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
may render it in another sense Let vs beare thy name For when the woman comes into the family of the husband shee takes his name and loseth her own 1. Cor. 11.3 in as much as the husband is her head and therefore her vaile is a signe of her subiection As Abimelech said to Sara Abraham thy husband shall be the couering of thine head Genes 20.16 But if the woman marrie not she remaineth couered vnder the name of her family Now it sufficiently appeares by the 48. chapter of Genesis that this is the true sense of this manner of speech where Iacob blessing his nephewes saith Let my name and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac bee called vpon them that is to say Let them be of our stocke partakers of the couenant neuer shut out thereof as it came to passe in Esau and Ismael Gen. 25.23 21.10 Cato and Martia The prophane authors also speake after this manner Martia desiring to returne againe to Cato as it is in the second booke of Lucanus saith Giue me only the bare title of mariage let it bee lawfull to write vpon my Tombe Martia wife of Cato Now they say Take away our reproch because it seemes that they beare some reproch when they find no husbands not onely in that it seemeth they are despised as vnworthy but because it was a singular blessing of God among the ancient people to haue posteritie and therefore the Prophet saith they shall not onely haue neede with care to bethinke them how to auoid this reproch but shall vse all possible perswasions to attaine thereunto Lastly he signifies that the destruction shall bee such that almost all husbands shall die Vers 2. And in that day shall the bud of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall bee * Or in excellencie and renowme excellent and pleasant for them that are escaped of Israel THis consolation is added in very good season in regard that the faithfull might haue bene vtterly discomforted with the newes of such an horrible waste and might doubt in themselues how the couenant of God could stand fast in this so great a ruine of the people For there is great differēce betweene these two things that the people shall be as the sand of the sea for multitude and yet notwithstanding that they shall be so rooted out by an horrible ruine that there shall be no dignitie nor glorie at all remaining in those that shall escape no not so much as a glimpse of any name Isaiah therefore according to his custome as also the rest of the Prophets preuents the mischiefe in due time and moderates the terror by adding this consolation to the end that the faithfull should assure themselues that notwithstanding all these things the Church shall be saued and that by this meanes they should fortifie their hearts in good hope Euen as then in the second Chapter he disputed touching the restoring of mount Zion so now also he promiseth that a new Church shall spring vp euen as a bud or sprig shooteth vp in the field which was vndressed before They do commonly expound this place of Christ and so much the rather is this opinion receiued as it seemeth to haue some colour by the sentence of Zachary Zach. 6.12 Behold a man whose name is Branch Which is also further confirmed in that our Prophet speakes not barely of this branch but with addition of honorable as if it had been the meaning of the Prophet to speake of the Diuinitie of Christ And after when the Prophet addes the fruit of the earth they referre that to his humane nature But when we shall consider all things aduisedly I doubt not but he taketh the bud of the Lord and the fruit of the earth for an abundance of most ample and vnwonted grace which abundance shall recreate the affamished for he speakes euen as if the earth after a waste should be so barren and dry that it should neuer promise any bud to come out of it thereby to cause the grace of God to be the more longed for in so sudden a fruitfulnes as if seared and barren fields should bring forth grasse beyond all hope This maner of speech also is much vsed in the scriptures to wit that the gifts of God shall bud out of the earth as the Psalmist saith Truth shall bud out of the earth and righteousnes shall looke downe from heauen Psal 85.12 Also hereafter in the 45. Chap. The earth shall open and saluation shal fructifie It appeares by the course of the text that this is the true meaning of the place for Isaiah addes in the words following that the deliuerance of Israel to wit this handfull yet remaining which the Lord will saue from this destruction shall be the glorie and beautie of this bud Also the word Pheliath which they commonly turne Deliuerance is collectiue in this place as in many others But yet there may be a double exposition either that those which shall be deliuered shal be a fruit of glorie and a bud of honour or that the graces of God shall bud amongst them The first exposition likes me best because it seemes the Prophet addes the explication in the verse following when he sayth That those which shall remayne shall be called holy Questionlesse the Prophets meaning is to say that the glorie of God shall appeare clearely when a new Church shall be borne as if hee should create a people of nothing Those who draw and restraine this place vnto the person of Christ make themselues a scorne to the Iewes as if for want of testimonies of scripture they should pull in places by the eares to serue their turne For there are other places of scripture by which wee may more clearely prooue that Christ is true God and man so as it is no neede to coyne proofes thereof from hence But yet I confesse that the kingdome of Christ is heere spoken of vpon which the restauration of the Church is grounded Neuerthelesse let vs obserue that this consolation is not sent to all indifferently but onely to the remnant which should be drawne out of death as it were by wonderfull meanes Againe lest the consolation might seeme to bring but cold comfort if it had ben only sayd that a small number should be deliuered he speakes of an exceeding glorie and excellent brightnes to the end the faithfull might assure themselues that they should receiue no hurt by this their deminishing because the Church of God takes not her dignitie frō the multitude but from puritie which is when God shall gloriously and excellently beautifie his faithfull ones with the gifts of his Spirit Whence we ought to gather a most profitable doctrine namely that howsoeuer the faithfull be small in number and that they be like brands taken out of the fire yet notwithstanding that God will be glorified in the midst of them and will no lesse shew a proofe
hee hath reiected and cast off his people This place is worthy our obseruation in the meditation whereof wee ought continually to be much encouraged yea if so be the Lord proceede so farre as that he hath turned his face away from his people and should reiect those who make profession of his name yet for all this must wee wait vpon him with inuincible patience This is the only remedie wee haue The word waiting hath great emphasis in it as if hee should say Yet notwithstanding will not I turne away from the Lord I will still perseuere in faith He yet augments the matter when he addes So I will wait Seeing our faith is wont to stagger and faint when offences doe happen It is greeuously shaken when we see our selues forsaken of our companions and that the sworne enemies of the Church doe proudly vsurpe the title of it for offences for the most part doe cause vs to turne away from God filling vs with such perplexed thoughts that we are ready to call the truth of his word into question This consolation then is very necessary as well in the calamities wherewith the Church is oppressed as in the troubles wherewith shee is tossed by the disloyaltie of others Vers 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath giuen mee are as signes and wonders in Israel by the Lord of hostes which dwelleth in Mount Zion HEere the Prophet not onely testifies that hee will wait in patience but also shewes what his constancie is proposing himselfe with his disciples and those which remained with him to open view As though hee should say Although others recoile yet Lord behold I am readie to doe thee seruice and I also bring those with mee whom thou hast vouchsafed to saue miraculously by my labours Hee shewes an inuincible manfulnesse then and protests that he will continue in the faith and obedience of the Lord although all should reuolt By Children hee vnderstands seruants and ministers following therin the vsual custome as well of the Hebrew tongue as of the Latine Now he speakes of the Disciples whom he mentioned before Whence it appeareth what their dutie is who would bee reputed the true disciples of the Lord to wit that they protest with Isaiah to be teachable and readie to hearken and that they be readie to obey as soone as the Lord shall speake The teachers also ought to bring their disciples with them and not to send them alone before them they ought to march in the first ranke and to shew them the way by their example as was said in the second Chapter verse 3. otherwise they should haue no authoritie in teaching The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.13 applies this place to Iesus Christ and from thence drawes an admonition which ought to serue vs as a sharpe spurre to the end wee should not thinke to follow Isaiah alone for our leader and Doctor but Christ himselfe and to bee so much the more encouraged to run our course with greater alacritie Which the Lord hath giuen me The Prophet shewes heere of whom it is that we hold our faith to wit of God and of his free election For Isaiah preached to all publikely admonishing euery one and soliciting all without exception to draw neere vnto the Lord but the word profited those onely which God had giuen him By the word Giuen hee meaneth those whom God drew inwardly by the secret instinct of his holie Spirit for otherwise the externall voyce should haue sounded in the eares of the people in vaine and thus it is said that the elect are giuen to Christ of God his Father Ioh. 6.37 Whereby we perceiue that the promptnesse of faith depends not vpon the will of man but that some few among many doe beleeue because as S. Luke saith they were ordained before vnto life Act. 13.48 Now God is wont to call them whom he hath predestinate and sealeth vp the testimonie of their adoption effectually in them to the end they may giue themselues to teachablenesse and obedience Such a thing is the gift then whereof Isaiah speakes in this place But this agrees fitly vnto Christ to whom the Father offereth and giueth Disciples as it is said in Iohn No man commeth vnto me except my Father draw him Iohn 6.44 Whence it followes that he is appointed our gardian to preserue vs vnder his protection vnto the end and therefore he saith That none of those whom the Father hath giuen him shall perish Ioh. 17.12 Ioh. 10.20 Signes and wonder◠Some referre this to miracles amisse for the sense is farre otherwise namely That all the faithfull shall not onely be hated but also bee had in execration so as they shall be esteemed