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. 1. THen said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman, (beloved of her friend, yet an adulteresse) according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

THis Chapter containes a new typical Sermon, of the same nature with the former, but differing somewhat in scope, as holding forth more distinctly the Lords method in performing these promises made to Israel, chap. 2. especially that promise of betrothing her again, v. 19, 20. To wit, that though Israel should not be finally cast off, but be again betrothed unto Christ; yet they should for a long time be kept in a low estate, to fit them for the marriage which should certainly be in due time. This Prophecie cannot be understood of Israel in the Spirit, seeing Hosea here speaks of Israel his charge, that had been married, and was now to be sequestrate for a long time, which is only proper to the ten Tribes: Nor is it to be understood of Judah, nor of their returne from the captivity of Babylon; seeing Israel are named to whom Hosea preached, and their seeking of Christ under the name of David, and that in the latter dayes, is fore∣prophesied, v. 5. So it is to be looked on as a clear prediction of the present condition of the ten Tribes, and of their future conver∣sion, of which, Rom. 11.

The first particular in this Sermon, is first propounded in the type, and then explained: In summe, we may conceive it thus; The Prophet was to propound this type, that the case should stand betwixt the Lord and the Nation, and Church of Israel after their rejection, as if the Prophet were a lover, and that of his adulterous wife, whom he continued to love, though she were justly repudiate for her adulterie, even so the matter stood here: The Lord had been her husband and loved her, she had ingrately followed Idols and sensual pleasures; for which, al∣beit he was to repudiate her as not his wife, yet he would conti∣nue his purpose of love toward her, in order to a second betroth∣ing. Unto this doth the title of a friend here used, agree rather then that of an husband: For in this, the former marriage is dissolved, and the new is not yet made up, only he hath a friend∣ly affection to her, in order to it. And this title of a friend, and

loving her as such, with a purpose of marriage, seemeth to be an allusion, (not so much to heathen customes, where there was some special lover under whose protection the harlot was, and who upon her good behaviour, would promise to marry her. As) to the custome of an Israelites marrying the Heathen Virgin, Deut. 21.10,—13. Doct. 1. As it is matter of sad challenge against the Church, that she ingrately sins against loving kind∣nesse, and is an adulteresse unprovoked; (for so may be import∣ed here, that this adulteresse had been beloved, and yet plaid the harlot; See Jer. 2.5. Mic. 6.3.) so loving kindnesse doth not alwayes give up upon sad provocations, nor upon saddest dispen∣sations; for so is expressely held out here, the repudiate adulte∣resse is yet beloved of her friend, and this sets out the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, &c. This holds true of the Nation of Israel to this day, Rom. 11.28, 29. and there may be toward all the Lords people, many sweet purposes lying hid un∣der sad dispensations, Jer. 29.11. 2. Such is mens stupidity in taking up their own case, and their superficialnesse in ponde∣ring of it, that it needs to be much and sensibly inculcate; Therefore is this matter twice told, first in the type, Go yet, (after that former type, chap. 1.2.) love a woman, &c. and then in the explication, according to the love of the Lord, &c. 3. This outward grosse Idolatry with other gods, (as they judged them to be gods) which Israel was guilty of, and for which she was repudiate, may teach; That corrupting the Worship of God, and declining from him and his way, is the great sin for which the Lord doth plead, and may at last reject a visible Church: and albeit tentations to such courses may be removed from a Church; yet the dispensation and way of Israel may warne us, that the hearts of all men are prone that way, if they had a tenta∣tion, that we encline more to false worship then true, that na∣turally we have false wayes to heaven and happinesse; and that idols, and not the true God, are chief in our hearts. And when God and his way of service are not delighted in, we may charge all these upon our selves; So much may we gather from this challenge against Israel, they look to other gods, or, turning their back on God, they placed their affection, confidence, depend∣ance, respex on Idols; For, looking doth import this, Ps. 123.1, 2. Isa. 45.22. See Ezek. 20.16, 24. 4. The challenge joyned with this, that they love flagons of wine, or sensual plea∣sures, doth teach, that as idolatry and false worship are plagued with sensuality and delight in it, (as witnesse the feasts of Ido∣laters,

Exod 32.6.) So sensual men bewray their own inclinati∣on, that they are ripe for being Idolaters, if they had the tryal: Therefore are they conjoyned in the challenge, as having much affinity, and drawing on one another.