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
is not onely understood immediately by the letter of the mercy of God in reserving a few Jewes in the Land of Judah from the destruction and desolation which Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel should make of the Jewes But also of the mercy of God in saving a remnant according to the election of grace from everlasting destruction by Christ Jesus Rom. 9.29 And what we read Cap. 8.18 I and the Children which the Lord hath given me is understood of Isaiah and his children by him begotten for Isaiah there speakes in his own person But it is not onely understood of Isaiah but also of Christ of whom Isaiah was a Type Heb. 2.13 And those words which we read Cap. 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory And these the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces Though they are understood of that joy which should be to the Iewes and all the neighbouring people upon the slaughter of the Assyrians which laid Iudah waste and besiedged Hierusalem Yet they are to be understood also of that joy which the Redeemed of Christ should enjoy when He had put their spirituall Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. v. 55. Rev. 7. v. 17. and 21. v. 4. And what we read Cap. 53. v. 7. How beautifull are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation Though it be understood according to the letter of those which brought good tidings of the delivery of the Iewes out of Babylon Yet it is understood also and according to the letter too of the Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10. v. 15. I shall not need to bring any more examples of this for they which shall read this our Exposition may have the opportunity to observe many Notes of this kind as of the others also which I have propounded But it may be objected against these Observations and asked here If the Word of God carry a double sense with it and the sentences of the Scripture may have a double meaning are they not like the Oracles of the Devill which carried a double sense and had with them a double meaning Answ God forbid For first the Oracles of the Devill though they had a double meaning and carried a double sense with them yet their double meaning and double sense was concerning one and the same thing But the Word of God where it hath a double meaning or a double sense relateth not to one and the same thing but to severall things whereof one is as the Type and Figure of the other Secondly Though the Word of God doth carry a double sense with it in many places yet is each part of the sense determined to its proper subject and not left in suspense and doubtfull But the double sense which the Oracles of the Devill had were not determined to any one truth but left in suspense and doubtfull that the Devill upon the Event of the thing of which he gave his Oracle might apply it as he list to save his credit with his followers Thirdly The double sense of the Oracles which the Devill gave was contradictory the one part thereof to the other and could not both parts of it be possibly true in the event because they implied a Contradiction But though many parts of the Word of God and many sentences thereof doe carry with them a double sense or double meaning yet are both of the senses and meanings true there is no disagreeing between them in that matter Examples of the Word of God which carry a double sense with them I have given divers a little before Now take one instance of the Devils Oracles and by that judge of the rest When Pyrrhus King of Epirus had a mind to goe to battle against the Romans he was desirous to know what successe he was like to have before he went to battle and therefore asked counsell of Apollo who gave him this answer Aio te Aeacide Romanos vincere posse which I render thus I say that Pyrrhus the Romans can overcome which answer hath a double sense for the sense may be this that Pyrrhus can overcome the Romanes or this that the Romanes can overcome Pyrrhus where you see first that this double sense is concerning one and the same subject Secondly That the sense is not determined but left in suspense and doubtfull for he doth not determine whither Pyrrhus can overcome the Romans or the Romans Pyrrhus And thirdly One part of the sense is contradictory to the other and therefore cannot both parts be true in the event For if it be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans then cannot it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus And if it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus it cannot be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans The Fourth thing that I desired might be taken notice of was That though in many Histories and Prophesies of these holy Writers there be sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words some passage or passages which appertain not onely to the First Literall Historicall or Meaner â—ense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall or Sublime Sense yet the words are not alwayes to be taken after the same manner but sometimes in a different manner in one from that in which they were taken in the other sense And this we may see illustrated and verified by divers examples The sixty ninth Psalm was a Psalm which David made when he was in distresse and therein he complaineth grievously of his Enemies being no doubt in great streights and pressure at that time Now as David was a Type of Christ so doth this Psalm which sets forth the afflictions of David prophesie of the afflictions and miseries which Christ should suffer while he