John Trapp on Amos 4:7

Verſe 7. And alſo I have with-holden the rain from you, &c.] And ſo have puniſhed you with thirſt and drought, as well as with dearth and famine: and becauſe I have found you wells without the water of piety, 2 Pet. 2.17. therefore I have refuſed to rain upon you, as I threatned, Deut. 28.23, 24.

En quia jam vobis ſunt ferrea pectora,Bill. Anthol. lib. 2. reddit Coelum etiam vobis durius aere, Deus.

When there were yet three moneths, &c.] When you could worſt of all want it (ſee Joel 2.23. with the Note) for the watering of the ſeed, and opening of the earth.

And I cauſed it to rain upon one city,] It rains not then by hap-hazard: neither are the ſeaſons of the yeer (whether barren or fruitfull) ruled by the courſe of nature, or influence of the ſtars, but by God, Act. 14.17. It is he that giveth rain from heaven, and fruitfull ſeaſons. He covereth the heaven with clouds, he prepareth rain for the earth, he maketh graſſe to grow upon the mountains, and ſtanding corn in the fields, Pſal. 147.8. He weighes theſe waters by meaſure: ſo that not a drop falls in vain, or in a wrong place; but by Divine decree, Job 28.26. for the fatning of the earth, allaying the heat, nouriſhing the herb and tree, Deut. 32.2. Eſay 44, 14. producing unto us the appointed weeks of harveſt, Jer. 5.24. that it may give ſeed to the ſower, and bread to the eater, Eſay 55.10. This the poor Pagans aſcribed to their god Jupiter, whom they therefore ſtiled [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Him they confeſſed the greateſt of all, calling him [non-Latin text not transcribed]: the Overſeer of their trading, hence [non-Latin text not transcribed]: the keeper of their houſes, hence Jupiter Herceus, &c. Of [non-Latin text not transcribed], a wall, or hedge. this they did to the great ſhame of many Atheiſts amongſt us, who hold that all things come either by benigne nature, or blinde adventure.

One peece,] ſc. of the ſame field, was rained upon, and fructified (this was neer to a miracle; as when Gideons fleece was wet and no place elſe: and again, every place elſe, and not Gideons fleece, Judg. 6.37.) and the peece whereupon it rained not] It, that is, the cloud, but by Gods appointment: for He it is that filleth thoſe bottles of the skie, and emptieth them again, where and when he pleaſeth, either in mercy, as Joel 2.23. Zach. 10.1. Lev. 26.4. or for a judgement, as Joel 1.17. Gen. 17.11, 12. 1 Sam. 12.18, 19. In the yeer of grace 1551. a great multitude of men and cattle in Germany were drowned and deſtroyed; decidentibus ſubitò nubibus, ac effuſis certatim aquis, ſaith Bartholinus; by exceſſive ſhowres and immoderate waters, pouring down upon people as by ſpoutes. This was the very finger of God, who will one day rain upon the wicked, ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, Barthol. lib. 2. de Meteor. c. 2. Pſal. 11.6. and an horrible tempeſt. Heb. a burning tempeſt: like as now out of thoſe very clouds where-hence he raineth, he doth oftſoons ſcatter ſudden fires unto all parts of the earth, aſtoniſhing the world with the fearfull noyſe of that eruption.

withered] It muſt needs do ſo: and ſo muſt Gods own Vineyard the Church, when he ſhall command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it, Eſay. 5.6. that is, his miniſters, that they drop no doctrine upon it, Deut. 32.2. Ezek. 21.2. Am. 7.16. fitly reſembled to raine in regard 1. of cooling heat, 2. quenching thirſt, 3. clenſing the ayre, 4. allaying the windes, 5. mollifying and mellowing the parched and heat-hardened earth, 6. cauſing all things to grow and fructify. This raine of righteouſneſſe goes ſometimes by coaſts, as here: God tying up the tongues of his faithfulleſt labourers, and witholding their ſhowres, though they be clouds thick, and full, and likely enough to drop down in abundance. See Ezek. 3.26, 27. Hoſ. 9.7. Prov. 16.1. Pray therefore, oh pray earneſtly, both miniſters, for ability and liberty to drop their word toward the holy places, and propheſie. Ezek. 21.2. and People, that he would fill their miniſters as full of good matter as ever Elihu was Iob. 32.18. and then be with their mouths Exod. 4.12. yea ſtretch out his holy hand, and touch them Ier. 1.9. performing that peece of midwifery Prov. 16.1. that they may freely utter their conceptions, and come to their hearts in the fulneſſe of the bleſſing of the Goſpel of peace Rom 15.29. In the Iſland of St. Thomas on the back-ſide of Africa in the middeſt of it, is an hill: and over that,Abbots Geog: 251. a continuall cloud wherewith the whole Iſland is watered. This is our happyneſſe for preſent. Oh that we knew but this gift of God, and were anſwerably thankfull and fruitfull:Joh. 4. Oh how curſed a generation are thoſe that repine at it ſaying, Never was merry world, ſince ſo much preaching &c. How ſhall ſuch miſcreants one day wiſh to have but one drop fall from theſe full clouds to coole the heat and horrours of their conſciences, but ſhall not obtaine it.