is nothing else but that integritie and soundnesse of heart which is opposed to hypocrisie which also appeares by the word truth according as Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.5 that the end of the law is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfeined Moreouer Hezekias sets downe the fruits which issue from a pure heart as from the roote not onely to animate himselfe but others also especially concerning those things which might giue them any occasion of stumbling Hee staggered not then but meant to remoue the impediments which peraduenture might discourage many Againe The second rule let vs note how our life must be ordered if we desire that God should approue of vs to wit that we doe nothing vvithout his commandement And haue done that which was good in thy sight for as hee reiects and condemnes all outward shewes whereby hypocrits would bee thought iolly fellowes so esteemes he nothing at all of any newfound seruices wherein the superstitious sort trauaile in vaine thinking they merit much at his hands whilest they cast his word behind their backs But Hezekias Hezekias not onely ran but he ran well who knew that obedience was better then sacrifices 1. Sam. 15.22 saith not onely that he ran which some often doe though cleane out of the way but also that he squared his whole life to the commandements of God which onely is the competent Iudge thereof Now from this place wee may gather how much this holy personage was kindled with the affection of praier for albeit he sees nothing about him but signes of Gods wrath yet hee ceaseth not to haue recourse vnto him still God must be sought vnto by praier when hee seemes most angrie and exerciseth his faith by powring out his praiers teares in his presence which all faithfull hearts ought carefully and diligentlie to practise and that euen in their deepest distresses Vers 4. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying ISaiah went his way and left his sting behind him as they say leauing him as a dead man whom in the name of the Lord he had adiudged to die In the meane while we may gather from his song how restlesse his thoughts were or rather with how great terror he was surprised It is not easie to define of the intermission betweene the Prophets departure and his returne yet it is out of question that the promise both touching his recouery and life was not made till he had felt himselfe forlorne yea after he had a long time been tossed vp and downe with furious stormes and tempests For his faith was tried to the vtmost when God thus hid his face from him and suffered him to lie plunged in the darknesse of death yet we haue told you already that the faith of this King was not so quenched but that some sparks thereof appeared though hee were left destitute of all outward comforts For by the secret instinct of the holy Ghost he breathed out vnutterable groanes from this bottomlesse gulfe which ascended vp into the eares of the most high From whence we gather that the faithfull are so heard in the day of their distresse that the fauour of God manifests not it selfe vnto them at the first cry but hee deferres of purpose to let them feele it till hee sees they be throughly humbled Now if it were needfull that so excellent a king and seruant of God should be in a manner thus ouerwhelmed with sorrowes that he might be the better fitted and prouoked to desire Gods fauour and to sigh and grone vnto him being at the last cast and almost swallowed vp of the lower hells let vs not wonder if sometimes he leaues vs perplexed with feare and anguish and deferres that comfort long which we desire First obiection Obiect But some may thinke it strange that God forthwith called back his sentence as if he repented himselfe of that which was gone out of his lips for there is nothing lesse agreeable to his nature then to be changeable Ans I answere Hezekias was not adiudged to death in the decree and counsell of God but his meaning herein was to trie and examin the faith of his seruant Wherefore in this denunciation there must be a condition supplied A condition must be supplied in the denuntiatiō for otherwise Hezekias could neuer haue bowed the Lord nor disanulled his irreuocable decree neither by his prayers nor teares But the Lord threatned him as he did Abimeleck king of Gerar for taking Sarah Abrams wife Gen. 20.3 And as Ionas did the Nineuits Ionas 1.2 3.4 But it will be further obiected Obiect Second obiection that it is contrarie to Gods nature to speake one thing thinke another for thus his words shall lose their authoritie because men will esteeme of his promises and threatnings as things of little weight Ans But wee must iudge of the forme of these words as of the sense of those which I haue alreadie expounded GOD gaue sentēce of death vpō Hezekias because he would not that he should die neither had it been needfull nor profitable to haue sent him this message had not the remedie been neere at hand Besides as it was the meaning of God to humble his seruant with feare and astonishment that by a voluntarie condemning of himselfe he might by prayers and teares escape this chastisement so also it was no lesse his purpose to bring him low by this sharp and biting speech Thou shalt die to the end he might require life and to haue it restored as to him that was now shut vp as it were in his sepulchre The Prophet supplied an infolded condition therefore which Hezekias easily espied although he perceiued it not at the first We can not conclude then that God vsed any dissimulation here seeing he fits his speech to the capacitie and reach of the person to whom he speakes for it is no vnwonted thing with him to kill before he quicken He only then holds part of his speech in suspence He only held part of his speech in suspence that by the outward appearance of death Hezekias might by little and little be framed to newnes of life Vers 5. Goe and say vnto Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer and seene thy teares behold I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres IN his first ambassage Why God propounds his name to Hezekias in a diuers forme vers 1. he meant only to terrifie Hezekias and therefore contents himselfe with a bare propounding of the name of God * As in vers 1. before whose iudgement seat he summoned this poore guiltie person but now when hee brings message of consolation he addes a particular title * The God of Dauid thy father to shew from what fountaine this fauour proceeded as if he should say God is now mooued to shew mercie so as he will not deale extreamely with
thereby but because hee would not haue men to attribute that vnto him which they haue rashly inuented of their owne heads without his commandement and also because hee cannot endure that men should establish their owne fantasies in stead of his law Although to the end he may yet touch them neerer to the quicke he by and by addes That it is a seruice falsely so called which he esteemes to be but lost labour namely that in assembling themselues in the Temple they did nothing else but weare the pauements thereof with their feete as if he should say You must needes thinke that I am much bound to you for beating mine eares thus with your feined prayers Vers 13. Bring no moe oblations in vaine incense is an abomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new moones nor sabbaths nor solemne daies it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies THis is a very profitable admonition to represse the inordinate appetite of those who ceased not obstinately to follow their vaine and fained seruices that at least being warned of God they might repent if at any hand they would be admonished But it appeares by this place how obstinate hypocrits are in their false confidence being once hardned therein because they cannot possiblie heare the Lord although hee manifestly warne them that they should cease to lose their labour as they doe Incense is an abomination c. That he might pricke them vnto the quicke indeede he passeth yet further and tels them that such seruice is not only vnprofitable but that he also detests it as abominable vnto him and very iustly for it is an high sacriledge to prophane the seruice of God vnder which they falsely shrouded themselues For euen as God esteemes nothing more deare and precious vnto him thē his glory so is nothing lesse tolerable vnto him then to see it trodden vnder feete by any corruption whatsoeuer which yet is then done when euery vaine thing is set vp in stead of his true worship Some are deceiued in vnderstanding this place thinking that the Prophet speakes of the abolishing of the law for that is not his meaning but he rather brings the people of his time to the true obseruation of the ceremonies and shewes wherefore and to what end they were instituted The seruice of God was spirituall euen from the beginning of the world And whereas there were other exercises diuers from ours in the old Testament it was in regard of men and not of God for there is no changing with him Iames 1.17 but he applied himselfe to the weakenes of man This gouernment then was fit for the Iewes as an Abce for children Therefore he shewes to what end this gouernment was established and what was the true vse of ceremonies Vers 14. My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feasts they are a burthen vnto me I am wearie to beare them THe Prophet addes nothing different from the former doctrine but in generall pronoūceth of al ceremonies †Viz. In the performer as after appeareth by M. Caluins owne words where there is not spirituall trueth ioyned but onely a false pretence appeareth that they are not onely things vnprofitable †1. As he performeth them that is an hypocrite his actions is vnprofitable to himselfe and impious but wicked From hence we must obserue that we labour but in vaine vnlesse we worship God aright as it is meete and himselfe prescribeth For if trueth be it indeede which pleaseth God in all things then much more doth he looke for it in the worship which is done to his Maiestie Moreouer our labour is not only lost as hath been said heretofore but the worship of God is hereby peruerted which is the greatest villanie that can be committed Now all superstitions are so many corruptions of the pure worship of God and therefore it followes that they are wicked and detestable Superstition then is to be esteemed either by the thing it selfe or by the affection of the heart from whence it proceedes By the thing it selfe when men dare bring in of their owne heades that which God hath not commanded As all those things are which superstition commonly called deuotion hath begotten One will set vp and Idoll another will build a chappel the third will found yeerely pensions to haue Masses said daily for him others such like paltrie stuffe without end or measure Now when men take vpon them to be so malepert as to forge new seruices there hath superstition the full swinge It may also be in the affection of the heart when men doe vse the ceremonies which God hath allowed and commanded in outward appearance who in the meane while sticke fast there neuer aiming at the marke and trueth of them As for example the Iewes hold the ceremonies ordained by Moses with tooth and naile but yet they leaue that which is the principall behind them For they regard a good conscience nothing at all a man shall not heare them speake of faith or of repentance they haue no knowledge of their spirituall miserie and which is worst of all they separate Christ from their sacrifices giuing no place at all to the trueth Wherein we cleerely see the trueth of that which wee haue taught heretofore to wit that it was a bastardly painted shew which they made so as their sacrifices differed in nothing from the sacrifices of the heathen We neede not wonder then if the Lord call them an abomination I will not stand to scan the phrases of speech which the Prophet here vseth they are diuers and yet notwithstanding they are not to be lightly passed ouer For the Lord well discernes how great the rage of man is to forge new seruices and therefore he vseth amplifications to depresse this vice the more and againe pronounceth that hee hates them Besides for as much as men doe flatter themselues and are perswaded that the Lord will make some account of their dreames and store of deuices he on the contrarie saith that he abhorres and detests them Vers 15. And when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of blood IT came not from any superstition that the people in old time vsed to stretch out their hands in prayer neither came this gesture of any vaine or friuolous lust as many others haue done But in regard that nature her selfe thrusteth forth her hands to seeke for that which she desireth testifying euen by outward signes that she hath her recourse vnto God Therefore in as much as we cannot flie vp vnto him wee lift vp our selues as it were vnto him by this signe or gesture True it is that the fathers had no commandement to doe it notwithstanding they vsed it as being inspired of God And by this very signe are all idolaters conuinced euen of sottish blindnes for they protest by this outward gesture that they haue their refuge
it is all one as if hee himselfe should consent with theeues Euery one loueth gifts Hee also shewes the cause wherefore the Princes had societie with the theeues and by a wicked conspiracie had coupled themselues with them to foster and maintaine all iniustice to wit couetousnes For iustice is gone when Iudges are giuen to the loue of monie for if accepting of persons be such a corruption in iudgment that where it reignes equitie hath no place at all truely whosoeuer he be that is possessed with couetousnes such a one hath more respect to the person then to the cause And therefore he cannot see the right but will practise that which one saith to wit hee will make lawes and vnmake them againe By this we are aduertised what a vertue it is in a Magistrate to know how to contemne gifts for if he cannot curbe his desires his hands and eyes he will neuer iudge iustlie It is therefore but a tale when some say they can keepe a good conscience though they receiue rewards seeing that which the Lord saith remaines euer true namely that gifts doe blind the eyes of the wise and peruert the words of the iust Exod. 23.1 Deut. 16.29 There is no man then so perfect nor so wise and learned whose eyes vnderstanding may not be blinded with gifts Whence it is that he iustly chargeth the Iudges to be coÌ„panions with theeues because being carried away with a blind desire of monie there was no law neither of God nor of man which they peruerted not and that there remained amongst them no respect either of shame or equitie Wee must also note that for the conuiction of hypocrites the Prophet sets their workes which were notorious before them which were also apparent to all the world because otherwise they would neuer bee brought vnder And yet no doubt but there were many at that time which winced when they were thus termed by the name of theeues as also at this day many crie out impudently and obstinately that they are not theeues for taking those bribes and giftes which are offered them and that it will hinder them nothing at all from iudging iustly Now because such answers are friuolous the Prophet hauing discouered their wickednes and contenting himselfe thus to haue reprooued them he pleades no more with them And verily nature it selfe teacheth vs that it is vnpâ—ssible to giue right iudgemeÌ„t when Iudges are so greedie of recompence and reward for it cannot bee but that thereby they must needes set both their faithfulnes and estimation to sale They iudge not the fatherlesse Euen as the Lord doth specially recommend vnto vs the causes of the widowes and of the fatherlesse because they are destitute of mens succour and helpe so also it is no meruaile if hee be offended when hee seeth the Iudges neglect them in stead of being mouth eyes eares and hands for them For when no man puts forth himselfe to succour such as are destitute of counsell forecast and meanes they must of necessitie bee laid open to iniuries and all manner of violences without hope of redresse Now when no man takes their cause to heart it is a signe that couetousnes and briberie haue the chiefest sway there and not equitie Vers 24. Therefore saith the Lord the God of hosts the mightie one of Israel ah I will * Or comfort me c. ease me of mine aduersaries and auenge me on mine enemies THe word Adon which is put in the first place signifies properly Lord and is to bee referred to the word that is opposite to wit Seruant The name Iehouah by which the eternall essence and Maiestie of God is expressed is added consequently After then that the Prophet Isaiah had recited some particular sinnes by the which he made it manifest to euery one that all things were corrupted amongst this people minding now to vse some threatnings and to set God his iudgement before them hee not onelie adornes the Lord with the office and power of a Iudge but also hee admonisheth them that the children of Abraham are a peculiar people vnto him and in this sense the mightie one of Israel is added although there may be here a priuie and close kind of deriding wherewith hee galleth the Iewes as if hee should say that they did foolishly bragge of the name of God seeing they are such wretched and wicked seruants and that they trust in his strength in vaine which strength he is forthwith readie to display against them Hauing thus then begun to speake he addes Ah I wil comfort me By which words he meanes that God will not bee appeased till first hee hath had his fill in chastising of them He takes the word comfort after the manner of men For euen as wrath is nothing else but a desire of reuenge so reuenge it selfe also is a kind of contentment for when any is reuenged he is glad and satisfied Thus the Lord saith that hee will satisfie himselfe in chastising his enemies as if it were a kind of recompence It is true that this place is diuersly expounded and I meane not to trouble my selfe so farre as to examine all interpretations neither will I stand to refute those which sute not with the text it sufficeth for this time that wee haue the true sense of the Prophet He speakes not here of the Chaldeans or Assiryans as many thinke but of the Iewes against whom he proclaimes open warre in the name of God whose herauld he is which threatning was very harsh and vnpleasant vnto their eares in regard they thought themselues so linked to God that hee would bee an enemie to their enemies But God contrariwise shewes that he is become their enemie because they haue prouoked him by their naughtines And after this manner must we awaken the hypocrits who continually fighting against God notwithstanding blush not still to claime his protection for their safegard Therefore let vs not maruaile if the Prophet doth sharpely terme them the enemies of God who hauing broken the couenant were thus combined together to make warre against him And yet notwithstanding to the end hee may shew that God is as it were constrained and enforced to chastise his people he threatens them as it were with a kind of inward sorrowing For as nothing is more agreeable to his nature then to doe good euen so as oft as his anger is stirred vp against vs and that hee handles vs seuerely it is certaine that our owne frowardnes hath constrained him so to doe Note because we will not suffer him to bestow his benefits vpon vs but especially he is inclined to deale thus louingly with his owne children albeit he seeth that his louing kindnes and gentlenes can nothing preuaile with them yet is it in sorrow of hart that hee strikes them But paraduenture some had rather expound the particle Hoi as if God should crie out as one being enflamed with wrath For mine owne part I take it that