was on the earth by the Sonnes of Men And as the whole Psalm in the first sence concerneth David so in the second and sublime sense it concerneth Christ and some particular sentences are understood acording to the words as well of Christ as they are of David but of David in a Proverbiall and Figurative of Christ in a proper kind of speech For that sentence In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink Vers 21. Is spoken of David onely figuratively and in the manner of a Proverb and signifies that when he had need of comfort they did in stead of comforting him adde sorrow to his grief But it is spoken of Christ properly and foretels that his enemies should give him vinegar indeed to drink and it was fulfilled while he hung upon the Crosse Iohn 19. vers 28 29. So Psal 19. v. 4. It is written according to our old Translation and according to the Septuagint and according to Saint Paul's reading Rom. 10. v. 18. Their sound is gone out into all Lands And their words into the ends of the world which are spoken in the First
or Literall or Historicall or Meaner sense of the Heavens and that Metaphorically And the Heavens are said to sound out and speak the praises of God all the world over because they are seen to all the world to be so excellently made as that men may understand thereby the eternall power and God-head of him that made them But as they are spoken in the First or Literall or Historicall or Meaner sense of the Heavens Metaphorically So are they spoken of the Apostles who preached the Gospel in all the world in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense properly Rom. 10. v. 18. And note here that Saint Paul alledgeth these words of the Psalmist in that place of the Romanes not by Accommodation onely that is not because they are words fit for his purpose without any relation to the intent of the Prophet David in that place but he alledgeth them as words intended by the Prophet David as a man inspired by the Holy Ghost to signifie that for which he there alledgeth them as he that seriously considereth the Text and Context must needs confesse But if you ask me how the Prophet David though inspired by the Holy Ghost can signifie by those words in that place the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles throughout the world Take these my Notions such as they are in a place of much difficulty and controversie The work of Christ in the whole redemption of Man is as a new Creation and hath resemblance thereunto intended by the Holy Ghost Hence we read 1 Cor. 5. v. 1 7. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Old things are passed away behold all things are become new And Gal. 6. v. 15. In Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature The Psalmist therefore while he speakes of the Heavens which is the highest and lightest and chiefest part of the materiall world and the glory which they bring to God their Maker doth in a mysticall sense foretell of the Apostles and the glory which they shall bring to the Lord who gave them to be Apostles by their preaching For in the new world which Christ framed that is in the Church of Christ the Apostles are the highest and chiefest Creatures hence in the similitude of an house they are likened to the foundations which are the chiefest parts and most to be regarded in a building Ephes 2.20 And they are the lightest also for our Saviour saith to them Yee are the light of the world Matth. 5. vers 14. But to return to that from which we may seem to have digressed That which our Prophet saith of himself in the first sense Cap. 18. v. 12. I and the children which thou hast given me is said also by Christ of himself in the Second and Sublime sense Heb. 2. v. 13. But it is spoken by Isaiah otherwise than it is by Christ for it is spoken by Isaiah properly for he was the naturall father of these children which he speakes of But Christ is called the Father of these Children which he speakes of onely by a Metaphor So in these woâ—ds Isaiah 25. v. 8. He will swallow up death in victory Death as the words are considered in the First Literall Historicall and Meaner sense is to betaken Metonymically for Sorrow Or if Death be taken for that which deprives a man of life the meaning of the words is this That the Lord will destroy death that it shall kill no more But as the words are taken in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense as they are taken 1 Cor. 15. v. 55. Death is to be taken properly for the deprivation of life And the sense of the words is That the Lord will so destroy death and triumph over it as that he will restore those which are dead to life again So Isaiah 35. v. 4. In the words which we read there to wit Then shall the lame leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb shall sing The lame and the dumb as the words are taken in the First or Literall or Historicall and Meaner sense are taken Metaphorically for those that are in such extremity of grief as that they have no desire either to talke or to walk but sit as dumb and lame men But in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense they are taken properly for him that is lame indeed And him that is dumb indeed Matth. 