John Trapp on Hosea 7:13

Verſe 13.Na[illegible: 1 letter]edu, Wo unto them, for they have fled from me:] As Cain (the devils Patriarch) did when he went out from the preſence of the Lord, in his fathers family, into the land of Nod, Gen. 4.16. being himſelf a Nad, that is, a runnagate, verſe 12. of the ſame root, that is here made uſe of in the Text. Now as that land took name of Cain, and his wofull ſtate therein, ſo is every land and place a Nod to Apoſtates: and St. Iude throws a Wo after them, Wo unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, Iude 11. that is, they have wickedly departed from God, and his bleſſing, and gotten into the worlds warme ſunne: yea, they not onely go from God, but flee from him in hurry-haſt, as from an enemy; a metaphor from birds flying amain, Prov. 27.8. As a bird that wandreth from her neſt, (where God took order for her ſecurity, Deut. 22.6, 7.) ſo is a man that wandereth from his place (how much more from his God, that Infinite good?) expoſed to miſery and miſchief, to ruth and ruine. Wo to ſuch, yea double wo: Wo and alas: deſtruction to ſuch, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and devaſtation, as the word ſignifieth. Perdition and deſtruction, as the Apoſtle phraſeth it, 1 Tim. 6.9. whereby is meant, remedileſſe miſery, miſchief without meaſure, torments without end, and paſt imagination. This truth muſt be told, how ever it be taken; that wicked men may not periſh without warning. Toothleſſe truths, and ſilken words, would better pleaſe people who are moſt of them ſick of a Noli me tangere, and cry out againſt theſe fierce Preachers, that come with their Wo unto them, Deſtruction unto them, &c. This is the way, ſay they, to drive men into utter deſpair. We anſwer; Firſt, if it ſhould be ſo, yet that is not the proper effect of the Word ſo diſpenſed; but to a bate the pleaſure that reprobates take in ſin, and to reſtrain them from outrage: that they deſpair, it proceeds meerly from their own corruption and guiltineſſe. They reply, that it comes rather from the ſeverity of the Teachers, who ſet themſelves to preach damnation, and utter terrible things. Secondly, therefore we anſwer; that the mad world (ever beſide it ſelf in point of ſalvation) is herein very much miſtaken. Let them give us an inſtance of any one that was ever driven to deſpair by the ſincere preaching of the word: and yet for one bitter word given by us, the Prophets gave ten. This whole Prophecy of Hoſea is much more Comminatory then Conſolatory. God himſelf comes here with Wo unto them, Deſtruction to them. Indeed by this patheticall exclamation, he declareth his affection toward them whom he threatneth: and how little delight he takes, either in their deſtruction, or in ſuch denunciations thereof: And ſo muſt Gods Miniſters, &c.

Becauſe they have tranſgreſſed againſt me:] This is a new degree of their Apoſtaſie from God. Wicked men and deceivers grow worſe and worſe, and adde rebellion to ſin. As a ſtone will fall down to come to its center, though it break it ſelf in twenty pieces: ſo will Apoſtates, till they come to their own place with Judas: they ceaſe not till they become altogether filthy, Pſal. 53.3. as the dog at his vomit, or the ſow in her ſlow, 2 Pet. 2.22. It fareth with ſuch as in that caſe, Lev. 13.18, 19, 20. If a man had a bile healed, and it afterwards brak out, it proved the plague of leproſie.

Though I have redeemed them, yet they have ſpoken lies againſt me.] All was done againſt God, whence the word me, is ſo often inculcated in this and the next verſe. God is, as it were, a ſufferer in all the ſins of the ſonnes of men: and this is no ſmall aggravation of the evil of ſin, that it ſtrikes at Gods face, lifts at his throne, makes to his diſhonour Thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſinnes, and wearied me with thine iniquities, Eſay 43.23. And to ſhew this to be ſo, it was, that the offendour was confined to the city of refuge, during the High-prieſts life;Godw. Antiq. Heb. p. 98. as being the chief God on earth. Good David was very ſenſible of this, and much humbled, when he ſaid, Againſt thee, thee onely have I ſinned, Pſal. 51.14. The treſpaſſe was againſt Ʋriah, but the tranſgreſſion againſt God, ſo gracious a God; and there lay the pinch of his grief: viz. the unkindneſſe that was in his ſinne. Therefore alſo Moſes, in his ſwan-like-ſong, ſets on this humbling conſideration, Deut. 32.6. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh people and unwiſe? Is not hee thy Father? and wilt thou kick againſt his naked bowels? haſt no where elſe to hit him but there? Again, Is not he thy Redeemer, that hath bought thee, and brought thee out of the iron furnace, where thou labouredſt in the very fire, and waſt wearied out with unſufferable ſervitude? More, hath he not made thee, and doſt thou rebell againſt thy Maker, thy Maſter? Or, hath he not made thee, that is, exalted thee: in which ſence, he is ſaid to have made Moſes and Aaron, 1 Sam. 12.6. that is, to have advanced them to that honour in his Church: and ſo we ſay, Such an one is made for ever. Laſtly, hath he not eſtabliſhed thee, that thou mighteſt abide in his grace, and remain unmoveable? And doſt thou yet evil requite him, &c. To render good for evil, is Divine; good for good, is humane; evil for evil, is brutiſh; but evil for good, is devilliſh. See how grievouſly God taketh it here. Though I have redeemed them, viz. out of the hands of their enemies in generall, (See an ample proof hereof, Nehem. 9. and the whole book of Judges thorowout) and in ſpeciall, as a late particular mercy to Ephraim, I have delivered and proſpered them in their warres, under Ieroboam the ſonne of Ioaſh, 2 King. 14.27. and therefore they ſhould have given me their good word at leaſt, and ſpoken good of my Name: yet They have ſpoken lies againſt me.] Aſcribing the glory of their deliverances to their Idols, or arrogating it to themſelves, or fathering their falſe worſhip upon me as the Authour, or at leaſt, Abbettour thereof, by my preſent proſpering of them. See Ier. 7.10.