been to no purpose to haue exhorted desperate and obstinate men to repentance or to set the hope of pardon before such The summe then is that the restauration of a new Church is not to be looked for till God haue first executed his iudgements and destroyed the Temple Vers 10. Enter into the rocke and hide thee in the dust from before the feare of the Lord and from the glorie of his Maiestie BEcause the wicked gaue themselues too much libertie and were too secure vnder Gods threatnings it is an vsual custome with the Prophets when they threaten obstinate sinners to adde such liuely descriptions whereby to terrifie them euen as if they should set the thing in present view before their eies This is the reason why the Prophet now commands the contemners of God to enter into the rocks and holes to hide them vnder the earth Wherein hee first shewes them that the iudgement of God is more terterrible then an hundred deaths seeing to escape the same the graue is to bee wished for But when hee forceth them thus into their holes he doth with the greater emphasis manifest the heauy waight of the vengance of God Although then that by the feare of the Lord he meanes the scourges wherwith God should smite this wicked people yet notwithstanding it is not in vaine that he by and by speakes of the glorie of his Maiestie as if he should say God is terrible to the wicked according to the measure of his glorie in whose destruction he will manifest his infinite power And moreouer although the wicked cannot bee bowed nor humbled by any chastisement whatsoeuer yet are they constrained to feare when they feele Gods wrath to approch But as touching the Elect How Gods chosen ought to feaâ—e his correcting hand they are taught of God to feare vnder his chastising hand after another sort for being smitten with the strokes of his rods they willingly bend themselues to beare the yoke Isaiah then testifies that the glory of Gods Maiesty shal shine most clearelie after hee hath shewed himselfe as a iust Iudge For whilst he lets men alone it seemes all is well and men thinke that hee hath hid himselfe Let the Pastors of the word then learne from hence how they ought to behaue themselues when they haue to deale with benummed consciences to wit that being well awakened by the iudgements of God they learne to feare this iudgement seate in good earnest And howsoeuer it often seemes that we lose our labour in singing thus to deafe eares yet will this terror of Gods iudgement pearce euen into hearts of iron at the least to leaue them without excuse And oft times also it comes to passe that some are healed and the faithfull in like manner do profit by it when they vnderstand what shal befall the wicked and reprobate by executing such horrible iudgements vpon them Vers 11. The hie looke of man shall be humbled and the loftines of men shall bee abased and the Lord onely shall be exalted in that day BEcause whilst the wicked are glutted with present riches and rest all things falling out to their wish they put these threatnings of the Prophet farre off from them and by this meanes hardned their hearts against God in this place therefore hee now sets downe a course as hath been said how to pull downe this pride of theirs as if he should say The time will come wherein your great arrogancie which makes you thus in vaine to set vp your bristles yea and that with an incredible rage against the most high shall cease For howsoeuer the wicked seeme to be religious yet you shall perceiue by their pride notwithstanding that they will not sticke to iustle euen against the Lord himselfe so as it seemes they are greater then he In that God thus thundreth against them it is to the end that he might pul downe their pride and hautines and himself onely might be knowne to bee the chiefest And therefore as we haue said heretofore the impunitie of sinne is as it were a cloud cast before our eies which hinders vs that wee cannot see the glorie of the Lord. For when he reuengeth himselfe vpon the rebellions of men his glorie doth so much the more appeare Eccles 8.11 And that is the cause also why Salomon saith That the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill because in this world they see themselues more happie then the godly and so blinded more and more But here hee shewes that after the proud shall be brought vnder in spite of their teeth then nothing shall hinder that God should not be knowne to be such a one as he is Surely there was great reason that the people should willingly haue submitted themselues vnder God and haue cast their eies vpon his greatnes in respect that vnder his shadow they were in safetie and besides the stocke of Abraham was adorned so excellently with such varietie of benefits to the end they should haue bin as the mirror of the holines and glorie of the Lord. But because the Iewes are now risen vp in rebellion against this so good a God Isaiah denounceth against them that God will deuise a new way how to axalt his glorie to wit euen in their destruction In naming The hie lookes and loftines hee notes the inward pride of the mind and hart by their outward countenance and behauiour For a wicked conscience will discouer it selfe in the contempt of God and man euen by the outward gesture and looke It is in the same sense that Dauid notes out loftie eies and high lookes Psalm 131.1 c. 101.5 Isaiah also doth better confirme this in the verse following Now by heaping vp of so many words with such great vehemency we may easily gather how notorious their rebellion was Moreouer we are not to maruaile that he insists so much vpon the taming of mens arrogancie if we doe but consider how hard a thing it is to bow the hearts of those who restâ—ng vpon their riches are afraid of nothing imagining that they are aduanced to none other end but to doe whatsoeuer they list without checke or controlement For we our selues haue experience at this day how tender and delicate yea and how easily such take pepper in the nose who attribute to themselues more then there is cause why and in the end how obstinately they reiect all holsome admonitions For this cause it is that the Prophet doth thus sitly sharpen his stile against such iolly fellowes in particular rather then to threaten the vengeance of God against the whole people in generall And yet he sets not himselfe against the Princes onely who were placed in great dignitie aboue others for not onely they but those also of baser condition are readie enough to burst with pride oftentimes according to the common prouerbe Euery one hath the heart of a king so as wee see euery day that if wee touch the sores
Isaiah giues them to vnderstand therfore that these things fel not out by hap hazzard Moreouer men are wont to quarrell with God yea they are so proud and shamelesse that they feare not to make head against him Therefore to the end this pride might be beaten downe hee shewes that the chastisements wherewith they are punished are most iust and that they were wholly to blame themselues for being euery way so miserable Vers 15. And man shall be brought downe and man shall be humbled euen the eies of the proud shall be humbled THis is as it were in the shutting vp of his speech in which he shewes to what end and issue these scourges would come vnto to wit Chap. 2 11.17 that all should be humbled and that the Lord only should be exalted We haue seene the like sentence heretofore and haue there declared the Prophets meaning to wit the end why we are chastised of God For aduersities are so odious vnto vs that for the most part we can conceiue no good thing to proceed from them When we heare of punishments wee haue them in horror and detestation because we consider not that the Lord is iust But the Prophets call vs to another consideration to wit that whilst men sport themselues in their sinnes they smother as it were the iustice of God which shineth not clearely vnlesse when hee takes vengeance vpon our iniquities Behold indeede an excellent fruite and such a one as is to bee preferred before the saluation of all men For we ought to let all things giue place to the glorie of God which shineth no lesse in his iustice then in his mercie There is no cause then why we should so much feare the rods of God wherewithall we are corrected but ought rather in all humilitie to imbrace whatsoeuer the Prophets pronounce against vs. Although in this kind of speech the Prophet hath also touched the pride of the hypocrits to the quicke who euer become the more wicked when they escape still vnpunished as if he should say do yee thinke it is possible that after God hath forborne you so long yet at the last you should tread him vnder your feete no assure your selues he will arise and will be exalted in your destruction Because the Prophet hath put the word Adam in the first place and after Aisch some thinke he ment to comprehend as well noble as base as if he should say It shall not be the common people only which shall perish but also all those who are noted for their honour riches and dignitie And I willingly receiue this sence because Aisch is deriued from force and Adam from earth If any will expound it more simplie I leaue him to his owne iudgement Howsoeuer it be the Prophet hath here comprehended all mortall men as well great as small Vers 16. And the Lord of hosts shal be exalted in iudgement and the holy God shall be sanctified in iustice HE shewes the manner of the excellencie or the formall cause as they say of this exaltation whereof he spake before and it is as much as if he had said That the Lord of hosts whom the wicked doe proudly treade vnder foote shall be exalted when he shall shew himselfe the iudge of the world And thus hee scornes the sottish confidence wherewith the wicked were swollen For if iudgement and iustice must haue the vpper hand there ruine must needes follow seeing their pride was nothing else but an ouerturning of the whole course of nature Now we must diligently note that it is no more possible for the wicked to remaine alwaies in an happie estate then that God should suffer his glorie to be abolished Although iudgement and iustice doe differ in nothing one from the other yet the repetition is not superfluous The vehemencie also of the speech is further enlarged when hee addes in the second member and the holy God shall be sanctified to the ende the wicked should not through a false imagination promise a lasting felicitie by force or without cause which they cannot doe but that the holines of God shall thereby be abolished But seeing God is holy of his owne nature it must needs be that he must be sanctified Whence it followes that ruine is prepared for the wicked that so their obstinacie and rebellion may be brought vnder because God can not denie himselfe Vers 17. Then shall the lambs feede after their maner and the strangers shall eate the desolate places of the fat SOme translate The lambs shall feede according to their maner others according to their portion but he meanes according to their custome This verse is diuersly expounded but we are to note in the first place that it is the Prophets meaning to giue consolation to the faithfull which were terrified by the hearing of such fearefull iudgements of God for looke how much the more a man is of a good and tender conscience so much the more feeles he the present hand of God and the more neerely is he touched to the quick with his iudgements lastly the feare and reuerence of God causeth vs to be touched in good earnest with whatsoeuer it be that is set before vs in his name wherefore they could not haue bene withheld from dispaire in hearing so terrible threatnings vnlesse this consolation had bin added thereunto as a sweet sauce to giue them occasion to relish and take a sweet taste in the mercie of God And this is a thing much vsed in the Prophets to wit still to haue an eye alwayes to the faithfull to furnish them with comfort Although then saith Isaiah it seemes God is minded to destroy all this people yet notwithstanding he will shew himselfe a faithfull shepheard toward his lambs and will feed them as he was wont to doe marke that for one point Also the meaning of the Prophet was to beate back the pride of the great ones who in oppressing the faithfull and simple by an vniust tyrany boasted notwithstanding that they were the Church of God still he tels them therfore that this their boasting is full of lying and vanitie thus to adorne themselues with the title of the flock or sheepfold of God because they are goates and not lambs and therefore when they shall be cut off God will still haue meanes in his hand to feede his flock but yet by the way that the lambs shall neuer thriue nor be in good plight till they be seperated and deliuered from the goats The desolate places The expositors do yet againe vary vpon this place also but I thinke the true sence is that after the children of God haue been driuen away for a time as banished men they shall be restored to their right and shall then recouer that which was desert or which was trampled and spoyled by the fat beasts that is to say by the proud and cruel which had spoiled them of their goods By the deserts he meanes the possessiōs which they had left and which others
confirmation is added indeed by the works but we must not begin at them For thus stands the difference betweene the elect and the reprobate the elect rest simplie vpon the word of God and yet in the meane while despise it not but the wicked despise his word though he should speake a thousand times and are importunate vpon him still to see his works and when iudgement is threatned they aske where is it and thus they can not indure that one should mention it vnto them vnlesse it doe by and by appeare by effects Where there is so litle moderation it followes that there is no faith but rather a rebellious obstinacie which turnes a man out of the way and estrangeth him more and more from God Vers 20. Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euill of good which put darkenes for light and light for darkenes that put bitter for sweet and sweet for sowre ALthough many restraine this sentence to Iudges yet if we obserue the words a little more narowly it shall be easie to gather from the whole context that this is a generall sentence For hauing before cried out against those who could not endure any admonitions he still goes on with the same reprehension Now it appeares that such kind of people haue alwayes some pretence or other wherewithall to deceiue themselues And therefore they neuer cease to make replies as oft as their vices are set before them but he expresly reproues the shamelesse impudencie of those who of set purpose endeuored to ouerthrow all difference betweene good and euill And the letter Lamed placed before these two words euill and good shewes the sence to be thus namely those that make euill of good and of good euill that is to say who by craftinesse full of vanitie couer excuse and disguise wicked matters minding by their subtilties to change the nature of euery thing but on the contrary by lyes and slanders they ouerthrow that which is good For whosoeuer hath the feare of God he is withheld by conscience and shamefastnes from excusing his sinnes or enterprising to condemne that which is iust and right But they who are voyd of this feare are also impudent to commend vices and make no bones of it at all to condemne vertues the which in whomsoeuer it be is an euident signe of desperate wickednes We may also applie this sentence to diuers particulars For if priuate persons are here accursed when they say euill is good and good euill much more is it true of those who are aduanced into high place and haue publike office whose dutie is to vphold and maintaine all that is lawfull and right But hee rebukes all such in generall who flatter themselues in euill doing and for hatred which they beare to vertue condemne that which is done vprightly yea who to couer their filthines vse cauilling shifts and become altogether obdurate in themselues The Prophet saith that such folke do all one as if they should turne light into darknes and sweete into sower For thus they shew themselues to be possessed with a diabolicall rage when they so mingle and confound all principles of nature Vers 21. Woe vnto them that are wise in their owne eies and prudent in their owne sight HE goes on still in rebuking such as could not bee reclaimed by any perswasion whatsoeuer who shut the gate against all good counsell and holy admonitions which are made vnto them Lastly he pronounceth a woe against all desperate contemners who oppose and set the lusts of their flesh or the peruerse confidence of their owne wisedome against God his doctrine and admonitions And not onely reprooues those which are so puffed vp with a false opinion of their wit that they are ashamed to learne of others but he also condemnes all such in generall who being wise in their owne conseit refuse to heare God speaking and to obey his holie counsels This vice hath been too common in all times and is to be seene at this day in many who although they make conscience to reiect all the doctrine of godlines openly yet are so farre off from any true teachablenes and obedience that they proudly reiect whatsoeuer likes them not They grant there ought to be some bridle to hold them in but on the otherside arrogancie so blinds them that they quickly murmure against God when he shewes them but the way wherein they should walke And not content with that but with furious indignation gnash their teeth when any reprooueth that which they doe For where shall we finde that man who renouncing all his owne reason will bee readie to learne from God his mouth onely Now there is not a more dangerous pestilence then this lying shew of wisedome seeing teachablenes is the beginning of godlines when renouncing our owne wisedome we goe thither where God calles vs. But this false perswasion is not condemned onely for that it makes men disobedient to God and so causeth their ruine but also because it is intollerable in it selfe 1. Cor. 3.18 For we must become fooles if we will be the disciples of God It is also certaine that wheresoeuer this modestie and humilitie beares not sway by meanes whereof men do voluntarily yeeld their obedience there reignes a furious rebellion In their owne eies is as much as when we say in our French tongue In their owne opinion or conceit Vers 22. Woe be to them which are mightie to drinke wine and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke Now the Prophet reprooues another vice to wit drunkennes and intemperancie of life whereof he had spoken before And thus it is very likely this chapter was gathered out of diuers sermons and that the heads of them are summarily touched onely For in regard the Prophet saw no repētance he was cōstrained to repeate beat into their minds one and the same thing often He returnes then to the same reprehensions which he had touched before and preacheth againe against drunkennesse excesse couetousnesse and other corruptions Whence we may gather that when admonitions profit nothing we ought to vse the greater vehemencie against the stubberne and vnteachable Neither truelie are we to feare lest this importunitie should be wearisome but often to repeate the reprehensions till they bow vnder them or else till they shew an incurable malice He taunteth them pleasantly telling them that they are lustie and strong to drinke because they spend and consume their strength in fighting with the pot and glasse But what a brutishnes is this for a man being of a good constitution of body to make shew of his strength in drinking excessiuely Also because the figure Synecdoche is vsed of the Prophets in all the Scripture he takes the speciall for the generall as if he should say Woe to drunkennesse woe to intemperance c. But hee hath of purpose set forth that which was the most shamefull that so hee might make this vice generally abhorred and detested For there
