their trouble because God alwaies supplied them with some remedies for the asswaging of their sorrowes But in my iudgement the learned expositors haue hit the marke in taking the first sense wherein the Prophet testifies that God laid vpon himselfe the whole weight of the peoples burthen to comfort them in their calamities and anguishes Not that he can any way be grieued God no way touched with humane affections but hee attributes to himselfe humane passions by a figure much vsed Afterwards he manifests the effect of this care namely in that he alwaies saued them by his Angell whom hee calles the angell of his face because he was a witnesse of Gods presence and as it were his herald to execute his commandements The seruice of Angels To teach vs that the Angels runne not before they bee sent neither that they intrude themselues into this office of succoring vs by any priuate motion of their owne For the Lord vseth their seruices and manifests his presence to vs by their meanes The Angels can doe nothing of themselues neither doe they yeeld vs any succour further forth then as the Lord sends them to bee the Ministers of our saluation Heb. 1.14 Les vs not stay our thoughts vpon them then seeing their office is only to lead vs directly vnto God If any had rather say that the liuely image of God is here noted out by this Angell who being the conducter and protector of the people did therein openly manifest the face and presence of Gâd as in a glasse such a sense will not be amisse And for my part I doubt not but that the office of sauing ought to be attributed vnto Christ Mal. 3.1 who as we know is the great Angell of the couenant vnder whose leading sauegard and protection the Church hath euer hitherunto been vpheld in safetie In his loue he redeemed them The Prophet shewes what the cause is from whence these great benefits proceeded The cause from whence all benefits proceede namely Gods loue and good pleasure As Moses also teacheth Deut. 4.37 and 7.7.8 Whence is it that God hath gathered thy fathers saith hee but because he loued them and did set his heart vpon them And thus he meant to dispossesse them of all opinion that they might conceiue touching any merit for in themselues they were proud and arrogant and insulted more then they had cause Now yee see the reason why he shewes that Gods onelie free bounty was the cause of so many blessings In the next place Jsaiah takes vp the similitude which Moses vsed in his song namelie that God bare his people as an Egle which teacheth her young ones to flie Deut. 32.11 Vnlesse any had rather referre it vnto sheepe as we haue noted in Chap. 40.11 He shall feed his flocke like a shepheard hee shall gather the lambes vvith his arme and carrie them in his bosome c. And yet this similitude of a mother agrees very well for shee not onely beares the child in her wombe but also nurces it vp till it be come to a competent age The sum is that when the people were deliuered it was not the first fauour that they receiued from God but they had tasted so sufficiently thereof in the whole course of their liues that it was to him only to whom they were to ascribe all the benefits which had been bestowed vpon them For this cause the clause God neuer wearie in doing good to his Church alvvaies continually is added for the Lord is neuer wearie in doing good neither contents he himselfe to manifest the tokens of his fauour to one age only for he neuer ceaseth to inrich and adorne his Church with diuers and sundrie gifts Vers 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore hee was turned to be their enemie and he fought against him THe Prophet now descends to the second member The preuention of an obiection in which hee shewes that the Lord was turned to be the aduersary of his children because they rebelled and turned back from him as if the people in a word should thus haue obiected God shewed many tokens of his louing kindnesse to our fathers for a long time together wherfore taste we not of the same also Is hee now of another mind No God forbid But wee our selues by our disloyaltie haue been reiected yea we haue thereby repelled and put backe his benefits from vs Ier. 5.25 And yet the Prophet condemnes not onely the men of his age but those also of the ages before For we see that vnder the conduct of Moses himselfe they rebelled and murmured against God Exod. 17.2 Numb 20.3 Hence it came that God who tenderly loued them as it is in vers 7. became their enemie by their owne rebellion Are they punished for their iniquities then let them thanke themselues for it For the Lord is inclined to nothing more then to shew mercie neither is any thing more acceptable vnto him Mich. 7.18 then to pursue vs with his fauours Now he saith by a phrase of speech borrowed from men that wee vexe the holie Ghost by our rebellion to teach vs to haue sinne in the greater detestation because it prouokes the holy one of Israel to anger and indignation And seeing it is one and the same Spirit by which God workes our saluation the Prophet aduertiseth vs that our sins doe estrange vs farre from God by breaking the band of our coniunction Vnto which tends Saint Pauls exhortation Ephes 4.30 Grieue not the holy Spirit of God by vvhom yee are sealed vnto the day of redemption From this text also we are to note that we haue no cause to accuse those by whom wee are molested and persecuted because it is the Lord himselfe who fights against vs and by their hand auengeth himselfe vpon our sinnes Let vs rather accuse our sinnes and condemne them for thereby wee are exposed to all the miseries vnder which we are pressed Vers 11. Then hee remembred the old time of Moses and his people saying Where is hee that brought them vp out of the sea with the shepheard of his sheepe Where is he that put his holy * Or in the midst of whom Spirit within him The fruit of this chastisement THis is the end of the chastisement namely that the people might bee awakened out of their drowzinesse and bee brought to thinke vpon the things they had forgotten before because prosperitie so besots vs that the remembrance of God is vtterly buried These rods therefore serue to recall those thoughts which were abolished in vs to wit where is that God which in times past shewed so many mercies to our fathers For I referre these things to the time past and therefore haue translated from the daies of old for the word age agrees not in this place seeing the Prophet mentions that time wherein Moses gouerned the people of God The true sense therefore is that the Iewes being miserably
blind pursuing of their new deuised seruices as if they were carried away with a beastly and brutish affection And to say the trueth Note this sicknes is rooted almost in the vnderstandings of all men that hauing once forsaken the true God they runne a madding after their Idols Therefore it is that the Scripture often compares this fury to the loues of harlots who not only cast off al reason but likewise all shame Although it further appeares by the second member that hee not onely taxeth their intemperancie but also their boldnes to violate the seruice of God when he saith they chose gardens which word is opposed to that which was commanded in the law For with what flourishes soeuer the vnbeleeuers seeke to shadow their superstitions withal yet notwithstanding this sentence remaines sure that obedience is better then sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 And therefore S. Paul Col. 2.23 vnder the word superstition comprehends all those corrupt worships which men forge to themselues without the commandement of God God then complaines that the Iewes hauing despised his word pleased themselues in their owne inuentions as if he should say It was your duties to haue obeyed me but you haue liked better to follow your owne fantasie or rather a franticke libertie And this is sufficient to condemne all the inuentions of men to wit that it is not lawfull in any sort to chuse a way how to serue God because the right of prescribing that appertaines vnto himselfe God had then commanded that no sacrifices should be offe vnto him but in Ierusalem Deut. 12.13 the Iewes thought to please him in other places which false imagination also deceiued the prophane nations And I would to God that it had onely rested there but we see how the Papists are wrapped euen in the same error Lastly experience it selfe teacheth that this disease is common to euery age Obiect If any obiect that the matter is not so great in respect of the place that God should therefore abhorre the sacrifices which were euery where offered him Ans First we must note the cause why God as then would haue but one onely altar namely to the end it might be a band of holy vnitie to this rude people and that by this meanes Religion might continue sound and immutable Now although that this speciall cause ceaseth yet must we holde this principle that commaundements were giuen of God euen touching the least things to the end the Iewes might inure themselues the better to obedience For in regard that superstition paints her face with the colour of deuotion it is impossible but men should flatter themselues in their inuentions Obedience the mother of true religion Mens fancies the fountaines of superstition Notwithstanding seeing that obedience is the mother of true religion it followes thereupon that the fantasies of men on the contrarie are euen fountaines of superstition This also must be added that euen as Isaiah did a little before reprooue the wickednes of the people which raigned amongst them against the breach of the second Table of the law which is loue now also he makes his complaint that they haue transgressed the first table For in as much as all perfection of righteousnes consists in the obedience of the law the Prophets when they would reprooue the sinnes of men one while they speake of the first and then of the second ta-Table We must also alwaies obserue this figuratiue manner of speech when vnder one kind the Prophets do comprehend the whole in generall Vers 30. For yee shall be as an Oke whose leafe fadeth and as a garden that hath no water THe Hebrew particle may bee taken affiâmatiuely as I haue turned it and it seemes that the Prophet alludes to those gardens vnto which they had falsely tied the seruice of God for because he had made mention of these gardens he threatens them with drought casting in their teeth the confidence which they reposed in them You please your selues very much in yoour gardens and in your trees saith he but you shall be as trees dried and subiect to fall The Lord then scornes the foolish bragging of the idolaters who please themselues maruelouslie in their inuentions and thinke that heauen must needs be opened to them when they are in the midst of their ceremonies As at this day when the Papists haue lighted vp their lampes and decked their temples when they shine with gold and pretious stones when they heare the melodie of their Organes and the sound of their bels they thinke themselues the most happie people vnder the sunne as if God being infinitelie beholding vnto them and satisfied with such baggage they were freed from feare of any danger Vers 31. And the strong shall bee as tow and the maker thereof as a sparke and they shall burne both together and none shall quench them THe Hebrew word Chason signifies strong now it is here attributed to God and yet notwithstanding it retaines still his signification as if hee should haue said That god whom you made your strength shal be turned into tow And the maker thereof hee meanes the caruer but because mention is made of the idole it must bee referred to the thing in question Some thinke that the Prophet doth here note out the repentance of the idolaters who should acknowledge their follie and with shame should burne their idols but me thinkes the Prophets meaning is otherwise For euen as fire is made of drie stuffe as tow and such like so saith the Prophet God shall gather you and your idols together vpon an heape as when one pileth vp a stacke of wood to the end you may bee consumed together So as the idols shall be as tow and the men as the fire to the end the flame may consume them both together And there shall be none to quench them Wee must note that when the Prophets speake of the wrath of God they represent it by externall signes because it cannot be perceiued by our eyes or other senses Thus the wrath of the Lord by which the wicked are destroyed is compared to fire that consumes all things Now it sufficiently appeares by this what the Prophet meant to say namely that al the wicked shall perish let their confidence be what it will yea which more is their ruine shall be so much the greater by how much they shall haue placed their trust in false and deceitfull things and that in the place from whence they hoped and looked for saluation euen there shall perdition fall vpon them For the idols and puppets are but matches to kindle the wrath of God withall and that in such wise as it can neuer be quenched THE II. CHAPTER Vers 1. The word that Isaiah the sonne of Amos saw vpon Iudah and Ierusalem THis prophesie is a confirmation of the doctrine which we haue had a little before as touching the restauration of the Church For in as much as it is a very hard matter to expect
the midst therof and made a winepresse therein then hee looked that it should bring forth grapes but it brought forth wild grapes HE shewes the continuall care and diligence of the Lord in dressing his vine as if he should say He omitted nothing of that which is required to be in a good husbandman who aboue all things watcheth vpon his charge Notwithstanding wee are not here curiously to examine the text word by word as many doe saying That the Church was inuironed with hedges to wit with the protection of the holy Ghost to the end it might be secured against al the assaults of the diuel that the presse signifies the doctrine and that the stones signifie all troublesome errors The Prophets meaning as I haue shewed was more plaine and simple to wit that God diligently performed the office of an husbandman sparing nether paines nor cost But in the meane while the Iewes had great cause to consider in themselues with how many great and diuers sorts of benefits the Lord had enriched them When the Church at this day is set forth vnto vs vnder the similitude of a vine wee ought to referre these figuratiue speeches to the benefits of God by which he assures vs of his loue towards vs and also of the care he hath for our saluation It seemes that in the word of planting order should not bee obserued for a man should rather plant first and then close it with an hedge afterward But thus I vnderstand it that he no sooner planted his vine but he forthwith prouided all things belonging vnto it And therefore he iustly accuseth them of ingratitude and disloyaltie that they brought not forth fruite worthie the cost and paines bestowed vpon them And we are greatly to feare lest the Lord take not vp the like complaint against vs. For by how much the more the Lord shall haue enriched vs with greater benefits then they so much the more abominable shall our vnthankfulnes be if we abuse them The Lord neuer beautifies and adornes his Church in vaine or that she should onely make outward vnprofitable shews but to the end she might bring forth grapes that is to say good fruits But if we disappoint the Lord of his expectation the punishment which the Prophet here foretelles will certainely follow Wherefore the remembrance of his benefits ought to mooue and pricke vs forward with all diligence to yeeld him thanks Moreouer there is here a close opposition in the word vine thus greatly husbanded because that by so much the more we are bound to make pretious account of God his benefits as they are more rare and excellent as being pledges of his particular loue towards vs. That hee causeth the sunne to shine as well vpon the wicked as the good and bestowes all things necessarie vpon them for to feede and cloth them these are common gifts But how much more ought wee to prise and esteeme this couenant of grace which hee hath contracted with vs by meanes whereof he illuminates vs by the light of his Gospell which grace he only bestowes vpon his beloued We are therfore aboue all things to waigh consider of this care and diligence which the Lord bestowes in working daily vpon our minds and in framing vs to his owne Image Now he looked He heere complaines that the people who had beene indued with so great excellencie of gifts were wickedly and vnthankfully become degenerate and accuseth them for contempt of the louing kindnesse of God For he saith that in stead of good grapes this Vine brought foorth sowre and wild grapes Now we must not imagin that God before whose eyes all things are naked can be deceiued of his hope as a mortall man may be for in the song of Moses he publisheth with a loud voyce what the peruersitie of this people would be and that it was apparant to him euen from the beginning My beloued saith he will kick with the heele against me after she shall become fat and lustie Deut. 32.15 There is then no more vncertentie of hope in God then of repentance neither doth Isaiah subtillie dispute heere what God waited for in himselfe but how the people ought to behaue themselues least they receiue so great fauours in vayne And thus God commaunds that his Gospell should be published for the obedience of faith not that he lookes that all should yeeld their obedience thereunto but because the vnbeleeuers might be left without excuse by the onely hearing of it To conclude there is nothing which should more prouoke vs to liue holily and according to God then when the Holy Ghost compares the obedience which we yeeld vnto God to sweet and pleasant fruit Vers 3. Now therefore O inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge I pray you betweene me and my Vineyard 4. What could I haue done any more to my Vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Why haue I looked that it should bring foorth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes NOw he appoints euen those to be Iudges of his cause with whom he pleades as men are wont to do in things so plaine and apparant that the aduerse partie can haue no euasion It is a signe then that God hath gotten the better end of the staffe wheÌ he permits those who are guilty to shew whether the matter be so or no. Now he first demaunds What could be more desired of a husbandman or good housholder then that which hee did to his Vine From thence hee concludes that they are vtterly without excuse in that he should be so wickedly defrauded of the frutes of his labours although it seemes in the second member that he complaines in himselfe that he waited for any pleasing or desireable frute of so wicked a people As it will often come to passe that we shal complaine by our selues when the euent of a thing doth not answere our hope and we are sory to haue bestowed our labour and cost vpon so vnthankfull persons whose peruersitie should rather haue kept back such benefits from them And we wil confesse that we were indeed iustly deceiued because we were too easie and light of beliefe Yet notwithstanding this sence wil be more plaine to wit seeing I haue fully discharged my dutie and haue done aboue all that could haue beene expected in husbanding my Vine whence comes it that it yeelds me so euill recompence and that in stead of the fruit which I looked for it only brings forth bitter fruit If any shall obiect now that the remedie was in God his hand if he had but only bowed the heart of the people This is but a friuolous cauill to excuse them for their consciences pricked them in such wise that they could not escape by laying the fault vpon an other For although God doe not pearce with efficacie into the hearts of men by his holy spirit to make them teachable yet shall it be in vaine for any notwithstanding to mutter that this was wanting
said vnto vs for as this people was planted so also haue we ben We ought also to call to mind that which S. Paul saith Rom. 11.24 that we were but wild Oliues and they were the true and naturall Oliue We then which were strangers are grafted into the true Oliue and are purged and adorned with a continuall care of the Lord. But what fruits bring we forth truly not onely vnprofitable but also bitter And therefore we are guiltie of greater ingratitude in regard that we are inriched and abound in benefits much more excellent And iustly is this complaint commenced against vs seeing that violence and wrongs doe reigne euery where But because the general doctrine did not sufficiently prick their hearts he describes two kinds particularly to the end hee might shew them as with the finger how far off this people were from the fruite that a good vine should bring forth Vers 8. Woe be vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there be no place that ye may be placed by your selues in the midst of the earth NOw he reprooues their insatiable auarice and couetousnes from whence frauds iniuries and violences do commonly arise For it is not a thing vnlawfull in it selfe to ioyne one field to another nor one house to another but he aimes at the heart which by no meanes whatsoeuer can bee satisfied when it is once set on fire with desire of hauing Hee describes the affection of those then which thinke they haue neuer enough neither are content how rich soeuer they be We may see that the couetous are possessed with such a greedy lusting that they desire to haue all to theÌselues alone think that that which others haue is their want or is taken froÌ them Chrysostom And therefore Chrysostome hath an elegant speech to this purpose That the couetous would gladly take away the sunne from the poore if it were in their power For they grutch their brethren the very elements which yet are common and would gladly swal ow them vp not to enioy them but because their lust depriues them of vnderstanding in this behalfe In the meane while they consider not that themselues are not able to doe any thing without the helpe of others that a man being alone by himselfe is vnprofitable they onely carke and care how to gather much together and therefore they deuoure all by their couetousnesse He chargeth the couetous and proud with such a furie that they would haue all others cut off from the face of the earth to the end themselues alone might haue it in possession and therefore there is neither end nor measure in their lust What folly and madnes is it to driue those from of the earth whom God hath placed therein with vs and to whom he giues a dwelling place common with vs The couetous dâsiâe to dwell alone But a worse thing could not befall them then to haue their wish Questionlesse a worse thing could not befall them then to haue their wish Neither could they alone till the ground reape and performe other necessarie duties of this life nor yet could they administer things necessarie to themselues Also God hath so vnited men together that one hath neede of the helpe and industrie of another and there is no man vnlesse he be out of his wits who will reiect his brethren as though they were hurtfull or vnprofitable The proud also cannot inioy their glorie if they should be left alone How blind are they then who would chase and driue men away to reigne by themselues Now as touching the length and greatnes of houses the like is to be said of them as was heretofore said of fields because the ambition of those is also reprooued who desire to dwell in goodly palaces and spatious houses It is not vnlawfull for him who hath a great family to haue also a large house but when men puffed vp with pride will adde to their houses without cause onely to be at more libertie and that one alone takes vp the dwelling places which would suffice a great many then it is meerely ambition and vaine glorie which ought worthily to be reprooued For it is all one as if hauing contemned others they onely should bee lodged and that their poore brethren were worthie of no more but the couering of the firmament or that they ought to goe seeke out some other habitation Vers 9. This is in mine eares saith the Lord of hostes * Or if there be not many c. surely many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant SOmething must be heere supplied for his meaning is that the Lord is set downe as the Iudge hauing the knowledge of all these things When the couetous rappe and scrape their riches together they are blinded by their lust and thinke not that they must one day be called to an account True it is that men are neuer so besotted but they attribute some kinde of iudgement to God but they flatter themselues in such wise as that they thinke surely God regardeth not So they acknowledge a iudgement of God in generall but when it comes to the perticular there they lay the raines in the neck and suppose they should not be kept so short Also in this particle if there be not wee see a forme and maner of oath often vsed in the scripture For to the end he might the more astonish them hee speakes doubtfully as it were by sentence broken off in the mid way He might haue expressed this threatning by a full sentence but being imperfect it holds the hearer more in suspence and so it brings the greater feare with it Moreouer by this maner of oath halfe pronounced as we say the Lord would teach vs to accustome our selues to modestie to the end we take not libertie in vsing execrations What is it then that he threatneth That many houses shall be desolate This is a iust punishment whereby the Lord corrects the couetousnes and ambition of men which would not be brought to consider their end that they might haue contented themselues with a little As he who derided the insatiable couetousnes of Alexander Alexander who because he vnderstood by the philosophie of Anacharsis Anacharsis that there were many worlds sighed in himselfe Vnus pelleâ Iuneni non sufficit orbis c. because with so much labour he had not yet conquered the gouernment of one A world saith he will not suffice Alexander he is as discontented as if he were pinnd vp in a very narrow roome or as if hee were bounded within some certaine Iland and yet when his time comes to be buried he must content himselfe with a coffin For it is death only which teacheth and constreineth vs to confesse how vaine a thing the bodie of man is We see euery day examples therof and yet who is instructed by it for the Lord sheweth vs in a glasse how ridiculous
Isaiah giues them to vnderstand therfore that these things fel not out by hap hazzard Moreouer men are wont to quarrell with God yea they are so proud and shamelesse that they feare not to make head against him Therefore to the end this pride might be beaten downe hee shewes that the chastisements wherewith they are punished are most iust and that they were wholly to blame themselues for being euery way so miserable Vers 15. And man shall be brought downe and man shall be humbled euen the eies of the proud shall be humbled THis is as it were in the shutting vp of his speech in which he shewes to what end and issue these scourges would come vnto to wit Chap. 2 11.17 that all should be humbled and that the Lord only should be exalted We haue seene the like sentence heretofore and haue there declared the Prophets meaning to wit the end why we are chastised of God For aduersities are so odious vnto vs that for the most part we can conceiue no good thing to proceed from them When we heare of punishments wee haue them in horror and detestation because we consider not that the Lord is iust But the Prophets call vs to another consideration to wit that whilst men sport themselues in their sinnes they smother as it were the iustice of God which shineth not clearely vnlesse when hee takes vengeance vpon our iniquities Behold indeede an excellent fruite and such a one as is to bee preferred before the saluation of all men For we ought to let all things giue place to the glorie of God which shineth no lesse in his iustice then in his mercie There is no cause then why we should so much feare the rods of God wherewithall we are corrected but ought rather in all humilitie to imbrace whatsoeuer the Prophets pronounce against vs. Although in this kind of speech the Prophet hath also touched the pride of the hypocrits to the quicke who euer become the more wicked when they escape still vnpunished as if he should say do yee thinke it is possible that after God hath forborne you so long yet at the last you should tread him vnder your feete no assure your selues he will arise and will be exalted in your destruction Because the Prophet hath put the word Adam in the first place and after Aisch some thinke he ment to comprehend as well noble as base as if he should say It shall not be the common people only which shall perish but also all those who are noted for their honour riches and dignitie And I willingly receiue this sence because Aisch is deriued from force and Adam from earth If any will expound it more simplie I leaue him to his owne iudgement Howsoeuer it be the Prophet hath here comprehended all mortall men as well great as small Vers 16. And the Lord of hosts shal be exalted in iudgement and the holy God shall be sanctified in iustice HE shewes the manner of the excellencie or the formall cause as they say of this exaltation whereof he spake before and it is as much as if he had said That the Lord of hosts whom the wicked doe proudly treade vnder foote shall be exalted when he shall shew himselfe the iudge of the world And thus hee scornes the sottish confidence wherewith the wicked were swollen For if iudgement and iustice must haue the vpper hand there ruine must needes follow seeing their pride was nothing else but an ouerturning of the whole course of nature Now we must diligently note that it is no more possible for the wicked to remaine alwaies in an happie estate then that God should suffer his glorie to be abolished Although iudgement and iustice doe differ in nothing one from the other yet the repetition is not superfluous The vehemencie also of the speech is further enlarged when hee addes in the second member and the holy God shall be sanctified to the ende the wicked should not through a false imagination promise a lasting felicitie by force or without cause which they cannot doe but that the holines of God shall thereby be abolished But seeing God is holy of his owne nature it must needs be that he must be sanctified Whence it followes that ruine is prepared for the wicked that so their obstinacie and rebellion may be brought vnder because God can not denie himselfe Vers 17. Then shall the lambs feede after their maner and the strangers shall eate the desolate places of the fat SOme translate The lambs shall feede according to their maner others according to their portion but he meanes according to their custome This verse is diuersly expounded but we are to note in the first place that it is the Prophets meaning to giue consolation to the faithfull which were terrified by the hearing of such fearefull iudgements of God for looke how much the more a man is of a good and tender conscience so much the more feeles he the present hand of God and the more neerely is he touched to the quick with his iudgements lastly the feare and reuerence of God causeth vs to be touched in good earnest with whatsoeuer it be that is set before vs in his name wherefore they could not haue bene withheld from dispaire in hearing so terrible threatnings vnlesse this consolation had bin added thereunto as a sweet sauce to giue them occasion to relish and take a sweet taste in the mercie of God And this is a thing much vsed in the Prophets to wit still to haue an eye alwayes to the faithfull to furnish them with comfort Although then saith Isaiah it seemes God is minded to destroy all this people yet notwithstanding he will shew himselfe a faithfull shepheard toward his lambs and will feed them as he was wont to doe marke that for one point Also the meaning of the Prophet was to beate back the pride of the great ones who in oppressing the faithfull and simple by an vniust tyrany boasted notwithstanding that they were the Church of God still he tels them therfore that this their boasting is full of lying and vanitie thus to adorne themselues with the title of the flock or sheepfold of God because they are goates and not lambs and therefore when they shall be cut off God will still haue meanes in his hand to feede his flock but yet by the way that the lambs shall neuer thriue nor be in good plight till they be seperated and deliuered from the goats The desolate places The expositors do yet againe vary vpon this place also but I thinke the true sence is that after the children of God haue been driuen away for a time as banished men they shall be restored to their right and shall then recouer that which was desert or which was trampled and spoyled by the fat beasts that is to say by the proud and cruel which had spoiled them of their goods By the deserts he meanes the possessioÌs which they had left and which others
when we see so little fruite yet are we not for all that to cast away our weapons or to forsake our charge The truth must alwaies found forth from our mouthes although there be no cares to heare it yea although the world be as blind and as senseles as stones For it is more then sufficient that we faithfullie serue to the glorie of God and that our labours are pleasing to him neither is the sound of our voyce in vaine when it leaues the world without excuse The faithfull teachers ought heere to receiue a singular consolation to fortifie themselues the better alwaies against the offences which fall out euery day by the rebellions of men lest they be thereby cooled no let them continue in their office with inuincible constancie Now farasmuch as this also is a generall offence to wit that the liuely word of God at the hearing whereof all the world ought to tremble strikes thus the eares of men without fruit or profit let the weake in faith learne also to strengthen themselues with this sentence We are wont to wonder how it can possiblie come to passe that the greatest part of the world should so furiouslie resist against God And from thence also ariseth this difficultie to wit whether that can be the heauenlie truth of God or no which is reiected without punishment because it is not likely that God would speake to men to the end they should scorne him But to the end our faith waââer not we must oppose this stay namely that the office of teaching was committed to Isaiah that in casting abroad the seed of life it should bring forth nothing but death as also that mention is not made heere of that which befell once but it is a prophesie of the kingdome of Christ as shall be said anon Furthermore the circumstance is to be noted that Isaiah was not sent to all but only to the Iewes wherefore there is very great vehemencie in the particle demonstratiue Hinneh as if he should say The people whom the Lord had speciallie chosen heard me not but shut their eyes in so manifest a light Therefore let vs not maruell if whilest we speake to those who brag of the name of God it happens to vs euen as if we told a tale to deafe eares True it is this is a sharp message that the Prophet should say he is sent of God to stop vp their eares to shut their eyes and to make their hearts fat because it seemes these things are nothing agreeable to the nature of God and that therefore they are contrarie to his word But we must not think it strange if God auenge himselfe vpon the malice of the people by such an extreme blinding of them In the meane while the Prophet hath shewed heeretofore that the cause of this blindnes was in themselues For in commanding them to hearken he testifies that there is a doctrine fit for their instruction if they would shew themselues teachable and that the light is offred to enlighten leade them if so be they would open their eyes All the fault then is imputed vnto the people because they reiected so wonderfull a blessing of God Whence the solution of the difficultie which we touched a little before is more apparent I grant it seemes very hard at the first blush that the Prophets should make the hearts of men more hard seeing they bring the word of God in their mouth by which as by a light men should lighten and order their paths Psal 119.105 And we know that Dauid giues it this title Psal 19.9 It is not the office of the Prophets then to blind the eyes but rather to open them And heereafter this word is called perfect wisedome Chap. 8. Obiect How comes it to passe then that it takes away mens vnderstanding and makes theÌ dullards Rather the hearts which were before of stone iron and steele should hereby be mollified how can it be then they should be come the more obdurate Ans I answere as I haue touched alreadie that such blindnes and hardening proceeds not from the nature of the word but is by way of accident and it ought to be attributed to the wickednes of men For euen as they who haue sore eyes can not accuse the Sunne for hurting them with the light thereof nor hee which hath a weakenes and fault in his hearing a cleere and very loud voyce which he can not beare Similies lastly as he that is of a weake capacitie is not to be offended with high and difficult things which he is vnable to comprehend So likewise the wicked can not accuse the word of God that they become the worse after the hearing of it Seeing then that all the fault is in themselues because they do not giue it accesse into their hearts what wonder is it if that which was appointed for their foode do become their bane For it must needs be that the disloyaltie and infidelitie of men should be punished in this maner The punishment of infidelitie to the end they should feele death from that whence they might haue receiued life and darknes from thence whence they might haue receiued light lastly all noysome and hurtfull things froÌ thence where they might haue had the fulnes of all blessings to saluation Which is diligentlie to be noted because there is nothing more common with men then to abuse the gifts of God and whilest they make theÌselues beleeue they are very innocent anon they deck themselues with other meÌs feathers But they are doubly wicked in as much as they applie not those things to their true vse which the Lord hath giuen them in trust but haue also prophanely and miserably corrupted them S. Iohn alledgeth this place to set out more plainely the obstinacie of the Iewes True it is that he recites it not word by word but yet he explanes the meaning thereof sufficientlie And therefore could they not beleeue saith he because Isaiah said he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts Notwithstanding this prophesie was not the cause of their vnbeliefe but the Lord so foretold it because he foresaw they would be such Now the Euangelist applies that to the Gospell which was practised vnder the law and teacheth therewithall that the Iewes of his time were depriued of reason and vnderstanding because they were rebellious against God Although if any should aske the first cause we must come to the predestination of God But because this counsell is hidden froÌ vs we must not be curious in searching into it For the reason of God his eternall counsell apperteines not to vs but we must looke to the cause which is before our eyes to wit their rebellion by which they made themselues vnworthie of so many and great benefites S. Paul also shewes from this place not once but often that all the cause of their blindnes remained in themselues Act. 28.27 Rom. 11.8 They saith he haue made their eares heauie and
people who were dispersed abroad in the Countrie and villages but also to the greatest as to the Magistrates and Ministers who were in Ierusalem yea euen in this holy place I say where God intended that there remembrance of his name should especially be honoured The which Dauid also witnesseth when he saith that the master builders whom God had set on worke reiected the chiefe corner stone Plas 118.22 Iesus Christ alleadging this place against the Iewes Mat. 21.42 shewes that these words were spoken of him I deny not but this fell out in Isaiah his time but much more the time of Christ for impietie rebellion increased by little little euen till it came to the height So then as wel the great as the small who had alwaies obstinately resisted God did yet more licentiously ouerflow at that time so as being come to the top in the day of their destruction they were wholly forsaken of God whose Sonne they had wilfully reiected A testimonie prouing the Godhead of Christ And from hence we gather a testimonie of the eternall Godhead of Christ Saint Paul shewing that it is God himselfe of whom the Prophet heere speakes Rom. 9.33 Now hee mentions no new God but him who created heauen and earth and who manifested himselfe to Moses It is God himselfe then by whom the Church hath been alwaies gouerned Vers 15. And many among them shall stumble and shall fall and shall bee broken and shall be snared and shall bee taken HE continues to threateÌ the wicked as he did heretofore and denounceth that all those which would not rest vpon God should not escape vnpunished Now the threatning is this After they haue stumbled they shall fall and in the end shall be broken This agrees with the former Similitude in which he compares God vnto a stone Christ alludes thereunto comprehending both the members Whosoeuer falles vpon this stone shall bee broken and vpon whomsoeuer it shall fall it shall grinde him to powder Matthew 21.44 That which followes afterwards They shall bee snared and taken agrees to the Similitude following wherein he compares God to a net and snare Let not the wicked thinke themselues then stronger then God or wiser then hee for they shall feele in the end both to their cost and ruine that he is the strongest and wisest Therefore it must needes follow that they bee brought to nought because they shall be broken to powder in an instant or else so enwrapped that they shall neuer winde themselues out Now these things are not proper vnto God otherwise theÌ accidentally if we may so speake for his proper office is rather to draw men vnto him and to to giue them assured ground of their saluation which was very well knowne and seene most cleerely in Christ In regard whereof Saint Peter saith that howsoeuer many vnbeleeuers stumble at him yet that their falles ought not to hinder our faith that it should not alwaies march on because to vs Christ is a chosen and pretious stone 2. Pet. 2.4 Vers 16. Binde vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my Disciples THe Lord now turnes his speech to the Prophet and incourageth him against he should fight against Apostataes and rebels to the end he might execute his office boldly and constantly which was not a little needefull For Isaiah had tried the great rebellion which was in the people so as if he had looked onely vpon the present estate to wit the infidelitie of the people and the labor which hee bestowed in vaine hee might forthwith haue been vtterly out of heart For this cause the Lord purposed to confirme and ratifie his vocation afresh vnto him and not for his sake alone but for all their sakes also which should obey his doctrine And howsoeuer few should giue credit to the same yet doth the Lord witnesse notwithstanding that his doctrine is sealed vp to those few and that for their sakes Isaiah was not to giue ouer teaching neither yet that the others should cease their walking in the obedience of faith Now he compares the doctrine of the word to Sealed letters which many might hold and handle but yet notwithstanding could not bee read nor vnderstood but of a small number that is to say of those to whom they were directed And thus there are very few who vnderstand the word of God for they are the elect onely howsoeuer it be offered to all in generall The word of God then is sealed vp to those that profit not by it and yet so sealed as that the Lord opens the same notwithstanding to his chosen by his holie Spirit Some deriue the verbe Tsur which signifies to Binde of the verbe Natsar and translates Keepe Now although this bee of no great importance yet notwithstanding it appeares by the other word Seale that the expositioÌ which I haue followed is the best for the ancients were wont to binde a threed about their letters and then to set the seale vpon it Now from hence wee gather a most profitable doctrine to wit that the Pastours and Ministers of the word ought to continue constant in their office although it seemes that all reuolt and that nothing is to be seen in men but outrage and rebellion because the Lord will euer reserue vnto himselfe some disciples which will profit in the reading of his letters howsoeuer they be closed and shut vp to others The Prophet will vse the same Similitude Chap. 29.11 where hee saith that the word is like to a closed booke but there mentions the wicked onely but heere hee speakes of the Disciples amongst whom his doctrine should not be vnfruitfull But some will demand whether the Prophet should leaue the people so Quest as to withdraw and shut vp himselfe apart with his disciples Ans who made some benefit of his warnings I answere This was not the Prophets intent for it was the will of the Lord that he should preach publikely and manifest his message vnto all And because he spake as to deafe eares might therfore lose his labor and so bee discouraged in seeing no fruit to come thereof the Lord heereby incourageth and strengtheneth him to the end he should go on forward still although all things were in a manner desperate that so contenting himselfe with the small number of his disciples he might be more couragious in his ministerie then euer before Vers 17. * Or So. Therefore I will waite vpon the Lord that hath hid his face from the house of Iaakob and I will looke for him SO I will wait I had rather translate the Hebrew particle Van in this sense because the Prophet retires himselfe aparâ as it were hauing receiued consolation from the Lord as wee haue seene heretofore It is as much then as if hee had said Seeing the Lord is pleased to haue some Disciples amongst whom his doctrine should bee sealed I will wait although hee hath hid his face from Iaakob That is to say although
lamentable this seruitude was wherein they groned and bowed vnderneath heauy burthens when as the staffe neuer moued from off their shoulders being pressed by a Tyrant which insulted ouer them for which cause they might well reioyce and bee glad of their deliuerance And hee yet extolles the excellency of this fauour by another circumstance in regard that God did openly display his arme and power in their deliuerance euen as it were from heauen it selfe And therefore he brings in an antient and memorable example that as God had in times past discomforted the host of the Midianites Iudg. 7.22 by a wonderfull and incredible meanes without the strength and succours of men so now also he would display euen the very same power to wit that he will deliuer his people from vnder that tyrannie which shall oppresse them without the helpe of any man euen then when none of the poore Iewes shall dare to lift vp their finger as they say We must also obserue that God so succours his that sometimes hee serues himselfe of ordinary meanes Why God deferres sometimes to succour vs by meanes but when hee sees that these meanes will bee hurtfull vnto men and hinder them from looking to the hand of their deliuerer he then works alone and by miracles lest any thing should ouer shadow or hinder men from the manifest beholding and knowledge of his power Iudg. 7.16.19.21 Thus the arme of the Lord appeared from heauen in this victorie of Gedeon where the enemies were cut off without any helpe of mans hand at all For what had Gedeon but a noise of broken pitchers with which hee should very hardly haue scarred a sort of poore mise hee had a little handful of meÌ against a great host and in stead of all sorts of weapons they had vaine and ridiculous scarcrowes For this cause he compares the future deliuerance of the people to this other deliuerance and sheweth that the manifest power and vertue of God shall bee knowne vnto all in this last as well as in the victorie of Gedeon Some expound this place simply of the Law which may well be called a heauie yoke a staffe burthening the shoulder But this exposition agrees not with the text for so it might seeme that the Prophet spake from the purpose which were as much as to oâfer violence as it were to this place Let vs hold the meane then whereof I haue spoken before to wit that God hauing brought his people out of Babylon coÌtinued on this benefit stil euen vnto the comming of Christ This is the sense then Thou hast taken off these burthens vnder which thy people was vniustly and cruelly oppressed Others apply this to the destruction of Ierusalem which was vnder Vespasian But they haue no ground for it Almost all the Iewes referre this to Hezechias 2. Kin. 19.35 when the Lord deliuered the Citie from the siege of Senacherib and did cut off his host But this interpretation cannot agree Chap. 38.36 because Hezechias raigned not tyrannically ouer the Iewes Moreouer the Lord deliuered his people then out of the danger and from the feare wherein they were and not out of any seruitude Whence it appeares that the Prophet looked further off and that our exposition is both true and sutes best with the text Vers 5. * Or Although Surely euery battell of the warriour is with noise and with tumbling of garments in blood * Yet but this shall bee with burning and deuouring with fire ALmost all the expositours agree in this that Isaiah meant to oppose all other victories to that which God should giue vnto his people For other conquerours obtaine victorie in ouerthrowing their enemies but here the Lord shall ouercome by his immediate hand He expounds this speech then Verse 4. As in the day of Madian more fully The Lord saith hee shall not vse many mens helpe in this worke but shall winne the victory from heauen Now when God workes thus himselfe alone hauing reiected all impediments wee can cleerely discerne that he is the author of our life and saluation Seeing also there is an opposition which shewes the difference betweene the common manner of warfare and the miracle of deliuerance the coniunction vau which is in the midst of the verse should be resolued into a particle aduersatiue as if he should say Enemies are wont to bee put to flight by a furious fight but God will worke otherwise because hee will cut off the enemies of his Church as if he shot forth his lightnings and should send downe fire from heauen vpon them Wee may well receiue their opinion who expound it With a breath namely that all warriours shal be astonished and In burning of fire But the first sense agrees best and is confirmed euen by the Prophets owne words It appeares also that the Prophet speakes not here onely of that deliuerance which the people receiued vnder Cyrus who gaue them libertie to returne into their Country but wee must apply these things also to the kingdome of Christ Vers 6. For vnto vs a childe is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen and the gouernment is vpon his shoulder and ââââncy Oâ his name shall be callâd hee shall call his name Wonderfull Counsellâr The mighty God The * Or of the world euerlasting father The Prince of peace ISaiah shewes now the finall cause wherefore this deliuerance was to bee preferred before all other benefits of God because hee will not onely bring his people out of captiuitie but will also establish Christ in his royall throne vnder whose Kingdome there shall be seene a soueraigne and an eternall felicitie And thus he shewes that this deliuerance shall be no temporary or perishable benefit seeing hee comprehends the whole time wherein the Church should be preserued vntill the comming of Christ Neither is it any meruaile if the Prophet passeth forthwith from the returne of the antient people to the full whole restauration of the Church which notwithstanding should not come to passe many ages after For we haue said heretofore in the seuenth Chapter 2. Cor. 1.20 All the promises of saluation grounded vpon the Mediator verse 14. that all the promises of saluation are grounded vpon the Mediator for whose sake onely God is mercifull vnto vs and therefore the Prophets were often wont to propound this pledge and earnest penny as oft as they would encourage the faithfull and raise them vp to a comfortable expectation of deliuerance And thus it came to passe that the returne from the captiuity of Babylon was a beginning of that restauratioÌ of the Church which in conclusion happened in the perfection thereof to wit when Christ appeared in regard whereof there is no absurditie in this so continuall a progresse of time And therefore Isaiah teacheth that they were not to stay their mindes in the beholding of the present benefit but to consider the end and thereunto to referre all
