John Trapp on Amos 2:13

Verſe 13. Behold I am preſſed under you &c.] A countrey compariſon (ſuch as this Prophet is full of) plaine but pithy; to ſhew how God is preſſed and oppreſſed with peoples ſins, wearied as it were Eſay. 43.24. and his patience even worn out; ſo that he can forbeare them no longer, Iſay. 42.14. but like a travelling woman, that bites in her paine, as long as ſhe is able, at length cryes out; ſo here, God hath much adoe to forbeare killing men in their ſins: as he was ready to have a blow at Moſes, when he met him in the Inne, and could hardly hold his hands; he even grones under the preſſure as a cart ſeemes to do under an extraordinary loade laid on it, till it creake and crack againe: He ſeemes to ſcreeke out to ſinners as Jer. 44.4. Oh doe not this abominable thing? And (when he cannot be heard) to ſigh out, Ah ſinfull nation, a people laden with iniquity &c. Eſay. 1.4. as Faſciculus temporum Anno. 884. bitterly bewailing the iniquities of thoſe times cries out, Heu, heu, Domine Deus &c. That ninth age is much complained of by many Waters. God hath as much, nay more cauſe to complaine of ours, conſidering his paines with us and patience towards us, to ſo little purpoſe and profit. See the Note on Mal. 1.1. many Interpreters make theſe words not a complaint, but a communication; rendring it thus, I will preſſe or ſtraighten your place as a cart full of ſheaves preſſeth, ſc. either the ground whereon it goeth, or the corn which it threſheth out of the husk Eſa. 28.27, 28. or as the creature that lieth under the wheeles of it is cruſht in pieces. It was a memorable ſaying of Mr. Bradford Martyr, He that will not tremble in threatening, ſhall be cruſht in peeces in feeling. Theſe perverſe Iſraelites would not be warned by any threatening, therefore they were preſſed to ſome purpoſe in that ſore famine, and ſtraight ſiege of Samaria. Obſidione vos premam ſaith the Chalde here,Samariana. I will ſo beleaguer your city, that there ſhall be no eſcaping. Look how a laden cart onuſtum ſibi, ſo laden that another ſheaf can hardly be laid on, ſo ſticks in ſtraight places, that it can neither go forward nor backward: ſo will I bring you into thoſe diſtreſſes, that you ſhall not know how to avoid or abide them. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. (Confer Pſal. 4.2. Prov. 4.12. 2 Cor. 4.8.) I will diſtreſſe my diſtreſſers: and preſſe with ſuch piercing afflictions, as ſhall make you ſigh and ſcreech out another while, Oh it is an evil thing and a bitter to forſake the Lord &c. Jer. 2.19. Oh he is worſe then mad, that would buy the ſweeteſt ſin, at ſo deare a rate.