John Trapp on Hosea 2:13

Verſe 13. And I will viſit upon her the dayes of Baalim,] That is, I will puniſh the ſins committed in thoſe dayes wherein they went after thoſe multitudes of Heatheniſh gods: 30000.In Theog. In Georg. lib. 1. of them Heſiod reckons up in his days And Servius upon Virgil telles us, that for fear of offending any of them they uſed to cloſe up their petitions with Dij que Deae que omnes, All ye gods & goddeſſes, &c. Some of the Hebrews by Baalim underſtand Dominos domuum the Lords of the houſes: for the planets are ſaid to have thir houſes. Oecolampadius underſtands it of thoſe Idols which they worſhipped under the name of the Stars, called elſwhere the Queen of heaven, or the heavenly conſtellations. Others by Baal conceive to be meant their chief God: called alſo by them Baal-ſamen, or the Lord of Heaven: by Baalim their undergods, mediozuma numina inter mortales caelicolaſ que vectores. This was Plato's Demonogy (See the Note above upon verſe 8. of this chapter) Saint Paul is thought to have been well read in Plato's writings (his [non-Latin text not transcribed] 2 Tim. 1.6. is verbùm Platoineum) and to have alluded to him in that paſſage, 1 Cor. 8.5, 6. Though there be that are called (Baalim ſignifieth Lords) whether in heaven or in earth, as there be gods many and lords many: but to us there is but one God the Father, and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that is but one Mediatour betwixt God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus, who indeed in regard of his humane nature is inferiour to the Father, but yet ſuch a Lord by whom are all things, and we by him. The Papiſts acknowledge but one God, but they have many Baalims, many Lords and Mediatours both of interceſſion and of Redemption too. But this is an heatheniſh opinion, as indeed many of theirs are: whence they are called Gentiles, in oppoſition to the holy City the Church, Rev. 11.2.

wherein ſhe burnt incenſe to them] which typified prayer, both in the ſweet ſavour, and aſcending property; elationibus fumi with pillars of ſmoke, Chap. 3.6. This ſhould have been done to God alone. He is the proper object of prayer, as being omnipreſent, omniſcient and omnipotent: and beſides in covenant with his people: He never ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain. No: he ſcorns that, and leaves that to the Heathen idols to do, Eſa. 45.18.19.Deut. 2, 2. Our Rock is not as their rock our enemies themſelves being judges. He is not like Baal, that purſuing his enemies could, not hear his friends. Nor like Jupiter of Creet that was carved without ears,Luc. dial. and could not be at leiſure to attend ſmall matters, no nor greater neither, unleſs it were at certain times when he was pleaſed to look down through certain chinkers in heaven, as Lucian faineth. He is not as Diana, who being preſent at Alexanders birth,Sic. de nat deor. lib. 2. could not at the ſame time preſerve her Epheſian temple from the fire. O thou that heareſt prayers (ſaith David: that's one of his titles of honour. Pſal. 65.2.) unto thee ſhall all ſleſh come. Whither elſe ſhould I go? Baſil makes prayer a chain tied to Gods ear, and mans mouth. Jamblichus ſaith, it is copula quâ homines cum Deo conjunguntur, a tie wherewith men are knit unto God. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. De orth. fid. Damaſcen ſaith it is an aſcent of the heart to heaven. The Church is ſaid to aſcend out of the world by theſe pillars of incenſe, Cant. 3.6. And as the Angel that appeared to Manoah by aſcending up in the flame of the Altar, is ſaid to do wondrouſly, Judg. 13.19, 20. So do the Saints by their daily devotions coming up (as Cornelius his prayers and alms did) for a memoriall before God, Act. 10.4. and being a precious incenſe, Pſal. 141.2. far beyond that of Baal Prieſts, or Chimney-Chaplaines, who were called Chemarims, 1 King. 23.5. Zeph. 1.4. or Black-ones, ab incenſione thuris from their much offering up of incenſe, with the ſmoke whereof they were blacked and ſooted; as ſome hold.

and ſhe decked her ſelf with her ear-rings and her jewels] Harlot-like: matrons adorn not themſelves ſo pompouſly. Whence Tully compares the Latine tongue to a grave Matrone; the Greek to a ſumptuous harlot in all her bravery. This drawes the ſenſes, and is therefore much in uſe amongſt adulterers and Idolaters: as Papiſts for inſtance with their exceſſive gayetie in Gods ſervice; their palles, copes and other maſſing-veſtments of as great price, ſome of them,Athena[illegible: 1 letter]s. as Demetrius king of Macedon his robewas: which none of his ſucceſſours would were propter invidioſam impendij magnificentiam for the richneſs thereof. Gods likes no ſuch doings now adayes in his ſervice. The High-Prieſt indeed of old was ſumptuouſly attired from head to foot. Os humeroſ que Deo ſimilis as repreſenting the perſon of God,Virg. that he might dazle the eyes of the beholders, and breed reverence in them by ſuch an appearance. But now it is far otherwiſe. Cor aureum requirit Deus, non veſtem. God lookes not for gorgeous array but gracious hearts: faith and love within, modeſty and humility without: theſe are things of great price in the ſight of God, 1 Pet. 3.4. theſe beautifie the ſoul better then Iſaacs jewels did Rebeccah's body. It was therefore excellent counſell that Tertullian gave the young women of his time,Lib. de cult. foemin. and may be uſefull to to us all: Veſtite vesſerico pietatis, byſſino ſanctitatis, &c. Cloath your ſelves, ſaith he with the ſilk of piety, with the ſattin of ſanctitie, with the purple of modeſtie. So ſhall you have God himſelf to be your ſuitour: Chriſt will make love to you, and greatly deſire your beauty. Pſal. 45.11. The kings daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold verſ. 13. She is like that Spartan woman mentioned by Plutarch, who when her neighbours were ſhewing their apparrell and jewels, ſhe brought out her children vertuous and well taught, and ſaid, Theſe are my ornaments and jewels.

and ſhe went after her lovers] This is oft objected to her, as a foul buſineſs indeed: this was the ſin that disjoynted Gods ſoul from her, to the making of her deſolate, a land not inhabited Jer. 6.8. We muſt take ſpeciall care, that no creature creep into the Bridall-bed betwixt Chriſt and the ſoul: or if any do, complain to him betime and he will play Phineas his part,Act. and Mon. as Maſter Bradford phraſeth it. And forgat me, ſaith the Lord] This is reſerved to the laſt, as the foot and root of all the forementioned evils both of ſin and puniſhment. See the lack of Gods holy fear Rom. 3.18. There is no fear of God before their eyes. And thence it is, that their throat is a gaping grave, their mouth full of gall and guile, that deſtruction and miſcry are in their wayes, &c. 13, 14, 15, 16. &c. Fearleſneſs and forgetfulneſs of God go alwayes together. Jer. 5.22, 23. thoſe that remember him and his preſence, cannot but bear an awfull reſpect to him. It is a problem in Ariſtotle, why are men credited more then other creatures. His anſwer is [non-Latin text not transcribed], becauſe they beleeve a Deity. Man alone remembreth, and therefore reverenceth God. Thoſe therefore that ſo forget him, after long experience eſpecially of his gracious care to protect them and provide for them, as a husband doth for the wife of his boſom, theſe are ſtrange creatures, and muſt look to be viſited and reminded of him from whom they have ſo deeply revolted: for of all things God cannot abide to be forgotten. See Iſai. 17.10. Deut. 8.21.