monsters and that not amongst strangers and open enemies but euen in Israel it selfe whereof wee haue experience at this day The Papists on the one side abhorre vs more then Turkes or Iewes nay more then dogges and swine Now although this be odious yet must wee not be much astonied thereat for this prophesie of necessitie must euen now bee fulfilled The Prophet found it by experience amongst his owne people as all those haue likewise done which haue followed his doctrine But wee finde not onely this hatred towards vs in the Papists alone but euen in those who would seeme to haue profited most in the Church and the greater part of these abhor vs mocke vs and esteeme vs as very monsters onely because we trouble our selues so much and are so carefull for the saluation of the Church of Gods honour and of life eternall But yet let vs not bee afraid to put our selues into dangers to incurre hatreds enuies taunts banishments want hunger nakednesse and last of all death it selfe for all this To them indeede they are monstrous things for how cā they taste of these soueraign good things with any relish whilest they pamper themselues and are so carefull for their quiet and ease But to the end their flouts may not astonish vs we must arme our selues with this exhortation of the Prophet Now to the end hee might shew how vaine and friuolous the conspiracie of the wicked is hee stoutly triumphs ouer the pride of the whole world by placing the Lord of hostes as opposite against them as if he should say I passe nothing at all that men abhorre and detest me seeing I am assured that God is on my side When hee also addes that the Lord dwelleth in mount Zion these words carry great weight For though the people were couered vnder an infinite heape of vices and wickednesse yet they gloried as if they onely were holy to the Lord and in abusing his promises they condemned the true seruants of God which reproued them On the contrarie that the Prophets might pluck this pride vain confidence away frō them they testified that they were the Ministers of the onely true God whom this people notwithstanding falsly bragged to worship in Mount Zion Now
hands of her enemies Hee iustly mockes then at their vaine and foolish confidence in regard that being puffed vp with their intollerable pride they thought themselues inuincible and out of all danger But it seemes contrarie to the modestie of the faithfull to mocke at the miserie of others a man would thinke they should rather haue compassion on them To scorne the wicked is not against modestie when our zeale is ordered therein accoâ—ding to the equity of Gods iudgements Psal 2.4 But this is not against modâ—stie when our zeale is ordered according to the equitie of Gods iudgement for by humane affection we may bewaile the miserie of those who perish through their owne folly and yet theâ—ewithall despise their pride and furie And euen as the Lord exalts himself against them scorning their beastlinesse so also hee doth in this place command vs which loue and desiâ—e his glory to contemne them not after a proud and insulting maner but as magnifying and extolling his goodnesse and power By this example then it is lawfull for vs to scoffe at Gods enemies when they are ouerthrowne and abased as at Antichrist whose power wee daily see to decay by little and little The word Madheuah which is put in the end of the verse may be translated gilt or of gold but because this word is conioyned with tyrant or exactor it is very like the Prophet speakes of the couetousnesse and insatiable desire of gold which the Babylonians thirsted after For it often comes to passe that how much the more great Empires Commonwealths and nations haue of riches so much the more doe they burne with lust of increasing and hauing Vers 5. The Lord hath broken the rod of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers 6. Which smote the people in anger with a continuall plague and ruled the Nations in wrath if any were persecuted he did not let HE now answers to the former interrogation and would not that the faithfull should any way doubt of the euent thereof but rather that they should stand astonied at such admirable workes of God For the interrogation serued to awaken vp their mindeâ— to the greater attention It is as much then as if he should haue said It came not to passe by chance or by any blinde passion of fortune that you were not still oppressed vnder a continuall bondage but you are wholly to attribute it to the prouidence of God who brake so sore a yoke of seruitude from off your neckes Now the wicked are at their wits end when they see such workes and stand amazed because they see not the reason of them but the faithfull know that this ought to bee attributed vnto God Let vs learne then to admire the workes of the Lord and let vs bee stricken with such an astonishment that we may acknowledge him to bee the author of them and let vs not in any wise passe lightly ouer the least of them Gods worâ—â— ought diligently to bee obserued but especially in the redemption of his Church but especially then when he manifâ—sts his power in the redemption of his Chuâ—ch when by his admirable strength he redeemes any one of vs from vnder the seruitude of the diuell the tyranny of Antichrist and from eternall death For these are no common workes and therefore wee may not in any sort attribute the same to the power of man or to any other causes whatsoeuer Hee ioynes the scepter of the rulers to the staffe of the wicked shewing by this repetition that an vniust tyranny cannot be established by a power imperial in any sort whatsoeuer Then by and by after he more cleerly shewes that the Monarchy of the Babylonians shall be abolished because it was vniust and tyrannicall and saith that the people were smitten with an incurable wound and extremely afflicted because they ouerflowed in all excessiue dissolutions By this we are admonished that howsoeuer God may seeme to winke at the tyranny of the wicked for a time yet that he will spare them neuer the more for all that in the latter end for they shall be destroyed euen as we know Babylon was because the Lord is iust and continues alwayes like himselfe Vers 7. The whole world is at rest and is quiet they sing for ioy 8. Also the firre trees reioyced of thee and the cedars of Lebanon saying since thou art laid downe no hewer came vp against vs. HEere he shewes how Tyrants are hatefull to all the world Tyrants hatefull to all the world for they are no sooner dead or destroyed but all leape for ioy shewing what affection they caried towards them which for feare before they dissembled Then shall you see men vtter forth their discontentments and hatreds and not men only discouer their ioy but euen the dumb creatures also as the Prophet addes afterwards speaking of the firre trees and cedars by way of amplification for as all things are ouerturned and peruerted by tyranny so also it being abolished it seemes all things are put into their perfect estate againe Now to the end the speech might haue the greater vehemencie he addes a figure called Prosopopeia by which he brings in trees speaking and reioycing that they shall stand quietlie now this tyrant is dead So then the Prophets drift is to shew that the heauenly Iudge can not indure tyrants alwayes to vsurp God will not alwayes suffer Tyrants to vsurp whom all the world detests hates Whence we may gather that albeit men be silent and dare not open their lips whilst tyrants beare sway yet the Lord notwithstanding heares their secret grones and complaints Let vs not wonder then if tyrants be cut off by such admirable meanes for it is necessarie that God who is priuie to all the outrages which they commit should fauour and assist the innocent Vers 9. Hell beneath is moued for thee to meete thee at thy comming raising vp the dead for thee euen all the princes of the earth and hath raised from their thrones all the kings of the nations EVen as before he attributed gladnes to Trees so now also by the same maner of speaking hee attributes speech to the dead For he brings them as it were out of their graues to the end they should deride the pride of this tyrant and all the words following are nothing else in a maner but most pleasant taunts and flouts For when great kings approch neere a place people tremble they go before and receiue them with great pomp and preperations so Isaiah faines that the dead shall goe before this tyrant who after his death shall descend into his sepulchre that they may do him homage but yet such as to him appertaineth Which is as much as if he should say His death shall not only be acceptable to the liuing but to the dead also so as they shal receiue him honorablie according to his deserts Vers 10. All they shall cry and say vnto thee Art thou become weake also as
cause why some are left vnburied because it is a witnesse of the last resurrection which wee yet wait for But we ought vtterly to reiect all such superstitions and pompe of funerals which indeed euery faithful man should abhorre But if any bee left vnburied wee must consider the cause For many Prophets Martyres and holy personages haue been depriued of buriall Wee heare how the Church complaines that the bodies of Gods seruants were cast out to the beasts and birds and that there was none to bury them Psal 79.2 And wee daily behold how they burne drowne and hang the seruants of Iesus Christ whose death notwithstanding is pretious and blessed in Gods sight Psal 116.15 For euen as the Crosse of our Lord was blessed so also the gibbets bands chaines and deaths which his members endure do partake of this blessing yea and that in such wise that they far surmount the felicitie decking-maiestie and pomp of all the kings of the earth so as according to S. Paules example they may boldly glory in these afflictions Rom. 5.3 2. Cor. 12.9 Gal. 6.14 Moreouer albeit we can see nothing but a signe of Gods wrath vpon those whom he depriues of buriall yet must we haue our recourse to the former and such sentences Iere. 22.19 Now as Ieremiah threatned Ioachim that he should be buried as an asse because he deserued rather to be laid with the brute beasts then with men who after death are separated from the condition of beasts by meanes of buriall euen so in as much as this Babylonian had exalted himselfe aboue all it was good reason he should be deiected beneath all so as his bodie might remaine without buriall Isaiah then foretels that this tyrant shall not be buried in his house that is to say in the Sepulchre of his ancesters and predecessors for we must not thinke that the Sepulchres were within the houses The similitudes which are conioined do further expresse the iust ignominie of this tyrant for as hurtfull and vnprofitable trees are pluckt vp by the rootes so he shewes that the king of Babylon was not worthie to remaine among men Afterward he compares him to the garments of the slaine because those which die in battaile are not buried according to the accustomed maner but as bloodie and stinking carrions troden vnder feete are tumbled into the pit clothes and all lest they should infect the aire with their smell