John Trapp on Hosea 2:11

Verſe 11. I will alſo cauſe her mirth to ceaſe,] Idolaters are frollick and jovial, the greateſt mirth-mongers, the merry Greeks of the world, ſet altogether upon the merry pin, Job 21.13. they ſpend their dayes in pleaſure, and ſuddenly turn into hell. Thus it was with theſe old idolaters. See Amos 6.4. And thus it is with the Papiſts at this day. They have a Proverb amongſt them; Spiritus Calvinianus eſt ſpiritus melancholicus, A Calviniſticall ſpirit is a melancholy ſpirit. Turn Proteſtant once, and you muſt for ever bid adieu to mirth and jollity, and lead a Monkiſh melancholy life. In their ſupplication to King Iames for a Toleration, they uſed this as an argument for their Religion above ours, becauſe more ſuitable and pleaſing to mans nature.Revel. 13. It is indeed an alluring, tempting, bewitching religion. Sir Walter Rawleigh knew what he ſaid, That were he to chuſe a Religion for licentious liberty, laſciviouſneſſe, and merry-living, he would be a Papiſt. Hence the whole world is ſaid to wonder after the Beaſt, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Qu[illegible: 1 letter]d omnium animalium amicus ſit. Iſidor. which is ſaid to be like unto a Leopard, or Panther: Now the Panther is admired, and followed by moſt other beaſts of the field (and thence hath his name) either for the beauty of his hide, or for the ſweetneſſe of his ſmell. So is the Pope for thoſe ſenſual delights, and ſwiniſh pleaſures he alloweth his followers. Lupanar utriuſque Veneris Roma condidi[illegible: 1 letter], ſaith Agrippa, concerning Pope Sixtus Quintus. But what ſhould I rake in that dunghill? Such ſinfull mirth, as it is baſe born, ſo it is of ſhort continuance: God will make it to ceaſe, and to go ſoon out in a vexing ſnuffe. For why? There is a ſnare (or cord) in the ſinne of the wicked, ſc. to ſtrangle their joy with, but the righteous ſing and are merry, Prov. 29.6. yea they are merry, (or right ſet in their mindes, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And the Sept. here [non-Latin text not transcribed]. as the Apoſtles word ſignifies, Iames 5.13.) and therefore they ſing, yea and ſhall ſing for joy of heart, when wicked men ſhall crie for ſorrow of heart, yea howle again for vexation of ſpirit, Eſay 65.14. Mean-while their mirth is but the hypocriſie of mirth. It may wet the mouth, but not warm the heart; ſmooth the brow, but not fill the breaſt. It is like a little counterfeit complexion; As they repent only in the face, Mat. 6.16. ſo they rejoyce only in the face, 2 Cor. 1.5.12. Indeed they revel rather then rejoyce, & the end of that mirth is heavineſs, Pro. 14.13. as lightening is attended with thunder, & as comets end in a peſtilent vapour. Let the Lord but turn his hand & take away his corn, &c. deſtroy vine and fig-trees, &c. and this carnal mirth is at an end: their light is put out in obſcure darkneſſe, they lye down in ſorrow, and are all Amort. they are filled with unmedicinable perplexities, and are ready to run mad Deut. 28.34. Whereas a godly man, as he hath a conſtant ſpring of comfort within him, and can be merry without muſick, ſo he can ſtand under the greateſt weight of affliction without buckling, as Paul: he can be medjis tranquillus in undis as Noah: he can confidently ſay wth Habakkuk Although the figtree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall fruit be in the Vines &c. Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation. Chap. 3.17.

Her feaſt-dayes, her new-moones] Not the matter of their joy onely ſhall be aboliſhed, but the times too; She ſhall neither have holy-dayes nor good dayes (as they are called, Eſth. 8.17.) to keep and celebrate. Here then the Lord ſhewes how he will uncover this harlots nakedneſſe, Viz Firſt he will ſtrip her of her ſpirituals, and next of her temporals, Verſe 12. Her feaſt-dayes, new-moons, ſabbaths, and ſolemn-feaſts were but apiſh imitations of thoſe commanded by God, whoſe ape Satan will needs be. Habent & veſpae favos: ſimiae imitantur homines, Waſpes alſo have honey-combs as well as Bees; and apes will be doing at mens actions. Satans ſynagogue may ſeem a true Church. The ten revolted Tribes kept alſo diverſe ſolemne dayes, partly commanded by the Law, (as new-moons and ſabbaths) and partly inſtituted by Ieroboam, in honour of their idols, as now among the Papiſts, in pretended honour of the Saints, with feaſting, dancing, ringing, roaring of organs, &c. Theſe ſolemnities therefore, the Lord here firſt utterly diſowneth, calling them, her feaſt-dayes, her ſabbaths, &c. and none of his, becauſe they did lacte gypſum miſcere, mingle lime with milk, as Irenaeus ſaith of Plato; Non mea, tua funt, as Martial ſaith of his Epigrams, ill read by another. And ſecondly, that he will take them away, (ſc. by carrying themſelves away captive. See Chap. 9.4, 5.) and ſo pull off their vizour, waſh off their varniſh of rites and ceremonies, and lay them open to all in their own colours.