John Trapp on Hosea 12:10

Verſe 10. I have alſo ſpoken by the Prophets,] And not ſuffered you to walk in your own wayes,Eſay 30.20. as did all other Nations, Acts 14.16. The Miniſtery is a ſingular mercy, however now vilipended.

and I have multiplied viſions,] whereby I have diſcovered thy preſent ſins, and imminent dangers, though thou haſt ſaid, They ſhall finde none iniquity in me, &c. The wit of Mammoniſts will better ſerve them to palliate and plead for their dilectum delictum, their beloved ſinne, then their pride will ſuffer them once to confeſſe and forſake it, though never ſo plainly and plentifully ſet forth unto them.

and uſed ſimilitudes by the miniſtery of the Prophets,] Heb. by the hand, which is the inſtrument of inſtruments, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. ſaith the Philoſopher: ſo is the miniſtery of the word, for the good of ſouls. It is called a hand, becauſe it ſets upon mens ſouls with the ſtrength of God, and a certain vehemency. Did not my word lay hold upon your fathers? Zach. 1.6. See the Note there. It is ſaid, Luke 5.17. that as Chriſt was teaching, the power of the Lord was preſent, &c. The Goſpel of Chriſt is the power of God, Rom. 1.16. It is his mighty arm, Eſay 53.1. Now it was ordinary with the Prophets to uſe ſimilitudes, as Eſay 5.2. Ezek. 16.3. which is an excellent way of preaching and prevailing: as that which doth noth notably illuſtrate the truth, and inſinuate into mens affections. Galeatius Carac[illegible: 2 letters]olus, an Italian Marqueſſe, and Nephew to Pope Paul the fi[illegible: 1 letter]t, was converted by Peter Martyr reading on 1 Corinth. and uſing an apt ſimilitude. Miniſters muſt turn themſelves into all formes and ſhapes, both of ſpirit and of ſpeech for the reaching of their hearers hearts; they muſt come unto them in the moſt woing, winning, and convincing way that may be. Onely in uſing of Similies, they muſt, 1. Bring them from things known and familiar, things that their hearers are moſt acquainted with, and accuſtomed to. Thus the Prophets draw compariſons from fiſhes to the Egyptians, vineyards to the Jews, droves of cattle to the Arabians, trade and traffique to the Egyptians. And thus that great Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 9 24. fetcheth Similies from runners, and wreſtlers, exerciſes that they were well acquainted with in the Iſthmian Games, inſtituted by Theſus, not far from their city. 2. Similies muſt be very naturall, plain, and proper. 3. They muſt not be too far urged: we muſt not witwanton it in uſing them: and let it be remembred, that though they much illuſtrate a truth, yet Theologia parabolica nihil probat. There are [illegible: 1 letter]nterpreters of good note, that read this whole verſe in the future tenſe; and make a continuation of that promiſe in the verſe afore. I will ſpeak by the Prophets, ſc. in the dayes of the Goſpel, when great was the company of thoſe that publiſhed it, Pſal. 68.11. I will multiply viſions: See this fulfilled, Acts 2.17. with Joel 2.28. I will uſe ſimilitudes, teach in parables, and illuſtrate therewith grave ſentences and doctrines, as Chriſt and his Apoſtles did, and as the beſt Preachers ſtill do, that they may thereby ſet forth things to the life, and make them as plain, as if written with the Sunbeams.