10.24 For he opposeth iudgement to vvrath as in 2. Sam. 7.14 it is said that he chastiseth vs with the rods of men because he wil not come against vs himselfe to vtter all his force in punishing vs lest we shuld be forthwith ground to powder The Iewes pray not simplie against afflictions But it is worth the noting that they do not simply desire to be freed from Gods iudging of them but so offer themselues to be chastised that the blowes may not dash them to pieces And this is the cause why they desire that the memorie of their iniquities may be blotted out for if God should not shew thē mercie this way there should be no end of their miseries The Prophet repeates that which he had said before in vers 8. namely Behold we are thy people that God had chosen Abrahams posteritie For the best assurance they had to obtaine pardon was that God being true of his promises could not reiect those whom he had once adopted In speaking of all he meanes not euery one in particular but comprehends the whole body of the Church And howsoeuer the greatest part of them were cut off by their wicked reuolt yet this was true that the Iewes were Gods peculiar people Neither was this prayer made for all indifferentlie but only for the little flock of the faithfull Now the people set not forth their merits before God but flee to his free couenant by which they were adopted For this indeed is the sure and only recourse the faithfull haue this I say is a remedie against all mischiefes and that is the reason why Moses and all the Prophets doe so often repeate the same Deut. 32.13 Vers 10. Thine holy cities lie wast Sion is a wildernes and Ierusalem a desert THe Church here againe recounts her miseries The Church recountes her miserie againe in this and in the verse following that she might thereby bow the Lord to compassion and forgiuenes She saith the Cities were wasted and for an amplification she addes that Zion is become a wildernes for it was the seate royall in which God would be called vpon Then he addes Ierusalem wherein Zion was For it seemed strange that the Citie which God had consecrated to himselfe should be laid on heapes and wasted by the enemie The Prophet calles them Cities of holines in respect that as God had sanctified the people so was it his will that the Cities yea the whole countrie shuld be consecrated vnto him Seeing the Cities then were dedicated vnto God they were rightly called holy because God raigned therein and was called vpon in them What Cities deserue to be called Gods holinesse And thus we may call those Cities of holinesse in which God is purely worshipped hauing abandoned all superstitions Vers 11. The house of our sanctuarie and of our glory where our fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are wasted THe sanctuarie is otherwise attributed to the people then to God For it being a pledge of that holy vnion betweene God and the people it is often called the house of God because it answered to his holinesse Heere the faithfull call it their sanctuarie in regard they were thence to draw their sanctitie which they yet confirme more apparantly by the word glory For they confesse they had nothing to glory in but the Temple wherein God was pleased to bee worshipped and serued And yet we see that this their reioicing was often vaine in so much that Ieremiah reproues them for it saying Trust not in lying words to wit The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord this is the Temple of the Lord Ier. 7.4 But as the boasting of such as made faire shewes and grew insolent in regard of some titles was vaine so on the contray they reioiced rightly who honoured Gods ordinance laid it vp in their hearts and also resting vpon the testimonie of the word were assured to dwell vnder his protection who had chosen out a perpetuall habitation for himselfe in the middest of them For the Temple was built by the commandement of God so as the Iewes might well boast that they had God for the vpholder of their saluation But because his seruice was then marred and corrupted and that all in a manner ran riot after superstitions and impietie the Prophet mentions the time past and not the time present As if he should say Albeit vvee haue not yeelded thee that obedience vvhich vve ought to haue done yet behold it is thy Temple still wherein our fathers serued thee purely and vvilt thou suffer it to be prophaned and to lie waste VVill not this reproch redound to thine owne dishoner seeing this building vvas erected for thy vvorshippe The Iewes plead not their merits heere neither dawbe they ouer their sinnes no they rather confesse and lay them open onely they put God in minde of his seruice that in remembring his holy couenant hee would not permit his promises to bee fruitlesse And all the faithfull ought to imitate this their example The verbe To praise is taken to giue thanks as if he should say In this Temple the lamentable ruine whereof breakes the hearts of the faithfull in sunder in times past thy praises were wont to sound when thou diddest entertaine thy people there in thy mercy and compassion Vers 12. Wilt thou hold thy selfe still at these things O Lord Wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict vs aboue measure THe people fortifie thēselues in vndoubted hope that God will not suffer his glorie to be thus trampled vnder foote though he be prouoked to wrath by mens infinite offences Hypocrites reape no consolation at all by this but these things indeed belong onely to such as are touched with a true sense of Gods mercy Such conclude and are certainly perswaded that howsoeuer death doth menace them yet God hauing regard to his owne glory will at the least bee mercifull to some that so the whole seed perish not VVilt thou afflict vs Isaiah shewes that God cannot forget his mercie Why so Because he cannot deny himselfe for his glory is ioined with our saluation Gods glory ioined with our saluatiō And this is a thing diligently to be noted or hauing spoken before of Gods glory now he addes wilt thou afflict vs aboue measure The Lord then will moderate his corrections for his glory requires it that wee bee deliuered from death which glory he can in no wise neglect Let vs then take vp this praier as oft as our enemies inuade vs not after the manner of hypocrites who make a great craking of Gods glory whereof they haue neither taste nor feeling Vse But let vs come vnto it with faith and repentance that so wee may truly reape the fruit of this glory THE LXV CHAPTER Vers 1. I haue been sought of them that asked not I was found of them that sought me not I said Behold me behold me vnto a
our wickednesses be For if they would looke well into them truely they should easily perceiue an admirable mercie of God euen in the midst of this his seueritie which seemes so great in their eyes And to the end wee may not thinke the Lord was too rigorous towards this people let vs consider the vices which he by and by reckons vp But a question may here be demanded to wit why the Prophet should say that the people were so many waies afflicted seeing he began to prophesie as we said before vnder the reigne of Vzziah in whose time the state of the kingdome of Judah was verie quiet so that howsoeuer the kingdome of Israel sustained some losse towards the ende of Vzziah his daies yet that notwithstanding appertained nothing at all to the kingdome of Iudah For which cause the Iewes indeed thinke this to appertaine to the reigne of Iotham and not to the reigne of Vzzâ—ah Now howsoeuer their opinion seemes not to agree very well at the first blush yet is it not without some probabilitie of reason if wee shall examine the opinions of others For wee know that they haue not alwaies kept the order of time in gathering together of the prophesies And it may bee that this Sermon of Isaiah had obtained first place here for no other cause but for that it containes a summe of that doctrine which shall be handled afterwards Others thinke they escape easily away when they expound all these things of vices and not of punishments but they cannot so easily auoid that which is spoken of the burning of cities and wasting of the land If any thinke the Prophet speakes not of the present estate of the kingdome but of that which was to come and that in the person of God hee denounceth the iudgements which were at hand howsoeuer they then saw them not before their eyes I doe not greatly gainesay it Although it be very likely that the Prophet speakes of things which were knowne vnto him It is rather a certaine narration then of a thing done than a prophesie though in the verse following I confesse he shewes what the issue is which approacheth Vers 8. And the daughter of Zion shall remaine like a cottage in a vineyard like a lodge in a garden of Cucumbers and like a besieged citie HE alludes euen to that custome which is now in vse amongst vs in France namely to a little cottage which the Vinekeepers prepare when the grapes doe ripen Also he vseth another Similitude which is almost like vnto the former drawne from the manner of that nation when the seruants watched to keepe the gardens of cucumbers Afterwards in vers 9. he himselfe expounds what he meanes both by the one by the other Now the exposition may be double to wit that all the countrie should be wasted and nothing left in safetie but the citie of Ierusalem which should remaine as a cottage or that the citie it selfe should bee brought to nought The Iewes follow the first interpretation and vnderstand this place of the siege of Senacherib but I thinke it reacheth further off namely to the destructions which followed afterwards We may alâ—o referre it to the neerenes of neighbourhood which being ruinated and destroyed amongst them it could not bee auoyded but that the citie should feele great losse thereby But as I take it the true meaning of the Prophet is that the euils whereof he speakes should come euen to the citie it selfe so as it beeing consumed ruinated and brought to nothing and into derision should become like a cottage Now he calles Ierusalem the daughter of Zion by a phrase of speech vsuall in the Scriptures which intitleth some people by the name of daughter as the daughter of Babylon and Tyre for the Babylonians and Tyrians themselues Also hee rather mentioneth Zion then Ierusalem because of the dignitie of the Temple and this manner of speech also is very frequent thorowout the whole Scriptures Vers 9. Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant we should haue been as Sodom and should haue been as Gomorah HEre he concludes that which he had pronounced before touching the scourges of God to wit that there should be such a ruin or rather that it is alreadie present so as by the beholding of it it might bee fitly resembled to the destruction of Sodom were it not that the Lord should pull out a few remainders as out of the midst of the fire This verse therefore confirmes that which I said erewhile where the Prophet hauing spoken of the calamities which were alreadie hapned did in briefe manner conioyne therewith the euent which should shortly ensue as if hee should haue said Suffer not your selues to be beguiled with faire words For looke what destruction hapned to Sodom and Gomorah the same should fall vpon you vnlesse the Lord in hauing compassion vpon you should reserue some few And vnto this agrees that which is said in Ieremiah Jt is the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed c. Lament 3.22 Now from hence we are to note two things First that he here denounceth an extreame ruin yet for as much as God hath to doe with his Church and elect people therefore this iudgement shall be mitigated by a particular and speciall fauour to the end the faithfull whom hee here rightly compares to small remnants may bee deliuered from the generall destruction of the whole nation Now if God hath punished the iniquities of the Iewes by such horrible chastisements doe we thinke the like wâ—ll not befall vnto vs if we partake with them in their rebellions for the Lord had consecrated this people to himselfe and had exempted them from the common condition of others And wherefore should he rather spare vs if we continue hardned in our impietie and disloyaltie But which more is what issue can wee expect in the midst of such an heape and puddle of vices whereinto men plunge themselues euery way thorowout the whole world Truly euen the same that befell to Sodom and Gomorah namely that we should be brought to nothing did not the respect which God hath to his free couenant wherein hee hath promised that his Church shall neuer perish withhold his vengeance from vs. This threatning also which is very terrible and fearefull appertaines to all those that are obstinate and desperate whose manners cannot bee reformed by any strokes of God his roddes On the other side wee are to note that which I haue alreadie touched out of Ieremiah namely that we ought to attribute it to the only mercie of God that we are not al vtterly consumed and brought to nothing For if we shall behold how great the iniquities are which do reigne in euery place and amongst all sorts of men we ought to admire Gods mercie that we see so much as one man aliue and that all haue not been cleane swept away from off the earth Thus it pleaseth the Lord to keepe his hand
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 conâ—aines tâ—e 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 Venetiâ—ns 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
As oft then as we shall thinke of the calamities wherwith the Church is so many waies afflicted let vs not by and by crie out that God hath cast her off as if because the wicked are let loose therefore they shall presentlie haue their willes but let vs on the contrarie assure our selues that the Lord will prouide a remedie for vs when his time appointed is come and in the meane while let vs reuerentlie and hartilie submit our selues vnder his iust iudgements Now if any be pleased by taking a narrower view of these words to gather that some are punished sooner some later as being deferred for a season this will not only be found probable but it is also fullie agreed vnto by the Prophet Hence then there is ministred vnto vs a singular consolation to wit the Lord will so moderate his strokes that at no hand he will bruise or breake in pieces those that are his seruants Indeed he destroyes the wicked and brings them to nothing but he corrects his children God destroys the wicked he only corrects his children that being thereby purged and tamed they may be brought home into his garner Vers 29. This also commeth of the Lord of hostes which is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in worke SOme expound this place as if the Prophet should say that this knowledge of Husbandrie comes of the Lord but I rather thinke it to be the application of the things that went before For as he hath set forth Gods wisedome in the smallest matters so would he now raise our minds higher that we might learne with the greater reuerence to consider of his secret and wonderfull iudgements We may and no doubt ought by the way to note as touching that which is conteined in the 26. verse that not Husbandrie alone but all other profitable arts also are the gifts of God All profitable sciences the gift of God who powres into their vnderstandings those artificiall and cunning inuentions Men therefore ought in no case to wax proud of them or to attribute the knowledge hereof vnto themselues as those of old time haue done who being vnthankfull vnto God haue deified those whom they thought to bee the deuisers of arts Thence came the heapes of so many goddes which the heathen haue forged vnto themselues out of the shop of their owne braine From out of this workehouse haue proceeded the great Ceres Triptoleme Mercurie and infinit others more so highly renowned by the words and writings of mem But our Prophet shewes that as these sciences were giuen them from God so ought they to be referred to his glory as to him that is the onely author and master workeman And if this esteeme be to be held of husbandry and other handicrafts what shall wee say of the noble and liberall sciences as of Physicke Law Astronomie Geometry Logicke and the like Shall we not much more affirme that these are the gifts of God If God be the author of handicrafts much more of Liberall arts Nay shal we not both coÌ„sider acknowledge his goodnesse in the bestowing of them that so as well in the least as in the greatest thereof we may set forth his honour and praise THE XXIX CHAPTER Vers 1. Ah * Or Ariel Ariel or woe be to c. altar altar of the Citie that Dauid dwelt in adde yeere vnto yeere let them kill lambs IT seems this should be another Sermon in which Isaiah threatens Ierusalem Hee calles it Ariel that is to say the Altar of God because the whole streÌ„gth of the Citie depended vpon the Altar For howsoeuer the Citizens trusted in other meanes whereof they had great store yet they chiefly relied vpon the Temple and the altar more then vpon anie other defences They thought themselues inuincible indeed by reason of their power and forces but aboue all they held themselues in a fort vtterly impregnable in regard that the Lord couered them vnder his wings Now they imagined that God was with them as long as they retained the Altar and the sacrifices Some thinke that the Temple is here called Ariel because it was proportioned like a lion to wit broad before and narrow behind but I had rather vnderstand it simply of the Altar and the rather for that Ezechiel also giues it this name Chap. 43.15 This prophecy doubtlesse was directed to the whole Citie but we must note the Prophets drift The Prophets drift which is to plucke away from the Iewes this fond trust because they thought God would surely helpe them as long as the Altar and sacrifices lasted For they bragged of them as those who vntruely perswaded themselues that they had serued God to the full albeit their liues were vile and wicked In the next place hee bends his speech against the Citie which hee adornes with a goodly title by calling it the Citie that Dauid once dwelt in and yet onely by way of yeelding so much vnto them for he will afterwards refute this their vaine pretext so full of vanitie Some by this word vnderstand little Ierusalem that is to say the innermost Citie which was also compassed about with walles for two Cities were comprised in one as it were because it was inlarged and extended the confines thereof further off then at the beginning but as I thinke this place should be vnderstood of the whole Citie He mentions Dauid in regard they gloried as much in his namâ— as if Gods blessing had bin continually tied to the palace royall for God indeed had promised that Dauids Kingdome should indure for euer 2. Sam 7.13 Psal 89.36 Hence wee may gather how sottish and ridiculous the Papists are now become who will needes lincke the Church to Saint Peters chaire Papists ridiculous in tying the Church to Saint Peters chaire and thus would make the world beleeue that God can no wherere find a place to dwell in but in the chaire of Rome Wee dispute not with them now whether Peter was euer Bishop of Rome or no but let vs grant it were vndoubtedly so yet dare they affiâ—me that Rome had at any time the like promise that IerusaleÌ„ had Rome neuer had that promise made her which God made to Ierusalem This is my rest here will I do all for I haue a delight therein Ps 132.14 But what if God had made them such a promise doe we not see how Isaiah threatens Ierusalem to wit that God is driuen thence God is banished from that place whence his word is excluded when his word was reiected and his pure worship corrupted What shall become of Rome then that hath no promise at all Dare shee compare with Ierusalem If God cursed that holy Citie which he had specially chosen what will he say thinke you to other Cities who haue ouerthrowne all his holy lawes and ordinances Adde yeere vnto yeere The Prophet ioynes this with the former because the Iewes thought themselues cleere aboard as they say when they
