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. 9. And I that am the LORD thy God, from the land of Egypt, will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the dayes of the solemne feasts.

Followeth the Lords sentence for these sins so defended, which is conveighed in the bosome of a promise of mercy to the godly; Wherein he declares that as of old he sent them into Egypt, and did keep them in a wildernesse, after he had delivered them from thence; and yet gave them such an issue at last, as was worthy of a yearly remembrance in the solemne feast of Tabernacle: So, since they had forgotten that mercy, he will again cast them out of the land; and yet at last will gather and bring them back a∣gain, and make their preservation and restitution then, furnish as much matter of joy as of old. See Jer. 16.14, 15. Doct. 1. Whatever be the miscarriages of the Lords people toward him; yet he hath sufficient evidence to plead for him, that he hath been good to them: And in particular, his dealing with them may abundantly refute their glorying in themselves and condemn them for making ill purchase; For, whatever their way was, yet I am the LORD thy God, from the land of Egypt, saith he; and therefore it was a fault in them, to exalt themselves as the authors of their prosperity, (as they do, v 8.) seeing it slowed all

from his bounty, or his indulgence or long-suffering toward them; and it was a fault to take themselves to ill shifts for purchasing wealth, having to do with him who hitherto had proven so libe∣rall. 2. Defended sin, and particularly ill purchase, when men will not see the evil of it, shall be refuted by stroakes; and tak∣ing away not only of ill purchase, but what they had beside with Gods approbation: For, so much doth this threatening of exile, and casting them out of the land, teach. 3. As Gods peculiar interest in his people, is the cause why he will not spare their faults, Amos 3.2. So he would not have saddest and justly deserved stroaks looked on as his renouncing of his interest, but that he mindes to keep it still; For, I that am the Lord thy God will do this, because I am thy God; I will smite, and will be thy God though I strike. 4. The longer God hath manifested an interest in a people, and the more gloriously he hath appeared for them, the more cause hath he to strike when they sin, and the more confirmations have they, that he will not cast off when he strikes: For, saith he, I am thy God from the land of Egypt, gloriously delivering thee from thence, and proving my self thy God since that time. And therefore justly do I correct thy in∣gratitude, when thou sinnest, and thou hast ground to expect that I will not cease to be thy God for all that. 5. Where God hath an interest in a people, his stroakes will be all dipped in love; and ought to be looked on as making way for, and ending in new proofes of love; For, saith he, I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, where he giveth them the first sight of their exile and dispersion, in a promise of making them keep feasts in remem∣brance of their deliverance from it. 6. The Lord, when he af∣flicts his people, undertakes not only to give a sweet issue from it, (which can be expected only from him;) but that he will satisfie them therewith, and cause them to rejoyce because of it; For, I will make thee to dwell in Tabernacles, holds forth Gods under∣taking to give the deliverance, and that they should be satisfied and keep feasts, or have joy like unto what they had during these typical feasts. 7. God hath given ancient proofes of his love to his people, which as forgetfulnesse of them, draweth on new trouble; so being in trouble, they give ground of confirmation of faith for what he further promiseth: For, I will make thee to dwell as in the dayes of the solemne feasts, imports not only that the former mercy now forgotten, behoved to be revived by a new mercy after a stroak, but that the one might be a pledge to the other.