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.

Vers. 5. For their mother hath played the harlot; she that conceived them, hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wooll and my flax, mine oile, and my drink.

To clear the equity of this sentence, the Lord doth repeat their sinne, in sad challenges, and the judgements deserved by it, in sharp threatenings. Their sinne may be comprehended in this general, of their idolatry in, and because of their prosperous con∣dition; but since the Lord doth branch it out in several chal∣lenges, and subjoynes threatenings to every one of them, I shall follow it in that method.

The first branch of the challenge, is, that in her prosperity she would follow the idolatry of the calves, and her confederates and their idols, because she thought they upheld her, and were the cause of her prosperity, and so followed any course which might bring her profit and pleasure. This the Lord challengeth, as be∣ing not simple whoredome, which may be done in the dark, but avowed, effronted adultery. Whence learn, 1. Such is the stu∣pidity of grossest sinners, that they neither see the ill nor danger of their way, unlesse it be much and frequently inculcate; there∣fore doth the Lord insist so much again upon both, and sub∣joynes this challenge to the former sentence, with the particle for, that he may yet let her see how justly he accused her as be∣ing not his wife, and threatened her because of that, For their mother hath played the Harlot. 2. A visible Church declining, will readily turne impudent in sinne, in regard, the more corruption hath been hemmed in by the external bonds of order, it swells the more over all banks and bounds; and God justly giveth such

up to be filled with their own devices; for not only hath the mo∣ther played the harlot, but she that conceived them, hath done shame∣fully, and impudently, which may also be imported in her going after her lovers, or pursuing of them, as Ezek. 16 33, 34. 3. It is a great aggravation of the sinne of idolatry, that idols do become lovers, and do bewitch and draw the heart from God; Therefore doth she call (not only her confederates, by joyning with whom she thought to prosper, but chiefly) her idols my lovers, in regard they drew her heart from God. See Jer. 50.38. 4. As it is a great sinne to depart from God and his true worship; so especially it is a shamefull way of departing from him, when mens ends are so low and base, that they will follow any way of Religion for interest and advantage, and account the thriving way best; for, herein did she shamefully, that she went after her lovers, and why? they give me my bread, and my water, my wool and my flax, &c. she thought she thrave best in and because of her idolatry. Albeit it was her mistake and sinne to father her prosperity so, as we will finde, v. 8. yet supposing it had been as she said, it was still her great sinne to make that the rule whereby to trie true Religion, and not to love the way of God, whatever disadvantage followed. See Jer. 44.17. 5. It is also a great evidence of impudence, when men do not sinne through infirmity or tentation, but deliberately, and do wilfully follow their resolutions, whatever be said to the contrary; for, herein al∣so she did shamefully, in that she said, I will go after my lo∣vers, &c. She avowed it, and was obstinate in it against all warnings. See Jer. 44.16, 17. Ps. 81.11.