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. 17. Let the Priests, the Ministers of the LOLD, weep between the porch and the Altar, and let them say; Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach; that the heathen should rule over them: Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

The Priests are further exhorted to be eminently active in this exercise, and that privately and publickly they intercede for the people in these humiliations; praying, that God by sparing of them, may prevent their reproach, and the heathens ruling o∣ver them, and the reproach of his own Name who had interest in them. As for this place of their weeping and praying, betweene the porch, where the people met, (of which, 1 Kings 6.3.) and the Altar of burnt offerings where they offered sacrifice, we need seek no mystery in it, as a mid place betwixt God and the people; for, the porch was the ordinary place where the people prayed, when incense (and belike other sacrifices) were offered, Luke 1.10. And the Priests having offered came toward the porch from the Altar, and there prayed for and with the people, and bles∣sed them; for which end it seemeth the people waited for Zacha∣rias, Luke 1.21, 22. Yea, this place betwixt the porch and the Altar, was the place where Prophets (at least such as were of the Priests linage) preached unto the people; And so we finde Ze∣chariah was slaine there in the exercise of his calling, Matth. 23.35. And so the meaning is only, that after solemne sacrifices, they should come to the publick and ordinary place, and there weep and pray with and for the people. Doct. 1. Ministers ought to be eminently exemplar for sense and diligence in times of humi∣liation; And it is a part of their calling to be the mouth of the Lords people in publick prayers; wherein they are to expresse such tendernesse and affection, as may witnesse their sense of the publike condition, and may be an example and means of up∣stirring the people: for, let the Priests, the Ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the Altar, and let them say, &c. 2. The humble penitent hath no refuge left him, but God and his mercie only; And he is allowed to lay hold on this, when he hath no other claime; for they are warranted to say, Spare, O Lord, which is an act flowing from mercie withdrawing and mo∣derating

deserved judgements. 3. Interest in God, and the per∣petuity and unchangeablenesse thereof, is not to be quited by the penitent, but to be made use of as a ground of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 There∣fore are they directed to plead, spare thy people, and 〈…〉〈…〉, wherein a standing right is held forth, notwithstanding they by sinne had procured such sharp dispensations. 4. Reproach is a sad addition to the calamities of Gods people, and an argument why God will pitie, when the reproached are penitent, and come to him with it; Therefore are they to make use of this also, give not thine heritage to reproach, that is, do not, by thy dispensations, expose them to the insolent scorne of the Heathen, who are wait∣ing for such an advantage. 5. It is also an argument of pitie, and ground of pleading to the penitent, that enemies are lying at wait to take advantage of their distresse, and that trouble may drive them on tentations, and put them to hard shifts; Therefore is it pleaded as another inconvenient following on their reproach∣full trouble, that the Heathen should rule over them. Which though some read it (as an explication of that reproach) to use a by-word against them: yet as it is translated, it signifieth that their want did not only give the Heathen occasion of reproach a∣gainst them, but they might be ready also to take advantage of their weaknesse, to invade them. And they might be ready to sell themselves into bondage to get meat, or to wander among the Heathen as, Ruth 1.1. 2 Kings 8.1, 5. And therefore, they pray that God wousd prevent this. 6. Affliction will be yet sad∣der to the penitent, when it seemeth to reflect on God and his ho∣nour, as if he were not willing or able to supply his people: And this reproaching of God, is an argument of pitie, especially when it becometh the penitents affliction; for, it is another ground of pleading, that they say among the people, Where is their God? and that they are affected with this, as a chief ingredient in their di∣stresse, Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?