holes by perswading themselues that they are innocent or they extenuate their sinnes if they be conuinced as if God were too rigorous And the truth is that they will neuer confesse God to bee iust in correcting them vnlesse it bee by constraint and albeit they dare not excuse themselues openly yet they fret and grumble inwardly The Prophet minding to represse such a stubburnnes compares the calamities to a fire but he addes that the impietie of men is the wood and fewell which kindles Gods wrath as if he should say They all of them cry out and complaine that the wrath of God burnes fiercely and yet they consider not in the meane while that they kindle and enflame the same by their sinnes as with bellowes and that these sinnes doe adde new matter daily to this fire yea euen they themselues burne and consume inwardly in the fire of their iniquities That which he saith of the briars and thornes is as much as if hee had said that this flame should spread it selfe throughout all the quarters of Iudea Now he expresseth two things together to wit that the chastisements of the wicked did proceede from the iudgement of God and yet that the fault is wholly in the sinners to the end they might not mutter as if God had dealt cruelly with them But his manner of speaking hath an elegant degradation for experience shewes that when the fire is kindled in any low place it increaseth by little and little and then spreads it selfe more and more euen till it hath attained the top Isaiah shewes that in such wise shall the wrath of God be because it should not inuade the wicked at the very first but should kindle by little and little so as at length it should ouerspread farre and wide In the beginning the Lord proceeds moderately if he gaine nothing by touching and going then he doubles his blowes But if he see vs altogether indurate then hee sets his wrath on fire Chap. 33.11 Chap. 5.24 Psal 83.14 Chap. 40.24 41.2 47.14 vtterly to destroy and consume vs euen as the fire burnes vp a thicke forrest Lastly as the other Prophets say Wee shall finde our selues to be but straw and stubble when the wrath of God is once kindled Vers 19. By the wrath of the Lord of hosts shall the land be darkened and the people shall be as the meate of the fire no man shall spare his brother HAuing shewed that the cause of all euils proceeds from our selues to whom they therefore ought to be imputed hee teacheth by consequence that God reuengeth himselfe iustly For seeing men draw miseries and calamities vpon themselues God permits them not to escape his hands Not that hee is inclined to crueltie for hee is louing and gentle but because he is iust and cannot indure the wicked Hee expresseth the vengeance of God by the similitude of smoke and darkenesse then which nothing is more heauie and dolefull because so fearefull a iudgement could not well be expressed but vnder borrowed speeches Although it seemes hee alludes to the smoke whereof hee had spoken before For when a fire is growne to such greatnesse and burnes so on euery side the brightnesse must needees be obscured by the darknesse of the smoke No man shall spare his brother In this last particle and in the verse following the Prophet describes by what meanes the Lord will execute his wrath after it shall bee so inflamed For though wee discerne no enemies which might astonish vs God can arme one of vs against another to destroy our selues As if he should haue said that God will not be much to seeke in bringing his vengeance vpon you which he hath threatned because although others should let you alone not molest you ye the can ouerthrow you eueÌ by ciuill warres Now it is an horrible thing and monstrous to say that none should spare his brother and that euery one shall deuoure his flesh For a man neuer hated his owne flesh Ephes 5.19 But when God hath blinded vs what letteth that wee should not destroy one another And although this bee odious yet it comes to passe euery day There is neither coniunction of blood Gen. 1.27 9.6 nor of religion nor of the image of God which we all beare that can hold vs in although euen the very heathen sometimes deferred to do euill being bound with nothing else but the common band of naturall societie because they knew that the beasts themselues agree together taking knowledge of one another not exercising crueltie to any of their owne kinde for one Wolfe will not eate another neither one Beare another It is much against nature then that men from whom the name of humanitie proceeds should be so cruell as to eate one an other therein surpassing the rage of wilde beasts This euill then can not fall out but by reason that God hath blinded them and giuen them vp vnto a reprobate sense for when as men are in peace they thinke themselues free from all dangers and feare nothing But the Lord derides such securitie and shewes that he will execute his wrath vpon them euen by their owne hands which he wil arme and prouoke against them Vers 20. And he shall snatch at the right hand and be hungrie and he shall eate on the left hand and shall not be satisfied euery one shall eate the flesh of his owne arme THis is a common speech To pull and hale on all sides and this phrase sets forth an insatiable or cruell auarice Also this desire of snatching pricks men forwards vnto crueltie Now he expresseth their insatiable desire with greater vehemencie in that being prouoked by a blinde crueltie possessed with more then a brutish furie their teeth also shall be set on edge with no lesse appetite to suck the blood of their brethren then to eate the flesh that is bought in the shambles This circumstance greatly aggrauates the sharpnes of the vengeance A signe of some fearfull punishment ensuing wheÌ brethren bite and teare one another to wit that the children of Abraham and the holie posteritie of the chosen people should ouerflow into so horrible a rage Let vs remember then that it is a token of a fearefull punishment of God when brethren band themselues one against an other with a furious desire or lust to teare one another in pieces Vers 21. Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and they both shall be against Iudah yet for all this his wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still THese two Tribes were speciallie linked together for besides that they descended of one father Abraham there was yet a neerer coniunction in that they tooke their originall of one Patriarke Ioseph Gen. 41.50 Abrahams great grand-child Now although they were so neere allied yet notwithstanding God shewes that he will cause them to haue such conflicts together that they shall destroy each other euen as if they should deuoure the
in abundance This similitude is very fit for as there is nothing more necessarie for this present life then water so nothing troubles and disquiets vs more nor goes so neere vs as the want thereof doth Thus by a figure called Synecdoche when a part is taken for the whole he shewes that whatsoeuer is necessarie for the sustentation of life is giuen vs freely out of the meere bountie of God And because we are barren emptie of all good things it is no maruell that he compares the mercie of God to a fountaine which satisfies them that are thirstie refresheth those that are parched with heate and recreates those that are wearie and laden Of the sauiour This word sauiour agrees much better heere then if he had said out of the fountaines of God For wee haue farre greater cause of consolation when we know yâ himselfe is the author of our saluation The Prophet therefore hath appropriated this epithite according to the circumstance of the place Now if this promise comprehends vnder it the whole kingdome of Christ wee for our parts ought alwayes to applie the same vnto our vse Let vs know then that the goodnes of God is heere offred and set before vs to the end we might satisfie our selus to the full therewith For we ought as Dauid saith to be as the parched ground gaping for thirst Psal 143.6 and to aspire vnto these waters of the sauiour Now this goodnes of God is wonderfull and incredible when he permits not that our desire should be in vaine but freely offers and presents a fountaine vnto vs out of the which we may draw waters in abundance Moreouer Iesus Christ is this fountaine Iesus Christ the true fountaine and in him we haue the participation of all Gods benefits for as S. Iohn saith we draw all out of his fulnesse Iohn 1.16 It remaineth then that wee goe directlie vnto him as soone as our pouertie and want presseth vs. Vers 4. And yee shall say in that day praise the Lord call vpon his name declare his works among the people make mention of them for his name is exalted HE not only exhorts them one by one to praise God and to giue him thanks but would also that they should stirre vp others with them to doe the like And as he had sayd before Chap. 2.3 many people shall goe and shall say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord prouoking one another by mutuall exhortations to imbrace the pure woâship of God so after he hath commanded euery one of them to render thanks to God he would now also that they should incite one another to the same dutie He shewes then that this ought not to be said only to one but to all and not only in one time but for their whole life Now in a briefe summe he shewes how God is rightlie honored when he commands vs to call vpon him and to reioyce in none but in him only For this cause also the holy scripture by the word Inuocation comprehends often times vnder it the whole seruice of God vsing therein a part for the whole for by prayer wee shew the trust that wee haue in God and this indeede he requires of vs aboue all things I also thinke that pâayer is ioined with praise that the Prophet might comprehend the whole seruice of God Make mention c. His meaning is that this deliuerance shall be so excellent a work that it ought not to be hidden from any corner but published thorowout the whole world I grant that he would haue the Iewes to acknowledge this in the first place but after he caused all people to haue the knowledge of it And this exhortation whereby the Iewes shewed their good will was as a preamble to the preaching of the Gospell which was afterwards published For as the Iewes magnified the fauor which God had shewed them amongst the Medes and Persians and other nations neere about them so also after Christ once appeared they ought to haue been heraults to publish the name of God thorowout all the quarters of the world Hereby it appeares with what zeale all the faithfull ought to be moued namely that they cause the goodnes of God to be manifested vnto all to the end the seruice of God may be imbraced Now we ought then especiallie to be moued with such an affection when we haue been deliuered from some great danger as out of the iawes of the diuell and from vnder the tyrannie of eternall death Vers 5. Sing vnto the Lord for he hath done excellent things this is knowne in all the world HE goes on stil with his exhortation shewing vs from what affection this prayse ought to proceed for he teacheth that it is our dutie to publish the goodnes of God in all places and yet must we not exhort nor prouoke others to go forward and our selues in the meane time to stand still with our armes acrosse but we ought to leade them the way by our example for there is nothing more absurd then to see them slothfull and negligent which prouoke others to prayse God Now in saying that God hath done excellent things he thereby signifies that there is great cause to sing Neither in deed would the Lord haue them to sing forth his praises vpon no ground but he gaue them ample and very good cause thereof when he deliuered his people out of that extreme hard bondage Now we haue alreadie said that we must not restraine this song to one moment of time but that it ought to be extended euen vnto the whole kingdome of Christ This worke therefore is excellent indeed when God sent his Sonne Ioh. 3.16.17 Heb. 2.14 by whom he hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe and hath destroyed the dominion of death and of the diuell If wee then consider wel of this worke of our deliuerance as we ought we shall haue exceeding abundant matter giuen vs to praise God When he saith in the last member that this is knowne in all the world hee therein toucheth the calling of the Gentiles and confirmes that which hath been alreadie said to wit that this worke shall be such as it ought not to be concealed in some one corner but to be publishâd thorowout the whole world Vers 6. * Or reioyce and sing Cry out and shout O inhatant of Zion for great is the holy one of Israel in the midst of thee HE againe exhorts the faithfull to reioyce in God and therewithall shewes what is the true reioycing and whereupon it is grounded No felicitie but where God dwels For we can haue no felicitie but when God dwelâes in the midst of vs without this our life is poore and miserable although wee had the abundance of all other benefits and riches whatsoeuer So then if our hearts bee ioyned to this treasure this felicitie will draw all our senses easily vnto it He calles God holy to the end we might know that
Daniel himselfe who was there present saith Dan. 6.1 that the citie was taken only Dan. 5.30 This is the cause why some expositors haue beene driuen to referre euery thing which is said here of Babylon to all reprobates Ans but therein they haue wrested the text for the Prophet by and by after speakes of the Medes and Persians Moreouer the threatnings which wil orderlie follow hereafter touching the Moabites Tyrians Egyptians and other nations doe sufficientlie shew that this prophesie is properlie against the Chaldeans whom the Prophet placeth in the first rank not that their destruction was so neere at hand as was the destruction of the rest but because the Church had no greater nor more dangerous enemies then they And wee must obserue that Isaiah spake not this whilst the Monarchie of Nineue florished but whatsoeuer he foretold against the profane nations in the whole course of his ministrie is put all vpon one heape as it were Thus then the order of time was not kept but the likenes of things was the cause why they haue put all these prophesies in one For whence is it that Isaiah makes no mention of Nineue seeing hee afterward sheweth that the Assyrians only were they which molested the Iewes with whom the Babylonians were in league but in regard that he speakes not of the histories of his time till he comes to the three and twentie Chapter but only prophesieth of the iudgements of God which came to passe after his death Now when he declares that Babylon shall be destroyed vtterlie it is certaine he speakes not of one destruction barely but vnder it comprehends the full ruin thereof which followed long time after the first For Babylon florished yea after the Persians had subdued it and kept the name and dignitie of a thrice renoumed citie And howsoeuer it be true that another citie was built called Ctesiphon that part of the glorie and riches of Babylon might be taken away yet notwithstanding the commoditie of the place the sumptuous buildings and fortresses of the citie caused that the dignitie royall excepted she was in nothing inferior to the head citie of Persia Yea after the death of Alexander the Great when Seleucia was built neere vnto it yet could it not staine the name and reputation of this so ancient a citie From hence then we gather that the things which are heere spoken can not be restrained to one time And yet is it not without cause that the Prophet threatens them so sharplie seeing the change of their empire was the beginning of diuers calamities which followed thereupon afterwards The change of Babels Empire the beginning of future calamities So that howsoeuer all the people were not slaine yet notwithstanding in regard the citie was forciblie assailed and taken by a sodaine assault and that by night when all the kings court were drowned in drunkennes it could not be but the Medes and Persians hewed all those in pieces which they met withall and therefore we need not doubt but the most valiant of the enemies made many slaughters before they receiued all the people to their mercie For will any man doubt but that this proud nation was dishonorablie handled by these barbarous conquerors seeing it was vnpossible to subdue them by any other meanes Now after that Babylon was by little and little brought vnder shee by and by after changed her king and after she had been a while vnder the gouerment of Alexander the Macedonian Alexander the Macedonian Seleucus Bâbel brought to ruin at last she sodainly fâll into the hands of Seleucus who indeuored by all meanes to abate the greatnes of it till at the last it was brought vtterlie to ruine And thus whilst God suffered her to stand she serued as a deformed and shamefull spectacle that the accomplishment of this prophesie might be the more excellent and certaine and therefore our Prophet rightlie affirmes that the wrath of God shall not be appeased vntill this den of theeues shal be wholly brought to nought As touching the words some of the expositors take Enosh which we haue translated man for a warlike and noble man and Adam which wee haue expounded person for all handicrafts men But in as much as the Etymologie agrees not well herewith I doe not thinke the Prophet meant so I am rather of opinion that it is a repetition of words which is common with the Hebrewes Others take the word Ophir which I according to diuers expositours haue translated pure gold for a precious stone but we gather from many places of the Scripture that it signifies very pure and tried gold Vers 13. Therefore I will shake the heauens and the earth shall remoue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hostes and in the dââ of his fierce anger THis is an other figure which serues for an amplification For God cannot repeate this doctrine too often The reason is not onely to astonish the infidels but also to bring consolation to the good who are often times disquieted when the wicked are at their ease and haue all things at their desire which Dauid confesseth when he saith I haue cleansed mine heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocencie Psal 73.13 These liuely images then are for good cause thus painted out before our eyes to shew vs plainly the destruction of the wicked And therefore it is as if Isaiah should say Were it so that the verie heauens had neede to be shaken for the bringing downe and the rooting out of infidels euen that should be done For they thinke themselues out of all danger and so deepely rooted in the earth as if it were impossible to plucke them vp but the Prophet shewes that they greatly deceiue themselues because the Lord will rather shake the heauen and the earth also then that they should not come tumbling downe from their greatnesse whereunto they are mounted vp aloft Whence it followes that although the world presents a thousand leaning stockes vnto vs as well high as loâe yet notwithstanding there shall be no stedfastnesse in any of them vnlesse God therewithall be mercifull vnto vs. And if this appeares in particular iudgements how much more will it appeare in that generall iudgement when Christ shall ascend into the iudiciall throne of his maiestie to pronounce sentence of condemnation against all the wicked Vers 14. And it shall be as a chased Doe and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp euery man shall turne to his owne people and flee each one to his owne land HEe declares that outward succours shall profit the Babylonians nothing at all and by these similitudes shewes with what feare the souldiers shall be seazed Now Babel did not onely strengthen her selfe with the men of warre of her owne Countrie but she had strangers also vnder her pay He saith they shall all resemble little Fawnes or Does which are very timerous beasts and to scattered sheepe so as they shall retire
dangers but comes to himselfe and by himselfe alone considers that he is iustly punished that hee hath offended God and prouoked his wrath against him But the Prophet saith that not so much as one of the Iewes remembred God in these great calamities and that therefore the Lord had good cause to leaue them without thinking anie more vpon them From hence let vs gather that it is a signe of a desperate impietie when men amend not for the rods and scourges which are laid vpon them First of all wee ought to follow God cheerefully and to yeeld him voluntary obedience secondly as soone as he chastiseth and correcteth vs we are forthwith to repent vs. But if his rod doe vs no good what remaines but that God must double his blowes and make vs feele them in such seueritie that we at the last be brought to vtter destruction by them This doctrine is most fitting for this season wherein God calles vs to repentance by so many of his scourges and afflictions But seeing there is no repentance what are wee to looke for but that God should vtterlie cut vs off hauing before vsed all meanes possible To him that made it He closely coÌfesseth by these words that God absolutely condemns not the care we haue to resist our enemies to auoid dangers but that false confidence which wee put in externall means What course we ought to keepe in the time of peril For our inconsiderate hastinesse is iustly condemned of disloyaltie and high treason when wee forsake God to flie vnto swords and speares to fortresses and bulwarkes Let vs learne then to flie to him alone when dangers inuiron vs on all sides and let vs runne with all the powers of our soule Prou. 18.10 to the assured fortresse of his holy name This being done then is it lawfull to vse those meanes which hee giues vs but all things will worke to our destruction vnlesse we first of all put the hope of our safetie in his protection Hee calles God the workeman and maker of Ierusalem because hee had his habitation there and would there be called vpon Now seeing this citie was the image of the church this title also belongs to vs for the Lord is called the Creator of the Church in a speciall regard For howsoeuer this title appertaines to the creation of the whole world The first creation belongs to all the second peculiar to the elect onely yet this second creation whereby he deliuers vs from death by regenerating and sanctifying vs is a benefit which is peculiar to the elect others haue no part of this Now this title imports not a sudden act but such a one as is constant and perpetuall neither is the Church created once to be left by and by but the Lord defends and conserues it euen vnto the end Thou wilt not despise the worke of thine hands saith the Psalmist so Paul testifieth Psal 138.8 Phil. 1.6 that hee which hath begunne a good worke will accomplish it vnto the day of Christ And besides this title containes in it a wonderfull consolation A consolation for if God be the maker then neede we not to feare if so be we depend vpon his power and goodnesse But we cannot cast our eyes vpon him vnlesse we be indued with true humilitie confidence that being dispossessed of all haughtinesse and so brought to nothing we be readie to attribute the whole glorie to him alone Now this cannot be done vnlesse herewithall we bee fully perswaded that our saluation is in his hand being assured that we cannot perish no not although a thousand deaths should compasse vs about Well their fault then was the greater in regard the prerogatiue of this Citie which had been approued by so many euident signes could not yet prouoke the Iewes to commit themselues vnto Gods protection As if he should say What folly is it for you to thinke to keepe the Citie when you despise the workman that made it Long agoe The Hebrew word signifieth as well distance of place as length of time If we referre it to the place the sense will be that the Iewes are double vnthankfull that they loâked not vnto Gâd no not a farre off Wherein we are to note that we ought not onely to looke vnto God when hee is neere vnto vs but also when it seemes hee is farre distant from vs. Now we thinke him absent when we feele not his present helpe and when he assists vs not as soone as we stand in neede To be short The nature of hope described he shewes what is the nature of true hope for it is a grosse and carnall kind of looking vnto God when we acknowledge his prouidence no further then wee cân see it before our eyes Hope must mount aboue the skies hope you know must mount aboue the skies I grant the Lord is alwaies properly and truely present but he is thought absent and farre off in regard of the weakenesse of our sight This must bee construed then according to our sense and not as the thing is indeed Wherefore albeit that he seemes to be absent in these calamities wherewith the Church is now afflicted yet let vs lift vp our mindes vnto him let vs awaken our hearts and shake off all sloth that so wee may giue our selues to the calling vpon his name But the other sense agreeth better to wit that they looked not vnto God who created and made his Church not yesterday or the day before it but a great while since as one who shewed himselfe the maker of it many ages off He is called then the ancient maker of his Church because that if the Iewes would but haue called to minde the long progresse of time they should haue knowne him to haue been a perpetuall conseruer of his worke wherein their ingratitude is yet the lesse excusable Vers 12. And in that day did the Lord God of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth THe Prophet further amplifies this wicked rebellion of the people For this circumstance cuts off all replies for in the middest of such extreme dangers they had despised the holy exhortations of the Prophes and had reiected the fauor of God when he was readie to haue healed and restored them to their former happines Here we see a signe of desperate malice when men are so besotted that they proudly despise instruction and correction kicking obstinatlie against the spurâe then I say may we euidentlie perceiue that they are giuen vp into a reprobate sense Whereas he saith the Lord called them we may expound it two waies for although he should not speake at all yet he calles vs sufficientlie by his rods and chastisements Put the case we had no Scripture at all no Prophets nor Teachers and that there were none to admonish vs yet doth God notwithstanding instruct vs by afflictions and calamities so as we may easily coÌclude that euery chastisement is
Prophet speakes of the discomfiture made by Alexander diuide the clause of the verse F om the land Cihttim and conioyne it thus This was reuealed vnto them from the land of Chittim But I rather render it thus They shall come no more from the land of Chittim that is to say that the Greekes might neither goe nor come as they were wont For by Chittim the Hebrewes vnderstand the Greekes and Easterne people and it is as if hee should haue said The traffique of the Greekes shall cease so as their ships shall no more arriue there And vnder it he also comprehends the Egyptians Cilicians Italians and other nations When he saith This was reuealed vnto them wee may fitly vnderstand it as well of the Greekes as of the Tyrians If it be referred to the Greekes the sense will bee that as soone as newes shall come of the destruction of Tyre they shall then saile no more thither as they were wont for they shall flee this port with as much feare as if it were a rocke And this sense I doe more willingly receiue notwithstanding I reiect not the other to wit that the Prophet confirmes his prophecie as when wee ordinarily speake of a thing that shall surely come to passe wee say Looke to it for this appertaines to thee Vers 2. Be still yee that dwell in the Iles the Merchants of Zidon and such as passe ouer the sea haue replenished thee HEe sets forth the ruine of Tyre more at large Now there is here a change touching the number in the word Iles for albeit he speakes in the singular number yet he vnderstands thereby the Iles of the MediterraneuÌ sea the people yâ dwell beyond the sea but chiefly the borderers which sailed often to Tyre and vsually traded there He commands them to hold their peace and to be still because they shall no more trauaile thither His meaning is that they should be still as men confounded in regard of the great calamity which should befall theÌ in such wise as they should not dare to vtter one word For it could not bee but those nations which traded there must lose much when a Citie so replenished with marchandise was sacked As for example if Venice or Antwerp should bee now destroyed would it not redound to the great of many nations The Prophet makes speciall mention of the Sidonians The cause why the Prophet mentions the Sidonians not onely because they were neighbours but because these two cities had both one beginning Zidon was greatly renowned but yet it was much lesse in quantitie then Tyre It stoode vpon the edge of the sea and was two hundred * A Stade conâaines tâe measure of sixe score and fiue paces which was the length of a race when they ranne for a price or wager stades in distance from it Now they seemed so neere one to an other and so lincked together in merchandise that the Poets often take the one for the other Wee neede not doubt then but the Zidonians gained much more then others in selling and exchanging their commodities first in regard they were neighbours and secondly because of their continuall trading For the wealth of the Tyrians so flowed in vpon them that they were caried vpon their wings after the common prouerbe Thence is it therefore that their losse must be much greater then any others in this destruction of Tyre And that is the cause why the Prophet bids Zidon to bee ashamed in the fourth verse He addes which replenished thee speaking either of all in generall or because it was filled with the glut and multitude of men in regard that strangers came thither from diuers Countries farre remote from them or else because those which trauailed for gaine did therewithall inrich the Citie Vers 3. The seede of Nilus growing by the abundance of waters and the haruest of the riuer was her reuenues and she was a mart of the nations THe Prophets meaning is that the riches of Tyre shall not deliuer it from destruction He therefore sets forth the rich estate thereof so highly to the end euery one might know first Gods iudgenent and secondly that this was no small plague that was light vpon her And in the third place the worke of God did appeare to be so much the more manifest in regard that her destruction came suddenly when she thought on no such matter Moreouer he describes the wealthinesse of Tyre elegantly for because Nilus furnished her with corne and other necessary prouisions and that great quantitie of wheat was sent thither out of Egypt the Prophet saith shee had her fieldes as it were and her seede growing in the streame of Niluâ The Venetians vse to say A prouerbe of the Venetiâns Their reuenue is in the sea because nothing growes vpon the land but they get all prouision of victuals by their trade of merchandise And the Prophet saith the same of the Tyrians for it was almost vnpossible they should want food because Nilus furnished them therewith in great abundance But he takes this prop away from them as a vaine hope for they shall destitute them vtterly Isaiah therefore as hath been saide describes these things that all might the better perceiue the vengeance and wrath of God fallen vpon her Vers 4. Bee ashamed thou Zidon for the sea hath spoken euen the strength of the sea saying I haue not trauailed nor brought forth children neither nourished young men nor brought vp virgins THis verse is added by way of amplification We haue told you the cause why he spake of Zidon thus in particular before See vers 2. Now calles Tyre Sea by way of excellencie as if she alone raigned in the middest it That which is by and by added I haue not conceiued is spoken in the person of Tyre and thus he pleasantly derides Tyre who bragged of her Townes for Tyre begat or built other Cities very renowned She was in olde time much spoken of saith Plinie for the Cities which she built Plin. lib. 5. cap. 19. to wit Leptis Vtique and this Carthage the imitatrix of the Roman Empire meaning to rule ouer all the world and Gades also which was built vpon the sea Now all her wealth consisted in purple and scarlet The Prophet then brings in the Citie of Tyre lamenting her ancient glorie and excellencie Alas I am now no longer a mother and what hath it profited me that I haue nourished so many children and brought forth so many Cities For Carthage Carthage was wont to send presents to Tyre euerie yeere by way of homage and therein acknowledged her for her mother Thus it seemes that Tyrus surmounted all other Cities in dignitie seeing Carthage which was the second after the Roman Empire did in some sort submit it selfe vnto her But the Lord tooke all these ornaments from her in a moment in such wise that she laments as if shee had neuer had children Vers 5. When the fame comes to
denying men their sustenance Vers 6. Therefore hath the curse deuoured the earth and the Inhabitants thereof are desolate wherefore the Inhabitants thereof are burned vp and few men are left OThers translate Forswearing but because this word also signifieth to curse I doubt not but it is taken here for cursing the Prophet hauing an eye to those curses which Moses denounceth in the Law against the wicked that transgresse it Leuit. 26.16 Deut. 28.15 Isaiah testifies then that all the calamities which should come to passe proceeded from the curse of God We know that the earth was cursed because of the transgression of the first man so as it brought forth thistles and briers in stead of good fruites Gen. 3.17.18 and yet notwithstanding the Lord hath so moderated this curse that it ceaseth not to yeeld men foode although in regard of their vnthankfulnes they be vnworthie of it The cause why the eaâth is cuâsed If we then cease not to offend God adding sinne vnto sinne is it not good reason that wee should feele this curse to prick vs to the quick and that the earth should waxe barren and vnfruitfull I thinke the verb Asham should rather be taken to desolate then to transgresse and the scope of the text also leades vs vnto it therfore I haue translated they are desolate vnlesse any had rather take the coniunction for a particle of shewing the cause in this sense The earth being cursed of God is withered because the inhabitants thereof are wicked The verb Charu may be takeÌ by way of similitude which I approue best of to wit that those whom the wrath of God hath deuoured were burned for destruction is often compared to the burning of fire Now whereas in the end he addes that a few men shall be left thence we may perceiue that this prophesie can not be expounded of the last Iudgement for the Prophet rather foretels and confirmes the certentie of those calamities which he had threatned to befall sundrie nations that by this meanes the faithfull being now readie to indure many afflictions might feare and be drawne to repentance Vers 7. The wine faileth the vine hath no might all that were of merry heart do mourne 8. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth the noyse of them that reioyce endeth the ioy of the harp ceaseth HE continues on the same matter still but in a more particular maner foretelling the desolation that should happen to the land of Iudea Now he vseth a large description that he might âouch them the neerer to the quick and wound them with the sense of Gods iudgement He also taxeth their excesse intemperancie and wantonnes because that in so great abundance of all things they rebelled against God But this ingratitude is not the sinne of the Iewes only nor of that age alone Wofull effâcts proceeding from so gracious a cause but it may be seene euery where that the more men are glutted with the blessings of God the more proudlie they aduance themselues against him and giue themselues the raines too much For this cause the Prophet reproues theÌ as if he should say Hitherunto you haue plunged your selues in delights and pleasures but the Lord is determined to cut you short Now Isaiah speakes of the thing to come as if it were alreadie present the better to paint it out as it were before their eyes Vers 9. The shall not drinke wine with * Or with songs mirth strong drinke shall be bitter to them that drinke it IT is not a thing euill in it selfe to drinke wine for God hath ordained it for mans vse but the Prophet here describes the banquets of drunkards in which nothing is to be seene but excesse dissolutions and dishonest songs Moreouer Abuse of Gods benefits pulles want into our houses because they had abused their abundance hee threatens them with want which men draw into their houses when they abuse Gods bountie by their riot He addes further that if they shall drinke strong drinke it shall be bitter vnto them Sorrow causeth sweete things to become bitter to our taste for sorrow makes vs feele no taste either in meate or drinke The summe is that God will depriue them of the vse of wine notwithstanding they haue plentie because the sorrow wherewith they shall be ouerwhelmed will cause them to lose all taste and sauour therein Strong drinke shall be bitter that is to say you shall not inioy there pleasures and delights in which you haue soaked your selues any longer Vers 10. The Citie of vanitie is broken donwe euery house is shut vp I Willingly agree that this be particularly referred to the destruction of Ierusalem although from the scope of the text wee may gather that it also extends it selfe to other Cities because he will by and by summon the nations in the plurall number to appeare before the iudgement seate of God But in regard that Isaiah principally respected his Citizens wee may well take it that this Citie of vanitie is Ierusalem either because there was no true vertue in it or because it was destroyed Wee may referre the word Tâhu the destruction it selfe or to the sinnes by which they had prouoked the wrath of God against them If we referre it to their iniquities his meaning is a Citie wherein there is nothing but disorder this sense pleaseth me best albeit it may also be referred to the destructioÌ For as I take it he shewes the cause of the ruine wherewith he threatens the Citie to wit because iustice and equitie were banished out of it The houses shut vp signifie that there shall bee great solitarinesse for this is added onely to exemplifie the desolation of this Citie Vers 11. There is a crying for wine in the streetes all ioy is darkned the mirth of the world is gone away HIs meaning is there shall be great scarcitie of wine Now where want and famine is there are innumerable complaints not onely in corners but in publike places also He expresseth these complaints and lamentations then but withall he taxeth their excesse and intemperancie in that they contented not themselues with things necessarie but soked themselues in an ouerflowing of drunkennesse and all voluptuousnesse For wee should supply an antithesis that is wanting here to wit You hitherunto abounded in wine and good cheere through which you haue taken occasion to waxe wanton and proud against God you shall therefore bee iustly depriued of them so that in steed of your rioting shall bee heard cries and sighings Wee must also note a similitude in this second member for as we are wont to say A prouerbe Ioy then shineth in her brightest colours when we haue matter of ioy the Prophet therefore saith that it is darkened because sorrow is as a cloud put betweene To reioyce is a thing lawfull in it selfe as also to drinke neither doth the Prophet reproue it onely that immoderate and inordinate ioy for men seldome keepe compasse by
translated Secret signifies also whatsoeuer is within the bodie And thus it is an exclamation to wit my inward parts or my bowels paine me neither is it any absurditie to supplie a verb in a passionate and vehement speech When the Lord plants his Church it seemes to florish and to be out of all perill but when her owne bowels that is to say her children trouble her then is she the most grieued hypocrits aduance theÌselues which toucheth her neerer then all the malice of those that are without To this appertaines these complaints Alas Alas for that doubtlesse was the Prophets meaning to the end the faithfull might not thinke their felicitie consisted in the things of this life but might rather know that they were to susteine continuall combates yea euen then when they imagined nothing could hinder them from inioying most sweet peace and tranquillitie His meaning is then to expresse an extreame passion of sorrow wherwith the Church should be inwardlie touched that is to say euen in her bowels and so much the more cause had she to lament because she could not auoid it A true saying For as one saith The Church can not flee from her home enemies neither can she rid her selfe of them This is the cause why the Prophet wants words to expresse his miserie When he speakes in the next place of the disloyall it is a sufficient confirmation of this exposition We haue too much experience and shall feele more and more euery day how great and wofull this calamitie is Whence came Poperie and all the filthie puddle but from this inward plague It is an impostume bred in the bowels of the Church The bane of the Church bred within her owne bowels which at length hath broken forth and annoyed vs with the corruption and stinch of it Whence is it also that in these beginnings of the Church which is but now in the swadling clouts as it were we see the true doctrine corrupted the discipline Discipline adulterated not only by the common people but by them also which from their good example ought to be guides vnto others Is it not because the Church hath alwaies been subiect to this euill Vers 17. Feare and the pit and the snare are vpon thee ô Inhabitant of the earth 18. And he that fleeth from the noyse of the feare shall fall into the pit and he that commeth vp out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windowes from an high are open and the foundations of the earth do shake THe Prophet heere expostulates with the people because of their sinnes See verse 14.15.16 Before he said that not one but many nations farre remote should haue cause to sing now hee comes to doctrine for I thinke this should be seuered from the former because Isaiah threatens the wicked againe to the end they might know that in the greatest felicitie of the Church they should continue to be accursed For such are wont falsly to challenge vnto themselues the promises of God when as they appertaine nothing at all vnto them this is the cause why the Prophets are wont to mingle threatnings with consolations It may be for ought we know that the Prophet made this sermon apart vpon some other occasion For neither did the Prophets themselues nor other learned men for them distinguish the Chapters we haue diuers times seene sundrie senteÌces ioined together which should be separate many separated which should be ioined What was the cause thereof but ignorance Be it as you will the Prophet directs his speech againe to the wicked and threatens them with an horrible iudgement Now this description of feare pit and snare is set before them to worke vpon their affections for had he in one word told them that destruction was at hand they would haue bin little moued with it But the doubt is whether he speakes to the Iewes only or no for mine owne part I meane not to contend much about it and yet it is most likely vnto me that it appertaines also to other nations yea euen to the whole earth See vers 1.4 whereof he had prophesied before By the earth wee vnderstand those regions which were knowne to the Iewes as we touched in another place Verse 1. The sense then is The sense of this place Thou shalt be pressed with so many miseries that thou shalt not know which way to turne thee as also it is written in Amos He which flies for feare of the Lion shall meete a Beare Amos 5.19 And if he go into his house when he leanes against the wall a serpent shall bite him And in the 15. Chapter of this booke Isaiah told vs that Lions should be sent against those Moabites that escaped the warre For God hath a store-house of infinite plagues wherewith to punish the wicked God hath a store-house of infinite plagues wherewith to punish the wicked It is as much therefore as if the Prophet had said Be it knowne vnto you that you can no way winde your selues out of Gods hands for he hath mo wayes then one to auenge himselfe vpon you for your iniquities and hath skill enough to snare them that thinke by subtletie to steale away in the darke from him He that scapes the sword shall be vexed with famine and if he die not of that he shall be pressed with some other euen as if nets were euery where spread to catch you The reason which is added in the latter end of the 18. verse confirmes this exposition to wit that they can no way preuent Gods vengeance Why so for all things are at his beck from the highest heauens to the lowest depths of the earth Some are of opinion that the Prophet alludes to the deluge but as I thinke the very meaning is that Gods wrath shall be reuealed both from aboue and below as if he should say The Lord will arme heauen and earth on his side to execute his wrath vpon the sonnes of men that which way soeuer they turne their eyes they may see nothing but ruine and destruction Vers 19. The earth is vtterlie broken downe the earth is cleane dissolued the earth is moued exceedinglie 20. The earth shall reele to and fro like a drunken man and shall be remoued as a tent and the iniquitie thereof shall be heauie vpon it so that it shall fall and rise no more HE amplifies these punishments by diuers phrases of speech Now in the 20 verse he will shew the cause of this calamitie to wit that men haue pulled it vpon their owne heads by their sinnes in all the rest of the words he shewes that the mischiefe is desperate and incurable We haue said before that the Prophet vtters one and the same thing in diuers manners of speech to the end hee might awaken and wound the hearts of the people which naturally were too secure For there is a carelesnesse in our flesh which begets a contempt