11. vers 5. The Fifth and last thing that I desired to betaken notice of was this That though in many Histories â—as I may call them and Prophesies of those holy Writers there be sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words not onely some passage or passages which appertain to the First Literall Historicall or Meaner Sense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall and Sublime Sense Yet it is not necessary neither is it alwayes so yea it is very seldome so that every sentence of the whole Prophesie or History as I may call it doth signifie immediately by its words those passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall or Sublime sense as they doe those passages which appertain to the First or Historical or Meaner Sense Which some not observing where they have assuredly found a sentence belonging to some passage of the Sublime sense thinking therefore that the whole Context must necessarily thereunto appertain word by word have attempted to construe the Context word by word accordingly and have rack'd the words yet have they not made them speak good sense But that it is not necessary nor is it alwayes true that where one sentence is found appertaining word by word to the Second Mysticall or Sublime sense the sentences adjoyning must therefore appertain to the same sense word by word is evident by these examples following for Exod. 12. v. 46. Those words Neither shall yee break a bone thereof appertain in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense to our Saviour Christ John 19. v. 36. But though that sentence appertaineth word by word to our Saviour Christ in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense yet cannot the sentences preceding or following be construed of him word by word as he which readeth them must needs confesse So that sentence 2 Sam. 7.14 I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne is spoke of our Saviour Christ in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense Heb. 1. v. 5. Yet cannot the words following in that verse be understood of him to wit If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men So those words Isaiah 1. v. 9. Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small remnant we should have been as Sodome and we should have been like unto Gomorrah signifie in the and Second Mysticall and Sublime sense that many should perish through unbelief and that a Remnant onely should be saved according to the election
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
concerns Esar-hadhaddon and other the Children of Sennacherib v. 21. How hath the Oppressour ceased q. d. How is it come to passe that the King of Babylon who was wont to Oppresse all kind of people and make warre against them onely that he might place his own Subjects in their Land or make them his Tributaries I say how is it come to passe that this man ceaseth so suddainly from his Oppression whereas he had so mighty a power to Oppresse The golden City ceased q. d How hath the City which was enriched with gold which was extorted from all nations by way of tribute and exactions ceased so suddainly to exact her Tribute Or thus How hath the Oppressour ceased The golden City ceased i. e. How is the Oppressour perished How hath the golden City been destroyed For those things which perished and are destroyed are said to cease Supple from being whether they be men or inanimate Creatures The golden City By the golden City he meaneth Babylon which he calleth the golden City by a Mimesis because the Babylonians in their pride were wont so to call it because of the abundance of gold and riches which were therein as being the City in which the Nobles and most wealthy men dwelt Or else he calls it the golden City because that thither the Tributes were carryed and there payd which the King of Assyria exacted of the Nations round about and so it abounded with gold and silver Some perhaps may here aske how it was against Sennacherib to tell of the fall of Babylon when as Sennacherib was dead before Babylon was overthrown Answer The Prophet useth a kind of Poesie in all this Proverbe which he hath against the King of Babylon and in Poesie the dead are brought in with like affections as if they were living Againe as in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus our Saviour brings in Dives when he was in Hell taking care for his brethren and their well doing which were upon the earth Luke 16.28 So might the Prophet bring in Sennacherib when he was dead taking care for the wellfare of his Children and as touched with their losses and with their death and spoke of him as if it were grievous to him whatsoever was grievous to them This Question is the Question of one admiring and insulting Admiring at what was done and insulting over those to whom it was done 5. The Lord hath broken the staffe of the wicked i. e. The Lord hath broken the power of the Oppressours so that they cannot any more oppresse By the Oppressours are meant Sennacherib and his sonnes or Sennacherib and his ancestors or Sennacherib and his Ministers who were his Instruments to oppresse The Prophet gives an Answer here to that Question How hath the Oppressour ceased And this he amplifieth and continueth to the end of the 22. verse and then in the 23. verse he gives an answer to the other Question How is the golden City ceassed The Staffe By the Staffe he meaneth Metaphorically the Power which Sennacherib and his Sonnes and Ancestors and Ministers used to oppresse other nations For as men use a Staffe to beat Doggs or Slaves c. So did they use their power to oppresse all people Of the wicked i. e. Of the Oppressours Synechdoche generis For all Oppressours are wicked men though all wicked men are not Oppressours And the Scepter of the Rulers This is a repetition of the former words The Scepter was an Ensigne of Majesty which Kings were wont to bear Yet it was but a Stick or a Staffe though happily trimly adorned Homer Iliad α. vers 234. with this also were Kings