highly honour him and reward him But if you would know what particular honour and reward the Lord gave his Sonne and Servant Christ Iesus read among other places Ephes 1. v. 20 21 22 23. and Phil. 12. v. 1.81 91 101.11 But for the understanding of this That these words I will devide him a portion with the great signifie no more than this I will highly honour him and reward him know this that those places of Scripture which carry two senses in them are Historicall as I may call it and a Mysticall though they carry the Historicall sense word for word yet they carry the Mysticall sense for the most part but in Grosse though here and there there be sometimes such sentences interserted as apperteine according to the words themselves not onely to the Historicall but also to the Mysticall sense of which I spake more at large in the Preface And he shall divide the spoile with the strong This is the same for sense with former words Because he hath poured out his soul unto death i. e. Because he hath not spared his life but parted with it to the uttermost By His soule is here meant His life by a Metonymie for Life is nothing else but the Union of the soule with the body which Union is mainteined by the apt dispositions of the body to reteine it When he saith he hath poured out his soule he useth a Metaphor taken from the powring out of water out of Buckets He saith He hath poured out his soule unto death in pursuance of that Metaphor Of powring out of water out of a Bucket where the water is so poured out to the last drop as that there is not a drop thereof remaining And he was numbred with the transgressours i. e. And because he was accounted as a Transgressour though he were innocent and was put to death amongst Transgressours This was fulfilled when he was crucified between two Thieves Mark 15. v. 27 28. And he bare the sinne of many i. e. And he bare what the malice of the Jewes and the Gentiles under Pontius Pilate could lay upon him See Acts Cap. 4.27 By Sinne understand here the Torments and Afflictions which were the effect of the sinne That is of the malice and envy of the Jewes c. By a Metonymie And made intercession for the transgressours i. e. And because he made intercession for these who through envy and malice did put him to death ISAIAH CHAP. LIV. SIng O barren thou that didst not bear i. e. Sing for joy O Sion or O Jerusalem thou which hast been like a barren woman and bore no children He prophecyeth here of the joyful deliverance of the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity as he did cap. 49.51 52. and elsewhere And he speaks to the material City of Sion or Ierusalem as to a woman by a Prosopopoeia whom he calleth barren and one that did not bear because all the time of the Babylonish captivity she was empty of Jews which were to her as children for they were all carryed away into Babylon and there was none left in her to encrease the Nation See cap. 49.21 Cry aloud Supple For joy Thou that didst not travel with childe This is a repetition of those words Thou that didst not bear For more are the children of the desolate i. e. For more shall thy children be O thou which wast desolate and as a widow and as one forsaken of her Husband during the Babylonish captivity c. He changeth the person here and speaks of Sion or Jerusalem in the third person to whom he spoke in the foregoing words in the second and he useth a present for a future tense Sion or Jerusalem was called desolate and as one forsaken of her Husband because God who was her Husband vers 5. and cap. 62.5 had forsaken her cap. 50.1 And therefore as a woman which is desolate and forsaken of her Husband beareth not children so was Ierusalem barren and without children while God had forsaken her who might be called her Husband as in other regards so in this that while he had a favor to her he did encrease her children within her as a woman multiplyeth her children by her Husband Then the children of the marryed wife i. e. Then thy children were when thou hadst an Husband any time heretofore and wast a marryed Wife The meaning is that Jerusalem though she had been afflicted and brought into captivity by the Babylonians and had her Children or Citizens carryed away from her yet now she should be more populous then ever she was at any time before that her captivity Note that when he saith More are the children of the desolate then the children of the marryed woman he speaks as though he spoke of two several persons but he speaks but of two several states or conditions of the same person So we say of a man that is changed from what he was that he is another man though not his substance but his condition onely is changed This which I have given is the first sence of this place But Sion here as she became fruitful after her widowhood was a Type of the Church of Christ So that in the