of God A carelesnes rooted in our flesh which begets a contempt of God and of this euerie one of vs hath too wofull experience both in himselfe and in others That the Prophet then might rowse vp those that were drowsie and rocked asleepe in their sinnes he garnisheth his words not as one affecting eloquence to procure credit vnto himselfe but to gaine attention of his hearers to cause the same to sink the deeper into their hearts Thence proceedes all these allusions wherewith these verses are replenished thence flowes this decking of his speech with figures thence is it that these threatnings and terrours are set forth in such varietie of words namely euen to awaken the dull and dead hearts of his auditors Now this doctrine ought to be restrained to the wicked not that the faithfull were exempt from these calamities for they often suffer with others but hauing their recourse vnto God and resting themselues wholly vpon him they are not so appalled but they get the victorie ouer all assaults whatsoeuer But the wicked which despise the iudgements of God and take a raging libertie of sinning to themselues shall alwaies be vexed and terrified without any ease or rest Where he saith the earth shall be shaken it is not meant as though it should be carried out of one place into some other but this as we haue said is to be referred vnto men and it is as if he had said There shall be neither kingdome nor gouernement In a word his meaning is to set forth those changes whereof he spake in the tenth Chapter Now it is not without cause that he saith the earth is laden with iniquitie Our selues the authors of our owne euils for thereby we perceiue that God is neuer displeased with men but wee our selues are the authors and causes of all the euill we indure God is naturally inclined to pitie and compassion and loues vs with a fatherly affection our sinnes are the cause why hee deales roughly with vs and we haue no reason at all to accuse him that smites vs. The Prophet againe tels them that there is no recouerie and some are of opinion that this was spoken to the Iewes whose commonwealth was vtterly abolished so as being scattered here and there they were scacely reputed or held for men of like condition with others But I extend it further to wit that the calamities shall be so great in the world that it should neuer bee restored to his first beautie for men labour tooth and naile to resist aduersities and are foolehardy vpon a false confidence When they haue indured some corrections Men are readie enough to feede themselues with vaine hopes they thinke leaue shall bee giuen them to take breath feeding themselues with a vaine assurance which the Prophet labours to depriue them of to the end their fond hopes might not beguile them It is also to be noted that this generall sentence takes not away the exception which Isaiah spake of before vers 13. Vers 21. And in that day shall the Lord visit the hoste aboue that is on high euen the Kings of the world that are vpon the earth THis place hath troubled many mens heads so as euery one hath descanted vpon it diuersly Some thinke it to be meant of the Sunne and starres others of the diuels which should be punished with the wicked others referre it to the Iewes whom God had beautified with a special priuiledge but I can receiue none of these interpretations The true and naturall sense as I take it is that there are no powers so high that shall be able to free themselues from these scourges of God for let them soare aboue the cloudes yet euen there shall the hand of God reach them as it is said in the Psalme Psal 139. Whither shall I goe from thy presence whither shall I flee from thy Spirit if I goe vp into heauen thou art there if I take the wings of the morning and flie to the vttermost parts of the sea yet thither wilt thou pursue mee For Isaiah calles Kings and Princes the host from aboue by way of similitude and himselfe so expounds it cleerely when he addes Vpon the kings of the earth For I am not of the mind that the words should bee seuered as if hee spake of diuers things but it is rather the repetition of the same thing againe so as the latter expounds the former vnlesse any had rather expound it thus He will come in visitation vpon the kingdomes of the earth yea euen vpon them which seeme the highest exalted aboue the common condition of men Some are so aduanced aboue others that they seeme petty Gods rather then men Now the word visit must bee referred to the punishment as it appeares sufficiently by the text Vers 22. And they shall be gathered together as the prisoners in the pit and they shall bee shut vp in the prison and after many daies shall they bee visited HEe continues on his purpose in the beginning of the verse vsing a phrase of speech by way of similitude for all were not prisoners but the Lord brought them all into seruitude as if one should keepe his enemies in safe custodie which he had subdued The Prophet brings in the Lord then like a Conquerour which holds his enemies in prison For men are wont to lay them fast whom they haue taken We know that men flee the presence of God despise him all the while he spares or giues theÌ any truce for this cause Isaiah saith that they shall be shut vp in prison by heapes that so their reioycing in their multitudes might cease Where he saith they shall be visited after many dayes we are not to take it simplie as a promise but as a threatning also included vnder it and that in this sense O ye Iewes you haue a long time dallied with your God by your rebellion and haue prolonged your trading in sinne too long so God will now prolong his chastisements till he haue in the end brought you though very late to a sight of your misdeeds And this course we see the Iudges of the earth often take with malefactors with whom they are displeased they admit theÌ not to their presence the first day but humble them first by throwing them into stinking dungeons Simile and into miserie that they may thereby breake the pride of their hearts God is said to visit the world two waies But God is said to visit the world two waies first in punishing the wicked secondly when after some chastisements he shewes his elect some tokens of his fatherlie kindnes The word visit in this place is taken To behold and thus the Prophet mitigates the rigor of his menace or threatning For the hearts of the faithfull in these cases haue need of comfort lest they should quaile and be discouraged The cause why the Prophets are wont so often to mingle consolations with their denunciatioÌs in regard of
vnto vs thou wilt ordaine peace for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs. THis tends to the consolation of the faithfull As if he should say We see what will fall vpon the heads of the wicked for thou wilt cast them out of the company of thy children wilt consume them with fire as thine enemies but we shal haue an happy and blessed estate The verbe Shaphat which signifies to Ordaine among the Hebrewes is as much to say as to Establish as if he should say Thou wilt hold and preserue vs in peace continually The wicked indeed inioy a kind of peace but it lasts not long our peace is seated and established in the Lord and hath such a foundation as shall indure for euer Now by the word peace he meanes a setled and lasting felicitie Hence let vs conclude then that the children of God which trust in him are fully blessed for the life of the wicked is more then miserable albeit it be soaked in much deliciousnesse and pleasures as those that haue all things at their wish There is no assured nor stable peace then but in the fatherly loue of our God By workes hee meanes all the good which God doth to his chosen as if he should say All our affaires and actions all things which we vse for our benefit in this world in a word whatsoeuer we put our hands vnto Those then who haue alleadged this place to ouerthrow the doctrine of free will did not well vnderstand the Prophets meaning I grant it is God onely that works whatsoeuer is good in vs so as all our vprightnesse proceeds onely from his Spirit but the Prophet meant simply to teach here that wee receiue all the good things which we inioy onely from the hand of God He that hath begunne a good worke in vs will perfect it vnto the end Phil. 1.6 and thence concludes that this fauour shall neuer cease till wee be come to full and perfect happinesse Moreouer seeing God is author of all blessings wee ought especially to be mindfull of those which are chiefe and principall for if wee ought to acknowledge that the things which serue for our maintenance in this life are the gifts of God much more ought we so to doe in things appertaining to the saluation of the soule If so be then we owe thankfulnesse for his liberalitie in small things how much more should wee acknowledge his goodnesse in things that are high and excellent But what need haue wee to obiect this text against the Papists to refute their doctrine of free will seeing they may be easilie answered by other places yea we haue infinit testimonies besideâ which are much more euident Thus it seemes then that the Prophet stirs vp the peoples mindes to thankfulnesse for hee commands them so to admire the goodnesse of God in his benefits that they confesse all things they haue to be his gift We haue here then a very fruitfull doctrine to wit Benefits receiued of God in times past ought to incourage vs to hope for the like in time to come that the faithfull are to conceiue an assured hope of Gods goodnesse for the time to come by considering what benefits they haue receiued from him in times past and thence to conclude that he will vndoubtedly haue care ouer them hereafter Haue wee then at any time had experience of Gods mercy towards vs Let vs learne to trust in him for euer and seeing it hath pleased him to shew himselfe so bountifull and readie to doe vs good let vs boldly and constantly settle our hearts in this truth to wit that hee will neuer faile vs. All the faithfull haue done thus and this way haue they confirmed themselues in the faith for see how Dauid speakes Psal 138.8 Thou Lord wilt not forsake the worke of thine owne hands And Saint Paul saith He which hath begun a good worke in you will perfect the same Phil. 1 6. Likewise the Patriarke Jacob saith Lord I am lesse then all thy mercies and trueth which thou hast shewed thy seruant but thou saidst I will doe thee good c. Gen. 32.10 11 12. For God is not like to men that is to be wearie in well doing or to be drawne dry by too much giuing but the more good he hath done vs so much the stronger ought our hope to be and to receiue daily increases Vers 13. O Lord our God other Lords besides thee haue ruled vs but wee will remember thee onelie and thy name THis verse containes a complaint which the faithfull make because they were oppressed vnder the tyranny of the wicked Thus this song is composed to comfort the hearts of the faithfull who in regard they were to vndergoe an hard condition of banishment and to bee expulsed out of that good land which was vnto them a signe of eternall happinesse as also being depriued of the sacrifices of the holy assemblies and so in a manner of all consolation and comfort being furthermore shut vp vnder the bondage of the Babylonians in a strange Country banished from their Country and ouerwhelmed with shame and most grieuous afflictions they might yet notwithstanding by this song powre out their sighes vnto God and so find solace in him He speakes therefore in the name and person of all the faithfull who in appearance seemed to be reiected of God but therewithall professing that they were his people and so consequently did put their confidence in him But had they not great cause to mourne thus when they were in bondage vnder the tyrannie of other rulers besides the Lord himselfe who once had gathered them in vnder the wings of his protection Hence therefore it followes that if they had not been estranged from him they had neuer fallen into so wretched a condition as to be exposed to the mercilesse tyrannie of their enemies But it should seeme by this Obiect that the gouernement of Princes is contrarie to that which God himselfe exerciseth notwithstanding that they rule in his name Ans but the Prophet speakes not of those heere who beare rule for our good but of such as are Idolaters and enemies of the true doctrine Dauid himselfe was a King hauing a diuers gouernment from that which God exerciseth yet so that he was Gods minâster notwithstanding for the common good and saluation of all the people that were câmmitted to his charge and likewise maintained the true Religion which these tyrants desired whollie to ouerthrow The like also did iustlie befall the Iewes who had well deserued to be subdued vnder the crueltie of Infidels seeing they refused to obey God who vsed theÌ so louingly But it is not âmisse to note the close opposition which is heere put betweene God and the faithfull Kings who gouerned the people vnder his name and authoritie and those tyrants who at the last oppressed them vnder vniust lawes This will the better appeere by a like place out of Ezechiel I haue saith he giuen them
see that he not only condemnes Images and Idols but whatsoeuer the Iewes had inuented without the prescript rule of the law whence it followes that all will-worship is reiected of GOD. God reiects not Idolatrie alone but all will worship all be it be grounded vpon neuer so good intents Where he addes in the end that they shall no more arise or stand vp he shewes how odious a thing Idolatrie is in Gods sight seeing he will haue the very memorie thereof to be quite abolished so as afterwards there should no signe thereof be left at all And yet the Prophet meant to expresse somewhat more to wit that our repentance should be such as that we ought to perseuere therein coÌstantlie vnto the end For we call not that true repentance when men are only moued vpon some sudden passion to renounce and abolish their superstitions and then forthwith to suffer them to sprout and increase againe which yet we see comes often to passe in manie who in the beginning seemed to be consumed with zeale in an outward shew and within a while haue growne key cold againe But the Prophet here notes out such a constant zeale True repentance holds out to the end that those who haue once begun to forsake and renounce their abominations hold out and perseuere in a good course vnto the end Vers 10. * Or neuerthelesse Yet the defenced Citie shall be desolate and the habitation shall be forsaken and left like a wildernes There shall the Calfe feede and there shall he lie * Or shall brouze vpon the tops thereof and consume the branches thereof YEt Some take the Hebrue Coniunction Vau for a particle of rendring the cause and some as if it signified Otherwise therefore it will beare a double sense If we interpret it For then the Prophet should giue a reason of that which went before but that is against the drift of the text and besides it is vtterlie a verie absurd exposition Those who take it for Otherwise haue the most likelihood for this threat may well agree If you repent not looke to the issue Your Citie which is so well fortified shall be made like a wildernes But yet me thinks this is too constreined a sense I had rather then expound it Notwithstanding or neuerthelesse for the Prophet meant to say that Ierusalem and the rest of the Cities of Iudea should be destroyed neither could Ierusalem possiblie escape albeit God meant to spare his people This admonition was very requisit because the faithfull might haue been discouraged in seeing this holie Citie ouerthrowne and the Temple laid on heapes but they knew by the former prophesies that God had meanes enow in store to conserue his Church and the consideration thereof vpheld them The Prophet then goes about to preuent this temptation And from hence learne that we ought neuer to be out of heart howsoeuer we be brought to a great exigent and that the Lord begins to handle vs with all extremitie Now albeit this threatning may well concerne all Iudea yet I rather thinke that he speakes here principallie of Ierusalem which was the Mother Citie of that countrie Whereas he addes that the Calfe shall feede there it is a figuratiue maner of speech much vsed among the Prophets as oft as they mention the destruction of a Citie for they then forthwith shew that the place shall be made pasture ground In which we haue to obserue what should moue the Lord to execute such a iudgement as to put brute beasts to feed in that place which the Iewes by their wickednes had prophaned Surely he had adopted them to be his children and therefore it was their duties to haue yeelded subiection to so louing a father but in regard they had broken out into licentious behauiour against him and had shaken off his yoke The sinnes of a nation may so farre prouoke the Lord that where it was an habitation for men it shall become an habitation for beasts only it was iust with the Lord as a punishment of their ingratitude that the place of their dwelling should now be inhabited by better inhabitants taken from among brute beasts rather then men Whereas he saith the tops it is to augment the description of this waste and desolation as if he should say There shal be such plentie of grasse that the Calues shal only brouze vpon the tenderest parts thereof The word Saiph signifies also a bow or branch but because they naturallie sprout vp on high I take it here for the top or end We may also affirme that the Prophet alludes to the faire shew which the Citie had it being in times past beautified with faire and high buildings but nothing should be seene there these houses being throwne downe but grasse and boughs of trees wherewith the calues being plentifully fed should onely for wantonnes browze vpon the tops thereof Vers 11. When * Or his haâuest shall dry the boughes of it are dry they shall be broken the women * Or shall come and shall set c. come and set them on fire for it is a people of none vnderstanding therefore hee that made them shall haue no compassion of them and he that formed them shall haue no mercy on them SOme thinke the Prophet hath respect to the similitude of the vine whereof hee spake in the beginning of this Chapter and therefore they translate When the branches shall die I grant that the word Kesirah is ambiguous but because the similitude of the haruest agrees better as also that the Hebrew word may be so expounded therefore I had rather take it in this sense And yet I traÌslate not When the haruest shall be dried but WheÌ the haruest shal dry Now To dry in this place signifies nothing else but to come to ripenesse as if hee should say Before the crop be ripe it shall be cut downe and so the Lord will depriue thee of that which thou thoughtest thou hadst sure enough in thine hand Where he saith the women shall come his meaning is that God shall neede no strong armie of men to finish this businesse but poore weake women shall suffice and thus he amplifies the indignitie that shall bee offered them in this chastisement For he threatens that the calamitie shall be full of shame and reproach in regard that it is a greater disgrace to be praied vpon and spoiled by the hands of sillie women who were neuer expert in feates of armes then by men who are souldiers by profession In the next place hee shewes the cause of this so great a calamitie for at the first blush the Lord might seeme too seuere in suffering his chosen to be so miserably vexed and scattered without any succour Why so Because it is contrary to his louing and fatherly disposition to deale thus with his children But our Prophet shewes that God did not correct the Iewes so rigorously without good reason for they were destitute of
bestowes all the paines and skil he hath Those who change the Prophets words here that they might not offend the eares of the readers do by an affected phrase of speech corrupt the sense and cause his words to lose that grace which otherwise is in them for in repeating the same words hee meant to signifie a variable and continuall repetition which we know is very troublesome For it is a similitude drawne as we haue said from little children whose memories the Master dares not charge with any great matter because they are vncapable of it but is faine to distill the first principles into them as it were drop by drop And for that cause he repeates the same thing once twice yea many times and is still refreshing their memories with their old lesson In a word such schollers must be alwaies fed with milke vntill they bee growne to more maturitie and ripenes of iudgement The Prophet in like manner somewhat after a quipping manner of speech vseth these words heere a little and there a little Those interpret it ill as I thinke who reade the word a little line as if the Prophet had had respect to a building that goes vp slowlie and is raised an end by lines now a little and then alittle For this had been an improper similitude and too farre fetched seeing he speakes heere of childrens first rudiments I confesse indeed that the same Hebrew word is vsed in the 18. Chapter where I haue traÌslated From all parts or Line after line and so in manie other places but the circumstance of this text requires another sense as also in Psal 19.4 Vnlesse the word line or measuring instrument should agree better there yet I denie not but vnder a figure it may well be taken for instruction or rule For in as much as the rule or plummet which they vse in buildings is called by the same name as we shall afterward see in this Chapter it is no maruell if it be referred to other rules Vers 11. For with a stammering tongue and with a straÌge language shall he speake vnto this people WHereas some supply that it is as if one spake it is superfluous I referre this to God then who as the Prophet saith spake in a strange language to this barbarous people This reprehension ought therefore to haue pierced them to the heart in regard that by their owne default they made him to slut and stammer who yet giues speech vnto all He threatens them not but rather accuseth them of blockishnes in that they made the heauenlie doctrine to become nothing else but a confused sound vnto them so as they receiued no benefit by it because they wittinglie stopped their eares against it The Prophet therefore compares their follie to a thing against nature in that they would not heare the voice of the Lord. Vers 12. Vnto whom he said This is the rest giue rest to him that is wearie and this is the refreshing but they would not heare SOme expouÌd this sentence in many words thus If anie say vnto them This is the rest they will not heare but this is of no force neither doth it make that cohereÌce which it should The Prophet rather shewes why God became a barbarian as it were to the Iewes to wit because they wanted eares to heare him so that in effect he spake as vnto them that were deafe for they would not learne what this rest meant But this deafnes proceeded from rebellion for they presumptuouslie reiected all wholesome doctrine with a setled malice It was a frowardnesse doubly inexcusable then to reiect that rest which was offred them which all men also naturally desire They were too farre gone alreadie in impietie to stop their eares when God spake but their ingratitude was much more insupportable to despise so desireable a benefit with such an high hand The Prophet shewes them therefore what fruite they might haue reaped from the obedience of faith of which they depriued themselues by their owne obstinacie He blames their blindnes and ignorance then because all this proceeded from their rebellion in that they maliciously shut their eies against the cleere light which shined vnto them from heauen and loued rather to grope in darknes then to walke in the light Hence we gather that the vnbeleeuers doe willingly plunge themselues into a miserable vnquietnes of mind as soone as God tenders his word vnto them What an inestimable benefit Gods word brings if our owne infidelitie depriued vs not of it for he allures all men to partake in this blessed rest He shewes vs also the marke vnto which if we leuell the whole course of our liues true felicitie attends vs so as hauing once heard the heauenlie doctrine no man can run astray vnlesse he will doe it wittingly Oh how amiable then ought this good word of God to be in our eyes seeing it brings vs so inestimable a benefit with it when with rest and peace of conscience we may possesse so perfect a blessednes All men naturallie desire rest yet few take the right way to enioy it All will in words affirme boldly that nothing is better then to dwell in a place of rest and yet where is he that makes account of it when it is offred him Nay all in a maner shun it as if men had agreed with a common consent to liue in miserable perplexitie and continuall trembling of heart In the meane while none is to murmure and say that he sinnes ignorantlie for what is more cleere and manifest then the doctrine of God all excuses of men therefore are but in vaine In a word what is more absurd then to lay the fault vpon God as if he taught men either obscurely or confusedly Now as God here testifies that hee shewes vnto men by his word the way how to come to an assured rest so on the other side hee certifies the vnbeleeuers that the continuall broiles which are within them are the iust recompences of their wickednesse Where it followes Giue rest to him that is wearie some expound it as if God required works of charitie if so be we will find fauour in his sight and these workes are here comprehended vnder a part for the whole But as I thinke the Prophet meant another thing he rather shewes what rest it is which God affords vs for the releeuing of our infirmitie We are conuinced of great ingratitude if our owne necessities can not quicken vs vp to seeke the remedies which God freely offers vs. and certainly we are conuinced of ouer great ingratitude if necessitie which of it selfe is a sharpe spurre cannot for all that quicken vs forward to seeke this remedy This sentence of the Prophet tends almost to the same end that the words of Christ do Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are heauie laden and I will ease you So that Isaiah sets the choice of two things heere before the Iewes to wit whether they had rather
dust and the multitude of strong men shall be as chaffe that passeth away and it shall be in a moment euen suddenlie I Will first recite the opinions of others and then that which to me seemes most probable All in a maner do thinke that this should be spokeÌ of the enemies of the Iewes for they take the word Strangers for enemies and so they affirme that the multitude of those who should oppresse the Iewes shall be like the dust that is to say infinite But considering all things circumspectlie I incline rather to another opinion to wit that the Prophet speakes by way of contempt of the fortresses and garisons whereupon the Iewes relied For they had souldiers out of forreine Countries that were valiant vnder their pay And thus I interpret the word Aritsim which properlie signifies so much neither do I wonder a little that some of the Rabbins should take it for the heathen or wicked In regard the Iewes then drew vnto themselues diuers garisons out of strange Countries they thought they were cock-sure and out of danger The Prophet on the coÌtrarie threatens that their garisons shall skirmish in vaine notwithstanding their companies be many in number for they shall be but as dust or chaffe that is to say like vnprofitable ofscourings so as they shall haue neither strength nor actiuitie Hence may we obserue No wisdome nor strength against the Lord. that be our riches or abundance neuer so much yet all shall turne to smoke as soone as the Lord shall but blow vpon it The preparations which men make last awhile it may be but when the Lord shall once but lift vp his hand all strength must vanish and become like chaffe In the end of the verse some expound that a sound shall arise suddenlie and as in a moment from the inuasion of the enemies but I rather referre this word shall be to the time that this shall endure which shall be but short as saith the Prophet for his meaning is that these garisons shal not hold out loÌg but shall vanish away in a moment Men shall boast but in vaine therfore seeing God is their enemie Vers 6. Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hostes with thunder and shaking and a great noise a whirlewinde and a tempest and a flame of deuouring fire HE addes the cause why all these multitudes of garisons shall be like stubble setting it forth by a contrarie similitude For he opposeth the wrath and visitation of the Lord of hostes against these souldiers For alas how will straw and stubble be able to resist the flame of a deuouring fire How shall dust be able to abide the force of the whirlewind His meaning is then that the vengeance of God shall be so great that no preparations shall be able to withstand it And in this sense me thinks the text concurres well the parts whereof would not answere proportionablie one to another if we should follow another exposition Now by this wee learne that our enemies which assaile vs shall neuer attempt more against vs then the Lord shall permit If he then be pleased to defend vs our aduersaries can not hurt vs although they should stirre vp all the world against vs. On the contrarie is he minded to correct vs We can resist his wrath neither by weapons nor any fortresses whatsoeuer for he will sweepe them away as with a vvhirlewind yea he will consume them like a deuouring flame that leaues nothing behind it Vers 7. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against the Altar shall be as a dreame or vision by night euen all they that make the warre against it and lay siege vnto it I Expound this verse otherwise then some do The first member of this seuenth verse is explaned in the verse following who thinke that the Prophet meant to comfort the faithfull which I confesse is not without great shew of reason And so it conteines a very excellent doctrine to wit that the enemies shall be like those that dreame when the Lord shall disappoint them of their hope euen whilest they imagined they were sure of the pray But this interpretation for ought I see seemes not to agree very well with the text Sometime it falles out that a sentence sounds so goodly in shew that we are drawne to such a liking of it that it steales from vs the true and naturall meaning thereof We must not easily bee caried away to like of such a sense of Scripture as steales from vs the meaning of the Holy Ghost how goodly a shew soeuer it seemes to haue so as we neither aduisedlie consider the text it selfe nor yet take any great paines to seeke out the authors intent and purpose Let vs see then whether the Prophets meaning be as they say for seeing he still continues to denounce threatnings in the verses following I doubt not but he prosecutes his speech in this place which otherwise should be broken off abruptlie in this sentence For he rebukes and taxeth the Iewes for their obstinacie in that they durst be so bold to despise God all his threatnings To be short he reprooues their false trust and confidence by a very fit similitude saying that the enemie should suddenlie come vpon the Iewes euen at that time when they thought themselues hope of the resurrection Luk 10.27 Act. 23.8 yea the doctrine of the immortalitie of soules was vtterly abolished how could it bee I pray you but the people must become like beasts or swine For take away the hope of the eternall and blessed life from men and what shall we make of them And yet it sufficiently appeares by the testimonies of the Euangelists that such they were when our Lord Iesus Christ came into the world For at that time these things were truely accomplished according as our Prophet foretold to let vs see that these things were not vttered by him at random but that they assuredly came to passe though the wicked no doubt in his time made light account of his words Their incredulitie and blindnes therefore fully appeared when this true light came to lighten the world to wit Iesus Christ the only light of trueth the soule and spirit of the law and the end whereat all the Prophets aimed Then I say the Iewes especially had a vaile laid ouer their eyes which was figured before in Moses when the people could not indure to behold him Exod. 34.30 because of the brightnesse of his countenance But this is truely fulfilled in Christ to whom it appertaines to take away and abolish this vaile as S. Paul teacheth 2. Cor. 3.16 Vntill Christ then the vaile remained ouer their hearts vntaken away in reading of Moses for they reiected Christ to whom Moses ought to haue been referred Now in this place vnder the word Moses the whole law is to bee vnderstood which being referred to Christ the true end thereof this vaile shall then be taken away These iudgements
And thus they were not restrained by any feare or awe of God because they esteemed of religion but as a fable He also comprehends other wickednesses in adding that they rose betimes to doe euill for he speakes not of the Caldeans or Assyrians but of such as would bee held to be of the number of the faithfull and boasted that they were the children of Abraham Vers 21. Which made a man to sinne in the word and tooke him in a snare which reproued them in the gate made the iust to fall without cause WE haue told you heretofore with whom the Prophet had to deale namelie with hypocrites and prophane contemners who esteemed all the reprehensions threatnings of the Prophet but as wind and had forged to themselues a god of their owne deuising For such who only sought libertie to liue as they listed in their lusts and wicked courses were vtterlie vnable to beare the sharp reprofes of the Prophets neither would they bee touched nor repressed by their good willes For which cause they were diligent in noting and obseruing their words either to snarle at them or to wrest something or other to their purpose Neither do I doubt but he here taxeth the wicked who were offended at the plainnes of the Prophets and with their sharp and vehement rebukes as if they meant to bring the necks of the people princes and priests vnder their girdles Thence it is that these calumniations and false accusations are raised vp against the faithfull seruants of God at this day thence is it also that such doubtfull and curious questions are propounded vnto them euen as nets and snares to put the innocent in hazard of their liues or else to plunge them into some imminent danger And we see that the Scribes and Pharises did the like euen to Iesus Christ himselfe Math. 21.23 and 22.17 Iohn 8.6 The last member of the verse which is added by way of exposition shewes that this is not to be vnderstood of slanders and other cunning deuises in generall by which the subtle are wont to intrap the simple for the Prophet rather more plainly condemnes the wicked conspiracies by which the vnbeleeuers indeuor to exempt themselues from all reprehensions and censures Now in regard that their assemblies were kept openlie for giuing sentence in iudgement and that the gates were alwaies replenished with people the Prophets tooke opportunitie from thence to reproue all sorts so as they spared not the Iudges themselues For the matters of life and death at that time were in the hands of such wicked and godles wretches that it was needfull to rebuke them very sharplie But in stead of making any good vse of these admonitions to come to amendment of life they became so much the worse and raged against the Prophets and laid snares to catch them for as Amos saith They hated him that reproued in the gate and abhorred him that spake vprightlie Amos 5.10 This appertaines to all and especiallie to Iudges and rulers in Common-wealths who are the most impatient and wil by no meanes abide the least reproofe They loue to reigne as Kings and would be so esteemed of others also albeit they be worse indeed then the meanest good subiect The expositors agree not in the exposition of the verb Iekoshun which signifies to spread nets for some take it to chide others to do wrong as if the Prophet accused the malepertnes of those who gaue ouer themselues to violence and by meanes thereof banished such out of their presence as should any way touch theÌ in their reputations But as I hope the readers will approue of that reading which I haue followed He also saith that the iust was ouerthrowne without cause for they did what they could by craft and wicked practises to bring the iust into hatred as if they had been the only wicked men in the world but after they haue borne their scoffes and reproach for a while their enemies at length shall come to destruction Vers 20. For this is the Consolation which the Lord giues the faithfull to wit that he will not suffer the wicked to scape so scot-free but they also shall snart for it and in the end shall be suppressed howsoeuer for a time they had the world at will Let patience haue her perfect worke But we must haue patience to wait for the accomplishment of these and the like promises Vers 22. Therefore saith the Lord vnto the house of Iaacob euen he that redeemed Abraham Iaacob shall not now be confounded neither now shall his face be pale THis is the conclusion of the former sentence for he comforts the people to the end they should not despaire in this poore and wofull estate into which they should be brought It is also needfull to note the time vnto which these things ought to be referred to wit to the time of the captiuitie when the Temple was ouerthrowne the sacrifices abolished so as it seemed religion was whollie rooted out and all hope of deliuerance taken froÌ them There was great cause therefore why the hearts of the people should be susteined and vpheld by these prophesies to the end that the wrack and ruine of all things being come vpon them they might haue this planck as it were to saue themselues from Ship-wrack vpon which if they kept themselues firmely they might by meanes thereof come safe to the shore By this let vs be warned also to imbrace the like promises by faith and when all things shall seeme desperate yet let vs rest vpon them with our whole hearts Now he speakes of the house of Iaacob in which we are to note that the vertue of Gods word is perpetuall and of such efficacie that it brings forth fruit as long as there is a people in the world which adores and stands in awe of him For there are alwaies some whom God reserues because he will not suffer the race of the faithfull to perish Doubtlesse there is an end and thy hope shall not be cut off Prou. 23.18 None that trust in him shall be confounded Psal 34.22 Hath the Lord spoken it then let vs beleeue him and doubtlesse the time wil come in which we shal reape the fruit of our faith For as his truth is firme and stable in it selfe so if we rest constantlie vpon him wee shall neuer be destitute of comfort It is not without cause also that he addes that God who now promiseth to be mercifull vnto Iaacob saith that he redeemed Abraham for he therein brings the people to the beginning of the Church that coÌsidering Gods power which from time to time was manifested by so many famous examples they might haue no occasion at all to call his truth into question If so be then they gloried in that they were the children of Abraham Abrahams deliuerances they were also therewithall to thinke from what place the Lord did first deliuer him to wit from the seruice of idols which he and
principall fruit of our reconciliation with God stands in the inioying of faithfull Teachers yet because the common people had suffered much want Isaiah fitting his speech according to their weaknes giues theÌ therin a taste as it were of Gods fatherly goodnes in mentioning great plenty of all things By the words bread and water hee signifies an extreme pouerty and want of outward things and therefore hee addes aduersitie and affliction Now in stead of this penurie he promiseth to send them fruitfull increases which he expresseth vnder the word Raine For hee takes the cause for the effect as if he should say The earth shall be exceeding fruitfull in which phrase of speech the Prophet also had respect to the situation of that Country which waited for no other meanes to make it fruitfull but the raine which fell from heauen for it was not watered by the ouerflowing of riuers or fountaines See Deus 11.10 but onely with raines Isaiah therefore shewes that the Lord will send abundance of those fruits which otherwise he could haue diminished or taken away by barrennesse In any wise therefore let vs learne to comfort our soules with these and the like promises when wee shall in anie sort feele the hand of our God heauie vpon vs. Vers 21. And thine eares shall heare a voyce behind thee saying This is the way walke yee in it when thou turnest thee to the right hand and when thou turnest thee to the left THe fruitfulnesse of the land whereof hee spake before ought to bee esteemed a good blessing of Good But behold here the chiefest cause of ioy and gladnesse to wit when God vouchsafes vnto vs the wholesome sincere milke of the word for our soules For there is no famin of bread that ought so much to affect vs with feare and perplexitie as the famin of Gods blessed word The famin of Gods word a famin of all famins And indeed looke how much more precious the soule is then the body so much the more ought we to feare that famin aboue all other famin as also another Prophet telles vs Amos 8.11 Our Prophet then promiseth vnto the Iewes a benefit But the inioyiâg of it a benefit of all benefits False Prophets would be taken for the onely Doctors of the Church aâoue all benefits the greatest What is that They shall now bee fed with the word of God which had been exceeding scarce amongst them before The false Prophets I deny not will boast that they also haue the word yea with greater boldnesse many times then the faithfull Teachers themselues They forsooth will be taken and held for good guides euen whilest they lead men into error and at last plunge them with themselues into euerlasting perdition But the word which shewes vs the direct way comes of God alone True doctrin it selfe shall auaile vs nothing at all vnlesse God giue vs eares to heare it And yet if he did not therewithall promise to giue eares to heare it the word of it selfe shoud little auaile vs for so he should indeed speake but to deafe eares neither should we perceiue ought but a confused sound When he saith therefore that hee will be behind vs as a guide wee may thereby perceiue that God will not suffer his word to be spoken to vs in vaine but will so worke inwardly vpon our judgements and affections that they shall bee bowed to a true and willing obedience For all of vs naturally are vnteachable so that we stand in need to bee wholly reformed by the worke of the Spirit And therefore the word shall heare is of great weight in this place Now he compares God to a schoolemaster who sets his schollers before him that hee may the better teach them and keepe them in order wherein vndoubtedly hee shewes the great affection and exceeding care which he hath ouer vs in that he contents not himselfe to goe before vs but also to watch vs at euerie turne with his gracious eye God not onely vouchsafes to teach vs but to watch and attend vs with a gracious eye whither soeuer we goe Moreouer the Prophet shewes that those which follow God shal neuer goe out of their way For by the verbe exhortatiue walke yee in it hee addes some reliefe to helpe our perseuerance lest some difficultie or other might slake our course as it often falles out Obiect But that which he addes of the right hand and the left may seeme absurd in regard that when Moses shewed the people the way in which they should walke hee therewithall forbad them to turne either to the right hand or the left Deut. 5.32 17.20 For that way is straight and no man ought to seeke out any by-waies What might be the meaning of our Prophet then Ans What is meant by the right hand and the left in this place I answere hee mentions the right hand and the left in this place in another sense then Moses doth For it is taken here for all sorts of counsels which wee ought to aduise of which are diuers in regard of the diuersitie of occasions that we meete withall and according as euerie one meetes with sundry difficulties and agreeable to his affaires and occasions he is to take aduice and deliberation Thus hee calles right hand and left all the actions of life whatsoeuer to the end that in all our enterprises wee might haue the Lord for our guide and that we might put nothing in execution till wee haue called vpon his name whether we turne to the right hand or to the left Hence we gather an exceeding comfort and consolation to wit that the Lord will be with vs in our enterprises and will direct our way before vs whither soeuer wee turne prouided that wee willingly stray not out of that path which he hath laid before vs. Vers 22. And yee shall pollute the couering of the images of siluer and the rich ornaments of thine images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous cloth and thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence HEnce it appeares that this direction which God will giue vnto his Saints shall not be in vaine for hauing abandoned their false worship they shall giue themselues to the true And the Prophet plainly mentions their externall profession of pietie when they shall make it appeare vnto all that they haue renounced idols and all idolatry For seeing images are instruments of idolatrie and superstition Images instruments of idola ry Such as be truely conuerted vnto God must of necessitie abhor and detest idols Faithfull Princes oght to imiâate Iehues example in polluting prophaning idols and idolatrie therefore those who are truly conuerted vnto God must needs abhorre and detest them yea and as much as in them is prophane and pollute them as we read Iehu did who prophaned the Altars of Baal and made a sakes of his Temple 2. King 10.27 Fatihfull Princes and Magistrates ought to follow his example
he Psa 146.3 Cursed be he saith Ieremiah that trusts in man and makes flesh his arme Ier. 17.5 Yet we see that all none excepted determine and conclude of matters in themselues as if they were able to bring their designes to passe an hundred yeeres after which they haue plotted in their braine yea as if they could rule both heauen The pride of mans heart intollerable earth and seas and could gouerne all things euen as they listed Seeing there is such pride in all of vs let vs not maruell that the Prophet proclaimes that the Egyptians are not God but men For the Iewes attributed that vnto them which appertained vnto God What is that Euen the protection and safegard of the Church which he so reserues to himselfe that he will haue none to meddle with this office Isaiah doth therefore tauntingly taxe the Iewes in this place with the contempt of God and their false confidence wherewith they were puffed vp And thus we may see how great difference there is betweene God and men The great difference that is betweene God and men Men can doe nothing of themselues but so far forth as God shall giue them power Come we to speake of the nature and excellencie of man wee may well praise the great graces which he hath receiued of God but oppose him once against his Creator then must he be accounted lesse then nothing For is it possible to attribute any thing vnto man but wee shall thereby take so much honour from God This is the cause why wee can neuer consent vnto the Papists Why there can be no pacifications betweene the Papists and vs. when we come to dispute of the cause of our saluation of free will and of the dignitie of merits and workes for in as much as man and God are in these things opposed one against the other it must needs be that whatsoeuer is attributed to man is taken from God But they part stakes in such wise as they giue part to God and part to men we on the contrary affirme that the sole whole cause of our saluation ought to be attributed vnto God as also that it cannot bee giuen to anie other but we shall therein commit most abominable sacrilege In a word let vs know that in this opposition nothing can bee left to man which is worthy of any praise By the word flesh he means imbecillity and weaknesse for what is in flesh but onely corruption He speakes of horses but the same or the like weaknes agrees also to the EgyptiaÌs As if he should say They and all the forces they can make are not worth a rush For albet the Egyptians had a soule as well as a body yet because they were earthly creatures and dwelt in houses of clay they must downe As if hee should say I am sure you haue no spirituall nor celestiall power To which purpose the Prophet saith Psal 146.3 Trust not in Princes nor in any child of man for his breath departeth and then all his thoughts perish Now albeit this word flesh properly belongs to horses yet it is no maruell if men be sent to take a view of the rottennesse thereof there to learne their owne transitorinesse But from the threatning that is added to wit that this wickednesse shall not goe scot-free we may learne a generall doctrine For the Lord will not indure to haue that giuen to the creature which belongs to himselfe nor that any should repose that trust in men which ought to be reserued for him alone God threates both the succourers and the succoured He threatens then as well those which should giue their succour and should be the cause of this vaine confidence as those which should be succoured should stay the hope of their safetie thereupon If God caÌnot indure we should leane vpon creatures for saluation in matters belonging to this life present much lesse can he indure vs so to doe in things appertaining to life eternall Now if the Lord cannot abide this peruerse trust as touching things belonging to our temporary saluation how insupportable are those thinke we who to obtaine eternall saluation forge diuers trusts according to their owne fantasie For in so doing they exalt the power of men to set it vp in the place of God Vers 4. For thus the Lord hath said vnto me As the lion and the lions whelpe roare after their pray against whom if a multitude of sheepheards lift vp their voice they will not bee moued nor will humble themselues at their cry so the Lord of hostes will come downe to fight for mount Zion and for the side of it THe Prophet adds this verse to shew that the Lord is not minded to leaue his nish the Iewes for their wickednesses and chieflie for their Idolatrie so God also promiseth that this enemie shall be cut off when they shall cease to sinne and to serue Idols Thus wee see that our obstinacie is the cause why the Lord addes plague vnto plague and doubles his blowes in pursuing vs more and more For we still giue him new occasions of enflaming his wrath against vs. Reforme thy euil maners and God wil redresse thy miseries If we desire that God should strike vs more softlie and that our enemies might at once be destroyed and neuer trouble vs more let vs studie by newnes of life to enter into his fauor againe for he will by and by lay downe his rods and take away the force and power of our enemies that they shall not hurt vs. When it is said that it shall not be by the sword of man the Prophet thereby meanes that the deliuerance of the Church is the peculiar worke of God The redemption of the Church a peculiar worke of God giuing the Iewes to vnderstand that albeit there appeered no help in earth yet Gods secret power should be sufficient to redeeme them Are our enemies confounded then is their force repressed Let vs know that this proceeds from the hand of God Indeed he repelleth the force and furie of the wicked diuers waies but it is his onely hand notwithstanding whereby the Church is saued Note For he so works by humane helps that yet he keepes his chosen after a wonderfull and extraordinarie maner as may be seene euen since the beginning of the world and it is no lesse easie to perceiue it now God vseth men as instruments in sauing hâs Church yet so that his owne power only shines in this work Chap. 37. 36. 37. if we were not hoodwinked And yet this lets not but the Lord may imploy some of his seruants in the deliuerance of his Church but so that still his owne hand especiallie shines in such a worke We know this prophesie of Isaiah was fulfilled when the host of the Assyrians was discomfited and when Sennacherib fled For men commonlie see not Gods hand therein but the Lord manifests his power to the end we might know that