Neither will any man offer to touch clothes defiled with blood and mire for feare of drawing some infection frō them Now we can not affirme that this hapned to the kings of Babylon yet no question but it was fulfilled neither ought we to doubt any thing at all of it Vers 20. Thou shalt not be ioyned with them in the graue because thou hast destroyed thine owne land and slaine thine owne people the seed of the wicked shall not be renoumed for euer NOw he shewes the reason why the king of Babylon is vnworthie of buriall to wit because he which had destroyed his owne land was neither worthie to be receiued into it nor couered therewith For euen as the earth sustaines vs whilst we liue so also doth it couer vs being dead and keepes vs in her bowels vnto the comming of Iesus Christ It is then a iust punishment of crueltie when she refuseth to receiue those into her bosome that haue offred her violence and defiled her He yet addes a more fearefull threat to wit that God will poure out the remainder of his plagues vpon the successors Yet when he saith The seed of the wicked shall not be renoumed for euer we may expound this member two waies either that the race of the wicked shall not long endure or that it shall be vtterlie put out The diuersitie of the interpretation consists in the word alwaies for it is either referred to the time past or to come To the time past thus Although the seed of the wicked haue borne sway for a while yet the memorie thereof is vanished and gone in the end In the time to come thus God will so blot out the race of the wicked that there shall be no more mention of them Now it is vsuall with the Lord to curse the seed of the wicked Psal 112.6 Prou. 10.7 Psal 34.16 as on the contrarie he blesseth the of-spring of the faithful And euen as the memorie of the iust indures for euer so also doth it follow of necessitie that the remembrance of the wicked should be vtterlie extinct and abolished Now howsoeuer we see not these things fulfilled with our bodily eies yet haue we ample and pregnant testimonies for it whereby the truth of the doctrine is sufficientlie confirmed vnto vs. But we are now to obserue the reason of this vengeance to wit the Lord will hereby punish the pride of reprobates who wil needs aduance their names and leaue a perpetuall renoume thereof behind them and hereunto tend all the counsels enterprises and endeuors of prophane men Contrariwise the Lord blots out their name and memorie which yet seemed to be ingrauen in euerlasting monuments Thus it comes to passe that they are not only exposed to contempt but euery one detests and abhors them Which in cōclusion befalles all tyrants for howsoeuer they be flattered and applauded of all whilst they liue Tyrants flattered of all whilst they liue but being dead they are detested of all yet are they and all their posteritie held in vile estimation when they are dead and gone And thus it appeares they are detestable to God Angels and men Vers 21. Prepare a slaughter for his children for the iniquitie of their fathers let them not rise vp nor possesse the land nor fill the face of the world with * Or Cities enemies HEere Isaiah prophesieth against the king of Babylon in plainer termes then heretofore Now we must remember what I haue said alreadie to wit that hitherunto he hath not spoken of one particular man only but of the whole kingdome and now he also takes away the ambiguitie of this maner of speech Whereas the old translation hath it Prepare his sonnes to the slaughter it comes not neere enough to the right sense for the letter Lamed being put before the word sonnes shews it should be translated Prepare a slaughter for his sonnes Now let vs see to whom this speech is directed for we must of necessitie vnderstand that he here couertlie speakes to certaine officers sergeants or executioners whom God commands to prepare themselues for the execution of his iudgement And who are they partly the Medes and Persians as also others by whom Babylon was rased to the foundation It was not vtterlie destroyed when the Persians tooke it as we haue said before Thus then he speakes to those whom God had ordeined in his scret counsell to destroy Babylon This phrase of speech hath greater vehemencie in it then if he had barely said The slaughter is prepared for he shewes that
dangers but comes to himselfe and by himselfe alone considers that he is iustly punished that hee hath offended God and prouoked his wrath against him But the Prophet saith that not so much as one of the Iewes remembred God in these great calamities and that therefore the Lord had good cause to leaue them without thinking anie more vpon them From hence let vs gather that it is a signe of a desperate impietie when men amend not for the rods and scourges which are laid vpon them First of all wee ought to follow God cheerefully and to yeeld him voluntary obedience secondly as soone as he chastiseth and correcteth vs we are forthwith to repent vs. But if his rod doe vs no good what remaines but that God must double his blowes and make vs feele them in such seueritie that we at the last be brought to vtter destruction by them This doctrine is most fitting for this season wherein God calles vs to repentance by so many of his scourges and afflictions But seeing there is no repentance what are wee to looke for but that God should vtterlie cut vs off hauing before vsed all meanes possible To him that made it He closely coÌ„fesseth by these words that God absolutely condemns not the care we haue to resist our enemies to auoid dangers but that false confidence which wee put in externall means What course we ought to keepe in the time of peril For our inconsiderate hastinesse is iustly condemned of disloyaltie and high treason when wee forsake God to flie vnto swords and speares to fortresses and bulwarkes Let vs learne then to flie to him alone when dangers inuiron vs on all sides and let vs runne with all the powers of our soule Prou. 18.10 to the assured fortresse of his holy name This being done then is it lawfull to vse those meanes which hee giues vs but all things will worke to our destruction vnlesse we first of all put the hope of our safetie in his protection Hee calles God the workeman and maker of Ierusalem because hee had his habitation there and would there be called vpon Now seeing this citie was the image of the church this title also belongs to vs for the Lord is called the Creator of the Church in a speciall regard For howsoeuer this title appertaines to the creation of the whole world The first creation belongs to all the second peculiar to the elect onely yet this second creation whereby he deliuers vs from death by regenerating and sanctifying vs is a benefit which is peculiar to the elect others haue no part of this Now this title imports not a sudden act but such a one as is constant and perpetuall neither is the Church created once to be left by and by but the Lord defends and conserues it euen vnto the end Thou wilt not despise the worke of thine hands saith the Psalmist so Paul testifieth Psal 138.8 Phil. 1.6 that hee which hath begunne a good worke will accomplish it vnto the day of Christ And besides this title containes in it a wonderfull consolation A consolation for if God be the maker then neede we not to feare if so be we depend vpon his power and goodnesse But we cannot cast our eyes vpon him vnlesse we be indued with true humilitie confidence that being dispossessed of all haughtinesse and so brought to nothing we be readie to attribute the whole glorie to him alone Now this cannot be done vnlesse herewithall we bee fully perswaded that our saluation is in his hand being assured that we cannot perish no not although a thousand deaths should compasse vs about Well their fault then was the greater in regard the prerogatiue of this Citie which had been approued by so many euident signes could not yet prouoke the Iewes to commit themselues vnto Gods protection As if he should say What folly is it for you to thinke to keepe the Citie when you despise the workman that made it Long agoe The Hebrew word signifieth as well distance of place as length of time If we referre it to the place the sense will be that the Iewes are double vnthankfull that they loâ—ked not vnto Gâ—d no not a farre off Wherein we are to note that we ought not onely to looke vnto God when hee is neere vnto vs but also when it seemes hee is farre distant from vs. Now we thinke him absent when we feele not his present helpe and when he assists vs not as soone as we stand in neede To be short The nature of hope described he shewes what is the nature of true hope for it is a grosse and carnall kind of looking vnto God when we acknowledge his prouidence no further then wee câ—n see it before our eyes Hope must mount aboue the skies hope you know must mount aboue the skies I grant the Lord is alwaies properly and truely present but he is thought absent and farre off in regard of the weakenesse of our sight This must bee construed then according to our sense and not as the thing is indeed Wherefore albeit that he seemes to be absent in these calamities wherewith the Church is now afflicted yet let vs lift vp our mindes vnto him let vs awaken our hearts and shake off all sloth that so wee may giue our selues to the calling vpon his name But the other sense agreeth better to wit that they looked not vnto God who created and made his Church not yesterday or the day before it but a great while since as one who shewed himselfe the maker of it many ages off He is called then the ancient maker of his Church because that if the Iewes would but haue called to minde the long progresse of time they should haue knowne him to haue been a perpetuall conseruer of his worke wherein their ingratitude is yet the lesse excusable Vers 12. And in that day did the Lord God of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth THe Prophet further amplifies this wicked rebellion of the people For this circumstance cuts off all replies for in the middest of such extreme dangers they had despised the holy exhortations of the Prophes and had reiected the fauor of God when he was readie to haue healed and restored them to their former happines Here we see a signe of desperate malice when men are so besotted that they proudly despise instruction and correction kicking obstinatlie against the spurâ—e then I say may we euidentlie perceiue that they are giuen vp into a reprobate sense Whereas he saith the Lord called them we may expound it two waies for although he should not speake at all yet he calles vs sufficientlie by his rods and chastisements Put the case we had no Scripture at all no Prophets nor Teachers and that there were none to admonish vs yet doth God notwithstanding instruct vs by afflictions and calamities so as we may easily coÌ„clude that euery chastisement is
