John Trapp on Hosea 7:14

Verſe 14. And they have not cried unto me with their heart,] Hitherto hath been ſaid what they had done: now what they had not done. Omiſſions are ſins as well as commiſſions. Not ſerving of God, not ſacrificing is condemned, Mal. 3.18. Eccleſ. 9.2. Not robbing onely, but the not relieving of the poor, was the rich mans ruine. Omiſſion of diet breeds diſeaſes, and makes work for hell,Luke. 16. or for the Phyſician of our ſouls. It is the character of a graceleſſe man, that he calleth not upon God: And wee have too many of that profane Earl of Weſtmorelands mind, who ſaid, that he needed not to pray at all,Camd. Eliſa. for he had Tenants enow to pray for him. Some wicked pray (ſo as it is: indeed they Cant, or Charme, rather then pray, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Eſay 26.16 they powred forth a charme when they chaſtening was upon them) but they pray not with their heart. Their hearts are exerciſed with covetouſneſſe, 2 Pet. 2.14. and inhabited by the devil, Acts 5.3. Simon Magus his heart was not right with the Lord, Acts 8.21. How could it be, when it was in the gall of bitterneſſe, and bond of perdition, 23. as every unregenerate heart is? Hence though God be neer in their mouthes, yet he is far from their reins, Jer. 12.2. and though they honour him a little with their lips, yet their heart is farre from him, Matth. 15.8. A little artificiall breath they can give God; and that's all. The breath that comes from life is warm, (as that from the body) whereas artificiall breath is cold, as that from bellows. The deeper and hallower the belly of the Lute or Violl is, the pleaſanter is the ſound: the fleeter, the more grating and harſh in our ears. The voice which is made in the mouth, is nothing ſo ſweet as that which comes from the depth of the breaſt, Epheſ. 6.6. Do the will of God from the heart: ſerve God in the ſpirit, Rom. 1.9. Lift up hands and hearts to God in the heavens, Lam. 3.41. Lip-labour is but loſt-labour, yea it is ſin, Prov. 15.8. Diſpleaſing ſervice is double diſhonour; as diſſembled ſanctity is double iniquity. Theſe men cried, vociferabantur, voce ſtentorea ſonum edebant. They did ſet up their note, yea they howled upon their beds,] whereupon they had caſt themſelves, being ſick, not of wantonneſſe, as once Ahab was, but of want: which made them howl as dogs do, when tied up from their meat and hunger-bit: but were no more regarded then a dog that howleth, or then the Cuckow in June. For why?Jejelilu. They howled indeed to ſome tune, (as they ſay) the Hebrew word hath a letter more then ordinary, to note as much. It was the Heathen faſhion to cry hideouſly to their gods: as alſo the Indians do at this day. So did theſe, becauſe kept ſhort, and held to ſtrait allowance. It is ſaid of the Ravens of Arabia, that when they are hungry, they ſcreech horribly. And a Parrot when he is beaten, utters an hoarſe and harſh voice.Eſay 66.3. The ſongs of the Temple ſhall be howlings in that day, Amos 8.3. Their ſacrifices as the cutting off a dogs neck, which is not done without much howling and yelling.

They aſſemble themſelves,] ſc. To make publike ſupplication in their Idoltemples; called beds before, (as ſome conceive) becauſe as corporall fornication is committed in beds, ſo is ſpirituall in thoſe places of ſuperſtition. Here therefore they met; not ad ruminandum, (as the vulgar Latine) to feed as beaſts, nor to cut and lance themſelves as Baals prieſts did, (as the Septuagint) and the Heathens in great afflictions, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Deut. 14.1. But to howl for wheat, for provender, for provant:Inops Senatus auxilij humani ad Deos populum & vota convertit: omnia delubra implent, &c. Liv. lib. 3. as now the Papiſts do in their ſacra Ambarvalia: and as of old the Pagans did in time of extream famine, or other publike calamity. But as the graſhopper hops not much above the earth: and as vapours exhaled and drawn up by the Sun, do ſoon fall down again: ſo do droſſie and earthy hearts in prayers, they ſeldom riſe above corn and wine in their deſires. Si ventri bene, ſi lateri, as Epicurus in Horace. If the belly may be filled, the back fitted, their own turns ſerved, it's enough to them, whoſe belly is their God, and who mind earthly things onely. Which when they have once got, then they rebell againſt me,] they conſume it upon their luſt, James 4.2. and ſo fight againſt God with his own weapons, as Jehu did againſt Jehoram with his own men; they abuſe their ſtore to his diſhonour, like cornfed cattell they kick againſt their maſter; or as the young Mulet, that when ſhee hath ſuckt her fill kicks her damme: or as the wild-aſſe, that ſnuffes up the wind, and cannot be taken. Or ſecondly, they rebell after they have aſſembled themſelves, and made a ſhew of no ſmall devotion:Jer. 2. when once the duty is over, they go to their old courſes again, and undo all their prayers, as Jerem. 5.3. as if now they had prayed, they had purchaſed a licenſe to live as they liſt. Whereas duties ſhould mightily ingage us againſt ſin; and deliverances command obedience.