wont to strike in their anger those with whom they were offended So did Agamemnon strike Thersites with his Scepter Hom. Iliad α. v. 265. By the breaking therefore of the Scepter may be meant the breaking of the Power and Empire of the Assyrians 6. He who smote the People in wrath with a continuall stroke i. e. He which did continually vex and oppresse the People Here he comes to speak peculiarly against Sennacherib and by his smiting he meaneth Metaphorically his Oppressing With a continuall stroke i. e. With continual strokes A Singular for a Plurall number By his continuall strokes he meaneth his continuall Oppressions He is persecuted Sennacherib was persecuted by an Angel of God by which also his Army was destroyed from Judaea to Niniveh 2 Kings 19.35 36. And when he was there he was also persecuted and slaine by his own sonnes as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his God 2 Kings 19.37 And none hindereth i. e. And none are willing to hinder this his persecution but rather rejoyce in it None hindred it because he was at last slaine by them which persecuted him The prophet â—â—â—graphically describeth the Persecution of Sennacherib as though he were then in persecution when he spoke it 7. The whole earth is at rest and is quiet q. d. Sennacherib is slaine and now that Sennacherib is slaine the whole earth is quiet from warres with which he was wont to vex it This is to be understood as if Sennacherib were but newly slaine and this spoken so soon as ever he was dead By the whole earth he meaneth the Inhabitants of the whole earth by a Metonymie and he useth here a Synechdoche integri by putting all for part onely of the Inhabitants of the earth They break forth into singing Supple For joy that Sennacherib is dead who was wont to vex them with warres or tributes or both 8. Yea the Firr trees rejoyce at thee The Prophet makes an Apostrophe here to Sennacherib and useth a most elegant Prosopopoeia or Metaphor by which he makes the trees of Lebanon to rejoyce because being that Sennacherib was dead who delighted in war they should now stand and be cut down no more to make warrelike Engines and Fortifications as before Rejoyce at thee i. e. Rejoyce to hear that thou art dead Since thou art laid down i. e. Since thou art dead He useth a Metaphor here from trees which being cut down lye along upon the ground No feller is come up against us Supple To cut us down 9. Hell from beneath is mooved for thee i. e. Hell is moved as a Town and City is moved when a great King is brought Prisoner thither and every one runs out of his house to see him I say Hell is moved to hear that thou art dead and comming thither that it might meet thee By Hell he meaneth the Graves or the lower parts of the earth in which the Graves are made The Prophet useth here the like Metaphor or Prosopopoeia as he did before in the Firr trees And moreover in this description he alludes to some great Prince taken in war and brought Captive to some Town or City there to be kept like a Prisoner For thee i. e. To meet thee as the next words explaine it or for thee i. e. At the report of thee and of thy comming It
him Or of corrupt Judges who had taken a bribe of his Enemies to condemn him whose wickedness was the greater that they would be corrupted to do such a piece of injustice for a small matter How these men were consumed we told Vers 14. 22. Therefore thus saith the Lord c. This relates to the 17 18 19 20 and 21 Verses as an inference deduced from thence q. d. And because Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forrest and because the deaf upon that shall hear the words of the Book c. Therefore thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham concerning the House of Jacob c. Who redeemed Abraham God redeemed Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees from Idolatry Genes 12.1 and he redeemed him out of danger in Egypt Genes 12.20 and he redeemed him out of the like danger in Gerar Gen. 20.9 And Abraham is mentioned as redeemed here because as the Lord redeemed him so for his sake would he redeem his posterity at this time Concerning the house of Jacob i. e. Concerning Jacob and his children the Jews For the Father is part yea the chief part of the house Jacob shall not now be ashamed i. e. Being that the Lord will turn Lebanon into a fruitful field and the fruitful field into a forrest so that the deaf shall hear the words of the Book c. when this cometh to pass Jacob shall not now be ashamed though he hath been ashamed heretofore The Prophet useth a Prosopopoeia here whereby he brings in Jacob as though he were alive though he were dead long before Jacob shall not now be ashamed Supple For the disobedience and infidelity and unbelief of his children For they which would not believe the Vision mentioned vers 14. shall be all consumed and all they which watch for iniquity shall be cut off but the meek shall survive and all they that have erred shall return into the right way The misdemeanor of the son is the shame of the Parents in allusion to which he here saith Jacob shall not now be ashamed Nor shall his face now wax pale Supple For fear q. d. Neither shall he now be afraid as he hath been lest his children should be utterly destroyed by the Assyrians through the wrath of God so that they be no more a people for the Assyrian is brought to nought vers 20. 