John Trapp on Hosea 11:12

Verſe 12. Ephraim compoſſeth me about with lies,] They get about me as if they would do me doubty ſervice (Pſal. 76.11. the ſaints are called a people that are round about God: and Pſal 148.14. a people near unto him, and that compaſſeth his altar. See Rev. 4.4.) but all's but counterfeit: a meer impoſture, a loud lie, Pſal. 78.36 whereby they would cozen me of heaven, if they could: putting upon me falſe coyn ſilver'd over a little; and circumventing me, if it lay in their power. But what ſaith Bernard, Sapi[illegible: 1 letter]ns nummularius Deus eſt; Nummum fictum non recipiet. God is a wiſe Mint-man: there's no beguiling him with counterfeit coyn. Hypocriſie (that reall lie) is an odious, a complexive evil: for it hath in it, 1. Guile, oppoſite to ſimplicity, as intending to beguile God, which he cannot, and man, which he fain would, and oft doth, to further his worldly and wicked deſignes, as Judas, Herod, Matth. 2.8. Phariſees, Mat. 23.14. 2. Falſhoud, oppoſite to truth; as onely acting religion, playing devotion, compaſſiong God with deceit, as the houſe of Iſrael here, deceiving him not by impotency onely, and in the event; but by impoſture, and ſo in purpoſe; contenting themſelves with a ſhew, with a ſemblance, Luke 8.18. with a form of knowledge, Rom. 2.20. and of godlineſſe, 2 Tim. 3.5. rather [illegible: 1 letter]eeming to be good, then ſeeking to be ſo. Theſe are hells free-holders: and other ſinners are ſaid but to have their part with them. There are that thus interpret this Text; Ephraim compaſſeth me, the Prophet preaching mercy, and promiſing good things, they beſet me, and gather cloſe about me, as deſirous of my doctrine: but it is in mendacio, in hat[illegible: 1 letter]full hypocryſic (ſee Ezek. 33.31, 32.) and when I croſſe them never ſo little, they craftily conſpire to prejudice my Miniſtery, to aſperſe my perſon, &c. To preach ſaith One, is nothing elſe but to derive the rage of the whole world upon a mans ſelf, to become the But-mark, yea the Center ad quod omnes lineae dolorum tendunt, Meiſner. in loc. to which all the lines of lies and falſehoods do tend.

but Judah yet ruleth with God,] To ſerve God is to rule with him (as Livia ſaid, ſhe ruled her husband Auguſtus, by obeying him) It is the greateſt liberty, Rom. 6.18, 22. 1 Pet. 2.16. Abraham was a prince of God, Jacob prevailed with God, and had power as a Prince, Gen. 32.28. Moſes (as if he had been Chancellour of heaven) over-ruled the buſineſſe, and God is fain to beſpeak his own freedom, Exod. 32.10. Judah alſo is here ſaid to rule with God, to be potent with him; becauſe God was ſincerely ſerved amongſt them, and they held faſt their firſt integrity: the true religion was openly profeſſed, and the true worſhip of God incorruptly maintained in the Temple at Jeruſalem. This made Abijah (though none of the beſt) ſo boldly to boaſt, and he prevailed: ſo that there fell down of Iſrael ſlain four hundred thouſand, 2 Chron. 14.10, 17. and yet the men of Judah that ſlew them, were but four hundred thouſand ina ll, verſe 3. Iſraels Apoſtacy is here aggravated by Judah's integrity: they were not under the temptation of evil example. Judah was the worſe for them, and not they for Judah.

and is faithfull with the Saints.] Or, with the moſt Holy: he keepeth the faith to God, thoſe Holy Ones, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (ſo ſome ſence it) as Joſh. 24.19. Prov. 9.10. he is far from thoſe falſe and fraudulent dealings wherewith the ten Tribes ſeek to circumvent and beguile god. Or thus, J[illegible: 1 letter]xlah is faithfull with the ſaints of former ages: he holds to his old principles, to the good old way, wherein Abraham and the other Ancients went before him. He is alſo faithfull; with ſuch as are ſanctified, the true prieſts of God, conſecrated to himſelf, and ſet apart for holy uſe: In oppoſition to the ten Tribes, who went after thoſe leaden prieſts made by Ieroboam of the lower ſort of the people, and well fitted to golden deities. Laſtly, he is faithfull with the people of God, thoſe good ſouls that left the ten Tribes and went to Judah, to the true worſhip of God. With theſe Judah was faithfull, courteous, and communicative: embracing and encouraging them all that might be. This was a ſingular commendaton.