SOme of the expositors do reade this sen∣tence together with the former, as if the Prophet should still go on in aggrauating of their fault in many words. If we receiue this sense, wee must vnderstand by these words person and man, all the Israelits: as if he should say, there is neither one nor other exempt, or innocent from this filthines. But others are of a better iudgement, which thinke the Prophet repeates that in other words, which he had said before; as touching the chastise∣ment: and that hereby he expresseth what a destruction should come vpon this people forsaken of God. And thus the tenure of the speech should agree very fitly: to wit, that the ruine of all both great and small, which should consume the whole people, drawes neere: because that in such an ouerflowing of vngodlines there was no hope of any re∣lease from Gods reuenging hand to bee loo∣ked for. Moreouer in these two verbes, To bow, and to humble, there is an elegant allu∣ding to the bowing of themselues, whereof he spake in the eight verse: as if hee should say, They haue bowed downe themselues to their idols: God will therefore cause them to be humbled and bowed downe vnder a ve∣rie heauie and great burthen of calamities and ruines. And withall, no doubt but hee also corrects their arrogancie: because it was hard for them to beleeue that a people furnished in such sort with so much riches, could so quickly be ouerwhelmed with mise∣ries.
The latter part of the verse is expounded two waies, although in respect of the sub∣stance there is no great choice which of them soeuer we take. For the meaning of the Pro∣phet is to teach, that God cannot be appea∣sed towards so obstinate a people. If we read it in the time to come, Thou wilt not pardon them, the sense will be the more easie; yet notwithstanding, the imprecation wil alwaies hold: to wit, pardon them not. For wee know that as oft as the Prophets (who were infla∣med with the zeale of God) did wish that some iudgement might come, they threat∣ned the iust punishment which the wicked were to receiue: as being the instruments of the holy Ghost; and no otherwise. And it is no meruaile, if the Prophet being offended with so many abominable crimes, was in this manner kindled with zeale, that he appoints out his countrie to destruction, because no∣thing was more precious vnto him, then the sacred honour of God.
But we must alwaies vnderstand that the remainder and remnant of the Elect is to be excepted: for the Prophet speakes not here of all, one by one; but of the bodie of this people, which was almost rotted in their vi∣ces, so as there was no hope of health to bee