the Iewes reiected this light to kindle one of their owne and in conclusion affirmes that they shall be consumed as with a fire by their owne light In this sort Christ reprocheth the Iewes for reioicing in Iohn Baptists light Iohn 5.33 Because they abused his person to darken nay rather to quench the glory of Christ For in opposing Iohns person against Christs to darken his glory what did they else but put out the light of God shining in a mortall man to kindle themselues another Which yet directed them not to walke in the right way but made them wander in by-paths wherein they had small cause to reioice In saying that they were compassed aboue with the sparks he taxeth their froward imaginations which harried them to and fro and therewithall derides their vanitie in that they ranne swiftlie and with great alacritie whither soeuer their deceiueable lusts led them VValke As if he should say You shall feele by experience how vaine and vanishing your light is when your vncertaine hopes haue failed you And thus by this so taunting a permission hee signifies that they shall both lose their time and their labour Others expound that the wicked kindle against themselues the fire of Gods wrath But the Prophet hath an higher drift neither doe I thinke that this exposition agrees to this place Of mine hand In regard the wicked being beguiled with a false confidence think themselues vtterly out of danger and doe boldly contemne all after claps by trusting in their light that is to say in the meanes wherewith they haue furnished themselues the Lord shewes that they shall lie downe in sorrow and that this shall proceede from his hand In a word that such as forsake the light of Gods word to seeke consolation elsewhere shall miserably perish THE LI. CHAPTER Vers 1. Heare mee yee that follow after righteousnesse and yee that seeke the Lord looke vnto the rocke whence yee are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged A consolation or exhortation vnto patience NOw the Prophet exhorts the Iewes not to faint though they were few in number for they were so humbled and diminished that they seemed neere their vtter ruin euen as if they had been hopelesse of any posteritie to succeed them Hee therefore brings them to their originall to teach them that howsoeuer they were but a small handfull now yet God was able to increase multiply them Then he commands them to looke vnto their father Abraham who being but one man yet grew into a great number and God gaue him children as the starres in the firmament Gen. 15.5 and as the sand vpon the sea shore Gen. 22.17 Thence they might collect that if God in so small a space was able so admirably to multiply their fathers he was no lesse powerfull to make them increase heereafter seeing his power is no whit abated nor his will changed Looke to the rocke Some thinke that Abraham is heere called a rocke because hee was strong in faith as Saint Paul saith Rom. 4.19 Others alleadge a reason cleane contrarie to this similitude for they thinke Abraham is heere called a rocke or stone because he was vnfit to beget children and that Sara was called a caue because she was barren But all of them as I take it are deceiued for it is a plaine similitude taken from stones He saith then that they were hewen or digged out of Abraham and Sara as stones are hewen or digged out of a rocke or caue There was exceeding need that the faithfull should be vpheld by this admonition in the ruine of the whole nation God had promised as we said before that Abrahams seede should be as the starres Gen. 15.5 22.17 and as the sand This promise in outward appearance was abolished in the destruction of Ierusalem for then those that remained were like a small cluster of grapes that remaines after the vintage But in regard they had alreadie prooued how powerfull God was to create a great people of nothing the Prophet exhorts them to hope wel still that they may not bee taxed of vnthankfulnesse towards God And thus hee directs his speech properly to the faithfull who had much adoe to sustaine so sharpe temptations for hee speakes not to all in generall The Prophets alwaies make a distinction betweene the faithfull and the hypocrites but to those only that rested vpon the promises whom he calles followers of righteousnesse The Country was filled with vnbeleeuers and hypocrites who had for along time been apostataes from the exercise of pietie the more praise those deserued then who constantly followed a godly and a sincere course Where there is a desire of righteousnesse there God hath audience Note but where infidelitie raignes there is no place at all for the promises Thus then albeit they boasted they were Abrahams children yet all were not capable of this doctrine In the next place the Prophet shewes the way how to follow this iustice to wit in seeking the Lord for it must needes be that such as seeme to follow righteousnes and yet aime not at this marke doe erre in all the parts of their life These two things then to follow righteousnesse and to seeke