restauratioÌ„ of the Church A promise touching the restauration of the church of which the faithful were to make speciall account for if the Church shake or fall where is their prosperitie But he shewes that she shall be in such wise restored that he sets the thing euen before their eyes The Prophets are wont to speake of things to come as if they were already accomplished whereas indeed he speakes of a thing to come And this he doth that his words might be the more effectuall As if he should say Thou shalt see Zion restored and Ierusalem florishing yet once againe And albeit you now see all things confused and on an vproare so as you thinke Zion is laid in the dust yet euen in Zion shall you haue a safe and quiet dwelling place In calling it a Citie of solemnities he shewes wherein the restauration of Zion did chiefly consist Wherein the restauration of Zion chiefly consisted to wit because the people flocked thither to heare the law to renue their couenant with God to call vpon his name and to offer sacrifices for when they were depriued of these things they were as sheep scattered without a shepheard or as a bodie separate from the head in a word as a people vndone and depriued of all ioy And therefore the captiues in Babylon sorrow for nothing so much as that they were banished from Zion and could not inioy the comforts which there they were wont to finde Psal 137.5 It also appeares plainlie enough by many places that it hath bin the chiefe complaint of all the faithfull Moreouer he calles Zion a Citie because it stood in the midst of the Citie and it is also called the citie of Dauid The compasse of the whole Citie of Ierusalem was very large for there was a double wall as we haue shewed you heretofore which is to be seene also in many other Cities Note we here that in the restauration of the Church consists the fulnes of all blessings In the restauration of the church consists the fulnes of all blessings as the only blisse which we are to desire and wish for all other benefits abound they neuer so much waÌ„t we this are nothing as on the contrarie enioy we this we enioy all things for we can no way be miserable as long as Ierusalem that is to say the Church florisheth But when doth she florish When God sits as chiefe in our assemblies and when we couenant in his name to cleaue vnto him for euer The vnbeleeuers are forward to crowne themselues as it were with the title of Gods name as if their assemblies were gathered vnder his ensigne but all is hypocrisie For though they draw neere to him with their mouthes yet their hearts are farre off from him neither will they haue him nor his lawes to beare sway amongst them in any thing In the next place Isaiah saith that the faithfull which a long time had been tost to and fro with many tempests should now at the last haue a sure and quiet abode in the Church of God But howsoeuer the people had some small taste hereof vnder Hezekias yet the full accomplishmeÌ„t therof is performed in Christ only What maner of peace and quietnes it is which the faithfull inioy in this world vnderstand me not that euer since Gods children haue had safe and quiet dwelling in this world No this rest is now hidden for wee are faine to wander and stray vp and downe here and are driuen many times to shift from post to piller without any certaine abode tost with diuers tempests and whirlewinds we are on euery side assailed with infinit enemies and yet these combates must we suffer so as we can hardlie get so much as a minutes rest here Thinke not then that God promiseth such a peace as carnall sense can comprehend No we must diue into the deepest thoughts of our hearts reformed by the holy Ghost in righteousnes and holines if we will enioy this peace which passeth vnderstanding as Paul saith Phil. 4.7 This peace shall we be sure to enioy as the Lords gift if we remaine in the true Church By tabernacle and cords he fitlie and aptlie describes the condition of the Church For he might haue called it a citie well founded but he calles it a Tabernacle The Church rather called a Tabernacle then a Citie or Tent which is apt in an instant to be remoued from place to place To teach vs that although the estate of the Church seeme to haue little stabilitie in it and is subiect to many changes yet that she shall stand steadie and vnmoueable for all that she shal stand against all stormes and tempests Though the Church in this world be subiect to many changes as the Moone yet shall she stand vnmoueable against all stormes and tempests whatsoeuer as is proued in the verse following against all the furie of enemies although we thinke it vnpossible and can no way comprehend the reason of it Faith alone is it that can make things so repugnant to agree together to wit that there is safer dwelling in a sillie tent then in the strongest Castles in the whole world With this buckler must we beare off Satans blowes which otherwise would shake and shiuer vs to pieces as oft as we see the Church not a little tottering only but caried cleane away as with a whirlewind now hither now thither Who would thinke there were any saftie or place of rest to be looked for in these tempestuous whirleings But because the Lord will not haue his seruants altogether hampered in the things of this life that they may depend wholly vpon him this promised protection of his ought to be more esteemed of vs then thousands of other stayes besides Vers 21. For surely there the mightie Lord will be vnto vs as a place of floods and broad riuers whereby shall passe no ship with oares neither shall great ship passe thereby THe two particles Chi and Im stand often for a double affirmation but they are put here for expositiues we may also translate For if but I willinglie retaine that which is clearest Well the Prophet giues a reason why the Church which resembles a restlesse pauilion is notwithstaÌ„ding steadier then Cities well founded to wit because her Lord the Almightie is in the midâ—es of her for so she shall not be shaken as is said Psal 46.5 Separate God froÌ„ the Church once and she will fall of her selfe though no man put his least finger to it For wherof doth she consist but of a sort of poore weake and fraile creatures yea the frailest of all others But wheÌ„ God dwels in the midst of vs then he susteines and beares vp this feeble and weake nature and is to vs as a strong rampart deepe trenches yea euen as walles and riuers which compasse in a Citie round about Now the Prophet had respect to the situation of Ierusalem which had nought else but a little
to know that this was done by his commandement For some might obiect Obiect How can it be that the nations who now proudly resist God should come to yeeld him obedience He answers Ans Because the Lord will proclaime your returne in such wise that they shall vnderstand how you must be restored by his commandement But as touching that he addes Tell the daughter of Zion it properly appertaines to the Prophets and Ministers of the word to whom the Lord giues this charge to promise saluation and deliuerance vnto his Church Hence wee gather that these promises ought not to be restrained to one particular time Doctrine but must bee extended euen to all ages till the second appearing of Christ For if wee beginne at the returne out of Babylon into Iudea wee must passe along still to the comming of Christ because then this prophecie was truly fulfilled and the end of the deliuerance came because the Sauiour then appeared when the grace of God was published by the Gospell In a word he affirmes that Gods voice shall one day sound from the East to the West and shall not be vnderstood of one people onely but of all Now this voice is Behold thy Sauiour commeth which we know is the proper voice of the Gospell He therefore inioines the Teachers of the Church to raise vp the hearts of the faithfull vvith the comming of the Lord though vnto the people it seemed a thing far remote But this promise belongs chiefly to Christes kingdome who fully and perfectly did accomplish these things for he indeed shewed himselfe to be the sauiour of the vvorld as we haue seene heretofore in Chap. 40.10 And lest any scruple might remaine he furnisheth the Lord with power when he shall appeare as it is in that very place which we before alleaged for hee vseth the very same words there which are heere mentioned as if he meant to shew that as soon as it should please God to stretch forth his hand the effect will in a moment appeare for whilest he either ceaseth or deferres flesh and blood esteemes him idle Wee also see that many fantasticall spirits forge I know not what diuinitie as if they meant to paint out a dead image The Prophet therefore very aptly addes the vvorke and reward before God to shew that he is the iust Iudge of the world in the time of neede Vers 12. And they shall call them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be named a Citie sought out and not forsaken HE sets forth the benefit of the Lords comming The fruit of the Lords comming namely that in shewing how his elect are as deare vnto him as his owne heritage he will make it knowne to all the world that the couenant of Adoption by him contracted with Abraham is not in vaine for this cause he calles them the holy people in regard the Lord had separated and consecrated them vnto himselfe for though he gouerned all the nations of the world yet he vouchsafed to chuse the posteritie of Abraham to haue a speciall care thereof And in this sense God meant to say that his people shal be holy when he shall appeare their sauiour and redeemer And as the people are called prophane when they be plunged in their dregs being afflicted and vexed by the scoffings of the wicked so on the contrarie they are said to be holy when the Lord shewes himselfe by effects to be the God of their saluation which came to passe in their wonderfull deliuerance for then God shewed indeed that he remembred his holy couenant touching his heritage which he had as mans reason deemed vtterly reiected and cast off For in these words sought out and not forsaken we must note the opposition betweene the time wherein the Lord sued out this diuorce against his people and that wherein he reconciled those againe vnto himselfe vvhom he had put away THE LXIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Who is this that commeth from Edom with red garments from Bozrah he is glorious in his apparrell and walketh in his great strength I speake in righteousnes and am mightie to saue A preuention of a dangerous temptation THE expositors Christian haue misinterpreted this place as if that which is heere said should appertaine vnto Christ seeing the Prophet speakes simplie of God himselfe and thus they haue made a Iesus died all ouer vvith red in regard he was thorowly bathed in his owne blood which he shed vpon the Crosse But the Prophet had no such meaning at all The true and plaine sense is That the Lord presents himselfe here clothed vvith red garments before the people to aduertise all that he vvould maintaine the cause of his chosen The naturall meaning of this verse and be auenged on their enemies For whilest the people of God were pressed with infinite miseries and that the Idumeans with the rest of their aduersaries who were as it seemed out of all danger ouerflowed in all excesse of riot it might dangerouslie tempt the Iewes to thinke either that these things were guided by fortune or that God made light account of his children or that at least he chastised them with ouer great seueritie So then if God corrected the Iewes because of the contempt of his name and religion how much more were the Jdumeans and other enemies to bee roughlie dealt withall being the sworne enemies thereof The Prophet meetes with this so cumbersome a temptation by bringing in God the auenger Psal 94.1 returning from the slaughter of the Edomites as if hee had been stained all ouer vvith their blood The force of interrogations Now this description is liuely and full of efficacie when hee saith Who is this For such an interrogation rauisheth the minds of the hearers into an admiration and affects them more then if it had been vttered in plaine termes The Prophet did the rather vse it that hee might thereby awaken the Iewes who were become drâ—uzie and besotted We know that the Idumeans were somewhat akin to the Iewes in regard they were descended from the same ancestors with them For they were thus called of Esau who was also called Edom Gen. 36.1 These hauing corrupted the pure worship of God See Obad. 10.11 though they had the same marke of circumcision notwithstanding persecuted the Iewes most despitefully And besides they exasperated the rage of other enemies against the Iewes manifesting to all what great pleasure they tooke in the ruine of this poore people as it appeares by their egging on of the Babylonians Remember O Lord saith the Church Psalm 137.7 the children of Edom who in the day of Ierusalems ruine said downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Thus then the Prophet denounceth that the Edomits shall also keepe their turne in being iudged according to their deserts that none might otherwise think but they should surely bee punished for the barbarous crueltie by them exercised against their brethren For the Lord wil
wee should bee of being corrupted with idolatry 44. 14 Idoll ministers 56. 10 Roman idoll 60. 14 Idols matches to kindle Gods wrath withall 1. 31 Things of nought 2. 8 They must bee vtterly reiected 17. 8. and 30. 22. and 31. 7 How they are said to be made of nought 41. 24 The works of mens hands 2. 8. and 17. 8. 31. 7 The trust in idols vaine 8. 21 Their Oracles how ambiguous and deceitfull 41. 9 22 Their vanitie how great 41. 29. 46. 2 Idumeans and their beginning 63. 1 Sworne enemies of Gods people 63. 1 2 Their ruine foretold 34. 1 10 11. 63. 1 Iehu prophaned Baals altars 30. 22 Iereboam hath many followers 22. 23 Ierusalem miraculously saued 10. 32 Why called the Citie of God 45. 13 Why called the daughter of Zion 1. 8 Why called Citie of vanitie 24. 10 How said to be formed of old 37. 26 How she is said to haue plaid the harlot 1. 21 In what sense called virgin 37. 21 How her foundations are said to bee euerlasting 44. 7 Iewes Iewes originall 41. 4. 43. 27. 51. 1. 65. 7 Apostataes 1. 4 Bold in forging fables 37. 36. 40. 31. 48. 21 Corrupters of the Scripture 49. 6 Why called a nation spoiled 18. 2 A paterne of cursing 65. 15 Their children degenerate 29. 22. 31. 6. 48. 1 and 57. 3 How enemies of God 1. 24 Inexcusable 2. 5 3. 31. 4. 40. 28. 42. 20. 44. 8. 48. 5. 50. 1 2. 65. 12. 66. 4. Defiled with the corrupt customes of the Gentiles 2. 6. 48. 5 The first borne in the Church of God 14. 2. 19. 25 Why compared to a worme 41. 14 They leaned vpon the power of the Egyptians 19. 1. 30. 1. 31. 1 Why it is said they offered no sacrifices to God 43. 23 Their afflictions diuers 1. 2 Their apostacie 1. 2 4 21. 5. 24 Their insatiable couetousnes 2. 5 Their blinding 6. 10. 29. 10 11. 42. 19 Their wilfull blinding 42. 21 Their wofull condition 3. 12 Their false confidence 30. 17 Their rebellion and obstinacie 1. 5. 6. 9 10. 9. 8 13. 22. 6 7. 29. 7. 30. 1. 31. 1. 48. 4. 49. 6. 57. 10 17. 59. 1. 65. 2 5. 66. 4. Their distrust 30. 1. 49. 14 A fable of theirs touching Senacherib 37. 38 Their vaine confidence 20. 1. 22. 3. 29. 1. and 23. 1 2. 66. 1 Their boasting 57. 4. 65. 15 Their hypocrisie 20. 13 20. 30. 10. 58. 3 Their pride 22. 3. 65. 15 Idolatry 1. 29. 2. 8 Impudency 48. 3 Infidelitie 65. 3 Ingratitude 1. 2. 2. 5. 5. 2. 22. 11. 24. 5. 26. 10. 27. 11. 28. 7. 29. 22. 31. 1. 41. 9. and 46. 8. 48. 3. 50. 3. 63. 8. 65. 3 Their desperate malice 1. 4 Their diseases incurable ibid Their fathers how wicked 43. 27 Their prerogatiue 19. 25. 22. 1. 42. 6. 61. 9 Their presumption 30. 12 Headinesse 20. 2. 26. 2. 29. 1 Their sottish brutishnesse 29. 9. 42. 22 25. 57. 10. and 60. 9 Their superstition 65. 11. 66. 3 Carelesnesse 1. 7. and 28. 9 Equalitie of Iewes and Gentiles 45. 23 Why the Iewes were discontented with their estate 8. 6 Titles giuen the Iewes to their disgrace 7. 13 Prouoked by the Gentiles 2. 5. 55. 6 Ignorance voluntary condemned 5. 13 Whether it be the cause of all euils 5. 13 Ignorance excuseth not 27. 11 A learned ignorance 6. 4 Why the Hebrewes call all sinnes ignorance 27. 11 Of a simple and an affected ignorance 5. 13 Nothing more vnseemly in Ministers of the word then ignorance 56. 10 Iim 13. 21 An abomination to erect and set vp Images 40. 18 Images held to be lay mens bookes 2. 8 And what fruit they reape by them ibid A wicked imitation 57. 5. and 66. 3 Immortalitie of soules 57. 2 Impatience must be corrected 16. 5 Impenitencie how displeasing to God 22. 14 A great sinne ibid. Implicit saith of the Papists what 52. 15 Imprecation of the faithfull against the Babylonians 13. 12 Incredulitie a dangerous sicknes 42. 8 It onely prouokes God to wrath 45. 24 The punishment of it 6. 10 Signes of infidelitie 40. 5 Infidelitie cause of trouble in the mind 30. 15 Infirme how they must be supported 42. 3 Ingratitude a detestable vice 44. 21 It ought to be eschewed 60. 15 Inhumanitie flowes from the contempt of God 59. 3 Inhumanitie condemned 16. 4 Innocencie of Christ 53. 9 Good intents of Papists confuted 66. 4 God reiects our good intentions if they bee not warranted by his word 65. 7 Vse and force of interrogations 23. 9. and 43. 19. 48. 11. and 51. 19. and 57. 6. and 63. 1 12. All inuentions of men condemned 1. 29 Why men please themselues so much in their inuentions 1. 12 Nothing angreth God more then when we follow our owne inuentions 65. 2 Inuocation of Gods name accompanied with true repentance 19. 22 Inuocation put for Gods whole seruice 64. 6 Very necessary in the faithfull 41. 17. 55. 6 Inuocation of Saints departed confuted 65. 24 True ioy flowes from Gods fauour 12. 2 6. See Faithfull Wicked Isaiah the kinsman of Christ 5. 1 Exposed to the outrages of the wicked 50. 4 Why he was commanded to walke naked 20. 2 A Prophet appointed for the Iewes 1. 1. and .6 and 23. 18 He bewailes the desolation of the Church in pitifull maner 22. 4 Why hee bewailes the calamitie of the Churches enemies 16. 9. In what sense he termes the Idols prophaned 30. 22 Why hee separates himselfe from the crew of the wicked 42. 24. 59. 3 How he is said to command the Medes and Persians 13. 2. 21. 2 He speakes in the person of another 16. 9. and 21. 3 He represents Gods person 21. 2 Why hee preacheth to the afflicted Iewes of his time 1. 7 How he is said to see God 6. 1 Why called Gods friend 5. 1 His authority confirmed 6. 8. and 7. 11. and 13. 2. 16. 13. 50. 4 His inuincible constancie 8. 8. and 22. 17. and 25. 1. and 30. 8. and 39. 3. 5. and 62. 1. Whether his nakednesse was vnbeseeming him or no 20. 2 His vocation newly confirmed 6. 1 Isaiah the sonne of Amos 1. 1. and 2. 1. and 13. 1. and 20. 2 Israel a name most honourable 1. 3 Named by way of dishonour 4. 7 Israel double 43. 6 Cause of the Israelites ruine 17. 10 Their false confidence 17. 9 Their ingratitude 17. 9 10 Their disloialtie 17. 9 Their pride 28. 1 Italians and the signes of their sorrow 15. 2 Iudah put for the whole nation 1. 1 Iudeah and the ruine thereof foretold 22. 1 Why called the valley of vision 22. 1 Iudea full
