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. 3. I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whore∣dome, and Israel is defiled.

Notwithstanding all their policies and pretexts, (for which he hath challenged them) the Lord declareth that he perfectly knoweth all of them, both rulers (called Ephraim) and people (called Israel;) In testimony whereof, (which is the third ground of challenge or accusation) he pronounceth them idolaters and polluted thereby, and by their other conversation. Whence learn, 1. It is no strange thing to see wicked men ignorant of themselves, deceived with their own hearts, and hardened in their sin, by reason of the false glosses they put upon it, to blinde them∣selves and others: for, this assertion, I know Ephraim, &c. supposeth that they were not known to themselves, and that they dreamed to blinde others as themselves were. 2. However men may mistake themselves, may wilfully hide light from them∣selves, or put a vaile on their wayes to deceive others: yet the Lord seeth through all pretexts, and how things are in truth: for, I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me, let him mask himself as he will. 3. God will prove his omniscience and knowledge of men, as by other means, so in particular by his Word discovering their wayes, and setting them before them in their colours: which men would look upon, as warning them of an eye of God upon them; therefore, doth he prove his know∣ledge of them by this challenge in the mouth of his servant: for now, (thou art come at length to that degree of defection, or I take thee in the very fact notwithstanding thy pretences, and do challenge thee, that) O Ephraim, thou committest whoredome, &c. See, 1 Cor. 14.24, 25. Heb. 4.12. 4. Idolatry and corrupting of Gods worship, is spiritual whoredome and a pollu∣tion before God; and errour or superstition is so small a friend to piety, that it tends to pollution in conversation, and it is a proof of Gods omniscience when he is not mocked with mens plausible pretexts, covering such wayes, but doth discover, and teach his servants to discover them to be so vile; for in testimo∣ny of his knowledge of them, he sends out his Prophet to declare, that their well marked wayes were whoredome, and that thereby all Israel is defiled, both with these ways in themselvs, and with the effects of them.