John Trapp on Micah 6:1

CHAP. VI.

Verſe 1. HEar ye now what the Lord ſaith,] Exordium breve eſt, ſed planè patheticum, ſaith Gualther. This is a ſhort, but pithy and patheticall preface; wherein he wooes their attention: Audite quaeſo, Hear, I pray you. Miniſters are ſpokeſmen for Chriſt, and muſt therefore give good words: and yet remembring on whoſe errand they come, it is required that they be found faithfull, 1 Cor. 4.2.

Ariſe, contend thou] Surge, age, O Micah! Debate thou Gods cauſe againſt this rebellious and ingratefull people, as it were in judgement: calling all, even the inſenſible creatures to be judges. See the like, Deut. 32.1. Eſay 1.2. Mic. 1.2. (for theſe two Prophets have many things common) and be ſenſible, that ſome ſit as ſenſeleſſe before a Preacher ſtill, as the ſeats they ſit on, pillars they lean to, dead bodies they tread upon: ſo that we have need (as One did once in my hearing) to call to the walls and windows to hear the word of the Lord. This heavy ear is noted for a ſingular judgement, Mat. 13.13, 14. Eſay 30.8, 9. The Philoſopher was angry with his Boeotians: telling them that they had not their name for nought, ſith their ears were Ox-ears, and that they were dull creatures, and uncapable of counſel. Demoſthenes alſo for like cauſe, called upon his countrey-men of Athens, to get their ears healed: and Diogenes uſed to tell his tale to the ſtatues and images, that he might inure himſelf to loſe his labour, as he had ſo often done, in ſpeaking to the people.Pag. 18. Let us, to the wearing of our tongues to the ſtumps, preach and pray never ſo much, men will on in ſinne, ſaid bleſſed Bradford, in that excellent Sermon of his of Repentance. We cry till we are hoarſe (ſaith another rare Preacher) we ſpeak till we ſpit forth our lungs: but all to as little purpoſe as Bede did, when he preached to an heap of ſtones. Aſine quiſpiam narrabat fabulam: at ille movebat aures. But ſhall people thus carry it away, and God loſe his ſweet words? Never think it. Thoſe that will not hear the word, ſhall hear the rod, verſe 9. of this chapter: and if they could but ſee their miſery, they would do as the Prophet requires, cut their hair and caſt it away, under the ſenſe of the horror of Gods indignation, Jer. 7.27, 29. they would beg of God a hearing ear, (which is as an ear-ring of gold, Prov. 25.12.) and beſeech him to make the bore bigger, that his word might enter: yea to draw up the ears of their ſouls to the ears of their bodies, that one ſaving ſound might pierce both at once. Let him that hath an ear to hear, hear: or if yet any think good to forbear, let him forbear, Ezek. 3.27. but he will certainly repent it. He that now gives God occaſion to call to the hills, &c. ſhall one day tire the deaf mountains, ſaying, Fall on me, hide me, daſh and quaſh me in a thouſand peeces. O that I might trot directly to hell, and not ſtay to hear that dreadfull Diſcedite, Go ye curſed!