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.

Verse 1. HEare ye this, O Priests, and hearken ye house of Israel, and give ye eare, O house of the King: for judgement is toward you, be∣cause ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.

In this verse, we have first a citation of all ranks to come to judgement, or to hear Gods judicial processe and sentence a∣gainst them. 2. The first article of his accusation, which con∣cerneth chiefly their Priests and Rulers, that they had been as snares and nets on Mizphah and Tabor. The first of which pla∣ces, (though there were cities of that name, Josh. 15.38. and 18.26.) seemeth here to have been an hill in Gilead, and near Hermon, See, Josh. 11.23. Judg. 11.29. and the other was an hill in Galilee, Judg. 4.6. the sense of the accusation is not so much, that they laid wait to entrap any who would go up to Jerusalem to worship; none of these places being fit for that enterprize; nor yet that they ensnared innocents to take away their lives and estates, of which, v. 2. but the plain meaning is, that as fowlers and hunters lay snares and nets for birds and beasts on these mountains; so their Priests and Rulers by their erroneous doctrine, fraudulent counsels, subtile edicts, their prophane example and countenancing of sin, did deceive the peo∣ple, and ensnare them to follow idolatry. Doct. 1. There is no rank, but they will be found to have guiltinesse to lay to heart, in a time when God pleads a controversie with a land, which is a very sad case; for, the Priests, such as they were, the House of Israel, or body of the Nation, and the house of the Kings are called to hear; and albeit the Princes and Priests drew

away the people, yet that doth not free them. See, Isa. 1.5, 6. Jer. 5.3, 4, 5. 2. As the Word of God doth reach and ob∣lige all ranks of persons, be in what eminencie they will; and as the Lords faithful servants must preach against the sins of all, without respect of persons; so the general over-spreading of sin, (however it harden every particular sinner, yet) is no way to e∣scape judgements, but rather to hasten them; therefore doth Ho∣sea challenge all, as being obliged to hear and obey, and to shew how justly God was angry, when all ranks had corrupted their way. 3. When God is coming against a people in judgement, it concernes them to be very serious in considering what he saith from his Word, and he will at last force audience and attention from the most stubborn; so much may we gather from these many calls, to heare, hearken and give eare, with the reason sub∣joyned, for judgement is toward you, or to be pronounced and executed against you, as shewing, it became them to hear, and however they should be made to do it. See, Zech. 1.4, 6. 4. The Lords contending with his people by his Word, is not an ordinary challenge, as of one displeased only, but the judicial procedure and sentence of the Supreme Judge, which will end in execution; for, his controversie is judgement toward you, that is, a judicial processe and sentence, making way for due ex∣ecution. 5. God may testifie much of his anger against a people, in the Teachers and Rulers he giveth them, as being fit means to ripen them for judgement; for, so proved the Priests and Ru∣lers to Israel. 6. Subtile snares and insinuations are more dan∣gerous for drawing men wrong, then open violence is: for, thus did they mislead Israel, they were a snare and a net spread. 7. It is a great sin in men, and cause of Gods controversie, when they prove a snare to others, or by their insinuations, example or po∣licie draw them to sin against God; for, judgement is toward you, because you have been a snare on Mizpah, &c.