John Trapp on Hosea 7:1

CHAP. VII.

Verſe 1. WHen I would have healed Iſrael, &c.] Whereas Iſrael, hearing of an happy harveſt promiſed to Judah, Chap. 6.11. and themſelves excluded,unus. might complain of hard dealing: God ſhews them here, that Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit, the fault was meerly in themſelves. God came with his healing medicines to have cured them, but they hated to be healed, and like mad-men, railed and raged againſt the Phyſician, ſpilt the potions, would none of thoſe ſlibber-ſauſes, as they accounted them: yea (as if on purpoſe to croſſe God.) then the iniquity of Ephraim was diſcovered, and the wickedneſſes (malitia multiplex) of Samaria,] Of ſo perverſe a ſpirit were they: and therefore (in Solomons judgement, Prov. 12.8.) worthy to have been deſpiſed and let alone to periſh in their corruptions. In Hippocrates his time, the Phyſicians were bound by oath, to leave ſuch under their wounds to periſh by them, as were unruly, and would not be ordered. We would have healed Babylon, (ſaith the Church) but ſhe would not be healed: forſake her therefore, ſaith God, Jer. 51.9. Let them alone, ſaith Chriſt, Matth. 15.14. That, that will die, let it die: A fearfull ſentence. Let them ſwelter and pine away in their iniquities, Levit. 26.39. In their ſilthineſſe is leudneſſe, their diſeaſe is complicate, it is the leproſie in the head, it breaketh forth in their forehead, and my people love to have it ſo:Jer. 5.31. but what will they do in the end thereof? Ephraim here diſcovereth a headſtrong wilfulneſſe that was uncounſellable, uncureable. He runs away after conviction, with the bit between his teeth, as it were: he runs, I ſay, upon the rock. Am. 6.12. where he firſt breaketh his hoofes, and then his neck. Some grow deſperately ſinfull, like thoſe Italian Senatours, that deſpairing of their lives, (when upon ſubmiſſion they had been promiſed their lives, yet) being conſcious of their villany, made a curious banquet; and at the end thereof every man drank up his glaſſe of poyſon, and killed himſelf. So men feeling ſuch horrible hard hearts, and privie to ſuch notorious ſins, they caſt away ſouls and all for luſt; and periſh wofully, becauſe they lived deſperately, and ſo ſecurely. It is a fearfull ſigne of reprobation, when Gods means and medicines do men no good, but hurt rather: when Phyſick which ſhould remove the diſeaſe, doth cooperate with it, then death comes with the more pain and ſpeed. The ſtronger the conviction of ſin is, the deeper will be the wrath againſt it, if it be not by repentance avoided.

for they commit falſehood,] They do not the truth, 1 Joh. 1.6. but deal falſely, Ier. 6.13. every one of them,Aſſuunt mendacium mendacio. from the Prophet, even to the Prieſt: they work a deceitfull work, Prov. 11.18. their bellies prepare deceit, Iob 15.35. they have an art in lying, in ſtitching one lie to another, as the word ſignifieth, Pſal. 119.69. Idolatry is a reall lie, as ſhe in the book of Martyrs anſwered the Doctour, that asked her, Doſt thou beleeve that the body of Chriſt is in the Sacrament of the Altar really and ſubſtantially? I beleeve ſaid ſhe, that ſo to hold, is a reall lie, and a ſubſtantiall lie. Theſe Idolaters having plaied falſe with God, and treacherouſly dealt with him, what wonder though they lie, deceive, rob, ſpoil, both within doors and without, in private negotiations, and publike tranſactions? but eſpecially forge lies againſt thoſe that withſtood their ſuperſtitious vanities, and prey upon their goods; as Heb. 10.34. Sublata pietate tollitur fides, is a truth irrefragable. Take away piety, and fidelity is gone: as we ſee in that unrighteous Judge, Luke 18.2. and as Abraham concluded of the men of Gerar, Gen. 20.11. and laſtly, as Conſtantinus Chlorus, the father of Conſtantine the Great, experimented in his own Councellours, and Courtiers: whence that famous Maxime of his, recorded by Euſebius: He cannot be faithfull to me, who is unfaithfull to God; religion being the ground of all true fidelity and loyalty.