John Trapp on Hosea 8:11

Verſe 11. Becauſe Ephraim hath made many altars to ſinne,] Becauſe he hath multiplied altars againſt Gods expreſſe command, Lev. 17.3, &c. Deut. 12.5, &c. Joſh. 22.22. Jer. 11.13. and that, to ſinne: as if it were on purpoſe to croſſe and provoke the Lord to anger, by their ſuperſtitions and will-worſhip, and to deſpite him with ſeeming honours (for diſpleaſing ſervice is double diſhonour) therefore he ſhall have enough of it, ere I have done with it. He ſhall be given up to a reprobate ſenſe: that going on from one ſin to another, he may fill up his meaſure, till wrath come upon him to the utmoſt. Per quod quis peccat, per idem punitur & i[illegible: 1 letter]ſe. Idolatry is ſinne with an accent, wickedneſſe with a witneſſe, 1 King. 15.30, 34. & 16.2. 1 King. 12.30. & 13.35. and ſhall be puniſhed accordingly: for ſo the Chaldee paraphraſeth here; Becauſe they have multiplied their altars for ſin, the altars of their idols ſhall be their ruine: there is one Hebrew word for ſin and puniſhment: ſinne hales hell at the very heels of it, as One ſaith wittily. Polanus upon this Text, hath theſe three profitable Obſervations. Firſt, that as in the old Teſtament, one onely altar was ſet up by Gods command in the Tabernacle and Temple: ſo alſo in the new Teſtament, we have no other altar but Chriſt, Heb. 13.10. Iren. lib. 4. contra haereſ. cap. 34. Secondly, as the Iſraelites ſinned in multiplying altars: ſo do the Papiſts moſt grievouſly, in that not content with Chriſt and his ſatisfactory ſacrifice alone, they ſet up other altars, and bring in other expiatory ſacrifices. Thirdly, as the Iſraelites made many altars to ſinne, though they pretended good intention and devotion: So the Papiſts at this day multiply altars (even hundreds in ſome one Church in Rome) to ſinne, though they falſly pretend their good intention therein, and the preſervation and augmentation of Gods ſervice.