John Trapp on Amos 6:12

Verſe 12. Shallhorſes runne upon the rock?] Is it poſſible they ſhould do ſo, and not firſt break their hoofs, and then their necks? will the rider therefore venture there? were it not matchleſſe madneſſe in him?

will one plow there with oxen?] Sure he will conceive it too hard a tug, and too vain a labour. Hierom rendreth it Bubalis, with wild-oxen: which, not accuſtomed to the yoke, are like to make but wilde work where-ever they are plowed with. Now as there is no good horſe-racing upon a rock, nor fit plowing there: ſo neither muſt you ever hope to eſcape unpuniſhed, or to keep up your Commonwealth unſhattered, ſo long as ye deal thus prepoſterouſly, perverſly, and abſurdly, Prov. 14.14. That of Virgil is not much unlike: Atque idem jungat vulpes,Eclog. 3. & mulgeat hircos.

for ye have turned judgement into gall, &c.] Or, into poyſon: the Chaldee rendreth it, into the head of hurtfull ſerpents. The word ſeemeth to ſignifie the poyſon of ſerpents, which is in the head. See Hoſ. 10.4. with the Note.

and the fruit of righteouſneſſe into hemlock.] Or, Wormwood, as if ye were a kin to that Starre in the Revelation that is ſtiled Wormwood, Revel. 8.11. Bellarm lib. 4. de Pontif. Romam. that great Antichriſt, who would make the world beleeve, that he hath power de injuſtitia facere juſtitiam, ex nihilo aliquid, ex virtute vitium, that is, of injuſtice to make juſtice, of nothing to make ſomething, of vertue vice, to diſpence with any of the ten Commandements,In Extrav. to make new articles of the Creed, to diſpoſe of all kingdoms at his pleaſure, and what not? Pope John 23 ſaith, that he may grant a diſpenſation againſt the law of Nature and of Nations,Caranza Sum. Conc: ſeſſ: 13. againſt St. Paul, and St. Peter, againſt the four Goſpels, &c. The Councel of Conſtance comes in with a Non-obſtante againſt Chriſts own inſtitution, with-holding the cup from the Sacrament: and the like for prieſts marriages, prayers in a known tongue, ſinging of Pſalms, &c. When the Cardinalls meet to chuſe a Pope, they make a vow, whoſoever is choſen, he ſhall ſwear to ſuch Articles as they make. And Sleydan telleth us, that the Pope is no ſooner choſen, but he breaks them all, and checks their inſolencies, as if they went about to limit his power, to whom all power is given both in heaven and earth, both in ſpirituals and temporals. And indeed, he is called the Beaſt, in reſpect of his civil power, and the falſe-prophet in reſpect of his ſpiritual: and the Starre Wormwood, becauſe being himſelf in the gall of bitterneſſe, and bond of perdition, he turneth all judgement into gall, and the fruit of righteouſneſſe into wormwood. See Chap. 5.7.