John Trapp on Hosea 13:1

CHAP. XIII.

Verſe 1. WHen Ephraim ſpake trembling,] Or, there was trembling, as there is among the beaſts of the field, when the Lion roareth. Ephraim whiles innocent of the great offence, ſpake with authority, and none durſt budge againſt him: for he had great power in his hand. Now, as the Philoſopher told Adrian the Emperour, who challenged him to diſpute; Difficile eſt ei contradicere qui poteſt aqua & igni interdicere: vel adverſus [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 3 letters]ſcribere, qui poteſt proſcribere. It is dangerous medling with the Lions beard. N[illegible: 2 letters]uchadnezzars Majeſty was ſuch, that all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him, Dan. 5.19. whereſoever his commands or armies came, there were very great heart-quakes and concuſſions of ſpirit. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may ſay unto him, What doſt thou[illegible: 1 letter] Eccleſ. 8.4. Job was no king: and yet whiles hee was Jobab, that is, in a proſperous condition, The young men ſaw him,Gen. 36.34. and hid themſelves: the nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth, Job 29.8, 10 The people feared Joſhuah [illegible: 1 letter] chap. 4.14.) as they feared Moſes, all the dayes of his life: for why? the Lord had magnified him in the ſight of all Iſrael. Naturall conſcience cannot but ſtoop to the image of God in whomſoever. When Ephraim was firſt in the Throne, he became formidable: but when h[illegible: 2 letters]fell openly from God, he grew feeble: firſt he was a terrour, and then a ſcorn.

But when he offended in Baal, he died.] When by Jezabel (who did all under her husband, ſhe was King, and he Queen) Baal-worſhip was brought in, then Ephraim fell from his dignity: then every paltry adverſary trampled upon him, as the Hare will do upon a dead Lion. See how Benhadad inſulted over Ahab, 1 King. 20. Thy ſilver and thy gold is mine, thy wives alſo and thy children, even the goodlieſt are mine. And the king of Iſrael anſwered and ſaid, My Lord, O king, according to thy ſaying, I am thine, and all that I have. Look how the worried Curre falls upon his back, and holds up all four, as craving quarter: ſo did this ſordid Idolater, glad to crouch to his enemy: when God was departed from him; he was even as a dead carcaſſe. Morti vicinus jam magis atque magis. He that departeth from God (who is his life) by an evil heart of unbelief, Heb. 3. ſubiecteth himſelf to all ſorts of deaths, Naturall, Civil, Spirituall, and Eternall.