23. When he seeth his children the work of mine hands i. e. When he seeth his children whom I have delivered out of the hands of the Assyrians A deliverance out of eminent and unavoydable danger of death is as it were a new Creation therefore doth the Lord call the Jews the work of his hands because he delivered them from the Assyrians In the midst of him i. e. In the midst of the Land which I gave him Gen. 28.13 Jacob himself is put here by a Metonymy for the Land which God gave Jacob as Moab is put for the Land of Moab Jerem. 40.11 Note that in the midst of the Land is put by an Hebrew redundancy for in the Land They shall sanctifie my Name q. d. They to wit his children shall sanctifie and praise my Name for their deliverance out of the hands of the Assyrians And if they shall sanctifie his Name He shall see them sanctifying it and so shall not be afraid for them but rejoyce rather My Name i. e. Me. An Hebraism And shall fear the God of Israel i. e. And they shall fear to offend the God of Israel and shall serve him and worship him And if they shall fear the God of Israel Jacob shall see that they fear him and so he shall not be ashamed for their sakes 24. They also that erred in spirit i. e. They also that erred in judgment and opinion thinking that Jerusalem would not have been delivered out of the hands of the Assyrians and that the Assyrians would not have been destroyed as they were He speaks of such that erred rather out of weakness and by being ignorantly misled then out of pride and malice as those scorners did mentioned vers 20. Shall come to understanding i. e. Shall experimentally know that what the Prophet prophecyed concerning the deliverance of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Assyrians was true They that murmured It is probable that many otherwise none of the worst when they were distressed and found some hardship in the siege of Jerusalem did murmur against Isaiah who prophecyed of the deliverance of Jerusalem and did what he could to hold up their drooping spirits with that hope Shall learn doctrine i. e. Shall learn the Instruction of the Lord which shall teach them not to murmur any more at his Prophets in whatsoever case they are ISAIAH CHAP. XXX WO to the rebellious children i. e. When the report was first spred abroad of Sennacheribs intent to march out of Assyria with an huge Army the Jews which lived out of Jerusalem in other parts of the Land of Judah and many also which lived in Jerusalem were distracted and in doubt what to do to preserve themselves Some thought it best to comply with the Assyrians and to practise with them for the surrender or giving up of the whole Land into their hands Others thought it best to call in the Egyptians to their ayd And this did they both in so foul a manner as that the one scrupled not to profess the Religion of the Assyrians and the other of the Egyptians to save their lives Onely King Hezekiah and some few with him chose rather to trust in the promises of God which he had promised by Isaiah then to do as the others did Against those which thought it best to call in the ayd of the Egyptians and endeavored to bring them into help them doth the Prophet here inveigh To the rebellious children It is rebellion in man to do any thing against the Will of God as these men did by distrusting God and trusting in the arm of flesh See cap. 1.20 That take counsel Supple How to save themselves from the fury of Sennacherib and the Assyrians But not of me q. d. But not of my Prophets whose counsel is my counsel That cover with a covering but not of my Spirit Note that the word Spirit is a word of many significations with the Hebrews but among the many significations which it hath any act of the Will or Understanding is called the spirit And any quality or ability of doing is called the spirit so that the spirit may here signifie counsel and advice or it may signifie power and protection And the meaning of this place may be this q. d. And which cover themselves with a covering but not of my advising or to which I advised them Or the meaning of this place may be this q. d. And which cover themselves with a covering but not with the covering of my power and protection that is which get themselves ayd to defend
a Rich man Againe certaine it is that our Saviour Christ suffered upon Golgotha which was the publike place of execution where all Malefactors which were condemned to death suffered And being that Golgotha was the place where Malefactors which were condemned to death suffered it is not to be doubted but the Malefactors which were put to death were buried either there or nigh thereunto For such is the custome of all places even at this day to bury those which are put to death either in or nigh to the place of their suffering except some friend beg their bodies of the Magistrates to dispose of them elsewhere As therefore the place in which the Malefactors were buried was in or nigh to the place of their suffering So was thâ— Sepulcher in which Christ was buried nigh to Golgotha where he suffered Iohn 19. v. 41 42. So that Christ though he were not buried in the place where Malefactors were buried he was buried nigh â—nto it And therefore we may interpret this place thus viz. He was buried nigh to the wicked yet with the rich when he was dead taking the first Praeposition and with for nigh to And the conjunction And for Yet Because he had done no violence neither was there deceit in his mouth i. e. Because he had done no evill either in word or deed Referre this Clause to the words immediately going before namely to those with the rich in his death For the cause why Pilate granted the body of Jesus so speedily to Joseph of Arimathea was certainly because he took Jesus to have been a just man and a man without fault John 19.6 And for the same reason also did Joseph desire