John Trapp on Ezekiel 2:6

Ver. 6. Be not afraid of them] Of their lordly looks (ſuch as Steven Gardiner ſet upon Dr. Taylour, and was well told of it) of their bitter ſcoffs, dreadful threats, as if they could undoe us at their pleaſure. Our times are in Gods hands: kill us they may, but hurt us they cannot. See Jer. 1.17. Matth. 10.25. When Bonner ſaid to Hawkes A faggot will make you turn;Act. & Mon. 1443. No, no, ſaid Hawkes, a point for your faggot, you ſhall do no more then God permitteth you, &c. A Miniſter of God ſhould live by faith, and not dye by fear: he ſhould make his hearers afraid of him rather, as Herod was of the Baptiſt, V[illegible: 1 letter]lens of Baſil, &c. When Eudoxia the Empreſſe threatned Chryſoſtom, Go tell her, ſaid he, that I fear nothing but ſin. I will rather chooſe to dye, ſaid Calvin, then comply with thoſe that refuſe to ſubmit to Church diſcipline.

Quaſi boves oeſtro agitati. Theodoret. Monitoribus aſperi. Hor. Semper in ictu eſt, Plin. l. 8. c. 29. Ferit obliquo ictu & inflexu. Though bryars (or rebels) and thorns be with thee] Refractarii & ſpinei, ſuch as thou canſt not handle without hurt, deal with without danger, 2 Sam. 23.6. Pſal. 55.21. & 58.10. Mic. 7.4. catching they are and ſcratching, as ſharp-pointed thorns, Num. 32.55.

And thou doſt dwell among ſcorpions] Which are moſt venemous and perilous creatures, joyned with fiery ſerpents, Deut. 8.15. Pliny ſaith, that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the ſting to do miſchief. It is alſo a crafty creature, & occultis machinationibus ferit. The Churches enemies are cruel-crafties, Neh. 4.11.

Be not afraid of their words] Their bubbles of words.

Nor be diſmaid at their looks] Their ſwellings and brow-beatings.

Though they be a rebellious houſe] A race of rebels.