John Trapp on Hosea 10:11

Verſe 11. And Ephraim is an heifer that is taught,] ſc. With the Ox-goad, which hath its name from teaching, Judg. 3.31. becauſe therewith Oxen are taught to plow,Malmad. ſaith R. David. Ephraim was a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoak, Jer. 31.18. but God brought her to it and taught her, though at firſt a backſliding heifer, chap. 4.16. (ſee the the Note there) taught her, as Gedeon taught the men of Succoth, with briers and thorns of the wilderneſſe, ſo that they paid dear for their learning, Judg. 8.16. But Ephraim, though taught it, loveth not plowing work, becauſe hard and hungry. She loveth rather to tread out the corn,] where ſhe may dance and frisk in the loft ſtraw without either yoak or muzzle, Deut. 25.4. As we threſh, ſo it was their manner to tread out their hard corn with the feet of beaſts, or by them to draw Wains over it, and ſo get it out of the husk. Now this was fair and free work, and Ephraim delighted in it; the rather, becauſe ſhe might feed all the while at pleaſure: whereas thoſe heifers that plowed, wrought hard all day, and in all weathers, without any refreſhment. It is an ill ſigne, when men muſt pick and chooſe their work: this they will do for God, but not that. A diſpenſatory conſcience is a naughty conſcience: neither doth he Gods will but his own, that doth no more, or no other, then himſelf will. Such holy-day-ſervants, ſuch retainers God careth not for. Every one can ſwim in a warm Bath; and every bird will ſing in a ſummers day. Iudas will bear the croſſe, ſo he may bear the bag. And thoſe carnall Capernaites follow Chriſt, whiles he feeds them: as children will ſay their prayers, ſo they may have their breakfaſt. But Abraham will forſake all to follow God, though he knew not whither: yea though God ſeemed to go croſſe-wayes: as when he promiſed him a land ſlowing wich milk and honey, and yet as ſoon as he came there, he found famine, Gen. 12.1, 10. So when he promiſed him ſeed as the ſtars, yet kept him without child for twenty years after: and after that hee muſt kill him too, Gen. 22. So Iob will truſt in a killing God: Ionah calls upon him out of the deep: David keeps his ſtatutes, when God had in ſome degree forſaken him, Pſal. 119.8. and behaved himſelf wiſely in a perfect way, though God was not yet come unto him, Pſal. 101.2. This is the triall of a Chriſtian, to do difficult duties upon little or no incouragement; to wreſtle as Jacob did, in the night, and alone, and when God was leaving him, and upon one leg, &c. This is work-man-like. The ſtaff-rings were to continue upon the Ark: the Kohathites ſhoulders felt wherefore: and ſo long God helped them to carry it. But when they once fell to carting it for their own eaſe,1 Chro. 15.26 as the Philiſtines had done, 1 Sam. 6.) God made a diſmall breach upon them, 2 Sam. 6. and David was very ſenſible of it, when he came up the ſecond time to fetch the Ark, 1 Chron. 15.12, 13.

but I paſſed over upon her fair neck,] God will make her both bear and draw; though ſhe were grown delicate and tender, with long proſperity; her good, and fair, and fat neck, not galled, or brawned with the yoak, which now ſhe made dainty of; yet He would bring her to it: though he were by her untractableneſſe forced to ſit upon her neck, and make her more towardly to the yoak, as the manner of plowmen was in that caſe.

I will make Ephraim to ride,] Or, as the Vulgar hath it, I will ride him and rule him, though he kick and lay about him never ſo much: though he champ upon the bridle, and ſtamp with his feet, &c. Ile maſter him, and make him more ſerviceable, or at leaſt, leſſe inſolent. See this fulfilled, Jer. 31.18, 19. where Ephraim is brought in ſeeing his need of mercy in the ſenſe of miſery.

Iudah ſhall plow, and Iacob ſhall break his clods.] Judah doth the worſt of the work, and ſuffers more hardſhip in the wayes of my worſhip, and is held under by Iſrael, as appeareth in the ſecond book of Kings, chap. 10.16. &c. Jacob, that is, the ten Tribes, did onely break the clods, or harrow, which is the lighter work; and ſhould therefore have been done with more delight. But they love to take their eaſe, and onely follow after their pleaſure, and profit: and though taught to plow, yet like it not, becauſe laborious: no though they have Judah for an example of better.