The Pulpit Commentary — Amos — Section 172

to turn songs or glo.clness into howling& of clistress. 2. Universal death. "And there sho.11 be many deo.d bodies in every place; and they shall cast them forth with silence." 'l'ho reference ie to sworcl, pestilence, and famine multiplying the dee.d so rapidly as to render impossible the ordinary decencies and ceremonies at funerals. "Cast them forth with silenc~." CONCLUSION. How stands our country? Is not its moral depravity ripening in every direction? ls it not filling up Its meaenre of iniquities, treasuring up wrath against the last day? Does it not become all true teachers to sound the alarm? The time seems past for crying, "Peace and safety." Destruction is at hand ; the fields are white for harvest,-D. T. Vere. 4-10.-A.varice. "Hear this, 0 ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail," etc. The prophet here resumes bis denunciatory discourse to the avaricious oppressors of the people. The verses may be taken as God's homily to greedy men. "Hear this." Hush! pay attention to what I am going to say. Listen, "ye that swallow up the needy." The words suggest three remarks concerning avarice. l. IT IS EXECRABLE IN ITS SPIRIT. 1. It is sacrilegious. "When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat?" Bad as Isre.el was, it still kept up the outward observances of religion, yet these observances they regarded as commercial inconveniences. In their hearts they wished them away, when they seemed to obstruct their greedy plans. With sacrilegious spirit, they treated religious institutions as worthless in comparison with sordid gain. Avarice in heart bas no reverence for religion. 2. It is dishomst. "Making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit." It is always overreaching, always cheating; it generally victimizes the poor; it makes its fortunes out of the brain and muscles, the sweat·and life, of the needy. 3. It is cruel. "Ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail . . . . That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes." Avarice deadens all social affections, steels the heart, and makes its subject utterly indifferent to all interests but its own; it will swallow up, or as some render it, gape after, the needy just as the wilcl beast pants after its prey. "Greedy men are a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw-teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from amongst :r;p.en" (Prov. x.xx. 14). II. IT IS ABHORRENT TO JEHOVAH. "The Lord hath sworn by the Excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works." Some render the "Excellency of Jacob" the "Pride of Jacob," and suppose the expression to mean that Israel pro- fessed to regard him as its Glory; and therefore it is by himself that he swears, for he can swear by no one greater. God observes all the cruelties which avarice inflicts upon the poor. Nothing is more abhorrent to bis benevolent nature than covetous- ness. One of the leading principles in his moral code is, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house," etc. Against no sin did his blessed Son preach more earnestly. "Take heed, beware of covetousness," said he (Luke xii. 15). He closes the gates of heaven against covetousness. "The covetous shall noi inherit the kingdom of heaven" (1 Cor. vi. 10), 1. It is repugnant to his nature. His love is disinterested, unbounded love, working ever for the good of the universe. Greed is a hideous antagonist to this. 2. It is hostile to universal happiness. He created the universe in order to diffuse happiness ; but greed is against it. (1) It is against the happiness or its possessor. 'l'he soul under the influence of covetousness can neither grow in power nor be gratitied in desire, Avarice is an element of hell. It is in truth one of the fiery furies of tho soul. (2) It is against the happiness of society. It prompts men to appropriate more of the common good than belongs to them, and thus to diminish the required supplies of the multitude. It is the creator of monopoly, and monopoly is the devil of social life. III. IT IB A CURSE TO B00IETY. See what punishment comes on the land through this I " Shall uot the land tremble for this," etc.? Observe: 1. How God makes nature o.n avenging angel. He makes" the land tremble." He "toucheth the hills, and they smoke;" pours out waters as a flood. He can make the world of waters deluge the earth as the overflowing Nile at times inundates the land of Egypt. He cau (to use human language) roll back the sun. "I will cause the sun to go down at  THE BOOK OF AMOS. [011, VIII, 1-14,