A brief exposition on the XII. smal prophets: the first volume containing an exposition on the prophecies of Hosea, Joel, & Amos. By George Hutcheson, minister at Edenburgh.

Ver. 10. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea, which cannot be mea∣sured nor numbred, and it shall come to passe, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sonnes of the living God.

Unto these threatenings are subjoyned some Gospel-promises, for the comfort of the godly who should taste of these calamities. The first Promise is, that though Israel should be rejected as a Nation, yet the true Israelite of Jewes and Gentiles, should be increased under the Gospel, as the sand of the Sea: And though their being cast out of their Land should be an evidence of their rejection, as well as the Gentiles, were; yet in all places throughout the World, where they and the Gentiles should em∣brace Christ, they should enjoy the dignity and the priviledges of the Sonnes of God. This Prediction is so expressely applied both to Jewes and Gentiles, Rom. 9.24, 25, 26. and to the scattered strangers, 1 Pet. 1.1. with 2.10. that there is no doubt to be made of it. Doct. 1. In a time of greatest severity, the Lord remembereth mercy, and doth not alter his purpose of being great, and getting Worshippers in the World: For, so much doth this Promise teach. 2. Albeit the godly in their dayes and generation should meet with nothing but hard lots; yet it may be a comfort unto them, under present hard dispensations, that there are promises of better dayes to be accomplished in after-ages: and in particular, the Prediction of Gospel-times and dis∣pensations, was the comfort of the godly under the Law, much more should the accomplishment be so to us: Therefore doth the Lord by Hosea, comfort the godly in his time with these pro∣mises; See Luke 10.23, 24. Gen. 48.21. 3. Believers of all Nations are Abrahams seed, and the true Israel, and consequent∣ly, whatever became of Israels temporal priviledges, yet their spiritual priviledges were not lost, when they were cast out, but distributed among Believers of them, and the rest of the children; For, they are called, The children of Israel, and come to be the Sonnes and People of GOD: See Rom. 4.16, 17. Gal. 3.7. & 6, 16. 4. The encrease of the Church is a great mercy, and doth richly make up the dispersion and scattering of any visible

Church; Therefore is it held out as the encouragement; The number of the children of Israel, shall be as the sand of the Sea, which cannot be measured nor numbred. 5. The Lord is still mindful of his Covenant, and so careful of performing the same, that whatever appear to the contrary, yet he will still make it good one way or other; and in particular the promise to Abra∣ham, concerning the multiplying of his seed, is richly accom∣plished under the Gospel, though his seed after the flesh be re∣jected for a time; Therefore doth he repeat that promise to A∣braham Gen. 22.17. as a thing that would not fail, and to be accomplished under the Gospel. 6. The priviledges of the peo∣ple of God under the Gospel and better Covenant, have an ad∣vantage of the times under the Law; and the priviledges of the truly godly, are far above these of any visible Church whatsoever, Therefore in opposition to their being not my people, it is pro∣mised, not only that they shall be my people, but Sonnes. And it is thus expressed, partly, because however the Covenant under the Old and New Testament, be the same in substance, yet the priviledges are more ample, clear and distinct now then be∣fore: Though his people were then children, yet they were keeped under the condition of a servant, whereas now their Son∣ship is more clear. Gal. 4.1, 7. and partly, because the external state and priviledges of the Nation of Israel, come far short of the dignities of the Israel in the Spirit, who are not only people and subjects, but Sons by vertue of Regeneration and Adoption. 7. As it is an high dignity to become children, Sons and Heires unto God, so this dignity doth appear more distinctly, by con∣sidering that God, to whom they have relation, is not a dumb idol, but the living God, who hath life in himself, who is the Fountain of all life, and the Author of eternal life to all his chil∣dren; For, it is their dignity, Ye are the sonnes of the living God. 8. Grace in God can, and doth make choice of such to be his children, as had no relation to him, or such as had for∣feited all their relations and priviledges; and they who are thus advanced, ought not to forget what they were without it: For, these who were not my people, (either Gentiles, without God, or Israelites rejected and put from their priviledges,) are made sons of the living God, and this is put in the promise to minde them of it. 9. It is a comfortable and refreshful mercy, when Reli∣gion is taking place in the World where it was not before; and it is the advantage of Gospel-times, that the Church is not con∣fined to one Nation or Countrey, but in all places God may be

served, and our interest in him avowed: For, they get this dig∣nity, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my peo∣ple; that is, throughout the World where the Gentiles lived with∣out God, and the Israelites dispersion there, was an evidence of their rejection, and so their condition said it to them, beside the verdict of the Word against them; See John 4.21. 10. It is also a great advantage, when the Lords goodnesse to his Saints and their way, doth convince the World of their excellencie, and neither their afflictions nor carriage doth make them a re∣proach, nor cause the World to stumble at them: So much may be gathered from this, it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sonnes of the living God, not only shall the Gospel call and bring them to this dignity, and passe such a sentence in their favours, but others shall be made to acknowledge and admire it in them; Isa. 61.9,