John Trapp on Hosea 3:4

Verſe 4. For the children of Iſrael ſhall abide many dayes without a king &c.] They ſhall be as it is ſaid of the Braſileans, Sine rege, ſine lege, ſine fide, in a wofull confuſed eſtate, both for State and Church. This they had brought upon themſelves by their Idols ſet up at Dan and Bethel: that is, in the place of Judgment, and in the houſe of God (ſo Dan and Bethel ſignify.) Bethel was become Bethaven, and the place of judicature (called by Solomon the place of the Holy God Eccle. 8.10.) ſo corrupted, that people were ready to ſay as Themiſtocles once did, that if there were two wayes ſhew'd him, the one leading to hell and the other to the Tribunal, he would chuſe that which went to hell and forſake the other. That corruption cauſed this confuſion. The children of Iſrael ſhall be without and without, here are ſix withouts that they might be ſenſible of their abuſe of mercies, and ſee bona a tergo formoſiſſima good things faireſt behind, their worth beſt appearing by their want. The Perſian law commanded, that at the death, of their kings, there ſhould be [non-Latin text not transcribed] a ſuſpenſion of lawes,Stob. orat. 42. a lawleſſe liberty, for the ſpace of five dayes: that ſubjects might know the neceſſity of government, by being bereft of the benefit of it for a time: and the better prize it when they had it. The like cuſtome they have now in Turky at the death of the Grand Signor,Turk. hist. which is no ſooner known, but every man doth what is good in his own eyes, till his ſucceſſor be ſent for, and ſet upon his throne. Iſrael hath neither King nor Prince, Ruler nor Civil Magiſtrate of their own, (the ten tribes I meane: for Judah had both Prince and Prieſts after the captivity, till the laſt deſolation, ſince which they have) no forme nor face of Church or common-wealth, no not of a corrupt or depraved Church, meant here by Image and Teraphim, See 2 King. 17.10. Judg. 17.5. much leſs of ſuch an one as God had preſcribed, meant by ſacrifices and Ephod. Proſpers conceit was that this people were called Judaei becauſe they received jus Dei their law from Gods mouth. And Joſephus calleth their common wealth a Theocratie, or God-government. They received their order both for Church and common-wealth from heaven: which no other people ever did in the ſame manner; and might truly take up that of the Prophet Eſay; The Lord is our Judge, Eſay. 33.22. the Lord is our law-giver, the Lord is our King, he will ſave us. But man being in honour is without underſtanding &c. Jeſhurun waxed fat and kicked: then he forſook God which made him, and ſacrificed unto devils, not to God, to Gods whom they knew not, to new Gods, that came newly up &c.Deut. 32.15.17. When Ephraim ſpake and ſpake right there was trembling and none durſt budge againſt him: but when he offended in Baal, he died: Hoſ. 13.1. then every paltry adverſary trampled upon him as a dead man,Sanet. in Zech. 8.13. Heyl. Georg. 370. then every ſcurrilous Poet could inſult over him and cry, Credat Judaeus Appela Non ego: then every common Turk could by way of execration ſay, Judaeus ſim ſi fallo, and in deteſtation of a thing: I would I might die a Jew then, a diſperſed and deſpiſed people they are (none more) under the cope of heaven; partly for their former Idolatry, but principally for their rejecting of Chriſt crucified: whom they cannot but in their conſciences know to be the Shiloh that ſhould come, ſith the ſcepter is ſo longe ſince departed from Judah, and a Law-giver from between his feet Gen. 49.10. That for their ſins which are many (ſay the Talmudiſts) he yet hides himſelf in the caverns and ſecret places of the earth, is [non-Latin text not transcribed] a ſimple pretence, or rather a ſubtlety of Satan, to hold them ſtill in blindneſſe, till God unſeale their eyes: till when things that are never ſo clere will not be beleeved.