he hath corrected a breathing time but doe they become euer the better No the Prophet saith then that Tyre shall be such a one she shall be neuer a whit reformed but shall rather returne to her vomit againe she shall play the harlot as she was wont to doe It is not to be doubted but he speakes of her merchandizing but he continues on his similitude which he had taken vp before not meaning thereby vtterlie to cōdemne the trade of Merchants as we haue said but because amongst so many corruptions as men haue mingled therewith it very fitlie resembles the prancks of harlots for it is replenished with so much cunning secret packing Subtle conueiances among Merchants and such subtle conueyances as wee may now see in the world that it seemes it was only deuised to snare and beguile the simple How many new and vnknowne practises doe they inuent euery day to gaine and take vp on Vsurie Vsurie which yet none can perceiue vnlesse of long time he hath frequented the Schooles of the Merchants Wee neede not maruell then if the Prophet hath taken vp such a similitude whereby he meant to shew that Tyrus should be no lesse deceitful in the trade of merchandise then she was before Vers 18. * Or but in the end Yet here occupying and her wages shall be holy vnto the Lord it shall not be laid vp nor kept in store but her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord to eate sufficiently and to haue durable clothing THis was an other fauour of God towards Tyre After she was restored she yet conuerted not to the Lord but went on in her subtile dealings for which shee deserued vtterly to perish And indeede she was miserably punished when Alexander tooke her by force yet notwithstanding the kingdome of Iesus Christ was set vp there as S. Luke witnesseth Acts 21.4 This verse then must bee opposed to the former as if he should say Yet shall the merchandise of Tyre be consecrated to the Lord. Here we haue a wonderfull example of Gods goodnesse which shined euen into this vile brothelhouse and as you would say euen into hell This restauration of Tyre then must be attributed to the bountie of the Lord but this first benefit was nothing in comparison of the second when the Lord sanctified and set it a part for himselfe But will some say Obiect might that bee offered vnto God in sacrifice which the Tyrians had scraped together by polling and vnlawfull shifts Gen. 17.1 For the Lord detests such offerings because hee requires a pure conscience and innocent hands Psal 24.4 Now in regard of this question many trouble themselues about the exposition of this place but to small purpose Ans for it is not the Prophets meaning that the merchandise of Tyre shall be consecrated vnto God whilest she continues in her whoredoms but notes the time to come namely after her repentance and conuersion Shee shall not then gather treasures and heape vp wealth by hooke and by crooke but shall imploy them in the seruice of God and lay out the profit of her trading for the comfort of the faithfull in their neede Now albeit hee hath vsed an vnseemely word it is in regard of the time signifying that she shall forget her wicked practises and shall change her old customes They shall not be laid vp Thus in few words hee describes the repentance of Tyre which although in times past was addicted to couetousnesse yet being conuerted to Christ she shall not studie to hoord vp riches but shall imploy them for the reliefe of the poore and other good vses This ought to be the fruit of repentance as S. Paul admonisheth Let him that stole steale no more but let him rather labour with his hands the thing that is good that he may be able to giue to him that needeth Eph. 4.28 Whereas the Tyrians then in times past deuoured riches on all sides with an insatiable desire Isaiah saith that now they shall bee readie to giue as fast out because their inordinate desire of gaine shall cease This is then a note of charitie to helpe our poore brethren contraiwise of cruelty if we suffer them to want especially when God lades vs with plentie He addes the right way of doing good to wit they shall bestow their goods vpon the seruants of God Now albeit he comprehends all the faithfull yet hath he a speciall respect to the Priests and Leuites of whom some sacrificed some made readie the beasts that were to be sacrificed others watched in a word all were readie to doe their office and for that cause it is said that they dwelt before the Lord. The like by as good right is to be said of all the Ministers of the Church Moreouer in as much as all the faithfull of what condition soeuer they be belong vnto the sanctuarie of the Lord and are made one royall Priesthood by Christ to dwell before him I willingly referre these words to all the houshold of faith of whom wee ought to be most carefull for S. Paul giues vs so in charge and would haue them relieued before any other Gal. 6.10 For if the common bond of nature ought to moue vs to hold an estimation of our owne flesh Chap. 58.7 how much more should the vnion of Christs members which is much more holy and straight then all the bonds of nature mooue and prouoke vs thereunto We ought also to obserue in this phrase of speech to dwell before the Lord an other point for albeit we haue not now the Arke of the couenant yet by the benefit of Christ we approch neerer vnto God then the Leuites in old time did And therefore we are commanded to walke before him no otherwise then if he looked vpon vs to the end we may in all good conscience giue our selues to holinesse and righteousnesse for wee are charged to walke alwaies as in his sight and to behold him as one that viewes all our waies that so we may keepe iustice and iudgement That they may eat their fill The Prophet meanes that wee ought to sustaine our brethren much more largely and liberally then men are wont to doe because wee are wonderfull niggards and pinchpennies when we are moued to relieue the poore There are verie few that will venture their almes for nothing and giue with a franke and willing heart for they thinke that that which they giue to others is lost and is but a lessening of their stocke The Lord therefore greatly commends a cheerefull heart Rom. 12.8 the rather to correct this vice of niggardlinesse and albeit the place in the Romans be chiefly directed to the Deacons yet it ought to be applied to all An other sentence also must be kept in minde which testifieth that God loues a cheerefull giuer 2. Cor. 9.7 Let vs also note that the Prophet affirmes that whatsoeuer is giuen to the poore is consecrated vnto God which the holy Ghost
bestowes all the paines and skil he hath Those who change the Prophets words here that they might not offend the eares of the readers do by an affected phrase of speech corrupt the sense and cause his words to lose that grace which otherwise is in them for in repeating the same words hee meant to signifie a variable and continuall repetition which we know is very troublesome For it is a similitude drawne as we haue said from little children whose memories the Master dares not charge with any great matter because they are vncapable of it but is faine to distill the first principles into them as it were drop by drop And for that cause he repeates the same thing once twice yea many times and is still refreshing their memories with their old lesson In a word such schollers must be alwaies fed with milke vntill they bee growne to more maturitie and ripenes of iudgement The Prophet in like manner somewhat after a quipping manner of speech vseth these words heere a little and there a little Those interpret it ill as I thinke who reade the word a little line as if the Prophet had had respect to a building that goes vp slowlie and is raised an end by lines now a little and then alittle For this had been an improper similitude and too farre fetched seeing he speakes heere of childrens first rudiments I confesse indeed that the same Hebrew word is vsed in the 18. Chapter where I haue trāslated From all parts or Line after line and so in manie other places but the circumstance of this text requires another sense as also in Psal 19.4 Vnlesse the word line or measuring instrument should agree better there yet I denie not but vnder a figure it may well be taken for instruction or rule For in as much as the rule or plummet which they vse in buildings is called by the same name as we shall afterward see in this Chapter it is no maruell if it be referred to other rules Vers 11. For with a stammering tongue and with a strāge language shall he speake vnto this people WHereas some supply that it is as if one spake it is superfluous I referre this to God then who as the Prophet saith spake in a strange language to this barbarous people This reprehension ought therefore to haue pierced them to the heart in regard that by their owne default they made him to slut and stammer who yet giues speech vnto all He threatens them not but rather accuseth them of blockishnes in that they made the heauenlie doctrine to become nothing else but a confused sound vnto them so as they receiued no benefit by it because they wittinglie stopped their eares against it The Prophet therefore compares their follie to a thing against nature in that they would not heare the voice of the Lord. Vers 12. Vnto whom he said This is the rest giue rest to him that is wearie and this is the refreshing but they would not heare SOme expoūd this sentence in many words thus If anie say vnto them This is the rest they will not heare but this is of no force neither doth it make that coherēce which it should The Prophet rather shewes why God became a barbarian as it were to the Iewes to wit because they wanted eares to heare him so that in effect he spake as vnto them that were deafe for they would not learne what this rest meant But this deafnes proceeded from rebellion for they presumptuouslie reiected all wholesome doctrine with a setled malice It was a frowardnesse doubly inexcusable then to reiect that rest which was offred them which all men also naturally desire They were too farre gone alreadie in impietie to stop their eares when God spake but their ingratitude was much more insupportable to despise so desireable a benefit with such an high hand The Prophet shewes them therefore what fruite they might haue reaped from the obedience of faith of which they depriued themselues by their owne obstinacie He blames their blindnes and ignorance then because all this proceeded from their rebellion in that they maliciously shut their eies against the cleere light which shined vnto them from heauen and loued rather to grope in darknes then to walke in the light Hence we gather that the vnbeleeuers doe willingly plunge themselues into a miserable vnquietnes of mind as soone as God tenders his word vnto them What an inestimable benefit Gods word brings if our owne infidelitie depriued vs not of it for he allures all men to partake in this blessed rest He shewes vs also the marke vnto which if we leuell the whole course of our liues true felicitie attends vs so as hauing once heard the heauenlie doctrine no man can run astray vnlesse he will doe it wittingly Oh how amiable then ought this good word of God to be in our eyes seeing it brings vs so inestimable a benefit with it when with rest and peace of conscience we may possesse so perfect a blessednes All men naturallie desire rest yet few take the right way to enioy it All will in words affirme boldly that nothing is better then to dwell in a place of rest and yet where is he that makes account of it when it is offred him Nay all in a maner shun it as if men had agreed with a common consent to liue in miserable perplexitie and continuall trembling of heart In the meane while none is to murmure and say that he sinnes ignorantlie for what is more cleere and manifest then the doctrine of God all excuses of men therefore are but in vaine In a word what is more absurd then to lay the fault vpon God as if he taught men either obscurely or confusedly Now as God here testifies that hee shewes vnto men by his word the way how to come to an assured rest so on the other side hee certifies the vnbeleeuers that the continuall broiles which are within them are the iust recompences of their wickednesse Where it followes Giue rest to him that is wearie some expound it as if God required works of charitie if so be we will find fauour in his sight and these workes are here comprehended vnder a part for the whole But as I thinke the Prophet meant another thing he rather shewes what rest it is which God affords vs for the releeuing of our infirmitie We are conuinced of great ingratitude if our owne necessities can not quicken vs vp to seeke the remedies which God freely offers vs. and certainly we are conuinced of ouer great ingratitude if necessitie which of it selfe is a sharpe spurre cannot for all that quicken vs forward to seeke this remedy This sentence of the Prophet tends almost to the same end that the words of Christ do Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are heauie laden and I will ease you So that Isaiah sets the choice of two things heere before the Iewes to wit whether they had rather
be comforted and refreshed or to fall vnder the burthen and so be ouerwhelmed Wherein hee confirmes that which I touched erewhile to wit that God exhorts not those that haue neede of rest to come vnto him in vaine as he saith Chap. 45.19 I aue not said in vaine to the house of Iacob Seeke yee me Are wee taught by this word then Surely if the fault be not in our selues we may safely rest in the doctrine which he sets before vs. For it is not his custome to feede vs with vaine hopes though men are often wont by fond conceits to throw themselues into many griefes and vexations Moreouer in that he shewes that this rest is prepared for those that are wearie and groane vnder the burthen we are taught therein at the least to haue our recourse vnto the word of God It is the property of Gods word to b ing assured rest to our soules See Ier. 6.16 to the end wee may obtaine rest By which wee may be assured and that by good experience that it is the propertie of this word to quiet our boiling passions and to appease our distracted and amased consciences Whosoeuer hee be then that wanders in seeking rest out of the bounds of this word shall alwaies be vexed and shall surely tremble in continuall feares and good reason for they will bee wise and happie without God This as we see befals the Papists who hauing scorned this peace are therefore tossed to and fro all their life time with horrible anxietie For Satan turnes end windes them that they are euer vexed with terrible astonishments and yet can neuer find anie place of rest Vers 13. Therefore shall the word of the Lord be vnto them precept vpon precept precept vpon precept line vpon line line vnto line there a little there a little that they may goe and fall backward and bee broken and bee snared and bee taken ALbeit the Prophet repeates the same speech with the former yet the sense doth a little alter for now he denounceth the punishment of this so wilful a deafenesse whereof he spake The iudgement is that God shall so dazle their wits that they shal not only reap no fruite at all of the doctrine of saluation but an emptie and vnprofitable sound In a word from the former verses he concludes that seeing the word of God had in no sort profited the Iewes that their vnthankfulnes should now be punished Note that God may continue his word in a nation in the meane while depriue them of the benefit thereof Not that Gods word should bee cleane taken from them but in wanting vnderstanding and a right iudgement they should groape for the way at noone day and should not finde it And thus God blindes the eies and hardens the hearts of the reprobates more and more when they are waxen incorrigible Saint Paul alleadgeth this place when hee reprehends the foolish conceit of th◠Corinthians who were so possessed with pride that they admired none but such as spake vnto them in strange languages 1. Cor. 14.21 It being an vsuall thing with the common people to wonder at strange vnwonted things But this place of Paul is ill vnderstood by reason they haue not well pondered the Prophets words which the Apostle very fitly applies to his purpose For he declares how the Corinthians were caried away with a foolish and vnbridled ambition vnreasonably affecting things altogether vnprofitable and thus were become children not in malice but in iudgement and vnderstanding By meanes whereof they pulled the curse of God wittingly vpon themselues wherewith the Prophet had threatned the Iewes in this place And so it came to passe that the word of God was vnto them precept vpon precept receiuing no more fruit by it then if one had told them a long tale in a language they vnderstood not Men are growne exceeding fond therefore when they begin to throw themselues by a vaine affection into wilfull blindnesse and benummednesse of spirit with which plague the Lord here threatens the obstinate rebellious Saint Paul then expounds and cleeres this sentence of the Prophet verie well shewing that such as abuse the doctrine of saluation are vnworthy to profit any thing at all by it We had almost the like place to this in the eight Chapter Chap. 8.16 Chap. 29.9 10. where our Prophet compared his doctrine to letters sealed vp and anon he will liken it to a closed booke This falles out when the Lord depriues men of the light of his spirit and of sound iudgement for their vnthankfulnesse sake that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not heare at all whereby hee punisheth them most iustly We ought to obserue this well for wee often take our selues to be great proficients and to be exceeding happie that we haue the word of God amongst vs but what profit get we by it vnlesse our vnderstandings be fitted to cōceiue it and our hearts framed to be directed by it For wanting this We are in worse case in inioying the word then if we were vtterly bereaued of it vnlesse we yeeld obedience therunto wee are more accursed then if we had not the word at all And therefore wee stand in neede of a twofold grace First that God would inlighten vs by his word secondly that hee would open our eyes and dispose our affections to imbrace the obedience of it Otherwise the light of the Gospell shall stand vs in no more stead then the light of the Sun doth to the eyes of him that is starke blind By this chastisement then we are admonished Let vs beware how wee abuse Gods word not to abuse the word of God by our prophanenesse but to vse it to that end for which he hath ordained it In the end of the verse he shewes what ruine is like to fall vpon those that profit not by this cleere light of the word euen to bee left without a guide and to stumble and fall because they are departed out of the right way But he telles them their falles shall not be easie for they shall be broken By the word snared hee vseth an other similitude to wit that snares are prepared for vnbeleeuers wherein they shall be hampered and led to destruction Wee haue had the like speech in the eight Chapter Chap. 8.16 and almost expressed in the very same words for there the Prophet handles the same doctrine as touching the blinding of the people who by the hardnesse of their hearts had prouoked God to anger Now his purpose is here to shew that such who take the bridle in their teeth and will needes turne their backs and be gone from the direction of the word are verie neere to a ruinous downefall For they shall either meete with stumbling blockes against which they shall dash themselues in peeces or with nets in which they shall be snared and taken In a word they shall no way escape for a mischiefe watcheth
pierce and gall the hearts as well of small as great for they gloried they were the holie posteritie and how they issued out of Abrahams loines as if Gods adoption had serued for a vaile to couer all their grosse and palpable wickednesses though they were neuer so manifest Nay God meant to lay them open and to publish their wickednesses with sound of trumpet as it were For in accusing them to be such as refused to heare the law of the Lord he therein opens the fountaine whence all presumption flowes to wit the contempt of the word which discouered their impietie in despising euen of God himselfe for they lie who say they will serue God and yet will not be in subiection to his Commandements Isaiah also aggrauates their offence for reiecting the medicine that should haue cured their maladies He that refuseth to submit himselfe vnder the censure of the word taxeth God of tyrannie is bewitched of Satan and hates integritie which medicine was offred them in his wholesome doctrine For this cause he calles them rebellious vntamed or wild as also liers or disloyall in regard that whosoeuer will not submit himselfe to Gods word doth openly turne his back vpon him no lesse then if God plaid the tyrant in exacting some vnreasonable thing at his hand and therewithall doth also shew that hee is bewitched with the illusions of the diuell and giuen vp to the vanity of his own heart so as he hates all integritie Vers 10. Which say vnto the Seers See not and vnto the Prophets Prophecy not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errors HE how in plainer termes sets forth and shewes as in liuely colours what that obstinacie contempt of the word is whereof hee spake before for the wicked not onely scorne all instruction but doe also furiously resist it yea they wish it were vtterly abolished and buried in euerlasting forgetfulnes This is it which Isaiah meant to say to wit that they did not onely turne their eares eyes and all their senses from holy doctrine but could very well haue found in their hearts that it had been vtterly extinct and abolished for the wicked are euermore pricked forward with such rage that they would haue no mention at all made of that which they cannot abide to heare of For the power and officacie of the word so galles and stings them that they shew themselues to be no better then furious wild beasts in rage and crueltie Faine would they escape but they are compelled in despite of them to heare God speake yea and to tremble before his Maiestie Now it vsually falles out that after this bitternes against the word in the next place they fall to hate the Prophets that haue bin the Ministers of it and not onely that but to lay snares and to vex them with persecutions banishments and oft times with death it selfe By meanes whereof they thinke vtterly to roote out race from off the earth both the doctrine and Doctors also that teach it For men had rather heare dreames and fables then to bee faithfullie taught The Prophet sets not down here the verie words which they spake to wit as if they had openly pronounced them but hee shewes what was in their hearts for hee had not to deale with such fooles as would goe blaze their impieties to the whole world no they were growne to the height of hypocrisie For they made the world beleeue they were such as serued God deuoutly and therefore complained as if the Prophets did them great wrong so to diffame them But Isaiah pluckes off this visard wherewith they couered themselues and lets the world see what they were indeed seeing they would not be brought to giue place to the trueth For whence I pray you proceeded their murmurings against the Prophets but that they neither could nor would hearken to the voice of God The Prophets were called Seers because the Lord reuealed that vnto them which they were afterwards to reueale vnto others for they were as beacons set vpon an hil and as watchmen thence to discouer a farre off tidings either of that good or euil which was by and by to insue But the people could not abide to heare of troubles and therfore they hated the Prophets who by laying their sins close vnto their consciences were therewithall proclaimers of Gods vengeance which was ready to seaze vpon them To this appertaines these words see not prophecie not right things not that they vttered these things indeed as we haue shewed before but because they thought thus in their hearts in which they wished the Prophets would be lesse seuere For it went against the haire as they say to bee so sharply dealt withall Doubtlesse none of them would once shew themselues so impudent as in plaine termes to desire they might be seduced or to say that they would resist the trueth for in outward profession they made the world beleeue they sought to promote the same with all diligence as all our aduersaries the Papists doe at this day but they denied that the sermons of Isaiah or of the other Prophets were the word of the Lord. They were not afraid to tell Ieremiah that he was a lier and not onely that but gaue him threatning words saying Thou shalt not prophecy in the name of the Lord lest thou die by our hands Ier. 11.21 Thus we see the publishing of the truth was to them a thing intollerable Now in turning their eares from it what could they else beleeue but lies See then how they sought to be seduced and deceiued wittingly But hee discouers the fountaine from whence all this sprang when hee saith they desired to be flattered For they would haue been most readie to haue heard and receiued flattering words and could well haue found in their hearts that their eares might haue been tickled in the name of the Lord forsooth What is the reason then why the world is not onely subiect to bee gugled by impostures but also that it earnestly seekes and receiues the same Surely because all men naturally desire nothing more then that they might be suffered to rot in their filthinesse through flatteries But the messengers of God must of necessitie bee sharpe in their reprehensions for all that if they meane to approue themselues vnto God Whence it followes that worldly men cauill foolishly and childishly when they say we could bee content to bee Gods disciples with all our hearts if hee would not deale too seuerelie with vs. Which is all one as if for their sakes they would cause him to alter his nature and to denie himselfe as also Micheas saith that the Iewes cared for no Prophets but such as would prophecie vnto them of wine strong drinke Mich. 2.11 Vers 11. Depart out of the way goe aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from vs. THe summe is that when the Prophets are despised God himselfe is there withall