together all the testimonies wherein the Prophets promise the afflicted that they shall be restored in the person of Dauid Ier. 30.9 Ezech 34.23 24. 37.24 Hosea 3.5 or of his Sonne For they sometimes say that Dauid should be King who yet notwithstanding was dead long time before So Isaiah in this place shewes that hee propounds nothing of his owne head but onely refresheth their memories with the consideration of that which God had in times past promised touching the eternitie of this Kingdome By the way then hee touched that which Amos had handled more fully to wit that the throne of Christ which had been ouerthrowne for a time should be set vp againe Amos 9.11 Isaiah also describes the estate of this kingdome but it is vnder a similitude taken from earthly kingdomes For he saith that Christ shall be a King who shall order and establish his kingdome by iudgement and by iustice These indeede are the two meanes whereby worldly gouernments doe flourish and stand stedfast which on the contrary doe by and by fall to ruine when they are gouerned by violence and tyranny Iustice the fortresse of Kingdomes Therefore in regard that iustice is an excellent defence and fortresse of kingdomes and gouernments and that the felicitie of the whole people depends thereupon the Prophet by this particular teacheth that the Kingdome of Christ shall bee an example and paterne of an excellent gouernement But this iudgement and iustice whereof hee heere speakes Christs Kingdome spirituall appertaines not to outward policie because wee must hold the proportion which is between the kingdome of Christ and the conditions of it Now it being spirtuall it is established by the power of the holy Ghost Lastly all this ought to be referred to the inward man to wit when we are regenerate of God to be made truely righteous The outward iustice indeede followes forthwith but it is necessary that this renouation of the spirit and heart doe goe before We are none of Christs vnlesse we be giuen to vprightnesse We are none of Christs then vnlesse wee bee giuen to vprightnesse and equitie bearing that righteousnesse in our hearts which he hath engrauen and fixed there by his holy Spirit Where it is added from hence forth it seemes it should rather be referred to the perpetuity of iustice and doctrine then to the eternitie of the Kingdome to the end wee should not tâ—â—nke his lawes resemble those of Kings and Princes which continue in comparison but three daies or a very smal time and are sometimes renued that a little while after they should come to nothing but that wee might know how the vertue and power thereof endures for euer For they are established as Zachariah saith in his song that wee might serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1 75. Rom. 6.9 For as Christs Kingdome is perpetuall because himselfe dieth not so also iustice and iudgement endures for euer and cannot be changed by any time The zeale of the Lord. By zeale I vnderstand a burning affection and care which God will manifest in the conseruation of his Church by remouing all difficulties and impediments which otherwise might hinder the deliuerance of it For euen as when wee enterprise some difficult and hard matter our affection vehemencie and ardent desire surmounts all the hinderances which lie in our way to breake off or let our indeuours so Isaiah shewes that God will be inflamed with a rare and singular desire to saue his Church that if the faithfull in their vnderstandings cannot comprehend the promise which hee erewhile made them yet they should not cease therefore to be of good comfort because the way and course which God holds is wonderfull and incomprehensible Lastly hee signifies that the Lord will not come with a light and slowe arme to deliuer his Church for hee will alwaies be inflamed with an inestimable loue which hee beares to his faithfull ones and with the care of their saluation Vers 8. The Lord hath sent a word into Iacob and * Or is fallen it hath lighted vpon Israel HEere followes a new prophecie And as I thinke this Sermon is diuided from the former because the Prophet speakes now of the future estate of the Kingdome of Israel which was then aduersarie to the Iewes Now wee know that the Iewes were terrified with the forces and power of this Kingdome and not without cause especially when the Israelites made a league with the Syrians because the Iewes were too weake to resist their power Wherefore for the comfort of the faithfull hee shewes what the estate of the Kingdome of Israel shall be He takes Iacob and Israel for one and the same but this variety hath his elegancie when hee shewes that the wicked shall gaine nothing by their deuices in seeking to winde themselues out of Gods iudgements and to blot out the remembrance thereof He alludes to the speech of those who thinke to escape by scoffes and taunts turning whatsoeuer the Prophets doe threaten vnto sport and matter of merriment as if some wise man would striue to beate backe a tempest by blowing against it with his mouth It is a yeelding of the thing vnto them then by way of derision as if hee should say You are of opinion that God will bring euery thing to passe which hee hath threatned vpon others but all the menaces which he pronounceth against Iacob shall also fall vpon Israel The verbe To send is taken To appoint or ordaine The particle Beth signifies into Iacob himselfe For the word of God must abide and rest there because it cannot be that the same should vanish away without his fruit So then he teacheth that in this place which he will repeate heereafter in other tearmes My word shall not returne to me in vaine Chap. 55.11 because looke what hee hath once decreed is neuer published but it fructifieth For by the word to fall he shewes the certaine effect and euent of the thing as if he should say I imagine not neither doe I foreshew these things out of mine own braine but it is God which hath spoken who can neither change nor be deceiued Vers 9. And all the people shall know euen Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and presumption of their heart BY the word people I vnderstand not the Iewes but rather the Israelites as also that herewithall the Prophet looseth this knot by naming Ephraim expresly He addes Samaria thereunto which was the capitall citie of this people or of the ten Tribes because the strong and best furnished Cities which think theÌ„selues out of all danger are for the most part much more proud then others For they thinke by agreeing with the enemie to bee alwaies able to escape out of danger although all the rest of the Country villages be destroyed And therfore Isaiah threatens that it also shall bee enwrapped in the very same
are confused we then begin to be troubled doubting in our selues whether things fall out by chance or whether they be gouerned by the prouidence of God For this cause the Lord telles vs that he is the authour of this change and renueth the face of the world to teach vs that nothing is permanent here below that so wee might with our whole heart aspire to that Kingdome of Christ which onely is perpetuall In regard then that these changes were neere it was needfull the Iewes should be aduertised of it aforehand that when they saw them come to passe these things might be called to minde that therein they might behold the prouidence of God and so gather increase of faith Neither is it to be doubted but the Iewes were carried with diuers distractions of minde to and fro in seeing the world so shaken on all sides and therefore sought by all meanes they might to auoid these waues and tempests For it is our desire alwaies to be in such a place of safetie as we may be free from all danger of gunshot as they say Some of them peraduenture then might seeke some other place of aboad the better to prouide for their owne affaires but when the mischiefe should presse them on euerie side this might make them tarry at home and admonished them that they could finde no better or safer habitation then in the companie of the faithfull By this example also many might be aduertised who for feare of dangers separated themselues from the Church thinking they could finde none greater out of it The Iewes then might be solicited with such thoughts for we haue seene in the eight Chapter that they had restlesse mindes Seeing then they were thus in doubt that they ranne to strangers for succour they might easilie be out of heart And therefore as I take it this is the principall reason why Isaiah thus denounceth the ruine of the Dumeans namely that the Iewes might willingly put themselues vnder Gods protection and aboue all things might recommend the safetie of the Church vnto him Let vs hence learne to keepe our selues in the lap of Gods Church We ought to keepe our selues in the lap of Gods Church though we see her suffer sundry trials 1. Pet. 4.17.18 be it that wee see her afflicted with diuers and sundry calamities and let vs rather gladly susteine those louing chastisements which are proper to her children then to wander abrode to drinke the lees and dregs which shall strangle and choke the wicked For if the children be thus chastised what shall become of the strangers and reprobates It may be also that the Dumeans molested Gods people whilest their neighbours assailed them on all sides Of Seir. It was a mountaine of Idumea as it appeareth Gen. 14.6 And vnder the name of this mountaine hee comprehends the whole Kingdome Now in this place he represents as in a glasse those things which had neede of words of vehemencie And seeing the Idumeans asked the watchman what was in the night it is very likely they were not farre off and were in hazard of the common danger for he brings them not in inquiring as curious to know what newes but they aske what the watch saw in the night as when one inquires then comes another and the third will come and doe the like Hereunto tends the repetition that it was not one alone that inquired but many as men are wont to doe when things are doubtfull and perplexed when euery one affrighted in himselfe giues credit to nothing that is told them Vers 12. The watchmen said The morning commeth and also the night if yee will aske enquire returne and come HIs meaning is that this feare shall not last a day onely or some little space as if the watchman should answer I will tell you that to morrow which I told you to day and if you feare now you shall also feare to morrow Now it is a most miserable condition when men are so troubled as they hang in suspence whether they shall liue or die it being that extreme curse wherewith the Lord threatens the wicked by Moses wWo will warrant me life till the euening And when the euening is come who will let mee see the morning Deut. 28.67 True it is that the faithfull are inuironed about with many dangers this note of thankfulnes he aggrauates their crime â—hat in so great light of the heauenly truâ—th they ceassed not to stumble as if they had been vtterly destitute of it Whâ—t hast thou to doe here He now bends his speech to Ierusalem not that this destruction concerned that Citie alone but becauâ—e the whole land thought themselues secured vnder the shadow of the Sanctuarie which was in it as alâ—o that the Iewes might thinke what was like to befall them if this Citie which was so well furnished should be thus dealt withall He askes by way of admiration whence it comes that euerie one left his house fleeing to the tops thereof to saue their liues Now the roofes of the Iewes houses were made otherwise then ours are and thence it is â—hat Iesus Christ saith What I tell you in the eare that preach you on the house tops Mat. 12.27 When the inhabitants of Ierusalâ—m then fled to the tops of their houses and left the houses themselues to the wils of their enemies it was a signe that they were exceedingly flâ—ghted They might all get vp thither to chase away their enemies with darts and arrowes but his meaning rather is that the enemie constrained them to runne vp thither because they were not onely amased at their comming but also fled for feare yet so as their flight should not saue them Vers 2. Thou that art full of noise a Citie full of brute a ioyous Citie thy slaine men Or are not slaine shall not bee slaine with sword nor die in battell HIs meaning is that it was peopled and full of inhabitants because there is great noise where many people are gathered together neither can the feare there be so great Isaiah addes this by way of amplification to wit that whereas being a sufficient number they should haue been vpon the walles and ramparts to defend the Citie they like cowards gaue place to the enemies and fled vp to the tops of their houses He therefore presseth the Iewes the more neerely with these words that they might duly weigh the iudgement of God for when mens hearts are cast downe with so great feare it is certaine that such an astonishment is sent of God It is as much theÌ„ as if the Prophet had said Whence comes it that thou hast no more courage to resist Surely because the Loâ—d himselfe chaseth and pursueth thee Now this doctrine is taken out of the 28. of Deuteronomie for we haue often said that the Prophets doe many times borrow sentences out of Moses to serue their turne withall onely the difference is that they apply that particularly which Moses spake in generall The
her Therefore in seeing the Church so many waies and with such diuers calamities afflicted at this day and an infinit number of soules to perish whom Iesus Christ hath redeemed with his pretious blood must we not needs be cruell and barbarous if we be moued with no sorrow at all Especiallie the Ministers of the word ought to be thorowlie touched with the feeling of this sorrow for as they are held for the watchmen and therefore can see further off so also ought they to sigh when they perceiue the signes of a scattering of the sheepe to be at hand Now the Prophets publike teares serued as we haue said to breake the hearts of the people for he had to doe with men of such obstinacie as could not easilie be brought to lament There is a place almost like vnto this in Ieremiah where he bewailes the destruction and scattering of the people saying that his soule fainted with sorrow Iere. 4.31 And in another place Who will graunt that my head might be filled with waters and that mine eies might be a fountaine of teares to weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Iere. 9.1 Iere. 9.1 When the Prophets perceiued they labored in vaine to breake the hard hearts of this people surely they could not chuse but be ouerwhelmed with griefe and sorrow and therefore they indeuored by all meanes to mollifie y◠hearts of the obstinate that if it were possible they might be bowed and brought back againe into the right way Vers 5. For it is a day of trouble and of ruin and of perplexitie by the Lord of hosts in the valley of vision breaking downe the Citie and a crying vnto the mountaines HE againe signifies that the Lord is the Author of this fearefull iudgement Though it be often told vs that God is the author of our afflictiōs yet we forget it when we should put this knowledge in practise and to the end the Iewes might not gaze heere and there wondring that the enemies should get the vpper hand he tels them plainely that they fight against God himselfe Now albeit we often meete with this doctrine in the holie Scriptures yet notwithstanding it is no way superfluous neither can it be so often repeated but we forget it when we are to practise it thence it is that we humble not our selues before our Iudge but cast our eyes rather vpon men and externall meanes then vpon God who would easilie remedie our euils By day he meanes a time prefixed according to the vsuall prase of the Scripture because it seemes that God yeelds ouer his right for a time when he winkes at mens wickednesse but he forthwith recouers it againe in that season that himselfe hath appointed Now it is not for nought that he names the valley of vision againe for the Iewes thought themselues secured from all dangers because it pleased God to inlighten them by his word But because they did vnthankfully reiect the doctrine thereof it was but a vaine confidence to thinke the bare inioying of it should any way profit them for the Lord not onely punisheth the infidelitie of those that are out of the Church but that also of the Church it selfe Nay rather he begins to manifest his anger against it first for he will not indure to haue his graces abused nor that men should boast of his titles in vaine That which is added touching The cry of the mountaine it may be referred to God to the Caldeans and to those also which fled because the vanquishers raised vp a cry to augment the terrour but the vanquished either cried for mercie and fidelitie or else testified their sorrow by teares weepings The singular number may also be takē for the plurall or else it is meant of that side of the Citie in which the Temple was built Both expositions agree to the text and there is no great difference whether we say That the enemies cried from the mountaine of Zion to incourage one another or that their cry was heard of the neighbour mountaines when they pilled and destroyed the Citie or that the citizens themselues made their lamentations sound to the mountaines which inuironed the plaine of Iordan Vers 6. And Elam bare the quiuer in a mans chariot with horsemen and Kir vncouered the shield THe expositours are of opinion that this is a continued speech that the Prophet denounceth the same iudgement against the Iewes that he had done before But when I consider all things aduisedly I am enforced to bee of the contrarie opinion for I thinke the Prophet vpbraides the Iewes with their obstinacie and rebellion See the exposition of the eleuenth verse for that giues light to this for that they repented not albeit the Lord had chastised them and thus he repeates the historie of the time past to put them in remembrance that God his chastisements had done them no good Thus should these things bee distinguished from the former In the other verses he foretold what should happen to the Iewes but now he shewes that they are iustly punished and that they haue deserued these violent blowes wherewithall the Lord smites them For hee had called them to repentance not onely by his word but also by most wofull effects yet had they shewed none amendement at all notwithstanding that their wealth was wasted and the Kingdome weakened but proudly persisted in their rebellion There remained nothing thē but that the Lord should bring heauie iudgements vpon them seeing they thus persisted in their obstinacy and rebellion Now I haue translated this Hebrew coniunction Vau by way of opposition it being often taken in this sense Those who thinke the Prophet threatens in the time to come retaine the proper sense as if the Prophet hauing made mention of God should by and by adde the executioners of his vengeance But I haue already shewed what exposition I haue approued and it shall appeare hereafter by the course of the text that mine opinion is not without good reason In that hee names the Elamits and the Kirenians it agrees better as I take it to the Assyrians then to the Babylonians For although these nations did neuer make war vpon the Iewes by their owne instinct yet is it very likely that they were in wages with the King of Assyria and occupied a place in his host when he besieged Ierusalem Now we haue said alreadie that by the Elamits are meant the Esterne people and vnder the name of Kir it is certaine that the Prophet comprehends the Kirenians And because they bare shields he saith they discouered them because they drew them forth of their cases when they entred into the battell Whereas some translate In the chariot of horsemen I reiect it not yet had I rather render the words of the Prophet word for word for I thinke he meanes a chariot of warre They vsed then two sorts of chariots one serued to beare the baggage and the other to