second and sublime sence this place is to be understood of the Church of Christ as will appear Gal. 4.27 For as Sion while God had put her away from being his Wife and had given her over to be spoyled by the hands of the Babylonians was barren and brought forth no children but when he took her to him to Wife again she encreased in children as the Stars of Heaven for multitude So the Church of Christ while she was a stranger to the bed of Christ and was without the seed of his Word that is while all Nations were suffered to walk in their own ways Acts 14.16 and were given over to the god of this World to be blinded by him Acts 17.30 brought forth no children unto God But when Christ took her to his bed Ioh. 3.29 and redeemed her out of the hand of Satan and gave her the seed of his Word she so encreased in children as that all the ends of the Earth were full of her issue So that she far exceeded the Synagogue of the Iews when it was most populous Note here that Sion as she was considered before the Babylonish captivity was a Type of the Synagogue of the Iews but as she was considered after the Babylonish captivity was a Type of the Church of Christ As therefore Sion was more populous after the Babylonish captivity then ever she was before so was the Church of Christ more populous then ever the Synagogue of the Iews was Wonder not that I make Sion a Type of the Synagogue and the same Sion a Type of the Church upon divers considerations For Saint Paul makes her a Type of the Synagogue Gal. 4.25 and a Type of the Church Rom. 9.33 It may be objected here That the Church of Christ was not the Church
when he redeemed them by Cyrus out of the Babylonish Captivity Of which salvation our Prophet speaketh often from the fourth Chapter of this Prophesie to the end thereof And in the 45. Chapter and the eighth Verse he speakes of it Metaphorically as he doth here that is as of a Branch or a Plant which the Lord maketh to spring out of the Earth The branch of the Lord shall be beautifull and glorious c. q. d. The Salvation which God will work for those which escape of Jews shall bring honour and glory to them that escape and make them honourable and glorious â—n the eyes of all men How honourable and glorious the Jews were by reason of this Salvation see among other places Chap. 40. v. 5. Chap. 41. v. 10. c. Chap. 43. v. 14. Chap. 45. v. 17. Chap. 49. v. 9 23. c. Chap. 52. v. 9. Chap 54. v. 1. c. And the fruit of the Earth i. e. And the fruit which shall spring up out of the Earth This is but a repetition of the former Sentence And the fruit of the Earth signifieth the same here as the Branch of the Lord doth there Note that the fruit of the Earth is of larger extent than the fruit of Trees or Plants or Branches For not onely the friut of Trees and of Plants and of Branches but Trees and Plants and Branches themselves may be called the fruits of the Earth And comely i. e. And an Ornament For them that are escaped of Israel i. e. For those Jews which shall escape death and survive after the destruction and captivity which the Babylonians shall bring upon that People Of Israel i. e. Of the Jews to wit the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin see Chap. 1.3 3. He that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Hierusalem By him that is left in Sion and him that remaineth in Hierusalem is meant he that remaineth alive of the Jews after the Babylonish captivity Note therefore that in Sion and in Hierusalem is as if he should say in Jacob and in Israel For as Jacob or Israel is often put for the Jewes and that per Metonymiam Efficientis Because Jacob or Israel was the Father of the Jews So is Sion or Hierusalem put for the same Jews by the same figure Because Sion or Hierusalem was the Mother of the Jewes But observe that Jacob or Israel was the true naturall Father of the Jews But Sion or Hierusalem was called their Mother onely by a Metaphor yet that she was so at least called their Mother we may learn from Chap. 49. Vers 20. and Chap. 50. Vers 1. and Gal. 4. Vers 25. But yet we may take Sion and Hierusalem here plainly without a Metaphor that the sense of these words may be this Viz. And he Supple of the Jews which is left alive Supple and shall dwell in Sion and he Supple of the Jews which remaineth Supple alive and shall dwell in Hierusalem after the Babylonish captivity shall c. For note that though many of the Jews survâ—ved after the Babylonish captivity yet the Blessings spoken of in this Chapter did appertain onely to them which returned and dwelt in Hierusalem Shall be called Holy i. e. Shall be holy For the Hebrews doe often use vocall verbes for reall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be called for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be To be holy doth primarily and originally signifie to be separated