\\INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 7\\

This chapter either begins a new sermon, discourse, or prophecy, or it
is a continuation of the former; at least it seems to be of the same
argument with the latter part of it, only it is directed to Israel
alone; and consists of complaints against them because of their
manifold sins, and of denunciations of punishment for them. They are
charged with ingratitude to God, sinning in a daring manner against
mercy, and with falsehood, thefts, and robberies, \\#Ho 7:1\\; with want of
consideration of the omniscience of God, and his notice of their sins,
which surrounded them, \\#Ho 7:2\\; with flattery to their king and
princes, \\#Ho 7:3\\; with adultery, which lust raged in them like a heated
oven, \\#Ho 7:4\\; with drunkenness, aggravated by drawing their king into
it, \\#Ho 7:5\\; with raging lusts, which devoured their judges, made their
kings to fall, and brought on such a general corruption, that there
were none that called upon the Lord, \\#Ho 7:6,7\\; with mixing themselves
with the nations of the earth, and so learning their ways, and bringing
their superstition and idolatry into the worship of God, so that they
were nothing in religion, like a half baked cake, \\#Ho 7:8\\; with
stupidity and insensibility of their declining state, \\#Ho 7:9\\; with
pride, impenitence, and stubbornness, \\#Ho 7:10\\; with folly, in seeking
to Egypt and Assyria for help, and not to the Lord; for which they
would be taken as birds in a net, and sorely chastised, \\#Ho 7:11,12\\;
with ingratitude, hypocrisy, and deceitfulness; for all which they are
threatened with destruction, \\#Ho 7:13-16\\.