fight in Now the Prophet speakes of those whereupon the horsemen were mounted Vers 7. Or and that it came to passe c. And thy chiefe vallies were full of Chariots and the horsemen set themselues in array against the gates IF this be a threat it should be expounded in the time to come to wit And it shall come to passe But because the words following are put in the time past and that it appeares the Prophet speakes of things alreadie fallen out I haue not been afraid to appropriate this beginning to that which is by and by added The chiefe of the vallies is taken for faire and fruitfull Now he puts the Iewes in mind of these distresses into which they were brought by Senacherib whilest hee besieged them and whilest the enemies were before the gates of the Citie for then ought they to haue fled vnto God for succour But then did these poore Iewes runne so much the further away from him and the more shamefully did they manifest their rebellion herein shewing themselues vtterly desperate Therefore is it that hee vpbraides them with this obstinate rebellion Vers 8. And he * Or carried away discouered the couering of Iudah and thou didst looke in that day to the armour of the house of the forrest HE shewes in what anguish the Iewes were when they were thus hardlie besieged Some referre this speech vnto God others to the enemies but I had rather take it indefinitlie for he hath caried away is a phrase of speech vsed of the Hebrues that is the couering of Iudah was caried away By the word couering all almost vnderstand the Temple or the name of God it selfe vnder which the Iewes falslie bragged But for mine owne part I take it more simplie for their Armorie wherein they shut vp as in a most secret place their instruments and furniture for the warre For he calles it not a couering as if these things were not discouered to all but because they were laid vp in a place pur apart or consecrate And thus hee sets that forth which we see to happen in great hurlie burlies for then euery one runnes to his weapon bringing out the munitions for war which were hidden before The latter member is ioined with this to wit that they then searched diligentlie euery place where they might get weapons in such an extreame necessitie because the furniture for warre had been hid a long time whilest they inioyed peace Now the holie historie witnesseth that Salomon had built this house of the forest 1. King 7.2 that all the armor and instruments of warre might be laid vp there The change of the person in this word thou darkens not the sense but rather confirmes that which I haue said to wit that the Prophet recites after what maner the Iewes were letted in making preparations to defend the Citie Vers 9. And ye haue seene the breaches of the citie of Dauid for they were many and ye gathered the waters of the lower poole HE coÌ„tinues forth his discourse for whilst matters go well and that all things are in quiet men care not greatlie neither for munition nor for warlike furniture nothing but necessitie awakens men Necessitie is it which coÌ„monly awakens vs. and makes them carefull peace and rest makes vs become lazie slothfull As long then as they thought themselues free from gunshot they neglected to make vp the breaches of the walles but when the drum once stroke vp then they gaue themselues to the care of these things and to take order for letting the enemie froÌ„ getting passage By the Citie of Dauid hee meanes the middest of the Citie which was deuided into two parts which we may see in many Cities Ierusalem was enuironed with walles and ditched round about but this middle place was the strongest fortresse they had and it was called the Citie of Dauid The Temple also was fortified so as the Citie was deuided as it were into three Now Isaiah meant to say that the Iewes had almost lost all hope of sauing the Citie when they thus retired into the middlemost which was strongger then all the rest And it appeares very well by the holie historie that their case was very desperate Thus wee may also gather that the prophesies were not gathered in order so as they which put them into one volume did not stand much vpon the circumstance of the time He addes the waters were gathered for their necessitie that the necessities of those which were besieged might be supplied therewith and thus the poole serued them for a Cisterne Vers 10. And yee numbred the houses of Ierusalem and the houses haue yee broken downe to fortifie the wall HIs meaning is that they viewed the Citie narrowlie and on euery side that no house nor building might annoy the defence of it Others say that the houses were numbred that they might haue watchmen out of them but the first exposition seemes the sittest for it is confirmed by that which is added after that there were houses broken downe to repaire the walles of the Citie We make no â—eckning of these things in the time of peace and oftentimes men of meane estate will build houses euen vpon the very ramparts therefore they must be pulled downe in time of warre that from thence they may fight and repulse the enemie and also lest any should haue any secret speech with the enemie if houses were so neere the walles Vers 11. And haue also made a ditch betweene the two walles for the waters of the old poole and haue not looked to the maker thereof neither had respect vnto him that formed it * Or long agoe THe first part of this verse is conioined with that which hath been expounded heretofore for his meaning is that they were put to their plunges and so flighted with imminent danger that they were driuen to vse all meanes possible to fortifie themselues against the enemie In the second part of the verse he taxeth their senselesnes in being so taken vp with seeking after worldlie helps that they forsooke that which was the principall For whereas they should first haue had their recourse vnto God they neglected it in contriuing of ditches ramparts walles and other defences of warre and yet did their chiefe defence all this while rest in God Now then it appeares that that which I saide in the beginning is true to wit that he forctels not heere the destruction of the Iewes but only puts them in minde of that they had felt in former time that from thence he might take occasion to shew how iustlie the Lord was angrie with them because no chastisement nor correction whatsoeuer could amend them For their extreame dangers into which they were fallen ought to haue admonished them of their impietie and contempt of God but they became so much the more hardened And yet there is scarcely any man so obstinate who in time of aduersitie and especially in the middest of great
word small or little as if hee should say There is nothing so little or contemptible which he will not haue care of Vers 25. And in that day saith the Lord of hostes shall the naile that is fastened in the sure place depart and shall be broken and fall and the burden that was vpon it shall be cut off for the Lord hath spoken it THis might seeme to contradict that which hath been said heretofore but he speakes no longer now of Eliakim but returnes againe to Shebna who should be put out of his office as Isaiah had foretold Otherwise what way or meanes were there left for Eliakim to come to this honour vnlesse Shebna were put out But he had laid his plot in such exquisite manner that he neuer imagined any man whatsoeuer should bee able to supplant him Thus when hee tooke himselfe to bee in best case and furnished with manie meanes so as it seemed he was furthest out of danger euen then must hee be turned out of all and Eliakim must succeed him In that he calles it a faithfull or sure place it must bee vnderstood as in regard of men who thinke that things fortified on euerie side must needes continue alwaies but God with his onely blast ouerthrowes all these munitions Hee speakes then by way of granting when hee saith that this was a sure and stable place Whence we are to gather how fondly such glorie and trust in their greatnesse who are aduanced into high places of honour seeing they may be stripped out of all and abased in the twinckling of an eye It followeth And the burden When the wicked begin once to fall It is not safe to serue such masters as are not Gods seruants then those who were vpheld by their authoritie must needes fall together with them For is it not good reason that such as were brethren in euill with them and had furthered this wretch as farre as they could that they should also partake with him in his punishment Verie hard it is for them then who shrowd themselues vnder the protection of the wicked and imploying all their meanes for their seruice that such should not also therewithall be guiltie of their wicked courses and be it they should be guiltlesse which yet falles out very seldome or rather indeedd neuer yet notwithstanding they are iustly punished because they haue placed their hopes in the wicked as in a sure fortresse and haue wholly relied vpon their command and authoritie THE XXIII CHAPTER Vers 1. The burden of Tyre Howle ye shippes of Tarshish for it is destroyed so that there is none house none shall come from the land of Chittim it is reuealed vnto them TYre was a verie rich Citie and greatly renowned in regard of the traffique which all nations had with it as also in regard of the townes of warre and Cities habitable which it built as Carthage which imitated the Roman Empire Vtique Leptis Gades and other Cities who all sent their presents to Tyre hereby protesting that they acknowledged this to be the mother Citie But Isaiah threatens it with destruction The cause of this prophecie because it wronged the people of God as we may gather out of Ezechiel 26.2 For we are chiefly to consider the cause of this destruction in regard it is the Prophets meaning to reueale Gods fatherly loue to his elect and chosen people who meant to set himselfe against all their enemies Some thinke that this should be referred to the siege of Alexander Alexander who tooke Tyre with great difficultie But this supposition is too weake because Isaiah mentions Chittim vnder which name the Hebrewes not onely comprehend the Macedonians but other nations also as the Greekes and all those which are beyond the seas Now King Nebuchadnezzer vsed the helpe not onely of the souldiers of his owne Country in this siege but other strangers also which he had called from among the Greekes and other places Besides the Greekes are spoken of for another respect as we shall see by and by after namely because in time to come they should not bring their ships any more to Tyre to trade there Yet the end of this Chapter giues me occasion to be of a contrary opinion because Isaiah speakes there of the restauration of Tyre which was neuer repaired after Alexander the Great tooke it by force Moreouer when I conferre Ezechiels words with these me thinkes they make but one prophecie He speakes not then of Alexander but of Nebuchaâ—nezzâ—r and so doubtlesse it is to be expounded Adde hereunto that in the time of Ezâ—chiel and Isaiah this Citie was vnder the command of a king but when Alexander took it the histories say it was brought into the forme of a Commonwealth And if we shall consider the end of the prophecie wee shall be sufficiently confirmed in this opinion for his purpose was to comfort the Iewes by threatning an ineuitable punishment to the Tyrians of whom they had been afflicted For it had been a thing verie vnreasonable for the Lord to haue chastised other nations and that these in the meane while which had been no lesse enemies should haue escaped scotfree or should haue bin smitten fiue hundred yeeres after All these coniectures then lead vs to expouÌ„d this place of Nebuchadnezer Howle He inricheth the declaration of the ruine of this Citie with diuers figures and it is his custome so to speake that he might get the more authoritie to his prophecie For to deliuer such a thing in a plaine speech would haue been but cold neither would it haue been sufficiently effectuall to comfort the hearts of those who a long time had been weake and faint and therefore he sets it forth before them as it were in fresh and liuely colours And first he shewes that the destruction shall be very great in regard that euen the regions farre off shal feele it and he commands the ships to howle because they shall haue no imployment when Tyre shall be destroyed Now he especially names the ships of the Cilicians because they being neighbours vsed to traffiâ—ue much and often with the Tyrians and the Hebrewes call Cilicia Tarshish Neither could it possibly be but the destruction of Tyre must bring great detriment to this Country not onely in that the vsuall trâ—ffiques ceased for a time but also in regard that the Merchants goods together with their bookes of accounts were carried away and scattered here and there as it vsually falles out when the houses of rich men are rifled Where I haue translated they shall come no more others expound it There shall bee no house remaining by which you may enter but I take it I haue faithfully rendred the Prophets meaning not as if he thought that all passage should be taken from the Cilicians and Greekes but he meant rather to say that they shall goe no more to Tyre as they were wont in times past because the mart there should cease Those who thinke the
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 eaâ—th is cuâ—sed 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 â—ouch 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 effâ—cts 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 Tâ—hu 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
that which hee hath foretold alone but also what end the Lord aimed at in this execution that is to say why he afflicted so many nations with such diuersities of punishments namely that he might bring vnder those which were before vnrulie and ouerflowed in a brutish sensualitie who as they had no feare of God before their eyes so had they no sense of religion or godlinesse at all Thou art my God Being perplexed and confounded in himselfe he suddenly turnes his thoughts vnto God as we haue said Whence we may gather a very profitable doctrine to wit that when our mindes are tossed to and fro with diuers cogitations What ought to be our refuge in time of deep distresses in regard of the many miseries and calamities which daily happen that we by and by flee vnto God resting our selues vpon his onely prouidence for we shall be at our wits end euen for the wagging of a straw if wee haue not this doctrine for our refuge by sustaining our hearts therewith But the better to see the Prophets meaning wee may well adde a particle aduersatiue here in this sense Although I be now oppressed with many temptations on euery side yet will I still acknowledge thee to be my God The assuraÌ„ce of Gods sauour giues vs ample matter of ioy and reioicing euen in the greatest troubles And thus he voweth to giue vnto God that praise which vnto him appertaineth which none of vs can doe vnlesse an assured perswasion of Gods grace doe raigne and beare sway in our hearts from whence springs that ioy which affords vs exceeding ample matter of praises when being certaine of our saluation we are assured that the Lord is our God For all those that are not caried with an affection to magnifie Gods goodnes in the middest of their sorrowes know not what faith is The faithfull may bee daunted for a time but faith gets the victorie neither yet did they euer taste the sweetnesse of his mercy for if wee haue a sure confidence in God we must of necessitie extoll his name with ioy and gladnesse of heart A wonderfull thing The singular number is put for the plurall Now the Prophet rests not in the contemplation of present things but rather lookes to the end of them for you shall haue euen profane men that will be affected at the wonderfull euents of things which fall out in the gouernement of the world and will stand amazed thereat as no doubt the Tyrians Sidonians Babylonians and Moabites did Who they are that profit by the view of Gods works But none could benefit themselues by this sight but such as therewithall had a taste and feeling of Gods wisdome and goodnesse for without that men doe rather scorne and despise such workes then apprehend the excellencie of them because they looke not to the end that God aimeth at to wit 2. Cor. 4.6 that by drawing light out of darknesse he is wont after a wonderfull manner How God is wont to deale with his Church to raise vp and reuiue his Church in the middest of death orders and disposeth rightly and to good vse