John Trapp on Amos 6:2

Verſe 2. Paſſe ye unto Calneh and ſee,] Take a voyage to, and a view of thoſe moſt famous bordering cities, Calneh, or Selencia in Meſopotamia on the Eaſt, (whereof ſee Gen. 10.10. the beginning of Nimrods Kingdom) Hamath the great, or Antiochia, (now Aleppo, a famous Mart-town) on the North. Then go down Southward to Gath of the Philiſtines, which was of all the five ſatrapies potiſſima & potentiſſima, and is therefore called Metheg-Ammah, 2 Sam. 8.1. with 1 Chron. 18.1. becauſe, being a town of great ſtrength, it was, as it were, the bridle, whereby the whole countrey about was kept in awe: It was afterwards known by the name of Diocaeſarea. Away to theſe neighbouring cities, and ſee in them, as in ſo many Optick-glaſſes, how much more God hath done for you then for them in every reſpect; the greater is your guilt, and the deeper will be your judgement in the end, for abuſe of theſe rich mercies (of a fertile ſoil, a large Empire, &c.) to ſecurity, oppreſſion, and other deteſtable vices and villanies.

be they better then theſe kingdoms?] ſc. of Judah, and Iſrael? which were certainly multis nominibus laudatiſſima, very fruitfull and pleaſant countries, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Deut. 8.7, 8, 9. Numb. 14.7, 8. whatſoever Strabo ſpitefully reporteth to the contrary,Lib. 7. being therein worſe then Rabſhakeh, Eſay 36.17.

Or their border greater then your border,?] ſc. till the Babylonians, Syrians, and Aſſyrians took part of your countrey from you, and cooped you up, cut you ſhort. And now that you are ſo ſtraitned for room, doth not the Lord recompenſe you in multitudes of people? Judea was not above 200. miles long, and 50. miles broad, ſay Geographers: and yet what huge armies brought they into the field? Obſerve then ſaith the Prophet, the great things that God hath done for you above other Nations, and walk accordingly: or elſe take leſſons out of their loſſes, and damages, and know that the caſe will be your own, Aliorum perditio veſtra ſit cautio: Learn by other mens harms, to beware.