John Trapp on Amos 2:7

Verſ. 7. That pant after the duſt of the earth on the head of the poor:] Covetouſneſſe is craving, and cruel: it rides without reins, as Balaam did after the wages of wickedneſſe; and cares not whoſe head it rides over, to compaſſe commodity. Yea it panteth after the duſt of the earth, on the head of the poor, as deſirous not onely to lay them in the duſt,Anhelant. but to lay them a-bleeding, and a-dying there. They gape over the head (or life) of the poor, in the duſt of the earth (ſo ſome read the words) as deviſing to deſtroy them. A poor mans lively hood is his life, Mar. 12. ult. Luke 8.43. for a poor man in his houſe is like a ſnail in a ſhell; cruſh that and you kill him. Theſe cormorants earneſtly deſired, and indeavoured to bring duſt upon poor mens heads (the garb of thoſe that were in heavineſſe, Iob 2.12. Ezech. 27.30. Lam. 2.20.) by their oppreſſions and injuſtice; yea to bring them down to the duſt of death, to ſet them as farre under ground, as now they were above. Lo this they do as greedily, and as greatly deſire, as ſerpents and other hot creatures covet the freſh air, to cool their ſcorched entrails. See Ier. 14.6. Job 5.5. and 7.2. It is ſaid of Saul the perſecutour, that he breathed out threatnings againſt the Church, Acts 9.1. as a tired Wolf, that wearied with worrying the flock, lieth panting for breath. So Bonner whipt the poor Martyrs, till he was breathleſſe. Some Interpreters note out of Joſeph Ben Gorion, Gorionides hiſt. c. 44. that there was an old cuſtom, that thoſe that were accuſed before the Judges, ſhould be arrayed in black, and have their heads covered with duſt. And hence they conceive the ſence to be this. That pant, i. e. that earneſtly deſire that ſuch poor men may be accuſed by the rich,Druſius. Mercer. of whom they may receive gifts to pervert judgement. And this they think to be confirmed by the following words.

they turn aſide (or pervent) the way of the meeke,] that is, the cauſe, buſineſſe, judgement of the modeſt, and ſelf-denying poor, the ſubject of rich mens injuries, (for moſt part) and unreaſonable oppreſſions, Jam. 2.6. A crow will ſtand upon a ſheeps back, pulling off wool from her ſide: ſhe durſt not do ſo to a wolf, or a maſtiffe. Even reaſonleſſe creatures know whom they may bee bold with: ſo do wicked oppreſſours.Veterem ferendo injuriam invitas novam. The meek by pocketting up one wrong, invite another. Ye have condemned and killed the juſt: and he doth not reſiſt you, Jam. 5.6. Ye not onely rob, but raviſh the poor, that are faln into your nets, Pſal. 10.9. ye do even whatſoever you pleaſe to them, as One Martyr ſaid of John Baptiſt, that he was put to death,Acts and Mon. as if God had been nothing aware of him.

and a man and his father will go in, &c.] by an horrible (if not inceſtuous) filthineſſe; ſuch as Heathens by the light of nature condemned and execrated, 1 Cor. 5.1. The Indians abhor it; ſhewing themſelves in reſpect of the inceſtuous Spaniards amongſt them, as the Scythians in reſpect of the Grecians, whom they ſo far excelled in life, as they were ſhort of them in learning. Am I a dog, ſaid Abner to Iſbboſheth, 2 Sam. 3. that is, ſo impudently and exceſſively luſtfull as a dog is, ſo ſcalded in his own greaſe, Rom. 1.27. Some libidinous ſenſualiſts put off all manhood, become dogs, worſe then dogs: following their harlots, ſtiled in Scripture, ſaltbitches, Deut. 23.18. ſuch as having abandoned both the fear of God, and ſhame of the world, care not whom they admit, father, ſon, any one, every one.

to profane my holy name.] As if I were Authour, or Fautour of ſuch cruelties and villanies. This is to take Gods name in vain, Prov. 30.9. yea this is to blaſpheme, 1 Tim. 1.20. by breaking down the banks of blaſphemy, and cauſing the enemies of the truth to ſpeak evil with open mouth, as they did in Davids dayes 2 Sam. 12.14. And in Pauls dayes, Rom. 2.24. And in Origens dayes, Nunc male audiunt caſtiganturque vulgo Chriſtiani; De opiſicio. Dei prooem. quòd vitia ſub obtentu nominis Dei celent, &c. ſaith He, Chriſtians and their religion heareth ill among Heathens, by reaſon of their impious and impure lives, and their converſation not becoming the Goſpel of Chriſt, Philip. 1.27. Of ſuch carnall Goſpellers it may be truly ſaid, as Diogenes ſaid to Antipater (who being vitious wore a white cloke, the enſigne of innocency) that they do virtut is ſtragulam pudefacere put honeſty to an open ſhame, bring contempt upon God and his wayes &c.