John Trapp on Hosea 8:14

Verſe 14. For Iſrael hath forgotten his maker,] Not more his Factour, then his Benefactour, as 1 Sam. 12.6. the Lord made Moſes, and Aaron, i. e. he advanced them to that honour in his Church. So our Saviour is ſaid to have made twelve, when he ordained them to the Apoſtleſhip, Mar. 3.14. And the Apoſtle ſaith of Iſrael, that God exalted the people, when they dwelt as ſtrangers in the land of Egypt, Acts 13.17. ſc. to the priviledge of his peculiar people, the poſſeſſion of the promiſed land, the cuſtody of his Oracles, and ſervices, &c. beſides the many benefits and deliverances wrought for them. All which they are ſaid to have forgotten. 1. Becauſe they laid them not to heart, ſee Eſay 57.11. they ſaw not God in them: 2. Becauſe their lives were not anſwerable: they walked not worthy of ſuch a God: but ſaid (in effect) We are delivered to do all theſe abominations, Jer. 7.10. God challengeth remembrance, and well he may, Eccleſ. 12.1. for he hath created us for his glory, Eſay 43.7. he hath formed us, yea he hath made us, (as it followeth there, and all that we might remember him) the word (made) is uſed for a degree of grace after creation. Thoſe that are his workmanſhip, his attificiall facture created in Chriſt Jeſus (who is the beginning of this creation of God, Rev. 3.14.) unto good works, Epheſ. 2.10. if ever they ſhould forget God, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. (which is the character of a wicked man, Pſal. 50.22.) if they ſhould forſake God that made them, and lightly eſteem the Rock of their ſalvation; as Solomon did the Lord that had appeared unto him twice; if they ſhould not prefer him above their chief joy,Deut. 32.15. or make him aſcent above the head of their joy (as the Hebrew hath it, Pſal. 137.6.) and ſet him over all, as Pharaoh did Joſeph (cauſing Sun moon, and ſtarres to do obeyſance to him) I mean all their naturall, morall, temporall, and ſpirituall abilities to bee ſubject and ſerviceable to him, he would have an unanſwerable action againſt them, and both heaven and earth would have cauſe to bluſh at their disingenuity, and unthankfulneſſe. Let it ever be remembred, that of all things God cannot abide to be forgotten.

and buildeth temples;] To God, no doubt; and yet becauſe they worſhipped him not in his own way, they are ſaid to have forgotten him: So do Papiſts in all their ſtructures, vowed preſents, and memories (as they call them.) In king Stevens time here, notwithſtanding all the miſeries of warre, there were more Abbeys built, then in an hundred years before. But who required thoſe things at their hands? Chriſtus opera noſtra non tam actibus quam finibus penſat. Zanch. Now the end why thoſe Temples and Monaſteries were built, appears in ſtories to be pro remiſſione & redemptione peccatorum, pro remedio & liberatione animae: pro amore coeleſtis patriae: in honorem glorioſae Virginis, in eleemoſynam animae, &c. for remiſſion of ſins,Acts & Mon. pag. 1077. redemption of ſouls, honour of the Virgin Mary, and other ſuperſtitious ends and uſes.

and Iudah hath multiplied fenced cities:] As thinking thereby to fence themſelves againſt Gods wrath, to mott themſelves up againſt his fire, that had burnt up the ten tribes, and threatened them. Strong cities and munitions may be lawfully built; but then their foundations muſt not be laid upon fire-works. If ſin be at the bottom (as the voice from heaven is ſaid to have told Phocas) though they build as high as heaven,Niceph. it will not do. Babylons thick wals and large proviſions could not ſecure her from the enemy: Samaria held out for two or three yeers, but was ſurprized at laſt by the Aſſyrian: ſo was Jeruſalem by the Babylonians, and then by the Romanes, Eſay. 22.8, 9, 10, &c. great fault is found with this people for their war-like preparations with neglects of God, verſ. 11. and of deep and down-right humiliation, verſ. 12, 13, 14. The name of the Lord is the ſtrongeſt tower, Prov. 18.10. But curſed is he that maketh fleſh his arm, that truſteth in men though never ſo great, or means though never ſo likely, Jer. 17.5. thoſe were never true to thoſe that truſted them. The Jebuſites were beaten out of their fort, though they preſumed it impregnable. The men of Shechem were fired out, Judg. 9.49. ſo ſhall Judah be: for,

I will ſend a fire upon his cities, and it ſhall devour the palaces thereof,] The enemy did this, but not without the Lord; who cannot b[illegible: 1 letter]ook it that men ſhould thruſt in palaces and ſtrong-holds: and as Luthyer well obſerveth, in this whole chapter is fully ſet forth whence it is, that ſtrong Palaces and flouriſhing kingdoms come to nought; it is becauſe men believe not in God, but truſt to their own ſtrength, Deut. 28.52. they fortifie themſelves againſt an enemy, but do not parifie God; diſpleaſure; who is himſelf a devouring fire, and can quickly quaſh all our forces, and confute our confidences.