reason of that lawlesnesse which is in them For as much as the Iewes then had proudly giuen vp themselues to all dissolutenesse of life he sets Gods iust iudgement before them for ioy is then iustly cut off from vs When ioy is iustly cut off from vs. when we know not how to entertaine the benefits of God with thankfulnesse nor know not how to reioyce in him Hee is inforced then to take our delights and pleasures from vs and then to compell vs to mourne and sigh Vers 12. In the citie is left desolation and the gate is smitten with destruction BY an elegant manner of speech hee describeth the destruction of Ierusalē or of many other Cities together The beautie and perfection of Cities The beautie of Cities consists in the multitude of inhabitants they are therefore called deserts when none are left to dwell in them Now the Prophet tauntingly saith that destruction shall dwell in the Citie True it is that some translate the word Shammah Desolation but both the words come all to one sense He makes mention of the gates because a man might perceiue by them whether the Citie were full of people or no for thither they all came and there iustice was administred First then he speakes of the whole Citie in generall and then notes one particular for amplifications sake for albeit Cities be destitute of inhabitants yet some may bee seene at the gates but if they be emptie the desolation must needes be great thorowout the Citie Vers 13 Surely thus shall it bee in the middest of the earth among the people as the shaking of an Oliue tree Chap. 17.6 and as the grapes when the vintage is ended IN as much as this sentence comes in betweene the threathings and the consolation it seemes hee should onely speake to the elect and not to all the people indifferently vnlesse we will say that he describes that scattering whereby the Iewes were diuided as it were into many nations But because this should be too strict and harsh I expound it simplie that some hope is left to the other forelorne nations God in wrath remembers mercie And trulie this prophesie doth indeede properlie belong to Christ through whom it is no maruel if the Gentiles haue some part of the promise of saluation The Prophet hath alreadie vsed this similitude Chapter 17.6 but there he only mentioned the church of the Iewes telling them that a small remnant should still remaine of the holy seed lest the faithfull might thinke the Church vtterlie rooted out For as when an oliue tree is shaken there will alwaies be some left heere and there and likewise grapes vpon the vine so should there remaine an after gathering as it were of the faithfull in that great destruction wherewith the Church should be oppressed But in this place he extends this promise vnto other parts of the world according as they should partake in the same grace by the meanes of Christ Yet he therewithall addes a menace or threatning as if he should say the earth shall be left bare of her Inhabitants euen as trees and vines are of their fruit Vers 14. They shall lift vp their voice they shall shout for the magnificence of the Lord they shall reioyce from the sea HE now goes on and amplifies the consolation which he touched before for as he said in the tenth Chapter vers 22. that of this great multitude there should remaine a little handfull which should couer the whole earth so now he shewes that this small number of the faithfull which shall be left of this great vintage shall reioyce notwithstanding and sound the same so loude that it should be heard vnto the furthest regions This is done by the preaching of the Gospell for as touching the estate of Iudea it seemed to be ouerthrowne in regard that the politique gouernment was abolished warres without and seditions within had so wasted it that it was vnpossible euer to be recouered The rest of the world also was no lesse dumb in vttring these praises of God then deafe in hearing the sound thereof Now because the Iewes were the first fruits of the beleeuers I willingly grant that they be placed in the first rank A Consolation fitting the times of the Churches desolation Hence we gather a singular Consolation to wit that the Lord in a moment can restore his Church vnto a most florishing estate yea and create it of nothing for out of death he drawes life euen as often as it pleaseth him But is it not a wonder and aboue the order of nature that so small a remnant in lifting vp their voyce See vers 16. should be heard so farre off for where few are there is silence and great noise is wont to be where great multitudes are gathered together This then is the worke of God which farre surmounts nature and whatsoeuer facultie else is in man otherwise it seemes the Prophet should contradict himselfe to wit that all Iudea should be wasted and all the world brought to nothing and yet that their crie should be heard euery where This in it selfe is incredible or rather ridiculous if we measure the thing by carnall sense it is therefore as we haue said to be ascribed whollie to the admirable power and worke of God By their crie he not only meanes the voyce of gladnes which is expressed by mirth and reioycing Faith the ground of true ioy but he also comprehends vnder it trust and confidence because they shall freelie boldlie and with a loud voyce publish the praises of the Lord. Now herewithall he admonisheth the faithfull that it is their dutie to cause Gods graces in them to be magnified and not their owne By the Sea Gods mercies must not be concealed it is well enough knowne that the Iewes meane the regions farre off which lie beyond the same Vers 15. Wherefore prayse ye the Lord in the valleys euen the name of the Lord God of Israel in the yles of the sea GOds benefits ought to prouoke vs to giue him thanks which we then testifie when we vtter forth his prayses What thanks shall I render vnto the Lord saith Dauid Psal 116. for all the benefits he hath bestowed vpon me I will euen take the cup of thanksgiuing for his saluation and call vpon his name This order the Prophet keeps in this place for hauing spoken of the restauration of the Church he forthwith exhorts vs to offer the sacrifice of prayse By the valleys he meanes those Countries that are scattered and diuided as it were from the rest for those which are inuironed with mountaines are distinct and seuerall naturallie Thence it is that the inhabitants of the valleys are rude and barbarous because they seldome conuerse with others It is then as if the Prophet should haue said There is no corner of the world be it neuer so obscure and intangled but the praises of God shall be heard there He
that which hee hath foretold alone but also what end the Lord aimed at in this execution that is to say why he afflicted so many nations with such diuersities of punishments namely that he might bring vnder those which were before vnrulie and ouerflowed in a brutish sensualitie who as they had no feare of God before their eyes so had they no sense of religion or godlinesse at all Thou art my God Being perplexed and confounded in himselfe he suddenly turnes his thoughts vnto God as we haue said Whence we may gather a very profitable doctrine to wit that when our mindes are tossed to and fro with diuers cogitations What ought to be our refuge in time of deep distresses in regard of the many miseries and calamities which daily happen that we by and by flee vnto God resting our selues vpon his onely prouidence for we shall be at our wits end euen for the wagging of a straw if wee haue not this doctrine for our refuge by sustaining our hearts therewith But the better to see the Prophets meaning wee may well adde a particle aduersatiue here in this sense Although I be now oppressed with many temptations on euery side yet will I still acknowledge thee to be my God The assuraÌ„ce of Gods sauour giues vs ample matter of ioy and reioicing euen in the greatest troubles And thus he voweth to giue vnto God that praise which vnto him appertaineth which none of vs can doe vnlesse an assured perswasion of Gods grace doe raigne and beare sway in our hearts from whence springs that ioy which affords vs exceeding ample matter of praises when being certaine of our saluation we are assured that the Lord is our God For all those that are not caried with an affection to magnifie Gods goodnes in the middest of their sorrowes know not what faith is The faithfull may bee daunted for a time but faith gets the victorie neither yet did they euer taste the sweetnesse of his mercy for if wee haue a sure confidence in God we must of necessitie extoll his name with ioy and gladnesse of heart A wonderfull thing The singular number is put for the plurall Now the Prophet rests not in the contemplation of present things but rather lookes to the end of them for you shall haue euen profane men that will be affected at the wonderfull euents of things which fall out in the gouernement of the world and will stand amazed thereat as no doubt the Tyrians Sidonians Babylonians and Moabites did Who they are that profit by the view of Gods works But none could benefit themselues by this sight but such as therewithall had a taste and feeling of Gods wisdome and goodnesse for without that men doe rather scorne and despise such workes then apprehend the excellencie of them because they looke not to the end that God aimeth at to wit 2. Cor. 4.6 that by drawing light out of darknesse he is wont after a wonderfull manner How God is wont to deale with his Church to raise vp and reuiue his Church in the middest of death orders and disposeth rightly and to good vse those things which the wit of man conceiues to be exceedingly confused But the better to set forth the commendation of Gods prouidence he addes The counsels ordained of old as if he should say Nothing falles out suddenly or at randome in respect of God And indeede albeit to vs it often seemes he doth things vtterlie at vnawares yet is it most certaine that he hath foreseene and appointed all of theÌ„ so to come to passe before the creation of the world By these words then the Prophet meant to say that all the wonders which happen beyond the expectation of men flow from the order of this moderation which God keeps in the gouernment and disposition of all things from the beginning vnto the end Now because we are not able to attaine to his secret counsels and that our wits can not mount so high we must be brought to the manifestation of that which for the present is hidden from vs and is aboue our reach till such time as the Lord discouer the same vnto vs by his word by which he applies himselfe to our weakenes because his secret counsell is incomprehensible Isaiah therefore descends by and by from these hidden ordinances of God to the doctrine of the word and the promises therein coÌ„tained Isaiâ—h descends fâ—om Gâ—ds secret will to his reuealed will which doubtlesse he comprehends vnder the word Truth For this repetition should be to little purpose vnlesse he had had some relation in this word for after God hath by it reuealed his counsell vnto vs then he properlie appeares to be true if we beleeue and credit his sayings Thus then the Prophet commends the stablenes and certentie of the word when he calles it a stable truth as if he should say All things which God pronounceth and proceed from him is stable and immoueable Vers 2. For thou hast made of a Citie an heape of a strong Citie a ruine euen the palace of strangers of a Citie it shall neuer