John Trapp on Zechariah 13:4

Verſe 4. The Prophets ſhall be aſhamed every one of his viſion] Of their Midianitiſh dreams, which they had firſt dreamed, and then told it for goſpel to their fond neighbours. They ſhall be ſo clearly convinced, that they ſhall bluſh and bleed to think how they have been beſotted, how many ſouls they have murdered, how oft they have even ſtradled over hell-mouth, and yet have been preſerved, 2 Theſſ. 2.10, 12. See the Note. This makes them ſhame, and ſhent themſelves in the preſence of God and his people,Ezra 9.6 ſaying, O my God, I am aſhamed, and bluſh to lift up my face to thee my God: for our imquities are increaſed over our head, and our guilt is grown up to the heavens. This was fulfilled in thoſe Scribes and Phariſees that afterwards became beleevers, and ſaid with Saint Paul, Beware of the conciſion. For we are the circumciſion, Philip. 3.2, 3 which worſhip God in the ſpirit, and rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus, and have no conſidence in the ſleſh. Luther revolted from the Popiſh religion which he had held and maintained, taking it for an honour to be called Apoſtate by them; that is, as he interpreted it, One that had fallen off from the devil. Bugenhagius when he firſt read Luthers book de captivitate Babylonica, pronounced it to be the moſt peſtilent piece that ever was publiſhed.Qui fidem diabolo datam uon ſervavit. But afterwards, when he had better conſidered, he grew aſhamed of that raſh cenſure, and proteſted that Luther onely was in the right; and all that held not the ſame that he did, were utterly deceived. Latimer was of the like mind after that he had once heard Bilneys confeſſion. Vergerius after he had read Luthers books with purpoſe to confute them. Denckius, and Hetſerus, two great Anabaptiſts in Germany, retracted their former falſe doctrines, and repented of their licentious and abominable practiſes.S[illegible: 1 letter]ultet. Annal. the former of them, being converted by Occolampadius, grew aſhamed of his pretended viſions, and died piouſly at Baſile. The later was beheaded at Conſtance for his multiplied adulteries:Ibid. which firſt he ſought to defend by Scripture, but afterwards died very penitently, confeſting his former filthineſſes, giving glory to God, and taking ſhame to himſelf. Theſe two were learned men, well skilled in the Hebrew: and had joyned their forces, in tranſlating the Prophets into the Dutch tongue. But, oh how few ſuch as theſe, and of that ſort of people ſhall a man meet with now-adayes? Copp indeed that Arch-Ranter, Venereus ille furcifer, & Cleri dehoneſtamentum, is ſaid to have newly ſet forth his Recantation, which I have not yet ſeen, and therefore cannot tell what to ſay to it. Onely I wiſh he deale not as Bernard Rotman that firſt Anabaptiſt, and Iſlebius Agricola that firſt Antinomian did in Germany: who both of them having condemned their own errours, and recanted them in a publike Auditory, printing their revocation:Sleidan. Horndorf. yet afterwards they relapſed into the ſame errours, and ſtoutly ſtood to them, when Luther was dead, and more Liberty was afforded. So hard a thing it is to get poiſon out, when once ſwallowed down; and having once ſaid yea to the devill, though but in a little, to ſay him nay again, when a man pleaſeth: ſuch a man eſpecially quem puduit non fuiſſe impudentem, Auguſtin. 2 Theſ. 2.12. who hath gloried in his ſhame, and taken pleaſure in his unrighteouſneſſe: qui noluit ſolita peccare, as Seneca ſaith of ſome in his time, that is, none of the ordinary ſort of ſinners, but hath ſought to out-ſin others, as unhappy boyes ſtrive who ſhall goe furtheſt in the dirt.

I will not ſay but ſuch, by the almighty power of God, may be reclaimed, and made to ſee that there is no fruit to be had of thoſe errours and enormities whereof they are now aſhamed,Rom. 6.21, 22 ſith the end of thoſe things (in the deſert of them) is death. But now being made free from ſin, and become ſervants to God, they will have very great cauſe to be thankfull to God for the cure: ſith Jealouſy, Frenſy, and Hereſy, are held hardly curable, the leproſy in the head concludes a man utterly uncleane, and excludes him the camp: Hereſy is by the Apoſtle compared to a precipice vortex or whirle-poole, that firſt turns a man round, and then ſucks him in: And by others to the Syrens bankes covered with dead mens bones, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Heb. 12.9. to Goodwins ſands that ſwallow up all ſhips that come neare them, or to the Harlots houſe whence few or none return alive Pro. 7.26, 27.