John Trapp on Amos 4:12

Verſe 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee o Iſrael] Thus? how? Non nominat mala ut omnia timeant ſaith Ribera. He tells them not how, that they may feare the worſt: even all that is written and unwritten. It was the very policy of Julius Caeſar never to extenuate or deny to his ſouldiers the danger of an enemy, but rather to raiſe up thoughts of valour by aggravating the contrary forces: and this way he did (not ſeldome) hyperbolically rhetoricate, ſaith the ſtory. Now the Lord need not do ſo: ſith his judgements are a great deep, neither can any man know the power of his anger:Pſal. 90.11. let a man feare it never ſo much, he is ſure to feel it a great deale more, if he once fall into his fingers. Is it nothing to drink the dregs of Gods diſpleaſure, when it is eternity unto the bottome? Is it nothing to launch into an infinite Ocean of ſcalding leade, and to ſwim naked in it for ever? Oh do any thing rather then be damned, and as Lewis King of France caſt the Popes bulls into the fire ſaying,Speed 496. he had rather they ſhould burn then himſelf fry in hell for obeying them: Or as Mary Q. of England reſtored againe all the Eccleſiaſticall livings aſſumed to the crown,Idem. ſaying that ſhe ſet more by the ſalvation of her own ſoule, then ſhe did by ten kingdomes: So let the wicked forſake his wayes, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord that he may have mercy upon him, and to our God, that he may multiply pardon. Eſay 55.7.

and becauſe I will do this unto thee] which (had I not wiſhed thee well) I would never have told thee.Ideo minatur ut non puniat. But God loves to fore-ſignifie: and therefore threateneth evill that he may not inflict it: he would gladly be prevented by our humble addreſſes unto him, and by our entreaties of peace. Heare him elſe.

prepare to meet thy God O Iſrael] Turn and try; thou canſt not likely loſe thy labour: or if thou ſhould'ſt, yet thou haſt loſt many a worſe. Let Ephraim but bemoane himſelf, and God will ſoon melt over him Ier. 31.20. Let Gods prodigals return to their mercifull father, and he will meet them halfe-way, and receive them with all ſweetneſſe. Tantum velis, & Deus tibi praeoccurret. Do as thoſe Jer. 3.17. Alexanders Macedenonians being ſenſible of his diſpleaſure laid by their armes put on their mourning attire,Plut. in Alexandro. came trooping to his tent, where for almoſt three dayes they remained with loud cryes and abunance of teares teſtifying their remorſe for offending him, beſeeching his pardon which at laſt they gained. And Guicciardin tells us, that Lewis 12. of France (when he entred Genoa in his triumphant charret with his ſword naked) reſolved to make a prey of their riches,Guice. lib. 7. and an example of many of the chief amongſt them, and to leave the reſt to his ſouldiers mercies. But beeing met firſt by the chief, afterward by the multitude,Parel Med. hiſt. prof. 754. making great lamentation for their folly, with abundance of teares and cryes, his wrath was appeaſed toward them. The like we read of Henry 7. Emperour toward the citizens of Cremona; of our Edward the third,Daniel. hiſt. 240. toward the Inhabitants of Callice. And in Cades conſpiracy here, after that 26. of the chief rebels were executed, the multitude naked in their ſhirts met the king on Black-heath, Speed 851. humbly praying mercy: which they obtained.