be built SOme referre this to Ierusalem but I rather thinke it to be a change of the number only which is a thing very vsuall among the Prophets for Isaiah speakes not of one Citie alone but of many which he foretels should be laid vpon heapes Whereas others take it that Ierusalem serued for a palace to the Romanes they come nothing nigh the Prophets meaning which will plainely appeere if we call to mind what hath been said before to wit that the Prophet busies not himselfe in thinking of the scourges wherwith God hath afflicted diuers nations but rather aimes at the end and issue of them For by them the Lord purposed to subdue and tame the pride and rebellion of men whom he could neuer haue subdued vnto himselfe vnlesse they had been smitten with diuers calamities Moreouer Isaiah saith not only that strangers shall inhabit the surprized Cities out of which they were driuen that dwelt in them for so that which he by and by addes would not agree to wit that the palace shall be no more a Citie but his meaning is that vagabonds who should haue no place of abode at all shall find sufficient roome there because the inhabitants shal betake them to their heeles Now because Armon signifies goodly houses he saith by way of derision that theeues shall dwell there as in Palaces in regard of the great space which should lie waste like vnto a desert Vers 3. Therefore shall the mightie people giue glorie vnto thee the Citie of the strong nations shall feare thee SEe heere the end whereof I haue spoken in the first verse for if the Lord should destroy the world no fruit would come of it such a desolation could ingender nothing but horror neither would it euer bring vs neerer vnto God to praise him nay contrariwise we must needs remaine as blocks wheÌ„
interpretations yet I see no inconuenience if we say that he had respect to the fruitfulnesse of the land in which this Citie stood And in reading it so I haue not feared to follow the common consent Vers 11. And hee shall stretch out his hand in the middest of them as hee that swimmeth stretcheth them out to swimme and with the strength of his handes shall hee bring downe their pride NOw the Prophet both expounds and confirmes the former sentence yet it is by way of another similitude whereby hee giues them to vnderstand that the Lord will stretch out his hand into the verie middest of Moabs Country and will not lightly touch some corners or out places thereof Some expound this similitude thus Euen as men stretch forth their armes in swimming so the Lord will chastise the Moabites on this side and on that Others thinke he speakes of inflicting manifold punishments vpon them as if hee should say The Lord will not correct the Moabites once onely but will bee reuenged on them the second yea the third time for the crueltie which they exercised vpon his children But we may expound this similitude another way They that swimme we know vse not to cast themselues in violently but they goe gently to worke and spread out their armes very softly and yet in the meane while they cut and passe thorow the water So the Lord will not often vse his greatest forces to confound the wicked but wil easilie without weapōs or great tumults bring thē to destruction how valiant or well furnished soeuer they seemed to be This exposition of the similitude pleaseth me best because it doth in nothing depraue the former sense giues vs to vnderstand that God oftentimes brings the wicked to nothing by his power although he doe not euer and anon thunder from heauen in the sight of all the world Whereas he saith he will doe this in the middest of it he shewes that there is no corner so close into which this vengeance of God shall not pierce Vers 12. The defence also of the height of thy walles shall he bring downe and lay low and cast them to the ground euen to the dust NOw hee directs his speech against the Country of Moab Moab was well fortified and swelled with pride in regard of their walles and bulwarkes therefore he saith that the high towers and other strong and impregnable places should serue them to no purpose They of old vsed another kinde of fortification then we doe now at this day as is well knowne It is not without cause that he here vseth three words for the better expressing of his owne meaning to wit I will bring downe lay low and cast to the ground for it was needfull that this pride of the Moabites wherewith they were puffed vp should bee beaten downe because they were become intollerable as we haue seene in the 15. Chapter vers 6. The Prophet then derides them as if he should say Oh it seemes the Lord cannot bring downe this height of yours in which you so much glory The particle To the dust is as much as if he had said He will not onely race to the ground but will bring it to dust that there shall not remaine so much as any mention of the old ruines This place containes in it therefore an excellent and verie apt consolation A consolatiō for our enemies at this day are so bold that they despise not men alone but euen God himselfe they are so proud and so puffed vp in regard of their power that they thinke themselues inuincible But it is our parts to oppose this sentence of the Prophet against them and all their forces and munitions to wit the Lord will easilie bring all these things to nought Let Patience haue her perfect worke In the meane while wee must patiently beare the hurt that comes vnto vs by reason of their power and strength vntill the certaine and prefixed time of their ruine approcheth THE XXVI CHAPTER Vers 1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah Wee haue a strong Citie saluation shall God set for the walles and bulwarks THe Prophet begins againe in this place to shew that God will hold the people in his protection after their returne out of captiuitie and that Ierusalē shal be insafetie vnder his custodie no lesse then if it were cōpassed about with fortresses tamparts ditches double wals so as the enemies should enter no waies to hurt it But the time is to be noted when this song was published The Prophet had foretold what calamities should fall vpon the Church which as yet were nothing neere but came to passe after his death Doubtlesse the people might haue despaired in their captiuitie if these promises had not vpheld them To the end the Iewes then might haue some assurance of their deliuerance and in the middest of death might espie life approching the Prophet composed this song before the troubles happened why that they might learne betimes to beare their miseries patiently and to hope for better things For it was not penned onely as I thinke for a thanksgiuing which the Iewes should sing after their deliuerance but also that in their captiuity it selfe they might confirme their hearts with confidence of future comfort and might teach their children to hope for it leauing these promises as it were from hand to hand to their posteritie although for the present they seemed but dead men We haue told you in the 5. Chapter why the Prophet composed these and the like songs in verse to wit that euery one might the better remember them by daily recording of them Although they wept then in Babylon and were almost ouerwhelmed with sorrow as these words shew How shall wee sing the Lords song in a strange land Psal 137.4 yet they were to hope that after their returne into Iudea they should giue thanks to the Lord and sing forth his praises The Prophet therefore shewes them their deliuerance a farre off that they might cheerefully wait for it A strong Citie By these words the Prophet promiseth an ample and full restauration of Ierusalem and of the people How so God will not onely redeeme the captiues and gather together the dispersed but he will also keepe them safe and sound after hee hath brought them home But the faithfull notwithstanding forthwith saw the destruction both of the Citie and Temple 2. Kin. 25.9 2. Chr. 36.19 Chap. 22. and being come home they could perceiue nothing but those fearefull ruines which Isaiah had foretold It was needfull then that they should behold this restauration of Ierusalem by the eye of faith as from an high beacon or turret Now after these things the Prophet shewes what the strength of this Citie shall bee namely The protection of God shall be in stead of walles towers ditches and forts as if hee should say Let other Cities trust in their defences God onely shall be the
vnderstanding sound iudgement Prou. 1.7 Psal 111.10 It is not for nothing thē that he saith ignorance was the cause of all their miseries for seeing true wisdome consists in the feare of God doth not the holy Ghost iustly condemne all them to bee blind earthwormes who despise God to walke after their owne inordinate lusts Ignorance excuseth not And yet such a blindnesse cannot excuse nor free vs from being guilty of malice for they that offend God doe it maliciously notwithstanding they bee hoodwincked in respect of the violences of their lusts ignorance and malice For ignorāce is for the most part ioyned with malice then are ioyned together yet so that this ignorance proceedes from a corrupt desire of the heart Thence is it that the Hebrewes call all sinnes generally by the name of ignorances and thus Moses saith Oh that they were wise Deut. 32.29 Now euery one may easily bee drawne to subscribe to this by considering in himselfe with what crooked affections he is carried away for being once depriued of the light of holy doctrine and destitute of vndestanding the diuell sets vs going with such a head strongnesse that we neither feare Gods hand nor make any account of his holy word And that he may set vs ouer bootes and all as they say in the next place hee striues to take away from vs all hope of pardon which may be referred to the whole body of this people in general For albeit that a remnāt were preserued yet the wrath of God ceased not for all that to be inflamed against the whole multitude in generall Whereas the Prophet calles God the maker and former of Israel it is not meant as in respect of the creation of heauen and earth but because he made formed Israel his Church anew by the worke of regeneration Eph. 2.10 in which sense Saint Paul saith that we are the workemanship of God Chap. 17.7 as wee also haue shewed in another place Now the reason that moued Isaiah to speake thus was to aggrauate and to amplifie the measure of their vnthankfulnes to which they were growne shewing that they were iustly punished because they dishonoured and disreuerenced that God most shamefullie who had both formed and preserued them Vers 12. And * Or yet notwithstāding in that day shall the Lord thresh from the chanell of the riuer vnto the riuer of Egypt and yee shall bee gathered one by one O children of Israel IN this place the Prophet mitigates the sharpnesse of the former sentence for it was an horrible iudgement of God vpon this people to be left destitute of all hope of fauour or mercy The Hebrew particle Vau therefore should bee translated as it was in the tenth verse Notwithstanding or Neuerthelesse it shall come to passe in that day Also the Prophet vseth a similitude wherein he compares the gathering of the