the body of Jesus and lay it decently in his own Sepulcher 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to griefe q. d. But though he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth yet hath it pleased the Lord to suffer him to be bruised and put to griefe When thou shalt make his soul an offring for sinne i. e. Yet when thou hast made him a Sacrifice for the sinne of thy people q.d. yet when thou hast delivered him up to death for us as Rom. 18.32 He either confoundes Tenses Or puts a Future for a Praeterperfect Tense by an Enallage His Soule His soule is put by a Synecdoche for him And the Prophet maketh here his Apostrophe to God He shall see his seed i. e. He shall have many children borne to him and shall see them and enjoy them By Seed he meaneth Children and those spirituall Children such as they are which are faithfull and believe for such are called his Children Hebr. 2.13 If I be lifted up from the earth saith our Saviour of himselfe I will draw all men unto me Iohn 12.32 Our Saviour therefore had more which believed in him after his death then he had while he lived among men and this is that which the Prophet here foretells He shall prolong his dayes i. e. After he hath been made an Offring for sinne that is After he hath been delivered over to death he shall rise againe and live for ever to make intercession for his Seed See Hebr. 7.25 And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands This is the will of him which hath sent me saith our Saviour that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life Iohn 6.40 And he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them saith the Apostle Heb. 7.25 The will therefore and pleasure of the Lord must needes prosper in his hands Note here the Enallage of the Person how he passeth from the second to the third person 11. He shall see of the travaile of his soul He shall see the fruit of all his travaile and paines and griefe which he hath susteined His soule The soul which is but part is put here for the wole man His travaile i. e. The fruit or effect of his travaile A Metonymie And shall be satisfied i. e. Aed shall take full content and delight in seeing the fruit of his travaile A Metaphor of which before By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many The knowledge here spoken of is a knowledge joyned with power Such a knowledge as St. Peter speakes of 2 Pet. 2.9 When he saith the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation Or particularly the knowledge here spoken of is that knowledge whereby Christ knew how to obey and was obedient even unto death the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 for the Apostle teacheth us that Christ learned obedience by the things which he suffered Hebr. 5.8 As therefore a Physitian is said to heale a sick man by his skill because he knoweth what is good to take away his disease and knoweth how to temper and apply it and doth temper it and apply it accordingly So may Christ be said to justifie many by his knowledge because he knew that by his patient suffering man might be justified for by his stripes are we healed v. 5. And knew how to suffer obediently and patiently Note that this is spoken in the person of God of Christ his Sonne and Servant Shall my righteous servant i. e. Shall Christ my Sonne and Servant who is just and righteous in all his wayes Iustifie many viz. As many as shall believe in his name For he shall beare their iniquities i. e. For he shall take away their iniquities This thus expounded relates to that word Iustifie as shewing what that meanes Or thus He shall beare their iniquities i. e. He shall beare the punishments which are due unto them for their iniquities Supple By which meanes he knowes that he shall free them from their sinnes This last way Iniquities are put for the punishments due to iniquities By a Metonymie 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great i. e. And therefore will I divide him a portion c. Understand And here And I will divide him a portion with the great How these words may be applyed to Ieâ—emy I shewed before but how they can be applyed to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is word for word I know not For who are those great ones with whom he should have a portion divided I therefore take it that these words as theâ— are here read are not to be interpreted of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. word by word but onely in grosse And though they shewed of Ieremy particularly how God did honour and reward him yet they shew onely in Generall and in Grosse of Christ that God would honour and reward him without mentioning any particular or speciall manner how he would do it So that speaking of Christ these words I will divide him a portion with the great signifiâ— no more than this I will
