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.

Ver. 5. Therefore have I hewed them by the Pro∣phets, I have slaine them by the words of my mouth, and thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth.

6. For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God, more then burnt-offerings.

7. But they like men have transgressed the Cove∣nant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

The second confirmation of their desperate condition, is, that the Word did no good unto them. Albeit the Lord by his Word dealt effectually and sharply with them, as men do with rough stones and knotted timber, to square them, yet all this did but slay them, v. 5 — And albeit their duty was held clearly out in the Word, as the light of the morning, v.—5. And particularly they were informed that God was not pleased they should rest on their ceremoniall performances, which ought onely to have the se∣cond place, neglecting morall duties of the first and second Ta∣ble, which should be their chiefe work, v. 6. yet they made ill use of all this cleare light. And whereas God had not onely en∣joyned their duty clearly, but entered in a Covenant with them, that they seeing and embracing the Messiah, who was pointed at in these sacrifices, might worship him in faith and love, (as is enjoyned, v 6. They on the contrary brake the Covenant, and dealt treacherously in it, while they obtruded Ceremonies and sacrifices upon him for expiation of sin, and so turned it in a Co∣venant of workes, and even in these neglected the morall and substantiall duties, v 7. Doct 1. Such as are not wrought up∣on and bettered by the Word, are in an hopelesse condition, and not to be wrought upon by any other thing; for, this is a proofe

of their desperate condition. See, Luk. 16.29, 30, 31. 2. As it is the Lords mercy that he yet continueth his Messengers with his sinful people, who provoke him, if so be they may yet be reclaim∣ed; so it is their duty to take up what they speak either by ex∣traordinary revelation, or according to the Word, as spoken by God, and not to sleight their Message, nor contradict their au∣thority in carrying of it; for it is a witnesse for God against them, that they had the Prophets, and they carried the words of my mouth, saith the Lord. See, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Jer. 5.12, 13. 3. As all men by nature are unfit for any good, as rough stones and knotty timber for a building, till the Word worke up∣on them, and be effectuall in its reproofs and directions; So a desperately incorrigible people, or a people inconstant in any good, do provoke God to deale more sharply with them by his Word; and such are not to be soothed up by Ministers, and this is a part of Gods care of them: for, upon what is laid to their charge, v. 4. it followeth by way of conclusion, Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets, &c. See, Tit. 1.12, 13. 4. As the Word of the Lord is of such efficacy, that it will either cure and rectifie a people, or else undo them; So this ordinary result in the most part, that the sharp reproofes and directions of the Word, do but make them worse, and tend at last to their ruin; Therefore it is subjoyned to his hewing, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, which is not to be understood onely of the sharp edge of the convictions of the Word which did so cut upon them, as they thought themselves slain by it; nor yet one∣ly of the finall event of this preaching, that many were cut off according to the certain threatenings of the Word, as, 1 King. 19.17. Isa. 11.4. Jer. 1.10. But of some neerer accidentall effect tending to that; to wit, that all his sharp reproofes and great pains, did but make them worse, and put out what life or activity they seemed yet to have in any good. Hence it is elsewhere said, that the Word doth but harden, Isa. 6.9. doth make men worse, Hos. 11.2. and exasperate them the more it is inculcate, Mar. 7.6. Act. 7.54: Amos 7.10. 5. The Lord hath so clearly re∣vealed his will concerning mens duty, as may justifie him, and make sinners inexcusable whatever they do pretend; For, it is another argument against them, thy judgements (or, the righte∣ous ordinances, wherein thou art commanded to walk) are as the light that goeth forth; that is, as cleare as day-light, which breaks out in the morning. It may be he alludes to the ordina∣ry houre, wherein the Prophets were sent out, to hold forth this