Church to corne that is threshed which is afterwards separated from the chaffe But what might mooue him to vse this similitude The poore captiues were so oppressed that they appeared no otherwise then as corne that is hidden and scattered vnder the chaffe The Lord was faine to diuide that which was hidden vnder this confused heape then as with a fan This similitude therfore of threshing out the corne doth very fitly resemble this gathering By the chanell of the riuer vnto the riuer hee meanes Euphrates and Nilus for the people were driuen partly into Caldea or Assyria and partly into Egypt for many fled into Egypt when the rest were carried captiue into Babylon Thus then he foretelles how the Lord wil gather his people from all quarters not onely from Caldea and out of the whole Vers 4. For his glorious beautie shall bee a fading flower which is vpon the head of the valley of them that bee fat and as the hastie fruite afore summer which while hee that looketh vpon it while it is in his hand hee eateth it It is not an easie matter to humble such as are besotted with the pleasures of this life Denys a tyrant of Sicilia HEe almost repeates the verie same words which were in the first verse for it is not an easie matter to humble and terrifie those that are besotted with the pleasures of this life whose eyes are hoodwincked by reason of abundance and prosperitie For Denys the second a tyrant of Sicilia became so bewitched that hee was ready to fall on his nose euer and anon because hee was an excessiue eater and drinker at great banquets and thus mens mindes are intoxicated through ouer much pampering of themselues with delicates so as they both forget God and themselues The Prophet then repeates one and the same thing twice to these that were so blockish and dull of hearing to the end they might vnderstand and beleeue that which otherwise would haue seemed incredible But hee yet adornes his speech by another goodly similitude which is verie fitting for his purpose for fruits that are hastilie ripe are best esteemed in regard they come first and giue some hope of a future increase but they last not long neither are they fit to keep And besides they are fit for none but great bellied women or for childrē or else for youths which being inordinate in their appetites deuoure them by and by Now he saith that such shall be the felicitie of the Israelites as if hee should say Your prosperitie wherein you so much reioice will not last very long but will be eaten vp in an instant Now looke what Isaiah threatens to the kingdome of Israel the same belongs also to all the world For men by their ingratitude are the cause that all the benefits which the Lord bestowes vpon them cannot come to ripenesse Why so Because wee abuse and corrupt them by our naughtinesse Thence it is that we bring forth hastie fruites of small continuance which otherwise might last to nourish vs a long space Vers 5. In that day shall the Lord of hostes be for a crowne of glory and for a diadem of beautie vnto the residue of his people HAuing spokē of the Kingdome of Israel he comes now to speake of the Tribe of Iudah and shewes that in the middest of this so fearefull a iudgement of God hee will alwaies cause his mercy to be felt So that howsoeuer the ten Tribes were gone and lost yet the Lord would reserue a remnant which should be consecrated vnto him that therein the crowne and the diadem of his glory and magnificence might be found that is to say The Church shall neuer be so disfigured but the Lord wil find a means to decke her with beautie and honour Cant. 1.4 the Church shall neuer bee so mangled and disfigured but that the Lord wil find a means to crowne and decke her with honour and glorie And yet I extend not this prophecie indifferentlie to all the Iewes but onely to the elect who were miraculously preserued from death for albeit
sudden change to approch which would cause them to reioyce And yet in taking away this hope from the wicked he signifies that vengeance is then neerest vnto them when they thinke least of it and whilest they promise themselues all prosperitie for when they shall say peace peace then shall sudden destruction ouerwhelme them as S. Paul saith 1. Thess 5.3 Vers 18. And in that day shall the deafe heare the words of the booke and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscuritie and out of darknesse HE promiseth as hath been said that the Church of God shall continue safe in the middest of these stormes for albeit the world should be shaken with infinite tempests and laid on heapes as if heauen and earth went together yet the Lord would conserue a little flocke and raise vp his Church againe as out of the middest of death This place ought greatly to refresh the wearie spirits of the Saints and to confirme their faith for is it not a miracle of miracles that so small an handfull of the faithfull amongst whom remaines the one and the same religion worship faith and meanes of saluation should be conserued among so many wrackes of Empires which happened here and there But it seemes that Isaiah contradicts himselfe for before he foretold that Gods people should be so besotted that they should haue none vnderstanding vers 11 12. and now on the contrarie hee saith that the deafe shall heare and that the blind shall see His meaning is then that the Church must first be chastised and purged not after an ordinarie or common fashion but so strangely that shee should seeme as good as vtterly extinct And therefore he saith In that day that is to say after God hath punished the wicked and cleansed his Church hee will not onely inrich the earth with store of fruits It is an happie thing when temporâ—ll blâ—ssings and inward renouation go together Men are not so fit to receiue coÌ„fort in the day of distresse as when the storme is ouer Wherein the true meanes of the Churches restauration coÌ„sists but with the renuing of the face thereof hee will also restore hearing to the deafe and sight to the blind to the end they may vnderstand his law For men had neither ere 's to see nor eares to heare withall as long as so horrible a iudgement lasted for all were so terrified and amased that none could vnderstand But when the plagues miseries should cease then the Lord would opeÌ„ the eies of that that were his to the end they might see imbrace the goodnes of God For this is the true way to effect the restauration of the Church namely in giuing sight to the blind and hearing to the deafe which Iesus Christ as we know not onely effected vpon mens bodies but especially vpon their soules Iohn 9. We through Gods infinit mercy haue had experience hereof euen in our times who haue been drawne out of that grosse darknesse of ignorance into which wee were plunged and hath brought vs out into the true light Psal 40. for our eyes haue receiued sight and our eares which before were close stopped vp haue been opened to vnderstand because the Lord hath pierced them to fit vs for his seruice True it is that the blessing which he mentioned in the 17. verse concerning the renuing of the earth was vnto them a good testimonie of their reconciliation but the illumination whereof he now speakes is much more excellent All Gods benefits will turne to our ruin without we be borne anew for without that all the gifts of God will not onely vanish away but will also turne to our ruine and destruction Now the Lord iustly attributes to himselfe alone so excellent and great a worke for it is not possible that those which are blind and deafe should recouer their sight and hearing by their owne power It appeares therefore that this is promised in particular to the elect onely because the greatest part of men doe alwaies lie wallowing and weltering in darknesse Vers 19. * Or Then the c. The meeke in the Lord shall receiue ioy againe and the poore men shall reioyce in the holie one of Israel THen the humble shall againe bee glad in the Lord. I translate this place thus whereas others expound The meeke shall continue to reioyce for the Prophet speakes not of the continuance of ioy but rather of a new ioy As if he should say Notwithstanding they be heauie and sorrowfull now yet I will giue them cause of gladnesse that they shall bee once againe filled with ioy He speakes of the humble in which note that we are prepared by afflctions to receiue Gods grace Afflictions prepares vs to receiue Gods grace for the Lord casts vs downe and humbles vs that hee may afterwards raise vs vp When he corrects his children then we ought not to bee discouraged but rather to meditate on this and the like sentences and to hope stil aboue hope And to coÌ„clude that after we haue suffered a little while Heauinesse may indure for a night but ioy comes in the morning God will in the end giue his Church ioy and consolation Moreouer we hence gather that which I touched before to wit that the grace of illumination is not common to all indifferently for albeit all dranke of the same cuppe of affliction All receiue not benefit alike by afflictions yet affliction humbled but a few to make them truely poore in spirit Vers 20. For the cruell man shall cease and the scornefull men shall be consumed and all that hasted to iniquitie shall be cut off NOw he expounds that more fully which was said in the former verse to wit that the restauration of the Church should consist in rearing vp those that were humbled and in shewing compassion to the poore But first of all that purgation of the Church whereof we haue spoken was necessarie for as long as God defers to execute his iudgements vpon the wicked that are mingled among the good they beare all the sway in the Church all things are corrupt and out of order God is neither worshipped nor serued as hee ought and religion it selfe is trodden vnder foote When the wicked then are either taken away or repressed then the Church recouers her first beauty and the faithfull feeling themselues disburthened of so manie miseries and calamities doe begin to leape for ioy In the first place he calles the cruell Artsim which word is diuersly expounded but the Prophet as I thinke makes a distinction betweene those who were not ashamed to commit their wickednesse openly and such who although they had some shew of goodnesse yet in the meane while were no better then the rest because they despised God in their hearts It may be also that he giues them two differing titles in regard that as theeues among men they spoiled oppressed and vexed giuing themselues leaue to commit what them listed
