John Trapp on Hosea 1:10

Verſe 10. Yet the number of the children of Iſrael]. i. e. of the Iſrael of God, thoſe Jews inwardly the Circumciſion indeed, which worſhip God in the ſpirit, and rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus, putting no confidence in the fleſh, Phil. 3.3.Bern. but ſaying each for himſelf as that good Father did, Horreo quicquid de meo eſt, ut ſim meus; All my care is to be found in Chriſt (ſc. when ſought for by the juſtice of God) not having mine own righteouſneſſe which is of the law, Beza. but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe which is of God by faith. Phil. 3.9. Lo, to ſuch Iſraelites indeed, and of ſuch it is here promiſed (the Lord in Judgement remembring Mercy) that they ſhall be the ſand of the ſea which cannot be meaſured nor numbered; This was firſt promiſed to Abraham; and afterwards confirmed with an oath, Gen. 22.16. It began to be fulfilled; when, by the preaching of the Apoſtles, ſo many of both Jews and Gentiles came in and were converted to the faith of the true Meſſiah, as S. Paul expoundeth this text, Rom. 9.24, 25. and he had the mind of Chriſt. It ſhall have its full accompliſhment, when the fulneſſe of the Gentiles ſhall come in, and all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, Rom. 11.26. Then the Church ſhall be as the ſtone that ſmote the Image, it ſhall become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth. Though the beginning of it be ſmall, yet the later end of it ſhall greatly increaſe, Job 8.7. for all the earth ſhall be filled with the glory of Chriſt: he ſhall have dominion from ſea to ſea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, Pſal. 72.8, 11, 17 Great is the paucity of Gods people for preſent: but let us, by the help of this promiſe, get above that ſtumbling block. Coſmographers tell us, that if we divide all the known world into thirty parts, the Heathens part is as nineteen of this thirty: the Mahometans as ſix, the Chriſtians as five only: And of thoſe five, more then the one half is held by idolatrous Papiſts. But let not this diſcourage us; it will be otherwiſe one day, for the Scripture cannot be broken. And although God may ſeem utterly to have abandoned his ancient people the Jews (the ten Tribes eſpecially) yet they, as well as the reſt, ſhall be vouchſafed this honour to be called to the participation of Chriſt, Ezek. 37.16, 19. Jer. 3, 12, 13, &c. Eſay 11.12, 13. Obad. 20. Zach. 10.6. Rom. 11.26. If God after ſo dreadful a threatning come in with his non-obſtante (as he doth likewiſe Pſal. 106.8. and elſewhere) and ſay, yet the number of the children of Iſrael ſhall be, &c. who ſhall gain ſay him? Their interpretation is too narrow, that underſtand this text of the increaſe of this people in all their diſperſions, until the time of their converſion. And that of Rabbi Ezra is pretty though not proper; that as the ſand keeps the waves of the ſea from breaking in and drowning the world: ſo doth Iſrael preſerve man-kind from periſhing by the waves of Gods wrath. It ſhould have been conſidered by him and the reſt of thoſe refractary Rabbines, that at that general converſion of the Jews (here plainly foretold) there ſhall be ſome ſtubborn ſpirits that will not even then ſtoop to Chriſt; but will be filled with envy, as thoſe cankered Phariſees their fore-fathers were (Acts 13.44, 45.) to ſee almoſt the whole City come together to hear Chriſt; Yea, they will be ready to ſay, as John 12.19. perceive ye how ye prevaile nothing? behold, the whole world follows him. Now againſt theſe ſpiritual ſpirits, the wrath of God ſhall be revealed from heaven, Rev. 21.8. Dan. 12.2. Eſay. 65.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

and it ſhall come to paſſe, that in the place where it was ſaid unto them] As if God did now even repent, and would make them a full amends: make them glad according to the time, Pſal. 90.15. and in that very place when and where they had ſeen evil. Jeruſalem ſhall be inhabited again in Jeruſalem, Zech. 12.6. The Jews (it is thought) ſhall dwell in their own Countrey, Jer. 3.18. & 23.8. Ezek. 37.11, 12. Amos 9.14, 15. and God have a very glorious Church in the Land of Canaan. But that's not all; The Gentiles, who ſhall be made a ſpiritual Iſrael, though in time paſt they were not a people, yet now are they the people of God; and which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy, 1 Pet. 2.10. yea, ſuch a ſignal mercy as S. John cannot look on without an Ecce admirantis; Behold, Qualem & quantum As 2 Pet. 3.11. ſaith he, what manner of Love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the ſons of God: 1 John 3.1. Yes, the ſons of the living God] who as he lives, ſo he gives us all things richly to enjoy; and is therefore to be truſted, 1 Tim. 6.17. And that we ſhould not only be Gods people, but his ſons (reconciled, but adopted) and not only be ſo, but be called ſo, have the name and the note, the credit and the comfort. Well might the Apoſtle ſay, that the grace of God herein had abounded, even to an overflow, [non-Latin text not transcribed] 1 Tim. 1.14. Well may Oecolampadius ſay as he doth upon this very Text, Vide ut major gratia quam peccatum, Behold, how as ſin abounded, grace ſuperabounded.Serm. 6. de Nativit. Well might Leo ſay, Omnia dona excedit hoc donum, &c. This is a gift of God, that exceedeth all gifts, that man ſhould call God Father, and God call a man his ſonne; this is a greater dignity then to be called an Angel, Archangel, Cherubim, Seraphim, &c. See more of this in my Righteous mans Recompenſe. part. 2. doct. 5. Calvin upon this verſe noteth, that there is an emphaſis in theſe words, It was ſaid, and It ſhall be ſaid, The latter ſheweth, that till the Lord ſpeak peace to his people, and ſay to their ſouls that he is their ſalvation, they cannot have the comfortable aſſurance of their Adoption, and acceptation into his favour Eph. 1.13. After that ye heard the word of truth, the Goſpel of your ſalvation; ye believed and were ſealed with that holy ſpirit of promiſe. Again, if God by his Prophets have ſaid to any, ye are not my people, &c. he will effect it. God heweth men by his Prophets, and ſlayeth them by the words of his mouth, Hoſea 6.5. Eliſha hath his ſword, as well as Jehu and Hazael, 1 Kings 19.17. Ezekiel beſiegeth Jeruſalem, and overthroweth it. Jeremy is ſet over nations and kingdoms to root out and pull down, &c. Chap. 1.10. S. Paul hath vengeance ready for the diſobedient. 2 Cor. 10.6. And what Gods Miniſters do on earth, he ratifies in heaven, Mat. 16.19. and 18.18.