light, which seemeth to have been in the morning, Jer. 7.13. Zeph. 3.5. 6. Such as yield syncere and Evangelicall obedi∣ence to what the Lord requireth, may expect that it will be ac∣cepted, and themselves in doing of it, with pleasure and acqui∣escence; For, I desired mercy, &c. saith he, not onely com∣manded, but desired it, as a thing wherein I take pleasure, as the word signifieth. 7. The rule of true Religion requireth, that as all that God commandeth should be respected, and obedience endeavoured, So that morall and most substantiall duties (as a fruit of faith in Christ) be chiefly made conscience of; which as they ought to take place of ceremoniall observances; So without them, the other are of no account in Gods sight; For, this was the subject matter of the doctrine, which was so clearly pressed, (and therefore comes in with a for, as an illustration of that ge∣nerall in the end of v. 5.) I desired, mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more then burnt-offerings: Where, under sa∣crifice and burnt-offrings, is comprehended all their ceremonial performances, and spoken of not as they related to Christ the substance of all of them, but as they were externall performan∣ces rested on by that people. In which respect, his not desiring sacrifice, is not to be understood simply, as if the Lord did not approve, even of the externall performances, which were enjoyn∣ed by himselfe; but comparatively, that he desired morall duties more then burnt-offerings, as it is in the next sentence. To which may be added, that in some cases, when morall duties come in competition with ceremonials, the Lord doth not desire cere∣monials at that time, but moral duties even of the second Table take place of them, or other positive commands concerning the externals of Religion: As, Mat. 9.11, 12, 13. and 12.2,— 7. Yea further, let men submit never so much to the externall injuncti∣ons about worship, or think to satisfie their own consciences therewith, yet where Christ is not closed with to enable and make men willing and active in morall duties, they will not be approven in the other at all. As, Isa. 1.11,— 13. and 66. 3. See, 1 Cor. 12.31. 8. Such as would approve themselves to God, ought to make conscience of morall duties both of the first and second Table of the Law; and particularly, the saving knowledge of God, whereby we may regulate the rest of our obedience, and shewing of mercy in cases wherein we seeme not to be so strictly bound, will prove our reality in Religion; Therefore he puts in both the knowledge of God, of which before, and, Psal. 14.1, 2. and mercy, of which, Jam. 1.27. Though Christ indeed

extend it, as comprehending mercy toward our selves, as the rule of our duty toward our neighbours, Mat. 12.1, 2, 7. And mercy toward the soules of lost sinners, Mat. 9.11, 12, 13. 9. As it is of the Lords great mercy and condescendence, that he will not onely enjoyne sinners their duty, but enter in tearmes of a Covenant with them; So he is a faithfull Covenant-keeper, on whose part no breach will be found; for, here all this do∣ctrine is held out in the Covenant, as it is before explained, wherein they onely, and not he, are transgressours. 10. As nei∣ther clear light, nor Covenant-offers or obligations will tie sinners to their duty; So it is a great sin, and a perfidious and treacherous prevarication, for men to violate Covenant with God; For, they have transgressed even the Covenant there (to wit, in the Covenant) have they dealt treacherously against me. 11. Men may seeme to do many things in Religion, and ex∣ternall worship, and yet be but Covenant-breakers, when nei∣ther they are led to Christ in and by externall performances, nor do they seek after what is most substantiall; for, albeit they omitted not sacrifices and burnt-offerings, wherein Christ was held forth, yet they have transgressed the Covenant, because they looked not to Christ in these, nor proved their communion with him, by a consciencious care of performing morall duties; as is before cleared. 12. Their breaking of the Covenant, like men, is not to be understood so much of their resembling Adam in his violating of the Covenant of works, and so proving themselves children of such a father: But it contains these ag∣gravations of their fault. 1. That (as the words may also read) they had broken the Covenant, as if it had been but the Co∣venant of a man, and he their fellow-creature; Covenant-brea∣kers do bewray the mean thoughts they have of God, which he will resent and avenge. 2. Albeit he had chosen them to be his peculiar people, yet they broke the Covenant as if no such en∣couragement had been given, or obligation laid upon them, more then any men in the world. When singular priviledges do not tie men to duty, they will aggravate the violation there∣of. 3. As he proved himselfe to be God in his keeping Covenant on his part, so they proved themselves to be corrupt and weak men (whose nature is facil and inconstant in good) in breaking of it on their part: When we see our actuall trans∣gressions rightly, we will be led up to be sensible also of our o∣riginall and nature, from wich such practices flow. 4. Whereas

men ought to prove themselves men in acts of lawfull valour. 2. Sam 10.12. and to quit themselves like men in being faithfull in the midst of difficulties, 1 Cor. 16.13. they on the contrary, plaid the men, and proved their man-hood in nothing but re∣bellion against God, and violation of his Covenant, which was their high presumption; Gallantry in sin, being an aggrava∣tion thereof.