John Trapp on Hosea 11:4

Verſe 4. I drew them with cords of a man,] Not of a beaſt: though they have deſerved to be hampered as unruly heifers, and to be yoked and ruled over with rigour; to be tamed and taken down a link lower, yet I, out of my Philanthropie, yea out of ſingular grace, have dealt civilly, nay courteouſly with them, in an amicable and amiable way, and not as I might have done out of my Soveraignty, and according to my juſtice. I drew them by the cords of a man, that is, 1. Gently, and favourably; ſuiting my ſelf to their diſpoſitions, (which are oft as different as their faces) hiring them to obedience, afflicting them in meaſure, with the rods of men, 2 Sam. 7.15. fitted to the weakneſſe of men: If God ſhould plead againſt us with his great power, as Job ſpeaks chap. 23.6. it would ſoon grinde us to powder; but he hath no ſuch deſigne: he correcteth his children vel ad demonſtrationem debitae miſeriae, Aug. Tract: in Joan. 124. vel ad emendationem labilis vitae, vel ad exercitationem neceſſariae patientiae, ſaith Auſtin, ad exercitium non ad exitium, ſaith another Ancient, to refine, and not to ruine them. 2. Rationally, by cogent arguments and motives, befitting the nature of a man: able to convince them and ſet them down with right reaſon, would they but conſider, Deut. 32.29. would they but be wiſe, and weigh things aright. This God wiſheth they would do: calleth them to reaſon the caſe with him, Eſay 1.18. pleads with them in a friendly way, Jer. 2.31. and then appeals to their own conſciences, whether they have dealt well with him, yea, or no, Eſay 5.3. making them read the ſentence againſt themſelves, as did Judas the traytour, Matth. 27.4. and thoſe Phariſees, Matth. 21.40. He beſpeaks them, after moſt clear conviction, as Eſay 46.8. Remember this, and ſhew your ſelves men: bring it again to minde, O ye tranſgreſſours. Moſt people are led on in a continued hurry of luſts, and paſſions, and never bethink themſelves, as 1 King. 8.47. never ſay ſo much as What have I done? Orat. pre Quintio. Si haec duo tecum verba reputaſſes quid ago? ſaith Cicero to Nevius. Hadſt thou but bethought thy ſelf of thoſe few words, What have I done? thou wouldſt never have been ſo covetous a cormorant. Oh could men have but ſo much power over their paſſions and luſts, as to get alone and weigh Gods wayes, much good might be done upon them: But for want of this, Fertur equis auriga, &c. they ruſh into all exceſſe of riot, as an horſe into the battle: yea they are ſo farre unmand, as to think that they have reaſon to be mad, and that there is no ſmall ſenſe in ſinning. I do well to be angry, even unto death, Jon. 4.9.

with bands of love,] Heb. thick cords, cart-ropes (as it is rendred, Eſay 5.18.) ropes of many wreathes, twiſted together, and inter-twined with love, that ſweeteſt Attractive. So Jer. 31.3. With loving-kindneſſe have I drawn thee: and Eſay 63.9. In his love and his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the dayes of old. He gave them a law, the ſumme of which was nothing but love; and multiplied mercies upon them without meaſure, as is amply ſet forth by thoſe holy Levites, Neh. 9. Now, mercy commands duty: and every new deliverance is a new tie to obedience. Love ſhould have love, Publicans and ſinners yeeld that, Matth. 5.46. Yea, love ſhould ſhew it ſelf ſtrong as death, Cant. 8.6. Jonathan would have died for his David; David for his Abſalom; Cos amoris amor. Priſcilla and Aquila, for Paul, Rom. 16.4. Chriſt out of his love did die for his people. Have I but one life to loſe for Chriſt? ſaid that holy Martyr. Let men take heed how they ſinne againſt love, for this is the greateſt aggravation of ſinne: this is beſtiall, this is like unruly horſes in a teame, to break the gears, to ſnap in ſunder the traces, that ſhould hold them. Such yokeleſſe ſons of Belial ſhall one day be held by the cords of their own ſinne, and whipt with thoſe cords of conviction, that they would not be drawn by. Shall the harlots hands be bands, her words cords to draw men to deſtruction, and ſhall God ſtretch out his hand all day long to them to no purpoſe? Shall he loſe his ſweet words upon them, &c? Peters heart burſt, and hee brake out in weeping, when he ſaw Love ſparkling in Chriſts looks;Mar. 14.72. and conſidered how he had burſt aſunder the bands of love, ſinned againſt ſuch manifeſtations of mercy, wiped off all his comfortables for the preſent, drew from Chriſt thoſe piercing quick queſtions, Loveſt thou me? yea but doſt love me indee? O let the cords of Gods kindneſſe draw us nearer to him, hold us cloſer: to ſinne againſt mercy, is to ſin againſt humanity: and as no ſurfet is more dangerous then that of bread: ſo no judgement is more terrible, then that which grows out of love felt and ſlighted.

and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on the jaws, &c.] i. e. on their neck: albeit it ſeemeth by that law, made for not muzling the oxe that treadeth, &c. that thoſe creatures when they wrought, were muzled or haltred up: and that halter faſtened to the yoke that was upon their necks. The ſence is this, I unyoked them often, to give them meat, as the good husbandman doth that is mercifull to his beaſt, he lifts up the yoke that lies hard upon its neck, leads it to the manger, layes food before it, &c. So dealt God by this people all along from the wilderneſſe, and forward: not ſuffering them to abide jugiter ſub jug is Gentium, long under their enemies yoke: but delivering them out of the hand of thoſe that ſerved themſelves of them, Ezek. 34.27. Chriſt alſo hath delivered His out of the hands of thoſe that hated them, and lay hard upon them; as the devil is an hard taskmaſter, that neither takes off the yoke, nor layes meat: gives no reſt or refreſhment to his drudges, and dromedaries: but acts them and agitates them day and night, &c. Now thoſe that are His, Chriſt brings them from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may do works meet for repentance, that weigh juſt as much as Repentance doth, Acts 26.18, 20. and ſo finde reſt to their ſouls: Provided, that they take and keep Chriſts yoke upon them (not thinking to live as they liſt more ſaying as thoſe Libertines in Jeremy we are delivered to do all theſe abominations) and learn of him to be meek and Iowly &c.Jer. 7. Mat. 11.29. ſo ſhall they ſoon find Chriſts yoke eaſie,Luth. in loc. and his burden light Verſ. 40. And of this eaſie yoke of Chriſt Luther underſtands this text in Hoſea; and thereupon diſcourſeth of the Lawes rigour, and Goſpels relaxation, according to that of Auſtin, Lex jubet, gratia juvat: the Law commandeth but the Goſpel helpeth: God by his ſpirit aſſiſting, and further accepting pence for pounds, the will for the work, the deſire for the deed done &c. and laying meate before us, meate that the world knowes not of, hidden Manna, the convivium juge of a good conſcience &c.