the Lord must be ioined together Vers 2. Consider Abraham your father and Sara that bare you for I called him alone and blessed him and increased him The application of the former consolation THis application shews sufficiently whereunto the Prophets exhortation tended namely to confirme the peoples hearts in the hope of a better estate He saith he called him alone not onely because Abraham had no companions with him when he was called to forsake his Country but because the Lord suffered him to inhabit the land of Canaan without hauing issue till his old age so as he looked not to haue any at all And besides that Sarah his wife was also barren but at the last they had a sonne giuen them to comfort their old yeeres in their afflictions Which was no sooner giuen but it seemed that God had appointed him to the slaughter and yet for all this the Lord furnished him with a great number of children I told you ere while how necessary this consolation was for the Iewes which wee may also iudge by that wofull and miserable estate in which they then were as histories doe at large record It is also no lesse needfull for vs at this day Vse to vs. in regard of the scattering of the church that so our small number may no whit discourage vs. No wee are rather to hope that God wil one day multiply the same by means to vs vnknowne For we haue heere a manifest and an excellent example thereof in this blessing whereby wee see how the Lord in Abrahams old age weakens yea and out of death it selfe multiplied his of-spring Which promise appertaines not onely to the Iewes but to other nations and therefore his name is no more called Abram but Abraham Gen. 17.5 Vers 3. Surely the Lord shall comfort Zion hee
peace before Pilats iudgement seate Mat. 27.12.14 though hee might haue pleaded his iust defence But in regard hee had bound himselfe to suffer for vs hee willingly submitted himselfe to an vniust iudgement vvithout muttering one vvord that wee vvith full mouth might reioice in being freelie iustified by faith and so acquited from the righteous sentence of our condemnation And heere also by the way wee are exhorted to patience and meeknes Christs patient suffrings our example that by Christs example wee may be readie to indure reproches iniuries wounds and torments for his sake In which sense Saint Peter alleageth this place 1. Pet. 2.22 23. shewing that wee ought to be conformed to our head Christ that so wee may follow him in patience and modestie In the word lambe there may bee an allusion to the sacrifices vnder the Law For the further explication of this and the verse following reade his Comment vpon Act. 8.32 33. in which sense hee is called the Lambe of God Iohn 1.29 Vers 8. Hee was taken out of prison and from iudgement and who shall declare his age For hee was cut out of the lande of the liuing for the transgression of my people was hee plagued THis place is diuersly expounded Some thinke the Prophet prosecutes the argument which he beganne to handle Hauing spoken of christs death he passeth to his resurrection vers 6. namely that Christ was smitten with Gods hand and afflicted for our sinnes The Greeks translate And in his abasing his iudgement appeared Others He was lifted vp without delay Others expound That he was lifted vp vpon the Crosse that is to say Christ was led to the place of execution immediately after his apprehension For mine owne part I rather agree with those who thinke that the Prophet passeth now to the glory of his resurrection hauing before spoken of his death and by this meanes meant to meete with mens perplexed thoughts which might trouble and greeue the hearts of many For when wee see nothing but stripes and shame we remaine astonished mens natures abhorre such spectacles The Prophet then teacheth that Christ was lifted vp that is to say deliuered from prison and from iudgement or condemnation and afterwards was exalted into a soueraigne degree of honour lest any should iudge that hee was ouercome or swallowed vp by this horrible and shamefull kind of death Truly hee triumphed ouer his enemies in the midst of death it selfe yea he was so condemned of it that now himselfe is ordained the soueraigne Iudge of all as it well appeared in his resurrection Isaiah then keepes the same method that Paul doth who hauing in Philip. 