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.

Verse 1. THe Word of the LORD that came to Joel the sonne of Pe∣thuel.

This Inscription, wherein the messenger is designed, and the authority of his message asserted, teacheth, 1. What Gods servants deliver in his Name is not their own, but should be looked on as Gods Word; for, it was the Word of the Lord that came to Joel. He did not seigne this, nor is it lesse the Word of God, that God sent it by a weak man. 2. The minde of God is not to be sought nor enquired after in the fanatick revela∣tions of wilde spirits; but in what he hath mediately delivered to the Church by his extraordinary officers, and hath registrate in his Word; for, the Word of the Lord came to Joel the sonne of Pethuel, and by his Ministery to the Church in all ages. 3. It is Gods great mercy toward his Church, that when stroaks are on, or coming on them, he leaveth them not without his Word, which may expound his dealing toward them, and direct them how to carry under it; for, in or about the time of this sad stroak, the Word of the Lord came to Joel; See, Psal. 94.12. 4. The Lords sending diversity of messengers, either at the same time, or after other, (as here Joel is after many others, and it may be with others, and others also coming after him) doth not only teach the alsufficiency of God, to furnish many instru∣ments, and to raise up instruments to fill their room, who are re∣moved; but it tends also to confirme the doctrine, which is te∣stified by so many witnesses, and to convince the Church of obstinacy and incurablenesse if she contemn them, and be not prevailed with by such variety of tempers and instruments. See, Matth. 11.16, 17, 18, 19.