John Trapp on Amos 8:9

Verſe 9. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day &c.] Here the Lord threateneth (ſaith Mr. Diodate) to encumber the land with horrible and mournfull calamities, when it ſhall be leaſt thought of. Earthquakes, inundations, ſuddaine and dreadfull darkneſſes are ſure effects and ſignes of Gods heavy diſpleaſure againſt mens ſins Pſal. 18.8, 12.Lively. Mat. 24. Luk. 21. Jocl. 2.10. as Another noteth. See a like text, Jer. 15.8, 9. and promiſe contrary to this threat Job. 18.5, 6.

I will cauſe the ſun to go down at noon] A ſuddain change, as was at Sodom: the Sun was faire riſen upon it that very day that it was deſtroyed in, Gen. 19.23, 24. as at Babylon, when ſurprized by Cyrus, they could not at firſt beleeve their own calamity: as it was with Jeruſalem often, and ſhall be with Rome Rev. 18.7, 8. She ſaith in her heart, I ſhall ſee no ſorrow. Therefore ſhall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine &c. to confute their fond conceit of an eternall Empire. For when they ſhall ſay Peace and ſafety, then ſhall ſudden deſtruction come upon them, as travaile upon a woman with child, and they ſhall not eſcape, 1 Theſ. 5.3. Philoſophers ſay, that before a ſnow, the weather will be warmiſh: when the wind lies, the great raine falles: and the faire weather made before him, till the inſtant that he was drowned in the ſea. Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and other tyrants were ſmitten in the height of their pride, and ruffe of their iollity. Jeruſalem had three yeares great plenty before her laſt deſtruction, of which ſome interpret this Text. Thoſe ſeven once flouriſhing Churches of Aſia, how glorious and reſplendent were they till they had ſinned away their light? The ſame might be ſaid of many others: and who knowes how ſoon it may be ſaid alſo of us? who knowes whether we be not even now, upon the very Tropikes and turning-points of time? Surely Gods patience towards us quò diuturnior eò minacior, the longer it laſteth the more evill is toward us, if we abuſe it. If in a land of light we love darkneſſe better then light, we may ſoon have enough of it. Solem in Britannia non occidere nec reſurgere retulii Tacitus. In vit. Agricol. Tacitus telleth us that at ſome time of the yeare, the Sun ſeemeth neither to riſe nor fall in this country: but ſo lightly to paſs from us in the night, that you can ſcarce diſcern day from night. Of England for this many yeares it may be ſaid, as Solinus doth of the Rhodes, Polyhiſtor. that it is ſemper in Sole ſita ever in the Sun. How long it ſhall be ſo, He alone knowes that knowes all. Walk whiles ye have the light: and pray that God would diſcloud theſe gloomy dayes with the beames of his mercy, and not cauſe our Sun to go down at noon, nor our land to be darkened in the clear day. Oh ſtop this Sun of righteouſneſſe poſting (as it may ſeem) from us (when the blind man cried luſtily, Jeſus though journying ſtood ſtill) ſtay him by your importunities, as thoſe two did at Emaus and ſay, Veſpera jam venit; nobiſcum, Chriſte maneto, Extingui lucem nec patiare tuam.