John Trapp on Zechariah 12:3

Verſe 3. I will make Jeruſalem a burdenſome ſtone] Such a ſtone as that wherewith the woman brake Abimelech his brainpan, at the tower of Thebez, Judg. 9.53. He had ſlain all his brethren upon one ſtone, verſe 5. he receives therefore his deaths-wound by a ſtone: and that by the hand of a woman, which was his greateſt grief. The like death befell Pyrrhus, king of Epirotes, ſlain at the ſiege of Argos, with a tyle thrown by a woman from the wall. So was Earl Simon Mountfort, that bloody perſecutour of the Albigenſes in Irance. A woman diſcharged an engine at him,Cades Juſtif. of the Church. from the walls of Tholouſe, and by a ſtone parted his head from his ſhoulders. The virgin daughter of Zion ſhall do as much as all this comes to for her beſiegers: though all the people of the earth be gathered together againſt her. For why? ſhe hath a ſtrong champion; that, in maintaining her quarrell, will daſh them to pieces, and grind them to powder, Luke 20.18. They are no more able to ſtand before him, then a glaſſe-bottle before a cannon-ſhot. Hence her confidence, her laughing and ſhaking her head by way of deriſion at her ſtouteſt enemies, Eſay 37.22. She knows that all that burden themſelves with her ſhall be cut in pieces. Hamans wife could tell ſo much. If Mordecai (ſaid ſhe) be of the ſeed of the Jews,Eſih. 5.13 before whom thou haſt begun to fall, thou ſhalt not prevail againſt him, but ſhalt ſurely fall before him. A Jew may-fall before a Ferſian, and get up and prevail. But if a Perſian, or whoſoever of the Gentiles begin to ſall before a Jew, he can neither ſtay, nor riſe. There is an inviſible hand of omnipotency that ſtrikes in for his own: and confounds their oppoſites. That little ſtone cut out without hands, (Chriſts humane nature is called a tabernacle not made with hands, not of this building, Heb. 9.11. that is, not by an ordinary courſe of generation) ſmiteth the four mighty Monarchies, and crumbleth them to crattle, Dan. 2.34. Hierom upon this text (and after him other Interpreters, both Ancient and Modern) tell us that the Holy Ghoſt here alludeth to a certain exerciſe, or game, uſed much among the Jews, namely to take up a great round ſtone for the triall of a mans ſtrength; lifting it up from the ground, ſometimes to the knees, ſometimes to their navels, ſometimes to their breaſts, and ſometimes as high as their heads, or above their heads. At which ſport many times they did grievouſly hurt themſelves, or at leaſt ſcarify and make cuts in their fleſh. See Levit. 21.5. where the ſame word is uſed. The Churches enemies ſhall ſtrive, and try who ſhall do her moſt hurt: but the ſtouteſt of them all ſhall be fooled and foiled in the end. The irrepairable ruine of Rome is graphically deſcribed and even ſet forth to the eye (Rev. 18.21.) by a notable gradation. An Angel, a mighty Angel taketh a ſtone, a great ſtone, which he not onely caſteth, but thruſteth into the bottom of the ſea, whence it cannot be boyed up. This Angel might well be Luther, (with his Book de captivitate Babylonica: confer Jer. 51.63.) whom God ſtrangely preſerved from the rage of Rome and Hell: like as he did from that deadly danger by the fall of a ſtone, whereof Mr. Fox writeth thus.Acts & Mon. Upon a time, ſaith He, when Luther was ſitting in a certain place upon a ſtool ſtudying; a great ſtone there was in the Vault over his head where he ſate: which being ſtaid miraculouſly ſo long as he was ſitting, aſſoon as hee was up, immediately fell upon the place where he ſat, able to have cruſht him in pieces, if it had light upon him. But no malice of man or devil could antedate his end a minute, whileſt his Maſter had work for him to do: as the two witneſſes could not bee killed till their buſineſſe was diſpatched, Rev. 11.7.