John Trapp on Amos 7:2

Verſe 2. When they had made an end of eating,] Not the corn onely, but the graſſe, to the very roots; beſides a peſtilent ſtench left behinde them; when, I ſay, they had done their worſt. Prayer is the beſt lever at a dead lift: as is to bee ſeen, Jam. 5.18. upon the prayer of Elias the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit, after three years and a halfs drought; when it might well have been thought that root, and fruits, and all had been dried up, and that prayer had come too late. But that's ſeldome ſeen: as all Gods people can ſay experimentally. But what ſhall we think of Jamblicus, Lib. 5. cap. 27. a Heathen Authour, who hath ſuch a commendation of prayer, which might well beſeem an experienced Chriſtian? He calleth it, Rerum divinarum ducem & lucem, copulam, quâ homines cum Deo conjunguntur, the guide and light of divine duties: the band whereby men are united to God. Nay he proceedeth and ſaith, that prayer is clavis inſtar, qua Dei penetralia aperiuntur, inſtead of a key, wherewith Gods cabinet is opened: and much more to the ſame purpoſe: All this the Prophet knew full well, and therefore ſets to work in good earneſt: and as when a cart is in a quagmire, if the horſes feel it coming, they'le pull the harder, till they have it out: ſo He.

Then I ſaid, O Lord God forgive, I beſeech thee,] Sin, he knew, was their greateſt enemy; the mother of all their miſery. Of that therefore hee prayes for pardon, and then hee knew all ſhould be well: as when the ſore is healed, the plaiſter falleth off. Of Chriſt it is ſaid, that He ſhall ſave his people from their ſinnes, Mat. 1.21. as the greateſt of evils: and the Church in Hoſea chap. 14.2. cries, Take away all iniquity. Feri Domine, feri, ſaith Luther, nam à peccatis abſalutus ſum. Smite me as much as thou pleaſeſt, now that thou haſt forgiven my ſins.

By whom ſhall Jacob ariſe? for he is ſmall.] Here is much in few. It is Jacob, thy confederate: and he is down upon all four: and he is but ſmall, low and little, and (as ſome render it) Quis ſtabit Jacobo? Behold, He whom thou loveſt is ſick, Ioh. 11.3. They that are thine by covenant, are at a very great under: trodden on by the buls of Baſan, as a poor ſhrub of the wilderneſſe, ſo the Pſalmiſts word imports, Pſal. 102.17. Why ſhouldeſt thou be as a man aſtonied, (that knowes not whether he had beſt help or not?) or as a mighty man that cannot ſave? Jer. 14.9. Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midſt of us; and we are called by thy Name: leave us not. Thus the Prophets indeed prayed for their unkind countreymen: ſo did Paul, Athanaſius, Luther. I have obtained of God, ſaid He, that never whileſt I live ſhall the Pope prevail againſt my countrey: when I am gone, let thoſe pray that can pray. And indeed, he was no ſooner gone, but all Germany was on a flame:Act. & Mon. as when Auſtins head was laid, Hippo was ſoon ſurprized by the enemy; and when Pareus's, Heidelberg.