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. 1. REjoyce not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God: thou hast loved a reward upon every corne-floore.

This Verse containes the ground of all the subsequent threat∣nings, that Israel, because of prosperity, was insolent in sin, thinking to carry out as Heathen Nations did in their Idolatry; whereas they had lesse ground to think they should thrive, then any people: for their Idolatry wherein they persevered, because of their prosperity, was more hainous then the Idolatry of others, as being a breach of the Covenant of Marriage betwixt God and them, and like the carriage of an impudent horlot, who prostitutes her self for meat, wherever the occasion is offered: So they fol∣lowed Idols that they might have plenty, as the Heathen had, and did confirme themselves in their Idolatrous course, because they enjoyed plenty, as, Jer. 44.17. Doct. 1. Men may have much seeming matter of joy, wherein they please themselves, little inquiring whether God alloweth of it, which yet hath a worme in the root of it: For, so much doth this prohibition im∣port, Rejoyce not, O Israel, for joy, that is, there is no cause why ye should be so excessive in your jollity, as to rejoyce for joy. 2. Much prosperity affords but little cause of joy, when the favour is only outward, and God is angry for sin; For, such was the matter of Israels joy, and their case when they are prohibited to rejoyce for joy. 3. However the Lords people delude and harden themselves in their defection, by considering the prosperity of the prophane world about them; yet they need not expect to thrive in sin as others do, but that they shall be sooner and more certainly punished, and that it shall be ill with them, though all other sinners should prosper; Therefore are they prohibited to rejoyce as other people, whose Idolatry and defection seemes to prosper in their hand; See Ezek. 20.32. Amos 3.2. 4. The

greatnesse of the Churches sin, and of Gods anger against it, is not to be measured only by the act it self, but by other circum∣stances: And the same sin is more hainous in them then others, considering their relations and engagements, and the multitude of means which they enjoy for setting and keeping them right; Therefore it is subjoyned as a reason why they should not rejoyce as others, for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God; That sin which in the Heathen was ignorance, Acts 17.30. and a sticking by their principles, though corrupt; is in them Aposta∣sie and whoredome, renouncing the true God whom they had acknowledged, and to whom they were engaged; and therefore it could not be spared in them as in others. 5. It is an hainous and abominable sin, when men measure their Religion by out∣ward advantages, and do ascribe Gods bounty to wrong causes, to harden themselves in sin; For, thou hast loved a reward on every corn floore, imports so much: As an harlot prostitutes her self in time of harvest, for some corne to live on, so she followed the Religion which she thought gave her plenty of corne in her floores, (and this was her first fault;) and she took pleasure in her prosperity, and delighted in it, as a reward for her spiritual adultery, and this was her second sin and mistake. See Hos. 2.5.