John Trapp on Hosea 4:15

Verſe 15. Though thou Iſrael play the harlot, yet let not Iudah offend.] Leſt if God loſe his glory among them too, he loſe it altogether Iudah was grown almoſt as good as Iſrael, (in the dayes of that ſtigmatick Ahaz eſpecially, 2 Chron. 28.) Aholibamah, as Aholibah, Ezek. 16. But let it not be ſo, ſaith the Prophet, ſith not to be warned by the harmes of another, is a juſt both preſage and deſert of ruine. Alterius igitur perditio tua ſit cautio. Seeſt thou another ſhipwrackt? look well to thine own tackling. God will take that from Iſrael, that he will not from Judah; becauſe theſe had many means and priviledges, that the other had not; as the Temple, Prieſts, Ordinances, &c. Now, good-turnes aggravate unkindneſſes; and mens offences are increaſed by their obligations. Iudah was and would be therefore the worſe, becauſe they ought to have been better. And God can better bear with aliants, then with his own people, when they offend. The Philiſtims may cart the Ark, but if David do it, wo be to Ʋzzah. You onely haue I known of all the families of the earth, therefore, (whoſoever ſcape) I will puniſh you for all iniquities, Amos 3.2. The unkindneſſe of your ſins is more then all the reſt: it grieves Gods Spirit, and goes neer his heart, &c.

Come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven,] Alias Bethel, the houſe of God, ſo called by Iacob, who there had viſions of God, and ſaid, How fearfull is this place? It is even the houſe of God and gate of heaven. But now it was become the hate of heaven, and gate to deſtruction, as being abuſed to idolatry. Corruptio optimi fit peſſima. Bethel is become Beth-aven, the houſe of iniquity and miſery, of ſin and of ſorrow: for their ſorrows ſhall be multiplied that haſten after another God, Pſal. 16.4. The word there rendred ſorrows, ſignifieth alſo idols, Pſal. 115.4. and 106.36.Gnatſahim. becauſe they that worſhip them, are ſure of ſorrows.

Come not therefore to Gilgal &c.] Gilgal was the key of Canaan, ſcituate between Jordan and Jericho, famous for ſundry ſervices there performed to God, as were eaſie to inſtance; but now baſely abuſed to Idol-worſhip. Hence this charge (and the like in Amos chap. 5.5.) not to come neer it; and the rather becauſe it was a border Town,Exod. 23.7. Prov.5.8. 1 Tim. 6.5. and ſo more dangerous Keep thee far from an evil matter, ſaith Moſes, Come not nigh the doors of the harlots houſe, ſaith Solomon. From ſuch ſtand off, or keep aloof, ſaith Paul. Shun them as the Sea-man doth ſands and ſhelves, as the ſame Apoſtles word imports, 1 Theſ. 3.6. A man cannot touch ſuch pitch, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. but hee ſhall be defiled: nor live any while in Mauritania, but hee ſhall be diſcoloured. Cum fueris Romae, &c. Let them look to it that ſo much affect to ſee Italy, Rome, the Pope, the Maſſe, &c. But what doſt thou here Elias? may God well ſay, as 1 King. 19.9. What protection haſt thou here, either from infection of ſin, or infliction of puniſhment? Saith not the heavenly Oracle, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her ſins, and that ye receive not of her plagues, Rev. 18.4. Mr. Aſcham (ſchool-maſter to Queen E[illegible: 1 letter]izabeth) was wont to thank God, that he was but nine dayes in Italy: wherein he ſaw in that one City of Venice more liberty to ſin, then in London he ever heard of in nine yeers. And is it ſafe preſſing into ſuch peſt-houſes? tampering with ſuch temptations? Tertullian tells of a Chriſtian woman, who being at a play, was poſſeſſed of a devil. And when he was asked by thoſe that came to caſt him out, how he durſt poſſeſſe one that was a Chriſtian, he anſwered, I found her in mine own place. Take heed therefore, ye come not where the devil hath to do. He that doth ſo, and yet prayes, Leade us not into temptation, may as well thruſt his finger into the fire, and then pray that it may not be burnt.

Nor ſwear, The Lord liveth:] i.e. Sweat not by God and Malcham, Zeph. 1.5. make not a mixture of religions:Matth. 6.23. 2 Cor. 6.15. halt not between two opinions, think not to ſerve two maſters. What agreement hath Chriſt with Belial, or the Temple of God with Idols? Caſt away (ſaith one to a neuter paſſive, Nicodemus) either thy wings, or thy teeth:D. Hall Epiſt. to W. L. and loathing this Bat-like nature, be what thou art, either a bird, or a beaſt. There were (belike) in Judah, that thought they could both frequent places of Idol-worſhip, and ſerve Jehovah, ſwearing by his Name. God will have none of that: if he be ſerve by men at all, he muſt be ſerved truely; that there be no halting, and totally, that there be no halving. To ſwear vere, rite, juſte, as Ier. 4.1. is a piece of Gods ſervice, and we may well reckon it amongſt our good-works. But to ſwear by Idols, or before Idols, made to repreſent the true God (as thoſe bugges at Dan and Bethel, &c.) or by the creature, Matth. 5.24. is utterly unlawfull. It is a great diſhonour to God; and a great diſhonour to our ſelves alſo: for we alwayes ſwear by the greater, Heb. 6.16.