from others by way of excellencie Hence they which excell the vulgar sort of Men in Piety and Religion are commonly called Holy and in this sense may these Men be called Holy in this place Yet because this place speakes both in the precedent and Subsequent Verses of the blessings of God to this People in keeping and preserving them I had rather take Holy here for such as God separates and sets apart from other People by his blessings to them and hedge of protection about them by which he maketh a difference between them and other People In which sence the word Holy is taken Exod. 19. Vers 5 6. where we thus read Now therefore if yee will obey my voice indeed then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all the people For all the earth is mine And ye shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation In opposition to Holinesse thus taken God is said to prophâ—ne the Princes of the Sanctuary Chap. 43. Vers 28. Every one that is written among the living in Hierusalem i. e. Every one which shall be alive after the Babylonish Captivity and shall live in Hierusalem shall be called Holy He alludeth here in this phrase to the Mustering of an Army after a Battle where the names of those which escaped in Battle are written and entered into a Muster-Roule or Muster-Book that so they m ght know what they have lost and what forces they have left 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth c. i. e. When the Lord shall have washed away the sins c. He likeneth the sin of the Soul here to the filth of the body And the taking sin away to the washing away of that filth by water But the way by which God took away the filth of sin here spoken of was by destroying the incorrigible sinner and bringing others to amendment of life both which he did by the Babylonians into whose hands he gave them The filth of the Daughter of Sion Read Chap. 3.16 To wh ch place the Prophet doth here allude The bloud Bloud is put here Metonymice for Murder by which the bloud of man is shed And that againe is put Hypâ—rbolice for Oppression See Chap. 1. Vers 15. The Prophet doth here allude to the Oppression which he spake of Chap. 3. Vers 12. c. From the midst of her i. e. From her or out of her An Hebrew Periphrase By the Spirit of judgement The Spirit of Judgement is put here Periphrastically for Judgement the word Spirit redounding by an Hebraisme By Judgement the Prophet meaneth the Calamities and Punishment which God brought upon this People by the Babylonians which kind of Calamities and Punishments are called Judgemenes because of the Justnesse of them and that by a Metaphor from those Punishments which are inflicted upon a Malefactor upon a Just Sentence or Judgement given against him And by the spirit of burning i. e. And by burning for the word Spirit redounds here as it did before He meaneth the same thing by burning here as he did by Judgement just before But he alludeth here to the manner of Goldsmiths and other the like Crafts-mens who purifie their Gold and other mettals from their drosse by Fire and Burning 5. And the Lord will create upon evey dwelling place c. The meaning of this Place is that God will protect them and keep them in all their dwellings and will be no lesse pâ—esent with them for this purpose than â—e was with their fathers when he
in One against Ahaz Which thou abhorrest Viz. Because of the Enmity which their Kings and People bear against thee Shall be forsakâ—n of her Kings i e. Shall be rid of Rezin and of Pekah both which shall die a violent death Of Pekahs death we read 2 Kings 15. v. 30. and of Rezins 2 Kings 16. v. 9. 17. The Lord shall bring upon thee c. Because Ahaz would not believe for all this nor rely upon God but would rely upon Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria for help against Rezin and Pekah 2 King 16. v. 7. therefore the prophet breaks out here into a threatning Prophesie against him saying The Lord shall bring upon thee c. Dayes that have not come i. e. Such dayes as the like have not been for misery and calamity to you and your People and your Fathers house From the day that Ephraim departed from Judah i. e. Since the day or time that the ten Tribes of Israel revolted from the Tribe of Judah and made them a King of their own and a Kingdome distinct from that of Judah which was done by Jeroboam in the dayes of Rehoboam the Son of Salomon 1 Kings 12. Ephraim is taken here for the ten Tribes see notes verse 2. Even the King of Assyria Here we must repeat those words The Lord shall bring upon thee that the sense may be this The Lord shall bring upon thee even the King of Assyria Supple which shall more sorely afflict thee than ever thou wast afflicted since the dayes of Rehoboam The King of Assyria here meant was Sennacharib 18. In that day Supple In which he intendeth thus to afflict thee A Relative