John Trapp on Hosea 6:1

CHAP. VI.

Verſe 1. COme and let us return unto the Lord, &c. So ſweetly was Gods expectation anſwered: as likewiſe it was in David Pſal. 27.8. No ſooner could God ſay, Seek ye my face, but his holy heart anſwered (as it were by an eccho) Thy face Lord will I ſeek. Look what God aimeth at in his adminiſtration to his elect he will have it: He will have out the price of his Sons blood, who gave himſelf for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, &c. Tit. 2.14. and that he might give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſſe of ſins, Act. 5.31. See the proof and practice hereof in theſe Jewiſh converts. Come and let us return to the Lord, &c. See how in thoſe dayes and at that time the children of Iſrael ſhall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping they ſhall go and ſeek the Lord their God. They ſhall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, ſaying, Jer. 54, 5. Come and let us joyn our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant, that ſhall not be forgotten. Judah and Iſrael could not agree at other times: but when they are in a weeping condition, then they could, when they paſſed through the valley of Bara, Pſal. 84. and made it a Bochim with their penitent tears, even they could go from ſtrength to ſtrength, or from company to company (one company coming this way, and another that) and not reſt untill every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.Pſal. 84.6.[illegible: 1 letter]. This was fulfilled, partly when the Lord turned again, the captivity of Zion out of Babylon, and thoſe that had ſown in tears reaped in joy: thoſe that went forth weeping and bearing precious ſeed came again with rejoycing and brought their ſheaves with them, Pſal. 126.5.6. confer Jer. 29.13. partly, under their captivity and oppreſſion by the Romanes, which was when Chriſt came and by his Apoſtles converted thouſands to the faith, ſo that multitudes of them were [illegible: 1 letter]aily added to the Church, Acts 2. and 3. And laſtly at that long looked for calling of the Jewes; when they ſhall flie to Chriſt crucified as the doves unto their windows; Iſai. 60.20. when they ſhall bring their brethren as an offering to the Lord upon horſes, in chaerets, and in litters: that is, though ſick, weakly and unfit for travell, yet rather in litters, then not at all; every one exciting other, and ſaying, Come and let us return unto the Lord. &c. Return unto him, from whom we children of Iſrael have deeply revolted. Iſai. 31.6. Let us not pine away in our tranſgreſſions, aa thoſe Ezek. 33.10. for yet there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing, Ezra 10.2. we have done all this wickedneſſe; yet let us not turn aſide from following the Lord: for this were to adde rebellion to ſin, 1 Sam. 12.20. this were worſe then all the reſt.

Come let us return unto the Lord] By our ſins we have run from him: by repentance let us return unto him. See for this the Note on Zach. 1.2. If the wicked have their Come, Prov. 1.11. Eſay 56. ult. ſhould not the Saints have theirs? as Eſay 2.3. Zech. 13.21. See the Note. Should not Andrew call Philip, and Philip Nathaneel, as one linke in a chain doth another, &c. True grace is communicative, charity is no churle; the Saints like not to go to heaven alone.

For he hath torn] Rapuit not cepit, as the vulgar, by a foul miſtake of capio for rapio in the Hebrew Lexicons. Here theſe converts confeſſe that their affliction neither came forth of the duſt, Job 5.6. nor without their deſert: they acknowledge God to be the Lion that tore them, Chap. 5.14. and not without cauſe: for that they had wickedly departed from him. This is is one property of true repentance, ſtill to juſtifie God, and to ſay as Mauritius the Emperour did (after David) when he ſaw his wife and children ſlain by the traytour Phocas, &c. Righteous art thou, O Lord in all thy wayes, and juſt in all thy proceedings. Another property of it is,Pſa. 119.137. to bring a man to God with ſome aſſurance of healing.

He will heal us,] For he is Iehovah the Phyſician, Exod. 15.26. Now Omnipotenti medico nullus inſanabilis occurrit morbus, ſaith Iſidore, To an Almighty Phyſician, no diſeaſe can be uncurable. Ephraim went to the Aſſyrian upon ſight of his diſeaſe; but he could not heal him, Chap. 5.13. But God both can and will. Here he is compared both to a Phyſician, he will heal; and to a Surgeon, he will binde up. That which the Poets fable concerning Telephus his Spear, is here onely verified: Ʋna eademque manus vulnus opemque ferat. Initium poenitentiae eſt ſenſus clementiae Dei. The ſame holy hand that tare us, muſt cure us: and the ſound perſwaſion of his readineſſe to do it for us, will ſooneſt of any thing bring us into his preſence. Iudas confeſſeth his wound, and deſpaireth of the cure. But Peter is conſtrained by the love of Chriſt to weep bitterly, and beleeve. A ſtroak from guilt broak Iudas his heart into deſpair: but a look from Chriſt brake Peters heart into tears. There is no mention of Iſraels lamenting after the Lord, while he was gone: but when he was returned, and ſetled in Kiriath-jearim, then they poured forth water, &c. 1 Sam. 7. then they gather about him, and will do any thing that he commandeth them. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full aſſurance of faith, Heb. 11.22.

Deijcit ut relevet: premit ut ſolatia praeſtet, Enecat, ut poſſit vivificare, Deus.