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. 4. They shall not offer wine-offerings to the LORD: neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners: all that eat thereof, shall be polluted: for their bread for their soule shall not come into the house of the LORD.

A third branch of their misery, (and a further effect of their exile,) is the want of publick Ordinances in their scattered con∣dition: These are held forth under the names, of wine offer∣ings, sacrifices, and bread for their soule, or offerings for their sins, as Mal. 1.7. And concerning them the Lord declares, that they shall not offer them to the Lord, nor shall they be acceptable to him, but rather pollute them, as the bread which is used in funeral solemnities, Deut. 26.13, 14. Nor should they come

into Gods house, or that which they accounted so. The mean∣ing of all which is, that as their sacrifices before their Idols, were never accepted of God, but polluted them, however they boasted of them; So the Lord would declare this, by depriving them thereof in their exile, where it was undeniable they could not use them, (however they pleaded for Dan and Bethel within the holy land,) or if they did, it should be yet more abominable. Whence learn, 1. Want of publick Worship is one of the rods wherewith the Lord plagues a visible Church, when they corrupt worship, and become formal, and rest on it; For, so did Israel finde, as is here threatened. Though in this the Gospel-Church have an advantage, that publick worship is not confined to one land or place, as it was in Israel. 2. Whatever be the mean esti∣mation wicked men have of Ordinances, yet God can make the want thereof a scourge unto them, when distresse is upon them; For, this is a threatening against all, when their sacrifices should be bread for their soule, and trouble should let them see their soule and life to be in peril, and yet they could not get a sacri∣fice offered to God. 3. Whatever be the sinne of wicked in∣struments, in depriving the Church of Worship or other Or∣dinances; yet God permitting them so to do, is a decla∣ration that he is not pleased with the Churches way in using of them, and they have been either so corrupt, or so for∣mall, as provokes him to seek to be glorified rather in their calamities, then in their service; For, if they shall not offer to the Lord, nor their bread for their soul come into the house of the LORD, it is because they did not indeed please him be∣fore, and were not pleasing unto him, &c. 4. As the Lord taketh no pleasure in any service, but what is seasoned with chearfulnesse and humble joy; (for, he approved not of the bread of mourners in their publick service, signifying that he liketh neither heartlesse wearying, nor faint dejection in ser∣ving him.) So disapproven worship doth but render the worshipper more and more polluted; For, their sacrifices are but as the bread of mourners, which doth pollute.