those things which the wit of man conceiues to be exceedingly confused But the better to set forth the commendation of Gods prouidence he addes The counsels ordained of old as if he should say Nothing falles out suddenly or at randome in respect of God And indeede albeit to vs it often seemes he doth things vtterlie at vnawares yet is it most certaine that he hath foreseene and appointed all of theÌ„ so to come to passe before the creation of the world By these words then the Prophet meant to say that all the wonders which happen beyond the expectation of men flow from the order of this moderation which God keeps in the gouernment and disposition of all things from the beginning vnto the end Now because we are not able to attaine to his secret counsels and that our wits can not mount so high we must be brought to the manifestation of that which for the present is hidden from vs and is aboue our reach till such time as the Lord discouer the same vnto vs by his word by which he applies himselfe to our weakenes because his secret counsell is incomprehensible Isaiah therefore descends by and by from these hidden ordinances of God to the doctrine of the word and the promises therein coÌ„tained Isaiâ—h descends fâ—om Gâ—ds secret will to his reuealed will which doubtlesse he comprehends vnder the word Truth For this repetition should be to little purpose vnlesse he had had some relation in this word for after God hath by it reuealed his counsell vnto vs then he properlie appeares to be true if we beleeue and credit his sayings Thus then the Prophet commends the stablenes and certentie of the word when he calles it a stable truth as if he should say All things which God pronounceth and proceed from him is stable and immoueable Vers 2. For thou hast made of a Citie an heape of a strong Citie a ruine euen the palace of strangers of a Citie it shall neuer be built SOme referre this to Ierusalem but I rather thinke it to be a change of the number only which is a thing very vsuall among the Prophets for Isaiah speakes not of one Citie alone but of many which he foretels should be laid vpon heapes Whereas others take it that Ierusalem serued for a palace to the Romanes they come nothing nigh the Prophets meaning which will plainely appeere if we call to mind what hath been said before to wit that the Prophet busies not himselfe in thinking of the scourges wherwith God hath afflicted diuers nations but rather aimes at the end and issue of them For by them the Lord purposed to subdue and tame the pride and rebellion of men whom he could neuer haue subdued vnto himselfe vnlesse they had been smitten with diuers calamities Moreouer Isaiah saith not only that strangers shall inhabit the surprized Cities out of which they were driuen that dwelt in them for so that which he by and by addes would not agree to wit that the palace shall be no more a Citie but his meaning is that vagabonds who should haue no place of abode at all shall find sufficient roome there because the inhabitants shal betake them to their heeles Now because Armon signifies goodly houses he saith by way of derision that theeues shall dwell there as in Palaces in regard of the great space which should lie waste like vnto a desert Vers 3. Therefore shall the mightie people giue glorie vnto thee the Citie of the strong nations shall feare thee SEe heere the end whereof I haue spoken in the first verse for if the Lord should destroy the world no fruit would come of it such a desolation could ingender nothing but horror neither would it euer bring vs neerer vnto God to praise him nay contrariwise we must needs remaine as blocks wheÌ„
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 coÌ„stantlie 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 haâ—uest 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 traÌ„slate 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
had a little breathing and respite giuen them for the wicked imagin that there is a truce betweene God and them when they see no signes of his wrath likely to seaze vpon them for this cause they promise to themselues nothing but peace peace whilest the Lord suffers them to inioy ease and prosperitie Against such securitie the Prophet threatens that God is readie to execute his vengeance notwithstanding they offred their sacrifices ordinarily and renued them yeere after yeere Hence we may learne that albeit the Lord defers his chastisements and the executioÌ„ of his vengeance yet we ought not therefore to defer our repentance For what if hee spares and beares with vs for a time hath hee therefore forgotten our sins No such matter Let vs beware how we build our peace then vpon so slipperie a foundation Let vs at no hand abuse his patience and long suffring but let the same rather draw vs to repentance and to the seeking of free reconciliation with him Vers 2. But I will bring the Altar into distresse and there shall be heauinesse and sorrow and it shall be vnto mee like an Altar I Thinke that the letter Vau should bee taken here for a particle aduersatiue as if he should say Yet will I execute my iudgements vpon you and will auenge my quarrell although it seeme for a time that in thus sparing of you I am at one with you In the next place hee threatens them with sorrow and lamentation in stead of their festiual daies Some thinke the word sorrow to bee an adiectiue but I am not of their mind for it is taken in the same sense in the Lamentatiâ—ns of Ieremiah Chap. 2.5 The Prophet shewes then that the Lord will bring this Citie into such distresse that the Iewes shall well perceiue they haue not to do with men but with God so that howsoeuer the Assyrians made war vpon them yet they should know to their cost that God was their chiefe Commander and Captaine Where hee addes that it shall bee to him like Ariel it cannot agree to the Temple onlie for his meaning is that the Citie and all shall be sprinckled with the slaughter which the enemies shall make in Ierusalem which he compares to an altar whereupon beasts are slaine to be sacrificed for as oft as the wicked are destinated to destructioÌ„ the Prophets compare the same to a sacrifice In a word in that he alludes thus to the altar he affirmes that the whole Citie shall bee like Ariel because it shal ouerflow with the blood of the slaine Whence it is manifest enough that an outward profession of Gods worship together with the externall ceremonies and tokens of his fauourable presence are to little purpose vnlesse a francke and cheerefull obedience be ioyned therewith And thus in taunting the hypocrits who prophanely presented their beasts in sacrifice to God as if by such meanes they thought to appease his anger he saith that all their labour is lost for hauing polluted the Temple the Altar he telles them that none can sacrifice rightly vnto God but in killing and sacrificing those that were appointed to the slaughter thorowout the Citie as if he should say You shall be murthered and killed in euerie place He calles this sacrifice a violent slaughter by an improper phrase of speech because they refused to offer themselues willingly vnto God Vers 3. And I will besiege thee as a circle and fight against thee on a mount and will cast vp ramparts against thee BY the verbe Chaddur hee alludes to the roundnesse of a ball and signifies as much as if in our vsuall speech we should say I will compasse him about and thus shewes that they can no way escape Where it is added I will fight against thee on a mount it concernes the second meanes by which a Citie is to be taken for they vse to make incursions heere and there or to lay a standing siege Now he confirmes the doctrine of the former verse shewes that God should be the chiefe Leader in this war and that the Assyrians should vndertake nothing but by his commandement notwithstanding themselues were thrust forward with an inordinate lust and desire of reigning ouer the poore Iewes For it was verie requisite that this people should be fully perswaded that God was the author of all the calamities wherewith they were oppressed to the end they might thereby come to a narrow examination of their impieties Now the oftener wee meete with this doctrine in the holy Scriptures so much the more carefull ought wee to be in imprinting the same well in our hearts for the blessed Spirit of God is not wont to repeat one thing againe and againe without iust cause Vers 4. So shalt thou be humbled and shalt speake out of the ground and thy speech shll bee as out of the dust thy voice also shall be out of the ground like him that hath a spirit of diuination and thy talking shall whisper out of the dust HE derides the pride of the Iewes who as long as they were in prosperitie as hypocrits are wont to doe despised all admonitions and threatnings The Prophet therefore saith that they should one day be humbled to wit after their pride shall bee taken downe Not that they shall change their maners but because shame shal constraine them to turne their wonted mirth into mourning And therefore here must be a close opposition supplied for he speakes to those iolly fellowes who seemed to haue the world at will who with big lookes disdained euery one as if they had bin subiect to no God at all Nay they feared not to load him with blasphemies and iniuries and contemned his holy word This pride saith Isaiah shall be brought downe well enough and this intollerable arrogancie shall cease In the next words hee expresseth this further by a similitude saying that they shall whisper and speake as it were out of the holes of the earth For he coÌ„pares the voice of those which in times past was so loud and high to the speech of Coniurers who giue their answers out of some hollow caue digged vnder the earth mumbling out I know not what confused noyse for they speake with no distinct voice His meaning is then that these haughtie ones shall be like vnto them Some expound this as if the Prophet meant to say that their chastisement should nothing profit them but the text crosseth that sense and besides he will by and by shew that the Iewes should be brought to repentance But first of all he terrifies them to the end he may beate downe their pride because they did stoutlie rebelliouslie despise all the threatnings of the Prophets The humbling therefore whereof he speakes signifies nothing else but that they should be couered with shame in such wise that they should not dare to aduance themselues nor to vtter forth their swelling words of vanitie Vers 5. Moreouer the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small
the Prophets doe the more willingly draw their similitudes from them to the end wee may apprehend the fearefull reuenging hand of God against the wicked Vers 31. For with the voice of the Lord shall Ashur be destroied which smote with the rod. HE addes this for two causes First to shew why the Assyrian was to be broken For seeing hee behaued himselfe cruelly and sauagely towards others it was good reason he should receiue like for like This we know is the vsuall course which God takes with tyrants as our Prophet will tell vs Chap. 33. Woe to thee that spoiledst when thou wast not spoiled c. Secondly the Assyrians power seemed too great to be vanquished But albeit he was euery way so well fortified that he was not only able to defend himselfe but also to annoy others yet the Prophet tels him Gods onely voice shall shake him in peeces By this wee may learne how vaine the confidence of the wicked is who haue nothing to trust vnto but their outward forces altogether despising God as if they were not liable to the strokes of his hand But the Lord needs no better weapons then his voice to scatter all their munitions for hee will consume them with the very beck of his countenance Neither are wee to doubt but the Prophet also meant by this meanes to withdraw the senses of the faithfull from looking to these helpes lest they should stand to inquire how it might come to passe but should onely content themselues with Gods promise who is of power sufficient to execute his counsels as soone as he hath spoken the word Vers 32. And in euerie place that the staffe shall passe it shall cleaue fast which the Lord shall lay vpon him with tabrets and harpes and with battels and lifting vp of hands shall hee fight against it HIs meaning is that the Assyrians will trie all meanes to flie from Gods hand but all in vaine for it shall pursue them whithersoeuer they shall turne them bee it forwards or backward Touching these words of the staffe digging I willingly cōsent to their opiniō who thinke it to bee a similitude taken from those that haue laid on so long till the traces and prints thereof appeare a great while after as if a whip or staffe had been let into the flesh Vnlesse any had rather vnderstand that the plague should cleaue fast to the backs of the Assyrian euen as a foundatiō is laid fast into the earth For that which is not rooted in the ground may be taken away and transported to another place but hee shewes that this staffe shall cleaue so fast that there shall bee no remouing of it neither shall any be able to plucke it away For God suffers the weight of his wrath to fall vpō the reprobates which vtterly ouerchargeth them and lest they might dreame of any starting holes the Prophet cuts off al hope thereof in this word euery place For so ought the text to be resolued to wit wheresoeuer the staffe shall light it shall cleaue fast When he mentions the tabrets it is to shew that the issue of the war shall not bee vncertain as it is when forces are of equall strēgth but his meanig is that the Lord shall haue the victory If the Lord goe into the field hee will surely conquer Why so Because he shall no sooner vndertake the war but hee brings that with him that shall do the deed For tabrets harps and hands lifted vp doe signifie the ioy which they make that haue gotten the conquest whilest they cry victorie victorie Some refer that to the host which he addes in the feminin gender shall fight against it but the truth is hee meant to expresse a greater thing then it to wit Babylon the head Citie of the Kingdome opposing it to Ierusalem which hee had noted out before by a like relatiue vers 29. From whence we may gather that the wicked must needes be consumed at the last notwithstanding the great shew of meanes which they haue to escape the same for which way soeuer they turne them or whither so euer they flee yet the staffe of the Lord shall pursue them yea and cleaue fast to their backes they shall neuer bee able to shun his hand nor beat backe his blowes Wee also are now and then corrected by this hand of God but his blowes shall not alwaies cleaue vnto vs our wounds shall bee mollified and eased and our sorrow shall bee turned into ioy Moreouer the Lord so fights against the wicked that they are not able to make their party good nor yet gaine anie thing by their resistance He fights with thē but as one that is sure of the victory before he giues the first blow sometimes hee giues them a little scope indeed but he takes down their pride whensoeuer it pleaseth him If we then fight vnder his ensigne wee may assure our selues of a prosperou◠victorie for vnder his leading we shall be safe from danger and shall haue certaine hope of conquest in the end Vers 33. For Topheth is prepared of * Or before yesterday olde it is euen prepared for the King hee hath made it deepe and large * Or his heap is fire the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it ISaiah continues his description of Gods seuere punishments wherein he shewes that the wicked shall not onely haue their portion of plagues in this life but shall bee vexed therewith for euer and euer Why so Because hell is prepared and made ready for them not for the poorer sort alone but for those in great places euen for Kings Princes By Topheth no doubt he meanes hell not as though we should imagin there were some place where the wicked are shut vp after their death as in a prison there to suffer the torments which they haue deserued but hee thereby signifies their miserable condition and extreame torments In the booke of the Kings this word Topheth is taken for the place where the Iewes sacrificed their sonnes to Moloch 2. King 23.10 whereof Ieremiah also maketh mention Ier. 19 6. Now this place was destroied by Iosiah in regard of the horrible murthers and superstitions which were there committed For mine owne part I am out of doubt that the Prophets meant to apply the name of this place to those exquisite torments which the wicked indure Let vs learne to make good vse of this doctrine to the end the faithfull might shudder and shake at the onely hearing of it as also that euery one might learne to haue idolatrie in the greater detestation This very etymologie agrees to the word Hell for the valley of Hinnon was taken for hell it selfe because of the execrable sacrilegies which were there committed Now because we thinke the wicked shall escape scot-free when we see them prosper and haue all things at their wish the Prophet to take away this conceit
