Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

HE teacheth, that the like shall befall to the fields and vines, namely, that the covetous shall not enjoy their revenues which they desire, because their lust is insatiable; yea so as by their ravening they shall destroy the fruits of the earth, even as certain beasts do cause the buds of the vine, and ears of corn to burn and moulder away by their breath. The fields therefore shall be so barren, that they shall hardly yield again the tenth part of their seed. The vines also shall yield very little wine. A bath, is a certain measure of moist things, as Josephus witnesseth; now it contains 72. english half pints, which measure is very little for ten acres, and principally in a fat soil. An omer, is a certain measure of dry things, and also contains (as the same Author saith) 31. bushels. Epha, is the tenth part thereof, whereby it appears that it contains a little more then three bushels. And yet notwithstanding in good ground one doth not only gather ten times as much, but thirty times more then was sown, and in ordinary ground much more then it received; when it comes otherwise to pass, no doubt it is a certain sign of the curse of God, who avengeth himself of the insatiable covetousness of men, and they notwithstanding lay the fault in the badness of the soil, as if that were the cause; but all in vain, because we shall not want overplus, if the Lord do not curse the earth for the covetousness of them that dwell in it. When they gather together, and heap up so carefully, what do they else but swallow up the benefits of God by their greediness? And though this vice be not seen in all, because they are not able; yet the affection thereof is not wanting, for the world was never more set on fire with this coveting. Is it any wonder then if it have experience of this punishment of God?