John Trapp on Hosea 5:2

Verſe 2. And the revolters are profound to make ſlaughter] They lay their nets and ſnares deep, and lie down upon the ground that they may take the ſilly birds that dread no danger. He croucheth and humbleth himſelf that the poor may fall into his ſtrong pawes, Pſal. 10.10. He ſtudies the devils depths Rev. 2.24. poiſonfull and peſtilent pollicies, Machiavellian myſteries of miſchief. His head is a forge and fountain of wicked wiles: he hath ſtore & ſtrength of ſtrange traps and trains, frauds and fetches, to draw in and deceive the ſilly ſimple. That theſe ſeducers were deeply revolted Eſay 31.6. they had deeply corrupted themſelves Hoſ. 9.9. they ſinned not common ſins; as Kore and his complices died not a common death. They made great flaughter of mens ſouls, and of their bodies too, that refuſed to yeeld to them. Craft and cruelty ſeldom ſundred in ſeducers: as ſome write of the Aſp that he never wanders alone, without his companion with him; and as thoſe birds of prey and deſolation Eſay 34.16. it is ſaid that none of them want their mate. The devil lendeth them his ſeven heads to plot, and his ten horns to puſh and gore, &c.

though I have been a rebuker to them all] Heb. a correction. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Underſtand it either of the Prophet, that he had dealt plainly with them, and done his utmoſt to reclaim them, yet they refuſed to be reformed, hated to be healed. We would have cured Babylon but ſhe would not be cured: Or elſe of God, that he had both by words and ſcribes rebuked their ſuperſtitions but nothing had wrought upon them. They were tormented with the wrath of God, but repented not to give him the glory, Rev. 16.9. Corrigimur, might they ſay, ſed non corrigimur, plectimur, ſed non flectimur. See how God complains of this ſtubbornneſſe, Jer. 6.28, 29, 30. and learn to tremble at his rebukes, to profit by his chaſtiſements, leſt a worſe thing befall us.Zeph. 3.5. The juſt Lord is in the middeſt thereof: he will not do iniquity; every morning doth he bring his judgements to light, he faileth not: but the unjuſt knoweth no ſhame. There are that take the words poſſively and render them thus Ego vero illis omnibus caſtigationi ſum I have been rebuked or corrected by them all.Levely. See the like Lam. 3.13. and in the Pſalms often I am a reproach to mine enemies: thou makeſt us a reproach to all that are round about us, &c. So the Prophet here may ſeem to complain, as Jeremy did after him, that he was born a man of contentions, that all the people curſed him, that he was a common by-word, and but-mark: that they ſharpened their tongues againſt him and flew in his face. To Preach, ſaith Luther, Totius erbis furorem in [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 2 letters]are. [non-Latin text not transcribed] [illegible: 1 word] 11.19. Judicatur vel ſententia pronuncia[illegible: 1 letter]ur. C[illegible: 1 letter]merar. S[illegible: 2 letters]ltet. Repetitione etiam auget populi rebelliauem. Rivet. is nothing elſe but to derive [illegible: 1 word] rage of the whole world upon a mans ſelf. Wiſdom (that ſhould be juſtified of her children) is eftſoones judged of her childrens, as ſome read thoſe words of our Saviour Mat. 11.19. But I like the actiue ſence better.