is of great weight also this double repetition I vvill be exalted I vvill arise for we must note the time to which this is to bee referred to wit euen to that in which the Church in mans iudgement was brought to nought for then will it bee soone enough for God to yeeld her succour There is here therefore a comparison of things contrary for hee sets the horrible calamities before the faithfull which should oppresse easily ouerwhelme them had they not been fortified with some consolation As if he should say The Lord will indeed suffer you to bee brought to the extremitie but when you shall lie as it were at the last gaspe and in vaine shall haue proued all waies to dispatch your selues thereout himselfe will arise for your deliuerance For it is of necessitie that wee be thus afflicted and pressed to the vtmost to the end wee may know God to be the onely author of our saluation The word now therefore signifies a time of extreme miserie A man would thinke this to be a strange kind of dealing in the Lord but the answere is at hand God thus defers his succour because it is good first that the patience of the faithfull should be exercised secondly that their faith should bee tried thirdly their flesh tamed fourthly that they might be the better stirred vp to feruencie in praiers fiftly that they might be raised vp in the hope of the life to come Afflictions exerciseth our patience tries our faith tames the flesh quickens praier and raiseth vp in vs the hope of the life to come And therefore this blocke is laid in our way lest they should preuent the time which the Lord allotted out vnto them The repetition is very weightie and is added for the greater confirmation of the matter for when things stand perplexed wee thinke our selues vndone whereas we should hope aboue hope because then is the time when the Lord vseth chiefly to manifest his power For this cause he exhorts the faithfull to be of good courage in setting before them these commendations of his glorious puissance that none neede to feare but valiantly to buckle with the pride of their enemies Vers 11. Yee shall conceiue chaffe and bring forth stubble the fire of your breath shall deuoure you 12. And the people shall bee as the burning of lime and as the thornes cut vp shall they be burnt in the fire NOw hee turnes his speech against the enemies of the Church which vainelie and foolishly exalt themselues for when God should once begin in wonderfull manner to vtter forth his power they should then haue triall of the vanitie of their enterprises and should be able to bring nothing to passe although by great troopes they assembled themselues together to put their plots in execution For the Lord scornes their rage in regard they imagined they were Lords of the world whereas he in a moment can cut them off notwithstanding all their preparations Now it is an vsuall maner of speech in Scripture Psal 7.14 Isai 59.4 to call mens deliberations and enterprises conceptions The similitude is taken from women with child And therefore it is said that men conceiue bring forth when they imagin and put some wicked thing in execution but our Prophet telles them that such conceptions shall turne to nothing and that the birth also shall vanish into smoke so as they shall not prosper in any thing which they take in hand What neede we then to feare all these goodly and gay shewes which our enemies make For say that God suffers them for a time to consuit to imagin and rage againââ vs yet in the end he wil scatter all that they haue rashly and proudly done as chaffe before the winde Let vs also know that this which Isaias hath prophesied against Senacharib doth likewiâe appertaine to all the enemies of the Church and faithfull people Where he denounceth that they shall be deuoured by the fire of their owne breath or spirit Some are wont to expound it Your spirit is like a fire which shal consume you but this similitude is both vnapt and absurd The true exposition is cleare enough The fire which your breath hath kindled shall deuoure you for we are wont to kindle the fire by blowing of it He teacheth then that the fire which the wicked haue kindled by their wicked deuices See Chap. 50.11 shall turne to their ruine because they shall be consumed by them Now this sentence is the same which the Scripture so often and so diuerslie repeates as They shal fall into the pit which they haue digged In the nets which they haue laid are their owne feet taken Psal 7.15 Their sword which they haue drawne shall pierce their owne bowels and their bow shall be broken Psal 37.15 The Prophet shewes then that this wretched tyrant which had destroyed all Iudea and laid siege with great force against Ierusalem as likewise the rest of the Churches enemies should draw ruine vpon their owne heads and in the end vtterlie perish In a word the fire which themselues had kindled should be the only meanes to consume them Afterwards he compares them to the burning of lime in regard ytâheir flintines should be mollified euen as the fire desolues the stones so that they should be brought to pouder and dust very easilie Questionles the wicked rush themselues vpon their owne destruction by their owne headines so greedie they are to doe hurt The similitude of thornes is no lesse proper for albeit they wound theÌ shrewdly which touch them yet there is no wood that burnes so violentlie or is sooner consumed The like is to be seene in lime for the fire softens and desolues it notwithstanding it be neuer so hard at the first This he saith shall befall the Caldeans because the Lord shall cut them off in an instant albeit they were then feared of all and that their consumption should be brought to passe when there was no appearance thereof at all Whatsoeuer prepârations the enemies of the Church make to conâume her is buâ the kindling and blowing âf that fiâe which in the end shall consume themselues As oft then as wee see the enemies of the Church heape vp treasures and gather men and munition together to bring vs to wrack and to put all the world in an hurliburlie let vs assure our selues they are kindling the fire in which themselues shall miserablie be consumed We know this was fulfilled in Senacherib for time was the best expositor of the truth of these prophesies how incredible soeuer they seemed then Let vs hope then against hope that the same wil befall those that tread in the steps of this tyrant and by this and infinite other examples let vs fortifie our selues and others in our miseries and calamities out of which doubtlesse we shall be deliuered and shall behold the horrible vengeance which shall fall vpon our enemies Vers 13. Heare ye that are farre off what
I haue done and ye that are neere know my power ISaiah makes a Preface here as one minding to speake something of great importance for he calles for audience of his hearers which men are wont to doe when any excellent or matter worthie of note is to be propounded He speakes to them that were neere which should be eie-witnesses as it were of this spectacle also he calles those a farre off which should heare of it by report As if he should say Such shall be the power of God that it shall not only be manifested to some neere bordering nations but also to those that are very farre remote from them His meaning is then that God will make his worke knowne by some notable and speciall signe of his presence Why so Because the wicked which before quietlie reposed themselues in safetie as being exempt out of all danger should now on the sudden be surprized with feares and terrors Vers 14. The sinners in Zion are afraid a feare is come vpon the hypocrits who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burning BVt some might replie Obiect that there is no such great matter here to vse so solemne a Preface as to summon all the world to hearken was it a thing of so great importance that the wicked should be affrighted I answere Ans If all be well considered it will be found no small testimonie of Gods power to awaken sinners out of their drouzines and to make them will they nill they feele that God is their Iudge but then especiallie when they haue couered their contempt of God vnder the maske of hypocrisie For albeit it is a matter of great difficultie to awaken the prophane ones when their hearts are indurate yet the obstinacie of hypocrits farre exceeds theirs who thinke God much beholding vnto theÌ They are so bewitched then we see that they contemne all threatnings and scorne the iudgements of God and with their flouts mocks they reiect all the prophesies It is a miracle to subdue an obstinate hypocrite so as it is a miracle to ouercome one of them who so obstinately resist Thinke therefore that it is not without cause that our Prophet is so sharp in rebuking of them For doubtlesse he galles the bastard Iewes by mentioning Zion who shrouding themselues vnder the shadow of the Temple thought themselues secure in so inuinsible a fortresse that no harme could befall them And truly there are none more proud or hautie then they as hath bin said which glorie so much in the name of God and in the titles of the Church The word Manephich is traÌslated Hypocrits but it may also bee generally taken for traytors and reuolters Seeing they were so wicked then as to mocke at God himselfe and his true Prophets he denounceth they shall feele him to be a sharp and seuere Iudge that so they might cease to take pleasure in their subtilties He addes a confession which hath an appearance of humility the better to shew that such hypocrits as doe not willingly obey the word of the Lord shall in the end feele by experience the mistris of fooles how terrible Gods iudgements are When laughter shall be turned into gnashing of teeth then they shall begin to confesse that all their force was nought else but straw and stubble Now for the wordes some translate Who shall dwell for vs others Who among vs shall dwell If we simply reade it For vs this will bee the sense who dare oppose himselfe against the fire or Will put himselfe between it and vs that the flame thereof touch vs not The other interpretations will beare the same sense but the expositors differs in this that some refer it to the King of Assyria and others vnto God which latter I rather receiue as I haue said alreadie For albeit the Assyrian was as a fire that burnt vp the country by his heate yet our Prophet meant to expresse a more terrible thing then it to wit that inward torment and vexation of minde wherewith the wicked are racked the stings of conscience which cannot be auoided and that vnquenchable fire of offences which surmounts all torments So then it is iustice with God to deale with sinners as they deale with him And therefore the Lord is called in respect of them a deuouring fire by Moses Deut. 4.24 Deut. 9.3 For the Prophets as hath been often said borrow their phrases from him and the Apostle in Heb. 12.26 doth the like The Prophet himselfe confirmes this exposition shewing the cause of this feare for some might obiect that God was too seuere to terrifie men thus aboue measure Indeed he is wont to shew himselfe louing and gracious to the faithfull but therewithall seuere and terrible to the wicked Some thinke that the Prophet meant to conuince all men of sinne that hauing scattered all trust of merit into the aire they might with all reuerence and humilitie flee vnto Gods free grace by true repentance As if he should say None can stand before Gods iudgement seat vnlesse he be perfectly iust and therefore that all consequently are accursed But he rather speakes in the person and according to their meaning who before scorned al threatnings and so he now brings them in trembling and asking who shall dare to present himselfe before the face of God For this dolorous complaint is a signe of that terror which he spake of erewhile where being conuinced of their weaknesse their distresse extorted forth these words Who is able to abide the Lords presence Now because they ceased not to exalt themselues against God notwithstanding these words were drawne from them against the haire as we say therefore the Prophet that he might preuent their wicked replies answers on Gods behalfe that he is not terrible and fearfull to men naturally but it falles out so by their owne default in regard themselues are affrighted with the sense of their owne guiltinesse so as God suffers not their consciences to be at any quiet Vers 15. Hee that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things refusing gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing euill NOw he expresseth that more fully which we touched before to wit that these hypocrits had no cause to accuse God of ouer-great rigor because themselues by prouoking him to displeasure did thereby put his fauour far away from them For hee shewes that God agrees with men well enough if they will loue and follow iustice if they giue themselues to equitie if they keepe their fingers cleane from bribes and walke in vprightnesse with their neighbours but being infected with all maner of corruptions and giuen to malice slander couetousnesse extortion and the like sinnes must not the Lord astonish such with feares and shew himselfe terrible vnto them In a word the Prophets meaning is to stop the mouthes of the wicked scoffers
Behold I will send a blast vpon him and hee shall heare a noise and returne to his owne land and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his owne land SOme translate I will put my Spirit within him as if the Prophet spake of some secret instinct of heart but this is too constrained The similitude is very apt in that hee shewes God hath a whirle-wind in his hand which shall driue Sennacherib away before it into another place The holy Scripture is often wont to vse such a kind of speech Psal 1.4 in comparing the wicked to straw and chaffe because God is able with the least blast of his mouth to scatter them whither soeuer hee will euen then when they thinke themselues at the strongest Hee compares the trouble then which fell vpon the host of Sennacherib to a whirle-wind which carried him violently out of Iudea In the next place he sheweth that it will bee as easie for God to chase this enemy away as it is for a whirl-wind to driue chaffe or straw before it The like is to bee said of all tyrants bee they neuer so strong and mightie We may perceiue that the clause The enemies of the church compared to chaffe hee shall heare is added by way of exposition therefore I had rather resolue it into a particle of shewing the cause thus For hee shall heare a noise For he speakes of this blast which as soone as it was blowne it forthwith repulsed and constrained Sennacherib to returne into his owne Countrie by reason of the newes which he heard from Egypt and Ethiopia When the Prophet addes that this tyrant should fall by the sword it is as much as if he had said hee vexeth others and indeuors to inlarge his Monarchy but God will raise him vp enemies in the middest of his owne Country which shall bring him to nought Many expound the Country or the land of Israel but it is too constreined for it is spoken of the countrie of the Assyrian And there is in this clause a close opposition He which conquered the Kingdomes and Cities of other Princes shall not be able to defend his owne but shall there be slaine Vers 8. So Rabshekeh returned and found the King of Ashur fighting against Libnah for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish HE shewes now how Rabshekeh returned to his King without striking any stroke and returned not to the place where he left him for his meaning is that Sennacherib had raised vp his siege before Lachish and was gone downe into Egypt to lay siege to Libna which some thinke to be Pelusium others say it was a Citie of Iudeah For it is very probable that hauing heard newes of the ariuing of the enemie he directed his armie towards Egypt to stop the passages before them Now albeit the Lord abated the furie of this tyrant by new warres that he might thereby giue some rest to the Iewes yet he would not ouercome him by the hand of man but only manifests and brings his vntamed pride forth vpon the stage because he ceased not still to belch out his wonted blasphemies notwithstanding himselfe was in great danger as we shall see afterward Vers 9. He heard also men say Tirhakah king of Ethiopia Behold he is come out to fight with thee and when he heard it he sent other messengers to Hezekiah saying BY that which followes we may coniecture what the cause was why the Assyrian so suddenlie departed froÌ Iudeah For the Kings of Egypt and Ethiopia had made a league one with another against Senacherib because they saw he grew too mightie Note and ceased not to inuade Countrie after Countrie for they thought if his violence were not resisted betimes they might be sure to looke for the like measure These Kings meant not to defend Iudeah by working his woe but respected their owne safetie because the power of so mightie a man is for the most part worthelie had in suspition of other Princes and their people It is wisely done of them therefore that in foreseeing dangers they ioine their forces together to make resistance ere it be too late for they had been easily ouerrunne had they been separated one from the other Thus you see why they ioine their forces into one to wit that they may withstand the violence and furie of this Tyrant The Assyrian being intangled in so desperat a warre send new Ambassadors to Hezekias thinking by threats to inforce him to yeeld wherein we may see how Tyrants are caried away with pride and an ouerweening of their owne greatnes so as they thinke to make all the world to tremble quake at their words or at the only hearing of the sound of their names or at the sight of their very shadow This man being somewhat preuented by a new difficult busines thinks notwithstanding to subdue Iudeah whence he was forced to depart It may be he was ashamed to be thus disappointed of his purpose and thus abruptlie to raise vp his siege but he thinks to obtaine that in his absence which he could not accomplish in his owne person Howsoeuer the Lord did wonderfullie worke in succoring his poore seruants who esteemed theÌselues as sheepe appointed to the slaughter Now that he might abate the rage of this Tyrant he occupies his head and fils his hands with such intricate businesses as out of which he could not easily wind himselfe as if one should hamper a furious beast or should hold him fast by the snout as the Prophet wil shew anon I grant their cruell and reuengefull natures are not tamed thereby but yet they are so restrained that they can not doe the hurt they would Wee see the truth of this now amongst vs. How many tyrants are there which thirst after the ruin of the Church How many plots do they lay to bring it about God will turne the counsels of all Achitophels to foolishnes 2. Sam. 25.31 and 16.23 How busie are they in corners secretlie taking counsell together And with what power and policies are they indued But when they thinke to haue their purpose it may be the Lord suddenlie descries their designes and raiseth vp enemies against them Sometimes hee sets them together by the eares and brings the cruelties which they thought to execute vpoÌ his children vpon their owne heads Yet they continue as obstinate and as fierce as euer they were before and cease not to imagin mischiefe still as this Sennacherib he is hindred of his purpose you see yet hee is not wearie of molesting this good King but domineers ouer him with maiesticall tearmes as if he had been a poore slaue yea he commands him as if he were his vassall And not content with that he proudly exalts himselfe euen against the Lord of glorie and goes beyond the pride of his Captaine Rabshekeh For although Rabshekehs words and his are all one in sense yet hee offers outrage against the Lord with greater
taken for the life Soule taken for life but the Prophet here extols the bountie of God who vouchsafed to loue Hezekias though he were halfe dead It was thy pleasure c. In the next place he giues the reason of it in bringing vs to the fountaine from whence this deliuerance issued for otherwise one might imagin that he hath spoken of nothing hitherunto but of bodily health But we may now see that he looked much higher to wit first vnto his guiltines before God secondly to the free reconciliation He confesseth in deed that he hath receiued his life anew but yet he esteemes his reconciliation with God more then a hundred thousand liues Hezekias esteemes his reconciliation with God aboue an hundred thousand liues Truly it were better for vs neuer to haue beene borne then to liue long heaping sinne vpon sinne and so to hale downe the more horrible iudgemeÌts of God vpon our own heads Hezekias then reioyceth chieflie in that the light of Gods countenance did shine clearely vpon him for our only felicitie consists in hauing him good and gracious to vs. Yet herewithall he shewes that we must impute the euils which God laies vpoÌ vs to our sinnes for such as accuse him of ouer-much seueritie doe nothing else but double their owne woe To accuse God of ouermuch seueritie is but to double our owne woe This good King condemnes not himselfe of one sinne only but confesseth himselfe guiltie of many sinnes and therefore stood in neede of more then one pardon If we then desire to be truly comforted in afflictions let vs begin heere for if God be appeased towards vs no euill can hurt vs seeing he delights not to haue his beloued ones lie languishing in their miseries Simile It fares with vs therefore as with inconsiderate patients who neuer thinke of their disease but only of the accidents thereof and of their griefes which they feele but it is more wisedome for vs to follow the counsell of the skilfull Physitian who considers of the cause of the disease first and aboue all things indeuors to remoue that for they know that outward remedies are not only vaine but hurtfull if the inward disease be not discerned Why so Because remedies in such wise applied do driue the disease further in and so settles augments it there that afterwards there is no hope left for healing of it Hezekias therefore like a wise patient acknowledgeth the cause of his sicknes Hezekias looked into the cause of his sicknes to wit his sinnes which being forgiuen he then knew the punishment was likewise remitted and ceased Now by this we may see the sottishnes of the Papists touching their distinction between the fault and the punishment The ridiculous distinction of the Papists betweene the fault and the punishment for Hezekias testifies here that the one was pardoned as well as the other Wee are also to obserue this phrase of speech which the Prophet vseth to wit Thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe for his meaning therein is that God had whollie abolished the remembrance of them As in Miche 7.9 Thou hast cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea And in Psal 103.12 He separates our sinnes as farre from vs as the East is from the West All which sentences may assure vs that God will neuer impute the sinnes vnto vs which he hath once pardoned If it fall out that we be corrected afterwards he doth it not as a Iudge but as a tender and mercifull father that he might thereby instruct and keepe his children in awe The Papists therefore deceiue themselues in dreaming that the corrections which follow are satisfactions or recompences Afflictions no satisfactions as if he would exact that at our hands because he is loth freelie to remit all No Gods only purpose in correcting vs is that he may thereby prouide for our saluation for the time to come Vers 18. For the graue cannot confesse thee death can not praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth WHere he saith that he can not set forth the praises of God if his life be taken away he promiseth to do it if so great a benefit may be granted vnto him and therewithall shewes that the only cause why he desires to liue is that he might praise God Now albeit there is not a better signe of a godlie heart then to desire life vpon condition to glorifie God continuallie by the same yet it seemes Hezekias speakes somewhat too strictly For the faithfull glorifie God no lesse by their death then by their life The faithfull glorifie God no lesse by death then by life by death they come to be perfectlie conioined with him and neuer cease to sing his praises with the elect Angels But there is yet another difficultie which moued Hezekias so much to flee death and so earnestlie to desire to liue still on earth Which second question albeit we haue discussed heretofore yet the readers shall againe be put in minde that this terror proceeded not from the only apprehension of death for when the houre came that he should die he recoiled not back but willinglie went vnto his God But at this time being smitten with the sense of Gods wrath his only sorrow is that his sinnes had bereaued him of his life fearing he should neuer taste any of Gods blessings or fauours afterward Hereupon also depends the solution of the first question for what maruell is it if this good man seeing he must die The cause why Hezekias was so loth to die his death also proceeding from the anger of God kindled against him to take vengeance on his sinnes what maruell is it I say if he sorrowed and lamented to be condemned to die as one vnworthy to bee imploied any longer in the aduancement of Gods true religion and seruice Whosoeuer he be that is once strucke with this thunderbolt can not freelie magnifie the name of the Lord neither in life nor in death but must needes be mute because despaire hath ouerwhelmed his spirits In this sense Dauid saith In death there is no remembrance of thee Psal 6.5 And the whole Church in Psal 115.17 saith The dead praise not thee O Lord neither any that go downe into the place of silence Why so Because those who feele the guilt of their sinnes and Gods anger pressing them want matter of thanksgiuing And yet wee must note that when the Saints spake thus Note they considered not what their condition should bee after death but from the dolour which they felt they onely looked to the end for which God had created preserued them in this world The chiefest end of mans life we know The principall end of mans life is to spend the same in his seruice who for this purpose conserues his Church vpon earth as hath been said because hee will haue his name alwaies praised Now he
instinct and commandement of the holy Ghost for which cause he adornes himselfe with the title of Prophet wherein he signifies that he came not as a priuat man but as hee that was to execute the office which God had inioined him to the end Hezekias the King might know that he had not to doe with Isaiah the Prophet now The King called not for Isaiah now as with a mortall man In that he saith he came we may gather that the King called him not but let him rest at home in his house whilest hee shewed and discouered all his riches for Prophets are not wont to be called when such matters are in hand Before when calamities besieged him and that Rabshekeh had proudly and disdainfully blasphemed the God of Israel then Isaiah the Prophet was sought out and sent for to intreat him to lift vp his praier for the remnant that was left Chap. 37.4 and to giue him some word of consolation and comfort Thus the Prophets are sought vnto when aduersitie and troubles are neere or vpon vs but all things being quiet and well the Prophets are forgotten Prophets vsually sent for in extremitie but forgotten in prosperitie nay they are reiected because they trouble the feast as they say by their wholsome admonitions and seeme to fill all the company with nothing but melancholie Isaiah came notwithstanding vncalled for wherein we are behold his constancy Isaiah his constancie to be noted whose example may teach vs not to tarrie till wee be sent for by such as stand in neede of our office whilest they please themselues in most hurtfull vices and plunge themselues into perill by their lightnesse ignorance or malice It is our duties to gather the dispersed sheepe together yea we stand bound to doe it carefully though no man should require this dutie of vs. Now howsoeuer Hezekias deserued to bee sharply rebuked in that he suffered himselfe to be so soone corrupted by the King of Babylon neuer asking counsell of God The modesty of Hezekias yet the great modestie that was in him is worthy of memorie Why so He repulseth not the Prophet neither disdaines he his message as if hee had reproued him without cause but giues him a mild answer and in conclusion receiues his hard censure peaceably He had done better if he had inquired at the mouth of the Lord at the very first as it is in Psalm 119.24 Thy statutes are my counsellers but hauing failed herein vnawares it was a singular vertue in him obediently to receiue the reproofe of his fault which he had committed The first question What said these men The Prophet hits him not home at the first but prickes him gently that he might bring him by degrees to confesse his fault For Hezekias flattered himselfe and thought himselfe in as good ease as might be It was needfull therefore he should be awakened out of this his sleepe by little and little I grant this first blow was a very piercing one as if he should haue said I pray thee vvhat hast thou to doe with these fellowes Oughtest thou not much rather to haue fled from so contagious a pestilence He askes also what the summe of their message was to shame Hezekias who was ignorant of the serpent which lay hidden vnder the sweet flowers for he finds no fault with the gratulation of these Ambassadors although poison was also mingled therewithall but he aimes at the snares which the Caldeans had set to trap Hezekias his feete Notwithstanding it seemes by his answer that he was little moued by this light reprehension because he pleased himselfe too much as yet in that which he had done for he vaunts that these men were come to him from a farre Country from Babylon No doubt but Isaiah knew this Countrie well so as Hezekias needed not so eloquently to haue described the farre distance of the place but thus he flattere himselfe because ambition possessed him It was requisite therefore that his sore should bee gaged to the bottome and lansed with sharper instruments Vers 4. Then said hee What haue they seene in thine house And Hezekiah answered All that is in mine house haue they seene there is nothing among my treasures that I haue not shewed them The second question AGaine he said c. Hee continues on his couert admonition to see if Hezekias will at last bee touched and displeased with his sinne But he cannot yet win so much of him albeit it is almost incredible that the King should be growne so senslesse as not to feele such prickings For he knew wel enough that the Prophet came not as curious folkes doe to inquire of newes or to passe the time in meriment with the King but to conferre with him about some matter of importance How euer it were yet his calme answer is to be commended for he falles not out with the Prophet but modestly confesseth how all things went But no signe of repentance appeares neither confesseth he himselfe faulty for hee considered not his sinne in this his drowsinesse Ambition is so cunning a witch Ambition a deceitfull witch that shee not onely bewitcheth men with her sweete poison but takes away all their senses so as though they be admonished yet they repent not at the first onset When we therefore see this good King smitten with such a benummednesse that hee feeles no reprehensions neither can bee brought to the knowledge of himselfe wee ought by his example carefully to beware of so dangerous a plague Vers 5. And Isaiah said to Hezekiah Heare the word of the Lord of hostes 6. Behold the daies come that all that is in thine house and which thy fathers haue laid vp in store vntill this day shall be carried to Babel nothing shall be left saith the Lord. BY this iudgement heere pronounced by God we may see that Hezekias his sinne was not small howsoeuer common reason would iudge it otherwise For in as much as God keepes alwaies a measure in his chastising of men Hezekias had not faulted lightly God keepes a measure in his chastisements Ier. 30.11 from the greatnesse of the correction we may gather that this was no light offence but an horrible crime And hereby we are also admonished that men can neuer discerne aright neither of their words nor workes but that God is the onely competent Iudge thereof God the only competent Iudge both of our words and workes Hezekias shewes his treasures were they gathered together to lie alwaies hidden vnder locke and key Hee receiues the Ambassadors courteouslie Should hee haue driuen them away Hee heares their message but since the enemie of the Assyrians seekes amitie with him should he set light by such a commoditie In a word what fault is to bee found in all this if you looke to the outward act But God from whom no secrets are hid spies first of all ingratitude in Hezekias in this his gladnesse for he forgets the
miserie which pressed him but a little before and sets the Caldeans as it were in the place of God to whose honour his body and goods were to be consecrated and dedicated Secondly he notes his pride because hee indeuoured beyond measure to be renowned in regard of his magnificence and riches He was faultie also touching his disordered affection in making such a league as was the destruction of the whole state But the greatest fault of all was his pride which after a sort strippes mens hearts of all feare of God for which cause Augustine rightly breakes out into this exclamation O what and how great is the poison of ambition which cannot be cured but by a counterpoison Augustine The poison of pride not to be cured but by a counterpoison For he had respect vnto that place in the Corinths where the Apostle saith the angell of Satan was sent to buffet him lest he should be exalted aboue measure 2. Cor. 12.7 Hezekias was inuincible whilest all things stood in a desperat case and now he is ouercome by these allurements and is not able to conquer nor resist his owne vaine ambition Let vs consider how dangerous a malladie this is and let vs keepe so much the more diligent watch ouer our false and treacherous hearts Now in regard the Prophet was to pronounce so heauie a sentence he saith first that God enioined him to speake Heare the word of the Lord saith he in the next verse he repeates it againe not that he laies the matter whollie vpon God because he feared ill handling but to the end he might touch the heart of the King to the quick Wherein we may againe note his great boldnes and constancie Isaiah his boldnes and constancie He dreads not the presence of the King he feares not to discouer his disease nor to threaten Gods iudgemeÌt against him For although Kings eares were then somewhat nice and delicate yet being assured that God had set him a worke he executes his charge couragiouslie how vnpleasant soeuer his message was The Prophets were indeed the Kings subiects and therefore vnder subiection neither attributed they any thing vnto themselues vnlesse they were to goe on Gods errant But then what high imagination is there which ought not to be brought downe vnder his Maiestie Had he minded to haue retained the fauour of his Prince he would haue bin mute as flatterers are but he had an eie to his calling and indeuors to discharge the same faithfullie Nothing shall be left The maner of this chastisement wherewith the Lord threatens Hezekias is to be obserued for he takes away from his successors those things wherein he gloried so much to the end they might not haue occasion to doe the like See how God punisheth the ambition and pride of men for their name or kingdome which they imagined should last for euer is raced out they are despitefullie intreated and their memorie is cursed In a word he ouerturnes their fond conceits so as they find the cleane contrarie to that which they conceiued in their foolish braine Obiect If it be obiected that it is no reason a whole citie kingdom shuld be destroyed or caried away captiue for one maÌs fault seeing the holy Ghost in many places pronounceth that the open and vniuersall obstinacie of the Iewes was the cause why God gaue both Citie and Countrie for a pray to the Caldeans I answere Ans that no absurditie can ensue if God be said to punish the sinne of a particular person and that of a whole nation together God can punish the sinne of a perticular person and that of a whole kingdome together For since his wrath laid the whole Countrie wast all were to acknowledge their offence and euery one in particular was to consider what he had deserued that so none might lay the fault vpon another but euery man might rather condemne himselfe Furthermore seeing the Iewes were culpable alreadie before the iudgement seate of God Hezekias was iustly permitted to fall that the way might be opened for God his wrath to breake forth and to hasten the execution of his vengeance And the like we know fell out in Dauid For it was not by chance that he was moued to number the people but it came to passe by the fault of Israel whom the Lord meant by that meanes iustly to chasten The wrath of the Lord saith the text was kindled against Israel and he moued Dauid against them to number the people 2. Sam. 24.1 So also in this place Hezekias is threatned with a iudgement but the sinne whereby he prouoked the wrath of the Lord to burne was a iust vengeance vpon the whole people for the sinnes committed by them before Vers 7. And of thy sonnes that shall proceed out of thee and which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuches in the Palace of the king of Babel THis might seeme worse then the former threatning to Hezekias and therefore it is referred to the last place to amplifie the iudgement If any calamitie do befall a countrie Kings and theirs thinke to be exempted from it because they are none of the common sort When the Prophet telles him then that his sonnes shall be caried away captiues we may well say that this seemed a very hard sentence to him indeed Moreouer we may from hence gather how much God detested this confidence which Hezekias reposed in his riches and outward estate whereof also he vanted in the presence of these infidels seeing he takes vengeance of this crime as of a sinne irremissible by so horrible an example because the King had shewed his treasures to these heathens and infidels Vers 8. Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah The word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken and he said * Or at least let there be Yet there shall be peace and * Or stabilitie truth in my daies FRom this answere of Hezekias we gather that he was not rebellious nor presumptuous seeing he quietlie heard the Prophets reprehension though he was not much moued with it at the first for hearing that the Lord was angrie he condemnes himselfe without any replies and confesseth that he is iustlie punished In whom we haue a paterne of true teachablenes and obedience for when he heard the iudgements of God denounced against him he stood not vpon tearmes with the Prophet but shewed himselfe modest and meeke Wee must hearken to the Lords voice not only when he admonisheâh vs but wheÌ he pronounceth sentence of condemnation against vs. From the example then of this good King let vs learne to hearken to the Lords voice quietlie not only when he exhorts or admonisheth but also when he condemnes and terrifies vs in giuing iust sentence vpon vs. In saying that the word of the Lord is good he first of all commends his iustice and with patience accepts of that which for the tartnes of it might haue driuen him
help in them but let vs solely and only rest vpon the power of the Almightie what strength honor or riches soeuer wee enioy For the Lord playes not at tenis with the world in banding of such great ones as one taking delight therein as some prophane dogs blaspheme but the higher any man is aduanced commonlie the bigger he swels in pride and neuer leaues swelling till he burst himselfe in pieces that so the iust iudgements of God may be alwaies manifest to all By this we are also admonished that it is ill done to attribute the euents of things to fortune or to second causes for God became not the Creator of the world forthwith to leaue his worke as a carpenter doth his ship but his hand continuallie labours so as not an haire of our heads can fall to the ground without his good pleasure When so many changes fall out therefore in the world and that we see things which in our iudgements would stand for euer to fall consume as the smoke let vs turne our eies towards this soueraigne prouidence and power of God As soone as he blew vpon it In these words the Prophet shewes of what short and momentanie continuance those things be which are wont to dazle our eies and make vs at a stand For wee no sooner thinke of a great King but our hearts quake within vs and we are moued at it but he shewes that Princes and kings are but as stubble before God whose only blast will carrie them away like a whirlewinde whither soeuer it pleaseth him What is our lesson then We must not stand gazing vpon the creature be he what he will that the same should hinder vs from giuing that glorie and honour vnto God which to him appertaines This the Iewes were diligentlie to note for it is like enough they would haue thought this great Monarchie of the Caldeans vnder whom they were held captiues should neuer haue bin dissolued nor that themselues should euer haue been deliuered vnlesse this doctrine had come between to wit That there is nothing so firme and stable in the world which God can not scatter and bring to nothing with his only blast that they might hold fast the hope of their deliuerance therefore the Prophet aduertiseth them that as soone as God shall but thunder from heauen he will breake and crush in pieces all the terrible forces and power of their enemies Vers 25. To whom now will you liken me that I should be like him saith the holy one THis is a repetition of the former senteÌce where it was said that God would not indure to be matcht with Idols vers 18.19.20 lest the Iewes should diminish any thing of his power notwithstanding they were so long retained captiues in the hands of Infidels For they were to beware how they attributed any power to Idols because the idolaters who kept them in bondage prospered for by such disputings comparing the power of the true God with idols they were in danger to haue mingled them together This is the cause why in indignation he repeates the same thing againe To vvhom vvill yee liken me As if hee should say Dare you venture to take my glory from mee by your comparisons For howsoeuer men frame diuers imaginations to themselues thinking to transforme God into what shape they list yet remaines he one and the same still and his nature is changed neuer the more by their inuentions He brings in the clause holy one to verie good purpose putting it in stead of Gods name For therein he priuilie taxeth the Iews of shamefull ingratitude if they sanctifie him not in their hearts Chap. 8.13 seeing he hath separated them from others For there is no holinesse to be found in the idols of the Gentiles being but the workes of mens hands God then is too much wronged and abased when idols are opposed to him and that men beginne to call it into question whether of them hath the greater power Vers 26. Lift vp your eies on high and behold who hath created these things and bringeth out their armies by number and calleth them all by their names by the greatnes of his power and mighty strength * Or none shall faile nothing faileth IT seemes the Prophet stands too long vpon this point seeing there is none will denie it For he repeats one thing often which none doubts of but must needs be constrained to confesse the admirable power and wisdome of God in the comely order of nature But wee must obserue what hath been said heretofore Wee in our selues are so vntoward and doe value Gods power at so low a rate that we sometimes afford him not the honour which we will giue to a mortall man For the most part we afford not God the honour which we will giue to a mortall man yea the appearance of a sillie worme of the earth puts vs sometimes into so great mammering and feare that all the promises of the Almightie in the holy Bible can scarsely comfort vs. For this cause the Prophet hath iust cause to repeate it so often that God is defrauded of his honour if his power rauish vs not so as to admire it Thus he makes no idle repetitions you see because wee are so dull and slow of hearing that we haue need to bee awakened and pricked at euery turning with the spur Men daily behold the heauens and the starres but where is hee that thinks seriously of the author of these things Wee see the shape of man so artificially formed by God that he was put into this world to behold the heauens that hee might acknowledge the Lord of them for God hath bowed downe the faces of beasts towards the earth and hath made man to goe vpright to stirre him vp to view the place of his abode And this was well described by a prophane Poet who saith Although euery creeping thing bends his face chiefly towards the earth yet to man God hath giuen a face to looke vpwards and hath created him to behold the excellencie of the heauens and to lift vp his eyes to the starres Thus then the Prophet sets forth mans malignitie who will acknowledge nothing of God though it be painted out before his eies but had rather haue their snowt grubling in the earth like Moles for the maiestie of God must needes touch vs neere if wee looke wishly vpon the heauens In naming of the starres he expresseth more plainly that the wonderfull order which shines in the heauens doth as it were preach with a lowd voice that there is but one God and Creator of the world which all such must be constreined to acknowledge as amidst so great numbers and diuersities of starres shall obserue their distinct order and comely marchings For the starres were not thus set euery one in his place at haphazard neither is it at random that they march so swiftly in such proportion fetching so great compasses and yet walking as by a direct line so
thee but it is writen faire in plaine tables for hauing chosen thee I afterwards gaue thee my law that thou shouldest not wander hither and thither but mightest keepe thy selfe loiall vnto mee that so I might performe my promise concerning thy saluation As touching that which followes and not cast thee away it seemes both superfluous and that it comes in out of place were it not that it is an vsuall thing so to doe with the Hebrewes which also hath great weight in it For thereby hee expresseth the stedfastnesse of their election as if he should say I haue not left or forsaken thee though thou hast giuen me many occasions for the ingratitude of the Iewes was so great that hee had iust cause to haue cast them off but that hee meant to shew himselfe to bee that God who changeth not Now that which is said of them belongs also to vs for this sentence of the Apostle is perpetuall Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Howsoeuer then hee casts off the greater part of the world in regard of their incredulitie yet he alwaies reserues to himselfe some seede of adoption that so the calling may remaine in some sprigs neither indeed can Gods election be altered by the peruersitie of men And therefore let vs remember that God hath chosen vs on this condition that wee should still remaine in his house and familie God hath chosen vs but vpon condition that we continue in his familie albeit by good right we deserue to bee driuen out of it Vers 10. Feare thou not for I am with thee bee not afraid for I am thy God * Or yet or certainly I will c. I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and I will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice BEcause the former doctrine was to settle the peoples hearts touching their quiet resting vpon Gods prouidence the Prophet thence concludes that they ought not to feare hauing so many benefits set before their eies in which they might euidently discerne the loue which God bare vnto them The reason which he addes for I am vvith the is diligently to be obserued For this is the sure foundation of our confidence to wit which being once fixed in our hearts we shall stand fast and inuincible against all manner of temptations as on the contrarie when wee thinke God is absent or doubt whether he wil assist vs or not feare surprizeth vs and carries vs floting vp and down through many waues of distrust But if wee rest vnmoueable vpon this foundation there is no calamities nor tempests whatsoeuer that can ouerwhelme vs. And yet the Prophets meaning is not that the faithfull can be so confident Faith is neuer so firme that it should not be assailed with wauerings yet at last it gets the victory that feare should no more assaile theÌ but notwithstanding they haue wauerings in their hearts and be often solicited to distrust vpon diuers occasions yet they resist the same with such constancie that faith at the last gets the victorie For it is incident to vs by nature to feare and to lie full of doubtings but such a vice is to bee corrected by this meditation God is vvith me to helpe and takes care for my saluation Some reade it in the preterperfect tence I haue helped thee but I reade it in the future I vvill helpe the. I also expound the Hebrew particle Ak Yet it being often vsed in this sense in other places It may also be taken for Certainly but I leaue the choice to the readers discretion If wee take it in the preterperfect this particle will be as much as Yea or Likewise Vnder the word iustice the Scripture not onely comprehends equitie but also the Lords fidelitie in preseruing his Church For he shewes his iustice when hee defends his children against the conspiracies and sundry plots of their aduersaries He calles the right hand of his iustice then that whereby he manifests his fidelitie and iustice Whence we are to gather a singular consolation to wit that we ought not to feare seeing the Lord is determined to protect and defend his seruants for it is not possible he should either put off or renounce his iustice Vers 11. Behold all that prouoke thee shall bee ashamed and confounded they shall bee as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish THe Prophet promiseth the Iewes assured helpe against their aduersaries for if hee had giuen them hope of their deliuerance and had made no mention of their enemies their minds might haue been forestalled with many such perplexed thoughts as these It is true indeed that God promiseth much touching our deliuerance out of all perils but yet we see our aduersaries the stronger who deale cruelly and vnciuilly with vs. Where is then that saluation so oft and so largely promised See heere therefore a circumstance added to the generall promise As if he should reply I grant your enemies florish and yet at the last they shall be ashamed and confounded Deliuerance is promised but it is vpon condition that you abide the brunt of your enemies and buckle hand to hand diuers waies with them For we must not promise to our selues any worldly rest or tranquillitie heere because wee must alwaies bee ready armed to fight Vers 12. Thou shalt seeke them and shalt not finde them to wit the men * Or that plead with thee of thy strife for they shall be as nothing and the men that war against thee as a thing of nought THou shalt seeke That is to say if thou seekest them For we vse not to seeke out enemies after they are put to flight Therefore I thinke it should be construed thus if thou seekest them thou shalt not find them because they shall be cut off and brought to nothing Wee must note here that there are two sorts of enemies Two sorts of enemies the first sort assailes vs by open violence the second by words that is to say they rent vs with slanders cursings and reuilings Not onely so but they summon vs to their courts as if their cause were iust and good nay they bring vs before the iudgement seates and often accuse vs of those crimes whereof themselues are the authors But such are the crafts of Satan Satans policies whose seruants seeing these are what maruell is it if they tread in the steps of their lord and master First then the Prophet speakes of pleaders and next of the armed enemies which dealt roughly with the Church What wonder is it then if we be exercised with false accusations Nay wee must not thinke it strange if many companions fell themselues to Antichrist as his vassals to reuile and slander vs Antichrists hirelings seeing the same hath befallen the Prophets and other seruants of God Vers 13. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying vnto thee Feare not I will helpe thee THe Prophet shewed vs
