John Trapp on Hosea 10:13

Verſe 13. Ye have plowed wickedneſſe,] The former exhortation was even ſpilt upon them: for they went on to plot and plough wickedneſſe: they had their necks in the devils yoak, and promoted his kingdom with ſides and ſhoulders: they let out the ſtrength of their ſpirits for the furtherance of ſin, and were at no ſmall pains to go to hell. as being the devils hinds and horſes to draw his plough, Prov. 21.4. Job 4.8. Even as I have ſeen, ſaith Eliphaz, they that plow iniquity, and ſowe wickedneſſe, reap the ſame. Ye have reaped iniquity, ſaith our Prophet, that is, dignum factis praemium, the reward of your wickedneſſe. And her iniquity is oppoſed to mercy in the former verſe, as wickedneſſe alſo is to righteouſneſſe: or wickedneſſe may be taken for their Apoſtacy, Idolatry, and creature-confidence; and iniquity for the reſt of their enormities, proceeding from thoſe former: for theſe wicked ones are never out of action.Plaut. Capt. Act. 3. ſc. 5. Arant, ſerunt, occant, ſcelera, they plow, ſowe, and harrow miſchi[illegible: 3 letters] ſo that would they but take the like pains for heaven that they do for hell, they could not (lightly) miſſe of it.

Ye have eaten the fruit of lies,] That is, ye have been cozened, by your falſe Prophets, and State-politicians; whoſe fetch it is to formalize and enervate the power of truth, till at length they have left you an heartleſſe and ſapleſſe religion. Ye have fed hungerly upon the murthering morſels of ſin; and that's the reaſon that there is ſo much ill blood amongſt you. Your bread is that panis meadacij Solomon ſpeaks of, Prov. 20.17. full of grit and gravell, made up with ſaw-duſt (as they ſerved the Martyrs) and mixed with lime,Turk. hiſt. as the treacherous Greeks dealt by the Weſtern Chriſtians, marching towards the Holy-land.

becauſe thou didſt truſt in thy way,] In thy Calf-worſhip. Way is oft put for religion: and every action men do, is a ſtep either to heaven or to hell: he that walketh uprightly, walketh ſafely. Theſe Idolaters were very confident of their way: ſo are our Papiſts, and other heretikes; as David George, that peſtilent Libertine, was fully perſwaded, that the whole world would ſubmit to him. And Campian, Coſter, and other zealous Papiſts tell us to our heads, that our religion is errour, our ſelves heretikes, our end deſtruction: that one heaven cannot hold us hereafte, one Church now, &c. Thus the way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but hee that hearkeneth to counſell (as no confident fool will) is wiſe, Prov. 12.15.

and in the multitude of their mighty men.] This made them ready to boaſt, as that young king of Hungary did, that though the skie ſhould fall down upon them,Sigiſmund. Turk. hiſt. yet they were men enow, and ſtrong enough, with their pikes to bear it up. Theſe Ephraimites liked their way of falſe worſhip the better, becauſe backt by a ſtrong Army. That way the mighty men go, that ſhall be troden: this is a ſecret byaſſe, a ſtrong poyſe upon the ſpirits of moſt men, Rev. 13. when power and authority was put into Antichriſts hands, the whole world wondered after him. But curſed be that man, that maketh fleſh his arm, &c. I will not truſt in my bowe,Jer. 17. my ſword ſhall not ſave me, ſaith David. There is no king ſaved by the multitude of an hoſt: a mighty man is not delivered by much ſtrength, Pſal. 33.16. See Pſal. 146.3, 4, 5.