And [though] the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Ver. 20. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity.] Though he hold you to hard meat, and give you but prisoner's pittance, so much as will keep you alive only, and that you eat your meat with the peril of your lives; Emendicato pane hic vivamus, saith Luther; in our Father's house is bread, God's plenty.
Yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner.] Non alis se induent, they shall not take wing and fly from thee. The ministry is a sweet mercy, under what misery soever men do otherwise groan and labour. Corporeal wants are not much to be passed on, so the spiritual food be not wanting: a famine of the word is the greatest judgment. Amo 8:11 When the gospel was first preached there was great scarcity of bodily food, Revelation 6:6 Act 11:28 but that was scarce felt by those holy souls who did eat their meat, such as it was, with gladness and singleness of heart, accounting that bread and cheese with the gospel was good cheer. a
Thine eyes shall see thy teachers.] A description of holy hearers; their eyes are intent on the preacher's, their ears erect, their whole course conformed to the rule, quando lapsus tam in proclivi est b Isa 30:21 their dearest sins abandoned. Isa 30:22 Oh, for such hearers in these days!
“ Apparent rarl nantes in gurgite vasto. ”
a Greenham.
b Scultet.