then to take to heart the workes of God and if it fall out that they draw vs to anie admiration of them yet it is but as a wonder that lasts for nine daies because our mindes presently runne after other fancies in which there is no fruit at all The Prophet awakens vs then once againe that he might chase away all sluggishnesse and sottishnesse of mind from vs that so all our senses might bee brought to comprehend the power of God First of all then hee willes them to see or behold which gets a certaine knowledge then he addes consideration which better confirmes vnderstanding and more certainly It is not certaine whether the Prophet speakes to the Iewes that is to say to those of the houshold of God or to strangers as I thinke we may generally affirme that when the Church should be restored the power of God should then be perceiued of all nations neere and far off so as all should bee compelled to admire so rare and excellent a worke It is also certaine that the Medes and Persians hauing gotten dominion ouer the Iewes were wonderfully abashed in hearing these testimonies of the Prophets but chiefly when they saw the accomplishment and effect thereof performed before their eies for they might well know that men could neuer bring such things to passe and yet they were not conuerted to God themselues for all that Vers 21. Stand to your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iaakob IT was very needfull that this should bee added to the former doctrine for whilest we conuerse with the wicked they scorne our hope and thinke vs fooles and too simple and light of beliefe You see with what scoffes our weake faith is assailed and shaken Oh these fellowes build castels in the aire and perswade themselues of the accomplishment of things impossible and vnreasonable The cause why the Iews were fortified against the scoffes of the Gentiles by these admonitions For as much as the Iewes then lay open to such taunts in their banishment it was necessarie they should be fortified by such admonitions And that this sentence might get the greater weight touching the assurance of it hee sets all prophane people at nought commanding them to stand to their cause as men are wont to doe in iudgments But in calling him the King of Iaakob he bids defiance to all the idols and shewes that he will take his peoples quarrell in hand to the end they may know at length that he is the protector and defender of his owne glory in deliuering such as are iniustly oppressed And yet it was needfull that the faithfull should be fortified with an exceeding measure of faith for in what case was the estate of the Kingdome whilest they were detained prisoners in a strange land and in a manner ouerwhelmed with calamities That is the cause why the Prophet called them dead men and worme Iaakob verse 14. But their hearts were susteined by this promise in which it was affirmed Chap. 11.1 that their root was hidden in the earth when the people was compared to a tree hewen downe by the rootes onely there should come forth a rod out of the dry stocke of Ishai c. Thus by the eies of faith they beheld the kingdome that was hid for it was impossible to see it by the outward senses no nor to comprehend it by the light of naturall reason Vers 22. Let them bring forth and let them tell vs what shall come let them shew the former things what they be that wee may * Or put theÌ in our hearts consider them and know the latter end of them either declare vs things for to come 23. Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know ye are gods yea doe good or euill that wee may declare it and behold it together NOw hee directs his speech not onely to the idolaters but permits them also to bring in their idols as if he should say I know you thinke your idols very vvise yet they will bee able to speake very little in the defence of so bad a cause We see here that God takes vnto him the person of an aduocate speaks in the name of all the people for he will not be separated from his Church but is carefull as you see to furnish and fortifie her against all the opprobries of the wicked and against all their plots whereby they indeuor to assaile our faith We must be of good courage then seeing God is pleased to bee the pleader of our cause and stands betweene vs and the idolaters and as one armed with his owne inuincible truth bids defiance to the idols themselues being ready in person to refute their vanitie Besides he shewes that his elect are sufficiently furnished with his word to get the victorie so as they need not be afraid to vndertake the combate against all vnbeleeuers whatsoeuer And truly he that hath profited in the heauenly doctrine as hee ought shall easilie confound all the impostures of Satan by a constant and victorious faith I grant our faith begins at obedience but the teachablenesse by which wee submit all our senses to Gods worship goes so before the vnderstanding that from thence our minds are illuminated with sound knowledge By this marke wee may discerne superstition from that true religion How to discerne superstition from true religion which is directed by a rule that is neither doubtfull nor deceiueable The idolaters vaunt themselues but too much in their errors yet all their pride proceeds from folly sottishnesse and frensie For if they would consider of the heauenly doctrine with calme and quiet minds all this ouerweening by which they darken the light of truth would forthwith fall to the ground But the faithfull haue another respect whose faith albeit it be founded vpon humilitie yet it is not caried away with a foolish or inconsiderate zeale because it hath the spirit of God for the conductor and leader thereof that so she may neuer turne aside from the certaine light of Gods word Therefore where the right rule of discerning things is absent Where the right rule of discerning things is absânt there can be nothing but superstition there can be nothing but superstitions as Isaiah saith Now because things are not to be done rashly therefore the faithfull wils them to bring forth and put them in their hearts not that they meant to halt betweene two opinions being before instructed of God The difference betweene sottish obstinacie and true faith but because the superstitious could alledge nothing for themselues but that which was worthy to be laughed at of all See here againe then the difference between blockish obstinacle and true faith which hath her foundation vpon Gods word so as shee can neuer be moued But now let vs see with what argument our Prophet defends the Maiestie of God for he so attributes vnto himselfe an infinite power and foreknowledge
praise Although the Prophets meaning be as I haue said to shew that the people should be deliuered in regard it neerely concerned Gods glorie yet from this place we also learne The end of our election vocation that the end of our election is the setting forth of Gods glorie in all things I grant that the reprobates are instruments of this glorie but it shines in a farre diuers sort in vs for we are chosen as S. Paul saith that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Exod. 14.4 and 17.18 and he hath also predestinated vs to adopt vs in himselfe by Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glorie of his grace Election wherewith he hath freely accepted vs through his beloued Ephes 1.4.5.6 Hereunto appertaine the words of Peter where he saith We are a chosen generation and that vve should shew forth the vertues of him vvho hath called vs out of darknes Vocation into his maruelous light 1. Pet. 2.9 And Zacharie sings That we are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies to serue our God in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life Luk. 1.75 Here ye see the end then both of our election and calling which is that we being consecrated and set apart for Gods vse as it were wee might praise and honor him as long as wee haue any being in this world Vers 22. And thou hast not called vpon me ô Iacob but thou hast * rather wearied me ô Israel WIth this priuie rebuke he confirmes that which was said in the former verse God saues none for his merits sake to wit that the merits of the people had no way moued him to deale so graciouslie with them This deliuerance therefore was to be ascribed to his free goodnes For proofe The proofe hereof he saith Thou hast not called vpon me vnder which word he coÌprehends the whole seruice of God This phrase Called vpon me expounded whereof prayer was a principall part And thus he takes a part for the whole according to the vsuall maner of the Hebrues Now the Lord manifests it sufficientlie in other places that Inuocation is a speciall part of his worship Prayer a speciall part of Gods worship for hauing said in the fiftieth Psalme that he reiects sacrifices and ceremonies he presentlie addes Call vpoÌ me For this cause the Scripture mentions this exercise of prayer when it notes out the marks of Gods worship For Moses minding to shew that the same was againe restored saith that then men began to call vpon the name of the Lord Gen. 4.26 I take the particle Ci in the second part of this verse for a coniunction aduersatiue thus God requireâ a willing obedience Psal 110.3 But thou hast rather wearied me Others translate For thou hast trauailed as if he should say Thou hast done that which I commanded thee vnwillingly which comes all to one For as the Lord requires obedience so would he haue his seruants to performe the same cheerfully and readily Hee loues a cheerfull giuer as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 9.7 but those that serue him by halues or by constrains cannot properly be called his seruants neither doth he accept of them nor of such seruices To shew then that the Iewes had not worshipped as they ought to haue done hee saith they did it vnwillinglie If any had rather haue it an exposition of the former member and so translate it thus Thou hast not called vpon me O Israel because thou hast yeelded me but a forced and constrained seruice I gainsay him not because the difference is not great as touching the sense Yet if it be taken as I haue translated it I thinke it is neerer to the Prophets meaning and the opposition containes also in it a rendring of the cause Will we haue our seruices acceptable vnto God then The vse let vs yeeld him a frank and willing obedience Vers 23. Thou hast not brought me the sheepe of thy burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured mee with thy sacrifices I haue not caused thee to serue with an offering nor wearied thee with incense SOme may demaÌd why the Prophet should thus reproch the Iewes Obiect seeing it is apparent that they were very diligent in offering sacrifices according to the ordinances of the Law Some refer this to the captiuitie during which time they could offer no sacrifices though they had bin willing so to haue done Why so Because it was vnlawfull to offer them any where but in Ierusalem Ans for which respect their sacrifices could not be acceptable vnto God But I rather take it as a generall reproch for whilest the people had opportunitie to sacrifice yet they could alleadge no merit nor worthinesse as if God had been any way beholding vnto them for the same for there was neither faith nor obedience to bee seene in their sacrifices But faith God lookes rather to our faith and obedience then to our sacrifices as we know and obedience are things which God chiefly lookes vnto without which nothing we doe is or can be pleasing in his sight They wanted therefore integritie of heart their hands were full of blood they were wholly defiled with robberies and deceit iustice and equitie was banished far from them Albeit then that they brought their beasts euery day vnto the Temple and offered them there yet hee rightly affirmes that they offered none of these things to him because God accepts of no sacrifices which are separated from the truth and so offered them to another and not to him for all he required was that by these outward meanes his people should exercise their faith and obedience But these being wanting what worth was there in the sacrifices Hence wee gather that the Prophet speakes here of no new thing but continues that which hee began to teach in the former verse to wit that hee reiects all hollow and seruile seruices Vers 24. Thou boughtest me no sweet * Or caneh sauour with thy money neither hast thou made me drunke with the fat of thy sacrifices but thou hast made mee to serue with thy sinnes and wearied me with thine inquities BY the word Caneh he meanes that wherewith they made the precious ointment which was seldome vsed High Priests The Tabernacle The Arke The Instruments as is recorded in Exod. 30.25 For therewith were the high Priests the Tabernacle the Arke of the couenant with the instruments thereunto appertaining annointed Hee saith then Albeit thou shouldest lay forth thy money to buy me of that odoriferous ointment thou shalt but spend it in vaine if thou lookest that I should accept of it For all their labour was lost because they aimed not at the right marke God esteemed none of all these ceremonies as long as they were separated from faith and the vprightnesse of the heart and a pure conscience Where he
benefits which we are to expect flow vnto vs only from his free grace And thus the Lord hath so adorned the Gospel and the Ministers with this authoritie How God is said to pardon by the Ministers that he reserues it notwithstanding intirely in his own absolute power Vers 26. Put me in remembrance let vs be iudged together count that thou mayst be iustified BEcause it is an hard matter to correct mens pride Mans pride not easily subdued the Lord goes on still with this argument and insists the longer vpon it that he might the better bring the Iewes to humilitie as also that he might cause them to renounce the confidence of their works He giues them libertie freely to say and alledge vvhat they can in their owne behalfe God giues vs leaue to make our defences if we thinke his accusatioÌs ouerstrict to make their partie good against him vnlesse if vpon better aduice they should rather thinke it best for them to lay their hand vpon their mouth By way of yeelding so much vnto them therefore he bids them put him in minde Ironiâ a figure in speaking when one meanes contrarie to the signification of his words to mock him whom he reasoneth withall If thou hast any thing to alledge for thy selfe saith he I pray thee remember me of it Speake thou in thy turne and I will giue thee audience And by this maner of speech he gaules men more to the quick then if he should haue spoken to them in plaine termes For thus he shewes that they are more then senselesse if they dare attribute any thing vnto themselues Why so Because if libertie were giuen them to tell their faire tale they would be conuinced of their vanitie and emptines without being able to say ought for themselues That thou mayst be iustified That is to say that thou maiest get the day and goe away conqueror I therefore giue thee free leaue to say what thou canst Now this is spoken after such a kind of taunting and deriding maner Ironia as did more cut their combs theÌ if the Lord should haue stood to haue iudged theÌ in his own person according to his absolute authoritie In the meane while we must not forget the Prophets drift who was constrained to plucke this maske of merit from the Iewes that in all humilitie and meeknes they might receiue the grace of God The Prophets drift Vers 27. Thy first father hath sinned and thy teachers haue trangressed against me The Prophets argument according to some interpreters THe expositors for the most part vnderstand this place of the first Father Adam Adam others rather refer it to Abraham As if the Prophet should say You haue not onely sinned but your father Abraham Abraham also notwithstanding all the holinesse wherewith he was indued By teachers they vnderstand Moses Moses and Aron Aron which sinned albeit they were adorned with singular graces And if the case stood so with your father and teachers how much more are you sinners who are their inferiours An argument from the greater to the lesse And thus according to their sense it should bee an argument taken from the greater to the lesse But I vnderstand it otherwise for vnder this word father he comprehends not onely one or two of their predecessors but many and that by a change of the number A thing vsuall among the Hebrewes And this manner of reprehension is often found both in the Prophets as also in the booke of Psalmes for they knowing themselues to be the holy nation they swelled in pride against the Lord as if this honour had been due vnto them either in regard of the excellencie or merits of their fathers and thus the right of inheritance made them swell The Prophets therefore were carefull from time to time to discouer the iniquities of their fathers for which cause Saint Stephen Stephen who succeeded them is bold to pronounce that they had alwaies resisted the holy Ghost Acts 7.51 As if he should say You haue not begun this day to be thus wicked your fathers were as bad long agoe A Prouerbe Of an euill Crowe there is issued forth a naughtie egge But you saith our Prophet are growne vvorse then your fathers and far surpasse the wickednesse of your predecessors so as if the Lord had onely respected you as you are in your selues hee might iustly haue consumed you long since In the next place he addes their teachers to shew that the fault rested not onely in the people for euen those which ought to haue been their guides and leaders to wit the Priests and Prophets were first in the transgression and plunged them into error which followed them And thus to bee short hee shewes that there was no estate nor condition free from vices nor corruptions As if the Lord should haue said Let them goe now and brag of their merits let them alleadge any way but the least shew of reason why I should be bound to succour them and they shall find there is nothing but my free mercy If any shall obiect Obiect that it is iniustice to reproch the children vvith the offences of their forefathers because it is written The soule that sinneth shall die and The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of his father Ezech. 18.20 Ans God punisheth the children of wicked parents because they walke in their steps The answer is easie for the Lord punisheth the sinnes of the fathers vpon their children which succeeded them and yet they are not punished for the faults of another seeing themselues stand guiltie of the same crimes And when it so falles out that the Lord smites the whole body of a people hee couples the fathers vvith the children that he may wrap them all in the same condemnation Vers 28. Therefore I haue prophaned the rulers of the Sanctuarie and haue made Iaakob a curse and Israel a reproch THe letter Vau must bee resolued into a coniunction of concluding This verse containes the cause of the Iewes ruin and the verb To pollute should bee translated in the future tence though it may also bee lesâ in the preterperfect Yet I had rather turne it shall pollute and to apply it to the time of the captiuitie in regard he speakes properly to those which should liue in Babylon If any had rather extend it to the diuers calamities wherewith the Lord afflicted his people and so ioine it to the captiuitie of Babylon it will not be greatly amisse And it may be the sense will runne better if we should say that hee speakes here of those things which often fell out before to the end he might warne them for the time to come not to stand too much vpon their pantables lest with shame and great dishonour they againe receiued the iust reward of their ingratitude He sets forth the cause of their ruine then in regard that both fathers and children were
can they vse it in the defence either of themselues or their people but by his commission For if he be pleased to dispoile them of their principalities they cannot defend the same against him neither by force nor by any meanes else whatsoeuer And I vvill open the doores before him By this phrase the Prophet meanes that fortresses cannot resist God which in generall termes all will confesse but yet they cease not for all that to trust in their towers of defence For when Cities are enuironed with thick walles The strongest Fortâfications too weake when the strong God minds to redeeme his chosen and that the gates are fast shut euery one thinks himselfe in safetie contrarywise the Prophet shewes that all fortifications are vnprofitable and that the stopping vp of passages are but in vaine when the Lord will open the vvay to their enemies Now howsoeuer it is not to be doubted but the gates were shut and surely barred yet because Cyrus marched with an incredible swiftnes through all places where he came as if all Cities had giuen him way the Prophet rightly affirmes that all impediments shall be remoued Vers 2. I will goe before thee and make the crooked straight I will breake the brasen doores and burst the yron barres 3. And I will giue thee the treasures of darknes and the things hid in secret places that thou mayst know that I am the Lord which call thee by name and name thee though thou hast not knowne mee THese two verses depend vpon the former These two verses depeÌds on the former but in a word they shew that Cyrus shall easily ouercome and that in short time because the Lord shall prepare the way for him for this cause he promiseth that the crooked way shall be made straight in respect that God will take away all obstacles Now because money is the sinew of warre Money the sinew of warre and that Cyrus was to passe ouer the poore barren mountaines of Persia Isaiah tels him that the treasures which before were hid should fall into his hands that being enriched with the spoile he might furnish himselfe with all necessaries for by treasures of darknes he meanes treasures hidden and buried deeply in the earth Now it appeares plainly by the histories how these things came to passe for after Cresus king of Lydia Cressus king of Lydia was taken who was the richest king in the world Cyrus recouered great treasures A man would neuer haue supposed then that he could haue made such a generall Conquest had not the cause of so good successe been heere expressed to wit that the Lord called him forth and guided him in his iourney that in him he might manifest a notable signe of his power for so much that thou mayst know imports Cyrus no true conuert I grant that Cyrus knew as we haue said that God was the God of Israel and did greatly reuerence him yet he became no true Conuert for all that neither did he imbrace the true worship according to the ordinances of Gods law This therefore was a particular knowledge to wit so farre forth as he assisted the Church for whose deliuerance he was ordeined It was needful then that he should be in some measure touched with this knowledge Cyrus was not indued with a sauing knowledge in regard of this worke of God which he had to performe He speakes not of that knowledge then by which we are enlightened or of the spirit of regeneration but of a particular knowledge such as the prophane and vnbeleeuers haue Which call thee by thy name Some barely expound this phrase of speech that Cyrus was thus called of God before he was borne But we haue said heretofore Chap. 43.1 that by these words the Prophet meant another thing namely that God calles those by name whom he chuseth and ordeineth to execute some speciall worke in which respect he separates them from the common multitude for this signifies a neerer and a more familiar calling And in this sense it is said that the good shepheard calles his sheepe by name Iohn 10.3 because he knowes them distinctlie But aboue all this agrees to the faithfull whom God accounts his flock and of his familie which grace he neuer vouchsafed to Cyrus But in as much as he appointed him to be a speciall Leader in such a speciall seruice he stamped him as it were with rare and singular notes of his power And thus much touching the cause why this title of Calling is giuen vnto him These words The God of Israel must be well obserued because the superstitious are wont to attribute their victories to their Idols And in that sense Abacuk saith That euery one sacrificed to his god Aba 1.16 They runne riot then in their talke and forge such a diuinitie as it pleaseth them to conceiue of in stead of acknowledging the only and true God Now all that which is heere said of Cyrus may be applied vnto vs in a farre better sense to wit that we frame not to our selues such a knowledge of God as fits our owne appetites but that we separate him so from Idols that he may only be rereceiued and acknowledged of vs in one Iesus Christ out of whom we can worship nought but an Idoll nay the very Diuell himselfe Out of Christ we can worship nothing but an Idoll nay the Deuill himselfe In this respect then let our knowledge surpasse that which Cyrus had to wit let vs reiect all superstitions and idolatries that wee may serue him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life Vers 4. For Iaakob my seruants sake and Israel mine elect I will euen call thee by thy name though thou knowest not mee HE shewes the reason why Cyrus shall prosper thus happily in all his enterprises euen for the conseruation of Gods people As if the Lord should haue said Thou shalt obteine a glorious victorie but it shall be more in respect of mine elect then of thee for for their sakes it is that I haue subdued kings and nations vnder thine obedience By these prophesies then the Prophet meant to comfort the Iewes lest they should despaire in the middes of so many calamities and yet no doubt he also meant to teach Cyrus that hee was beholding to the Iewes for all his conquests that by meanes hereof he might be enclined to vse them with the better respect In the second part of the verse there is a repetition which amplifies the reason very much and on the other side the Prophet shewes by what right the Israelites came to be Gods seruants euen because it pleased him freely to elect them For it is not in the power of man to make himselfe the seruant of God It is not in the power of man to make himselfe Gods seruant or to obteine such an honour by his owne free will This word elect therefore is added as an exposition of the former member and yet the
and let them take counsell together who hath declared this froÌ the beginning or hath told it of old Haue not I the Lord and there is none other God besides mee a iust God a Sauiour there is none besides me A comparisoÌ betweene Gods predictions and those of the Idols AGaine hee protests against all such as might trouble the Iewes or weaken their faith by their scornings For the Prophet aimes alwaies at this marke to wit that hee may fortifie the peoples faith against the assaults of the Gentiles because the poore Iews who were so extreamly handled were in danger of staggering in the midst of so many great and violent temptations had they not had some pregnant arguments set before them to hold them in their faith and obedience towards the true God Thus then hee permits the prophane to bring in whatsoeuer they can for the maintenance of their cause Where he saith let them consult together it is added in token of the greater boldnesse and confidence for the Prophets meaning is that they shall gaine nothing as wee haue said before albeit they conspire neuer so much together It may be also hee meant to shew how there was nought else but vanitie and deceit in all that which the Idolaters dreame of touching the excusing of their errors Make what pretences you will then saith he to colour your inuentions yet shall Gods word be strong enough to sustaine the faith of his seruants Hee calles them therefore to a right examination of things that they may compare all the brags of the Infidels touching the predictions of their Idols with the Law and the prophecies I willingly receiue that which is affirmed by all to wit that the Prophet speakes of the deliuerance of the people But in regard the ouerthrow of the Babylonian Monarchy was ioined therewithall therefore I thinke one of these things is compared with the other And because one sentence is repeated twice these two words Mikkedem and Mean are as much in effect as if he had said From the beginnig and from the times past for this prophecie was published long time before the things prophecied were accomplished whereby the faithfull might euidently perceiue that it was God which spake To prescience he addes his power as we haue often said and yet withall he shewes to what end God is powerfull euen to saue his people Vers 22. Looke vnto mee and yee shall bee saued all the ends of the earth shall be saued for I am God and there is none other HItherunto hee hath spoken onely to the Iewes Now the Prophet turnes his speech from the Iewes to the Gentiles as if saluation appertained to none but them Now he extends his speech further off for he cals a great audience to him euen the whole world to partake of the hope of saluation and therewithall condemnes all nations of vnthankfulnes if in giuing themselues still to be seduced with erâors they obstinately shunned the cleere light which was offered For can a man commit a greater sinne then directly to reiect his owne saluation God commands all then to looke vnto him to which Commandement he addes a Promise for this hath greater weight in it and confirmes the matter much more then if he had set it downe simply by way of a command We haue in this text therefore an excellent testimony touching the vocation of the Gentiles wherein wee see how the Lord indifferently calles all sorts of men vnto him the partition wall being broken downe which separated betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles Eph. 2.14 Moreouer wee are heere taught the true meanes how to obtaine saluation euen to looke vnto God and to turne vnto him with our whole heart But we must looke vnto him with the eie of faith that we may imbrace the saluation promised to all in Iesus Christ For God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that vvhosoeuer beleeues in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3.16 Now when hee exhorts all the ends of the earth All haue erred he shewes that all men haue hitherunto erred out of the right way haue had no respect vnto the true God for where infidelitie raignes there God cannot be discerned from Idols In a word he shewes that the condemnation of the whole world ariseth from doting vpon their owne inuentions whereby they forsake the liuing God for from the knowledge of him flowes eternall and assured saluation The way to saluation described The Lord then reacheth out his hand to saue all nations and shewes them what way they should take to obtaine it And thus it appeares it fel not out by chance that the Gospell was generally preached vnto all nations vnder heauen but that it proceeded from Gods decree who had ordained it so to come to passe long before Yet hee accuseth the Gentiles of blindnesse as I haue said ere while in that they turned their eies after vanities and ranne which way soeuer their giddie spirits led them For howsoeuer by nature they could not find out the true God hauing from their infancie been trained vp in superstitions and were bewitched with them yet God had iust cause notwithstanding to blame them for the prophane contempt of his grace Hypocrisie you know is alwaies wrapped in ignorance Hypocrisie alwaies mixed with ignorance so as men had rather bee deceiued through vaine deceits then to be led the straight way vnto God Vers 23. I haue sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne * O that is euery knee c that euerie knee shall bow vnto mee and euerie tongue shall sweare by me HE addes a more manifest confirmation to the former sentence A confiâmation of the fârmer sentence for because this calling was extraordinary and vnheard of hee therefore addes an oath as men are wont to doe in things that are strange and hard to be credited The Iewes might haue made replies in regard they were then reputed the onely elect people But in that he confirmes it with an oath all contention is taken away I grant the Prophet aimes againe at the same marke that he did in vers 6. to wit that Gods glory shall so shine in the restauration of the Church that all the world from the rising of the Sunne to the West shal admire the same or to tell it you in a word that the signes of Gods power shal so shine in this deliuerance that all nations shall bee confounded with feare and astonishment In the meane while hence wee may gather that which I touched before namely the Gentiles are heere equalled with the Iewes so as God shall be the common father of all and his name called vpon in all places Now God sweares by himselfe because there is none more sufficient to be a witnesse of his truth for he is the truth it selfe Men sweare by greater then themselues The câuse of
thereof Which are borne of me from the vvombe This similitude by which God compares himselfe to a mother that beares her child in her vvombe is very fitting for his purpose Now he speaks of the time past in which hee began to giue vnto his people testimonies of his grace vnlesse any had rather expound these wordes more strictly to wit that God hath in mercie aduanced them and borne them in his armes as a child borne of his mother Psal 22.9 10. But because God began not onely to bee a nurcing father to this people from their naturall birth but also begat them spiritually it is not amisse to extend his speech euen to that to wit that they issued as it were out of Gods wombe into newnesse of life and to the hope of the eternall inheritance If any obiect Obiect that God is euery where called a Father Ier. 31.9 Mal. 1.6 and that this title properly belongs vnto him I answere Ans that Gods loue is so incomprehensible vnto his Church that all the similitudes in the world are insufficient to expresse the same For it is a thing that hath many branches yea infinite and vnmeasurable so as if all the benefits that witnesse true friendship were gathered into one yet this affection for the greatnesse of it far exceedes all that can bee thought or spoken of No similitude or borrowed speech sufficient to expresse Gods infinit loue to his children there is no similitude therefore that can expresse his inestimable loue If we onely vnderstand it that from the time God begat them hee hath borne and tenderly nourished them in his bosome this will well sute with that which is written in the song of Moses He nourished and carried them as the Eagle doth her little ones vpoÌ her wings Deut. 32.11 To be short the Prophets meaning is that vnlesse the Iewes forget their originall they must of necessitie conclude that they were not begotten in vaine but that God who hath performed vnto them the office of a louing father and mother will neuer leaue them but alwaies will assist them And besides that by continuall succession of time they so felt his power that they were at no hand to doe any homage to Idols When hee mentions the remainder it is to shew Chap. 10.21 as wee noted before that the greater part by their rebellion made a defectioÌ from the Church and thus the hope of the redemption appertained but to a small handfull For this cause he craues audience because the vnbeleeuers were become no lesse deafe at his voice then the prophane nations Now howsoeuer the estate of the people at that time was far from perfection and that the remnant of this dispersed people was exceeding small yet the Lord commands them to consider how miraculously they were preserued and kept vnto that instant that so they should not doubt but hee would continue a louing father and mother vnto them in like manner for the time to come And in that he requires them to hearken to his speech The true and onely way to âedresse our miseries hee shewes that the true and onely remedie of all our miseries consists in depending vpoÌ Gods mouth and in hearkening to the promises of his grace for then we shall haue strength enough to beare all our afflictions As on the contrary there is a wide gate set open to rush vs into despaire yea and to expect nothing but ruine and destruction when we stop our eares and will not heare his voice Vers 4. Therefore vnto old age I am the same euen I will beare you vntill the hoare haires I haue made you I will also beare you and I will carry you and I will deliuer you I Expound this particle Vau Wherefore which wee are diligently to obserue God not onely begins but perfects the worke of his grâce in vs. For thus he concludes I haue begotten you and brought you forth yea I haue borne you in mine armes whilest you were yet in your swadling clouts and therefore I will be the protector of your life euen vnto the end And thus Dauid reasons Thou O Lord diddest draw me out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers breasts I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly Psal 22.9 10. God promiseth the Iewes then that hee will alwaies be a father vnto them The Lord saith Dauid will finish the good worke he hath begun in me thy mercies O Lord indure for euer therefore thou wilt not forsake the worke of thine owne hands Psal 138 8. This word I six times repeated is of great weight in my iudgement although the interpreters expound it simply as a pronoune demonstratiue But it signifies heere not onely Gods eternall essence and that he will euer be like himselfe but it is also spoken in regard of vs shewing that wee shall alwaies find him one and the same Where hee saith vnto old age this might seeme a strange speech seeing we grow to be perfect men after God hath once drawne vs out of our childhood But let euery one examine his owne strength as he ought and we shall easilie perceiue that none of vs haue so profited but we shall still feele that God had need to vphold vs daily by his power for otherwise the most perfect would fall downe flat at euery turne Which Dauid also expresseth in Psal 71. Cast me not off O Lord in the time of mine old age forsake me not when my strength faileth J haue made you I vvill also beare you He renues the same argument againe as if hee should say God will not look to your deserts but to his owne work and therefore will continue forth his grace towards you Hence we may thus conclude Seeing thou hast not only created vs to be men but also to be thy children thou wilt doubtlesse continue to beare that affection to vs which fathers and mothers doe towards their children and wilt alwaies haue care ouer vs. Vers 5. To whom will yee make mee like or make me equall or compare mee that I should be like him THe Prophet brings in the Lord here complaining of the Iewes We must not thinke the better of Idolaters because they seeme to prosper in their sinne for distrusting his power and goodnesse as also for comparing him with Idols nay for abasing him beneath theÌ For in seeing the Chaldeans to haue the world at will they iudged themselues hopelesse and that the memorie of the couenant was so abolished as if there had been no God left in heauen to haue taken care of them The Lord takes vp a complaint therefore against them in that hee perceiued they attributed some power to the Idols and in so doing obscured his regall authoritie He handled the same argument in the 42. 43. Chapters and in those that follow and therefore we haue the lesse need now to insist any longer vpon euery word That they should
vpon the assured accomplishment of it Vers 12. Heare yee mee yee stubborne hearted that are farre from iustice The rebellious nature of the Iewes described HE sharply rebukes the Iewes againe who would neither giue credence vnto God nor receiue any consolations at all in their aduersities This was a galling reprehension which no doubt went very neere the quicke but they well deserued it in regard neither threatning nor promise of God were it neuer so sweete and amiable was auaileable to tame them These two epithetes which he heere vseth are to be noted whereby hee giues vs to vnderstand that the afflicted and miserable shut vp the passage of Gods helpe from them by their owne rebellion For by their murmurings and grudgings they shake off the feare of God and in thus doing rush themselues headlong into such desperate courses that they make open war vpon him Now he speakes to the Iewes who were readie to burst with malice and pride notwithstanding afflictions oppressed them to the vtmost And thus hauing shaken off the feare of God they fell into opeÌ raging which I would to God many among vs were not guiltie of who wax worse by their calamities Thus then they would accept of no remedie nor medicine at al to cure their euils If any would haue the word iustice to bee taken heere for Gods succor as in the verse following I leaue it free for them so to doe for it is no strange thing to see the obstinate who repell God and reiect his grace to bee vnable to rest vpon his sweete promises or not to suffer that any should doe them good albeit helpe bee offered them Vers 13. I will bring neere my iustice it shall not be farre off and my saluation shall not tarry for I will giue saluation in Zion and my glorie vnto Israel An oppositioÌ betweene the iniustice of man and the iustice of God IF any had rather retaine that which I was saying to wit that such as are farre from iustice and vncapeable of Gods grace are here called to repentance the sense will bee all one but if wee say that the Iewes were farre from iustice in regard they were giuen vp to a dissolute behauiour as men past grace then there is an apt opposition betweene the iustice of God and the iustice of men Although the Iewes then were farre from iustice and had cast off all studie of pietie yet God affirmes that his iustice is neere As if he should say I must confesse incredulitie is a maine let and hinderance yet shall it not hinder me in the end from manifesting the force of my truth What though some did not beleeue saith Paul shall their vnbeliefe make the truth of God without effect God forbid Rom. 3.3 Yea let God bee true and euerie man a lier And to say the truth if he did not ouercome mens stubbornnesse by his goodnesse wee should incontinently perish For which of vs receiues the bounty of God or his grace when hee offers the same as wee ought Why God withdrawes his fauour from vs for a time Doth hee withdraw his mercy or his truth from vs It is for no other cause but for that we be farre from iustice Contrariwise though we resist him yet he drawes neere vnto vs that he may manifest his iustice albeit we be vtterly vnworthy of it Yet he doth this in such wise as the wicked receiue no fruit at all by it For the Prophet comprehends not those cursed apostataes as if this saluation promised belonged vnto them but onely affirmes that God hath meanes ready to make his iustice appeare But heere it is needfull for vs to consider in what state this people stood to whom this speech was directed They were all in a manner tainted with the sinne of infidelitie and those that rested vpon the promises were but very few All are gone out of the way euen the elect sometimes shewed themselues but too obstinate so as they seemed to be no lesse infected with this contagion then the rest He taxeth them all in generall then as well to conuince the reprobates as to gall the elect and to bring them into the right way But he chiefly sets himselfe against the rebels as I haue said who obstinately and stubbornly reiected all hope of grace And my saluation Heereby it appeares what he meant by the word Iustice to wit the help and succour of God promised in fit and due season to his people He takes iustice and saluation then for one and the same thing because it is an excellent testimony of Gods iustice when he conserues and protects his distressed ones It is not added superfluously that it shall not be far off and shall not tarrie Note Gods great clemency for heerein he expresseth Gods exceeding great mercie in that he will finish the course of his iustice albeit the people should resist the same And vvill put The letter Vau is heere put for a particle of rendring the cause thus For I vvill put Now this is a confirmation of the former sentence as if hee should say Seeing the Lord hath once determined to saue Ierusalem shee cannot be disappointed of such a benefit He ioines his glory with the saluation of the faithfull as also Saint Paul takes the word glory Gods glory and our saluatioÌ lincked together for mercy Eph. 1.6 and 3.16 For then Gods glory shines fully when he drawes his children out of the bands of death and sets them at libertie because hee will haue the saluation of his Church and his iustice to be conioyned with an indissoluble knot THE XLVII CHAPTER Vers 1. Come downe and sit in the dust O Virgin daughter Babel sit on the ground there is no throne O daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more be called Tender and delicate Gods decree put in execution NOw Isaiah sets that downe at large which hee mentioned before touching Gods counsell and the execution thereof For hee speakes heere in plaine termes of Babylons fall Babylons fall because there was little or no hope that the people should euer returne as long as the Babylonicall Monarchie florished He therefore conioined these two things together to wit the ouerthrow of this Monarchy and the peoples deliuerance which should insue For the statelinesse of this Citie was vnto the poore Iewes as a deepe graue in which they were buried but when the Lord opened it then the peoples first life was as it were restored to them afresh In that hee commands her to come downe it hath greater weight in it then if he had directly threatned she should come downe for thus he speakes with authoritie as if he were alreadie set in a throne of iudgement for he spake nothing but what he had warrant from God to deliuer and therefore hee boldly pronounceth what should happen And this commission wee see the Lord gaue to Ieremiah Behold I haue set thee this day ouer kingdomes and nations
that thou shouldest plucke vp and destroy No power so high but it is subiect to the authoritie of Gods word and pull downe and plant Ier. 1.10 For there is no power at all that is not vnder the checke of Gods word Lastly his meaning is to bring the Iewes as it were to view the thing done for they could not without much difficultie conceiue how this change should happeÌ vnlesse God should destroy their enemies with thunder lightning from heauen Touching this word daughter of Babylon it is a figure much vsed among the Hebrewes when they speake of Cities and nations He calles her virgin not in regard of her chastitie or shamefastnesse but because shee was tenderly and delicately entertained as virgins be and was not as yet forced nor rauished by the enemie as it was said of Zidon in Chap. 23.12 The like may be said at this day of Venice Venice and of other Cities flowing and abounding in riches and pleasures in which regard they seeme most happy in the eies of the world But they haue no lesse cause to feare the change of their estate then the Babylonians howsoeuer they seeme now to be far off from danger For thou shalt be no more that is to say those that esteemed thee happy shall reioice no more with thee for thy prosperitie Vers 2. Take the milstones and grind meale lose thy lockes make bare the feete vncouer the leg and passe thorow the floods ALl this description tends to this end Notes of extreame slauerie namely that Chaldea shal taste of a wonderfull change For this Citie which before was in great honour shall bee brought into extreme dishonout and euery way put to such drudgerie that all shall perceiue euident and apparant signes of Gods wrath therein Behold then the marks of a most seruile bondage Take the milstones and grind meale For they were wont in ancient time to put slaues of the basest and abiectest condition to the mill Their condition then must needs bee miserable when they were held no better then horses for in warre those that got the conquest handled some of their prisoners with much better respect But heere the Prophet propounds nothing before the Chaldeans but a wofull condition in all points to the end the faithfull might assure themselues that they should goe forth freely The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead Prou. 11.8 when the Chaldeans who held them captiues should themselues be captiuated Now howsoeuer we reade not that the great states of the land were thus dishonourably vsed yet it sufficed for the accomplishment of the prophecie that Cyrus suffering them to inioy some base offices made them vncapeable of any rule or authority by constraining them to cease from all honest exercises and liberall sciences And because they ouerflowed in voluptuousnesse Virgins but too curious in setting forth their haire by the lockes hee alludes to the trimmings of virgins We know they are but too curious in tricking and setting out their haire Isaiah therefore on the contrarie describes here a dressing far discrepant from the former to wit that from the head downe to the feete they should be couered with ignominie with filth and mire in stead of that braue and costly attire they were wont to weare Maidens and virgins will scarsly bee seene to passe through the streetes much lesse through high waies but the Chaldeans must passe thorow the floods and that with the thigh or leg vncouered Vers 3. Thy filthines shall be discouered and thy shame shall be seene I will take vengeance and I will not meet thee as a man THis is the conclusion The conclusion of the former sentence as if he should say As long as Babylon florished she kept her reputation and was greatly esteemed for oftentimes vnder riches and authoritie there lie many vlcers as vnder vailes which being taken away the filth is discouered to the great shame of the parties as Demosthenes speaking of Philip king of Macedon saith Whilest mens bodies are in good plight the weaknes vvhich is hidden in some of the members is not espied A saying of Demosthenes speaking of the estate of Philip king of Macedonia but if the body fall into any dangerous sicknes then all is out of order heere is a breach felt there is a sinew perished or somewhat else out of tune The same we see to happen in kingdomes Common-wealths and Cities ill gouerned for the filth and corruption which before was couered vnder the glorie of their estates A Simile being now a little troubled are discouered when their pomp and riches are taken from them then their cruelties treasons robberies periuries vniust taxes and other impieties by which they purchased to themselues honour in time of prosperitie begin to turne to their dishonour in the time of aduersitie I vvill take vengeance and vvill not meet thee as a man It is as much as if he should say Thinke not thou hast to do in this case with a mortall man whose violence thou mayst resist for in other places where mention is made of mans hand it signifies a kinde of moderation But here the Prophet shewes that the Chaldeans shall find no reliefe at all because God will vtterlie roote them out Others translate I vvill not meet a man that is to say I will accept of no man that shall intreate for them Let who will come forth and intercede for them yet I will not remit their fault neither lessen nor asswage the punishment one whit This sense agrees well but it is a little constreined in regard of the disposition of the words for thus the verb Paga which signifies to goe before must be taken in the passiue signification which cannot be Moreouer the Prophet saith not simplie that God will not be intreated but that he wil not be appeased Thus the first exposition sutes best if we consider rightlie of the order of the words yet euery one may follow whether of the senses he will for take which you list the summe will be that the Lord will race them out without pitie or mercie only this I say the first exposition likes me well because it agrees best with the text Vers 4. Our redeemer the Lord of hosts is his name the holy one of Israel The end of Gods iudgements is to manifest himselfe the redeemer of his Church THe Prophet shewes to what end God would take vengeance vpon the Chaldeans euen in regard of the peoples saluation as he said in Chap. 45.4 But this sentence hath much greater force in it in regard it comes in abruptly and as one wakening himselfe out of a dreame when he saw Babylon ruinated which before made it her trade to subdue and treade other nations vnder her feet And he shewes that this shall come to passe for none other cause but to the end the Lord may manifest himselfe to be the redeemer and auenger of
