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. 2. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half ho∣mer of barley.

3. And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many dayes, thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee.

In these verses, the type of the second and third parts of the Chapter is propounded; As if the Prophet should purchase this adulteresse out of the hand of all her lovers, for so much money and barley, and sequestrate her from himself and them, to live on this sober entertainment, in hope of marriage, if she carried her self well; So should it be betwixt the Lord and Israel, as is explained in the following verses. Albeit this type be expounded by the Lord himself; yet since his speaking of the matter twice, invites us to look on it again and again; I shall observe somewhat on the type, And first, the Prophets purchasing the adulteresse for so much money, is not to be strained to signifie the Lords re∣deeming of his Church, for the price is given to her self for maintenance, and to purchase her good-will, though she be his own, in order to second marriage; But it teacheth, that as a common strumpet being bought from all her lovers, and a slave bought with money, are at the buyers disposal; So, however Israel followed many idols, yet the Lord would prove that he alone had dominion over her, to set her in what condition he pleased, where none of her lovers should help her. Secondly, the price given for her, fifteen pieces of silver, (whereby we are to understand so many shekels,) being but half a servants worth, Exod. 21.32. and half the estimation of a woman, Lev. 27.4. may teach, how little worth they are, and how base and con∣temptible they make themselves, who despise the Lord, and cor∣rupt his Worship; as may be seen on the Jewes to this day, and much more on Israel, who are in a manner lost in the World;

See Amos 9.7. Thirdly, this small price with the barley joyned with it, and given her, being but little and sober fare, and unfit food, especially for women, may teach, 1. That sensuality provokes God to send pinching penury; For, she who loved flagons of wine, v. 1. cometh to this fare. 2. That we must be much stripped of all things, before we be sensible and weaned from our idols: For, this adulteresse must be thus pinched, be∣fore she give over her wantonnesse: Our hearts are so mad on Idols, that they will be fed so long as we have any thing to our selves. Fourthly, his charging her to abide many dayes seque∣strate, not playing the harlot, nor enjoying him, (for so the O∣riginal hath it, Thou shalt not be for a man, either me or any o∣ther,) but having hope of marriage if she did well, may teach. 1. That cutting short of outward mercies, should cut off sin, and humble us that we may be ripe for mercy; and whatever our frame and carriage be, yet by affliction God will cut short occasions of sin; For, as an adulteresse shut up and dieted, is secluded from her lovers; so Israel by Gods dispensations, is made to abide, and not be for a man. 2. The Lord may intend much good to them whom he brings in contempt, and to a low condition: For, he sequestrates and shuts up Israel thus, with an eye to marrying of her. 3. Such as God intends this mercy for, may yet continue long in a sad condition; partly, to shew the great∣nesse of his displeasure against his people, when he is provoked to reject them; and partly, that they may see the ill of their wayes, and may cleave to God the faster, when he restores them; For, Israel is to abide many dayes, whereof we have seen a sad accom∣plishment from the time of their captivity to this day; whereof though they get no use in the time of their rejection, yet it will be otherwise when they turne to God. 4. As it is a choice mer∣cy in affliction, not to forsake God, nor cleave to other idols, though he seem to reject us; So it is a token for good to Gods people, when by affliction he cuts short their sin; For, so this sequestrating her, is expounded to be, an abiding for him, abide for me. Although she be rejected from being the Lords wife, and have little minde or expectation of him; yet the Lords seque∣strating her from idolatry, (to wit, in a national way) in her cap∣tivity, is a proof, that he will make it an abiding for him, what∣ever she intend, or expect in it. Fifthly, this typical promise of his abiding for her, as she doth for him, (so will I also be for thee,) is not to be strictly pressed, seeing God hath since the time of their rejection, chosen the Gentiles; though it may be thus con∣structed,

1. He choosed none till the Messiah, under whom they are to be converted, came in the flesh. 2. All whom he chooseth must put this respect upon the elder brother, (though now gone out of the house) that they become Israel, before they lay claim to Israels Covenant. 3. Whomever the Lord hath chosen, yet he hath a room in his heart for them, and will have them mar∣ried to him, and this exhausts the scope. 4. Their conversion will be indeed as his solemne marriage-day, and a resurrection from the dead to the world, Rom. 11.15. and that day will evi∣dence what respect he had to them in their lost condition. And so it may teach us, 1. Notwithstanding the glorious dayes of the Son of man, that appear in the world by the conversion of the Gentiles, and their marriage to him; yet his ancient people are not forgotten by him: But as of old when the Jewes were his Church, yet he minded the Gentiles, and purposed their con∣version, John 10.16. so his heart is on Israel, till they be brought in. 2. Not only is it a token that God hath reserved comfort for them, who will not have any comfort in trouble without him, but as a shut-up adulteresse, do renounce all lovers till their hus∣band embrace them again: But when the Lord makes his peo∣ples affliction continue sad, without any outgate beside himself, it is a pledge that he hath thoughts of peace toward them in that trouble; For, he abideth for her, who is made to abide, and not to be for a man, or secluded from any comfortable condition, as a shut-up harlot. This is the condition of the Jewes and of Israel at this day, who are kept in so low a condition beyond all Nations, that they may never flourish till God turne them to him, and he embrace them. Sixthly, the Prophets doing all this in obedience to that command, v. 1. to love the woman, may teach, 1. That as tender husbands do shut up, and pinch their wanton and treacherous wives, for their good; So the Lords love may oft-times be visible in hard usage, and denying indulgence to his incorrigible people; and his love be ordered by prudent and wholesome severity to tame them. 2. That not to be cut off, but made to subsist in the saddest condition, in hope of fu∣ture mercy, is a rich expression of love; For, so doth his love toward Israel appear, in that he preserveth them, however scatter∣ed or lost in mens eyes, with a purpose to do them good in the latter end. See Lam. 3.22, 26, 29.