to his children shall be so far off from benfiting of them that they shall surely beare the reward of their sinnes Wheras he bends the force of his speech in particular against women the Hebrews vnder this word according to the vse of their tong vnderstand Cities but I thinke this should be no figuratiue maner of speech and therefore I rather rest in the bare letter Now he speaks to women rather then vnto men to signifie the greatnesse of this desolation for women and maidens are commonly spared in such times by reason of their sex being also destitute of warlike defences Well he saith the destruction shall be so barbarous that none shall scape scotfree And note that he speakes expresly of women of rest who coÌ„monly are the most delicate for according to their abundance so they may better shift for themselues and may more easilie escape dangers when the poore must be faine to goe to the wall But Isaiah telles them that they shal be constrained to rise and tremble therein opposing this trembling to that rest and ease which they quietly inioyed For he commands them to arise as giuing them to vnderstand that it was no time for them now to sit still because the Lord was about to awaken them out of their secure couse of life When he addes heare my voice yee daughters by daughters the Rabbines vnderstand Cities and Townes but this ought to be taken litterally as I said before Hee shewes whence this terror and violence shall proceed which shall cause them thus to arise and tremble to wit from the iudgement of God But he mentions the voice to shew that this shall bee no vaine prophecie because this war was proclaimed against them by the commandement of God As if he should say You shall one day feele by experience what power and efficacie there is in the word of God to awaken you Now he blames their idlenesse securitie and delicacie so oft not onely because it should be vnked for those that had bin wont-to be at their ease to bee so rudely rouzed vp but also in regard it is a thing almost vnpossible that the world in this corrupted and depraued estate of mans nature should not bee too carelesse in abusing rest and abundance For we then by little and little fall into a sottishnesse of mind deceiuing our owne soules with vaine imaginations so as all feare is abandoned of euery one in which false securitie wee easily are drawne audaciously euen to rush against God himselfe Vers 10. Yee women that are carelesse shall bee in feare aboue a yeere in daies for the vintage shall faile and the gathering shall come no more It is a great reliefe to a sorrowfull heart when it perceiues that though afflictions be sharpe yet they are but short BY these words he meanes that the calamitie shall last long for it is a great reliefe to a sorrowfull mind when hee thinkes that the miseries and afflictions which presse vpon him so neerly shall last but a while But when there is no hope left of some comfortable issue nor promise of deliuerance what can ensue thereof but despaire Hee shewes then that they shall not suffer this extremitie for a yeere onely but that they must expect new afflictions one in the necke of another By the word to feare hee priuily taxeth their drowsinesse shewing that they shall be led away with terror and trembling seeing the sweet and still voice of wholsome doctrine was so tedious vnto them And in as much as the Iewes were too much besotted with the loue of earthly and transitorie things hee threatens them with want of bread and wine And thus hee applies himselfe to their capacitie If they had been better purged from their earthlinesse he would rather haue awakened them with the feare of that iudgement which Ieremiah bewailes Lament 1.7 to wit that the sacrifices and feast daies should cease and that the holy assemblies should be abolished But because they had plunged themselues in voluptuous liuing and had not so well profited as to esteeme spiritual benefits the Prophet applying himselfe to their weaknesse addresseth his speech rather to their bellies then to their mindes Now he toucheth the wasting of the fields which should vndoubtedly follow this war for abundance is the mother of idlenesse and securitie It is therefore as if he had said Abundance the mother of idlenesse and securite The Lord will depriue you of your belly cheere he will rouze you vp with a witnesse and will depriue you of all matter of reioycing By this verse then are we admonished not to lie snorting in our prosperity neither to dreame of such a rest as if we were to inioy the same in this world for euer No let vs vse the good things which God bestowes vpon vs moderately vnlesse we meane that God should awaken and ouerwhelme vs vnawares and by this sudden change which shall befall vs vexe vs worse then wee can expect or thinke of Vers 11. Yee women that are at ease be astonied feare O yee carelesse women put off the clothes make bare and gird sackcloth vpon the loines THis is no superfluous repetition but rather an amplification of that which hee spake of before for whilest men are thus rocked asleepe hardly can they be awakened by the voice of Gods Prophets It is needefull then to cry alowd and to adde rebuke to rebuke Therefore in that hee multiplies his threatning he thereby shewes how great our securitie is when men are once blinded with prosperitie It is almost a thing impossible for them to heare the voice of God when he admonisheth them And to speake the truth men are in much more danger by prosperitie then by aduersitie for when all things fall out well they are ready to flatter themselues yea and to be bewitched with their felicitie This was the cause why he was faine to rebuke the Iewes so sharply euen to quicken them vp if it were possible out of their drowsinesse This exhortation then ought to be referred to the time to come as if the Prophet should haue said In the end you shall tremble for I can assure you your rest shall not last alwaies Thus hee shewes that this calamitie which was to ensue should be as a seale set vnto his prophecie whereby God would manifest by the effects that these words should not vanish away in the ayre Where hee bids them to make bare and to gird them with sackcloth he describes the estate of mourners For when aduersitie presseth any then they put on sackcloth and make the rest of the parts of their bodies naked and so by outward â—estures and garments and the like they manifest the inward dolour of their mindes Hee calles the women then from their delicious and daintie fare and voluptuous liuing wherein they plunged themselues to sackcloth and other testimonies of sorrow Vers 12. Men shall lament for the teates euen for the pleasant fields and for the fruitfull vine
THis verse is diuersly expounded for some without any figure vnderstand that there shall bee such great want of food that women shall lose their milke and therefore that the infants shall weepe ouer the emptie and dried breasts of their mothers which we see to fall out when people are pined away in great famins But the most receiued sense and that which agrees best is that by teates vnder a figure we vnderstand fields and vineyardes which also is expressed in the very words of the text because from them as from the teats of our mothers we daily sucke milke blood as it were out of the earth His meaning is then that the fruits of the earth shall faile because the Lord will so curse her that she shall not be able to yeeld any increase Thus men shall lament in regard of this great penurie as ouer the teats of their mother which were wont to feede them with delicates This sense I take to be fittest as best agreeing to the naturall scope of the text for it was necessarie it should serue as an exposition to that which is afterward added touching the pleasant field and the fruitfull vines Vers 13. Vpon the land of my people shall grow thornes and briars yea vpon all the houses of ioy in the Citie of reioycing HEe now confirmes the former sentence and shewes that the cause of this famin and barrennesse shal be in regard that thornes and briars shall grow vpon the land that is to say the fields shall bee laid fallow and barren whereas before they were fat and fruitfull Now this must needs be an horrible chāge for this Country as we know had the praise for fruitfulnes aboue any other not so much in respect of the soile as by Gods blessing who had said I will giue you a land flowing with milke and hony Exod. 3.8 and 17. Hence I say came this fruitfulnesse of that land Whereas he calles it the land of his people he preuents an obiection which they might thus make what reason haue we to feare the barrennesse of that land or that it should not yeerly yeeld vs fruit seeing God who is good vnto all will be much more a nurcing father to vs and that in a more particular manner They thought it then a thing vtterly vnpossible that this land being bestowed vpon them who were the children of Abraham should euer be ouergrowne with thornes and briars And thus the Prophet rebukes the Iewes the more sharply because by their rebellion they had not onely made void these blessings of God but had also pulled downe his wrath so far vpon them as to lay their fruitfull land waste and barren The word yea in the middle of the sentence amplifies the doctrine albeit some expound it For reading it thus For gladnesse is in their houses But this sense sutes not wel in regard the construction of the words will not beare it I rather thinke therefore that he inlargeth the sentence as if he meant to say that this calamitie shall not onely seise vpon the vtmost bounds of the land but euen vpon the houses of ioy also to wit euen vpon those which were sumptuous and pleasant where they were alwaies wont to solace themselues without let in times past But when the Prophet spake these things I warrant you the people of that time laught a good as we say at him neither could they heare such vnsauorie newes amiddest so manie delights which bewitched them Nay they tooke foule scorne to be so dealt withall because of Gods promises which they tooke to bee so sure that they thought no want could euer befal them but Isaiahs words haue all proued true for all that By this example therefore let vs learne to vse prosperitie with sobriety Vse prosperitie with sobrietie and so depend vpon Gods promises touching his blessings to bee powred out vpon vs that in the meane while we yeelde obedience to his word with a good conscience Vers 14. * Or For the c. Because the pallace shall bee forsaken and the noise of the Citie shall bee left the tower and fortresse shall bee dennes for euer and the delight of wilde Asses and a pasture for flockes HE yet sets forth this desolation more at large for hauing in the former verse mentioned the house of magnificence hee now addes the pallaces and Cities meaning to shew that nothing be it neuer so glorious or excellent could bee exempted from this common desolation We see then that mens eies are dazeled with their owne glorie vntill they lift vp their eies towards heauen and thus being sweetly lulled asleepe in their plentie they grew fearelesse and carelesse of any thing Therefore he tels them that all their pleasant and gorgeous things in the land of Iudea to wit their Cities Pallaces Castles Fortresses should be laid vpon heapes and brought to nothing By the word euer he againe admonisheth them as I haue touched before that this wound shall not be closed vp againe in a yeere Vers 10. but should be long in healing which should answere in proportion to the length of time in which they had hardened themselues in their vices for had not the hand of God pressed them long according to their stubborne and rebellious nature they would haue been readie forthwith to haue rushed into their iniquities afresh Vers 15. Vntill the Spirit be powred vpon vs from aboue and the wildernes become a fruitfull field and * Or Carmel the plenteous field be counted as a forrest THe Prophet had to deale as we know with the Iewes amongst whom the Lord had planted his Church it was needfull therefore to leaue them some hope of saluation least they should dispaire in the middes of so many calamities For albeit the Lord handles hypocrits roughlie because they falsely shroude themselues vnder the title of being his people yet is he inforced by one meanes or other to prouide for the good of his Saints This promise is added therefore to put them in hope that God can not nor will not forget his Couenant God neuer threatens so sharpely but he still leaues hope for the penitent howbeit for a time he scourgeth his children sharplie with the rods of men for he neuer so threatens but he leaues hope and consolation for the repentant to cheere vp and refresh their hearts and that euen when it seemes heauen and earth shall goe together And that they might the better taste this consolation which our Prophet sets before them he raiseth vp their minds to the author of life Wee see that when all things fadge well many eate and drinke till their skins crack as they say If famin pinch then God is forgotten and men runne for succor to the earth It is not without cause then that Isaiah saith This word spirit hath two extents here first to the restauration of earthly benefits the Spirit shall come from aboue which warming the earth shall cause the same
that so they might cease to accuse God of crueltie in bringing destruction vpon them seeing the whole cause thereof was in themselues They make many turnings to escape Gods iudgement but the Prophet affirmes that hee is alwaies good to those which honour him And albeit Moses in this sense calles him a consuming fire Deut. 9.3 lest his maiestie and power should bee contemned yet whosoeuer hee be that shall draw neere vnto him with a true desire to please him he shall feele by the effects that there is nothing more sweete and amiable then his presence Though God titles himself a consuming fire lest his maiestie should be contemned yet whosoeuer drawes neere him with a desire to please him shall feel nothing so sweet as his presence At such time then as God causeth the light of his countenance to shine vpon the faithfull they haue peace with him in a good conscience whence it followes that hee is not terrible of his owne nature but we we by our peruersitie prouoke him to be such a one vnto vs. Now this is specially directed to the hypocrits who couer their villanies and secret mischiefes vnder the cloke of holinesse and thus abuse the name of the Lord to sin the more freely But our Prophet setting downe a definition of iustice by examples doth thereby more cleerly and plainly rebuke their vngodlinesse And mentions some principall actions touching the conuersation of men whereby we may easily take triall of our godlinesse For he sets before vs the duties of the second Table as he hath done often alreadie which is the best way to discouer who indeed is a religious man For as gold is tried by the fire so by a mans ordinarie cariage of himselfe may you find how he is affected in the seruice empt from all troubles but rather to be prepared to vndergo all sorts of greeuances and vexations And yet that they should know also that God cared for the kingdome of Iudah and in his good time would deliuer them out of the hands of those tyrants which held them tributaries and besieged them The estate which the Prophet heere describes is very miserable for is it not a pitifull thing to see a people of a free condition so pressed vnder such a barbarous tyrannie that all their goods must come to be praised their houses possessiōs families seruants registred Many of our times which haue not bin acquainted with these things haue yet some little taste how irkesome this seruitude is when their goods are praised to the vttermost mite and not onely their yeerely rents which are certaine but also the hope of future gaine and not mony and possessions alone but their names also are taken Such deuices there are to impose new tributes not vpon viands onely but euen vpon the smallest things Note so that tyrants rake to themselues a great part of that which the poore people can hardly beare yet all these and infinite other calamities will nothing abate the pride excesse and rebellion of men What will they be thinke you being freed from these taxes will they not easilie forget all the euils past and the fauour of God also and bee worse then euer they were before in running into all leaud and wicked behauiour It is not without cause then that the Prophet laies these things thus before his people lest after their deliuerance they should range after their lusts As if hee should say What a shame were that nay rather acknowledge the goodnesse of God who hath dealt so mercifully with you and cleaue vnto him with your whole hearts Some haue falslie imagined that Saint Paul alledgeth this place in 1. Cor. 1.20 But so he should mistake the Prophets meaning and should apply these words to a wrong sense The cause of the error grew from the word Scribe which is not taken here for a teacher For Isaiah calles him a Scribe in this place What is meant by Scribe in this place who tooke the names of men and their families and inuentories of their possessions and houses To be short hee which kept the register of all the taxes and tributes By the poiser he meanes him which receiued the imposts for hee weighed the monies which were paied in such as are our receiuers and treasurers at this day He addes yet a third sort which was the most intollerable of all to wit hee that counted the towers or chiefe houses for they made search and viewed euery house to know which were the richest that they might get the more pence out of it Tyrants haue such at command who like blood-hounds Bloodhoūds in Common wealths haue skill to hunt and smell out fat purses that so besides the ordinary taxes they may raise an extraordinary impost No doubt but the sight of such exactors was greeuous to the poore people and not without cause for they neuer left them till they had suckt their blood to the verie marow If any by this word had rather vnderstand the officers of the King himselfe who had the charge to pull downe the houses adioyning to the walles I hinder him not for following his opinion I rather think it likely that the Prophet speaks of the exactors which the conquerours set ouer them whom they had vanquished that they might the more securely hold their own as they say Vers 19. Thou shalt not see a fierce people a people of a darke speech that thou canst not perceiue and of a stammering tongue that thou canst not vnderstand SOme translate the word Noan Strong others Impudently but I verily thinke he meant to set forth the crueltie of the Assyrians which he presently declares saying There is no communication to be had with them for they speake a strange language which thou canst not perceiue For there is nothing that moues men more to mercy then an interchangeable speech by which one may take knowledge of anothers misery But if this be wanting what is left to cause an hard heart to relent Alas they know not what thou saiest and therfore thou canst looke for no more compassion from them by thy intreaties then if thou hadst to deale with wilde and sauage beasts Thus the Prophet further aggrauates the wofull estate of this people that by contraries he might let them perceiue how exceeding bountiful God was towards them when he deliuered them out of so great a feare As in another place the holy Ghost magnifies the grace of God in that hee preserued his people in Egypt albeit they vnderstood not their language Psal 81.5 Vers 20. Looke vpon Zion the Citie of our solemne feasts thine eies shall shall see Ierusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that cannot be remoued and the stakes thereof can neuer be taken away neither shall any of the cordes thereof be broken MAny read it in the vocatiue case Looke O Zion but it is better to reade it as I haue translated it Looke vpon Zion The Prophet propounds a promise touching the
