John Trapp on Zechariah 5:4

Verſe 4. I will bring it forth] ſc. out of my treaſuries or ſtore-houſes of plagues and puniſhments Deut. 32.34. Or, That which thou haſt ſeen in viſion, I will put in action: I will produce it into the open light, into the theatre of the world: their faults ſhall be written in their foreheads, their ſins ſhall go before to judgement, my viſible vengeance ſhall overtake them.

and it ſhall enter into the houſe of the theef] which he calleth his caſtle: and where he thinks himſelf moſt ſecure, as out of the reach of Gods rod: as i[illegible: 1 letter] he could mot up himſelf againſt Gods fire. But what faith Bildad? His confidence ſhall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it ſhall bring him to the king of terrours. It ſhall dwell in his tabernacle, becauſe it is none of his: brimſtone ſhall be ſcattered upon his habitation, Iob 18.14, 15. ſo, that if the fire of Gods wrath do but touch it, all's on a light flame.A. Gell. He will unkennel theſe foxes: and drag (acus out of his denn, to his deſerved puniſhment. Diocleſian the Perſecutour (one of thoſe Latrones publici, Euſub: de vit. Conſt. lib. 5. as Cato called them) giving over his Empire, after that he had ſufficiently feathered his neſt; decreed to lead the reſt of his life quietly. But he eſcaped not ſo: for after that, his houſe was wholy conſumed with lightening and a flame of fire that fell from heaven, he hiding himſelf, for fear of the lightening, died within a while after.

and into the houſe of him that ſweareth falſely by my name] Hence Ribera gathereth that by the whole earth in the former verſe is meant Judaea only: becauſe none but Jewes ſwore by the name of the true God, who is indeed the proper object of an oath Eſay 65.16. Ier. 12.6. Howbeit in lawfull contracts with an Infidel or Idolater, oaths by falſe gods may be admitted, and are binding. As for perjury, it is a provoking ſin; as containing three great evils. 1. The uttering or upholding of a lie. 2. The calling upon God to teſtifie and juſtifie a lie. 3. The praying for a curſe upon a mans ſelf: and beſeeching God to be a ſwift witneſſe againſt him, Mal. 3. as he was indeed againſt Zedekiah, Narciſſus in the eccleſiaſticall hiſtory, Earle Godwin in Polydor Virgil, Rodulphus Duke of Suevia, Ladiſlatis king of Hungary, Dr. London (Act. and Mon. fol. 1114.) Richard Long a ſouldier at Callice in K. Henry the 8. dayes: who depoſing falſely againſt Will: Smith Curat of Callice, ſhortly after, upon a diſpleaſure of his wife,Act. and Ma[illegible: 1 letter]. fol. 1117. deſperately drowned himſelf. And within the memory of man Feb. 11. An. Dom. 1574. Anne Averies forſwore, her ſelf at a ſhop in woodſtreet London; praying God ſhe might ſink where ſhe ſtood if ſhe had not paid for the wares ſhe took. Hereupon ſhe fell down preſently ſpeechleſſe, and with horrible ſtench died.

and it ſhall remaine in the middeſt of his houſe] And be a troubleſome inmate with him, ſuch as he cannot rid his hands of though never ſo fain: there it ſhall rooſt and reſt, in deſpite of him. If it diſtaſt not his dough or empty his basket, yet will it fill his ſtore with ſtriſe, or mix the wrath of God with his ſweet morſels: his meate ſhall be fauced, his drink ſpiced, as Iob 20.23. It is a moth in his wardrobe, murraine among his cattle, mildew[illegible: 1 letter]in his field, rot amongſt his ſheep, and oft-times maketh the fruit of his loines his greateſt heart-break.

with the timher thereof and the ſtones thereof] As in caſe of treaſon or other horrible c[illegible: 1 letter]i[illegible: 1 letter]nes, the very houſes of the offendours;Illam domum in qua fuerit inventus haereticus diruendam decernimus. were pulied down and made a jakes, Dan. 2.5. and 3.29. The Popiſh Councell of Tholoſe gathered together againſt thoſe Ancient Proteſtants the Alpigenſes, made a decree, that the very houſe wherein an heretick was found, ſhould be pulled down. The Mannour-houſe of Milcot in Warwick-ſhire, built by Lodovike Greevill deeply guilty of theſe two grand evils mentioned in the text, and lately burnt to the ground, is commonly lookt upon as a ſpeaking monument of Gods juſt judgement againſt Sacriledge and Perjury: whether men perſonally commit theſe ſins or love them in others Zach. 1.17. Rev. 22.15.