John Trapp on Hosea 8:13

Verſe. 13. They ſacrifice fleſh in the ſacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it;] q. d. They would ſeem not to have rejected the great things of my Law, nor to be ſuch ſtrangers thereunto; ſith they were much in ſacrificing according to the Law. But their hypocriſie is moſt hatefull:In decal. In that Firſt, they offer (with Cain) Non perſonam, ſed opus perſonae, as Luther ſaith; not themſelves, but their bare ſacrifices, Eſay 66.3. which is but as a brainleſſe head, and ſoul-leſſe body: it is but fleſh, as it is here called in contempt, and ſcorne. See the like, Jer. 7.21. Hoſ. 9.4. And think the ſame of all externall ſervices; ſi careant animâ ſuâ, id eſt rect â in Deum fide, & erectâ in illum mente, if not performed in faith and obedience. Secondly, They pretended to ſerve God, when indeed they onely ſerved their own bellies, as thoſe, Rom, 16.18. ſought their own ends, Phil. 2.21. catered for the fleſh, Rom. 13.14. inſigne donum quo afficior (as Luther Paraphraſeth the text) carnem offertis quam vos ipſi voratis, i. e. A goodly gift it is that you give mee, viz. the fleſh of your peace-offerings which your ſelves may feaſt with: and you therefore multiply ſacrifices that you may gorge your ſelves with good chear. Now one egge is not more like to another, then theſe old fleſh-mongers were to the Popiſh fleſh-flies at this day. It was an honeſt complaint of one of them; We, ſaith he, handle the Scripture, tantùm ut nos paſcat & veſtiat, onely that it may feed us, and cloath us. And it is evident to all the world, that their Maſſes, pilgrimages, feſtivals vowed preſents and memorials, &c. are onely to pamper their paunches: which made them ſo angry with Eraſmus, and Luther, for medling.

but the Lord accepteth them not,] How ſhould he (ſay) when there was nothing but fleſh, nothing but ſelf in them. See the like, Jer. 4.10. Am. 5.22. Eſay 1.10. where God telleth them, that their ſacrifices were grievous and offenſive to all his ſeveral ſenſes, nay to his very ſoul too. The ſacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8. yea though he bring it with never ſo good an intent, Pro. 21.27. how much more if he bring ex rapina holocauſtum, a ſacrifice of what he hath got by rapine and robbery? and ſo the Chaldee carrieth the ſence of the former words: the ſacrifices of mine offerings, quae collecta ſunt ex inj[illegible: 1 letter]ria, ſaith He, which were gathered and gotten by wrong-dealing: how then ſhould the Lord accept them?

now will he remember their iniquity,] Even while they are ſacrificing: let them not think to blinde his eyes with the ſmoak of their offerings, to ſtop his mouth with their rich gifts, and donaries: to bribe him into a connivency: to expiate and ſet off their ſinnes with their ſacrifices: for God will remember them, and puniſh them. Yea, now will he do it, in the time of their holy duties: he will come upon them then in his wrath,Luke 13. as Pilate came upon the Galileans, and mingled their blood with their ſacrifices. Sure it is that ſin (brought into Gods holy preſence) petitions againſt the ſinner, as Eſther did againſt Haman, at the banquet of wine: picks out the time of prayer and other duties to accuſe and call for vengeance.Eſth. 7.6. Take we heed, leſt while we are confeſſing our ſinnes, (which yet we cloſe with, and will not forſake) and judging our ſelves worthy to be deſtroyed, God ſay not, Out of thine owne mouth will I condemn thee, thou graceleſſe perſon, that haſt ſo much impudence as to bring thy Cozbi into my preſence, then; when all the people (as on a faſt-day) are weeping before the door of the Tabernacle.Lev. 10.3. God will be ſanctified of all that draw nigh unto him: one way or other he will be ſanctified, either in them, or on them. Of ſuch he ſaith, as Solomon once did of Adoniah, 1 King. 1.5[illegible: 1 letter]. If he ſhew himſelf a worthy man, there ſhall not an hair of his head fall to the earth: but if wickedneſſe ſhall be found in him, he ſhall die. If any defile the Temple of God,1 Cor. 3. him ſhall God deſtory.

they ſhall return to Egypt.] They had a minde to run thither for refuge: they ſent alſo to So king of Egypt for that purpoſe, 2 King. 17.4. Inſtead of making their peace with God, they betook themſelves to baſe ſhifts; and ſought help of the creature. This is the guiſe of graceleſſe men, when diſtreſſed.Rahab. But they ſhall ſoon have enough of Egypt, chap. 9.3, 6. Their ſtrength (or their Egypt) had been to have ſitten ſtill, in expectation of help from heaven, Eſay: 30.7.Deut. 28.6[illegible: 1 letter]. and to have conſidered that the laſt and greateſt curſe denounced againſt their diſobedience, was, And the Lord ſhall bring thee into Egypt, &c.