of the Turks or Iewes they know not and thus they houer in the ayre and touch neither heauen nor earth as they say There is not a worse plague to be found then such an imagination for thereby the true God and Idols are mingled together whose Maiestie is then tumbled downe from his throne vnlesse hee bee held as supreme head and all false gods with their worship laid at his feet The beginning of true pietie therefore consists in a wise distinguishing of this only God from all the troupe of idoll gods But Hezekias vseth two reasons by which he shewes they were no Gods First because they were made of corruptible matter Secondly they were the worke of mens hands Now what is more absurd then to see a man so much past shame as to be the forger of a God not only because himselfe is not eternall and God is but because he can not consist by his owne power not so much as one minute of an howre For example All the world not able to forme a sillie flea let all the world doe their vtmost to put all the wit force thereof into one man if it could be yet is he not able to make a poore flea what pride is it then for a man at his pleasure to put his hands to the worke and to forge as many gods to himselfe as he list for seeing all that is in vs is meerely earthlie and transitorie we can expect but treene gods to come from the worke of our owne hands Adde further that it is the greatest follie in the world to imagin vnder pretext of arte No follie like this to imagin that a piece of wood should become a God as soon as the workman by arte hath giuen some forme or shape vnto it to fasten a kind of diuinitie to a corruptible and an insensible block as if a peece of wood or stone began then to be god as soone as it hath some purtraiture giuen vnto it Thus we may easily ouerthrow all the superstitions which men haue inuented for stedfastnes and constancie must be sought further off then in mens shallow braines nay I say more all that which they haue inuented in that shop is condemned as lyes and things of nought Vers 20. Now therefore O Lord our God saue thou vs out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou only art the Lord. NOw this good King in the conclusion of his prayer ouercomes all feare against which he had fought a long time for there is no doubt but the helps wherewith he hath hitherunto furnished himselfe did much incourage him with boldnes to adde this short clause Now albeit God deliuers vs not alwaies from outward troubles yet in regard he had promised to preserue and keepe the Citie Hezekias was bold to beleeue that this tyrant which plotted his ouerthrow should little auaile by any of his deuices And whereas he againe vrgeth the Lord with this motiue That his glorie shall be wonderfullie aduanced by the deliuerance of this Citie thence we gather that we ought to wish nothing more then to see the same florish euery maner of way for it is the principall end of our saluation from which we must not turne one iot if we thinke to find him mercifull vnto vs. In the second place we gather hence that such are vnworthie of Gods help who contenting themselues only with their owne saluation either forget or set light by the end for which they are saued For God by this vnthankfulnes is not only dishonored but they therein offer him great outrage in separating those things which at any hand ought to be ioined together Doth not the glorie of his name shine in our saluation And is it not the chiefest comfort and consolation we haue that it doth so as we haue said alreadie Yes doubtlesse Moreouer Hezekiah not only desires that the God of Israel may be onlie exalted of men but would haue him exalted so farre forth that all Idols also might be abolished for many Idolaters at that time would haue bin content that the true God had bin worshipped amongst the rest of their dunghill gods but because he can away with none to fit check mate with him all the gods which men haue forged must bee brought to nought that hee onely may obtaine the soueraigne Monarchy Vers 21. Then Isaiah the sonne of Amos sent vnto Hezekiah saying Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Because thou hast praied vnto me concerning Sennacherib King of Ashur 22. This is the word that the Lord hath spoken against him The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorne the daughter of Ierusalem hath shaken her head at thee NOw behold the fruit of praier for things being brought to an after deale God suddenly reacheth Hezekias his hand by the ministerie of our Prophet Isaiah God will haue our faith still exercised Not that hee so reached or stretched it forth that the enemie was forthwith put to flight but in promising deliuerance by Isaiahs mouth he still exerciseth the faith of his seruant Now as the Prophet for his part could not of himselfe haue giuen this consolation so had it been but a ridiculous thing to haue promised it vnlesse Hezekias had also beleeued that this message was sent him from God He therfore contented himselfe with this bare promise waiting in silence till God should manifest his power Now by this wee are taught that it is our dutie at all times to aske counsell of the Lord if we meane to feele his comforts in our afflictions and distresses for if we set light by the message which he sends vs by the ministerie of his faithfull seruants we are then vtterly vnworthy to receiue any consolation from him But albeit wee be neuer so well instructed and filled as it were with the knowledge of this doctrine yet it stands vs in hand to know it euery day better and better still drawing thence new testimonies to confirme our faith withall to the end we may haue remedies at hand when new assaults shall befall vs and may not at any time bee destitute of comfort in the middest of our greatest calamities for hee that is best furnished and fortified this way can neuer bee too well prouided We haue in Hezekias here a singular example of faith and constancie and yet the Lord contents not himselfe to haue comforted him once and by one prophecie onely as in verse 6 7. but he now confirmes his faith many waies that we who are far short of that constancie which was in him might learne to know what need wee haue of many helpes for the sustaining and vpholding of our faith continually Because thou hast praied vnto me The holy historie expresseth no more but this verbe I haue heard thee the word because therefore is a relatiue in that place but here it is an expositiue or a particle of giuing a reason as in many other
in Gods presence but digge themselues hiding places that they may flatter themselues without checke or controle To the end then that they might no more deceiue themselues with the sweete deceits of lying vanities the Prophet summons them before Gods iudgement seat and grants indeed that they florish in appearance as long as they keep themselues a great way oâ—f from the presence of Gods Maiestie but let the Lord beginne once to blow vpon them their all their beautie and strength shall forthwith vanish into smoke He seemes to attribute an office to the Spirit of God Obiect which is not very fitting vnto it for it is his propertie to 〈◊〉 the face of the earth as on the other siâ—â—â— he withdraw himselfe neuer so little al things fall to nothing Psal 104. And Isaiah affirmes here the cleane contrarie Some may thinke then that one Prophet contradicts another Ans But there is no absurditie in it to say that all things are renued by the vertue of the holy Ghost And againe that the same Spirit should consume those things which seemed very glorious before For we haue no being but in God and to beginne to be something in him wee must first of all bâ— conuinced of our vanitie that we may the better acknowledge it The Lord therefore bloâ—es vpon vs to teach vs that in our selues wee are nothing Now to the end all might know that the Prophet spake not of strangers but of that people which gloried much in the name of God he addes that the people is graffe â—or the Iewes thought themselues more worâ—â—â—nd excellent then any other nation and therefore that they of all others ought to be separated from the common sort of men Hee speakes to them then properlie and expreslie to the end they might attribute nothing vnto themselues aboue others as if he should say You shall shew your selues very discreet and wise if in considering your owne pouertie and basenes you shall reiect all vaine confidence In a word the Prophet hauing spoken of comfort in the first verse hee now shewes how men ought to be prepared to receiue it In the first verse the Prophet mentioned some consolation now he shewes them the meanes how to be prepared to receiue it but they are no way fit to receiue it vnlesse they be first brought to nothing Our hardnes of heart then must be softned our high and prowd conceits must be brought low our glorie turned into shame of face and our hearts tamed and humbled if with fruit we will receiue the consolations which the Prophets shall bring vs by the commandement of the Lord. Vers 8. The grasse withereth the floure fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for euer THis repetition is added once againe to bring all the glorie of prowd flesh vnto nothing With matter of humiliation the Prophet mingleth matter of consolation it also therewithall conteines an excellent consolation to wit that the Lord hauing humbled his seruants forthwith giues them matter of ioy and gladnes This is the order of the text then The grasse withers but the word of the Lord indures for euer This only consolation is sufficient namely that the word of God is made the ground of our comfort Gods word the ground of our comfort as if God himselfe should reach out his hand to lift vs vp after he hath manifested to vs how emptie and destitute wee are of all good things and how perishable and transitorie our flesh is We then are fraile and fading as the flower but the word of the Lord is firme and eternall To be short that life which is wanting in vs is offred vs elsewhere The whole summe of the Gospell The summe of the Gospel is heere comprehended in few words for it consists in the knowledge of our miserie pouertie and vanitie that being humbled in good earnest we might haue our recourse vnto God by whose only grace we shall be whollie restored Let not such then as are acquainted with their wofull condition by nature be therefore out of heart Our base estate must not put vs vtterlie out of heart for the word of the Lord is set before them which is able to build them vp and to giue them strong consolation Moreouer wee are here taught to seeke consolation no where else but in eternitie which is only to be found in God and in none other for there is no stabilitie in earth or earthlie things No stabilitie in earth or earthly things What madnes is it then to place our happines in present things which wee see consume like smoke He therefore much deceiues himselfe which thinks he can meete with true felicitie till he be come vnto God who is therfore called the eternall in holy Scriptures because we might know that life flowes from him into vs yea he hath adopted vs for his children on this condition that we may partake with him in his immortalitie But all this shall profit vs very little vnlesse we be shewed the way how to attaine it The way how to attaine true felicitie the word therefore comes betweene from which we must not turne an haires breadth For if we wander and stray from it we shall be intangled in such wonderfull laborynths that we shall neuer know how to get out Now he saith the word endures for euer not only in it selfe but in vs also which we ought diligentlie to obserue because without this addition we should neuer be able to attaine any sound consolation And S. Peter a faithfull expositor of this place applies it vnto vs in saying that we are regenerated by this incorruptible seed yea by this word which saith he is preached amoÌ„g you 1. Pet. 1.23 whence we gather as I touched a little before that life is prepared for the dead which shall earnestlie draw neere to this fountaine set open vnto them for that power which is hidden in God is manifested vnto vs by this word Vers 9. O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee vp into the hie mountaine O Ierusalem that bringest good tidings lift vp thy voice with strength lift it vp be not afraid say vnto the Cities of Iudah Behold your God HE goes on still with the same argument The Lord promised before that he would send Prophets which should publish the promises to comfort this desolate and sorrowfull people now he commands that this consolation be spread further because he meanes that his grace shall be shed forth vpon the whole land of Iudeah He gaue hope of these ioyfull tidings to Ierusalem and Zion before now his purpose is that this voice should sound forth and ring throughout all the rest of the Cities for which purpose he commands them to lift vp the voice and to publish it in the high mountaine Now howsoeuer it be true that by the names of Zion and Ierusalem one and the same is to be vnderstood yet the repetition is diligentlie to be marked For the
the member following where by way of exposition he addes that his saluation is gone forth for the righteousnes of God appeared in the saluation of the people The captiuitie of the Iewes in Babylon was vnto them as a kind of death and this is the cause why he calles this deliuerance saluation Mine armes shall iudge By armes he signifies the manifestation of his power for it is a figuratiue maner of speech much vsed in the Scripture Now because Gods soueraigntie and power seemes to be limited within very narrow bounds yea sometimes appeeres not at all therefore he mentions his armes thereby signifying that his kingdome shal be spread farre and neere Vers 6. Lift vp your eies to the heauens and looke vpon the earth beneath for the heauē shal vanish away like smoke and the earth shall wax old as a garment and they that dwell therein shall perish in like maner but my saluation shall be for euer and my righteousnes shall not be abolished WHilest wee see so many changes fall out in the world and that the Church as we often thinke shall be violently swallowed vp therein The stabilitie of the Church it is very needfull that our minds should be gathered vp farre aboue the whole order of nature otherwise the saluation of the Church shall seeme to hang in a net and to flote vp and downe in the middest of these tempests wee may easily discerne vvith vvhat vvisdome God gouernes all things both in heauen aboue and in the earth below secondly with what a fatherly care he vpholds and preserues his work and the whole frame of the world thirdly with what equitie he disposeth and prouides for all his creatures therein but his care and prouidence ouer his Church is surpassing great which indeed he hath separated from the rest of the world The Prophet hath here comprehended both these points for he commands the faithfull to turne their eies on euery side of them to consider Gods admirable prouidence as well in the heauens as in the earth by which he hath constantlie continued from the creation that goodly order by him then established Hee addes that although these things seeme to fall to decay yet it is vnpossible that the Church which hath her sure foundatiō in God should euer be shaken As if he should say Heauen and earth shall perish an hundreth times rather then the promise vpon which the saluation of the Church is grounded should be abolished He therefore puts saluation in the first place and then he addes righteousnes which is the solid foundation wherewith this saluation is vpheld when dangers threaten vs on all sides then let vs learne to flee to this citie of refuge Vnto this sentence also belongs that which is in Psal 102. The heauens shall wax old as doth a garment but thou Lord art the same and thy yeeres shall not faile and therefore thy children shall dwell c. Both places do admonish vs that the fauor which God shews in the conseruation of his Church farre surpasseth all the rest of his works in excellencie for the whole matter and substance of the heauens and earth is but perishable and transitorie but the saluation whereby God preserues his Church neither is nor can be liable to such changes and alterations because it is eternall Vers 7. Hearken vnto me yee that know righteousnes the people in whose heart is my law Feare not ye the reproch of men neither be ye afraid of their rebukes A third exhortation to attention see vers 1. and 4. BEcause the wicked hauing all things at their wish deride and scorne our hopes and make themselues sport with our miseries calamities the Prophet exhorts the faithfull to suffer with patience and not to feare their rebukes neither to be discouraged for their outrages because the felicitie which they inioy Verse 8. shall be but of short continuance For notwithstanding their meriments stuffed so full of derisions and proud disdainings they are alreadie ordeined to be meate for mothes and vvormes as on the contrarie that God holds the saluation of the faithfull which for a time he seemes to neglect safe in his owne hand But we are againe to note the repetition of this verb To hearken Vers 1. 4. for this is the third time the Lord hath required audience in this Chapter for when we be in perplexities and tremble in regard of our miseries we haue much ado to apprehend or imbrace the promises There is great need then that we should often be rouzed and wakened vp to attention vntill we haue wound our selues out of all entanglings But he directs not his speech heere to the hypocrites but to such as know righteousnes The faithfull againe distinguished from hypocrites See verse 1. For howsoeuer the faithfull do not of set purpose reiect the word of God yet they often shut the dores against this righteousnes and so hinder the same from hauing any entrance because in aduersitie they stop their eares and nourish discomfortable thoughts within them To the end then that they might giue the promises entrance and suffer themselues to be comforted the Prophet awakens them againe and bids them giue eare The order of his words is also to be noted for first he shewes who they be of whom the Lord would haue audience namely of such as know righteousnes secondly expounding what this knowledge is he addes the people in vvhose heart my law is written and planted for there is no righteousnes without Gods word Let men make neuer so many lawes and that in the best forme they can deuise yet they can not bring vs to true righteousnes they may well bring vs to some shadowes of it but they shall neuer attaine so farre as to expresse it to the life He also therewithall shewes the way how to profit in the law of the Lord for the law hath not his seate in the braine Note but in the heart that so being leauened with this heauenly doctrine Math. 13.33 we may be whollie transformed into it 2. Cor. 3.18 Vers 8. For the moth shall eate them vp like a garment and the worme shall eate them like wooll but my righteousnes shall be for euer and my saluation from generation to generation BEcause the faithfull seruants of God were to indure many iniuries wrongs which the enemies of the world would load them with A preuention of an obiection therefore the Prophet exhorts them againe to beare these things patiently for the disgraces and checks which we often receiue from the wicked wound vs more to the heart then their fires or swords But we must hold it our glory and crowne of reioicing that wee be contemned of them and accounted as the of-scouring of all things Thence ariseth that fortitude though the world reiects vs as the scumme of the vvorld for God holds vs precious in his sight in regard our cause is his owne Let vs then with Moses esteeme the rebuke
