John Trapp on Hosea 1:7-8

Verſ. 7. But I will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah.] The Ark and the mercy ſeate were never ſeparated. Judah had not utterly caſt off God, as Iſrael had: but worſhipped God in the Temple, (how corruptly ſoever) therefore they ſhall have mercy becauſe they kept the right way of worſhip. See the Churches plea for mercy to this purpoſe Jer. 14.9. Againe, Judah was now in a very great ſtraight having been lately beaten and plundered by Iſrael 2. King. 4.12. therefore they ſhall have mercy. God heard Hagars affliction and relieved her. I have ſeen, I have ſeen, the ſufferings of my people in Egypt, ſaith God,Exod. 2 and am come to eaſe them. Becauſe they have called thee an outcaſt, ſaying, This is Zion whom no man looketh after, therefore I will reſtore health unto thee, and I will heale thee of thy wounds, ſaith the Lord Jer. 30.17. He will repent for his people when he ſeeth their power is gone, Deut. 32.36. when there is dignus vindice nodus, an extremity fit for divine power to interpoſe. He knowes that mercy is never ſo ſeaſonable and ſweet, as when miſery weighs down, and nothing but mercy turns the ſcale: therefore Judah ſhall have mercy, when Iſrael ſhall have none. True it is, that Judah was not at this time much better then Iſrael, Aholibah then Aholah: they were ſcarce free from Sodomy and many ſuch like foul abominations. But what of that? if God come with a non obſtante as Pſal 106.8. Nevertheleſſe he ſaved them for his names ſake &c. who ſhall gainſtand him: If he will ſhew mercy for his names ſake, what people is there ſo wicked whom he may not ſave? See Eſay 57.47. Ezek. 20.8.14.22.44. Add hereunto that Iſrael and Syria were confederate againſt Judah, & thought to have made but a breakfaſt of them, Iſay. 7.5. &c. but God here promiſeth Judah mercy: and lets them know to their comfort, that there is more mercy for them in heaven, then there can be miſery in earth, or malice in hell againſt them. True it is, that even after this gratious promiſe made to Judah, it went very hard with them, See 2. Chron. 28.6. there 120000. of them were ſl[illegible: 1 letter]in in one battle and 200000. of them carried captive: yea, and all this by theſe Iſraelites here rejected from that mercy that Judah is promiſed; beſides abundance more miſery that befell them by Edomites. Ver. 17. Philiſtines. 18. Aſſyrians. 20. &c. Eccleſia hares Crucis ſaith Luther, The Church as ſhe is heire of the promiſes, ſo is ſhe of the Croſs: and the promiſes are alwayes to be underſtood with condition of the croſs. The palſy-man in the Goſpel healed by our Saviour heard, Son be of good cheere, thy ſins are forgiven thee, and yet he was not preſently free'd of his diſeaſe, till after a diſpute held with the Phariſes (which muſt needs take up ſome time) and the caſe cleared, Jeſus ſaid, Ariſe take up thy bed and walk, and ſo ſhew thy ſelf a ſound man. But to go on: Judah ſhall be ſaved, and not Iſrael, that envied Judah, and maliciouſly ſought their ruine. David looketh upon it as a ſweet mercy, that God had ſpred him a table in the preſence, and maugre the malice of his enemies. Pſal 23.4. Mat. 8.11. And the children of the kingdome (ſo the Jewes are called) ſhall gnaſh their teeth, and be even ready to eat their nailes at the reception of the Gentiles. This was it that put the men of Nazareth into an anger, and our Saviour into a danger, Luk. 4.25.26. By the Lord their God] that i, by the Lord Chriſt by Meſſiah their Prince, by the word of the Lord their God, ſaith the Chaldee here, that word eſſentiall John. 1.1. that true Zaphnath Paaneach (that is Saviour of the world, as Hierome interprets it) whereof Joſeph was but a type. This horn of ſalvation, or mighty Saviour (able to ſave them to the u[illegible: 2 letters]oſt that come unto God by him, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Heb. 7.25) God raiſed up for there unworthy Jews, and even thruſt him upon them, whether they would or no, Iſay. 7.13.14. that all might appear to be of free grace. Well might God ſay, [illegible: 1 word] have mercy upon the houſe of Judah, matchleſſe mercy indeed: mercy that rejoyced againſt judgement. Mans perverſneſs breaketh not off the courſe of Gods goodneſs; Judah ſhall be ſaved by the Lord their God who is Alius from his Father, but not Al[illegible: 2 letters], a diſtinct perſon, not a diſtinct thing. This Angel of Gods preſence ſaved them, in h[illegible: 1 letter] love, and in his pitty he redeemed them &c. Iſay. 63.9. even the Angel that had redeemed their father Jacoh from all evill Gen. 48.16. and that ſoon after this propheſie, deſtroyed ſo many thouſands in Senacheribs army, Not by bow ner by battle &c. but by his own bare hand immediatly and miracul uſly 2. King. 19. where we may ſee that when Senacherib (after the example of his father Salmaneſer, who had captivated the ten tribes) came up againſt Judah, having already devoured Jeruſalem in his hopes, and thinking to cut them off at a blow, as if they had all had but one neck, they were ſaved by Jehovah their God: the Virgin daughter of Zion knew well the worth and valour of Chriſt her champion, and that made her ſo confident Eſay. 37.22. She knew whom ſhe had truſted, not with her outward condition onely, but with her inward and everlaſting, with her precious ſoul, ſaying with David I am thine, ſave me: for I haue ſought thy precepts. Pſal. 119.94. I will not truſt in my bow, neither ſhall mine arme ſave me: but thy right hand and thine arme, Pſal. 44.3.5. and the light of thy countenance: for thou haſt a favour unto me. See the Note on Zach. 4.6. and on 14.3.5. That's an excellent paſſage Pſal. 21.13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own ſtrength: ſo will we ſing and praiſe thy power.