2. spoken of Christs humiliation euen to the death of the Crosse Pauls method agrees with Haâ—â—hs in this place addes that for this cause he vvas aduanced to an high exaltation hauing now obtained a name vnto which euery creature in heauen earth and vnder the earth must bow their knees and yeelde their obedience As touching the exclamation following it hath been racked and rent by diuers expositions The ancient Fathers abused this place to confute the Arians Aâ—ians Heretikes must be conuinced not with shewes but with plaine euidenc s of truth who denied the eternall generation of Christ But they should haue contented themselues with plaine and manifest proofes of the holy Scriptures that so they might not haue made themselues a scorne to heretikes who by this meanes oftentimes take occasion to grow the more impudent for they might haue replied that the Prophet had no such meaning Chrysostom referres it to Christs humanitie because he was miraculously coÌ„ceiued in the virgins wombe without the vse of mans helpe but he roues farre off from the Prophets meaning Chrysostom Some others thinke that the Prophet cries out vpon them that crucified Christ And some againe refer it to the posteritie which should succeede to wit that Christs linage or of-spring should greatly increase though himselfe died But seeing the word Dor signifies Age or lasting I doubt not but he speakes of Christs age namely that notwithstanding the sorrowes wherewith he was ouerpressed hee shall not onely be freed from them but shall also haue a florishing age Psal 102.24.27 yea such a one as should indure for euer For hee shall not resemble those that are deliuered from death and yet must die neuerthelesse afterwards because hee rose againe to liue eternally For as S. Paul saith Rom. 6.9 Hee can die no more Christ can die no more death can haue no more dominioÌ„ ouer him And yet we must remember that the Prophet not onely speakes of Christs person but comprehends vnder it the whole body of the church which must neuer bee separated from her head A note touching the perpe uitie of the Church Wee haue heere then a notable testimony touching the perpetuity of the church for as Christ liues for euer so will he not suffer his kingdome euer to perish Iohn 14.19 In the next place wee are to appropriate this immortalitie to euery member in particular For he vvas cut off It may seeme strange at the first blush that the death of Christ should be the cause and vvel-spring of life But in regard hee indured the punishment due to our offences all the ignominie which appeared in the Crosse ought to bee laid and charged vpon vs. And yet in the meane while we may see a wonderfull goodnesse of God shining in Christ who hath so manifestly discouered his glorie to vs that we ought to be carried into a wonderfull admiration of it For this cause hee once againe repeates that he was plagued for our transgressions that wee might diligently consider how he suffered for vs and not for himselfe for he bare the torments which wee had deserued and should for euer haue borne them had not this ransome and satisfaction come between Let vs acknowledge then that the fault is ours whereof hee bare the punishment and condemnation by offering himselfe to his heauenlie Father in our name that in his condemnation wee might receiue our absolution Vers 9. And hee made his graue with the wicked and with the rich in his death though he had done no wickednesse neither was any deceit in his mouth SAint Ierom translates And hath giuen the wicked for buriall Saint Ierom. as if the Prophet spake of the punishment whereby the Lord will auenge himselfe of those which crucified Christ But he rather speakes of Christs death Christ seemed to be buried as it were in the hands of the wicked and of the fruits of it and toucheth not this vengeance Others thinke that the particle Et signifies As and they translate Hee hath made his graue as that of the wicked Some againe translate VVith and by the rich vnderstand Ioseph of Aremathea in whose sepulchre Christ was buried but this exposition is constrained Where he addes and to the rich I thinke the singuler number is put for the plurall
and hee put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeale as with a cloake THe Prophet armes the Lord at all points If God put himselfe in armes to fight he must needs caâ—rie away the victorie not onely to confirme the faith of the godlie but also to strip all men of all confidence in their owne vertue For the summe comes to this that nothing shall be wanting vnto God neither for discomfiting nor for bearing away the victorie ouer his enemies Why so Because that of his righteousnesse power grace and exceeding affection towards his Church he will make armour of proofe And this we are to note with no lesse diligence then the doctrine of the former verse For albeit we confesse that God is almightie yet doth not that satisfie vs but wee will bee seeking out of other helpes Our minds are alwaies giuen to infidelitie so as they are wonderfully hampered and glued fast to outward meanes To correct this vice our Prophet sets before vs this liuely description As if he should say know ye that God hath all the safegards of your saluation readie so that nothing shall bee wanting vnto him for your deliuerance and for your returne home againe doe your enemies what they can There is no neede then why you should tremble at all Besides wee are verie easilie carried away to thinke that wee bring some of our owne vnto God And thus wee attribute part of his praise to our selues which should wholly be reserued vnto him Whereas hee clothes the Lord with vengeance and indignation as a cloke it appertaines vnto the enemies against whom God riseth vp in wrath for the zeale hee beares