e. Nor shall a man though he be come to the verge of old age be carryed out of Jerusalem to the grave until he hath come to the extremity of old age that is neither shall a man dye in Jerusalem though he be old before he be exceeding old An old man Note that the old man here is opposed to an Infant and so signifieth not a very old man but one that may be called an old man in respect of an Inâ—ant or one that is on the verge onely of old age That hath not filled his days He calleth those a mans days which are requisite to the making up of a good old age and which a man might reach to by the course of Nature if no casualty did cut him off which ordinarily are an hundred years as the next words shew For the childe shall dye an hundred years old i. e. For the childe shall live an hundred years before he dyeth But the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed He prevents an Objection here For whereas God promiseth here the blessing of long life onely unto his servants and would have it taken as a peculiar blessing to them so that the sinners should have no part in it It might be objected That this is not such a peculiar and special blessing of the righteous or of his servants as he would make it to be for the sinners also fulfil their days and live an hundred years The Lord therefore prevents this Objection saying that though the sinner liveth till he be an hundred years old yet he shall be accursed and therefore accursed because in his life time the plagues of God shall fall upon him and in his death he shall be taken away with an unusual destruction See Job 21. v. 7 8 c. to vers 20. Note therefore that it is not onely a long life which the Lord here promiseth to his servants but a blessed long life a life which shall be accompanyed with length of joy and happiness And they shall build houses i. e. And my people shall build houses And inhabit them i. e. And shall live to inhabit them And eat the fruit thereof i. e. And shall live to eat the fruit thereof 22. For as the days of a tree are the days of my people i. e. For my people shall live as long as the tree which they shall plant so that they which plant the tree shall live to eat all the fruit thereof Are the days of my people i. e. The days of my people shall be A present is put here for a future tense Mine Elect See Vers 9. Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands i. e. Mine Elect shall live long that they may long inhabit the houses which they shall build 23. They shall not labor in vain i. e. They shall not build houses which they shall not enjoy nor plant Vineyards which they shall not eat for this would be labor in vain which was a curse which God threatened to the wicked Levit. 26.16 and Deut. 28.30 Nor bring forth for trouble i. e. Neither shall they bring forth children whose untimely death shall bring them sorrow and trouble of minde This is a short repetition of what he said in the three foregoing verses They are the seed of the blessed of the Lord i. e. They are the true children of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob whom the Lord blessed in themselves and in their seed as well as in themselves And their off-spring with them q. d. And so are their children as well as they wherefore they also shall live to build and to plant and to enjoy what they builded and planted 24. And it shall come to pass before they call I will answer i. e. And if any evil befall them I will take it away before they complain This is another blessing which the Lord promiseth his people after their return out of captivity 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together See cap. 11.6 The Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock See cap. 11.7 And dust shall be the Serpents meat i. e. And the Serpent shall live upon the dust onely so that he shall be contented with that and shall not fasten upon man to do him any harm nor yet upon any beast That Serpents live upon the dust see Gen. 3.14 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain See cap. 11.9 This Verse containeth another blessing which the Lord promiseth his people after their captivity which is this That they shall live peaceably and quietly in their Land without any fear of violence there shall be no robbers no man-slayers there ISAIAH CHAP. LXVI THus saith the Lord The Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build for me This may be very well continued with the former Chapter For whereas the Lord found fault with the wicked and hypocritical part of the Jews which were in captivity for that they forsook him and forgot his holy mountain c. Cap. 65.11 and threatened them grievously in the former Chapter They were ready to clear themselves and to plead not guilty and to shew that they were faithful servants of the Lord and to say That whereas they did frequent the Temple and did offer their due sacrifices while the Temple stood and they were suffered to live in the Land of Judah So if ever they should come into that Land again they would build up the Temple which the Babylonians had destroyed and would offer sacrifices to the Lord as they were wont to do The Lord therefore in the beginning of this Capter takes away these vain arguments of theirs and shews that to build him a Temple was not such an acceptable piece of service as they deemed nor would he take pleasure in their sacrifices being they were such men as they were that is Idolatrous and wicked men The Heaven is my throne The Heaven is my Chair of state whereon I sit And the Earth is my footstool i. e. And the Earth is my stool on which I rest my feet When he saith The Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool he alludeth to the manner of earthly Kings who as they had glorious thrones to sit on so had they their footstools though not so glorious to rest their feet upon And the Lord is here compared to a man of an immense greatness for he must needs be of an immense greatness who is so big as to sit upon the Heavens as his seat and to rest his feet upon the Earth as his footstool for so his upper parts must be higher by much then the highest Heavens Where is the house that ye build unto me i. e. Where then shall that house be which ye say you will build for me for Heaven and Earth are not able to contain an house big enough to contain me Here is a present tense twice put for a future This people which said that