John Trapp on Zechariah 5:3

Verſe 3. This is the curſe] Or oath, with execration and curſing. Num. 5.21. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. ut & A[illegible: 1 letter]. Graecè, juramentum et execrationem ſignificat. Mercer. Curſing men are curſed men, and God hath ſworn that ſwearers ſhall not enter into his reſt.

that goeth forth] yea flyeth, verſe 2. more ſwift then an eagle, an arrow, a flaſh of lightening. Or, if not, yet Poena venit gravior, quo magè ſera venit.

over the face of the whole earth] Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoul of man that doth evil: but of the Jew ſirſt, (Ingentia beneficia flagitia, ſupplicia) who is therefore the worſe, becauſe he ought 'to have been better; and then,Rom. 2.9. of the Gentile alſo. Theodoret, Lyra, and Vatablus think that Iudaea is hinted in the meaſure of the book (twenty cubites long, and ten broad) as being twice ſo long (and ſomewhat more) as it is broad: witneſſe Hierom in his Epiſtle to Dardanus. Epiſt. 129. But let the whole earth here be taken in its utmoſt latitude, ſith the Gentiles that ſinne without the Law, are yet liable to the puniſhments of the Law. And ſome of them by the light of Nature ſaw the evil of ſwearing: but all generally of ſtealing; but eſpecially of perjury and ſacriledge, here principally meant. Confer Mal. 3.8. Neh. 13.10.

for every one that ſtealeth ſhall be cut off] By ſtealing underſtand all ſins againſt the ſecond Table: as by ſwearing, all againſt the firſt: and ſo the ſenſe is the ſame with that of the Apoſtle, Every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience receiveth a juſt recompence of reward Heb. 2.2. And curſed is every one, that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them, Gal. 3.10. Howbeit becauſe theſe two ſins were more frequently and more impudently committed in thoſe dayes, therefore are they (by a ſpecialty) inſtanced. The Jewes comming poor out of Babylon, held it no great ſin to ſteal for ſupply of their neceſſities: and then to forſwear themſelves for the better hiding of their theft, Give me not poverty, ſaid holy Agur, leſt being poore I ſteale, and (as one ſin drawes on another) I take the name of my God in vaine Prov. 30.9. See the Note there. Hunger is an evill counſellour, neceſſity an hard weapon, a ſore temptation: when it comes to this, Either I muſt ſteale or ſtarve. But then to this muſt be oppoſed that of the law, Thou ſhalt in no caſe ſteals. Thou muſt rather dye then do wickedly. Aut faciendum aut patiendum, Either obey the law, or ſuffer the curſe.

as on this ſide according to it] i. e. According to the curſe, deſcribed in the rowle, the theeſ ſhall be cut off as well as the ſwearer: they ſhall ſpeed alike. The tares ſhall be bound up in bundles, theeves with theeves, and ſwearers with ſwearers, and burnt in the fire Mat. 13.30, 40. According to the prediction ſhall be the execution. Whether on this ſide, that is in Judea (ſo ſome ſenſe it) or on that ſide, in other parts of the world, ſuch perſons appeare, they ſhall have their payment.

and every one that ſweareth Not only falſely as verſe 4. but lightly, vainely, cauſeleſly, in jeſt and not in judgement: whether by God, or by creatures and qualities; Judaeis & Phariſaeis vulgare vitium, ſaith Paraeus on Iam. 5.12. a common fault among the Jewes and Phariſees Mat. 5.34, 35. and 23.16.18. See the Notes there. Among the Chriſtians in Chryſoſtomes time, as appeares by his many ſermons againſt it at Antioch. And in theſe dayes, if ever, becauſe of oaths the land mourneth, God hath a controverſie Hoſ. 4.1, 2. We have lived to ſee iniquity in the fulneſſe of oaths and blaſphemies unparaleled darted with helliſh mouths againſt God and our Saviour ſo ordinarily and openly, that ſome of them are become very interjections of ſpeech to the vulgar, and other ſome meer phraſes of gallantry to the braver. I knew a great ſwearer (ſaith a great Divine) who comming to his death-bed Satan ſo filled his heart with a madded and enraged greedineſſe after that moſt gaineleſſe,Bol[illegible: 1 letter]on. and pleaſureleſſe ſin: that though himſelf ſwore as faſt and as furiouſly as he could, yet (as though he had bin already among the bannings and blaſphemies of hell) he deſperatly deſired the ſtanders by to help him with oaths, and to ſwear for him.