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
erewhile whereupon we should build the confidence of our saluation that we might continue safe against all assaults to wit when we were certainly perswaded that God is our God Now hee teacheth the same thing but in other words neither is the repetition superfluous for we know how easilie the remembrance of this doctrine vanisheth away albeit we haue it often repeated vnto vs. This promise therefore cannot be too much praised nor insisted vpon seeing it doth so hardly take roote in our hearts Let vs bee well assured then that wee shall find an vndoubted issue in all our perplexities because the Lord will assist vs as oft therefore as we shall be pressed vnder anie dangerous assault let vs learne to fix our eies vpon him Now when hee calles himselfe the Lord our God it is not so much to set forth his power as his goodnesse which he will make vs feele For what benefit should redound vnto vs from the knowledge of his power if therewithall we were not well perswaded of his loue At the onely hearing of his power we are astonished but when his goodnesse is preached with it the very remembrance thereof sufficeth to appease vs. He speakes of taking by the hand and of the voice againe for it serues much to the comforting of our weake faith to know what signes of loue God shewes vs especially when the doctrine of faith is ioined thereunto which assures vs of his perpetuall fauour This clause therefore saying vnto thee hath great weight in it for we must needs remaine alwaies in suspence Gods voice till we heare the voice of the Lord in his word It is that alone which sufficeth to abolish all our feare and to set vs at rest Are we desirous then to haue our harts quieted and to ouercome the many troubles which daily befall vs Let vs hearken directly to the good word of God and euer hold fast the comfort thereof in our hearts For it is impossible for them who either will not heare this word at all Note or hearing it doe it negligentlie to attaine this peace nay let them be sure that an accusing conscience and a trembling heart shall alwaies pursue them Vers 14. Feare not thou worme Iakob and yee * Or dead men of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel What course God takes in ministring comfort to his afflicted Church HE seemes to speake somewhat too meanely of this people in that he calles them a worme and then dead men but this comparison agrees well with the calamitie which the people were in and he takes a better course this way to minister comfort vnto them then if he had called them The elect nation a royall priesthoode an holy tree springing forth of an holy roote or if he had adorned them with the like titles For to say the truth it had bin absurd to haue imposed such glorious titles vpon them being pressed as they were vnder so base and vile a slauerie By the name of worme Worme Iacob therefore he laments the ignominie and shame into which they were brought and puts them in good hope of a better estate For thus he shewes that the Lord cares for them notwithstanding they be abiect and vile in the eies of men As if he should say Though now thou beest nothing yet will I succor thee and by restoring thee to thy first estate will cause thee to come forth of this rottennes and abiect condition of thine Some translate the word Methim Men which agrees not with the text but must necessarily be translated dead for it is an exposition of the other epithete worme according to the Hebrue phrase I agree with S. Ierome S. Ierome who hath so translated it neither doe I passe much that the word is otherwise written here then elsewhere in regard of the changing of the pricks for this might easily fall out by reason of the likenes which these pricks haue one with another The thing should be weyed for there is nothing more absurd then to reade men in stead of wormes vnlesse they reade it dead or mortall But God meant no doubt that this voice should be heard among the people who were now at last cast to the end it might pierce euen into their graues for on the contrary he promiseth to be the redeemer of these which are dead Now the Prophet had not such respect vnto his owne time The Prophet had respect to the succeeding ages as to his owne times but that he meant his doctrine should extend it selfe to all ages of the world As oft then as we shall see the Church oppressed vnder cruell tyrants let vs call this sentence to minde that albeit Gods children be trodden vnder foote by the proude that they be despised and that they haue not so much leisure as to take their breath being persecuted and afflicted aboue measure yet let vs know that euen such are in great account with God so as they shall be able ere long to lift vp their heads Let this be applied to euery one of vs in particular that we may not be discoraged for the scoffes of the wicked nor for the miseries and calamities which we indure no nor for death it selfe Do we resemble dead men and is all hope of deliuerance taken away A Consolation yet wil our Redeemer come at last and will raise vp his Church out of her very graue When the Prophet addes the holy one of Israel he brings back the people as he hath done before to the remembrance of that Couenant by which Israel was separated from other nations to be Gods peculiar people thus he incourageth them that their miserable condition should not too much deiect nor cast them downe though they seemed as wormes of the earth and as dead men Vers 15. Behold I will make thee a roller and a new threshing instrument hauing teeth thou shalt thresh the mountaines and bring them to pouder and shalt make the hills as chaffe HE speakes still of the restauration of the Church promising that she shall be so exalted aboue her enemies that she shall bruise and grind them to pouder And this he expresseth vnder a very fit similitude For the Iewes to whom he speakes were almost crushed in pieces but now on the contrarie he tels them that they being deliuered shall crush their enemies and so render them like for like Now it was very needfull that this consolation should be added for had they not recouered new strength it is like enough they had bin subiect to the tyranny of their enemies for euer God meant to arme them then that they might be able to repulse the outrages done vnto them so as they were now become the executioners of Gods vengeance as our Prophet shewes But by these words it might seeme he meant to inflame the Iewes with a desire to reuenge Obiect which is directlie contrarie to the nature of
any of them For he is called seruant in respect that God the Father hath not onely giuen him the charge of teaching or to doe some other thing but also in regard that hee hath called him to performe an excellent and peerelesse worke which is common to none but him Furthermore although this name be attributed to the person of Christ yet it ought to be referred to his humane nature for his Godhead being eternall and that in respect thereof he hath euer obtained equall glory with his Father Christ Gods seruant in respect of his humanitie it was necessary he should take our nature vpon him that he might submit himselfe to the obedience of a seruant And therefore Saint Paul saith that he being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with him and yet notwithstanding emptied himselfe and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant c. Phil. 2.6 Christ then is a seruant but voluntarily Christ being Gods seruaÌ„t no way impaires his dignitie DispensatioÌ„ lest wee should imagin his dignity might be somewhat impaired therby Which the ancient Doctors signified vnder this word Dispensation whereby it came to passe as they say that Christ subiected himselfe to all our infirmities The affection by which he became subiect vnto God Christs subiection voluntarie was voluntarie in the meane while it was to the end he might become our seruant also notwithstanding this his so abiect a condition hinders him nothing at all from inioying his soueraigne maiestie for which cause the Apostle saith God hath giuen him a name aboue euery name Phil. 2.9 He vseth the particle demonstratiue Behold to bring the Iewes as it were to the sight of the thing done for that which they saw in Babylon was able to haue put them cleane out of heart He wils them therefore to turne their eies from beholding things present and to fix them onely vpon Christ Some expound the verbe Tamach which signifies To stay passiuely others actiuely If we take it in the passiue the sense will bee that God so staies himselfe vpon his Christ that hee will giue him charge of all things euen as masters doe to their trustie seruants Now it is a signe of great trust which the Father reposeth in him that hee giues him charge of all things and commits into his hands his owne rule authoritie and power Yet I reiect not the actiue signification to wit I will erect or set him vp or I will establish him in his estate for that which followes immediately after I vvill put my spirit vpon him is but a repetition of the same thing He saith in the first place then I vvill stay vpon him then he shewes the maner of this stay in saying that he will gouerne him by his Spirit and thus hee shewes that he will sustaine and helpe Christ in all things and will not suffer him to fall vnder any difficulties Now it was needfull that Christ should be indued with the holy Spirit from aboue Why Christ was to bee indued with the holy Spirit in regard hee was to take vpon him that diuine office of being mediator betweene God and men for according to his humane nature he was vnable to beare the waight of so great a burthen Christ a seruant elect Elect is here taken for excellent as in other places young men which are in the flower of their youth are called men of choice Hee is called a seruant elect then because hee shall beare the message of reconciliation and all his actions shall bee disposed of by the Lord. Yet behold heere a testimonie of that loue which God hath shewed vs in his onely Son for in him the head wee may see our election shine by which wee are adopted to the hope of a better life Seeing then that there is an heauenly power dwelling in the humane nature of Christ Wee must looke vpon Christ in both his natures when we heare him speake let vs not so much looke vpon flesh blood as lift vp our mindes higher that so we may see his diuinitie shine in all his actions In vvhom my soule delights By this testimonie we may conceiue that Iesus Christ is not onely well pleasing vnto God his Father but is also that his onely beloued Sonne so as there is no obtaining of any grace but by the meanes of his intercession In this sense it is alleadged by the Euangelists Mat. 3.17 Luke 9.35 Saint Paul also teacheth that wee were reconciled with God through this his vvelbeloued one for whose sake God loues vs Ephes 1.6 According to which our Prophet shewes that Christ shall not be adorned with the vertue and power of the holy Ghost for his owne particular onely but to shed it abroad also far and wide vpon others By the word iudgement hee vnderstands a well ordered gouernment and not the sentence which the Iudge pronounceth vpon the iudgement seat for the verbe To iudge among the Hebrewes signifies to rule gouerne and direct things He addes that this iudgement shall extend thorowout all the earth as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes which promise was then new and strange for God was onely knowne in lurie Psal 76.1 so as forraine nations were excluded from any hope of grace We therefore that are Gentiles staÌ„d in exceeding need of these so cleare and euident testimonies that we may grow daily in the assurance of our vocation and calling for without these promises what assurance is left vs They nothing at all pertaine vnto vs. Christ was sent then to bring the whole world vnder the rule and obedience of God his Father Whence it appeares that al things without him are but a confused chaos Before hee comes therefore All things out of ordâ—r without Christ it is impossible to see any right order or gouerâ—â—ment among men Let vs then learne in all things to submit our neckes vnto his sweet yoke if we desire to be iustly and rightly gouerned Now we must iudge of this gouernment according to the nature of his kingdome that we liue in which as you know is not of this world but consists in the inward man Iohn 18.36 for it consists in a good conscience and integritie of life approued not of men only but of God chiefly and principally Wherein Christs kingdome principally consists The summe then comes to this that our whole life being peruerted since the time wee were altogether corrupted by the fall of Adam Christ is now towards the end of the world come vvith an heauenly power of the spirit The end of Christs comming in the flesh to change our hearts and to reforme vs into newnesse of life Vers 2. Hee shall not cry nor lift vp nor cause his voice to be heard in the streetes THe Prophet shewes after what manner Christ shall come to wit without such pompe and preparations as earthly Kings haue For when they come in trumpets are sounded on euery
not Math. 7.23 Now by this opposition we see more clearely what it is to be called of God to wit when he leaues others to honour vs with a speciall fauour in putting vs into his familie whereas we were strangers from him before secondly when he receiues vs into his charge and protection to order and guide vs and all our actions To the same purpose he addes Thou art mine To giue the faithfull to vnderstand that he will euer haue a Church among his elect because he will not be depriued of his right of possession To be short The Church Gods propâ—r inheritance he shewes that it is his peculiar and pretious inheritance which he will at no hand indure to be dispossessed of Vers 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the floods that they do not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee THis is a preuention whereby the Prophet shewes that the faithfull ought not to faint vnder their afflictions seeing God is at hand to succor them Thus he speakes more plainely then he did in the former verse for in teaching that the Church shall not bee free from miseries and calamities but must wrestle with them without ceasing he thereby incourageth her to patience and magnanimitie As if hee should say The Lord hath not redeemed thee that thou shouldest inioy thy pleasures and shouldest giue thy selfe to ease and illenesse but to the end thou shouldest prepare thy selfe to indure all sorts of euils What is meâ—nt by fire and water By fire and vvater he meanes the infinit varietie of troubles to which we are subiect in this present life for we haue not to incounter with one calamitie onely but with many and those of diuers natures so as wee must make account to goe thorow fire and vvater See Ps 66.11 As the Apostle Iames also Chap. 1.2 exhorts the faithfull to count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers tentations For certainlie our faith hath need of many trials Our faith hath need of many trials in regard that oft times he which for once hath gone away conqueror may faint and be ouercome the second time God exerciseth vs therefore with many afflictions See Exod. 3.2 2. Cor. 4.8 9 10. but in the end wee shall escape the vvaues shall beat vpon vs but they shall not swallow vs vp the fire shall burne vs but it shall not consume vs. Wee shall haue a sense and feeling Though we be brought into many stâ—aits yet the Lord will giue vs a timely issue I grant of the misery as wel as others but God will sustaine vs by his grace and fortifie vs with the spirit of patience that our hearts faile vs not till putting forth his hand vnto vs he hath drawne vs vp vnto himselfe Vers 3. For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba * Or in thy stead for thee A confirmation of theâ— former consolation HE confirmes the former sentence by the experiences of the time past For if the Lord had in former time succoured his people it was good reason they should stay assuredly vpon his fauour for the time to come Wee must euer keepe that in minde which is contained in the first verse Feare not for I haue redeemed thee for these things should bee ioined together because they tend all to one end For if the Lord be our God then by consequence he is vvith vs vers 2. and wee shall proue by experience that he is our Sauiour But if wee will find him such a one to vs To feele God our Sauiour we must be a part of Israel not in name onely but by some infallible testimonies it is necessarily required that wee proue our selues to be a part of Israel not in name onely but to shew some infallible markes thereof in the whole course of our life Thus you see the foundation of our confidence is in this that the Lord is our God Whence it followes that those who acknowledge him not for their father neither will rest vpon his good pleasure must needes haue trembling consciences for euer The wicked reioice and lift vp their crests against God but their securitie and ioy is nothing else but a giddines frensie of spirit by reason whereof they hasten their owne perdition the sooner But the faithfull are heere assured that he who hath chosen them will alwaies continue their God and Sauiour for which cause he hath separated them froÌ„ the rest of the world to be his heritage In this sense he calles himselfe the holy one of Israel because amongst all mankind which is naturally estranged from him he chose his people Israel to be his peculiar flocke Now howsoeuer the outward separation be to little purpose vnlesse the elect also bee sanctified by the power of the holy Ghost yet although Israel was polluted as well as other nations God notwithstanding pronounceth that his couenant shall neuer be broken with them in regard he will remaine alwaies like himselfe Moreouer it is euident enough that the word holy is taken for him that sanctifies Will wee be assured then of Gods loue Let vs euer set before vs the pledge of our adoption which will bee vnto vs as a sure rocke whereon to settle our hearts The meanes to keepe our selues in the assurance of Gods fauour this grace therefore let vs beg of God with all the powers of our soule I gaue Egypt for thy ransome I meane not to expound these repetitions which the Prophet so often vseth which also are frequent in his language for hee puts To giue the ransome and to giue in thy stead in one and the same sense Wee haue told you already that the Prophet confirmes the faithfull by setting these former presidents of Gods grace before them As if he should say You haue proued long since that the Lord hath had care of your saluation for how was it possible for Sennacherib to bring his forces against the Ethiopians and other nations but that God had a purpose to spare you and to turne the violence of your enemies against your neighbours Seeing then that hitherunto hee hath imploied himselfe so much in your seruice as it were you haue no reason to doubt of his fauour for the time to come If therefore at any time it so fall out that our necessities shall cause vs to call Gods prouideÌ„ce or his promises into question let vs remember what mercies he hath bestowed vpon vs in times past How to stay our selues as oft as occasioÌ„ is giuen vs to call Gods prouident care ouer vs into questioÌ„ Obiect for hee may iustly condemne vs of exceeding vnthankfulnesse if hauing receiued so many fauours from him wee yet stand in doubt of his good will towards vs for hereafter
