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. 7. Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will returne your recompence upon your own head.

8. And I will sell your sonnes and your daugh∣ters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off; for the LORD hath spoken it.

In opposition unto, and for a recompence of this their cruelty, the Lord passeth sentence in favours of his people, and against these whom he hath thus pleaded with. Wherein he undertakes to gather his people, and bring them from under that bondage, and to reward these enemies, by bringing them under the power of the Jewes, who shall sell them for slaves to the remotest Ara∣bians, according as he hath determined. Whence learn, 1. What∣ever mens projects be against the Church, yet they will never gain their point against her; For though they would have had the Jewes so far removed, as they might never returne; yet saith he, I will raise them up. 2. The Lord can restore his people when he pleaseth, and when his time cometh, neither his former reject∣ing of them, nor their desperate condition will hinder it; For,

though they sold them, that they might never returne; yet saith he, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them. 3. God can deliver his people, though their condition were as hopelesse, as that dead men should be raised, Ezek. 37.11, 12. and though they were as little minding deliverance, as men that are asleep; For, saith he, I will raise them, or awake them, as the Original imports. 4. The wonderfulnesse of what God pro∣miseth, should be no impediment to our faith, for God both can and will bring about the deliverance of his people in an admirable way; Behold, saith he, I will raise them. 5. The triumphing of enemies for a long time, is no ground of assurance that they shall still escape; But God in due time, and at the deliverance of his people, will repay them for all they have done; for, when God doth all this for his people, it is also added, and will returne your recompence upon your own head. 6. God will repay enemies in the same measure they have measured to his people, and he may make his Church instrumental in it; And however the judgement be executed, yet he is still the principal agent in it: For, I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the children of Judah, (or, deliver them over into their hand, and put them under their power, to be at their disposal; For, so to sell is to be understood, Judg. 2.14. and frequently,) and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off. For the Sabeans were on the remote coasts of Arabia, or, it may be understood that these Sabeans should sell them to a people yet more remote: In which sentence we ought to read the justice of God, in dealing with them as they dealt with Judah. 7. Gods Word is sufficient for the Church to rest upon in expecting greatest things; And it may be sufficient ground of terrour to enemies, that the Word hath spoken sad things against them; Therefore it is added by way of confirmation, for the Lord hath spoken it.