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. 8. The watchman of Ephraim was with my God, but the Prophet is a snare of a Fowler in all his wayes, and hatred in the house of his God.

In this Verse the same purpose is further amplified, shewing that however these false Prophets pretended to be inspired of God, and to keep communion with him, (as is the duty of all true Prophets,) and the people gloried in them as such: yet they did nothing but ensnare the people with their jugling and delusions, and they were hateful objects provoking God to anger. Whence learn, 1. Things that are in reality most abominable and vile, may yet appear to the world masked with fairest pretences and titles; For, The watchman of Ephraim was (or, is, for the Original expresseth no time,) with my God, is the pretence of these Prophets, which Hosea propounds as their alleadgeance, that he may refute it. This people loved to have some who speaking in Gods Name, might be for them and their way;

and they got such as pretended, for office, to be watchmen, the watchman of Ephraim, and for qualification to be inspired by God, and have near communion with him, with my God. 2. Deluded men and deceivers, their pretending to interest and nearnesse with God, ought to endear him so much the more to the hearts of these who are his own indeed; that so they may make that sure in reality, which others pretend to, and that they may testifie their indignation that such courses should be fathe∣red on him who is so dear to them; Therefore, saith the Pro∣phet, repeating this pretence, my God. 3. Deluded and de∣luding Teachers, are the most dangerous plagues that can befal a people, and will most effectually insnare them in sin and judge∣ments; For, but the Prophet, (whatever he pretend,) is a snare of a Fowler in all his wayes. His Doctrine, carriage and under∣takings will entrap them, as a Fowler doth birds. 4. As false Teachers are hateful in themselves, that they should have any room in what is, or is accounted to be Gods house; and as their being permitted to infest the Church, is a fruit of Gods anger: So are they causes an•• instruments of Gods anger against his Church, ripening them for wrath; All these may be imported in this, that he is hatred, (hateful, an effect of wrath, and cause of more wrath) in the house of his God, that is, in the Church of the true God, to whom he pretends to belong, or in these places which Israel set a part to be an House of God.