saith thou hast not made me drunke it answers to a phrase of speech in the Law where the Lord testifies that he felt a sweete taste in the sauour of the sacrifices not that he tooke delight in the killing of beasts but because by such helpes he meant to keep his people in true obedience Here on the contrary he saith that the people sacrificed not rightly because they defiled all by their impuritie As if he should say You haue affamished me as much as in you is in that you bring me nothing in sinceritie but that vvhich through your sinnes is corrupt and vvithout sauour Presently after the Prophet sets out the soulnesse of this fact in that the people were not onely carelesse in doing their seruices to God but which is worst of all indeuored to subiect the Lord their God to their will or rather to their disordered appetites and lusts Those who refer this place to Christ offer violence to the Prophets meaning aâ—d therfore the exposition which I haue vsed â—eemes to me the most natiue God esteemâ— neither of our labour not large expences in his seruice if the integritie of the heart bee wanting See Mich. 6.6 7 8. for the Loâ—â— complaines that they haue inforced him 〈◊〉 beare an heauie burden in regard of their â—innes whereas they should haue submitte themselues to him in all reuerence and â—ith all good consciences for when we aduaâ—ce our selues against God we doe by our insâ—lencie and rebellion make him as it were a seruant to our lusts Now hee expresseth this better when hee saith that hee hath been vvearied that is to say I haue swallowed many discontenâ—ments in regard of the dissolute behauiouâ— of my people for we wound and pierce him to the heart when we reiect his voice and will not indure that he should raigne ouer vs. But it seemes he alludes to that hee said crewhile touching the peoples vvearinesse in seruing of God which being set as opposite vnto the same it shewes that these rebels did much grieue him Vers 25. I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes The conlusion BY this exclamation the Lord puts an end to the former sentence as if he should say that he for his part can reioyce that he puts away the iniquitie of his people and holds them in freedome No man is saued for his merits that they can pleade no merit whereby to obteine this at his hands seeing they deserue rather to be seuerely chastised nay to be vtterly confounded Now he repeates one and the same thing twice that he might touch men to the quick for their vnthankfulnes for we are wont either to take vnto our selues or in some sort to obscure the honour which belongs to God only Those take the Prophets words in too naked a sense which thinke that God attributes vnto him here the authoritie and preheminence in pardoning of sinnes for he rather opposeth his mercie to all other causes as if he should say There is nothing moues me to shew mercie but only my free fauour and that Redemption therefore is wrongfullie attributed to Merits or satisfactions seeing I am the only author of it The summe is that the people were to continue their hope of returne because God was willing for his owne names sake freely to remit their sinnes and to worke their deliuerance The doctrine of remission of sinnes handled in this place In this place then there is handled the doctrine of the remission of sinnes It now remaines to see vpon what occasion for there is no doubt but the Prophet promiseth deliuerance in regard of Gods free grace And for this cause he rather spake of forgiuenes of sinnes Why God speakes rather of remission of sinnes then of redemption Simile then of Redemption for they being sore pressed corrected for their sinnes the cause was to be remoued ere the effect could cease A disease can not be cured till the matter which feeds it be first remoued so as long as Gods wrath stands vnappeased so long must our chastisements continue Therefore it is necessarie that this wrath be pacified and we reconciled vnto God before we can be freed from our afflictions This maner of speech therefore is to be well obserued against a childish distinction of the Sophisters who confesse indeed that God pardons the fault but they wrangle and say that we must satisfie for the punishment And hence haue proceeded Satisfactions Indulgences Purgatorie and infinite other inuentions But our Prophet speakes not only here of the fault but makes expresse mention also of the punishment which is likewise done away in regard their sinnes and iniquities were freely pardoned Which is yet more clearely prooued in that he addes this particle For mine owne names sake For it is certaine that this exception is opposed against all merits This exception opposed to merit As how That God respects neither our persons nor ought that is in vs vvhen he is to do away our offences but is moued thereunto by his owne free mercie For if he should consider any thing in vs he should then seeme to be bouÌ„d to vs and so the pardon should not be free For this cause Ezechiel expresseth the opposition I do not this for your sakes ô house of Israel but for mine owne sake Whence it followes that God is the author of forgiuenes and is also inclined freely to forgiue because he finds no cause at all in man vnlesse it be his miserie why he should do it And therefore I vvill not remember thy sinnes The Prophet added this for the consolation of the faithfull who by the feeling of their owne vnworthines might easily haue slipped into despaire For this cause he puts them in good hope and confirmes them in this confidence to wit That they should obteine remission of their sinnes and so be deliuered out of captiuitie notwithstanding their vnworthines Hence we haue to gather a very profitable doctrine to wit None can be assured of obtaining pardon vnlesse he rest vpon Gods free goodnes That no man can assure himselfe of obteining pardon vnlesse he rest vpon the free grace of God For such as looke to their works must of necessitie wauer and in the end despaire For if they were not besotted with grosse hypocrisie they would alwaies set their guiltines before their eies which would constreine them whether they would or no to doubt of Gods fauor Where it is said that the Ministers also do remit sinnes that is not repugnant to this place for they are witnesses of this free remission They vse this common distinction A distinctioÌ„ That God forgiues sinnes by his power and The Ministers by their office but because this distinction doth not sufficientlie explane the Prophets meaning it is best to hold that which I haue set downe to wit that God not only pardons sinnes by his power but also that all
yet they breake not off their course which experience might well haue taught vs. For there is not one of vs but we had long since been vtterly rooted out by the secret and open practises of our enemies had not the Lord been our defence And truly I cannot but wonder that any one Minister of the Gospell should stand safe A miracle that a faithfull Minister should stand in the midst of so many so great dangers But the cause is the Lord keepes them vnder the shadow of his hand and hides them as shafts in his quiuer that they should hot be hurt nor destroied of their enemies Vers 3. And he said vnto me Thou art my seruant Israel for I will be glorious in thee THis verse must be ioined with the former This verse depends vpoÌ„ the former For heereby it appeares that he speakes not of one man but of the whole people which the expositors haue not considered for this place neither ought to be restrained to Christs person nor yet referred to Israel onely But we must heere obserue the course of the Scriptures When the body of the Church is mentioned then Christ is placed in the middle as it were who vnder him comprehends the children of God Wee heare what Saint Paul saith The promises were made to Abraham and to his seede He saith not to his seedes as speaking of many and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 For he comprehends not the multitude of children which came of Abraham according to the flesh seeing all were not partakers of this blessing Ishmael was reiected Ishmael reiected Esâ—u reprobated Gal. 4.30 Esau was hated Mal. 1.3 and many others were cut off When the people were deliuered from vnder the captiuitie of Babylon the number of those which returned were very smal for the greatest part reiected this excellent benefit of God Where was this seede then Euen in Christ who is the head and vnder him containes the rest of the members for in him by an inseparable band is the whole seed assembled and knit together in one And in the same sense that Isaiah hath noted out Christ vnder the name of Israel so also hath he comprehended the whole body as the members vnder the head Which is no new thing For when Paul speakes of that vnion which is betweene Christ and the Church The vnion which is between Christ and his Church hauing set it forth vnder the similitude of a mans body he addes euen so is Christ 1. Cor. 12.12 And in this place the name of Christ is attributed vnto Israel that is to say to the whole companie of the faithfull which are vnited to Christ as the members to the head Afterwards the Lord giues this title to the Church which is the spouse of Christ as the wife is dignified with the name and title of her husband Now he calles Israel his seruant that is to say his handmaid the Church for shee is the pillar and ground of truth because hee hath committed his word vnto her as a pledge to keepe that by her ministerie it may be published thorowout the world 1. Tim. 3.15 In the latter part of the verse hee shewes what the end of this ministry is and why those that preach the Gospell are called thereunto of God to wit that they make his glory by all meanes to shine cleere in respect of themselues and to aduance it also among others Which Christ teacheth in the Gospell saying Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee Iohn 17.1 But doth not God shew vs a singular fauour when he appoints vs base and vile wretches to be procurers of glory vnto him Oh! let this quicken vs vp to obey him carefully and to imploy our selues faithfully in his seruice And yet the Prophet meant to expresse somewhat more namely that howsoeuer Satan and his imps lay all the plots they can yet Gods power shall ouerthrow them all so as Christ shall triumph notwithstanding gloriouslie and God his maiestie shall shine most bright in his Gospell still Vers 4. And I said I haue labored in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God THe Prophet addes a grieuous complaint heere A bitter complaint in the name of the Church yet so as he begins at the head as we haue said before Christ then with his members complaines that he hath in a manner vtterly lost his labour for after hee hath greatly praised and commended the efficacie of that word which issueth out of his mouth vers 2. now he shewes that it hath done little or no good notwithstanding so as this glory which God requires to shine in the ministrie of his word appeares very little For Christ saith he hath laboured in vaine because men wil not repent Why this coÌ„plaint is addâ—d nor turne to God by the preaching of the heauenly doctrine It was to great purpose that the Prophet added this First to teach vs that this fruit whereof he spake shall not alwaies appeare in the eies of men for otherwise we should be readie to call the truth of Gods word into question and would also be brought to doubt whether this doctrine which is reiected of so many with such impudencie were the word of God or no. Secondlie that we might bend all our forces with inuincible constancie to performe our duties and to commend the successe of all our labours vnto the blessing of God who will not suffer it to be fruitlesse in the end And thus the Prophet meant to meete with a dangerous temptation that by the rebellions of men we should not faint in the middle of our course And truly Christ so begins heere vvith a complaint that he yet comforts himselfe by and by knowing that nothing shall be able to direct him from the performance of his charge And the text would be somewhat plainer if wee reade it thus Although my trauaile be in vaine and that I haue spent my selfe vvithout fruit yet it sufficeth that my vvorke is approued of my God Vnto which appertaines that which is added but my iudgement is before the Lord. Albeit then the fruit of our labours appeare not before vs An incouragement for Ministers yet must it content vs that they are done before that God whom we serue and to whom our seruice is agreeable For Christ exhorts and incourageth the faithfull Ministers to fight valiantly vntil they haue ouercome this temptation so as setting light by the malice of men they cheerfully goe on still in their calling without suffering discontentments or carelesnesse to hinder their course If the Lord haue a purpose then to try our faith and patience so farre as that it shall seeme we labour in vaine yet must wee satisfie our selues with the testimonie of a good conscience But if this consolation take no place in vs then is it certaine that we are not
by his succours And if it so fall out that he tarry long let vs impute it to our negligence for we stop and hinder the course of his mercies from flowing in vnto vs by our owne sloth or rather indeed by our rebellion But howeuer it be yet he watcheth alwaies carefully for our saluation and makes speede to succour vs nay whilest wee flee from him and resist him he then allures vs to himselfe that he might refresh vs by his loue and fauour He repeates the word morning twice thereby signifying a daily continuance lest wee should thinke there were any passions in him as there are in men to reiect despise them afterwards whom hee hath once taken into his custodie No contrariwise he makes them alwaies to feele his goodnesse euen vnto the end and neuer destitutes them of consolation That I may heare as the learned His meaning is that his eare was attent not like to one that is ignorant or dull witted but that hee was fitted and wel instructed for the purpose And yet withall hee shewes by his example that God teacheth all such Ministers as hee sends forth for the saluation of the Church with efficacie for it were to small purpose for them to be indued with humane learning vnlesse there withall they had the inward teaching of the holy Ghost By this wee see yet better how true that is which wee haue said before namely that none proue good teachers but such as haue first been good disciples He shall neuer become a good Doctor in the Church that hath not first been a good disciple Such the Prophet calles them taught and learned for those that will not vouchsafe to learne as thinking that they know enough are twice mad and foolish For by Gods owne censure none are truly taught and learned but such as suffer themselues to be taught before they take vpon them to teach others that so they may haue the certaine knowledge of the things which they meane to teach them Now to publish ought abroad to the world which they may not with good conscience protest they haue receiued from God To shut vp all in a word those are learned vvho in learning dailie disdaine not to grow still in learning Vers 5. The Lord God hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neither turned I backe HE repeates that againe which he said before and heere comprehends whatsoeuer is fitting for the office of a teacher For the opening of the eare ought not onely to be referred to doctrine but to the whole vocation as first to his entrance secondly when he that is to bee sent receiues his charge touching all that which he is to performe to wit the commandement it selfe and authoritie to execute the same Besides the Lord not onely opens the eare when hee manifests his will but when hee toucheth the mans heart with efficacie and so mooues him that hee yeeldes him his obedience As in the fortie Psalme Thou hast pierced mine care And Christ saith Whosoeuer hath heard and learned of my Father hee comes to mee Iohn 6.45 Hitherunto appertaines the second member where the Prophet saith he was not rebellious The summe is that hee vndertooke nothing at randon but being well assured of the calling of God hee performed the office of a teacher notwithstanding it was heauie and tedious to beare because he was made fit and willing to obey Vers 6. I gaue my backe to the smiters and my cheekes to the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting HE opposeth the inuincible force wherewith hee is indued to the reproches scornes and outrages of the wicked as if he should say Albeit the contemners of God vse many deuices yet will he ouercome all their iniuries so as hee will neuer repent himselfe of that labour which hee hath taken in hand Moreouer this place manifestly shewes that the Ministers of the word cannot faithfullie discharge their duties Ministers must make account to meete with oppositions in the discharge of their duties but they must therewithall prepare to buckle against the world yea to sustaine sharpe assaults on all sides For Isaiah no sooner affirmes that hee was readie to obey Gods commandement but by and by he addes that his person was exposed to the smiters Wherefore the faithfull seruants of God cannot auoid this condition in preaching the word as they ought but they must looke for stripes reproches hatreds slanders and diuers assaults of the aduersaries who repine at the libertie which the true Ministers of God must needes vse in their reprehensions and admonitions Let them arme themselues therefore with faith and constancie for there is a terrible combat prepared for them But he not onely expresseth what measure the Prophets shall haue at the hands of the wicked but also the contempt of the world for the wicked will haue men suppose that their cause is good and iust euen whilest they oppresse the Ministers of the Gospell and persecute their doctrine for they will haue Gods seruants reputed as euill doers that by this meanes they may bring them into disgrace and hatred Iohn 18.30 That is the cause why they rent and teare them with varietie of false imputations and belch out all the outrage they can And haue not wee experience hereof at this day Doe not our aduersaries load vs with the nickenames of seducers seditious schismatikes and heretikes and disgorge manie other reproches wherewith they haue heeretofore taxed Christ and his Apostles Now he complaines that he was smitten and spitted vpō not only by strangers and open enemies but he toucheth the wrongs which were done him by those that made shew to be of the Church For it is alwaies seene that out of the lap of the Church there ariseth wicked contemners of God who are the surliest enemies that the Prophets of God haue Those then who will serue God purely must fit themselues aforehand to beare all these things with patience that so they may passe as well through good as euill report 2. Cor. 6.8 Yea let them not only despise bands tortures banishments and death but reproches and spittings also though sometimes these things seeme harder to beare then death it selfe This doctrine appertaines indeed to all the faithfull but especiallie to the Ministers of the word who ought to be the ringleaders to others and to be as standard-bearers Vers 7. For the Lord God wil help me therefore I shall not be confounded therefore haue I set my face as a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed To those oppositions of men the Prophet sets the help of God HEere the Prophet shewes from whence this great magnanimitie proceeds wherwith he and other the seruants of God were indued to sustaine the violence of all commers namely the help of God for by faith therein Isaiah affirmes that he hath hardned his face as a flint against all the iniuries of the vngodly Hauing then with a stout courage
