An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Here is a further aggravation of the misery upon crafty, froward Counsellors, They meet with darkness in the day time. Some understand this for the darkness of trouble, falling upon these men suddenly in the day of their prosperity; as if the holy Ghost had said, In the day time of their greatest glory, when they think their Sun at the height, then they are clouded and over cast, they meet with the darkness of sorrow, and are benighted in a moment, Amos 8▪ 9. I will cause the Sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day; (it is meant of great afflictions, as the next words interpret) And I will turn your feasts into mourning.

Here is a further agravation of the misery upon crafty, froward Counsellours, They meete with darknes in the day time. Some understand this for the darknesse of trouble, falling upon these men suddenly in the day of their prosperity; as if the holy Ghost had said, In the day time of their greatest glory, when they think their Sun at the height, then they are clouded and over cast, they meet with the darknes of sorrow, and are benighted in a moment, Amos 8▪ 9. I will cause the Sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day; (it is meant of great afflictions, as the next words interpret) And I will turn your feasts into mourning.

But rather by darkness in the day time, we are to understand the ¹ignorance of those things which are very plain and clear. They meet with darkness in the day time, that is, they are puzzled to find out and discover those things which are as clear as the light. God often sends such a spirit of giddiness and blindness upon the counsels of his enemies; that easy things are hard, plain things, obscure, and common questions very riddles to them.