know the reason of thy deliuerance it hath proceeded from my meere good will not for thy merits or a iumbling together of secondarie causes Calamities then fall not out by chance Neither is the Lord angrie without cause Neither yet is he euer so angrie but he leaues way for his mercie Vers 11. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring vnto thee the riches of the Gentiles and * Or and their Kings led that their kings may be brought THis verse is ill expounded of the most Interpreters For they thinke the Prophet meant to say that the Church shall be in safetie vnder the fidelitie and protection of God Why so Because open doores shew that danger is fare off But me thinkes the Prophet expounds himselfe namely that the gates shall be open that riches may be brought into the citie from all parts And in as much as they are wont to beare their burthens by day the day saith he shall not suffice in regard of the continuall resort of such as shall bring precious treasures thither Wherefore carriages shall not cease in so much that the gates must be kept open day and night Where he saith that the Church shal haue the riches of the Gentiles What is meant by the riches of the Gentiles it is not to be referred to temporall commodities but to the obedience which all the world shall yeeld vnto God in his Church to which he giues that which is offered vnto him in regard he hath nothing which is not hers And their kings led I had rather retaine the participle which the Prophet vseth then to follow them who change it into a verbe for they ouerthrow his meaning in regard that he expressely addeth this because the pride of kings is such Kings naturally vnwilling to submit their neckes to Gods yoke that they will not willingly suffer themselues to bee led Nay on the contrarie standing too much vpon their owne power they wax intemperate and in stead of being led whither they ought they carrie away with them al others as with a violent flood He shewes then that notwithstanding their naturall and vntamed rebellion they shall submit themselues to God and his Church Vers 12. For the nation and the kingdome that will not serue thee shall perish and those nations shall bee vtterly destroyed A confirmation of the former doctrine THe Prophet stands much vpon the confirmation of the hearts of Gods children to assure them that they should behold the restauration of the Church one day as hee hath now described it out vnto them These thinge were altogether incredible and howsoeuer we our selues are sufficiently confirmed by the euents of these things which are manifested in all mens sight yet if wee were not gouerned by the spirit of Christ hardly should wee conceiue them in our mindes He shewes then that there is no cause at all wherefore the Iewes should doubt of the restauration of the Temple because the Gentiles should come to aide them with all their power But Isaiah regarded something more high in this place then the building of the visible Temple For his meaning is to speake of that obedience which Kings Nobles and the commons should yeelde vnto the Church when they should aduance as much as in them lay the puritie of doctrine Yea hee passeth yet further in pronouncing that the kingdomes and nations which vvill not serue the Church shall perish If such as helpe not the Church are condemned with this fearefull and terrible sentence If such as serue not the Church shall perish how shall they eâ—câ—pe that persecute her what shall we say of those tyrants who set themselues furiously against her and labour with might and maine to worke her ouerthrow If the slothfull and carelesse shall not escape vnpunished ought not the wicked to wait for some horrible vengeance seeing they striue to hinder and ouerthrow the worke of the Lord He repeates that now in the plurall number which he said before in the singular to shew that if the whole world were guiltie yet they should wholly perish For the multitude cannot free those from perishing And those nations c. that estrange themselues from God neither shall the wicked be excused if they hinder one another from comming to saluation or if they incourage one another to commit iniquitie Now it is said as we haue seene before that Kings and nations serue the Church not in regard that shee exerciseth any dominion of her selfe but because God hath giuen and committed the scepter of his word by which hee rules vnto her custodie Vers 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come vnto thee the firre tree the elme and the box tree together to beautifie the place of my sanctuarie for I will glorifie the place of my feete ISaiah vseth yet another similitude which hee brought in when hee compared the Church to a building or Citie For he recites such things as are necessarie to build withall to wit the firre tree the pine tree and the box tree all which grew in Lebanon a forrest that abounded with goodly and excellent trees His meaning is then that whatsoeuer was faire and exquisite in this forrest should be brought vnto the Church But we must refer the truth of these figures to Gods spirituall worship for he adornes his Church with the title of the sanctuarie because himselfe dwels in the midst thereof notwithstanding hee hath alwaies respect to the Temple and to the customes of those times He sets before vs then a paterne of the Temple that stood in Ierusalem that vnder the image thereof we might consider of the spirituall Temple whereof wee are the matter and the liuing stones Eph. 2.21 1. Pet. 2.5 By the place of his feete he signifies that hee so dwelles in the Temple that yet his Maiestie is not inclosed therein for he is not contained within so narrow limits There is nothing but his feete then that is to say his lowest and meanest part thereby teaching vs to aspire vp vnto heauen and not to rest fixed in these externall signes which instruct vs according to our slender capacitie According to which it is said in Psal 99.5 Worship the footstoole of his feete for he is holy Also We will enter into his Tabernacle and worship before his footstoole Psal 132.7 Not that Gods essence is diuided into pieces Gods essence not parted into pieces part in heauen and part in earth but in regard that by such helpes hee raiseth vp his seruant as it were from his feete to his head Vers 14. The sonnes also of them that afflicted thee shall come and bow vnto thee and all they that despised thee shall fall downe at the soles of thy feete and they shall call thee The Citie of the Lord Zion of the holy one of Israel HE prosecutes the same argument still For he shewes how wonderfull this worke of redemption
shall be The same argument still prosesecuted when those that persecuted or despised the Church shall come to prostrate themselues humbly before her feete and with their whole hearts shall submit themselues to her seruice By the children of those that afflicted her hee meanes the tyrants and persecuters which vexed her Now this was partly accomplished when the Iewes returned into their country But this returne was but an obscure shadow of that deliuerance which wee haue obtained by Christ Thus these things then were truly accomplished vnder Christs kingdome yet so that we must wait for the perfect consummation thereof till his second comming as in another place before we haue noted But will some say Quest is not this honor whereof the Prophet speakes too excessiue and greater then of right belongs to the Church For to bow and fall downe vpon the ground are such signes of honour which no mortall man ought to accept of I answer Ans that this honor is not made to the members but to the head which is Christ This honor not done to the Church but to the head Christ who is worshipped in the Church and those who hated and persecuted him before come now to do him this reuerence Now we say that Christ is adored in the Church not according to the Popish opinion who thinke they indeed worship Christ whilst they kneele before that Romane Idoll The Romane Idoll to kisse his pantable Those in fauor of whom this is affirmed hate and reiect such a doctrine They only honor Christ then who obey his voice as also the Prophet saith that the strangers which were out of the Church should willingly submit themselues to yeeld obedience vnto Christ whose Maiestie shines in the doctrine which himselfe administers by the seruice of men And shall call thee c. The Church was adorned with this title heretofore but it was in a maner defaced when the Citie was destroyed the Temple raced and the people led away captiue Ierusalem was no more the same neither was there ought to be seene in her but an horrible wast and yet he promiseth that she shall be so restored that all shall acknowledge her for the Citie of the Lord. Zion of the c. Afterwards he speakes of the Temple to signifie vnto vs that this dignitie is attributed to Ierusalem in regard of the Temple that is to say for the seruice of Gods sake which was there established Vers 15. Whereas thou hast bin forsaken and hated so that no man went by thee I will make thee an eternall glorie and a ioy from generation to generation THe Prophet had an eie to that middle time which alreadie approched for a little after his death the people were driuen out of their heritage and led away captiue so as all thought that the Iewes had bin for euer rooted out That this thought then might not arise in the minds of the faithfull whereby they were in danger to fall into despaire and say We are vndone there is no way left how to remedie these so exâ—reame miseries neither are we euer to expect a better condition he on the contrarie shewes that these sore calamities can not let God to restore them againe For howsoeuer for a time they were after a sort forsaken when the Lord thus corrected them yet was it no masterie for him to set them in a more happie and better estate then the former If any obiect Obiect that this magnificence of the Church was of no long continuance the answere Ans is soone made For howsoeuer the people were diuerslie afflicted after their returne home and that the Christian Church also did not long hold her excellencie yet is all that which the Prophet foretold accomplished for Christes glorie shines forth from vnder the crosse Christes glorie shines Vnder the crosse so as Gods name remâ— nes and a people also that calles vpon his name by faith Vse Besides we are to note that our owne vnthankfulnes hinders vs from receiuing the fruit of these promises because we breake off the course of Gods working by our infidelitie and by our owne frowardnes wee lose the profit which wee might reape from the same To conclude we are alwaies to remember that which I haue so often told you namely That the Prophet speakes not of yeeres heere or of a few daies but comprehends the whole course of our redemption from the end of the captiuitie vntill the publishing of the Gospell and so successiuely till he shall giue vp the kingdome to God his Father Vers 16. Thou shalt also suck the milke of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breasts of the Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy sauiour and thy redeemer the mightie one of Iaakob HE speakes of the spreading forth of the Church But it was necessarie that one and the same thing should be often repeated in regard it seemed incredible that the Church of God being now brought to so low an ebbe should euer be raised or spread ouer the whole world for her condition was lamentable but in the end she was rebuilt againe to the astonishment of all and that by a small remnant as a brand recouered out of the fire and the seed thereof was scattered farre and wide thorow all the quarters of the world And therefore it is as much as if he had said Though thou beest now inclosed within strait and very narrow bounds and hast nothing in common with the Gentiles yet so it is that thou shalt receiue from them much fruites in abundance By milke and breasts he meanes nothing else but that seruice and obedience which the Gentiles should render to the Church to nourish her ofspring For hauing sâ—id before that of an handfull should proceed an infinite number of children now he prouides milke to suckle them with vntill they be come of sufficient age And he expresly speakes of Kings in regard it was the harder to be beleeued And thus Kings by the way are admonished of their duties Kings admonished of their duties who if they will discharge the same as they ought then must they be seruants of the Church otherwise the Lord will call them to account for it and we know what Dauid pronounceth in the second Psalme verse 10.11 But wee must note after what maner the Church shall suck the milke and the breasts of the Gentiles For she is not permitted whollie to draw in vnto her selfe all the abilities and riches of the world but only thereby to preserue her owne estate in safetie For can any thing in the world be more contrarie to the nature of the Church then to be an insatiable gulph No 〈◊〉 mo e â—â—â—trarie to the nature of the true Church then to become an insatiable gulph swallowing vp into her belly whatsoeuer she may come by These things therefore must be referred to the spirituall estate of the Church namely that by meanes hereof God may be purely
their praiers 59. 1 Their terrors come of God 13. 8 Their obstinacie 5. 24. and 16. 1. 18. 19. and 48. 4. and 57. 11 Their prosperitie transitorie 5. 16. 7. 2. 8. 21. 13. 13. and 15. 4. and 16. 3. 5. and 24. 14. and 28. 1. 32. 10. and 34. 5. and 41. 14. and 45. 16. and 47. 7 8. 61. 7. and 66. 15. Their resurrection shall turne to their eternall perdition 26. 19. 66. 3 Their wisdome dangerous 5. 21 Their vaine confidence 5. 26. and 7. 2. and 9 19. 16. 1. and 24. 17. and 28. 15 18. and 29. 1. 15. 32. 10 17. and 47. 7. and 50. 11. and 59. 4. Their posteritie accursed 14. 20. and 34. 11 Their voluntary sottishnes 26. 11 Their estate easilie ouerthrowne 14. 3 How great their pride 2. 12 Their pride in regard of their victories 10. 10 Their pride shall be ouerthrowne 2. 11 Their wicked sayings 9. 10. and 10. 13. and 22. 13. 28. 15 19. and 29. 15. 33. 14. and 41. 5. and 56. 12. and 66. 12 God spares the wicked sometimes for the godlies sake 65. 8 We must not alwaies reason with the wicked 36. 21 Widowes vnder Gods protection 1. 17. 23 The widowes cause seldome defended and why 1. 7 Red wine what it signifies in the Scripture 27. 2 East wind hurtfull to Iudeah 27. 8 Wind of the Lord for whirlewind 11. 15 Wisdome true what 33. 6 Christs admirable wisdome 11. 3 Wisdome of the wicked dangerous 5. 21 In what sense God is called wise 31. 2 How the faithfull may serue for Gods witnesses 44. 8 One woolfe will not deuoure another 9. 19 Woes 3. 9 11. and 5. 2 21 22. and 10. 1. and 28. 1. and 29. 15. and 30. 1. and 31. 1. and 33. 1. and 45. 9 10. Pompe and pride of women condemned 3. 16 17 Women beare in sorrow because of sinne 65. 23 Womens wandring eies true messengers of a dishonest heart 3. 16 What vice most predominate in women 3. 17 Womens superfluitie flowes from pride 3. 16 Womens replies met withall ibid. A womans cabinet called a world 3. 17 Women made an vproare at Rome because of a law made for restraint of braue apparrell ibid. Women afraid of Sunburning 3. 24 God shewes an admirable power in womens bearing of children 66. 9 Word of God how eternall 40. 8 Why compared to letters sealed 8. 16 Why resembled to raine 55 10 Gods word the rule of vowes 19 21 The rule of all our actions 29. 13 The word must not bee separate from the Spirit 59. 21 How the word blindes the reprobate 6. 10 Why the word is preached to the reprobate 6. 10. and 8. 4 16 Gods word sufficeth Gods people 14. 26. 28. 12 Authoritie of Gods word 8. 20 Certaintie of Gods word 52. 6 7 Contempt of Gods word the fountaine of all euils 30. 9 Whence the obscuritie of Gods word proceedes 45. 19 Gods word is plaine ibid. The maiestie of the word 50. 10 Worke put for iudgement 5. 19. and 15. 19 New worke put for extraordinary 43. 19 Worke wrought a popish inuention 11. 1 What the workes of the wicked are 59. 5 Workes of God how they ought to bee considered 5. 12. 14. 5. and 34. 16. 41. 5. The world as it were renued by Christ 65. 17. and 66. 22 Vnthankfulnesse of the world 41. 5. 49. 4 World taken for Babylon 13. 1 Taken for the reigons knowne to the Iewes 4. 17. See 14. 26. 24. 1. 4 Worme that dieth not 66. 23 Worme Iacob 41. 14 Gods worship must be answerable to Gods nature 66. 1 Wrath of God much to be feared 9. 14. 13. 9 Wee must not iudge of it by outward appearance 5. 26 How wrath is attributed to God 47. 6 Gods wrath towards the godly lasts not long 12. 1. and 54. 7 16. and 57. 16 Gods wrath against the wicked terrible and insupportable 9. 18. 21. 10. 4. 6. 25. 26. 12. 1. 15. 9. 21. 17. 24 2. 26. 17. 27. 4. 28. 19 21. 30. 32. 34. 10. 38. 12. 42. 25. 63. 1. 3. 6. 64 5. 8. 66. 6 15 16 19 Why Gods wrath is compared to a fire 1. 31 Signes of Gods wrath in the starres 13. 10 An hyperbolicall description of Gods wrath 13. 10 God in wrath remembers mercy 30. 18 19. 47. 6 and 60. 10. 64. 11 In what sense God is said to haue things written before him 65. 6 Y The acceptable yeere put for the preaching of the Gospell 61. 2 Yeere of Iubile ibid. Yeeres of an hireling 16. 14 Yeere of my redeemed 63. 4 A yeere in daies 32. 10 A child of yeeres 65. 20 A sinner of an hundred yeeres 65. 20 Fifteene yeeres added to the daies of Hezekias 38 5 Isaiah walkes naked three yeeres 20. 3 Iles put for regions lying beyond the seaes 41. 1. 42. 4. 59. 10. 60. 9. 66. 19. Z Zeale put for indignation 26. 11 Inconsiderate zeale taxed 56. 4 The zeale of the faithfull moderate 36. 21 Zeale of Idolaters 44. 8 Zoan a Citie renowned in Egypt 19. 3 Zoar a towne far remote from the Moabites 9. 5 Why compared to an heifer of three yeeres old 15. 5 Mount Zion consecrated vnto God 17. 8 Zion a Citie of Dauid 33. 20 Why preferred before all other mountaines 18. 7 In what time founded by the Lord 14. 32 Zion publisheth good tidings 40. 9 FINIS ⧠Authors alleaged in this Commentarie the third number notes the section ANacharsis his saying 5. 9. 2 Aristotle 40. 31. 2 Athanasius 14. 16 Augustine 6. 4. 3. 39. 5. 1 Taxed 41. 22. 7. 42. 4. 4 A place of his alleaged against the Pellagians 54. 13. 6 Why Caluin is brife in his expositions 53. 5. 3 Caluins Institutions 58 4 Chalde Paraphrast 11. 5. 2 Chrysostom his elegant speech 5. 8. 1 His exposition taxed 53. 8 Demosthenes his saying 47. 3. 1 Ierom 1. 2. 3. 8. 7. 2. 14. 18. 1. 40. 2. 6. 41. 14. 2. 46. 7. 3. 49 12. 1. Horace 21. 16. 1. 23. 16. 1. 44. 15. 1 Ionathan 13. 15. 38. 1. 5 Iosephus 5. 10. 1. 19. 19. 2 An historie of his in 45. 4. 4 Isocrates 19. 1. 4 Lycurgus 1. 2. 3 Lucanus 4. 1. 3 Plato 3. 4. 1. 11. 9. 1 Plinie 23. 4. 37. 12. 40. 31. 59. 6 Physitians of our time 38. 21 Sayings of prophane Poets 30. 27. 2. 37. 10. 3. 40. 26. 2 Oecolampadius 53. 9. 1 Satyrike Poet 14. 10. 2 Virgil 16. 10 Xenophon 13. 15. 1. 21. 5. 1 The names of diuers persons mentioned in the Commentarie ALexander 13. 3. 23. 1. 1. 45. 4. 4 Athens 16. 4 Apollos 41. 25. 3 Antiochus 54. 9. 3. 54. 16. 1. 56. 9. 3 Crassus 37. 1 2 Croesus 44. 2. 1. Saint Clade Laudie