wherewith he is endued set light by all his aduersaries he also labors to draw others to the same constancie with him and as in a glasse describes to the life what the state and condition of all Ministers of the word is and shall be For thus he would turne them from the loue of the world that they might giue themselues whollie vnto God and to fixe their eies altogether vpon him for there is no combat so sharp in which they shall not be more then Conquerors vnder the leading of such a Captaine By the similitude of a flint he shewes that come what come will he will not shrinck an inch for the signes of feare and astonishmēt and of all other affections appeare by and by in the face which plainely vtters to all how matters goe within When Gods seruants are handled thus shamefullie they must needs quaile vnder so many iniuries if they had not browes of brasse and yron to repulse them And in this sense it is said that Ieremiah was set as a defenced Citie and yron pillar and vvalles of brasse against the Kings of Iudah against the Princes and against all the people Iere. 1.18 Ezechiel also had his forhead made as hard as the adamant which is much harder then the flint that he might not recoile back from the obstinacie of the people Ezech. 3 9. This sentence I shall not be ashamed is not to be taken in the same sense with that in the former member for there it is referred to the affection and heere to the effect or the thing it selfe When in the beginning of the verse then he glories that he shall not be confounded because God is on his side it is to shew that it sufficeth not to know that God will help vs vnlesse we also feele the same by experience For what profit haue we by his promises vnlesse wee put our confidence therein Faith then is required both to vphold our comfort and assure vs of Gods fauor but in the end of the verse the Prophet boldly protests that he is vndoubtedlie perswaded of an happie issue And thus to be ashamed signifies to be disappointed For they that conceiue a vaine hope are subiect to mocks and reproches Heere we see then that the faithfull teachers and Ministers of the word haue promise of a speciall defence Let Satan and the world bend their forces together then to assaile them with all their power the more they assault them the stronger shall Gods defence and protection be ouer vs. Thence we must conclude that all such as are fainthearted and quaile when they come to the triall were neuer yet well fitted to execute their office For he that hath not learned to fight is neither apt to serue God nor his Church 2. Tim. 2.5 neither is he fit to preach the doctrine of the word Vers 8. He is neere that iustifieth me who will contend with me Let vs stand together who is mine aduersarie Let him come neere to me 9. Behold the Lord will help me who is he that can condemne me Loe they shall wax old as a garment the moth shall eate them vp VVEE must alwaies remember that the Prophet speakes nothing heere that is proper to himselfe only A Minister that hath a good conscience may haue also great boldnes but testifies what a one God will and euer shall be towards the faithfull Ministers that so being assured of their lawfull calling and executing their offices faithfullie they might boldly contemne all aduersarie power and neuer slack their duties an inch for any slanders Why so Because the Lord who iustifies them hath and euer will be readie to maintaine and defend his owne truth Now whosoeuer he be that will indeed boldly protest this he ought to haue a pure conscience For if he haue vnaduisedly intruded himselfe not hauing a sure testimonie of his lawfull calling Intruders can not challenge to thēselues this priuiledge or if he be such a one as brocheth his owne dreames and fansies in vaine shall he boast of this promise for it appertaines to none but to such as being called of God doe faithfullie and purely discharge their duties Now howsoeuer mockers and despisers of God will neuer cease to make many replies against his seruants yet Isaiah stil offers himselfe to pleade his masters cause and that as boldly as if none durst enter the lists against him or to forge any slanders for their defence Not that he was able to charme their tongues but because he was well assured they should gaine nothing by all their tattle Thus then he shewes that notwithstanding all the false imputations which the aduersaries lay vpon the word and the Ministers thereof they must not be discoraged For there is no crime with which they doe not charge vs. But all in vaine Why so Because the Iudge that defends their innocencie is neere The faithfull Ministers therefore may by S. Pauls example summon the false and sinister iudgements of men before the Iudgement seate of God who will giue a iust sentence 1. Cor. 4.4 Let vs stand together The faithfull teachers ought to be so confident as without feare to challenge all their enemies the field For Satan with all his supposts dare not at all times stand to their tackling openly but especially when they encounter vs with lies But they haue close and secret practises and iugling tricks vnder boord to surprize such as stand not vpon their watch Yet the seruants of God feare not to shew their faces nor to enter the lists against the aduersarie neither are they abashed to reason and debate the matter if the enemie dare appeare For the truth is of such strength that it flees not the noone day as we see heere that Isaiah feares not boldly to egge and prouoke all those to the fight whom he saw to lie in wait to trap him And here he vrgeth them againe saying Let him come neere me For the true Pastors ought to be alwaies readie to yeeld a reason of their doctrine But where is he that vouchsafes to heare them patientlie or that will consider what his doctrine is which they preach I grant the aduersaries are readie enough to draw neere but it is only to draw out their swords and to cut the throates of Gods seruants or to whet file their tongues that they may be fit to defame them by all sorts of slanders In a word their best defences consists in fraude and tyrannie for with reasons orderly gathered from the Scriptures they dare not encounter we therefore being well assured of the equitie of our cause are readie with a christian fortitude to challenge them the field For though they condemne vs without hearing our defences yea and though the numbers of thē be great which subscribe to their sayings yet will we not be outfaced for God whose cause we defend is the Iudge who at the last will giue sentence on our side It seemes S. Paul alludes to this
mouth God speakes for wee ought to reiect all such as broach their owne inuentions albeit they shrowd themselues neuer so much with the title of Gods name But let vs a little see into the Prophets meaning For hauing shewed that mens consciences alwaies wauer till the Lord haue secured them it teacheth vs to hold this principle that it is God who speakes by his Prophets Acts 28.25 Heb. 1.1 for otherwise our consciences would remaine in doubtings and perplexities still There is also great weight in these words in that he recites the commandement of God for by the authoritie heereof he was hartened on to performe his office And haue kept thee in the shadow of mine hand Though this was said in Chap. 49.2 yet was it no needlesse repetition God will alwaies protect his Ministers For hence wee learne that God will vndoubtedly defend his Ministers at all times that so being vpheld by his succour he may fit them to passe thorow the pikes Now that we may be couered vvith this shadow two things are required First that wee be well assured that we publish nothing to the people but Gods word secondly that we doe this at Gods command for such as rashly intrude themselues may well crake of the title of teachers but to no purpose for they shall turne their backes when it comes to the triall indeed But if we haue the testimonie of a good conscience to witnesse with vs that we are called of God then may we resolue our selues assuredly of Gods aid and protection and that in the end we shall haue the victory The end of the ambassage is added that J may plant the heauens saith he that is to say that I may bring all things into their right order I grant this is diuersly expounded but the most natiue sense as I thinke is that heauen and earth are renewed by the doctrine of saluation because in Christ as Paul speakes all things both in heauen and earth are gathered together in one Eph. 1.10 For in regard that since the fall of the first man The world renued as it were by the the Gospell preached we see nothing heere but such horrible confusions as burthen the very insensible creatures and make them as it were to beare the punishment of our sinne Rom. 8.22 this disorder can no way be repaired but in Christ Seeing then that the whole face of the earth is disfigured by this wofull desolation it is not said without cause that the faithfull teachers doe renue the world euen as if God did cast heauen and earth into a new mould againe by their hand By this let vs take a taste of the grieuousnesse of sinne seeing such an horrible downefall hath succeeded in the nature of things It is said then that the heauens are planted and the earth set vpon her foundations when the Lord establisheth his Church by the ministerie of his word This he doth by the hands of the Ministers whom hee directs by his holy Spirit and defends them against all the furie and plots of their enemies that they may effectuallie accomplish the worke imposed vpon them Lastly he shewes that this ministerie tends to an higher end then to the visible forme of this world which suddenly vanisheth away to wit that hee will raise vp and nourish in the hearts of the faithfull the hope of the blessed life For the true restauration of the Church and of the world consists in this that the elect may be gathered into the vnitie of faith and that they all with one accord may aspire vnto God Verse 15. and in this verse Thou art my people seeing he so louingly allures them by these words I am thy God By this we may see what account God makes of his Church and the saluation thereof in that he not onelie preferres it aboue the whole world but shewes that the stabilitie of the world depends vpon it We are also to obserue what word it is which God will haue preached for in it we haue the rule of a godly life prescribed and besides it testifies vnto vs our adoption wherein especially consists our saluation Vers 17. Awake awake and stand vp O Ierusalem which hast drunke at the Lords hand the cup of his wrath thou hast drunke the dregs of the cup of trembling and wrung them out IN regard the Church was to sustaine and indure many afflictions the Prophet furnisheth her with consolation and meetes with a difficultie that might come betweene namely the enemies tyrannizing ouer the poore Iews when as in the meane while they felt no fruit of these promises His meaning is then that the Church should be restored and shall recouer her full strength though now she be afflicted and tossed vp and downe with diuers tempests And by the word awake then he raiseth her from death and as it were out of her graue As if he should say No ruin can be so wofull nor any desolations so horrible that can let God from effecting of this restauration Such a consolation doubtlesse was of singular vse for when sorrow hath seazed vpon our hearts wee by and by thinke that the promises belong nothing at all vnto vs. It is very needfull then that wee be often put in mind of this and may also haue it euer in our sight namely that it is God who speaks and thus calles not such as are in a florishing estate but those that are brought low yea and dead for these hee can awaken notwithstanding and raise vp by his word for this doctrine of saluation is not ordained for those that are in good plight but for the dead which haue lost all hope Which hast drunke c. The cup of vvrath is taken two waies for sometimes it is said that the Lord giues vs a cuppe of vvrath to drinke when hee smites vs with giddinesse and depriues vs of sense and this wee see often befalles men in their affliction Sometimes also it is taken simply for the bitter and smart blowes wherewith hee corrects his children in wrath in which sense this word ought to be taken in this place as it appeares because the relatiue His is thereunto added Neither doth this crosse that which is said to wit that the Church was amazed and drunke for this happened in regard the Lord chastised her so seuerely Now this is a similitude much vsed in the Scriptures by which the Lord calles his rod wherewith he corrects his children a drinke or potion diuided to euery one Notwithstanding when it speaks of the elect this word cup serues to set forth the measure which God keepes in his iudgements for he fauours his blow though hee chastiseth his people sharpelie See Chap. 27.8 Ier. 30.11 I take the word Taraela for anguish or trembling wherewith men are seazed when they feele themselues oppressed with grieuous afflictions Wee may also say they be drunke in regard they haue swallowed al that was in the cup so as their calamitie and
to say into the societie of the faithfull Yea Vers 6. as a little before we noted the priesthood was translated from the Tribe of Leui not onely to the whole body of the Iewes but euen to very strangers also It is well enough knowne in how great detestation the Iewes haue this sentence For albeit they reade these words of the Prophet yet they hold it for a thing extreamly prodigious that God should call the Gentiles to the participation of this so excellent a benefit which was peculiarly alotted vnto them And yet that which the Prophet saith is so manifest that none can without grosse impudencie call the truth thereof into question He extols this grace by the fruit that should flow from it for the true and solid felicitie stands in our being vnited with God as his children I grant that the wicked ouerflow in iollitie but all their ioy shall be turned into wailing and gnashing of teeth because it is accursed of God In the meane while he filles the hearts of the faithfull with vnspeakeable ioy as well in shewing himselfe pacified towards them as in causing them to feele his fauour and good will by giuing an happy successe to their affaires Yet the chiefe and principall ioy consists in the peace of conscience which Saint Paul attributes to the kingdome of God Rom. 14.17 which wee then inioy when wee are reconciled vnto God by Iesus Christ Rom. 5.1 He also promiseth to accept of their sacrifices for we are all called of God to the end we should offer vp our bodies and all that wee haue as sacrifices vnto him By the word sacrifices he meanes Gods spirituall worshippe such as the Gospell describes vnto vs for the Prophet spake according to the customes of his owne time wherein the worship of God was wrapped with diuers ceremonies But now in stead of sacrifices wee haue praises thanksgiuings good workes c. And lastly wee offer vp our bodies and soules Rom. 12.1 When he saith their sacrifices are acceptable let vs not thinke the same proceeds from their merit or excellencie but from the free bountie of God See Exod. 28 36.37.38 for he might iustly reiect them if he onely looked vpon them as they are in themselues And yet by this goade are wee quickned vp with a prompt desire to serue God seeing he assures vs that our works which are nothing are yet no lesse pleasing in his sight then if they were pure and spotlesse sacrifices He addes vpon mine altar for the sacrifices were not allowed of God vnlesse they tooke their holines from the altar vpon which they were offered And thus whatsoeuer we offer shall be vncleane Christ our Altar vnlesse it bee sanctified by Christ who is our altar See Chap 60 7. For mine house shall be called c. The Temple was onelie destinated to the Iewes by whom the Lord would especially bee called vpon And therefore when Paul would shew that the Iewes were aboue the Gentiles in dignitie he saith that to them belonged the seruice of God Rom. 9.4 Thus then the Temple was built amongst them by a speciall priuiledge seeing no other nation in the world was permitted to haue the like But now that difference is taken away and euery person of what place or Countrie soeuer may enter into the Temple that is to say into Gods house The difference betweene the Law and the Gospell because all nations are called to worship God Here then we see the manifest difference betweene the Law and the Gospell for vnder the Law there was but one people which might serue God purelie for which cause the Temple was particularly built but now all may freely enter into Gods Temple there purely to worship him that is to say euery where But wee must note the phrases of speech which are vsual and familiar among the Prophets for they vse such figures as fitted their owne times as we haue alreadie shewed for by the Temple and sacrifices they meane Gods pure worship and seruice Mal. 1.11 The Prophet here therfore sets forth or describes the spirituall Kingdome of Christ vnder which it is lawfull to call vpon God and to lift vp pure hands in euery place 1. Tim. 2.8 And neither in this place nor at Ierusalem saith Christ shall men worship the Father any more but the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth vers 23. With our eies therefore do we behold the accomplishment of this prophesie namelie that Gods house is made the house of prayer to all nations that so in al languages he may be called vpon Abba Father The Iewes therfore can no longer boast that they onely are Gods peculiars Thus you see then how necessarie it was that the Prophets should sute their manners of speech to the times and customes then in vse that so all might vnderstand them for the time of the full and open reuelation of things was not yet come but Gods seruice was clothed with diuers figures And yet no question but this Temple thus consecrated for the seruice of God was truly and really his house for he had told by Moses that he would be present in euery place where he should put the remembrance of his name Exod. 20.24 And Salomon in dedicating the Temple said When they shall come and pray in this house then wilt thou heare in heauen thy dwelling place 1. King 8.33 which is the cause why Christ reprocheth the Iewes for making his Fathers house a denne of theeues Math. 21.13 and thereunto addes this our text to that in Iere. 7.11 Now Christ called the Temple the house of prayer as hauing respect to those times in which the Gospell was not yet published For albeit he was come yet he was not then knowne neither were the ceremonies of the law abolished But when the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine Mat. 27 51. and remission of sinnes preached in his name Luk. 24.46.47 Act. 13.38 then these high praises touching the Temple and other ceremonies tooke their end for then God began to be called vpon of all nations And yet herewithall let vs marke that we are called into the Church vpon condition that we call vpon the name of God We are called into the Church vpon condition to call vpon God For those do but glorie in vain who hold a place therein and yet make little or none account of prayers nor of true inuocation In what place soeuer we be then let vs beware we despise not this exercise of faith seeing it sufficientlie appeares by the words of our Prophet that prayer is the greatest and the most excellent seruice that God requires of vs as also it is said in Psal 50.15 that the holines of the Temple consisted in the prayers which then had their force there Vers 8. The Lord saith which gathereth the scattered of Israel yet will I gather * Or vpon him to them those that are to be gathered to them HE