his people The holy one of Israel As if he should say This people was not elect nor separated froÌ other nations in vaine his meaning is then to set forth a testimonie of his power in this particular and that is the reason why he ioines this title holy vnto it Vers 5. Sit still and get thee into darknes ô daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more be called The Lady of kingdomes HE continues on the same argument still By how much the more the peoples deliuerance seemed incredible by so much the more is the Prophet forced to set it forth by sundrie descriptions and shewes that the end of the Chaldean Monarchy drawes neere But because this seemed somewhat incredible hee repeates the same thing in many words which he might haue dispatched in one sentence He vseth these descriptions then to set the thing done as it were before them Where he bids them sit still and be quiet it is in signe of shame and contempt And yet this silence may be opposed to her first estate wherein she reigned as a Lady for then she not only lifted vp her voice with authoritie like a Mistris but she caused her words to giue such a sound that the noise thereof terrified all the East Now the Prophet commands her to sit still and leaue her cackquet in regard her condition is so changed that where she was wont to speake so loude before she shall not dare now to mutter one word distinctlie from betweene her teeth Now in that he bids her enter into darknes I willinglie receiue the first exposition for those who are fallen from a prosperous estate into aduersitie sit downe and put their mouthes in the dust with shame and dare scarcely so much as gasp For thou shalt no more be called We know that this Monarchy had a large extent and was Lady ouer many great kingdomes for she was the head of all dominions it was needfull then that these poore captiues should be fortified with these promises and aduertised of Babylons ruine that they might be put in hope of their deliuerance Vers 6. I was wroth with my peopleâ I haue polluted mine inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy but thou didst lay the very heauie yoke vpon the ancient THis is a preuention A preuention whereby he admonisheth the Iewes as he often hath done heretofore that their captiuitie was a scurge inflicted vpon them by God for if the stroke had come from the hand of another then the remedie had not bin in him That they might be perswaded then that he which had smitten them was able to heale them he wills them to impute it to the desert of their owne sinnes that they were so hardly dealt withall yet he exhorts them to hope well in regard God was minded to keepe a measure in chastising of them and withall toucheth the cause why the Chaldeans should be ouerthrowne namely that God who is the iust reuenger of wrongs and iniuries hath much more iust cause to reuenge the outrages done to his people Besides in the first member he calles the Iewes to repentance in regard they had drawne all these euils vpon their heads by their owne offences Next he accuseth the Chaldeans for taking vp this occasion to exercise their crueltie as if one should flea a child whom the father had only commanded to be whipt with a rod. Whence it followes that the Chaldeans insulted without cause as if by their owne power they had subdued and led the Iewes captiue for they should be iustly punished in that they cruelly misused the prisoners whom they had vanquished Now whereas he saith that he was vvroth and therefore polluted his heritage let vs not thinke that hauing changed his mind he was so farre offended as vtterly to neglect the care of his people so as to thinke no more vpon his couenant no the contrarie plainly appeares as well by the euent as in that he vouchsafeth to call them his people notwithstanding the greater part became Apostataes from him and were iustly reiected of him as prophane But in speaking thus he had respect to his couenant for he had an eie to the foundation and originall whence they issued so as those who came of Abraham according to the flesh are reckoned for the people of God albeit there were very few which were his children by the right of adoption for all in a maner falsly challenged to themselues the title of Abrahams ofspring Thus the word vvrath in scripture is not to be attributed to any passion in God Wrath not any passion in God who euer desires the saluation of his people but vnto vs who prouoke him by our wickednesses For he hath iust cause to be angrie albeit he ceaseth not still to loue vs. God may iustly be angrie with vs and yet loue vs. He so prophanes his Church then that is to say prostitutes it and giues it vp as a pray into the enemies hands that neither do his elect thereby perish nor yet is his eternall couenant violated Nay in the midst of his wrath he remembers mercie Haba 3.2 and mitigates his blowes wherewith he smites his people and in the end will seuerely punish those that vexed them If the Lord pollute his Church then for a time if tyrants cruellie oppresse her let vs not be out of heart but let vs flee to this promise A consolation of great vse to wit that he who auenged himselfe vpon the insolencie of the Chaldeans will not let the rage of our enemies goe vnrecompenced Moreouer we are diligentlie to obserue that men ought not to abuse their victories to handle their prisoners hardly as often it falles out Shew no cruelties vpon the vanquished for when they cast off all humanitie they become like wild beasts and spare neither old nor yong men nor women when they haue gotten the masterie in a word they vtterlie forget their condition Now howsoeuer they abuse their power yet wee may resolue vpon it that God will meet with them in the end for such shall haue iudgement mercilesse as will shew no mercie Iam. 2.13 But it may be demanded how the Chaldeans could exceed the bounds which God had prescribed them Obiect was not God able to haue suppressed their rage And if he were not where is the truth of that sentence An haire of your heads shall not fall to the ground without the will of your heauenly father Luke 12.7 The answere to this is easie Ans for howsoeuer it was not in the power of the Chaldeans to passe their bounds indeed yet may we perceiue a more then brutish crueltie in them in that they indeuored vtterly to roote out these poore helplesse wretches who yeelded themselues to their mercie The Lord complaines by his Prophet Zacharie of the same vnrulines of prophane nations who violentlie rushed vpon his people to destroy them though his wrath was not much moued
out to draw their prognostications from thence He derides their vaine brags then as if he should say They retire to their regions but they shall vvander in their imaginations and shall find no place of refuge If any had rather vnderstand it of their reuolt from whom Babel looked for present helpe in time of need I gainsay him not THE XLVIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Heare yee this O house of Iakob which are called by the name of Israel and are come out of the waters of Iudah which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousnesse Now the Prophet directs his speech to the Iewes NOW hee directs his speech to the Iewes whom hee chiefly respected in the whole chapter before going For he was not sent to the Babylonians but so speakes to theÌ that still his meaning is the Iewes should make their profit of it for whose good he was principally appointed The drift of Isaiah in this Chapter ordained to that high and excellent calling He hath foretold the ruine of Babel then to the end the Iewes might in patience and silence wait for their deliuerance and yet that the greatnesse and power of their enemies in the meane while might not daunt nor discourage them But resting securely vpoÌ these promises they might stand with inuincible force against al temptations Now in as much as the Iewes were somewhat obstinate and would not easilie be brought to credit these promises as also that Isaiah by the spirit of prophecie wel foresaw how stiffe necked and rebellious they would proue euen in their captiuitie he therefore reproues them thus sharply Ezech. in Chap. 33 31. shewes at large how great their incredulitie was when they murmured against God and fel off the hooks making no more account of these promises then of so many fables It is not without cause then that Isaiah is so vehement shewing that they much dishonoured the Lord in that they would not rest vpon his truth He speakes to Israel but so as to Israel degenerate Israel in name and not Israel in deed Hee giues them not this title then by way of honour but rather to conuince them of their false confidence in that they wrongfully vsurped this honourable title and nothing at all answered the truth thereof in their practise For why did God dignifie his seruant Iakob with this name but because he shewed himselfe valorous and inuincible in aduersitie Which appeares by that vvrestling he had with God who pitcheth the field as it were to make warre vpon vs when hee exerciseth vs with diuers tribulations Gen. 32.28 How could this title agree then to his successors Prou. 24.10 when they fainted and forsooke their confidence in the day of aduersitie He afterwards reprocheth them in that they nothing at all resembled the holy fathers from whom they were descended By vvaters vnder a figure hee meanes the fountaine and spring from whence the Iewes issued for I allow not of the Rabbines ridiculous glosse who by the word waters vnderstand that sperm whereof children are ingendred because it is moist and waterish but it is a similitude very fitly drawne from waters which flow from a spring Now hauing taxed them for bastard and degenerate children he addes that they falsly couer the same title vnder the cloke of pietie and religion from the truth whereof they were also reuolted Now because an oath is a part of Gods worship An oath a part of Gods worship he heere puts it for the whole vnder the figure synecdoche For as the Idolaters offer God great wrong in swearing by their Idols so the true worshippers doe highly honour him in swearing by his name for thereby they protest to haue but one God whose name they thus glorie in But in this place the Prophet inueyes bitterly against the hypocrites Hypocrites taxed who had nothing in their mouthes but the name of God and tossed it continuallie vpon the tip of their tongues but in the meane while their hearts were farre off from him as it is in Chap. 29.13 for this cause he saith But not in righteousnes which word he takes heere for vprightnes and soundnes of heart without which nothing we doe is acceptable before God Or truth and righteousnes may be taken for words of one signification as if he should say There is nothing but hypocrisie and vaine shewes in all your doings you professe your selues to be the seruants of the God of truth and behold you let all the world see that you are stuffed with disloyaltie and lies Vers 2. For they are called of the holie Citie and stay themselues vpon the God of Israel whose name is the Lord of hosts An amplification of the Iewes hypocrisie HE holds himselfe to the point still and in other words refutes their vaine shewes for falsly they gloried to be citizens of the holy Citie and yet they stuck not to pollute and defile it with their leaud practises Ierusalem was worthily reputed holy in regard God had sanctified it for the place of his abode but it was prophaned with so many abuses that there was no holines at all in a maner left in it In the 15. and 24. Psalme wee see who are worthie to be esteemed the true citizens of Ierusalem but seeing the Iewes blushed not to play fast and loose with God they thought it enough to couer themselues vnder this vaile Iere. 7. of the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. Where he saith they staied vpon the God of Israel hee speakes not of a true confidence but of a malepart boldnesse For as the faithfull stay and rest vpon the Lord with their whole hearts so hypocrites doe falsly maske themselues with his name and are besotted with a vaine and fond perswasion they contemne all things yea they feare not impudentlie to disgorge this brag Tush God will surely help vs he will neuer forsake his people as if God were a softerer of such a prophane crew To be short they cast his lawes behind their backs and tread them vnder their feet and yet protest with high termes that God is the stay of their saluation But to the end they should not thinke to escape vnpunished for such dallyings the Prophet affirmes that Gods maiestie and glorie shall no whit be impeached though hypocrites indeuor to transfigure him at their pleasures For in calling him the Lord of hosts he addes it as a threatning to the end they might know that the God of Israel vnder which title they vainely couered themselues was also the Lord of hosts to punish such hypocrites and that could not indure to be thus mocked and trifled withall Vers 3. I haue declared the former things of old and they went out of my mouth and I shewed them I did them suddenly and they came to passe HE accuseth the Iewes of ingratitude Before he taxed their hypocrisie they now their
if he sate idle in heauen or were fallen into a dead sleepe It is needfull therefore that the light of Gods word should alwaies shine before vs for the rectifying of our iudgements for wee shall alwaies misse the marke in considering of Gods workes vnlesse he giue light vnto our steps by the lanterne of his blessed truth The same thing often befalles many at this day which Isaiah bewailes touching his nation to wit that notwithstanding all admonitions yet they cease not to forge Idols which they adorne with Gods spoiles as it were The Apostles Peter and Iohn in their life time Act. 3.12 cried with a loud voice that they did no miracles by their own power or godlinesse Peter and Iohn made to worke miracles by the Papists now they are dead who protested they did nothing by their owne power being aliue and yet we see how the Papists whether they will or no yea as it were to vex them will burthen them now they are dead with infinit miracles Well howsoeuer God at this day foretelles vs not of things to come yet shall the Law and the Gospell be of no lesse force to condemne our vnthankfulnesse then if wee had seene the wonders whereof God shewed himselfe the author contained in the prophecies Vers 6. Thou hast heard * Or see all behold all this And will not yee declare it I haue shewed thee new things * Or from euen now and hid things which thou knewest not BY this wee may better discerne that the Prophet speaks of the captiuitie to come God spake plainly but we are dull of hearing and of the redemption that was to insue Wherein he as well prouided for the good of the people of his owne time as for theirs that were to succeede that so albeit those which then liued made no right vse thereof yet at least those that suruiued them being heereby admonished might amend For it often fals out that the word moues not such as are present nay they hauing heard it goe their waies and contemne it but their successors on the contrary receiue it with more reuerence Where he bids them behold some thinke the Prophet so propounds the euent of the thing as if he should say God neuer said any thing but the truth thereof hath manifested it selfe But I expound this word behold or See thus Seeing the Lord hath spoken it is thy dutie to thinke well of that he hath vttered and to giue diligent attention thereto Whence we may gather that our dulnesse is the cause why we suffer that which proceeds out of Gods mouth to fall to the ground and that many doe therefore couer themselues with the vaile of ignorance in vaine For the Lord speakes distinctly enough vttering to euery mans capacitie as much as is needfull for them to know if the auditors were but as attentiue as they ought and did aduisedly consider what is said But the Lord requires somewhat more of his people besides hearing and vnderstanding of his word to wit that they should publish the wonders whereof they haue had experience And thus vndoubtedly hee instructs his seruants vpon this condition that being taught themselues they should labour in the next place to bring others to confession of the same faith with them From now is as much as if he had said Note this day in which the Lord foretelles thee by my mouth that which thou knewest not for it cannot be apprehended nor foreesene by any humane coniecture Vers 7. They were created now and not of old And euer before this thou heardst them not lest thou shouldst say Behold I knew them Neither the peoples captiuitie nor deliuerance happened by chance THe Prophet shewes that hee disputes not about things knowne or vnderstood by long vse first to correct the pride which is naturally grafted in all men for they vsurpe vpon that which belongs to God onely and secondly that none should attribute the least iot thereof vnto fortune or to any second causes whatsoeuer Men vse many shifts to depriue God of his glory applying al their wits to see how they may part among the creatures that which is his proper right that they may leaue vnto him no more but his naked and bare titles Lest the people should imagin then that they were either ouercome by the power of the Chaldeans or set at libertie by chance therefore the Prophet so oft repeates that all is Gods worke Where hee affirmes that they heard not some expound that the people reiected Gods admonitions and would not obey the wholsome counsels which were giuen them But I thinke he meant another thing to wit that that which could not be knowne by humane reason of which also the Iewes were ignorant was so manifested vnto them that they could not well defraud the holy Ghost of his iust praise And this is euident enough by the scope of the text Vers 8. Yet thou heardst them not neither diddest thou know them neither yet was thine eare opened of old for I knew that thou wouldest grieuously transgresse therfore haue I called thee * Or a rebell a transgressor from the wombe THe Prophets meaning is A confirmation of that wherewith they were taxed vers 4. that the Lord hath not insisted so long vpon this matter without cause but hath been thus instant in exhorting the people to the end they might acknowledge that they were chastised and in the end deliuered from all their miseries by the immediate hand of God For they being of an obstinate nature might complaine that it was needlesse to trouble their heads with so many repetitions of one and the same thing The Prophet answers that it is no wonder seeing he hath to deale with a sort of transgressors and thus in other words he confirmes that which he said in the fourth verse touching the yron sinew The summe is that God knowing the peruersitie of this people omitted no good meanes to win them to his obedience by how much the more then they haue been conuinced by sufficient and infallible testimonies so much the lesse shall they be excusable before him Now hauing pulled off their vizard of holinesse to wit their glorying in the name of Israel as in the first verse hee imposeth vpon them a more proper name and flatly calles them rebels By the vvombe I vnderstand not their first estate by and by after they were separated to be the Lords people but from their deliuerance out of Egypt which was as a birth of the Church Exod. 12.21 But howsoeuer this people had had infinit experiences of Gods great goodnesse towards them yet they neuer ceased to behaue themselues disloyally against so good a benefactor nor to wax more and more vntamed so that hee had iust cause to tax them with the titles of rebels and traitors Vers 9. For my names sake will I deferre my wrath and for my praise will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not off HAuing
yet they breake not off their course which experience might well haue taught vs. For there is not one of vs but we had long since been vtterly rooted out by the secret and open practises of our enemies had not the Lord been our defence And truly I cannot but wonder that any one Minister of the Gospell should stand safe A miracle that a faithfull Minister should stand in the midst of so many so great dangers But the cause is the Lord keepes them vnder the shadow of his hand and hides them as shafts in his quiuer that they should hot be hurt nor destroied of their enemies Vers 3. And he said vnto me Thou art my seruant Israel for I will be glorious in thee THis verse must be ioined with the former This verse depends vpoÌ the former For heereby it appeares that he speakes not of one man but of the whole people which the expositors haue not considered for this place neither ought to be restrained to Christs person nor yet referred to Israel onely But we must heere obserue the course of the Scriptures When the body of the Church is mentioned then Christ is placed in the middle as it were who vnder him comprehends the children of God Wee heare what Saint Paul saith The promises were made to Abraham and to his seede He saith not to his seedes as speaking of many and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 For he comprehends not the multitude of children which came of Abraham according to the flesh seeing all were not partakers of this blessing Ishmael was reiected Ishmael reiected Esâu reprobated Gal. 4.30 Esau was hated Mal. 1.3 and many others were cut off When the people were deliuered from vnder the captiuitie of Babylon the number of those which returned were very smal for the greatest part reiected this excellent benefit of God Where was this seede then Euen in Christ who is the head and vnder him containes the rest of the members for in him by an inseparable band is the whole seed assembled and knit together in one And in the same sense that Isaiah hath noted out Christ vnder the name of Israel so also hath he comprehended the whole body as the members vnder the head Which is no new thing For when Paul speakes of that vnion which is betweene Christ and the Church The vnion which is between Christ and his Church hauing set it forth vnder the similitude of a mans body he addes euen so is Christ 1. Cor. 12.12 And in this place the name of Christ is attributed vnto Israel that is to say to the whole companie of the faithfull which are vnited to Christ as the members to the head Afterwards the Lord giues this title to the Church which is the spouse of Christ as the wife is dignified with the name and title of her husband Now he calles Israel his seruant that is to say his handmaid the Church for shee is the pillar and ground of truth because hee hath committed his word vnto her as a pledge to keepe that by her ministerie it may be published thorowout the world 1. Tim. 3.15 In the latter part of the verse hee shewes what the end of this ministry is and why those that preach the Gospell are called thereunto of God to wit that they make his glory by all meanes to shine cleere in respect of themselues and to aduance it also among others Which Christ teacheth in the Gospell saying Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee Iohn 17.1 But doth not God shew vs a singular fauour when he appoints vs base and vile wretches to be procurers of glory vnto him Oh! let this quicken vs vp to obey him carefully and to imploy our selues faithfully in his seruice And yet the Prophet meant to expresse somewhat more namely that howsoeuer Satan and his imps lay all the plots they can yet Gods power shall ouerthrow them all so as Christ shall triumph notwithstanding gloriouslie and God his maiestie shall shine most bright in his Gospell still Vers 4. And I said I haue labored in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God THe Prophet addes a grieuous complaint heere A bitter complaint in the name of the Church yet so as he begins at the head as we haue said before Christ then with his members complaines that he hath in a manner vtterly lost his labour for after hee hath greatly praised and commended the efficacie of that word which issueth out of his mouth vers 2. now he shewes that it hath done little or no good notwithstanding so as this glory which God requires to shine in the ministrie of his word appeares very little For Christ saith he hath laboured in vaine because men wil not repent Why this coÌplaint is addâd nor turne to God by the preaching of the heauenly doctrine It was to great purpose that the Prophet added this First to teach vs that this fruit whereof he spake shall not alwaies appeare in the eies of men for otherwise we should be readie to call the truth of Gods word into question and would also be brought to doubt whether this doctrine which is reiected of so many with such impudencie were the word of God or no. Secondlie that we might bend all our forces with inuincible constancie to performe our duties and to commend the successe of all our labours vnto the blessing of God who will not suffer it to be fruitlesse in the end And thus the Prophet meant to meete with a dangerous temptation that by the rebellions of men we should not faint in the middle of our course And truly Christ so begins heere vvith a complaint that he yet comforts himselfe by and by knowing that nothing shall be able to direct him from the performance of his charge And the text would be somewhat plainer if wee reade it thus Although my trauaile be in vaine and that I haue spent my selfe vvithout fruit yet it sufficeth that my vvorke is approued of my God Vnto which appertaines that which is added but my iudgement is before the Lord. Albeit then the fruit of our labours appeare not before vs An incouragement for Ministers yet must it content vs that they are done before that God whom we serue and to whom our seruice is agreeable For Christ exhorts and incourageth the faithfull Ministers to fight valiantly vntil they haue ouercome this temptation so as setting light by the malice of men they cheerfully goe on still in their calling without suffering discontentments or carelesnesse to hinder their course If the Lord haue a purpose then to try our faith and patience so farre as that it shall seeme we labour in vaine yet must wee satisfie our selues with the testimonie of a good conscience But if this consolation take no place in vs then is it certaine that we are not
yet hee commands them not to cast away their confidence because their certaine and full redemption is in his hands and yet they were heerein to looke farre aboue the reach of humane reason This therefore is a very excellent place We must not cease to belieue though God for a time deferre his promise out of which we may gather how carefully we ought to beleeue God when he speakes albeit he doe no forthwith accomplish that which hee hath promised but suffers vs to languish vnder afflictions a long time Some translate the word Veze Contemned others Contemptible which I approoue of But this augments the miserie of the people when the Prophet calles them despised * Or in himselfe in soule for many are despised of others who notwithstanding are worthy of honour in regard of the graces wherewith they be indued or being puffed vp with pride cease not with an higher contempt to treade vnder their feete the contempt of others But Isaiah affirmes that the Iewes are not more despised and contemptible in the eies of others then they are in their owne Thus then hee notes out an exceeding ignominie and low estate therewithall comprehending the affliction of the Spirit to teach them that God shall come in fit time to succour them when they shall be throughly humbled I see no reason why some haue changed the number in the word nation seeing the Prophet vseth the singular number Goi it being certaine that he addresseth his speech to the posteritie of Abraham Afterwards he cals them seruants of rulers as if he should say that mightie tyrants oppressed them for by the word Moschelim he meanes those that haue so much force and power that it is an hard matâer to escape their hands When he saith that Kings shall see he speaks in high and glorious termes of the deliuerie of his people but in the meane while hee is contented they should bee tried in the furnace to proue their faith and patience for where were the triall of faith if God should forthwith giue that which he hath promised as we said before In the word Princes there is a repetition much vsed among the Hebrewes But we will speake it thus shortly Kings and Princes shall see they shall arise and bow downe By the verbe To bow downe he expounds what he meant by arising for wee rise vp to giue honour The summe is that the greatest Princes of the world shall bee awakened to confesse that the restauration of the Church is an excellent worke of God and worthy of respect and reuerence Because the holy one of Israel who hath chosen thee is faithfull See the cause of this great astonishment touching the honour which Princes shall performe to God to wit because they shall acknowledge his faithfulnesse and constancie in his promises God would not be held to be faithful by a bare imagination but from good experience For the Lord would not be acknowledged faithfull from a bare and naked imagination but from experience it selfe to wit in the preseruation and protection of his people whom hee hath adopted Hence therefore let vs learne not to iudge of Gods promises by our present estate but by his truth and faithfulnesse so as when we perceiue nothing but death and the graue to compasse vs round yet wee may remember this sentence by which the Lord calles vs to him euen the vile and contemptible 2. Cor. 7.6 Hence also wee are to consider how glorious and admirable a worke the deliuerance of the Church is in that it constraines Kings be they neuer so proud thinking nothing be it neuer so excellent worthy to behold them to behold to admire yea and to honour and reuerence the Lord whether they will or no. This new and extraordinary worke then is heere greatly recommended vnto vs in this behalfe For not to mention ancient histories by what meanes hath God deliuered vs out of that wofull tyrannie of Antichrist Truly wee were as those that dreame as the Psalmist saith Psal 126.1 especially if wee doe but seriously consider of the thing it selfe for the Lord hath wrought a miracle in bringing vs to doe homage vnto Christ In the end of the verse the Prophet repeates that which he touched before to wit that this people were set a part to bee the Lords But in election we must seeke the beginning of sanctification for the people were the holy inheritance because God had vouchsafed of his meere grace to chuse them Isaiah then means that secret will of God from whence sanctification flowes that Israel might not thinke they were chosen for their own deserts As if he had said The Lord which hath elected thee shewes that thou art so indeed by the effects As wee ought then to acknowledge Gods faithfulnes and truth in our saluation so must we attribute this saluation only to our free election And yet it behoues euery one that will partake in so great a benefit Neither truth nor saluation out of he Church to be a portion of the true Israel that is to say of the Church out of which there is neither truth nor saluation to be found Vers 8. This saith the Lord in an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in a day of saluation haue I succored thee and will preserue thee and giue thee for a couenant of the people that thou mayst raise vp the earth and obteine the inheritance of the desolute heritage FRom this verse we may yet more clearely gather that which we haue handled in the beginning of this Chapter to wit that the Prophet so speakes of the whole body of the Church that he begins at the head thereof And this as I haue said ought to be well obserued for the expositors haue bauked it and yet without it we shall not be able to make these verses to cohere S. Paul plainly shewes this in applying this very sentence to the whole Church 2. Cor. 6.2 But yet that which followes I vvill giue thee for a couenant of the people sutes to none but Christ only How shal we make these things agree then To wit if we shall consider that Christ is not so much his owne as ours Christ not so much his owne as ours For he was not borne neither died be nor rose againe for himselfe He was sent for the saluation of his people He seeks nothing at our hands for he stands in neede of nothing Thus then God makes his promises to the whole Church and Christ who is as it were the suretie or pledge betweene both receiues these promises and procures nothing to himselfe by them but altogether for the Churches behoofe for whose saluation he was sent He speakes not then of Christ as singling him out by himselfe but as of one that is ioined and made one with his Church for euer It is an inestimable fauor then which the father shewes vs when he heares his sonne for our sakes yea that he directs his speech to
Iob. 9.4 and men in the end shall gaine nothing by resisting him for at last he wil subdue and bring down their rebellion that his Church may haue some breathing time in despite of them all In that he promiseth the childreÌ of the Church shall be brought in betweene the armes and vpon the shoulders it is a figuratiue maner of speech in which he would signifie that God will no way be hindred when he meanes to gather his Church from the scattering wherin he shal find her because all the Gentiles shal help him And howsoeuer this be in the first place to the banished and dispersed Iewes yet no doubt it is to be extended vnto all Gods elect in all places who are or shall be receiued in to participate of the same grace Vers 23. And Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes shall be thy nurses they shall worship thee with their faces towards the earth and lick vp the dust of thy feet and thou shalt know that I am the Lord for * Or all they shall not be ashamed that wait for me HAuing spoken of the obedience of the Gentiles he shewes that it not only appertaines to the common people but euen to Kings also whom he compares to foster fathers who bring vp other mens childreÌ and Queens to milch nurses which are hired forth for that purpose Why so Because Kings and Queenes shall furnish the Church with all things necessarie for her children For whereas before they banished Christ out of all their coasts now they shall from henceforth acknowledge him for their soueraigne King and shall yeeld him honor homage and seruice And all this came to passe after God manifested himselfe to all the world by his Gospel for the great Kings and Princes therof not only submitted themselues vnder the yoke of Christ but also imployed their wealth riches to restore maintaine the Church so as they became the protectors and defenders of it Whence we note that a speciall and particular dutie is heere required of Princes A speciall and particular dutie required heere in Kings and Princes besides their ordinarie profession of the Christian faith Why so Because the Lord hath clothed them with power and authoritie to the end they should prouide for the Churches good and also procure the glorie of God I grant this dutie belongs to euery one but by how much the greater power Princes are indued withall the more carefull should they be to imploy their studies and paines about these things That is the cause why Dauid expresly names them and exhorts them to be wise to serue the Lord with feare and to kisse his Sonne Psal 2.10.11 Hence also we may discerne of their follie and madnes who affirme that Kings can be no Christians vnlesse they giue ouer this office and dignitie The follie of such as affirme that Kings can be no Christians vnlesse they giue ouer their dignities For this was accomplished vnder the kingdome of Christ when Kings being conuerted vnto God by the preaching of the Gospell came to this hie degree and dignitie which far surmount all sorts of rule and principalities to wit to be the nursing fathers and defendors of the Church The Papists thinke none can be right nursing fathers to the Church vnlesse they leaue vnto Priests Monks and idle bellies great reuenues large possessions fat prebendaries to fatten them vp as swine in a stie But this nourishment tends to a far other end then to cramme and stuffe the guts of such a companie of insatiable gulphs After what maner Kings ought to be nursing fathers to the Church For the question is not here touching the inriching of their houses who vnder a fained pretence of holines will needs be taken for the Ministers of the Church who haue bin the only poysoners and corrupters of the Church of God with the deadly venome of the whores cup but rather to roote out Superstitions and vtterlie to ouerthrow all Idolatrie to aduance the kingdome of Christ to conserue the puritie of doctrine to remoue scandalles and offences and to purge out the filthie dregges of false doctrine whereby the wholesome doctrine of God is corrupted and whereby his glorie is darkned and obscured When Kings haue taken order for these things then are they also to furnish the Pastors Pastors and Ministers of the word with all things necessarie let them relieue the poore and looke that the Church susteine not by their negligence beggerie or vndecent wants Then let them erect Schooles and endow them with sufficient pentions The poore Schooles erected and endowed with sufficient pensions Building of Hospitals for the teachers let them foster and cherish Studients let them build Hospitals for the aged and diseased and performe other offices which serue for the maintenance and conseruation of the Church But these excessiue expences superfluouslie bestowed towards the founding of Masses and Oratories and imploied for the making of vessels of gold and siluer rich gorgeous vestments in which Papists glory and brag only serues for a pompe and ambition to corrupt the pure and sincere nourishment of the Church yea to choke and extinguish Gods seede which is the onely food by which the Church liues Now when we see things otherwise carried at this day to wit that Kings in stead of nurcing fathers to the Church become tormentors destroiers of the Church If Kings in stead of nurcing âa hers to the Chuâch become tormentors of her ât is the iust âeward of ouâ sins that the true doctrine is reiected the faithfull Ministers banished and that greasie idle paunches insatiable gulfes and supposts of Satan are put in their roomes for to such Princes distribute their riches that is to say the blood of the people which they haue sucked when also those Princes who otherwise being faithfull yet wanting power and therefore hauing little or no courage to defend the word or to maintaine the church Let vs acknowledge that this is the iust reward of our iniquities and let vs confesse that wee be vnworthy to inioy such good nurcing fathers Notwithstanding after these so horrible ruines wee must be euer waiting and looking for the restauration of the Church and for such a conuersion of Kings as that they shall shew themselues fathers and protectors of the faithfull and such as shall constantly vphold the doctrine of the word in their dominions They shall licke the dust of thy feete The Papists in like manner offer violence to this place to establish the tyrannie of their Idoll as if forsooth Kings and Princes could not otherwise shew themselues the true and lawfull seruants of God vnlesse in his stead they should fall downe at the feete of their disguised head of the Church This they account a testimonie of great seruice done to God when they will abase themselues to kisse his feete with great reuerence But first of all if they will know what an opinion we
arguments to answer al the slanders of our aduersaries For we haue said a little before that the wicked doe not onely aduance themselues by violence and crueltie against the Church but do also lode her with infinit slanders as if they had iust occasion giuen them to tyrannize ouer her Is not this consolation more then needefull then to wit that God will maintaine our innocencie and by his allegations will cause the vaine pretext to vanish which may anie way serue to augment the crueltie and impudencie of the godlesse Therefore it is that hee addes once more And I vvill saue Heere then you see wee haue a singular consolation knowing that we are made one with the Lord in so fast a couenant that hee opposeth himselfe against all those that contend with vs. So as he will blesse those that blesse vs and on the contrary will curse those that curse vs in a word hee testifies that he is an enemie to our enemies From this word saue we must also note that wheÌ we are set free from bondage and defended against the furie of our enemies or sauâ hat we impute not these things to the worke of flesh blood lest any should ascribe that to his owne industry which God commands vs wholly to expect and vvait for onely from himselfe See Chap. 26.12 in regard it is a singular benefit that proceeds from his hand Vers 26. And I will feed them that spoile thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne blood as with sweet wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy sauiour and thy redeemer the mighty one of Iakob IN the first place hee shewes what shall become of the enemies of Gods Church The churches enemies shall at length turne their swords points against theÌselues which they drew forth to massacre her withall threatning that the time wil shortly approch in which tney being enraged and set on fire vvith heart burnings one against another shall at last butcher one another Truly it is the Lord which depriues them of reason and plungeth them into frenzies and that in such wise that they bend against themselues the very weapons which in times past they had drawne forth to massacre the Church withall And thus they turne their swords points one against another till they haue sought their owne vtter ruine as the Madianites did Iudg. 7.22 The summe of all is that the Church shall haue no need of mans helpe nor of any preparation at all when God is minded to confound and bring the wicked to nought for hauing first smitten them vvith giddinesse they shall fall to eat and deuoure one another being set on fire with the furies of hell euery one against his fellow And all flesh shall know Hee repeates the same thing which wee haue seene in verse 23. namely that the time shall come in which the God of Israel shall be acknowledged of all the true and onely God because he hath saued his people from destruction For he would haue this to be noted as a speciall testimonie of his Diuinitie when hee appeared in all mens sight the sauiour and redeemer of his people Some reade the name of Jakob in the vocatiue case but I expond it in the genitiue For the Lord shews that he is the sauiour redeemer and the mightie one of Iakob that his people might learne to rest themselues securely vnder his sauegard and protection THE L. CHAPTER Vers 1. Thus saith the Lord Where is that bill of your mothers diuorcement whom I haue cast off or who is the creditor to whom I sold you Behold for your iniquities are you sold and because of your transgressions is your mother forsaken The Lord proues the lawfulnes of the Churches diuorce vnder two similitudes THis place is diuerslie expounded but very few haue attained the Prophets meaning To the end wee may haue the sum briefly we must note this coniunction whereby the Lord in manie places testifies that his people are obliged and bound vnto him namely that he is as it were our husband and we his wife for it is a spirituall mariage consecrated by his eternall word and sealed vp with the blood of Iesus Christ Our spiritual mariage with God consecrated by his word and sealed vp by the blood of Christ As he then for his part receiues vs into his protection as his beloued wife vpon condition that wee keepe faith and loyaltie towards him so when we play false with him he reiects vs and then it is rightly said that he puts vs away euen as if a husband should banish an adulterous wife his house Now because wee could not easilie conceiue the reason why God should reiect the Iews which were pressed vnder so many and great calamities it was necessarie she should here come to manifest the cause of this diuorce But for as much as we are ordinarily too eloquent in couering of our owne faults and striue to lay all the blame where we should not that is to say vpon God himselfe so the Iewes also then murmured at their estate as if the Lord had done them wrong so to reiect them Why so Because they could not bee brought to acknowledge that the promises were made vneffectual and the couenant abolished by their leaud behauiour At least they could not be drawne to make this confession but with much adoe for they posted ouer their fault to their predecessors as if they forsooth had borne the punishmeÌt of their offences From thence proceeded those complaints recited by Ezekiel Our fathers haue eaten sower grapes and our teeth are set on edge Ezek. 18.2 Now because such prouerbs at that time went currant among them the Lord bids them bring forth that letter of diuorce by which they might iustifie their owne innocencie and proue that God had vniustly put them away It was the custome then to giue a woman vniustlie diuorced The first Simile a letter in her hand for thereby her husband was constrained to testifie that his wife had liued chastly and honestly with him that all might know that she was not put away for her owne fault but because she pleased not her husband And thus the wife was set at libertie and her innocencie approued and the fault was laid onelie vpon the husband to whose discontented mind the cause of this rent was imputed Moses ordained this law Deut. 24.1 in regard of the peoples hardnesse of heart as witnesseth our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 19.7 The Lord by a very fit similitude then shewes that hee is not the author of this diuorce but that the people put away themselues by their owne fault and so pursued their lusts that they vtterly dissolued the mariage knot This is the cause why he asks for this letter whereof they boasted so much for there is great weight in the pronoune demonstratiue that by which the Prophet meant to tax their vaine excuses As if hee should You haue
wherewith he is endued set light by all his aduersaries he also labors to draw others to the same constancie with him and as in a glasse describes to the life what the state and condition of all Ministers of the word is and shall be For thus he would turne them from the loue of the world that they might giue themselues whollie vnto God and to fixe their eies altogether vpon him for there is no combat so sharp in which they shall not be more then Conquerors vnder the leading of such a Captaine By the similitude of a flint he shewes that come what come will he will not shrinck an inch for the signes of feare and astonishmeÌt and of all other affections appeare by and by in the face which plainely vtters to all how matters goe within When Gods seruants are handled thus shamefullie they must needs quaile vnder so many iniuries if they had not browes of brasse and yron to repulse them And in this sense it is said that Ieremiah was set as a defenced Citie and yron pillar and vvalles of brasse against the Kings of Iudah against the Princes and against all the people Iere. 1.18 Ezechiel also had his forhead made as hard as the adamant which is much harder then the flint that he might not recoile back from the obstinacie of the people Ezech. 3 9. This sentence I shall not be ashamed is not to be taken in the same sense with that in the former member for there it is referred to the affection and heere to the effect or the thing it selfe When in the beginning of the verse then he glories that he shall not be confounded because God is on his side it is to shew that it sufficeth not to know that God will help vs vnlesse we also feele the same by experience For what profit haue we by his promises vnlesse wee put our confidence therein Faith then is required both to vphold our comfort and assure vs of Gods fauor but in the end of the verse the Prophet boldly protests that he is vndoubtedlie perswaded of an happie issue And thus to be ashamed signifies to be disappointed For they that conceiue a vaine hope are subiect to mocks and reproches Heere we see then that the faithfull teachers and Ministers of the word haue promise of a speciall defence Let Satan and the world bend their forces together then to assaile them with all their power the more they assault them the stronger shall Gods defence and protection be ouer vs. Thence we must conclude that all such as are fainthearted and quaile when they come to the triall were neuer yet well fitted to execute their office For he that hath not learned to fight is neither apt to serue God nor his Church 2. Tim. 2.5 neither is he fit to preach the doctrine of the word Vers 8. He is neere that iustifieth me who will contend with me Let vs stand together who is mine aduersarie Let him come neere to me 9. Behold the Lord will help me who is he that can condemne me Loe they shall wax old as a garment the moth shall eate them vp VVEE must alwaies remember that the Prophet speakes nothing heere that is proper to himselfe only A Minister that hath a good conscience may haue also great boldnes but testifies what a one God will and euer shall be towards the faithfull Ministers that so being assured of their lawfull calling and executing their offices faithfullie they might boldly contemne all aduersarie power and neuer slack their duties an inch for any slanders Why so Because the Lord who iustifies them hath and euer will be readie to maintaine and defend his owne truth Now whosoeuer he be that will indeed boldly protest this he ought to haue a pure conscience For if he haue vnaduisedly intruded himselfe not hauing a sure testimonie of his lawfull calling Intruders can not challenge to theÌselues this priuiledge or if he be such a one as brocheth his owne dreames and fansies in vaine shall he boast of this promise for it appertaines to none but to such as being called of God doe faithfullie and purely discharge their duties Now howsoeuer mockers and despisers of God will neuer cease to make many replies against his seruants yet Isaiah stil offers himselfe to pleade his masters cause and that as boldly as if none durst enter the lists against him or to forge any slanders for their defence Not that he was able to charme their tongues but because he was well assured they should gaine nothing by all their tattle Thus then he shewes that notwithstanding all the false imputations which the aduersaries lay vpon the word and the Ministers thereof they must not be discoraged For there is no crime with which they doe not charge vs. But all in vaine Why so Because the Iudge that defends their innocencie is neere The faithfull Ministers therefore may by S. Pauls example summon the false and sinister iudgements of men before the Iudgement seate of God who will giue a iust sentence 1. Cor. 4.4 Let vs stand together The faithfull teachers ought to be so confident as without feare to challenge all their enemies the field For Satan with all his supposts dare not at all times stand to their tackling openly but especially when they encounter vs with lies But they haue close and secret practises and iugling tricks vnder boord to surprize such as stand not vpon their watch Yet the seruants of God feare not to shew their faces nor to enter the lists against the aduersarie neither are they abashed to reason and debate the matter if the enemie dare appeare For the truth is of such strength that it flees not the noone day as we see heere that Isaiah feares not boldly to egge and prouoke all those to the fight whom he saw to lie in wait to trap him And here he vrgeth them againe saying Let him come neere me For the true Pastors ought to be alwaies readie to yeeld a reason of their doctrine But where is he that vouchsafes to heare them patientlie or that will consider what his doctrine is which they preach I grant the aduersaries are readie enough to draw neere but it is only to draw out their swords and to cut the throates of Gods seruants or to whet file their tongues that they may be fit to defame them by all sorts of slanders In a word their best defences consists in fraude and tyrannie for with reasons orderly gathered from the Scriptures they dare not encounter we therefore being well assured of the equitie of our cause are readie with a christian fortitude to challenge them the field For though they condemne vs without hearing our defences yea and though the numbers of theÌ be great which subscribe to their sayings yet will we not be outfaced for God whose cause we defend is the Iudge who at the last will giue sentence on our side It seemes S. Paul alludes to this