without an Antecedent He shall hisse for the flie that is in the utmost part of the Rivers of Egypt He puts the flie here for flies and part for parts Singular for Plurall Numbers And by the utmost parts of the Rivers of Egypt he meaneth the brimms or brinks of Nilus and other the Rivers of Egypt where flies were wont to breed and abide in great abundance By the flies that are in the utmost parts of the Rivers of Egypt are here Metaphorically meant the Egyptians themselves which he signifieth here by the Metaphor of flies because of the abundance of flies which were in Aegypt by reason of the store of Rivers and waters which were there in which kind of places flies doe breed and multiply abundantly Or because as the flie is an impudent creature So were the Egyptians an impudent People Or because the flies use the wings and so are speedy and because they usually are in swarms and so are many Therefore doth be signifie the Egyptians under the Metaphor of flies to shew the great number of them which should come and their speed in coming against Judah He shall hisse for This sheweth how easily God can doe this For he shall but hisse for them and they shall come And for the Bee that is in the Land of Assyria The Bee is put here for Bees a Singular number for a Plurall By the Bees in the Land of Assyria are Metaphorically meant the Assyrians themselves perhaps because Assyria abounded with Bees as Aegypt did with Flies Or he calls the Assyrians Bees because of the great number of them which should come into Judaea and the speed which they should use As he called the Aegyptians Flies Or he might call the Assyrians Bees because of the dexterity which they had to hurt as Bees have to sting Or because of their strength and order in war as Bees are in their kind strong and orderly in which two things as Bees do excell Flies So did the Assyrians excell the Aegytians Note here that he speakes not of the Aegyptians and Assyrians as of two distinct Armies under two distinct Generalls But as two Nations joyned in one and the same Armie of Sennacherib 19. And they shall come and shall rest all of them in the desolate Vallies in the holes of the rocks c. He persists in the Metaphor of Flies and Bees and alludeth to their nature in saying They shall rest in the desolate Vallies and in the holes of the rocks and upon all thornes and upon all bushes But under this Metaphor he meaneth that the Army of the Assyrians should come up against Judah in such a number as that they should fill all Judaea so that no place should be free from them 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a Rasor that is hired By a Rasor that is hired he meaneth a sharp Rasor For those things which we use to hire are of the best in their kind and fittest for our purpose What he meaneth by shaving with a Rasor that is hired he explaineth in the next words By them beyond the River i e. By the Assyrians which dwell beyond the River Euphrates The Assyrians are they which are meant by the Rasor By the King of Assyria q. d. That is By the Forces of the King of Assyria The King of Assyria who was the head of his Army is put here for his whole Army per Synecdochen And these words explain the former and tell us that by them beyond the River he meaneth the Assyrians The head i. e. The hair of the head Metonymia subjecti And the hair of the feet By the hair of the feet is meant the hair of the privy members For so the Hebrewes use to speak out of modesty and call the privy members the feet The Prophet compareth the Land of Judah to the body of a man and the men of that land to the hair of that body And this he saith that as the hair of the body useth to be shaved with a Rasor so shall the men of Judah be cut off and slain by the Assyrians And it shall consume the beard q. d. Yea the Rasor shall also cut off the beard Note that the Prophet doth here allude to the manner of the ancient Hebrews who as Vatablus tells us were wont to shave their heads and their privy parts but to let their beards grow long And when he saith that the Lord will shave with a Rasor that is hired the head and the hair of the feet his meaning is that the Lord will cut off and kill all high and low and when he addeth and it shall also consume the beard his meaning is q. d. and he shall spare none 21. And it shall come to passe in that day By this day he meaneth the day or time after this invasion and desolation made by the Assyrians He useth a Relative here without a Antecedent as the Hebrewes often doe A man shall nourish a young Cow and two Sheep i. e. A man shall have but onely one young Cow and but onely two sheep to nourish This sheweth the paucity of Cattel which should be left after this for after this a man had not heards of kine and beasts and flocks of sheep as before but a man had onely one young Cow and two Sheep to keep