question it is profitable for vs to bee touched with this feeling which ought to bring vs to repentance This phrase of speech then must wholly bee referred to our weakenesse and not vnto God For the Spirit shall be clothed againe Heere he renders a reason wherefore the Lord will not contend for euer but this place is diuersly expounded Among other expositions this seemes to agree best that the Spirit is clothed with the body as with a garment In which regard the body also is called the Tabernacle or dwelling place of the Spirit If we receiue this exposition there will be a double sense for some referre this place to the last resurrection and say that the soule shall bee clothed that is to say after it shall depart from the body shee shall returne the second time into it as into her house And thus it should be an argument from the greater to the lesse thus I will raise the dead bodies wherefore then should not I put you into a better estate though you seeme as good as dead The other sense which some others follow will be better and lesse constrained for this interpretation touching the last resurrection seemes far remote from the scope of the text I haue compassed the Spirit in vvith the body As if hee should say It is I that haue created men you must thinke that I will haue a care of them then But I should thinke that the Prophet mounts higher for he teacheth that the Lord handles vs thus mildly and graciously because hee knowes and is well acquainted with our frailtie and infirmities This doctrine is confirmed vnto vs by many other places of the Scriptures but amongst the rest out of Psal 103.13 14 15. Euen as a father pitieth his owne children so is the Lord compassionate ouer such as feare him He knowes whereof we be made he remembers we are but dust Man is like to grasse he florisheth as a flower of the field In Psal 78.38 39. it is said in the same sense But he being mercifull forgaue their iniquities and destroied them not He often called backe his anger and suffered not his vvhole displeasure to arise for he remembred they vvere but flesh and a vvinde that passeth avvay and returneth not againe And me thinkes the Prophet meant thus much in this place as if the Lord should haue said What should I doe trying my force against a little vvinde or breath or against a leafe or grasse which vanisheth in a moment and withers away as soone as it hath felt the heate of the Sunne Some expound the verbe Iaatok Shall faile and this agrees well enough to this place for our Spirit must needes faile as soone as the Lord doth begin to manifest his power against vs Psal 104.29 But not to stand vpon the signification of the words we see I hope what the Prophets meaning is for he shewes that God spares vs and vseth great lenitie towards vs in correcting our vices because he respects our infirmity and meanes to support and relieue it Vers 17. For his wicked couetousnesse I am angry with him and haue smitten him I hid me and was angry yet he went away and turned after the way of his owne heart A complaint HEre he complaines of the desperate obstinacie of the people and shewes that the Lord had exceeding iust cause to punish them thus so as they could not complaine of his ouer great seueritie For his lusts Others turne it For his auarice And in this sense if you vnderstand it of auarice it is by a figure called Synecdoche taken as a part for the whole For couetousnesse is the roote from whence other vices spring But we may take it generally for all lusts For the Lord was wroth against so many wickednesses wherewith the Iewes were stained and punished them seuerely for them But he speakes expresly of lust to shew that they were chastised not so much for their manifest and open sinnes as for that they were guiltie before God For this sufficeth to all mens condemnation that God is the Iudge of thoughts So as he will not onely punish notorious iniquities but also the secret inordinate and wicked lusts and affections of the heart Besides hee aduertiseth them that they are iustly smitten that by feeling their guiltinesse they might humblie sue for pardon I haue smitten him and hid my selfe The meaning of these words is that his grace stood a farre off and was hidden from them for a time But he speakes according to our opinions For we apprehend God as an enemie and angrie with vs when he punisheth our offences as we haue said before And doubtlesse it is needefull we should thus conceiue of him and apprehend him that thereby we may be brought to acknowledge our sinnes which we will neuer do in good earnest neither will we be effectuallie touched with the horror of them vnlesse we consider and be assuredly perswaded in our minds and consciences that we haue thereby prouoked the wrath of God against vs. Now as it is expedient that we be brought to repentance by this meanes Beware of being ouerwhelmed by desperate sorrow yet let vs beware that we be not ouerwhelmed with sorrow in imagining either that God is irreconciliable or that he will haue no more to doe with vs. Thus then the Prophet mitigates these excessiue feares and forbids vs to measure God according to our owne ell For albeit he chasten vs yet ceaseth he not to beare a gracious loue and fatherly affection towards them whom he hath adopted But he vvent his vvay This is the rebellion which the Prophet taxeth and reproues namely that the people amended not by their stripes but obstinately perseuered in their wickednes and therefore he shewes they were growne past cure in regard the violent remedies which God vsed could not bring them back into the right way Vers 18. I haue seene his waies and will heale him I will leade him also and restore comfort vnto him and to those that lament him THe Lord here on the contrarie magnifies his mercie Our maladies incurable if the Lord should not preuent vs by his grace in regard that he is fauorable to this so obstinate and rebellious a people and in preuenting them of his meere bountie and compassion As if he should say I haue indeuored to bring them to repentance by my rods and chastisements euen whilest they pursued their lusts but they haue shewed themselues obstinate and incorrigible so as I haue spent all my labour in vaine I might therefore if I would iustly destroy them yet had I rather heale and saue them But this can not be effected vnlesse I manifest my great and infinite mercie Well I will therefore withdraw my corrections You see then that our Prophet by degrees amplifies and sets forth Gods mercie whom he brings in as a careful Physition be thinking himself of the aptest and fittest medicines to cure this peoples maladies But they are incurable vnlesse
who are wont to reply that their goods are their owne like Nabal 1. Sam. 25.11 It is mine owne say they and therefore I may keepe it to my selfe Why should I make that common which God hath giuen me for my particular vse The Prophet answers that it doth indeed appertaine vnto thee but vpon condition that thou dealest out part thereof to the hungry and thirstie and not that thou shouldest eate all thy selfe alone Truly common reason teacheth vs that the hungry are defrauded of their right vnlesse their wants be supplied yea such a wofull spectacle often moues the most barbarous and cruell to compassion Afterwards hee reckons vp some particulars which are vsually wont to mollifie the stoniest heart and moue them to shew mercie The reason is that their inhumanitie which are not touched with the sense of the pouertie and need of their brethren might be the lesse excusable Lastly hee concludes and hide not thy face from thine owne flesh where we are to note this word flesh for thereby he meanes all men in generall not one whereof wee can behold but therein of necessitie wee must view our owne nature as in a glasse It is great inhumanitie then to disdaine and despise those in whom wee are forced to acknowledge our owne image Vers 8. Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall imbrace thee THe Prophet shewes that God is not ouer rigorous A preuention of an obiection neither requires hee of vs more then is neede though hypocrites complaine causlesly neuer so much in accusing him of too great seueritie for when their workes are condemned then they gnash the teeth and answer that God can neuer be content and therefore they know not what they should doe more nor what way to take Hee answers them againe that God requires no more but a pure and vpright heart that is to say a good conscience If they haue that he will shew them mercy and in gathering them together againe will giue testimonie of their holinesse and will blesse them euery manner of way whom he hath iustly chastised for their disloyalties In a word that they shall haue no occasion at all to murmure as if he were too sharpe towards them because they should taste of his bountie and liberalitie if in reiecting all hypocrisie they would dispose themselues to worship him in sinceritie We must note the particle then For on the contrarie it signifies that hypocrites are very farre off from this pure worship of God though they would be taken for the holiest men in the world But the Prophet holds them more then conuinced when by their owne workes he shewes that they neither feare nor reuerence the Lord. By the word light he meanes a prosperous estate as on the contrarie darkenesse signifies a life full of miserie and calamities And this we know is a phrase of speech much vsed in the Scriptures Mich. 7.8 Chap 42.16 Health notes out an happie and quiet life as we shall see anon in another place For the plagues which were inflicted vpon this people by the hand of God in regard of their sinnes had almost consumed them so as they pined away as a sicke man that is brought low by a languishing disease For there is no sicknesse so sharpe as to be pressed with the iust vengeance of God or to be washed vnder his curse The word righteousnesse may be taken two waies either for a testimonie of vprightnesse or for an estate well ordered because God would heale the confusions and place all things in their first estate The first sense then will be after God shall be reconciled with thee the testimonie of thy righteousnesse shal appeare before him and before men as if an Herauld of armes went before thee There are other expositors which had rather take righteousnesse for a well ordered common-wealth which is a gift of God and no small token of his fatherly loue And in other places also we haue seene that it is taken in this sense amongst the Hebrews But the last member which followes the glorie of the Lord causeth me rather to follow the first exposition Thy righteousnesse shall goe foorth that is to say All shall know that thou art iust and holie vvhereas before thou wast guilty and conuicted And thus the glorie of the Lord shall be put vpon thee whereas before thou wert ouerwhelmed with ignominie and reproches For we are exposed to shame and contempt when we beare the punishment of our transgressions Vers 9. Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answere thou shalt crie and hee shall say Here I am if thou take away from the middest of thee the yoke the putting foorth of the singer and wicked speaking ISaiah prosecutes that which he hath alreadie begun to intreate of namely that the Iewes should prosper in all things The same argument further prosecuted if they liue in such equitie and so abstaine from all wrong that thence men may take notice of their piety and religion For he pronounceth that which is said by Hosea and is repeated by Christ That mercie ought to bee preferred before sacrifice Hos 6.7 Matth. 12 7. Hauing spoken then of the duties of charitie and likewise hauing protested that such as performe them shall be happie now he ads Then thou shalt cal and the Lord shal heare thee For herein consists the chiefest part of our happinesse namelie if God vouchsafe to heare vs contrariwise there cannot befall vs a more wofull condition then when hee is our enemy Now for the exercise of our faith he attributes that to our prayers which he is minded to bestow voluntarily Wherein our principall happinesse consists and of his meere liberalitie For if he should still supplie vs with his benefits while we slept as it were the affection of prayer would grow cold in vs yea would be vtterly frozen vp and so his liberality shuld nourish our sloth negligence Albeit then that hee preuent vs by his free grace yet will he haue our prayers to come betweene and therfore he addes Thou shalt crie and he shall say Here J am For this promise containes also an exhortation to the end we should not remaine idle When hee saith Here am I this appertaines not to our outward senses but by the effects he shewes that he is neere vnto vs and afuours vs. And in the end of the verse he repeates againe that God will be pacified towards the Iewes if so be they did repent By the yoke he comprehends all the molestations wherewith the poore were vexed As if hee should say If thou ceasest to molest thy brethren and abstainest from deceit and violence the Lord will blesse thee euery kind of way The lifting vp of the finger also containes vnder it all manner of iniuries For wee are wont to say Lift vp thy finger when we meane to
and a safe abode in their Country for we know that Iudeah was situated on high aboue the regions round about and that Babylon was seated lower so as the people was hid there as within a caue And yet hee shewes more plainly what he meant by this word to mount for hee promiseth to them the possession of that heritage which was promised and giuen to the Fathers which they also should then inioy after that for a time they had been depriued of it He addes for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it that they might know for certaine that all these things should take effect But this must not only be vnderstood touching these promises but must also be referred to the former part of this Chapter For therein hee hath sharply censured the hypocrites who thought to haue made their party good against God shewing also that they were notwithstanding their plea iustly punished for their iniquities yea that it was in vaine for them to quarrell with God by opposing their vaine and vnprofitable workes to his iustice And therefore hee brings them backe to the true obseruation of the Sabbath day and shewes that all shall goe well with them if they worship the Lord purely and in the end concludes that in all these things they had not to doe vvith a mortall man but vvith the eternall God vvho is the Iudge that testifies these things THE LIX CHAPTER Vers 1. Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare 2. But your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare The Prophet maintaines Gods equall dealing against the slanders of the wicked THis Sermon is in a manner like to the former For after hee hath vnmasked the hypocrites who falsly vaunted theÌ„selues and shewed that their punishmeÌ„t is iust now hee answeres to the rest of their obiections The custome of such kind of persons is to accuse God either of impotencie or of ouer great seueritie and therefore he shewes that neither power nor vvill is wanting in God to saue those that be his but that it is their owne peruersitie that hinders him from causing them to feele his liberalitie and consequently that they did wickedly to complaine of him in vttering such slanders against him seeing that themselues rather deserued to be accused The word Behold hath great weight in it for it is as much as if the Prophet in speaking of a thing present should haue pointed it out with his finger for the greater certentie that so he might at once cut off all the cauils and replies of hypocrites Now we must supply oppositions in the words shortened and heauie as if he should say The hand of the Lord vvas once strong enough to saue his children and once his eares vvere open to heare their praiers and now hee is no changeling as if his hand were maimed or as if his eares were heauie that he should not be quicked enough of hearing The sum is that men are not to charge God with mutabilitie as if he had altered his nature but that the whole blame rested in themselues in regard that by their sinnes they had as it were shut vp the passage against his bountie and would not admit of his succour So that if themselues had not laid impediments in the way hee would haue caused them to haue felt his power and mercy as well as their fathers in times past had done And thus he drawes his argument from the perpetuall and equall constancie of God whose grace they reieced by their sins and would none of his helpe Doctrine Hence we gather that it is our sinnes only that depriues vs of Gods fauour and sets him and vs at oddes For that which the Prophet said of his time agrees to all ages for hee maintaines Gods cause against the slanders of the wicked God therefore is alwaies like himselfe and is neuer wearie of well doing his power is not lessened but it is wee our selues that shut vp the gate against his grace Obiect But some will obiect that God cannot bee preuented by mens deserts and therefore it must needes be that hee doe good to the vnworthy Obiect Ans I confesse this is true but yet I say that mens peruersitie sometimes ouerflowes so farre that it stops vp all passage against Gods benefits no lesse then if of set purpose we meant to driue him farre away from vs. And albeit hee neuer heares any but with pardon it being also our duties alwaies to bring with vs into his presence requests touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes yet hee neuer heares the prayers of the wicked We are not to wonder then if the Prophet accuseth the people for hauing reiected Gods benefits by their wickednesses and for making him vnappeaseable by their obstinacie To be short for making a diuorce by which they repulsed and turned backe the ordinary course of Gods graces Vers 3. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquitie your lippes haue spoken lies and your tongue hath murmured iniquitie He descends from the generall to particulars NOw he brings their workes to light to stop their contendings and that they should not call into question what these sins were which had made this diuision He takes away from theÌ„ all excuse then in discouering vnto them these particular vices as if their wicked life had been blazed in an open theater Now he speakes in the second person in regard that he maintaines and prosecutes the cause of God whose aduocate he is and therefore he separates himselfe out of the wickeds societie to whom now he will not ioyne himselfe although hee were not vtterly exempt from sinne But hee feared and honoured God notwithstanding and therfore had his conscience cleare He is vnfit to controle otheâ—s that is gâ—iltie himselfe of the same crimes For he which shal be tainted with the same offences cannot freelie condemne others neither shall he be fit to debate the matter because he bereaues himselfe of his authoritie by his scandalous and wicked life For we ought not to be culpable of the vices which wee reprooue in others vnlesse we meane to make the doctrine which we teach a matter of scorne and derision and our selues to bee taken for bold and impudent fellowes But on the other side when we serue our God in a pure and good conscience then hath the doctrine which we deliuer maiestie and power in it and leaues the aduersarie the more without excuse Now it is not to be held as a matter superfluous that he laies forth the vngracious life of this people thus by peece meale For men are wont to seeke out many starting holes neither can they be brought into any good order vnlesse they bee first brought to acknowledge their offences In mentioning of blood his meaning is not that they committed open murthers but thereby
be knit together into one bodie Neither doth hee alone promise an end and a remedie to the scattering which was to come as in Psalm 147.2 and chap. 56.8 that God vvould gather in the scattered of Israel but this gathering should extend it selfe further off For it signifies that there should be a wonderfull change in the world so as those who before vvere strangers and diuided should be gathered into one bodie To conclude A testimonie â—ouching the calling of the Gentiles the spreading of the Church to the vtmost bounds of the earth is here noted out vnto vs. We must also supplie a close opposition here which manifests that miserable and wofull estate whereinto all mankind is plunged till we be gathered in vnder the conduct of Christ Some by sonnes allegorically vnderstand those who were strong and stedfast in faith and by daughters the weake But I thinke the Prophet was not disposed to speake so acutely I therefore take it simplie thus That sonnes and daughters shall in time to come runne vnto the Church That is to say shall not onely be begotten within doores but without also yea euen in the furthest parts of the world For the wombe of the Church shall no more be shut vp in a corner of the earth but shall spread it selfe as farre and as wide as the whole world hath any space Vers 5. Thou shalt see and shine thine heart shall be astonished and enlarged because the multitude of the sea shall be conuerted vnto thee and the riches of the Gentiles shall come vnto thee THese things at the first blush seeme to haue some repugnancie in them By speaking in the present tence vers 4. hee shewed the certaintie of the promise speaking now in the future hee teacheth them to be patient seeing in the former verse he spake in the present tence and now in the time to come But there hee spake of the eies of faith which apprehends that that men cannot comprehend by nature here hee handles that which concernes the euent of the thing it selfe Or rather by speaking in the present tence before he meant to signifie the truth and stedfastnesse of the promise and now restraines the same sentence to teach the faithfull to limit themselues within the bounds of patience Besides howsoeuer the promises of God be for a time shadowed from mens sight yet doe the faithfull cleerely behold them by faith so as they wait for the vndoubted accomplishment thereof though others will beleeue nothing at all of them And shine Because the verb Nahar signifies to shine and to flow foorth it may be translated both waies For we may referre it to that ioy which carrieth and causeth the Church to ouerflow when shee growes and increaseth in this world or to that decking of her which makes her to shine But it seemes to agree but vntowardly with the text that hee couples astonishmeÌ„t with brightnes or ioy Truely I doubt not but by this word hee vnderstands such an amazednesse as ariseth from an admiration and wonderment with which the Church shall be rapt vp and carried away in seeing her selfe to rise to such an vnexpected honour and to be exalted to so high a degree of glorie As if he should say The greatnesse of this worke shall be such that it shall farre surmount thy hope It is no astonishment then that is conceiued through some feare of danger or calamitie but such as we see to happen in great wonders which surpasse the reach of our vnderstandings when being astonished wee are for the time as in a dreame Psalm 136.1 And this trembling sutes very well with ioy Vers 6. The multitude of Camels shall couer thee and the Dromedaries of Midian and of Epha all they of Sheba shall come they shall bring gold and incense and shew forth the praises of the Lord. 7. All the sheepe of Kedar shall bee gathered vnto thee the Rammes of Nebaioth shall serue thee they shall come vp to bee accepted vpon mine Altar and I will beautifie the house of my glorie VNder borrowed speeches the Prophet describes the glorie of the Church and applies his doctrine both to the time and persons with which he had to doe For wee must keepe that in mind which we haue often said He that is truly conuerted vnto God will dedicate all he hath to his seruice namely that the Prophets had respect to the people whom they taught And for that cause mentioned the things best known and the ceremonies most in vse that vnder the figures thereof they might note out Gods spiritual worship and seruice For it was good reason the Iewes should bee first instructed and the Gentiles in the second place to whom the truth of these things is come As if hee should say The people of farre Countries shall come with their riches in the power of God And where he saith the Church shall be enriched it is not to be referred to the persons of men but in regard of the vnion which the head hath with the members that which appertaines to God and Christ is heere attributed to the Church Absurd collections from this place of Iewes and Papists The Iewes deale absurdlie therefore who vnder colour of this prophesie by their insatiable couetousnes deuoure all the riches of the earth neither doe the Papists lesse fondly wrest these words to the maintaining of their riches and superfluous pomps Now he mentions Camels incense gold and sheepe as hauing regard to that wherewith euery region abounded in thereby signifying that all should consecrate vnto God whatsoeuer they inioyed and should offer themselues and all their riches vnto him in sacrifice Doctrine Whence wee are to gather that we can not truly be conuerted vnto the Lord vnlesse we offer vp vnto him all that euer we haue for these are those spirituall oblations which he requires 1. Pet. 2.5 Rom. 12.1 1. Pet. 2.5 Rom. 12.1 which we can not possiblie denie him if our hearts be truly dedicated and consecrated vnto him The wicked abuse the gifts of God to excesse and wantonnes and as much as in them is corrupt them by an execrable prophanenes but the faithfull who vse them with good conscience consecrate them vnto the Lord. None can rightly say hee is the Lords then vnlesse he therewithall dedicates and consecrates vnto the Lord himselfe and all that he hath As touching the regions here mentioned by the Prophet it is not needfull for vs to discusse in what place euery one of them is situated Notwithstanding by the way we note that he speakes of such as lay Eastward and chiefly Arabia and the places neere adioining which he signifies by Kedar and Nebaioth Another absurd collection of the Papists The Papists haue also abused this place to proue that Kings came from the East Kings of the East to offer gifts vnto Christ wherein they shew themselues too ridiculous seeing the Prophet speakes of all sorts of people But they snatch
