to Gath 1 of the Philiſtines : be they better than theſe Kingdoms ? or their border greater than your bor- der mm ?
$ Run over the Hiſtory of that Great and Antient City, as go to Shiio, Fer. 7.12. h Built by Nimrod, Gen, 10. 10. and after a long growth to Power, Wealth and Security, through near 1300 Years,was at laſt ruin'd,as is probable in the Civil Wars,which ended in the utter Ruin of Sardanapalus by Arbaces, and Phul-Beloobus, Grand-father to Shalmaneſer who captivated Jſrael ; the Story of which,freſh in the days of Amos, is thus reterr'd unto for warning to Jſrael, #i Conſider well ' what befel that City built on Eupbrares, rich,delightful,and, as you,full ; of 5in, & Head of the Syrian Kingdom, lately overthrown by 7iglath | Pileſer, a very freſh Inftance of God's juft Indignation againſt ſecure Sinners, and a very fit Warning to Jſrae], 1 The chief City of the Phzliſtines, a few Years before waſted by the Arms and Cruelty ot
Jarael, 2 Kings 12. 17- by thele Examples learn to amend your Ways, or expett to periſh in them. m2 The reading this Paſſage interroga- fively, renders it darker than if *twere read affertively z yet they were . berrer, 1,e, greater than thele Kingdoms of 1/r-2el and Fudah; and rheir Borders, i. e, the Bounds of thoſe Kinzdums, greater than theſe of Iſrael and Fudah ; But if you retain our Verfion,ic will amount to this Are they, 7. e. J/rael and Fudzh, better, more juſt, thankful and merci- ful than theſe Kingdoms, that they ſhould iwvpe to eſcape ? or is the Border of theſe two Kingdoms greater, that they ſhould hope to ſtand by Power ?
Miſery foretold, is tar off, as Ez-k. 12. 27. which ſee: Theſe were great Ones too, that the Prophet here threatneth, who thus poſt- pon'd the Day of Jſrael and Fudab's Calamities. o Not as if it ſhould be a ſhort Calamity, as a Day; but it ſpeaks the determinate fixed Time, and the Hafte wherewith the Execution ſhall be made, p The Throne , or Judgment-Seat which ſhould relieve the Oppreſſed, condemn the Wicked, and acquit the Innocent ; this is made a Seat of Violence where unjuft Judges condemn the Juſt, and take 3Bribes. 4 Thus you draw the Judgments of God on your fe}ves;- by ating Violence againft the Poor, and contemning the Threats of the Prophets. | :
the flock x, and the Calves y out of the mid! of the”;
ſtall z : | 7 The Wo is to be added to them, that either Out of Lazineſs or Lu-
Xury, and to pleaſe the Fleſh, lay themſelves to reſt s on beautiful
rich Beds, bought with the Gain of Bribes and Opprefhon, 2. his
ſomewhat explains the former; They did extreamly. indulge their
Pride and Luxury, and on Beds or Couches laid themſelres to feat,
when God called them to mourn and weep. « With Excels, as Mar,
24. 37, 38. and Luke 12. 19, 20, x The very beſt iq all their Flock,
and probably they choſe them out firſt, before they ſet out Lambs
for Sacrifices z or ciſe theſe gluttonous Judges and Rulers eat the beſt
Lambs, not of their own, but out of poor oppreſſed Mens Flocks.
» Thoſe that were tatteſt too. 4 Kepr on purpole to make them moſt
delicious and nouriihing Meat. |
5 * That ||| chant a to the
invent to themſelves Inſtruments of Muſick c ,
David d : <2 | a Wo to them that ina time of deepeſt Mourning, do enfertain themſelves with Songs, and with greateſt Skill ting to th-ir Mutical Inftruments as it they had no greater thing to mind. 5 Ver Lute, or Guitern,one kind put for every one uſed in their Feaftings at this time of Amos. c Not ccntent with know, old-faſhion'd Muiick ; they nn out new Infiruments, New Spngs and Tunes. 4 In kmiation of Da- vid, as they profanely pretend ; or «t{e.emuating his Skill, and pre- ferring their own Feaſt-Songs and -Mulick, , before his Temple-Muſick and Songs: We may imagine what Song; [ach ungodly, cruel, volup- tuous Men would ling, and what Tunes they wouid tet £00, on {cls
TH
Occalions, viz. looic, grofane and igpure 3nowgye | $ That
truſt in the Mountain of Samaria d, which e are ay houſe of {owes
*ESX.,19.0+ 2 This comprizeth many and great Sorrows, all that God intends as | Gr, * -/ gainſt thele Sinners. b6 Who live in abundance, eat drink, ſleep, and {,
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4 That lie r upon beds of Ivorys, and || ſtretch them- j| Or, 4
ſelves upon their Conches t, and eat u the Lambs ovt of [9s with pu er rus
ſound of the viol 6, and * Tf <. 124 like [| Or, q7- he
Fa 7 F U $ Chan. V1 141nSChn#/e ah 2 | | i o . M - FE PS i { % 8+ 0 SORTS ns A - . " . ' and by ſufficient Authoriry, and celebrated ſome J/raelires were carried Captiv2s; but this ſtall be a more CHAT VI. Wo and capitvity u threamed uton Zion and Semaria for their eaſe and ſecurity, g- 6. God ſmeareth that ke will d:{troy *em by plagues, and other judgments, 9 —— 11, Their perverſeneſs an obſtinacy the & eauſe of all this, 12 I 4 I O a * tothem that, || arc at eaſe b in Zion c, and * Luk. C.
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2 * Paſs g ye unto Calneh bh, aad ſei; and from *Nah.3.3
3 Ye that put far away the * evil day o, and cauſe *©h.5-12.
the || ſeat p of violence to come near q : | FOuy 2 Wo to you that flatter your (elves that the Day of Darkneſs and IL.g 4. ”_
POOR He a 6
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