his people Where I haue translated He wil be exalted that he may be mercifull others turne it When he shall be mercifull But I thinke the first translation sutes best It seemes to vs sometimes that the Lord either sits idle in heauen or sleeps when he permits the wicked to offer violence to his people and the ordinarie phrase of the Scripture is that he sits still or is farre off when he defends not his Church When therfore he had let loose the raines to the Chaldeans to oppresse the Iewes they might haue thought he had beene asleepe Wherefore the Prophet saith that the Lord will exalt or raise himselfe againe and wil goe vp into his Iudgement seate What to doe That he may shew you mercie Where he saith Blessed are all those that wait for him this flowes from the former part of the sentence wherein he called the Lord the God of Iudgement When the Prophet speakes thus graciously of him it is that he might perswade and exhort the Iewes to hope and patience Hope and patience for the people were full of diffidence and were tossed to and fro with a maruellous vnquietnes and vexation of spirit Why so Their infidelitie pestered them so miserablie that they were not able with quiet minds to wait vpon God Well to remedie this vice A definition of hope he exhorts them to wait that is to hope Now hope is nothing else but the perseuerance of faith If they be blessed that wait for God those must needs be accursed that flee from him Without hope no happines nor saluation when we peaceablie wait for the accomplishment of Gods promises Where he saith Those shall be blessed that wait for him on the coÌ„trarie he signifies that such as suffer themselues to be ouerswayed with impatiencie and haue their refuge to wicked shifts shall be accursed and in the end shall perish for without hope in God there is neither saluation nor happines Vers 19. Surely a people shall dwell in Zion and in Ierusalem thou shalt weepe no more he will certainlie haue mercie vpon thee at the voice of thy crie when he heareth thee he will answer thee HE confirmes the former sentence to wit that the people shall indeed be afflicted but yet that in the end they shall returne vnto Zion But this was a matter very incredible especiallie after the ruin of Ierusalem and the whole land for then it seemed that all the people were coÌ„sumed yet the Prophet giues them a promise that the Church shall continue safe We must dwell in Zion and in Ierusalem if we will haue our requests heard and granted He begins at Mount Zion where the Temple was erected and saith that the Lord shall yet be there called vpon then he addes that it shall be also in Ierusalem thereby vnderstanding the spreading and increasing of the Church together with the restauration of such things as before were ruinated In the meane while he aduertiseth them that Ierusalem shall be repeopled because God had his dwelling there When he addes thou shalt weepe no more it is to shew that their lamentations should not last alwaies The Church that is all the faithfull should be in great heauinesse whilest they remained in so miserable and in so wofull an estate but Isaiah tels them that this their sorrow shall haue an end and in this sense is it said in Psal 126.9 that those which sow in teares shall reape in ioy The Lord often suffers vs to be pressed with wonderfull anguishes but in the end he will relieue vs and giue vs matter of gladnes to wit when he turnes the captiuitie of Zion The returning of ZioÌ„s captiuitie the matter of our true ioy for this is the true ioy of the faithfull Moreouer in as much as it is a thing very difficult to reioyce whilst the tokens of Gods iudgements present themselues to our view on euery side the Prophet sets the cause of ioy before vs in his mercie Our ioy flowes from Gods shewing of mercie for we may assure our selues that all ioy and reioycing shal returne and abound as soone as Gods anger shall be appeased towards vs according as we haue before alledged that famous saying of the Prophet Abacuck that in the middes of wrath the Lord remembers mercie Though God be most readie to shew mercie yet will he be sought vnto Ezek. 36 37. and neuer so farre afflicts his Church but he limits moderates and measures his blowes by iudgement Our Prophet likewise shewes by what meanes we may obtaine this grace in saying it shall be when God shall heare the voice of thy cry For in these words hee incites and prouokes the faithful to praiers and ardent sighes and groanes To demand pardon of God without sense of sin is the next way to depriue vs of this mercy here promised for if wee aske pardon of God and be not touched with repentance and remorse for our sinnes whence indeed this cry ought to proceed we are vtterly vnworthy to haue any mercy shewed vs. Would wee then haue the Church deliuered from death and restored vnto a prosperous estate no lesse theÌ„ if she were raised vp out of her graue Oh let vs cry vnto the Lord that hee may heare the voice of our cries No looking for succour without the affection of prayer sighes and groanes For alas if wee be void of the affection of praier how can wee looke for any succour of him To answere here signifies nothing else but that God wil cause vs to feele by experience both his helpe and fauour for the Lord answers vs not by voice but by the effects And yet let vs not thinke he will forthwith answer our crieâ— Why so Many times there is much weaknesse of ours mingled with them so as they be disordered by reason of our vnbridled passions he will assist vs when it shall be expedient for vs so as wee shall proue by experience that hee hath respected our saluation Vers 20. And when the Lord hath giuen you the bread of aduersitie and water of affliction thy raine shall be no more kept backe but thine eyes shall see thy raine HEe continues on his former speech confirming the hearts of the faithfull lest they should faint Patience begets hope of a good issue for patience alwaies begets hope of a better issue He therefore instructs them pâ—tiently to beare the chastisement to come because they should onely feele Gods wrath theâ—ein for a time but soone after the storme shâ—ll be blowne ouer hee promiseth them that ioy and deliuerance shall bee at hand See Hos 14 5 because God will turne his anger away from them I expound the latter Vau After that as if hee should say After you haue been thus afflicted Psal 30.5 then the Lord will blesse you for hee will change your mourning into ioy Whereas some take the word Raine for Instructer it agrees not with the text for albeit the
to florish with new frutefulnes Neither do I doubt but he alludes to that sentence of Dauid Send forth thy Spirit and they shall be created and thou wilt renew the face of the earth Psal 104.30 Now in regard that he also sets before them this signe as a token that God was reconciled vnto them he therewithall aduertiseth them that the restauration of the Church flowes only from his free grace who can abolish barrennes as soone as it pleaseth him in his fauor to distill some sweet dewes from aboue yea that he can do it in an instant because at the first he created all things of nothing as if they had been before The expositors doe diuerslie translate the latter part of this verse where he compares the desert to Carmell but as I haue shewed in the 29. Chapter vers 17. where there is the like phrase of speech it seemes to me that the Prophet simplie sets forth the effect of this restauration to wit that the abundance of all things shall testifie that God is indeed appeased towards his people For the places which were deserts before should be as Carmell which was a fat frutefull soile whence also it tooke his name Carmell also shall be as a desert that is to say so frutefull that if it be compared as it is now with that which it shal be one day it may well be called a desert for it is an amplification of the extraordinarie frutefulnes of it as if he should say The fields which now are laid fallow and beare nothing shall bring forth frutes and those which are tilled and are by nature apt to yeeld increase shall wax so frutefull that the abundance which is now vpon them is but barrennes in comparison of that which shall be hereafter As if we should compare the grounds of Sauoy with those of Sicilia or Calabria we would say that it were but a desert In a word he signifies that there shall be an incomparable frutefulnes which the faithfull shall enioy after they be reconciled vnto God and all because they may vnderstand what loue he beares them by lading them with so many benefits Now Isaiah so prophesieth here of Hezekias his kingdome that therewithall he referres all things to the kingdome of Christ as to the end and full accomplishment thereof Come we once to Christ then must we expound all these things spirituallie The second extent that so we may know we are renewed as soone as the Lord sends downe his spirit from aboue into our hearts of barren ground to make them frutefull For till we be inspired from aboue by this holy Spirit we are rightlie compared to deserts and parched grounds seeing we bring forth nothing but thornes and bushes and are vnfit naturallie to bring forth any good fruite Those therefore which in times past were fruitlesse being now regenerated by the Spirit of God shall begin in some measure to bring forth fruite vnto him and those who before had some outward shew of goodnes shall become so frutefull after they be thus regenerated by the holy Ghost that comparing the one estate with the other the first will be iudged but as a desert in respect of the latter for all the goodly works that men do before Christ hath regenerated them are but so many glorious sinnes Therefore when wee see the Church oppressed euen vnto death and that her condition seemes very lamentable let vs lift vp our eies to heauen and depend whollie vpon these promises Vers 16. And Iudgement shall dwell in the desart and Iustice shall remaine in the frutefull field THe Prophet heere teacheth wherein the true glorie of the Church consists Wherein the true glory of the Church consists to wit when Iustice and Iudgement gets the vpper hand for men are not to resemble beasts in seeking only after the abundance of earthlie and transitorie things By this it appeares sufficientlie that the Iewes were not held by the doctrine of the law in the hope of temporarie benefits only as some fantasticall spirits affirme but they were by it commanded to rest in that which was the principall to wit that Iustice and Iudgement should florish amongst them neither is it to be doubted but they knew well enough that true felicitie consisted therein We are therefore first of all to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and not to place our ioy and happines in the abundance of wheat and wine as hogges that feede in the trough For as Zacharie sings in Luk. 1.75 The end of our deliuerance from sinne and Satan and of all the blessings we receiue from God is that we should serue him in holines and in righteousnes all the dayes of our life By Iustice and Iudgement then he vnderstands all vprightnes as we haue often shewed before See vers 1. Which albeit they properlie concerne the equitie which we ought to vse one towards another notwithstanding because it is vsuall in the Scriptures by the duties of the second table to vnderstand the obseruation of the whole law the Prophet here vnder a part comprehends religion and the true seruice of God But the Prophets are wont especiallie to mention the duties of loue and those things that concerne the second table because we chieflie manifest vnto men thereby what affection and loue wee beare vnto God Now where he saith that Iustice and Iudgement shall also dwell in the desert as well as in the plowed fields it so much the better appeares that such plentie of blessings was promised that the beholding therof should put men in minde of that great increase which they had seene in the fields before was but barrennes now in respect thereof Vers 17. And the worke of Iustice shall be peace euen the * Or effect worke of Iustice and quietnes and assurance for euer EVen now he enuaied against that peace in which the Iewes were lulled asleepe See verse 9.10.11 But heere he promiseth a peace contrarie to that which shall be a testimonie of Gods loue towards them who will keepe them faithfullie after he hath receiued them into his fauour The close opposition betweene that brutish peace which the wicked thought they had gotten when they committed all sorts of wickednes whilest they lay snorting therein also without repentance and this peace which the children of God enioy by a godly and iust life is here to be noted For Isaiah stirres vs vp to couet after this latter and teacheth vs to be assured that those with whom God is appeased shal enioy a peace that is blessed and happie in deed Thus he sets integritie before them for the obiect of their desires They that would enioy an happie peace must labour after an innocent life that so they may attaine that peace which passeth vnderstanding for there is no better meanes to liue such a peaceable life as is free from anoyance then in absteining from euill and doing of good as S. Peter testifieth in