to his people The more then that Satan indeuors and with might and maine plots our ouerthrow the more will the zeale of the Lord of hostes bee inflamed and will arise with his admirable and omnipotent power to relieue vs. Although this worrier of mankind then and all the reprobates with him cease not day nor night how to oppose all the impediments they can to hinder our saluation yea and that they breake forth into open rage to roote vs out yet will our God scatter all their plots by his onely power Vers 18. As to make recompence as to requite the furie of the aduersaries with a recompence to his enemies hee will fully repay the Ilands HEe confirmes the conclusion of the former verse A confirmation of the former conclusion For heere hee shewes what that vengeance is wherewith hee clothed the Lord namely that he is readie to render the like vnto his enemies But the reason why the Prophet armes the Lord thus readie with indignation to execute his vengeance is to be noted to wit because the deliuerance of his Church is ioined with the ruine of the wicked It is needfull therefore that God should be armed to meete those enemies which would worke our destruction Vse Hence let vs consider how infinite that loue of God towards vs is when he beares vs such an affection as to hate those that hate vs and to protest that he will requite the furie of our aduersaries So exceedinglie doth he loue his little flock that he esteemes it more then all the world besides This is the cause then wherefore he testifies that he will repay the Ilands that is to say the nations beyond the seas farre remote from them for for the deliuerance of his people he ouerthrew such mightie Monarks as seemed inuincible Vers 19. So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glorie from the rising of the Sunne for the enemie shall come as a flood but the spirit of the Lord shall chase him away God will make the Churches deliuerance glorious in the sight of the whole world NOw hee testifies that this deliuerance shall bee so glorious and magnificent that all the world shall wonder thereat and shall speake honourably of it and afterwards being smitten with astonishment shall giue glory vnto God But it is vncertaine whether he means this of the conuersion of the Gentiles or of the terrour by which the Lord would bring downe his enemies For mine owne part I rather incline to the first exposition namely that to the vtmost parts of the earth Gods name shall be glorious and fully renowned so as the Gentiles shall not onely bee amazed but shall also vvorship and serue him in true repentance The expositors agree not about the rendring of the cause which followes But the true sense as I suppose is That the violence of the enemie shall be so great that as a flood spoiles and carries all away before is vvith the force thereof so shall he seeme to teare vp and beare avvay But the Lord will forthwith cause him to recoile and to vanish away It is an amplification then of Gods power who in an instant breakes in sunder all the terrible power and furious rage of his enemies so as their violence being turned backward it falles to nothing Quest But some may aske of what deliuerance the Prophet here speakes I answer Ans as I haue done in another place that these promises must not be restrained as they are wont to be to one deliuerance only For the Iewes referre it to the deliuerance out of Babylon and the Christians only to Christ Now I ioine them both together that so we may comprehend the whole time froÌ„ the peoples returne with that which followed vnto the comming of Christ for this prophesie was neuer fulfilled but in him neither can that which is here said agree to any other then to him only because Gods glorie was not manifested before to all the world nor the enemie so put to flight that they gathered not their forces together againe vntill Christ came and triumphed admirablie hauing obteined conquest ouer Satan sinne death Vers 20. And the redeemer shall come vnto Zion and vnto them that turne from iniquitie in Iaakob saith the Lord. HE againe confirmes that which he said before namely A second confirmâ—tion touching the redemption of the Church that the people should be deliuered and that God would be the only author of so great a benefit For this cause then he bids the people to be of good comfort in this exile in regard it should not be perpetuall afterwards he placeth the hope of their deliuerance in God only to the end their thoughts might not rest in any thing but vpon the promises Vnder the word Zion he meanes as heretofore the prisoners and banished for albeit they were scattered farre off from their countrie yet was the Temple still to remaine planted as it were in their hearts But lest the bastard children of Abraham should indifferentlie applie this vnto themselues with the heires of promise he forthwith shewes who they be to whom this deliuerance To whom this deliuerance appertaines shall come namely to such as shall be truly conuerted vnto the Lord. And yet it is very certaine