in regard the Iewes sinned of a set malice and rather against knowledge then of ignorance For they had been often taught and instructed but they insolently reiected all admonitions In which respect they were much lesse excusable then those to whom the Prophets were not sent For as no man aliue can pretend any cause of ignorance No man can pretend ignorance so yet the Iewes much lesse and those to whom the word of the Lord hath been published who for this cause shall haue a sharper sentence of condemnation pronounced against them then and shall be more seuerely punished then any other Hee sets downe the meanes of this call namely that hee had exhorted them by his Prophets For by the clause I spake hee repeates one and the same thing twice according to the custome of the Hebrewes as wee noted before To hearken to the Lord is to obey his word for it were to little purpose to lend an eare vnlesse vvee follow that which the word propounds vnto vs. For otherwise what difference is betweene vs and the Asse who wags his eares God will be heard with the heart Prou. 23.26 As for a fained audience he vtterly reiects it Now he shewes the cause why they would not come at his call surely they stopped their eares against wholsome doctrine For the beginning of obedience is to bring with vs a desire to learne Before mine eies is as much to say as before my face which phrase of speech he vsed a little before Euery man sinnes before the eies of the Lord neither can any auoid his presence But it is properly said that we sinne before his eies Who is said to sinne in Gods eies when being called by him wee stand not in awe of his sacred presence for he is neerest to those whom he calles by his Prophets yea to such it may be said that he shewes himselfe visibly Therefore so much the more detestable is their impietie and worthy of the more stripes who as it were with whorish foreheads despise God who in such familiar manner summons and calles them vnto him Now by the latter end of the verse it appeares that the Iewes are not condemned for any enormous sinnes but chieflie in respect of their new found deuotions by which they corrupted the seruice of God For albeit they were forward enough in hunting after their forged sacrifices thinking thereby to obtaine Gods fauour yet himselfe pronounceth that he abhorres all such endeuours because there is nothing but pollution therin It is not permitted to euery one then to follow that which seemes good in his owne eies We must not follow that in Gods seruice which seemes good in our eies but we must haue an eie to that which God approues of and not turne therfrom no not an haires breadth Well we see that this vice hath not raigned in one age onely namely that men haue followed their fond appetites and haue worshipped their owne inuentions in stead of God when the question hath been touching his pure seruice But how great delight soeuer men take herein sure it is the Lord protests that hee contemnes and abhorres it Vers 13. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold my seruants shall eate and yee shall bee hungrie Behold my seruants shall drinke and yee shall be thirstie Behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed 14. Behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall crie for sorrow of heart and shall houle for vexation of mind Hypocrites distinguished from the faithfull THe Prophet here distinguisheth yet more clearely hypocrites which hold a place in the Church only from his true and lawfull children For though all will needs take vnto them the title of Gods children yet he shewes that many were to be chased out of the house that those who proudlie insulted ouer Gods people should be frustrated of their hope because it was vaine false And we are to note well the remarkable opposition which is here put betweene Gods seruants and those that falsely glorie in his name For he shewes that their vaine titles their boasting and false perswasions should stand them in no stead These words they shal eate and drink signifie felicitie and a prosperous estate in this present life For it is as if he had promised to haue such care ouer the faithfull that they should want nothing Obiect But it seemes the Lord here promiseth his seruants more in words then he performes in deedes For are they not often hungrie and thirstie whilest the wicked ouerflow in all sorts of good things and abuse them to excesse and riot I answere Ans that Christs kingdome is here noted out vnto vs vnder these figures for otherwise we cannot comprehend it For which cause the Prophets are wont to borrow similitudes fom earthly kingdoms in which when the subiects flow in wealth and in the inioying of all blessings there Gods liberalitie is to be espied by which also wee ordinarily iudge of his fatherly loue towards vs. Note But because it is not expedient that the faithfull should fixe their hopes vpon earthly commodities it is enough for them that they take onely some little taste of them the better to vphold their faith And if it so fall out that they bee now and then pressed with wants yet by feeling the benefit of contentation with a little they cease not for all that still to acknowledge God for their father and to taste of his liberalitie Nay The faithfull richer in their pouertie then the greatest Kings in their superfluitie shall I say more euen in their very pouertie they are oftentimes richer indeede then Kings and great Lords of the earth But although the wicked enioy neuer so much yet are they the only miserable people in the world because they cannot enioy their wealth with a good conscience The Prophet therfore hath respect to the right vse of Gods gifts For such as serue him purely receiue from him as children from the hand of their father all things needfull for this life present But the rest as vsurpers and theeues take whatsoeuer they possesse by stealth and robberie No riches nor abundance can satisfie the wicked No â—iches can satisfie a wicked man they are alwaies in distrust and trembling their consciences will neuer giue them rest The Lord you see then promiseth no more here then hee truely performes neither must we iudge of this felicitie by outward appearances This wil be better perceiued by the words following where hee speakes of reioycing and giuing thankes For no doubt the Prophets meaning is to say that contentment consists not in the inioying of abundance Contentment consists not in abundance but in tranquillitie peace and gladnesse of mind because all things are vnsauorie to the vnfaithfull But the godly take more pleasure in the feeling of Gods fatherly loue then in all the pleasures of the world Our chiefe felicitie In the meane
condemnes not the sacrifices but the corruptions mingled therewith namely in that the Iewes thought that God contented himselfe with vaine appearances and themselues in the meane while neglected his feare and the hauing of a good conscience Hee speakes not of the thing it selfe then but taxeth the persons who abused the sacrifices For in thus doing they offered him no better then the emptie shels His meaning brieflie is to say That God approoues of none other sacrifices but such as proceede from a pure heart and a sincere affection In the meane while it is very likely the Prophet alludes to those horrible and monstrous sacrifices of the Gentiles For they sacrificed men aliue or buried them quicke in the earth And the Romanes who thought themselues more deuout then others yea and the Iewes also abstained not from so horrible and execrable a crime Nay which more is these men in their inconsiderate zeale defiled themselues with the murthering of many children thinking therin forsooth to imitate their father Abraham Gen. 22.10 And Isaiah therfore saith that in sacrificing an oxe it was al one as if they had cut a mans throate And thus he shewes that albeit the Iewes had a religiō apart by themselues and such a one as was ordained by God yet were they esteemed no better then the prophane heathen among whom all things were filthie and vncleane Also that God approued no more of the one then of the other in regard his name was no lesse profaned by their hyprocrisie then by the superstitions Gods name no lesse prophaned by hypocrisie then by superstition of the Gentiles But in another place we haue shewed how needfull this admonition was For though the Iewes were sufficiently conuinced of all manner of abominations yet they iudged themselues in good case as long as they might lie lurking vnder this couerture The Prophet therefore meets with them in their turnings and affirmes that they shall gaine no more by thinking thus to pacifie God then if they offered vp vnto him the sacrilegious abominations of the heathen When in the end of the verse he saith yea or in truth the place may be translated two waies because the relatiue may agree as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes namely that the Iewes had mingled intangled themselues in the idolatries of the Gentiles or that they followed theit owne inuentions The first exposition is not much amisse were it not constrained for he spake not of the Gentiles before And the height of the Iewes impietie consisted in this that besides the abuse of Gods pure worship and contempt of the law they had prophaned the Temple and all other places with wicked and cursed superstitions They set vp Altars they planted groues they set foorth plaies and sights so as they walked after euery thing that was set vp to corrupt their minds Thus there was a mingle mangle of all superstions betweene them and the heathen such as is at this day to bee seene in the papacie Where wee behold many fragments patched together of all sorts of superstitions not only Jewish and heathinesse Popish superstitions Iewish Heathenish and diuellish but also newly inuented by the diuell himselfe that by meanes thereof they might vnder such goodlie shewes the more easily cosen and deceiue the world The Prophet then meant to say that both themselues and their companions deserued double condemnation because whilest they gloried in the name of God and made profession of his seruice they were not ashamed to pollute the same with the sacrileges of idolatrous nations The other exposition is not obscure and it also sutes well namely that the Iewes were addicted to follow the vanitie of their owne inuentions and so followed their abominations And thus he affirmes that such serue not God with a pure affection who at their pleasure despise him Not onely in respect that they are stuffed full of auarice hatred ambition guile crueltie and robberies but in regard that by their inuentions they had corrupted Gods seruice And albeit the relatiue ought to bee vnderstood of the Iewes yet the Prophet therewithall condemnes all the superstitions which they had borrowed from prophane nations Thus there is no great difference in respect of the thing it selfe For he only teacheth that whatsoeuer proceeded from them was filthie and abominable because they had malepertly and rebelliously shaken off Gods yoke so as impiety raigned among them in euery place Simile For how can those riuers be pure and cleane which receiue nothing but mier and durt from an impure fountaine Their choice and desire did more manifestly discouer their obstinacie for hauing wittingly cast Gods commandements behind their backes they applied their minds vnto things vtterly contrarie thereunto as if of set purpose they had determined to reiect whatsoeuer proceeded from God that they might yeeld obedience to their owne peruerse lusts Vers 4. Therefore will I chuse out their delusions and I wil bring their feare vpon them because I called and none would answere I spake and they would not heare but they did euill in my sight and chose the things that I would not THe Prophet meant to say that the Iewes should gaine nothing by seeking out goodly pretences and starting holes because God cannot bee deluded by the fained and coloured words of men For what reason is it indeede that wee should measure God according to our blind reason neither is it meete he should stand to mans arbitrement but wee must iudge of his workes by his word Gods works must be iudged of by his word J will chuse out That is to say I will so disperse the fogges and mists which they labour to spread abroad that all shall be able to discerne of the illusions They seeme now to steale away in their darke but a time will come wherein they shall bee laid open as at noone day The summe The summe is that in regard the Iewes were addicted to such a licentiousnesse that they preferred whatsoeuer pleased them before Gods commandements it shuld also come to passe that God would also take his turne at his pleasure to discouer all their iuglings Vnder the word feare he repeates one and the same thing according to the custome of the Hebrues thus I will cause them to know that they haue erred in such wise that that which they feared shall fall vpon their owne heads Whereby you see that their turnings and windings should stand them in no stead in confounding the truth with lies or to cloake their superstitions and all because the Lord hath skill enough to separate the one from the other For J haue called The Prophet doth againe condemne the obstinacie of the Iewes who could not abide that the Lord should correct them There is but on onely remedy left to tame our vices But one remedie left to tame our vices that is to hearken vnto God speaking when hee labours to bring vs into the right way But if we
cannot inioy their goods with a good conscience 65. 13 A good conscience how necessary 58. 4 A quiet conscience onely proper to Gods children 32. 18 A wicked mans conscience neuer quiet 65. 13 Peace of conscience a fruit of the Gospell 2. 4 An euill conscience alwaies flees Gods presence 31. 2. Alwaies vnquiet 32. 18 How sleepie consciences must be awakened 58. 1. 8. 13 The conscience of Papists 32. 18 An euill conscience discouers it selfe in the countenance 2. 11. and 3. 9 A generall consent a shrewed temptation 8. 11 Consolation for the faithfull 1. 25. 28. 4 2. 5. 17. 6. 13. 7. 4. 19. 8. 10. 17. 9. 1. 10. 5. 12. 22. 24. 26 11. 1. 12. 3. 14. 14. 24. 28. 32. 15. 9. and 16. 14 17. 61. â— 14. 18. 4 5. 19 18. 21. 1. 15. 16. 22. 11. 23. 17. 24 13. 14. 22 23. 25. 10. 26. 12. 13 21. 27. 4 28. 16. 25. 29. 21 22. and 30. 19. 21. 29. 31. 9. 32. 15. 33. 5. 35. 5. 37. 26. 40. 1. 8. 29. 41 8. 9 10. 14. 43. 1. 14. 25. 44. 2. 48. 11. 49. 24. 50. 10. 51. 1. 17. 21. 52 9. 54 11. 55 6. 57. 15. 59 15. 63 4. 7 65. 8. 66. 2 5. Consolations for the poore 10. 2 Consolations added to threatnings 4. 2 5. 17. 27. 6 A consolation for good Princes 22. 23 To whom consolation belongs 40. 7 Whence it is to be drawne 37. 2. and 40. 8 and 50. 4. 11. and 51. 8. 16. 52. 9. and 57. 18. and 66. 11 Conspiracie taken in good part 8. 12 Conspiracie of the Papists 44 11 Constancie of the faithfull 8. 12. 56. 2 Constancie of Pastors 8. 16. and 29. 21 and 50. 7 The constancie of Isaiah 8. 18. and 30. 8. and 39. 3. 5 Contempt of Gods word the perfection of all euill 5. 24 Contentment consists not in abundance 65. 13 Continencie a rare gift 19. 21 God lookes that our conuersation should answere our vocation 63. 8. and 43. 21 Conuersion of the Egyptians to God 19. 19. 21 Conuersion a kind of resurrection 19. 22 What men are without conuersion 65 25 No saluation without conuersion 59. 20 The conuerted ought to labour the conuersion of others 2. 3 Conuersion of the heart and change of the life must goe together 55. 7 Conuersion what 19. 13. and 28. 16 How corne and wine is said to be ours 62. 9 Corrections benefit vs nothing vnlesse God touch our hearts by his holy Spirit inwardly 1. 25 A signe of desperate malice not to benefit by corrections 9. 13 When God begins to correct he makes not an end by and by 1. 7 Necessitie of Corrections 25. 3 God corrects in measure 27. 8. and 64. 9 Couenant of God cannot be disanulled 7. 14. and 19. 25. and 24. 5. and 45. 25. and 55. 4. and 59. 20. and 65. 1. Couenant of God free 55. 3. and 61. 9. and 64. 7. Couetousnesse condemned 1. 23. and 5. 8. 23. and 33. 15. and 57. 17. Cursed of God 5. 10 Exceeding hurtfull in Iudges 1. 23 God will create Ierusalem a reioicing 65. 18 God creates new heauens and a new earth 65. 17. and 66. 22 The end of our creation 29. 23 Creation taken for regeneration 17. 7. and 19. 25. and 27. 11. and 37. 26. and 43. 1. 15. 21. and 44. 2. 21. 24. and 51. 13. and 54. 5 and 64. 9. and 66. 22. God the creator of all 37 15 In what sense God is called the creator of Israel 43. 15 The confusions which are among the creatures the fruits of our sinnes 65. 25 All the creatures are vnder Gods command 11. 15 All creatures are ready armed against the wicked 13. 10 The creatures grone in regard of our offences 65 17 If insensible creatures bee moued at Gods voice much more we 6. 4 All creatures at Gods becke 55. 12 Many depart from Christ because of the crosse 53. 5 Christs gouernment laid on his shoulder fained to be his crosse 9. 6 Signe of the Crosse 66. 19 Crueltie alwaies ioined with impietie 51. 23 Crueltie of the Assyrians 30. 31 Of the Babylonians 13. 11 Of the Medes 17. 17 Of Babylons King 14. 17 Of the Moabites 15. 1. 16. 3 Of Satan 49. 24. and 59. 17. and 66. 3 Of Sennacherib 33. 7 Cup of wrath taken in a double sense 51. 17 Curiositie ought to be auoided 9. 4 Cyrus called of God and how 48. 15 Named a long time before he was borne 44. 28 In what sense he is said to obey God 41. 25 Gods hired souldier 43. 14 How said to be fauoured of God 44. 14 Why called anointed 45. 1 How he builded Ierusalem 45. 13 Very vicious 48. 15 Whether he became a conuert 45. 1 His prosperitie proceeded from God 48. 15 D DAmascus a capitall Citie of Syria 7. 8 The ruine of Damascus 17. 1 Darius the seruant of God 21. 9 Darius signifies a lion 21. 7. 8 Darius an herauld of Gods iudgement 21. 9 Darknesse taken for affliction 8. 21. 50. 10. 18. and 58. 10. and 59. 9. Dauid a figure of Christ 37. 35. 55. 3. 4 Why Dauid called Gods seruant before hee was borne 44. 1 Why Dauids name is sometimes put for Christ 2. 4 Citie and house of Dauid what it is 7. 2. and 22. 9 Daies of a tree what 65. 21 In what sense it is that daies will seeme yeeres 54. 8 What the day of the Lord signifies 13. 6 Day put for time prefixt 22. 5 Why the day of the Lord is called terrible 13. 9 The Iewes began their day at Sun setting 30. 29 Death of Christ the cause and fountaine of life 53. 8 Fruit of Christs death 53. 5. 11 Death often noted out by the word Graue 53. 9 In what sense it is said the dead sing the praises of God 38. 18 Whether the dead know our necessities 29. 22 Delicacie the ruine of the Roman Empire 2. 16 Deliuerance of the Church admirable and Gods proper worke 31. 8. 49. 7 Difference betweene the deliuerance out of Egypt and Babylon 52. 12 See Redemption Deafenesse of the Iewes proceeded from their rebellion 28. 12 Why God deferres to succour his people 33. 9 Demosthenes alleaged 47. 3 Denys the second how he became blind 28. 4 Denys the tyrant a contemner of religion and his impietie 36. 18 What a miserie it is to be depriued of the vse of holy things 48. 19 Deserts for medowes 63. 13 Desert taken for Chaldea 21. 1 When descriptions are necessarie 21. 3 Disloialtie of the Israelites 17. 9 Disloialtie of Senacherib 33. 8 Diuination condemned 19. 12. 44. 25 Papists will not haue their diuine seruice examined 44. 20 Complaints of Papists touching the abolishing of their diuine seruice 36. 10 Deuotion of Papists what 1. 14 Superstitious