HOSANNA, a Hebrew word, signifying save now, or save, we beseech thee; from the frequent use of which, during the feast of tabernacles, the whole solemnity got the appellation of Hosanna Rabbi. HOSE, from the Saxon Hofa, a flocking. See STOCKING. HOSEA, a canonical book of the Old Testament, so called from the prophet of that name, its author, who was the son of Beri, and the first of the lesser prophets. He lived in the kingdom of Samaria, and delivered his prophecies under the reign of Jeroboam II. and his successors, kings of Israel; and under the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. His principal design is to publish the gross idolatries of the people of Israel and Judah, to denounce the divine vengeance against them, and to foretell the captivity in Assyria. In the beginning of Hosea's prophecy, we read that the Lord directed him to take unto him a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms; that is, to marry a woman of a bad life. This was designed as a figurative description of the idolatry and infidelity of Samaria and the ten tribes, formerly the Lord's spouse, but afterwards become adulterous and corrupt. Many interpreters, shocked at the irregularity of this marriage of the prophet, fancy that it only passed in vision; whilst others think, that the marriage was real, though figurative of the things it described, and which were afterwards to be performed. HOSPINIAN (Rodolphus), one of the greatest writers that Switzerland has given birth to. He was born in 1547, at Altorf near Zurich; obtained the freedom of Zurich; and was made provisor of the abbey school. Notwithstanding this employment, he undertook a noble work of vast extent, which was a History of the Errors of Popery. Though he could not complete this work according to his plan, he published some considerable parts of it: what he published on the Eucharist, and another work called Concordia Discors, exceedingly exasperated the Lutherans. He did not reply to them; but turning his arms against the Jesuits, published Historia Jesuitica, &c. These writings gained him preferment; he being appointed archdeacon of Caroline church, and then minister of the abbey-church. He died in 1626; and there was an edition of his works published at Geneva 1681, in seven volumes in folio.