expects succor that her sonnes lie prostrate What sorrow is more bitter to a naturall mother then to see the throtes of her children cut and not only one or two of them but the streetes to be paued with the multitudes of them thus slaine He addes a similitude taken from a Beare or from some other wilde beasts thereby shewing that the strongest among the Iewes were snarled as it were in the nets In saying that they were full of the vvrath of the Lord it is to aduertise them that it came not to passe by fortune For he would not haue them impute this worke to chance neither yet to accuse God of hard dealing in that they were afflicted so sore Why so Because his iudgements are alwaies iust and right which he shewes further in telling them that this plague proceeded from Gods rebuke or threatning But withall wee must note his meaning which I haue touched before namely that the faithfull should not cast away the hope of their saluation notwithstanding their many miseries and desolations daily solicited them thereunto Vers 21. Therefore heare now this thou miserable and drunken but not with wine NOw he shewes more plainely why he hath spoken of the calamities of the Church A mitigation of the Churches sorrow in this and in the next verse Quest namely that the faithfull should not doubt of the Lords readinesse to comfort them though they indured many and great extremities But wherefore calles hee the Church miserable Is there any estate so blessed as to be in Gods fauour especially seeing this blessednesse cannot bee taken from vs For it is not said without cause in Psa 144.15 That the people are blessed which haue the Lord for their God Ans The Church miserable onely in appearance See Hos 14 4 I answer she is miserable onely in appearance Also the Lord calles her not by this name in vaine for himselfe is the helper of the miserable and of those that be destitute of succour as wee haue said before Where he calles her drunken we must note that the faithfull doe not alwaies indure their afflictions with such patience and constancy that they are not sometimes astonied but notwithstanding their amazednesse they ought to conceiue that the Lord chastiseth them iustly and also to be assured that hee will succour them For he speakes not to the strong and valiant but to the feeble miserable the humbled and to such as resemble those that are drunke to such hee promiseth comfort To be short by this word he asswageth the Churches sorrow and shewes that hee keepes a measure in the greatest afflictions that he may draw her out of perdition as if he raised a dead and rotten carkase vnto life Vers 22. * Or Thus saith the Lord thy ruler and thy God the protector of his people Thus saith thy Lord God euen God that pleadeth the cause of his people Behold I haue taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling euen the dregs of the cup of my wrath thou shalt drinke it no more IT is not without cause that he addes three epithetes to the name of the Lord First that he is the ruler or patron Secondly thy God And lastly the protector of his Church For we must alwaies consider what acquaintance we haue with God who is such a one as beckens vs to come vnto him in familiar maner because in making himselfe one with vs by a perpetuall couenant he manifests that hee hath once chosen vs to bee his people The Iewes in their time no doubt were incouraged by this preface boldly to imbrace that which is heere promised and the new people whom God hath now created Psal 102.18 and receiued into his safegard and protection as well as the people of old haue no lesse cause to imbrace the same promises with them Now the Lord attributes to himselfe the title of protector to teach vs that when we see great dangers approching and that we suppose they will worke our ruine euen then to run to this strong tower namely that God is the protector of his people It ought also to bee a shield of defence vnto vs as well against all Satans fierie darts as against the assaults of our visible enemies Behold I haue taken He propounds vnto theÌ matter of good hope to wit that God chastiseth his Church but for a time By which God afflicts his Church but for a time the Iewes were to learne that all the calamities which threatned them were iust recompences of thou transgressions as also that the rod should bee tied to their backes till God had receiueâ them to mercy The summe is that his wrath will be appeased in such wise that he will mitigate their afflictions and will cause the iudgements wherewith he had for the present visited his Church to cease In the seuenteenth verse wee haue spoken of the similitude of the cup and this place doth sufficiently confirme that which was said there God mentions the cuppe of his wrath then which caused his Church to tremble as if shee had bin smitten with giddines notwithstanding the Prophet vseth the word Taraela which some translate Anguish others Trembling By the dregs he meanes that the measure of Gods vengeance shall be full so as God for the loue hee beares to his children will be satisfied Vers 23. But I will put it into their hand that spoile thee which haue said to thy soule Bow downe that we may goe ouer and thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the streete to them that went ouer THis is the other part of the consolation where hee promiseth God corrects his own first but the wicked must keepe their turne next Prou. 11.8 Hest 7.10 that the Lord will not onely content himselfe to deliuer his Church out of so many euils but will also send vpon her enemies all the calamities wherewith she was afflicted Are wee pressed then persecuted A time will come wherein God will speedily turne our captiuitie and our enemies in their turne shall be plauged to the vtmost For it is iust with God as Paul saith to render affliction to those vvhich trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto theÌ that know not God nor obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thes 1.6 7 8. The temporall punishments then which God inflicts vpon them in this life are the beginnings of their endlesse torments in hell to which at the last they shall bee adiudged And the better to describe the insolencie and pride of their enemies the like whereof we taste at this day from our aduersaries hee sets downe their vvords Bow dâwne c. True knowledge makes vs lowly ignorance makes vs proud and cruell in which they shamefully tyrannized ouer the children of God for pride crueltie are the inseparable companions of
that resisted him we shall easily perceiue that all things came to passe as Isaiah foretold What were his Apostles that they subdued so many Kings and Nations by the sword of the spirit May they not well be compared to little sprigs Thus the Prophet shewes then by what meanes Christes kingdome should be erected and established that we should not iudge thereof as of a worldly kingdome Ioh. 18.36 The deformitie whereof he speakes in the next place is not only to be referred to Christes person This deformitie is not only to be referred to Christes person but to his whole kingdome which being contemptible and despised of the world was at last adiudged to a shamefull and cursed death but also to his whole kingdome which hath no forme beautie nor glorie at all in the eies of men in a word no appearance at all to procure any great admiration in the eies of worldlings For albeit Christ rose againe yet the Iewes alwaies esteemed him a man crucified and full of reproch so as they proudly disdained him Vers 3. He is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not The doctrine of this verse is all one with the former THis present verse tends to the same purpose with the former namely that men should reiect Christ because nothing was to bee seene in him but sorrowes and infirmities The Iewes needed to haue this often repeated vnto them that they might not conceiue a false opinioÌ of Christ nor of his kingdome for he that wil rightly see his glory He that wi l take a right view of Christes glorie must passe from his death to his resurrection must passe from his death to his resurrection Many are offended at his death as if he had been ouercome and ouerwhelmed of it But they must passe forwards to that diuine power and maiestie which shined in his resurrection Rom. 1.4 Yet if any shall begin at his resurrection hee shall not follow the order heere prescribed by the Prophet neither shall he comprehend the mightie power of the Lord. VVe almost hid our faces from him It is not without cause that hee vseth this word vve for thereby he shewes that thus all men shall iudge of him Neither shall any man be able euer to conceiue otherwise vnlesse the Lord correct and reforme his iudgement by the holy Ghost And howsoeuer he seemes heere to taxe the Iewes principally who should disdainfully reiect the Sonne of God promised and offered yea and puts himselfe in the number as being a member of that body yet let vs learne from this place notwithstanding that the whole world is here taxed and condemned of ingratitude for contemning of Christ because they iudge him vnworthy the looking vpon nay they turne their eyes from him as from an abominable thing Vers 3. Surely hee hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrewes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled THe particle Surely is not onely an affirmatiue but also serues for an exposition Now the Prophet sets downe the cause why Christ was thus farre humbled to wit when any thing is brought to light that seemes strange and vnwonted For is it not wonderfull nay monstrous that hee to whom God hath giuen soueraigne power ouer all creatures should be thus abased and humbled So then if the cause were not rendred heere all would esteeme this no better then a fable Why was Christ thus couered ouer with dolours and infirmities Surely because he bare our sorrowes Saint Matthew alleadgeth this prophecie after he hath told how Christ healed diseases of diuers kindes Chap. 8.17 And yet it is most certaine that he was appointed rather a Physition of mens soules then of their bodies Adde also that the Prophet speakes of spirituall sorrowes But in the miracles shewed in the healing of mens bodies Christ manifested a plaine proofe of that power hee had to heale the sicknesses of their soules This healing then whereof S. Matthew speakes extended further then to their bodies for he was ordained a Physition of soules Matth. 9.11 12. And this is the cause why Matthew attributes that to the signe which agrees to the thing signified In the second member the Prophet shewes the greatnesse of this peoples ingratitude and peruersitie in that they did not see the cause why Christ was thus farre humbled and afflicted but did rather iudge that hee was smitten of God for his owne sinnes and yet they knew well enough that hee was an innocent yea the Iudge himselfe testified it Matth. 27.24 Luk. 23.4.14.22 Iohn 18.38 Since then they saw well that he being not guiltie bare the punishment of sinnes which hee neuer committed wherefore did they not conceiue some rare excellencie to be in him But in regard they saw him smitten and despised they neuer stood to examin the cause but iudged onely by the euents as the foolish are wont to doe And for this cause Isaiah complaines of the frowardnesse of mens iudgements which considered not of the reason why Christ was so greatly afflicted And especially he bewailes the senslesnesse of the Iewes in esteeming God the sworne enemie of Christ without thinking of their owne iniquities which by this meanes were done away Vers 5. But hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him * Or in his wounds is our medicin and with his stripes we * Or in his wounds is our medicin are healed HE once again repeats the cause of these so great afflictions of Christ A repetition of the cause lest any should be offended at Christs abasement to preuent the scandall that might arise for the spectacle of the Crosse driues many farre from Christ That is to say whilest they onely consiââr of that which is present before their eies not looking whereunto the same tends But all offence is remoued when they see that by his death he hath not onely done away our iniquities but hath also âbtained saluation for vs. Some thinke that chastisement is here called the chastisement of peace because men were growne senslesse and hardened in their sinnes and therefore it was needfull Christ should suffer Others referre this peace to the conscience namely that Christ hath suffered to giue our consciences rest To which purpose Saint Paul saith Being iustified by faith vve haue peace vvith God Rom. 5.1 But I take this word simply for reconciliation because Christ bare the chastisement which was due vnto vs. And thus the wrath of God iustly inflamed against vs is appeased and the peace made betweene God and vs by meanes of this mediator so as wee are now reconciled Hence wee gather a generall doctrine to wit A generall doctrine that vvee are freely reconciled vnto God because Christ hath paid the ransome of our
againe confirmes that which he said before touching the reestablishing of the people A confirmation of the former doctrine for he hath heretofore wonderfullie extolled that grace of God wherby he should deliuer his chosen but the estate of the Church was such that these promises seemed ridiculous These are no needles repetitions therefore but were of necessitie to be added for the sustentation of the weake that that which otherwise was incredible might be assuredly confirmed vnto them Who gathers c. Isaiah giues God this title in regard of the circumstance of the matter in hand because it is his office to gather in the Church when it is scattered abroad which is confirmed in the same sense out of the words of the 147. Psal vers 2. The Lord builds vp Ierusalem and gathers together the dispersed of Israel For this cause then he promiseth to assemble them againe yea and to ioine diuers nations vnto them that so the Church might grow and multiplie into a great number As oft then as we doubt of the restauration of the Church by being astonished at the sight of so many stormes tempests wherewith it is tossed let vs lay hold vpon this buckler and couer our selues therewith namely that it is the Lords office to gather together the dispersed of Israel yea though they were diuided and scattered to the vtmost part vnder heauen yet that euen thence will the Lord easilie gather vs and restore vs to our perfect estate Deut. 30.4 Yet vvill I gather vpon him I willinglie retaine the proprietie of the Prophets words Gnal that is to or vpon for as I thinke he hath an eie vnto that which he said in the former verse namely that the Temple should be set open to all people and here signifies that God shal adde to the Iewes which should be gathered a great number of others which is now indeed accomplished For he not only gathered together those which were dispersed in Babylon but also gathers together other scattered sheepe which often and almost euery day came to passe Iohn 10.16 so as he neuer ceased gathering till he had added a great heape to those which were first gathered Vers 9. All ye beasts of the field come to deuoure euen all ye beasts of the forest Hauing comforted the faithfull he now turnes himselfe to the hypocrites IT seemes this prophesie agrees not with the former because whatsoeuer the Prophet hath hitherunto spoken was ful of sweet consolation and now he denounceth terrible threatnings and an horrible destruction Truly one would take these things as contradictorie one to another But hauing comforted the faithful we must not thinke it strange if he now aduertise them notwithstanding touching the calamitie which should ensue to the end that wheÌ they should see all things in an vprore and confusion yet they should not faint nor be discouraged as also that their necessities might therewithall stir them vp to runne to the free grace of God with the greater zeale and diligence There was yet another reason For the hypocrites abuse Gods promises and glorie thereof falsly they are readie to conceiue a vaine hope proudly insulting in those matters which do nothing at all belong vnto them Now you see the cause then why the Prophet meant to disappoint them of all matter of reioicing And thus this prophesie hath a two-fold vse First to preserue the faithfull from desperation at the sight of so many calamities which should in a manner ouerwhelme them and that euen whilest all things were quiet by faith foreseeing the euils to come This Chapter hath a two-fold vse yet they should content themselues with this only remedie Secondly that the hypocrites might be astonished with feare and trembling that they should not insult in their ouerweenings nor blesse themselues vnder pretence of these promises God therefore calles not men but cruell beasts to deuoure the people He commands the faithfull then not to be troubled nor to suffer themselues to be transported in their minds by distrust wheÌ these wild beasts should be sent And yet therewithall he meant to awaken them that he might draw them to repentance and to exhort them patientlie to wait for Gods mercie that so the promises might not lose their authoritie By the beasts of the field he meanes all sorts of beasts and so comprehends not only the Chaldeans and Assyrians but also Antiochus Antiochus the Romanes and other nations who afflicted this people with diuers warres But he especiallie respects that discomfiture of the people by the Chaldeans who afterwards led them captiues into miserable thraldome Vers 10. Their watchmen are all blind they haue no knowledge they are all dumb dogges they can not barke they lie and sleepe and delight in sleeping NOw he addes the cause why the people were destinated to this destruction The cause of the peoples destruction namely in regard they were gouerned by wicked Princes and Pastors Not that the fault rested whollie in them and that the people were innocent but because their sinne was the beginning of this mischiefe For if we follow blind guides that shall not excuse vs but we rather worthily beare the punishment of our owne iniquities in regard the Lord takes away good Gouernors froÌ such as he meanes to chastise for their vnthankfulnes By the word vvatchmen he not only vnderstands the Prophets which had the gift or charge of teaching but the Iudges Gouernors Kings whose dutie it is to administer all things with equitie and vprightnes And thus he comprehends two sorts of gouernors Magistracie and Ministrie as the two eies in mans body to gouerne the Church by namely both Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall whom the Lord had established as the two eies in the bodie for the well ordering of the Church If they be wicked or faithlesse there can not a more dangerous plague happen to the Common-wealth In the first place then the Prophet reprocheth them for their ignorance 1. Ignorance For as the principall vertue of a good Pastor is to know what belongs to his charge that he may be able to discerne and iudge what is profitable or hurtfull for his flock and then to watch ouer them carefullie and to stand as it were vpon his vvatch-tower that by all meanes he may procure the saluation of his sheepe so is there nothing in the world that doth worse beseeme him then ignorance blindnes No man then shall be fit for this office Nothing more vnseemely then ignorance in a Minister vnlesse he be acquainted with the right maner of gouerning the people Hence it appeares what account is to be made of the Idols of our time Idoll Ministers who proudly vaunt with intollerable insolencie of the title of Pastors though in the meane while they be vnlearned and grosly ignorant Secondly in calling them dumb dogges 2. Idlenes he taxeth them of idlenes and carelesnes For seeing it is required of a good Pastor that
blessednesse but wait for the last day which shall be the time of their resurrection wherein all things shall be fully restored And mee thinkes Isaiah meant to say so But may some say Quest Doe not the iust inioy peace in this present life For the fruite of faith is that wee possesse our soules in patience Luk. 21.19 Rom. 5.1 I answere Ans that albeit faith begets peace in our hearts yet notwithstanding wee are tossed to an fro with many waues and are neuer so secure and quiet in this life as when the Lord drawes vs home to himselfe The death of the iust then you see brings them to a sweete rest and peace because the same is precious in Gods sight Psalm 116.15 But the death of the wicked is ful of horror From this place also we may gather that our soules are immortall for were they without any sense as some brainelesse ones haue dreamed then could they not bee said to enioy any peace They are in peace and rest then because they liue in Christ Vers 3. But you witches children come hither the seed of the adulterer and of the whore HAuing spoken of the happie and peaceable death of the faithfull The cursed life and death of the wicked opposed to the blessed life and end of the godly he inueighs with exceeding vehemencie against the wicked who for all this ceased not to leade a leaud and lasciuious life without taking the death of the righteous to heart For as he hath affirmed that the faithfull are in peace so contrariwise he denounceth an vnreconciliable warre against the other Nay which more is he hath shewed that death to Gods seruants is an hiding place which defends them from the whirlewinds haile and other tempests that afterwards the obstinate contemners may bee laid open to all sorts of calamities For we must note here the opposition betweene the faithfull which walke before God and the wicked who cease not obstinately to resist him The former after death shall haue peace the latter shall bee vexed whilest they liue and after death shall feele horrible torments He summons them before Gods iudgement seate because they thought to escape by their sophistications But he shewes that they shall gaine nothing thereby because they shal be drawne before the same whether they will or no. For as they had made their hearts ouer hard so was it needfull that they should be pricked with the sharper launcers doubtlesse the Prophet could not vse too much seueritie as well to awaken their drowsinesse as to beate downe their pride Who knowes not with how great ouerweening the Iewes insult in regard of their race The Prophets therefore are vsually wont to crush this their arrogancie and hie mindednes by affirming that they were none of Abrahams children in respect they behaued themselues as bastards and such as were degenerate This is the cause why our Prophet termes them the seed of the adulterer and of the whore With which also Ezechiel reprocheth them in Chap. 16.3 saying Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite And the like phrases of speech are vsed in many other places Hosea 1.2 Thus then hee brings their intollerable pride downe to the ground and in despite of their teeth drawes them foorth into the light that they should not thinke they could escape the tribunall seate of God Vers 4. On whom haue yee iested vpon whom haue ye gaped and thrust out your tongues Are not yee rebellious children and a false seede Hypocrites vnmasked in this and the verses following THe Prophet shewes that the Iewes haue no occasion at all to glorie so much vnder pretence of their linage or stocke seeing they derided the Prophets of God Now they thought it was but with men with whom they had to deale when they reiected the word And so at this day wee see how impudently the wicked despise the doctrine of their saluation and scorne the Ministers of it and yet in the meane while couer themselues vnder a vaine shew of religion This is the reason then wherefore the Prophet presseth them so neere and reprooues them so sharply As if he should say When you thrust out your tongues on this manner against God and scorne his word doe ye thinke you haue to deale with a mortal man For these words on vvhom signifies that they sought out euasions and pretences to cloake their impietie withall For the vngodly will not acknowledge that they rebell against God no they thinke foule scorne any man should so iudge of them but yet they must bee brought out into the light and conuinced of their wickednesse And seeing there is a God they must be told that they make open warre vpon him in resisting or in reiecting his word and in esteeming no better thereof then of a fable To open the mouth and to thrust out the tongue is heere taken in one signification vnlesse that vnder these two phrases the Prophet meant the better to discouer their impudencie namely in that they thought it not enough only to reiect the Lord but they must also deride him For the inward contempt of the heart caused them to vtter forth such manifest scoffes and blasphemies so as they were not touched at all with any feare of dishonoring themselues Lastly he concludes that they are rebellious children a lying seed and therefore hath iust cause to esteeme them the sonnes of an vvhere for such a contempt could not be found in the children of Ahraham By this we learne how the wicked ought to be handled and with what seueritie they are to be reproued that they may haue no cause left them whereby to flatter themselues and the more they despise whatsoeuer is propounded vnto them in the name of God the more ought we to discouer and to manifest in all mens sight their impieties so full of sacriledge Vers 5. Inflamed with Idols vnder euery greene tree and sacrificing the children in the valleyes vnder the tops of the rocks OThers translate Who take pleasure in consolation But our Prophet takes a similitude vsed in many places of the Scriptures and very fitting to the circumstance of this place For the Lord is wont to compare lust wherewith poore and miserable Idolaters are furiously transported and inflamed to the loue of brothels for they keepe no measure at all neither will they suffer any to restraine them from their follie Now Idolatrie in Gods sight is a most hatefull kind of whoredome As touching the Hebrue word Elim some translate it Gods others okes we may take it in whether sense we will for there will be no great difference and all the expositors agree that the Prophet condemnes Idolatrie I contend not then about the words though it be very likely that one thing is repeâted twice according to the custome of the Hebrues and yet it may be vnder an ambiguous word he alludes to their gods Sacrificing children Heere he presseth the Iewes neerer and shewes that they are none
that nothing pleaseth him nor is approued of him but that which accords with his word Vers 7. Thou hast made thy bed vpon euery high mountaine thou wentest vp thither euen thither wentest thou to offer a sacrifice HEe repeates the same similitude againe which we haue touched before A repetition of the former similitude vers 4. For the superstitious sort commit whordome with their Idols in regard that hauing forsaken the puritie of the word they breake that holy mariage knot which God had contracted with them and sell themselues ouer vnto Satan But Isaiah meant heere to expresse somewhat more for in telling them that they had made their bed in an high place it is as much as if he had said They were become shamelesse for they cared not vvho saw their villanie no more then an impudent harlot shunnes the presence of men but is carelesse of her reputation so these committed whordome in the sight of the Sunne and being past shame ascended vp to euery high and imminent place to doe it in Hee compares Chapels and Altars to beds vpon which this cursed filthinesse is committed and men which sacrifice there to bold and brazen faced strumpets In the end of the verse he shewes without any figure what this harlotry is which he condemnes namely that they sacrificed to Idols I grant they thought in so doing to serue God but hee reiects whatsoeuer it is that men forge according to their owne lusts and detests such a lasciuious course Vers 8. Behind the doores also and postes hast thou set vp thy remembrance for thou hast discouered thy selfe to another then mee and wentest vp and diddest inlarge thy bed and make a couenant betweene thee and them and louedst their bed in euery place where thou sawest it An amplificââion of the faulâ HE amplifies the crime whereof hee spake before that the people should not flatter themselues in their inuentions Now it is verie likely that Isaiah alludes to Moses words wherein the Lord commanded that they should alwaies haue the Law before them that they should fixe it vpon the doore postes of the house and write it in roles to wrap it about their armes and about the fringes of their garments that they might be continually admonished of their duties Deut. 6.9 and 11.20 Numb 15.38.39.40 But contrariwise the Iews ceased not to pollute the doores and the postes of their houses with markes and signes of idolatry and left no corner nor nooke free from such defilings Thus God and his Law were reiected in all places and in stead thereof they had set vp prouocations and inticements vnto whoredome Thou hast inlarged thy bed Yet once more he repeates that which he had said before and comes to this clause againe to wit that the Iewes committed grosse adulterie with their Idols and yet thought they serued Gods but this came to passe because they neglected to follow the rules of the word Simile For it is all one as if a woman hauing forsaken her husband should goe and prostitute her selfe to the stewes and make her selfe common indifferently to all commers as if the bed were now become an open field which might containe a great troope of men For this cause he saith that she discouered herselfe vvithout him because hauing shaken off the shamefastnesse of mariage she suffered others to abuse her For God holds the place of an husband to which shee ought to haue been subiect but shee sought out new companions and brake the faith of marriage He amplifies this crime in regard the Iewes did voluntarilie present themselues before the idols as if a disloyall wife should runne after another man to haue his companie Moreouer vnder another figure he taxeth their inordinate lust in respect that one onelie glance of the eie serued the turne to carry them suddenly and dotingly away into euerie place Therewithall also he conuinceth men of rashnes who thinke themselues very sharp witted in things belonging to Gods seruice and make choice of their places where themselues list But this is a diuellish wit for the Lord will haue our eies fixed in such wise vpon him and his word that they rest closed and shut vp against all other things Vers 9. Thou wentest to the Kings with oile and diddest increase thine ointments and send thy messengers farre off and diddest humble thy selfe vnto hell HEre the Prophet reprooues another vice almost like the former It is iust that such as will not rest contented with God should wander vp and downe restleslie without reliefe for impietie begets many errors and forceth light heads that are void of Gods feare into very sore and perplexed molestations And is it not good reason that such as will not rest in God should bee restlesse or rather tossed vp and downe with whirlewinds He reprocheth the Iewes then that they vexed themselues so much and so long a time in hunting after the helpe of strangers namelie when they endeuoured to oppose the aide of the Egyptians against the Assyrians and then being defrauded of their hopes they began to trot to the Chaldeans See 2. Sam. 28.5.6.7 For when men haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie then they seeke helpe in others and not onelie wearie themselues but are a great cost and trauell to atchieue the same And whilest the Lord giues quiet sleepe to his beloued ones that they may quietly finish that they haue to doe the wicked vexe themselues for nothing They rise early and goe late to bed and eate the bread of carefulnesse as it is in Psalm 127.2 And yet in the meane while they cannot enrich themselues the value of a naile because they do nothing vnder Gods authoritie or gouerment Now the Lord punisheth them thus to the end they may wander vp and downe as men at their wits end being euer in doubt and perplexitie without euer enioying the benefit of a quiet and contented mind Vers 10. Thou weariest thy selfe in thy manifold iournies yet saidst thou not There is no hope thou hast found life by thine hand therefore thou wast not grieued HIs meaning is Men labouâ in vaine when they follow not God that men labour in vaine when they follow not God For they vex themselues without profit as wee haue said before because whatsoeuer it be that is taken in hand contrarie to the will of God can neuer haue good successe And here hee doth wittily deride the peruerse endeuors of such as in taking much paines had rather vvaste and consume the strength of bodie and mind then vvith quietnesse to goe whither the Lord called them It is labour lost That is to say Albeit thou seest thy iournies serue thee to no purpose yet doest thou obstinately go on in pursuing thy enterprises And yet very Idiots are wont to repent when their counsels prosper not well Such then must be called peruerse and desperate Who they be that deserue to be called peruerse and obstinate who hauing experience of
he notes out the inhumanitie rapines violence and outrages which the hypocriticall sort exercised ouer the poore and such as were not able to resist We must not thinke he had to deale with notorious murtherers or theeues but with the King and States-men who were honoured and respected in regard of their great places These are they whom he calles men of blood in that they cruellie vexed poore innocents and in that by force and violence they wrung vnto themselues other mens goods For this cause in the next place hee puts iniquitie in stead of blood And howsoeuer hee seemes to extend his speech further off yet it is but a repetition or redoubling of the words which the Hebrewes often vse for amplifications sake For he expresseth more by the fingers then by the hands As if hee should haue said There is not the least part of your bodies which is not stained with extortion Next hee toucheth another kind of wickednesse to wit when one of them circumuented another by subtilties periuries and treacheries For iniquitie by which we wrong our neighbours is fortified with crueltie Iniquitie fortified by crueltie or lies and deceit as with the court gard Now the Prophet in this place insists vpon matters belonging to the second table and by the sinnes which they had committed against the commandements therein contained hee shewes that they were wicked persons and vtterly void of the true feare of God For that barbaritie and disloyaltie which violates humane societie meerely proceeds from the contempt of God Violating of humane societie proceeds from the contempt of God See here the reason then why from the hands that is to say from extortions and outrages hee descends to lying wicked practises periuries and other diuellish subtilties whereby wee circumuent our neighbours Vers 4. No man * Or crieth calleth for iustice no man contendeth for truth they trust in vanitie and speake vaine things they conceiue mischiefe and bring foorth iniquitie THe Prophet meant to say It is not enough that we abstaine from offering violence vnlesse we hinder it in others that there was no regard of equitie or vprightnes among theÌ That no man opposed himselfe against the iniuries which the great ones practised against the weake And that all licentiousnesse grevv and increased because all looked through their fingers thereat and no man did set his heart to maintaine iustice Now it is not enough that we only abstaine from violence our selues vnlesse as much as possiblie we can we therewithall endeuour to hinder men from doing the same to others Truely who euer he bee that permits that which he may hinder the same may be said in a sort to command it For silence is a kind of consent And to this appartaines the second member Some take the verb Nâshpat in the passiue signification and thinke the Prophets meaning is That none is iudged iustly For the whole State is ful of corruptions and yet no man opposeth himselfe against them But the actiue signification agrees better in respect of the answering of these two points one to another No man calles for iustice No man contends for truth For whereas some translate No man iudgeth himselfe in truth it is a little too nice Besides in as much as this verb To crie is taken to contend the scope of the text seemes here to runne better No man sets himselfe to maintaine the right with a loud voice freely to maintaine and defend iustice In a word to contend against the wicked Vnlesse we had rather refer this crying for iustice to the miserable who were vniustly oppressed As if he should say These poore wretches held their peace because they gained nothing by their cries But this sense would be somewhat too harsh Well if such as are carelesse in defending of mans right and such as relieue not the afflicted are thus rigorouslie condemned by the Lord what shall become of vs Note if our zeale in maintaining the glorie of God prouokes vs not to crie without ceasing against iniquities if we winke at the scoffes wherewith the wicked deride the doctrine of saluation and prophane the name of our God or if wee set light by the plots wherewith they goe about to ouerthrow the Church shall not our silence deserue to be condemned of disloyaltie and high treason I trow yes To be short Jsaiahs meaning is that all good order falles to ruine by our fault if we resist not the wicked as much as in vs lies Secondly that there is an extreme confusion when no man stirres his foote to vphold iustice When he saith that they trust in vaine things it is to signifie that they heaped vp multitudes of peruerse counsels by meanes whereof they became vtterly obstinate Will you see the height of iniquitie The height of iniquitie then Surely wee may then be said to be come vnto it when in seeking out sweete allurements heere and there we accustome our selues with a setled malice to contemne God for by such meanes Satan inueigles the reprobates till hee hath wholly bewitched them So as hauing first of all shaken off all feare of God they come by degrees to reiect all wholsome admonitions and at last with an insupportable pride and sawcinesse to deride and scorne them Because arrogancie then transports vs when wee oppose our vaine hopes against Gods iudgement it is not without cause that our Prophet brands this trust vnder which scorners hide themselues with a note of despaire For a man may see well enough that the maladie is growne incurable when the wicked make no bones to flatter themselues in all mens sight and when being built as it were vpon their owne frowardnesse they thinke they haue licence to doe whatsoeuer they list Hee addes that one might discerne a farre off what their thoughts and maners were in their speech according to the common prouerbe Prouerbe The tongue is the messenger of the heart And yet this particle may be expounded two waies either that they vttered nothing that was good but that their tongues were framed to deceiue without ceasing or that their wickednesse brake forth into manifest swaggering And this second exposition pleaseth me better then the first They shall conceiue mischiefe and bring forth iniquitie These similitudes are elegant Simile For by them he compares the wicked to women who nourish their fruit in their wombe and afterward bring it forth Likewise hee saith that the wicked are like great bellied women whilest they are plotting their treacheries in their breasts euen till the full time approch in which they must be deliuered namely as soone as they haue found fit opportunities Now hee saith that they conceiue hurtfull counsels to the end they may afterward oppresse the innocent without cause As if hee should say They plot their mischiefes long afore hand and are alwaies readie to execute some outrage for they cease not heere and there to search out close conueiances to trouble such as
his fauour But here ariseth a difficultie Obiect in regard that Saint Paul alleageth this place in the Epistle to the Rom. 3.17 to condemne all flesh as vicious corrupt and vtterlie void of any thing that is good But contrariwise it seemes the Prophet applies it in particular to the men of his time But the answere Ans is easie For when he directs his speech to the Iewes who were reputed as pettie Saints in respect of others of necessitie the Gentiles must all come within this rancke If any obiect Obiect that the Gentiles in liuing iustly were a law vnto themselues and that their vncircumcision is counted to them for vncircumcision Rom. 2.26 I answer Ans that the Prophet brings God in complaining of all such as were not regenerated by his holy spirit And thus none can be exempt if he be considered of in his owne nature And yet the Prophet exempts himselfe out of this number in regard he was regenerated and gouerned by the Spirit of God S. Paul therefore hath alleaged this sentence to very good purpose when he minded to shew what men are being forsaken of God and are led by the light of their owne nature I grant that the peruersitie of men breakes not alwaies foorth into open sinnes Well our Prophets meaning is to reproue the corruptions of those times wherein iniquities were growne to such an height that one might well discerne as in a glasse how lothsome a sinke and bottomlesse gulph of all abominations mans nature is In the meane while there is no doubt but this Sermon stung the Iewes to the very quick in regard they were puffed vp with a vaine conceit of their race forsooth but in as much as the spirit of God spared not them the rest of the nations who were no lesse corrupted by nature had no reason at all to wallow themselues in their pleasures Vers 9. Therefore is iudgement farre from vs neither doth iustice come neere vnto vs we wait for light but loe it is darknes for brightnes but we walke in darknes Why is the liuing man sorrowfull man suffers for his sinne Lam. 3.39 HAuing shewed how much the estate of this people was peruerted and corrupted he therewithall teacheth that they are iustly corrected thus seuerely to the end they should take vp no complaints as if they were more hardly dealt withall then there was cause He hath by peecemeale then deciphered out their open and knowne corruptions that they might acknowledge how many waies they were guiltie before God and now he puts them in minde that it was no wonder if God caried a strait hand ouer such obstinate spirits in handling them according to their deserts Now he saith that iudgement vvas farre off in respect that they were the only miserable people in the world and had not God their protector as at other times He takes iudgement iustice for Gods particular care and safegard ouer vs namely when he expresseth so much by the effects By Iustice he meanes Gods protection by Iudgement the vengeance which he executes vpon such as offer any violence against vs. But here he affirmes that God hath no more care ouer his people and that he hath with-held his aid and succor from them because they were vnworthie thereof We are also to note this particle therefore for thence it followes that they were not to murmure against God as if he kept no measure in his corrections seeing they had so often abused his Maiestie Hereunto appertains that which he addes namely that a perpetuall darknes enuironed them who vvaited for light This metaphor ââewes that they were almost consumed in their miseries and were then frustrated of their hopes whilest they promised vnto themselues some release By light is meant a prosperous estate as on the contrarie by darknes a state vnhappie as is well enough knowne in diuers places before His meaning is then that it was in vaine for them to expect better fortunes because he would haue this people learne to impute these calamities to their owne deserts and not to imagin either that they came by chance or that the Lord handled them too sharply for his whole scope and drift is to bring them to the doctrine of repentance Vers 10. Wee grope for the wall like the blinde and wee grope as one without eies wee stumble at the noone day as in the twilight we are in solitarie places as dead men BY varietie of phrases he expresseth one and the same thing One and the same thing expressed vnder diuers maners of speech For in regard many complaints would be heard to passe from this people he would omit nothing that might serue to lay forth their wofull calamities It may be he vtters these things as if he consented with them that they were so indeed as if he meant to say Our matters are brought into wonderfull straits but wee are aboue all things to consider the cause thereof seeing wee haue deserued to be handled with much more seueritie And yet the sense will not sute amisse if we say That the drouzie are here awaked to bethinke them of their miseries for howsoeuer they were but too forward in making their complaints yet Satan benummed their senses lest the signes of Gods wrath should solicite them to repentance Now he alludes to that similitude which he mentioned in the former verse where he said that the people were in darknes and obscuritie without any hope of getting out Here he signifies that they were destitute of counsell and so pressed with anguish that no refuge nor remedie at all appeared vnto theÌ When some light affliction befalles vs we looke this way and that way and haue hope of some issue but in great extremities we are able to discerne nothing in regard of despaire which hath surprized vs for this cause the Prophet saith that being intangled in a maze of perplexities they groped We stumble This phrase of speech tends to the same end and hath also greater weight in it namely that if they set but one foote forward so many impediments presented themselues on all sides that they could finde no more release then if the day had bin conuerted into the night By solitarie places I vnderstand deepe gulphes or desert and barren lands For in this place I allow S. Ieroms S. Ierome reading who deriues these words solitarie places from the verb Asham which signifies as much as to be horriblie destroyed and desolated The Rabbins Rabbins who will needs draw it from Shamen which signifies to be fat argue childishly as I thinke neither do they alleage any thing that makes to the purpose For by solitarie places they thinke men are vnderstood because Shemmen signifies anointment and thus iudge that the Gentiles are noted out in these words But the Prophets true meaning is that the Iewes were brought into solitarie places that being banished from the societie of men they might resemble the dead and might bee left without any
