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. 7. Therefore I will be unto them as a Lion, as a Leopard by the way will I observe them.

8. I will meet them as a Beare that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rent the caule of their heart, and there will I devoure them like a Lion; the wilde beasts shall teare them.

In the third place we have the destruction which this ingrati∣tude drew upon them from God, to wit, that his dreadful vengeance, and all his creatures should be armed against them utterly to consume them. His vengeance and the enemies ex∣ecuting it, shall deal with them as the most fierce and cruel beasts deal with a man when they get him in their power; and belike also he would send wilde beasts upon them. Whence learn, 1. Ingratitude and proud forgetfulnesse of God, do draw on violent, mortal and deadly stroaks of destruction; for, he will because of these sins rent the caule of their heart, (after which a man cannot live) and devoure them there, (that is, presently after he hath killed them) or swallowed them up, as a beast doth his prey; so that they shall not be to be found as a Nation. 2. All the dreadfulnesse of the creatures put together, is but a shadow and resemblance of the fierce anger of God against in∣corrigible sinners; for, look what is in a Lion, a Leopard, and a Beare and it is all here, and much more. 3. It is one sad fruit of sin, and making God an enemy, that he will, as it were, lie in wait to take all advantages of sinners to undo them, which is not

only sad, that he who watcheth over his people for good, should be provoked thus to do, but he will soon reach the creature, when he thus lets out his displeasure; therefore, saith he, as a Leo∣pard by the way, (as they use to do, Jer. 5.6.) will I observe them, to wit, that I may take all advantages against them to destroy them. Hence it is that an angry God can inflict a curse upon sinners in every step of their life, Deut. 28.16, 17, 18, 19. 4. Sinning against the love of God, and wronging of manifest∣ed affection to his people, will make wrath against them bit∣ter; for, I will meet them as a Beare that is bereaved of her whelps: as her being bereaved makes her more cruel to any she meets with, Prov. 17.12. so should they finde the bitter fruit of bereaving him of themselves, to whom he had let forth so much love. 5. The wrath of God can arme all creatures a∣gainst sinners, and make men cruel like heasts in executing his vengeance; for, the wilde beast shall teare them, may be under∣stood, both that enemies should be beastly cruel against them, and that even wilde beasts should be let loose upon them, either in their own land, or when they were going from thence into exile.