John Trapp on Hosea 9:13

Verſe 13. Ephraim, as I ſaw Tyrus, is planted in a pleaſant place:] And therefore pleaſeth himſelf as not forſaken of God. But He maybe angry enough with thoſe that yet outwardly proſper: As he was with the old world buried in ſecurity:Herod. l. 1. Plin. l. 6. cap. 26. with ſodom, who had fulneſſe of bread, and abundance of idleneſſE: with the land of Shinar (where Babel was built, Gen. 11.) fruitfull beyond credulity, as Herodotus and Pliny teſtifie, with Tyrus a maritine and magnificent city, planted in a pleaſant place, in the very heart of the Sea; as Venice is at this day, mediâ inſuperabilis undâ, environed with her embracing Neptune, to whom (as the ceremony of her throwing a ring into the Sea implies) ſhe marrieth her ſelf with yearly Nuptials, and hath for her Motto, Nec fluctu, nec flatu movetur, Nor windes, nor waves can ſtir her. Of the pomp, pride, and populouſneſſe of Tyrus read Ezech. 26, 27, & 28. chapters. Lo ſuch a one was Ephraim, when ripe for ruine, near to an utter downfall. What can be more fair and flouriſhing then a corn-field, or vineyard, a little afore the harveſt, the vintage? Phyſicians ſay, that the uttermoſt degree of bodily health is next unto ſickneſſe. Glaſſe, or other metals caſt into the fire, ſhine moſt, when ready to melt and run. This was Tyrus caſe, this was Ephraims, pleaſantly planted, but marked out for deſtruction: as a Carpenter cometh to a Wood, and with his Ax marketh out the faireſt trees for felling. Ephraim is the worſe becauſe he ſeeth Tyrus yet proſper. But God will take that from heathen Tyrus, that he will not take from Ephraim: and the ſun-ſhine of proſperity doth but ripen the ſins of them both for divine vengeance.

They ſhall bring forth children to the murtherers.] As to Gods executioners: and ſo ſhew themſelves not parents, but parricides: becauſe they betray their children (as Babel did, by her idolatry, Pſal. 137.8. and Eſay 13.8.) into the hands of the enemy. Wherein they are more cruell then that falſe School-maſter in Italy (mentioned by Livy and Florus) that brought forth his ſcholars (the flower of the Nobility and Gentry there) to Hannibal: who if he had not been more mercifull then otherwiſe, they had all been murthered. But what ſhall we ſay of ſuch wretched parents, as bring forth children to that old man-ſlayer the devil? and how ſhall ſuch undone children curſe their careleſſe parents in hell, throughout all eternity? If the Lord alſo could ſay of thoſe poor children that were ſacrificed to Moloch (the Chaldee paraphraſe underſtands this Text of thoſe children) Thou haſt ſlain my children, and delivered them, to cauſe them to paſſe thorow the fire for them (namely for the images of the foreſaid idols) Ezek. 16.27. what will he ſay, or rather what will he not ſay, to thoſe bloody parents, that carry their children with them, to Satans ſlaughter-houſe?