and hee put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeale as with a cloake THe Prophet armes the Lord at all points If God put himselfe in armes to fight he must needs caârie away the victorie not onely to confirme the faith of the godlie but also to strip all men of all confidence in their owne vertue For the summe comes to this that nothing shall be wanting vnto God neither for discomfiting nor for bearing away the victorie ouer his enemies Why so Because that of his righteousnesse power grace and exceeding affection towards his Church he will make armour of proofe And this we are to note with no lesse diligence then the doctrine of the former verse For albeit we confesse that God is almightie yet doth not that satisfie vs but wee will bee seeking out of other helpes Our minds are alwaies giuen to infidelitie so as they are wonderfully hampered and glued fast to outward meanes To correct this vice our Prophet sets before vs this liuely description As if he should say know ye that God hath all the safegards of your saluation readie so that nothing shall bee wanting vnto him for your deliuerance and for your returne home againe doe your enemies what they can There is no neede then why you should tremble at all Besides wee are verie easilie carried away to thinke that wee bring some of our owne vnto God And thus wee attribute part of his praise to our selues which should wholly be reserued vnto him Whereas hee clothes the Lord with vengeance and indignation as a cloke it appertaines vnto the enemies against whom God riseth vp in wrath for the zeale hee beares to his people The more then that Satan indeuors and with might and maine plots our ouerthrow the more will the zeale of the Lord of hostes bee inflamed and will arise with his admirable and omnipotent power to relieue vs. Although this worrier of mankind then and all the reprobates with him cease not day nor night how to oppose all the impediments they can to hinder our saluation yea and that they breake forth into open rage to roote vs out yet will our God scatter all their plots by his onely power Vers 18. As to make recompence as to requite the furie of the aduersaries with a recompence to his enemies hee will fully repay the Ilands HEe confirmes the conclusion of the former verse A confirmation of the former conclusion For heere hee shewes what that vengeance is wherewith hee clothed the Lord namely that he is readie to render the like vnto his enemies But the reason why the Prophet armes the Lord thus readie with indignation to execute his vengeance is to be noted to wit because the deliuerance of his Church is ioined with the ruine of the wicked It is needfull therefore that God should be armed to meete those enemies which would worke our destruction Vse Hence let vs consider how infinite that loue of God towards vs is when he beares vs such an affection as to hate those that hate vs and to protest that he will requite the furie of our aduersaries So exceedinglie doth he loue his little flock that he esteemes it more then all the world besides This is the cause then wherefore he testifies that he will repay the Ilands that is to say the nations beyond the seas farre remote from them for for the deliuerance of his people he ouerthrew such mightie Monarks as seemed inuincible Vers 19. So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glorie from the rising of the Sunne for the enemie shall come as a flood but the spirit of the Lord shall chase him away God will make the Churches deliuerance glorious in the sight of the whole world NOw hee testifies that this deliuerance shall bee so glorious and magnificent that all the world shall wonder thereat and shall speake honourably of it and afterwards being smitten with astonishment shall giue glory vnto God But it is vncertaine whether he means this of the conuersion of the Gentiles or of the terrour by which the Lord would bring downe his enemies For mine owne part I rather incline to the first exposition namely that to the vtmost parts of the earth Gods name shall be glorious and fully renowned so as the Gentiles shall not onely bee amazed but shall also vvorship and serue him in true repentance The expositors agree not about the rendring of the cause which followes But the true sense as I suppose is That the violence of the enemie shall be so great that as a flood spoiles and carries all away before is vvith the force thereof so shall he seeme to teare vp and beare avvay But the Lord will forthwith cause him to recoile and to vanish away It is an amplification then of Gods power who in an instant breakes in sunder all the terrible power and furious rage of his enemies so as their violence being turned backward it falles to nothing Quest But some may aske of what deliuerance the Prophet here speakes I answer Ans as I haue done in another place that these promises must not be restrained as they are wont to be to one deliuerance only For the Iewes referre it to the deliuerance out of Babylon and the Christians only to Christ Now I ioine them both together that so we may comprehend the whole time froÌ the peoples returne with that which followed vnto the comming of Christ for this prophesie was neuer fulfilled but in him neither can that which is here said agree to any other then to him only because Gods glorie was not manifested before to all the world nor the enemie so put to flight that they gathered not their forces together againe vntill Christ came and triumphed admirablie hauing obteined conquest ouer Satan sinne death Vers 20. And the redeemer shall come vnto Zion and vnto them that turne from iniquitie in Iaakob saith the Lord. HE againe confirmes that which he said before namely A second confirmâtion touching the redemption of the Church that the people should be deliuered and that God would be the only author of so great a benefit For this cause then he bids the people to be of good comfort in this exile in regard it should not be perpetuall afterwards he placeth the hope of their deliuerance in God only to the end their thoughts might not rest in any thing but vpon the promises Vnder the word Zion he meanes as heretofore the prisoners and banished for albeit they were scattered farre off from their countrie yet was the Temple still to remaine planted as it were in their hearts But lest the bastard children of Abraham should indifferentlie applie this vnto themselues with the heires of promise he forthwith shewes who they be to whom this deliuerance To whom this deliuerance appertaines shall come namely to such as shall be truly conuerted vnto the Lord. And yet it is very certaine
their seed shall be knowne among the Gentiles ând their buds among the people All that see them shall know them that they are the seede whom the Lord hath blessed An amplification touching the enlargement of the Church THe Prophet discourseth here more clearely touching the aduancement and growth of the Church which was then shut vp within a narrow scantling and in an out corner of the world and were afterwards much diminished and lopped as wee haue seene in the first and tenth Chapters Isaiah then speakes of the Church which after so many diminishings shall spread againe ouer the whole world and that in such wise as she shall bee viewed of all nations And yet this fell not out no not vnder the reigne of Salomon whilest the Iewes flourished in greatest abundance of riches and glorie 1. King 10.21.27 now this seemed incredible This is the cause also why the Prophets insist so much in perswading the Iewes repeating it ouer againe and againe to wit that they should not measure this restauration according to their carnall sense nor to outward appearances Quest Now it may be asked wheÌ these things came to passe I answer Ans as I haue often done that they began to be accomplished when the people came home into their countrie for then and afterwards in succession of time they tasted many waies of Gods fauour towards them Yet in regard there were but a few small sparkles of these things to bee discerned in those times therefore the perfect beautie of them shined in Christ vnder whose kingdome these things were whollie accomplished For then religion was as it were buried Abrahams posteritie began to sprout in respect that strangers were by faith ingrafted into the bodie of the elect people And thus the barbarous nations came to know that the Iewes were the blessed seed of God namely when they vnited themselues vnto them in the same confession of faith Neither was this only accomplished once but is euery day more and more fulfilled Whereas the Iewes were first preferred and obtained the chiefe place in Gods couenant it must be attributed vnto Gods free mercie as S. Paul teacheth in Rom. 3.2 For hauing there shewed that they differ in nothing by nature from the Gentiles and that hee hath subiected them to the same condemnation with them he therewithall shewes that they had this excellent priuiledge to be the first vnto whome the word and promises of God were giuen But that all these things proceeded meerelie from Gods free grace and not from their merits or deserts Vers 10. I will greatly reioyce in the Lord and my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for hee hath clothed me with the garments of saluation and couered mee with the robe of righteousnesse he hath decked mee like a bridegrome and as a bride tireth her selfe with Iewels THe Prophet here brings in the Church giuing of thankes vnto God the better to perswade them of the truth of that which he hath said heretofore And it is a liuely description as it were wherein he paints out the thing done in a table and placeth it before their eies that hee might remooue all scruples For naturally wee are inclined to distrust and withall so inconstant that wee will rather giue credit vnto mens dreames then to the word of God But touching this kind of confirmation wee haue discoursed both in Chap. 12.1 and 26.1 as also in other places For he hath clothed me To what men are naturally inclined Surely these things were yet very farre off But it was necessarie they should be seene and comprehended by faith Yea it is very needfull that wee lift vp our eies to heauen when the Prophet preacheth to vs the doctrine of righteousnes and saluation There is nothing visible here and much lesse can we apprehend so great a felicitie seeing all things are still bending towards a dissolution But in regard that euen at this day such a beauty as this appeares not in the Church which for the most part on the contrarie is vnder the horror of the crosse and therefore contemptible to all the world it is needfull here that faith should come betweene which comprehends celestiall and inuisible things Justice is ioyned with saluation in regard the one cannot be separated from the other These similitudes of garments robes are well enough knowne and it is as much as if the Church should haue said that iustice and saluation were giuen her together Seeing it is the Lord then who distributes these benefits let vs conclude in our selues that it is onelie he of whom we must aske them and none but he from whom we must expect them In these words he hath decked me there is a figuratiue kind of speech which they think to be taken from the Priests garments for which cause some haue descanted here vpon the priesthood of Christ But as I thinke the Prophet meant not to speake so subtilly in vsing the similitudes of the bride bridegroome The Church was in miserable plight before and euery one contemned her as a vvise diuorced from her husband But he hauing receiued her into fauour againe shee shines vvith vvonderfull beautie And the place in Hosea 2.20 answers vnto this Such an ornament was giuen at the comming of Christ and we also receiue it daily when the Lord clothes vs with righteousnesse and saluation But all these things shall bee fully accomplished at Christs last comming as we haue often said Vers 11. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud and as the garden causeth to grow that which is sowne in it so the Lord will cause righteousnesse to grow and praise before all the heathen THe Prophet confirmes the former promises by another goodly similitude for he brings the Iewes to the ordinarie power of God which shines in his creatures Wee see that the earth brings forth her bud euerie yeere the gardens grow greene after they haue beene sowen vvith seedes to be short the grasse and plants which in winter seemed as good as dead doe reuiue againe in the spring time and recouer new strength Now these are infallible testimonies of Gods power and of the good will which hee beares vs. Seeing these things then come thus ordinarily to passe should men doubt thereof Hath hee giuen this vertue and power vnto the earth and will he not much more manifest the same for the deliuerance of his people Will not hee cause the elect seede to bud and bring forth which as he hath promised shall alwaies remaine in the world Before all the Gentiles Hee shewes againe that the bounds of the Church shall no more bee so narrow as they were because the Lord will cause her to replenish the whole world Afterwards he mentions righteousnesse which was fully reuealed at such time as the Lord redeemed his people but Gods righteousnesse did then especially appeare when Christ was manifested vnto the world Not that he concealed it till that time but in regard men attained not
wee see with what argument the Prophets must furnish themselues to preserue their constancie to wit that the Lord is faithfull who will in the end accomplish that which he hath promised albeit he deferre for a time The word Kings serues for amplification as if he should say Not onely the coÌmunaltie and meaner sort should see and admire the glory of God but that euen Kings themselues who were wont proudly to contemne that which in it selfe is precious and honourable for their owne glory so blindes them and their greatnesse so bewitcheth all their senses that they cannot willingly ackonwledge any dignitie but their owne Kings do not willingly acknowledge any dignitie but their owne The new name is taken heere for magnificence for the people were in such wise scattered and dispersed that there was no certaine body of them to be seene but seemed as vtterly forlorne I grant the multitude of them which were carried into captiuitie was very great yet in respect they were mingled here and there among the Babylonians they were rent one from another as a body diuided into many peeces so as they could not well bee said to retaine so much as the name of a people any longer which also they had beene forewarned of But at their returne home they beganne to bee knit into a bodie againe and thus recouered that name of which they had been depriued Notwithstanding new is taken for vnaccustomed As if the Prophet should haue said your glorie shall bee singular and such as was not heard of before Which we know in processe of time came to passe For this handful of people which inhabited the country by way of entreatie were not able to get vnto themselues such a magnificence by any greatnesse or signes of honour but at length after the preaching of the Gospell the name of the Iewes was both knowne and renoumed Now Isaiah confirmes that which was hard to bee beleeued by adding that God should be the author of this glorie For it was not in the power of man thus to raise vp the poore Church being then couered ouer with shame and dishonour 1. Sam. 2.8 but God who raiseth the needie out of the dust was able in a moment to adorne and beautifie his Church with new honour For example was there so much as any face of a Church to bee seene amongst vs within these 40. yeeres The Lord had indeede a small seede scattered here and there but it was so confused and couered that there could be no visible Church of God perceiued And yet hee gat his Church a name when it pleased him to gather the same by the preaching of the Gospell This so admirable a worke of God then ought to confirme vs in this point namely that God wil neuer vtterly abandon his church For albeit the wicked do rent teare vs in peeces with cursed speakings God will neuer forsake his Church and that they slander and abhorre vs endeuouring by all meanes possible to make vs an abomination in the eies of the world yet let vs remember that they cannot plucke Gods righteousnesse from him but that he will make our glorie to shine here below seeing hee hath been pleased to write our names in heauen Luk. 10.20 Others expound this more subtillie namely that in stead of being called Israelites they should be called Christians But I rather suppose that the former sense sutes best with the scope of the Prophets text as also with that language which he is wont to vse Moreouer we ought dilligently to obserue and marke these phrases of speech which are peculiar vnto the Prophets that wee may acquaint our selues with their stile In summe Jsaiah meant to say that the people which seemed to be rooted out shall be restored and shal receiue a nevv name not from men but from God Vers 3. Thou shalt also be a crowne of glorie in the hand of the Lord and a royall diadem in the hand of thy God HE prosecutes the same argument The same argument further prosecuted which wee are not to wonder at For to iudge thereof according to humane reason what man could euer haue conceiued in his mind or by hope expected a thing of so great consequence Besides his meaning was by these words to raise vp the hearts of the faithfull to looke towards the kingdome of Christ which it behooued him to beautifie and adorne with these glorious titles by how much the more it was then obscure and farre remote from them For it was needfull to preuent a twofold danger lest the Iewes in seeing themselues so farre recoiled backe from their first dignitie should neither despise the grace of God nor rest themselues in these small and first beginnings And thus in setting light by Christ they should suffer themselues to be glued onelie to the commodities of this life present It is the Prophets drift then as you see to aduertise the Iewes that their returne home shall be as a preparatiue to this honour which they were to looke for in the manifestation of Christ in the flesh As touching the first member these poore banished exiles and bondmen could apprehend nothing at al but matter of despaire in considering the outward estate of things yea after they were returned and settled in their countrie yet they proceeded but slowlie forward in building of the Temple Hee therefore stirres them vp to looke vnto God that from him they might expect that glorie which now was hidden in respect of mans reason And in as much as they were assured that they were deare and precious in his sight that they should content themselues therewith till he should more liberallie endow them by the hand of Christ He calles the Church the crowne of God in respect that he will haue his glorie to shine in vs. Wherein wee haue great cause with admiration to consider of the inestimable goodnesse of God towards vs who though we are by nature corrupt and vncleane and more vile then the filth in the chanell yet he vouchsafes so to adorne vs God inestimable goodnesse singularlie set foorth as to make vs the diadem of his kingdom Let vs be prouoked then by this goodnes of God to hunger and thirst after holinesse of life that so his image may daily bee reformed in vs more and more Vers 4. It shall be no more said vnto thee forsaken neither shall it be said any more to thy land desolate but thou shalt bee called Hephzi-bath and thy land Beulah For the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall haue an husband HE now meetes with a difficultie which might trouble the minds of the faithfull The preuentiod of an obiection whilest they saw themselues reiected and left destitute and yet in the meane while had these glorious titles giuen them of a crowne and a diadem For might not these titles seeme ridiculous seeing the Iewes were hated and abhorred of all nations yea now and then their enemies trampled
so auenge himselfe of the wicked and enemies of the Church that hee will thereby shew what care hee hath ouer her Now howsoeuer blood doth vsuallie spot and staine him that vanquisheth yet Jsaiah affirmes that God shall bee glorious in his apparell after he hath made hauocke of his enemies As in chap. 34.6 we haue seene that the slaughter of the wicked there was compared to the sacrifices in regard Gods glorie shined therein For what garment could hee put on more glorious then his iustice Therefore that he might speake honourablie of Gods iust reuengings hee shewes that the blood wherewith he is besprinckled by the slaughter of these desperate wicked ones is glorious and excellent As if hee had said Thinke not that God resembles any common person for though hee bee died ouer with blood yet shall not this hinder but that his Maiestie and glorie shall shine therein The Iewish expositors take the word vvalking diuerslie for some among them referre it to the people whom the Lord should bring backe from the captiuitie others to the nations whom the Lord would transport into other countries notwithstanding they then seemed to haue a setled habitation But I thinke it will better sute to the scope of the Prophets text if we take it absolutelie The Prophet then describes the glorious vvalking of God and his noble presence by which he will manifest his admirable power I am that speake The certenty of the prophesies noted The Lord himselfe answers which carries much more maiestie with it then if the Prophet had spoken in his owne person And herein he brings the faithful to the former prophesies to enforme them that not only Gods righteousnesse and goodnesse but also his faithfulnesse should appeare in these iudgements As if he should say Now you see the accomplishment of that which hitherunto I haue declared vnto you by my seruants For this effect of my promises plainely demonstrates that I am true of my word and that I speake from my heart without faining so as I will not by any meanes disappoint your expectations Now the vision of it selfe had not beene forcible enough vnlesse the Iewes had therewithall bin put in mind of the things they had heard of before Seeing the end thereof was to settle their hearts vpon the saluation of God hee therewithall attributes vnto himselfe an extraordinarie power and might to saue Vers 2. Wherefore is thine apparell red and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine presse HE prosecutes the same argument The former argument still prosecuted But because the bare recitall would not haue been of sufficient weight therefore he doth not at once manifest from whence this red colour in Gods garments did proceede but rather continues his Interrogation still that he might the better rouze vp their spirits to the consideration of so rare vnwonted a thing For his meaning is to say that this sprinkling with blood is a matter extraordinarie and not seene before And therefore the similitude of the presser of grapes sutes very well For Bozrah Vers 1. which hee mentioned in the first verse was situated in a countrie of vines as if he would haue said the grape gatherings shal be much differing froÌ the old wont for blood in stead of the iuice of grapes shall now bee squezed out Vers 3. I haue trodden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with mee for I will tread them in mine anger and tread them vnder foot in my wrath and their blood shall bee sprinkled vpon my garments and I will staine all my raiment NOw the Prophet expounds the vision The vision expounded and shewes wherefore the Lord is thus died with blood Verse 1. namely because he must be auenged on the Idumeans and other enemies who haue vsed his people very inhumanely It should bee a thing ridiculous to referre this verse vnto Christ in regard he hath redeemed vs without the helpe of any man for the Prophets meaning is that the Lord will so punish the Idumeans that he shall stand in need of no mans helpe because himselfe will bee strong enough to roote them out Ans For the Iewes might obiect Obiect that the Idumeans were mightie that no warre was made vpon them but that they florished and liued at their ease But the Lord shewes that this shall not hinder him from smiting them when him listeth I grant he vsed mens helpe when hee auenged himselfe of the Idumeans but yet in such wise that it was apparant to all how the whole action was managed by his owne hand neither could any thing therein be ascribed either to the counsels or forces of men For they were surprized with a sudden and vnexpected destruction in respect whereof the people could not doubt but that God only was the author thereof seeing they had been so often aduertised of it before Where he saith And of all the people there vvas not one vvith him it is to shew that howsoeuer some should be raised vp to bring destruction vpon Edom yet Gods worke therein should be separate from theirs For the infidell enemies neuer dreamed of auenging the vniust cruelties of the Idumeans The Lord would then that his iudgement should shine and be considered of in the clattering of the harnesse and weapons and in these violent moouings I vvill goe vpon them For mine owne part I willingly retaine the future tence in regard the Prophet speakes of things to come and not yet accomplished For the Idumeans were to bee seuerelie punished for their crueltie though for the present they were at their case and in great tranquillity Wee haue alreadie in part touched the cause why the Prophet hath vsed the simililitude of a bloodie presser which is both a hideous and wofull sight yet therewithall he addes that the punishments and vengeances of God against his enemies are properly his owne as if himselfe had gathered them together when he shall either consume or scatter them Euen as in Chap. 34.6 such an execution is called a solemne sacrifice to teach vs that wee are no lesse to glorifie God when hee executes his iudgements then when hee manifests the tokens of his mercie In the meane while hee expresseth his singular loue towards the Iewes seeing for their sakes he vouchsafeth to sprinkle himselfe with the blood of his enemies so farre that hee vseth the verbe to staine or to defile In my vvrath The Prophet shewes that this alone sufficeth for the destruction of the Idumeans namelie that the Lord is angrie with them As if he should say No man shall be able to deliuer them when God shal haue to doe with them Hence we are to gather that mens ruine proceedes from no other cause but Gods vvrath as on the contrarie our saluation depends wholly vpon his meere grace To conclude Mens ruine proceedes from Gods wrath the Lord meant here to testifie that the Idumeans should not escape vnpunished seeing they
that the faithfull may with the more cheerfulnesse of heart wait for this promised ioy But all the difficultie is to know of what enemies he speakes for wee may vnderstand this place of the Babylonians by whose ruine God deliuered his Church It may also bee applied to the other enemies who were entertained in the bosome of the Church And I rather incline to this latter sense though I denie not but it may be vnderstood of all sorts of enemies But hee respects the home enemies of whom he hath hitherunto spoken who reiected the voice of God sounding continually by the ministry of the Prophets Well saith hee It shall come to passe that you shall heare a more horrible voice And yet hee forthwith mitigates his speech lest this terror should discourage the seruants of God The summe The summe is that the wicked reioice in vaine when they oppose their rebellions against Gods iudgements Why so Because they shall not escape his hand Nay which more is his voice shall sound from that Temple wherein they put such carnall confidence and that the faithfull shall then receiue the fruit of their patience Would to God that we at this day did not perceiue the like contempt among the rout of hypocrites who care neither for admonitioÌs nor threatnings at all neither beare they any reuerence to Gods word In stead of that sweete and still voice which they now heare we are constrained to preach the voice of feare and tumult which one day shall ring in their eares but it shal be froÌ the mouthes of such masters as shall be of a clean contrary disposition For seeing the world is so audacious as with a sacrilegious contempt to reiect Gods word it shall bee constrained not onely to heare but also to feele an armed voice that is to say fire and blood Vers 7. Before shee trauailed shee brought foorth and before her paine came shee was deliuered of a man child God prouides for the safetie of his children whilest he chastiieth the wicked THe Prophet hauing before comforted the faithfull to the end the arrogancie and pride of their enemies with which they should be afflicted might not astonish them and after that hauing commanded them to wait constantly till the comming of the Lord now he addes therewithall that the wicked shall bee so punished that yet God in the meane while will prouide for the safetie of his chosen Neither speakes he onely of some one or two men but of the vvhole Church which he compares to a vvoman which similitude hee hath vsed heeretofore For the Lords speciall meaning is to gathet vs into a body wherein wee may haue the testimonie of our adoption as also to acknowledge him for our father and that we may be nourished vp in the Church as in the lap of our mother This similitude therefore of a mother is very apt for it signifies that the Church shall bee so restoâed that shee shall haue a large and ample of-spring though for a time she was reputed for a widow and barren And hee repeates the sentence againe which hee vsed heeretofore but now hee expresseth somewhat more namely that this worke of God shall be sudden and vnexpected For he withdrawes the faithfull from all carnall conceits that they should not iudge of the restauration of the Church according to humane reason Women are wont to beare their children the space of nine moneths in their wombes then at last they bring them forth with great paine but the Lord hath another way in begetting of his children It shall come to passe saith hee that the fruit shall come into the world before it can be either perceiued or felt by any paine And that is the cause also why hee attributes the whole praise thereof vnto himselfe in regard that such a miracle farre surpasseth all the industrie of man Now hee speakes especially of a man child to set forth the courage and agilitie of these children For his meaning heereby is that such a race shall be of a noble kind and not delicate or effeminate As we also know that the faithfull are so regenerated by the Spirit of Christ that they finish their course with an inuincible courage And in this sense Saint Paul saith that they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe c. Rom. 8.15 Vers 8. Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seene such things Shall the earth be brought forth in one day Or shall a nation bee borne at once For as soone as Zion trauailed she brought forth children HE extols the greatnes of this work whereof he spake in the former verse For his meaning is that the restauration of the Church shall be admirable and extraordinarie in such wise that the faithfull shall confesse the whole worke hath proceeded from Gods meere grace and not from the order or course of nature For when men thinke of this they are like to them that dreame as it is said in Psalm 126.1 Moreouer his meaning is not that the restauration of the Church shall be perfected by and by For the aduancements thereof are tedious and diuers yea very slow in the iudgement of our flesh but he shews that the beginning it selfe surmounts the reach of al mens capacities And yet he speakes not excessiuely neither For we often see that the Church brings foorth when she was not iudged to be with child before Nay which more is whilest shee is thought to be barren shee is made fruitfull by the preaching of the Gospell in such wise that we admire at the thing after it is come to passe in respect it seemed incredible to vs before These things were in part accomplished when the people returned out of Babylon But we haue a much more euident proofe of it in the Gospell after the publishing whereof what an infinite number of children hath there been borne in the Church And haue not we in our times seene the accomplishment of this prophesie For since thirtie yeeres past that the Gospell hath been preached how many children hath the Church borne Hath not the Lord now troupes of them dispersed throughout the world Nothing was here foretold then which we see not at this day fulfilled euen with our eies Now he sets foorth the glorie of this miracle by a similitude For what people or nation came there euer into the world all at an instant For men are gathered and increased by little and little But it is farre otherwise with the Church who foorthwith brings foorth and replenisheth many places with great numbers of her children The summe The summe is that God will work so powerfully that by an extraordinary manner the Church shal haue an infinite number of children in an instant The word earth may be taken for any countrie or for the inhabitants of it Vers 9. Shall I cause to trauell and not bring foorth shall I cause to bring foorth and shall bee barren saith thy God Gods power ought
length hauing ouerturned all their enterprises eueÌ in lesse then the twinkling of an eye Vers 16. They that see thee shall looke vpon thee and consider thee saying Is this the man that made the earth to tremble and that did shake the kingdomes THe Prophet scornes this wicked king againe in the person of the dead and yet this may also be vnderstood of the liuing but it is better to referre this whole speech to the dead vnlesse we had rather vnderstand it of the sepulchre which is almost all one in effect Now we are wont to stretch forth our neck and to stand vpon the tipto when any admirable or rare thing is presented to our view So in regard it was a thing almost incredible that this king furnished with so great power should be dead the Prophet saith that all haue cast their eyes vpon him to behold him diligentlie as if they could hardly beleeue that to be true which they saw euidentlie before them They aske in the first place whether it be possible that he which made the world to tremble with his looke only could be so suddenlie easilie brought low Next the Prophet shewes how all his wicked desires and enterprises are ouerthrowne as also that tyrants with their crueltie are like to cloudes which poure downe water or haile on a sudden as though they meant to destroy the whole world but they are scattered and gone in an instant And this similitude that same good old father Athanasius vsed See Martin Luther vpon the Psalme âf degrees fol. 33. when some threatned him with the furie of Iulian. Now the Prophet shewes that this change came from the hand of God who by his only will can ouerthrow the whole world Vers 17. Hee made the world as a wildernesse and destroyed the Cities thereof and opened not the house of his prisoners IN this verse he expresseth the crueltie and in humanitie of this Tyrant namely that he brought the world to a wildernesse rased the Cities deliuered not his prisoners Those who haue obtained victorie haue been accustomed sometimes to release their prisoners that they might win their hearts by gentlenesse Tyrants had rather be feared then loued but Tyrants had rather bee feared then loued because they perswade themselues that the onely safe way to raigne is to make themselues feared of all through a brutish cruelty We need not wonder then at their so miserable and wofull an end for it cannot bee but God must render them like for like after hee hath corrected his Church by their crueltie shewing no more mercy to them then they did to others Thus then he shewes how miserable Tyrants are in regard they haue both God and men their enemies Vers 18. All the Kings of the Nations euen they all sleepe in glorie euerie one in his owne house 19. But thou art cast out of the graue like an abominable branch like the rayment of those that are slaine and thrust thorow with a sword which goe downe to the stones of the pit as a carkase troden vnder feete HEe opposeth the King of Babylon against other Kings to shew that hee shall be more wretched after his death then they all And thus he amplifies the iudgement of God who should execute vengeance vpon the cruelties done to his Church by comparison This place is the cause why I dare not restraine that which Isaiah speakes heere of the King of Babylon to the onely person of Nebuchadnezzer because we finde not by histories that hee was depriued of buriall Although the Iewes tell how Euil-merodath commanded hee should be taken out of his sepulchre because the great Lords of his kingdome durst not doe him homage till they were certaine of the death of his father But S. Ierome howsoeuer hee be credulous enough in other things yet holds this as a fable He speakes not then of one man particularly 2. Thes 2. but of the whole Kingdome euen as when the Scripture speakes of Antichrist it comprehends the estate of all the Popes And therefore he scornes the pride of all Tyrants vnder the person of one testifying what their issue shall be to wit that they shall fall into such miserie that not so much as a small handfull of dust shall be giuen them for their burial howsoeuer in times past they were like insatiable gulfes whom all the wealth in the world was not able to satisfie Those which haue scarse one foot of land haue notwithstanding the honour of buriall and this was esteemed sacred and inuiolable aboue all things among the Patriarks for it was a great dishonour to be depriued of this priuiledge Yet he shewes that the Kings of Babylon should receiue such an opprobie that being cast out of the sepulchre of their fathers they should be a spectacle of disdaine vnto all Quest But some may aske whether it were so great a matter in Gods sight to bee buried with a mans predecessors that it should be esteemed as a punishment and curse to be depriued of it I answere Ans he speakes not of the sepulchre here as of a thing necessarie to saluation and yet that it was reputed a great shame for this Tyrant to want buriall First of all then let vs consider why buriall was so esteemed among all Nations Doubtlesse this came from the Patriarks whose bodies the Lord commanded to bee buried in hope of the last resurrection The carkases of beasts are cast out The reason why we are buried and beasts are not because they are ordained to none other end but to turne to rottennesse but our bodies are couered with earth that being laid vp therein they may wait for the last day at which time they shall be raised vp to inioy the soule in an eternall and blessed life Whereas diuers superstitions are crept in touching the buriall of the dead it is certaine that Satan hath brought this to passe by his subtletie who is wont to corrupt and peruent all things which yet in their owne nature are good and profitable for he hath forged infinite waies whereby to bewitch men But concerning the Iewes we are not to meruaile if they had many ceremonies in this behalfe neither ought wee to condemne them for it for they had not so cleere and manifest a reuelation of the resurrection because Christ was not yet reuealed But the matter is farre otherwise now seeing we behold our resurrection in Iesus Christ appârently and the vaile being taken away wee now see the promises as in the sunshine which were obscure to the Iewes If at this day then any would bring in and reuiue the ancient ceremonies such a one should suppresse the light and doe great wrong vnto Iesus Christ for they indeuour to put a vaile before him who hath discouered himselfe vnto vs with open face Notwithstanding it is not vnprofitable to regard the interring of the corps Buriall of the dead ought to be retained but superstitious customes therin to be reiected The
cause why some are left vnburied because it is a witnesse of the last resurrection which wee yet wait for But we ought vtterly to reiect all such superstitions and pompe of funerals which indeed euery faithful man should abhorre But if any bee left vnburied wee must consider the cause For many Prophets Martyres and holy personages haue been depriued of buriall Wee heare how the Church complaines that the bodies of Gods seruants were cast out to the beasts and birds and that there was none to bury them Psal 79.2 And wee daily behold how they burne drowne and hang the seruants of Iesus Christ whose death notwithstanding is pretious and blessed in Gods sight Psal 116.15 For euen as the Crosse of our Lord was blessed so also the gibbets bands chaines and deaths which his members endure do partake of this blessing yea and that in such wise that they far surmount the felicitie decking-maiestie and pomp of all the kings of the earth so as according to S. Paules example they may boldly glory in these afflictions Rom. 5.3 2. Cor. 12.9 Gal. 6.14 Moreouer albeit we can see nothing but a signe of Gods wrath vpon those whom he depriues of buriall yet must we haue our recourse to the former and such sentences Iere. 22.19 Now as Ieremiah threatned Ioachim that he should be buried as an asse because he deserued rather to be laid with the brute beasts then with men who after death are separated from the condition of beasts by meanes of buriall euen so in as much as this Babylonian had exalted himselfe aboue all it was good reason he should be deiected beneath all so as his bodie might remaine without buriall Isaiah then foretels that this tyrant shall not be buried in his house that is to say in the Sepulchre of his ancesters and predecessors for we must not thinke that the Sepulchres were within the houses The similitudes which are conioined do further expresse the iust ignominie of this tyrant for as hurtfull and vnprofitable trees are pluckt vp by the rootes so he shewes that the king of Babylon was not worthie to remaine among men Afterward he compares him to the garments of the slaine because those which die in battaile are not buried according to the accustomed maner but as bloodie and stinking carrions troden vnder feete are tumbled into the pit clothes and all lest they should infect the aire with their smell Neither will any man offer to touch clothes defiled with blood and mire for feare of drawing some infection froÌ them Now we can not affirme that this hapned to the kings of Babylon yet no question but it was fulfilled neither ought we to doubt any thing at all of it Vers 20. Thou shalt not be ioyned with them in the graue because thou hast destroyed thine owne land and slaine thine owne people the seed of the wicked shall not be renoumed for euer NOw he shewes the reason why the king of Babylon is vnworthie of buriall to wit because he which had destroyed his owne land was neither worthie to be receiued into it nor couered therewith For euen as the earth sustaines vs whilst we liue so also doth it couer vs being dead and keepes vs in her bowels vnto the comming of Iesus Christ It is then a iust punishment of crueltie when she refuseth to receiue those into her bosome that haue offred her violence and defiled her He yet addes a more fearefull threat to wit that God will poure out the remainder of his plagues vpon the successors Yet when he saith The seed of the wicked shall not be renoumed for euer we may expound this member two waies either that the race of the wicked shall not long endure or that it shall be vtterlie put out The diuersitie of the interpretation consists in the word alwaies for it is either referred to the time past or to come To the time past thus Although the seed of the wicked haue borne sway for a while yet the memorie thereof is vanished and gone in the end In the time to come thus God will so blot out the race of the wicked that there shall be no more mention of them Now it is vsuall with the Lord to curse the seed of the wicked Psal 112.6 Prou. 10.7 Psal 34.16 as on the contrarie he blesseth the of-spring of the faithful And euen as the memorie of the iust indures for euer so also doth it follow of necessitie that the remembrance of the wicked should be vtterlie extinct and abolished Now howsoeuer we see not these things fulfilled with our bodily eies yet haue we ample and pregnant testimonies for it whereby the truth of the doctrine is sufficientlie confirmed vnto vs. But we are now to obserue the reason of this vengeance to wit the Lord will hereby punish the pride of reprobates who wil needs aduance their names and leaue a perpetuall renoume thereof behind them and hereunto tend all the counsels enterprises and endeuors of prophane men Contrariwise the Lord blots out their name and memorie which yet seemed to be ingrauen in euerlasting monuments Thus it comes to passe that they are not only exposed to contempt but euery one detests and abhors them Which in coÌclusion befalles all tyrants for howsoeuer they be flattered and applauded of all whilst they liue Tyrants flattered of all whilst they liue but being dead they are detested of all yet are they and all their posteritie held in vile estimation when they are dead and gone And thus it appeares they are detestable to God Angels and men Vers 21. Prepare a slaughter for his children for the iniquitie of their fathers let them not rise vp nor possesse the land nor fill the face of the world with * Or Cities enemies HEere Isaiah prophesieth against the king of Babylon in plainer termes then heretofore Now we must remember what I haue said alreadie to wit that hitherunto he hath not spoken of one particular man only but of the whole kingdome and now he also takes away the ambiguitie of this maner of speech Whereas the old translation hath it Prepare his sonnes to the slaughter it comes not neere enough to the right sense for the letter Lamed being put before the word sonnes shews it should be translated Prepare a slaughter for his sonnes Now let vs see to whom this speech is directed for we must of necessitie vnderstand that he here couertlie speakes to certaine officers sergeants or executioners whom God commands to prepare themselues for the execution of his iudgement And who are they partly the Medes and Persians as also others by whom Babylon was rased to the foundation It was not vtterlie destroyed when the Persians tooke it as we haue said before Thus then he speakes to those whom God had ordeined in his scret counsell to destroy Babylon This phrase of speech hath greater vehemencie in it then if he had barely said The slaughter is prepared for he shewes that
Godâ oath as the Apostle saith Heb. 6.16 but God hauing no superior sweares heere by himselfe We must note the cause of this oath It is euen to sustaine the infirmities of the Saints lest they should float vp and downe in vncertainties What a wonderfull goodnes of God is this who to remedy our diffidence disdains not to vse his owne name as if hee laid it to pawne On the other side how grosse and vile is our incredulity if this oath doe not satisfie and content vs Now seeing God reserues to himselfe the confirmation of all truth we must take good heed when wee are constrained to call him for a witnesse in othes Gods name not to bee mingled with creatures in our othes that wee mingle not his name with Saints or any other creatures whatsoeuer but vsing it with such reuerence as is meete let vs reserue his honour full and whole vnto himselfe The vvord is gone forth The meaning is that whatsoeuer the Prophet hath published at Gods commandement is firme and sure As if hee should say This commandement passed not from me vnawares In this sense the word righteousnesse is often taken for a true speech and such as shall alwaies bee found so and therefore he saith that his word cannot be called backe To this appertaines the other member shall not returne that is to say it shall still grow to perfection vntil it appeares by the effects that it came from a God most iust true and almightie Men inconstant for man a will call backe his word when he meetes with any difficultie that may hinder him from keeping the same But because nothing can let God from executing his determinations God vnchangeable the Prophet rightly concludes that the course of this word cannot be stopped nor broken off by any inconuenience at all The particle That is must serue heere for an exposition to wit Behold vvhat this vvord is Euery knee shall bow vnto mee By this hee meanes that all nations shall bow before God because the deliuerance of the Church shall terrifie the whole world Yet withall it followes from hence that his true worshippe shall also be receiued among all nations For we cannot truely bow the knee before God What it is to bow the knee to God till he hath manifested himselfe vnto vs. Men may indeede present a kind of seruice to the one God whom yet they know not there is nothing but vanitie and illusions in all this He speakes heere then of that true religious seruice which proceedes from such a knowledge of God as is rooted in the depth of the heart for where no faith is there can bee no sincere worshippe True faith as wee know staies not her selfe vpon any vncertaine or vnknowne thing He sets forth the thing signified therefore by the signe The thing signified see forth by the signe as the Scriptures are often wont to doe Whence we gather that God requireth the outward seruice of the body for the Prophet separates not the externall profession of religion from the internall affection of the heart It is in vaine then for such inconstant spirits to brag A friuolous excuse of temporisers that they can honour and worshippe God in their hearts though they bow their knees before Idols It is in vaine for them I say to make so friuolous an excuse seeing the inward beliefe of the heart cannot bee diuided from the outward confession of the mouth For with the heart man beleeues vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth he confesseth vnto saluation Rom. 10.10 For this cause the Lord approoues of their integritie and vprightnesse in his seruice that had not so much as bowed a knee to Baal 1. King 19.18 Saint Paul applies this text to the last iudgement where he saith that all shall bee constrained to appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ Although it is applied heere to the peoples deliuerance out of Babylon to the spreading abroad of the Gospell and to the establishing of the kingdome of Christ But the Apostle holds it for granted which we also are not to bee ignorant of that that which appertaines to Christs kingdome ought not to be restrained to some parts of it onely but to stretch it selfe throughout the whole course thereof euen till the full and perfect accomplishment of the whole appeare What is it then to bow the knee vnto Christ It is vvhen his doctrine is obeied What is meant by bowing of the knee to Christ and the preaching of the Gospell receiued But many still resist it and boldly contemne it Satan plots sundry mischiefes and with open mouth rageth against it continually so as the accomplishment of this prophecie seemes yet to be very farr off The knee shall then truly be bowed to Christ when he shall triumph and hath put downe and destroied all his enemies and when he shall appeare in maiestie and in glory to all which Satan and his supposts doe now seeke to abolish And therefore S. Paul teacheth that when Christ shall ascend vp into his Throne to iudge the world then shall that be accomplished which began to take effect from the beginning of the Gospell which we also see to draw neere from day to day The verb to sweare is put for seruice reuerence or subiection by the figure called Synecdoche wheÌ a part is taken for the whole An oth also is part of the honor which is due vnto God An oth part of Gods honor for by it we confesse and acknowledge that he is the author father and lawfull protector of all truth and that all things are naked and bare before his eies Heb. 4.13 When this honor therefore is giuen to Idols Gods Maiestie is thereby violated with an execrable sacriledge thus then those which serue him purely sweare only by his name and by nothing else See Chap. 19.18 But we haue spoken of this matter in another place Vers 24. Surely he shall say In the Lord haue I righteousnes and strength he shall come vnto him and all that prouoke him shall be ashamed We must proceed from faith to feeling HE shewes what true faith is and what worship God approues of to wit when we haue not only a bare knowledge of him or thinke in our hearts that there is one God but when we also feele what a one he is to vs. Whosoeuer he be then that contents himselfe with a naked apprehension of God is farre off from that faith which so knits vs vnto him that we feele him dwelling in vs according as S. Paul would haue vs not only to know Christ but that he also should dwell in our heares by faith Ephes 3.17 For he that contemplates of an idle god in the heauens sitting at his ease will neuer bow his knee before him with a sincere heart neither will he euer make a franck and willing confession vnto him Now because righteousnes and strength God the author both of righteousnes