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 11. Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat, ye have built houses of hewen stone, but ye shall not dwell in them: ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

Secondly, he challengeth them for cruel oppression of the poor, and that (having taken all their silver from them) they did cause them bring their very meat and livelihood on their shoulders to them. And he declareth, that however they did this to inrich themselves, and to make themselves stately houses and pleasant vineyards, yet they should not enjoy them. Whence learn, 1. Op∣pression of the poor is an hainous sin before God, who is the author of justice, and Patron of the poor especially. And it is a sin, which when men are truly convinced of, they will finde themselves in a woful condition, and in a condition calling aloud to repent; Therefore it is here challenged, and made use of to presse them to repent. 2. God doth take notice of the degrees of oppression, and doth ponder all the cruelties in it, to lay them to their charge, who will not judge themselves, and repent there∣of; for, he lateth to their charge, that they trod upon the

poor, or did so oppresse them as if they were but mire to be trod upon; and that they had a habite of this; their treading is upon the poor, as if they stepped not a step, but upon oppressed ones. And he challengeth them that they deprived them of their very livelihood; Ye take from him burdens of wheat, which he had provided for his own main∣tenance. 3. Oppression is so much the more odious, as the oppressor hath not a pretence of necessity for his course, but having enough, he must yet ruine others to make him live in more state; for, he callengeth, hereby ye have built houses of hewen stone, and planted plesant vine∣yards. 4. As all things in the world are but uncertain, even when men have them among their hands; and the use and enjoyment of what we have, is a new gift of God after he hath given it: So mens ill purchase, and raising of themselves by cruel oppression, is an unsure foundation, and may strip men of faire possessions; for, ye have built houses of hewen stone, but ye shall not dwell in them: ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.