man in which respect he was superior to the very Angels for he represented the person of Iesus Christ Ezech. 21.26.27 Now albeit soone after his Throne was throwne downe and the Diadem torne in peeces yet was not this confirmation vaine that God would still for a time keepe the Citie because he would in no sort breake his promise made to Dauid in his truth Psal 132.11 touching the perpetuitie of his kingdome For wee know that his successors lost not the principalitie by the exile of the people till Christ came Iere. 30.9 Ezech. 37.24 who for this cause in Hosea 3.5 is called Dauid By this we see how ridiculous the Papists are Papists ridiculous in vrging the merits of Saints as a cause why God should pardon vs. whē they affirme we are pardoned by the merits of Saints for there is great difference betweene the Saints and Dauid in regard of the promise which was made vnto him He might as well haue named Abraham or any other renoumed Patriarke in the Church but because he now speakes of the Church and of the eternitie of Christes kingdome he speciallie names him whom aboue all others had expreslie receiued this promise Behold this is my rest here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein Psal 132.14 Seeing the Prophet then respects the promise The Prophet respects the promise not Dauids person and not the person the Papists then are worthilie branded with the name of absurd Doctors in thinking that the intercession of Saints a dreame of their owne deuising can be any whit confirmed by this place Nay that which they pretend here directlie crosseth their error for Dauid which is heere placed betweene beares the image of the only Mediator who abolisheth all newfound intercessions Reade 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Iohn 2.1.2 Vers 36. Then the Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the Camp of Asshur an hundreth fourscore and fiue thousand so when they arose earely in the morning Behold they were all dead corpses NOw the Prophet shewes what befell the Assyrian that wee might not thinke the Lords words to be but winde he testifies then that his prophesie tooke effect in deed that so they might be the better perswaded he was sent of God and had spoken nothing of his owne head But this so admirable a worke must not be restrained to this one prophesie alone but to the whole scope of his doctrine which by this miracle was authorised himselfe knowne to be the seruant of God and his calling ratified and confirmed For doubtlesse he annexeth this notable and rare example of Gods iustice as a thing then very fresh in mind to testifie to the end of the world that it was God which spake by his mouth But now where the Angell made this slaughter it appeares not The common opinion is that it happened whilest Ierusalem was besieged but it might well happen also in the way that is to say when Sennacherib came to lay siege against Ierusalem But I leaue it as a thing in suspence because it is of no great moment albeit we may easily iudge by the scope of the text that this Tyrant came not so neere that he could throw any of his darts against the Citie Moreouer we are to reiect an inuention of Satan who hath indeuored by help of prophane histories to darken so manifest and admirable a iudgement of God which affirme that part of Sennacheribs host died of the plague in the warres of Egypt by reason whereof he was inforced to returne home into his owne countrie But who will say that there died so many men of the pestilence in one night This father of lies according to his ancient custome honors the Egyptians with this miracle which God purposely wrought in fauor of his Church The fact it selfe makes it more then manifest that Ierusalem was miraculouslie deliuered as from the gates of death speciallie if we way the message which Isaiah brought as we haue seene before by which he apparantlie testified that God wrought this worke rather for the Iewes then for the Egyptians And lest any man should imagin this miracle came to passe by naturall causes it is expreslie added that all this multitude was slaine by the stroke of an Angell Now it is no vnwonted thing for God thus to vse the ministerie of Angels in procuring the safetie of the faithfull for whose sakes he hath created all the armies of heauen It also serues greatly for the confirmation of our faith when we see there are so many thousands of them which wait for our saluation The Lord himselfe is strong enough and his truth it is which onely keeps vs Rom. 8.38 For the Angels are but his hands as it were in regard whereof they are called powers and principalities Eph. 1.21 but hee prouides exceedingly for our weaknesse by giuing such celestiall ministers to be our gardians and protectors And yet the whole glorie must be ascribed to God alone we are to acknowledge the Angels but his instruments for otherwise wee should easilie slip into the error of the Papists who ascribing more then is meete to them doe rob God of his power to clothe them with it With which error also the learnedst men of our time haue bin bewitched as we know Now we cannot affirme certainly whether this were done by the hand of one or manie Angels neither is it much materiall for the Lord is able easily to effect one and the same thing by one or a thousand of them For he vseth not their ministerie as if hee stood in need of their helpe but rather to support our infirmitie as we haue said before yet it is most probable and answers best to the Prophets words that one Angell alone had commission to doe this seruice Euen as in the antient deliuerance one Angell passed thorow the land of Egypt in a night to slay their first borne Exod. 12.29 Sometimes God also executes his iudgements by wicked angels but he chose one of his voluntarie seruants here to deliuer his Church as by his hand An hundred fourscore and fiue thousand We are not to maruell that this was so great an armie as some ignorants doe who esteeme it but a fable when they heare tell of such an huge multitude of souldiers because a lesse number serues the turne now a daies But histories doe plainly testifie that the easterne people mannaged things cleane contrarie to vs and it is to bee seene among them yet at this day It was no maruell they brought so many forth to battel because they were much more inabled to indure cold and heat then wee they had more able bodies to labour they were more sparing in diet neither were they giuen to delicious and daintie fare with which vice our souldiers are corrupted As touching the manner of this discomfiture here is nothing set downe for certaine The Rabbines Rabbins too bold in coining fables without any testimony or likely coniecture affirme
deserued hee thanks him for it as we haue said in regard it was his dutie to accept of the present mercie offered howsoeuer the iudgement was deferred till after his death Truly wee for our parts are to performe all seruices to the age in which we liue and to haue speciall regard vnto it wee must not cast off all care for the time to come but it is our duties to imploy our vttermost indeuors for that which is present and now most presseth vpon vs. We ought to performe our seruices to the vtmost to that age in which we liue Wee which liue in these times together are more neerly conioined in affection by the Lord that by our mutuall communication wee might helpe one another as much as in vs lies It is also to be noted that in respect of Hezekias his sinne hee had iust cause to feare lest the Lord might againe shorten and cut off the course of his life which had been prolonged before euen when hee lay at deaths doore Hearing therefore the promise to be ratified and confirmed hee giues thanks to God and is the more patient in regard of the calamitie to come although it could not but bee irkesome and greeuous to him to thinke of it THE XL. CHAPTER Vers 1. Comfort yee Comfort yee my people will your God say The occasion of this prophecie NOw the Prophet enters vpon a new argumēt for he lets the people alone which made no vse neither of admonitions nor threatnings whatsoeuer in regard they were become maliciously desperate and turnes him towards the posteritie to come to signifie to those which should bee humbled vnder the crosse that they should not be left comfortlesse in the end no not in their deepest distresses It is very likely that this prophecie was written by him The time when this prophecie was written when the time of the captiuitie drew neere that after his death he might not leaue the Church behind him ouerwhelmed with greeuous calamities without hope of restauration Now albeit that to the same end hee hath before mingled threatnings and terrors with his prophecies The prophecies that wēt before respected those that then presently liued these that follow the estate of the Church to come yet it seemes hee had a principall regard to those that then liued but all that which followes hereafter toucheth the estate of the Church to come which was restored long after the Prophets death For he will now set downe a perpetuall doctrine which is not to bee restrained to any particular time seeing hee discourseth both of the beginning and progresse of Christs Kingdome Of so much the greater importance therefore ought this prophecie to bee vnto vs by how much the more it belongs particularly vnto vs for our vse For albeit wee may euidently discerne in the former prophecies Why the prophecies following ought to be more highly esteemed of vs then the ormer that the doctrine therein contained is proper vnto vs as well as to the Iewes yet in regard he now leaues the Iewes that then liued and speakes to their successors and indeede to all the faithfull to the worlds end it seemes indeede that the doctrines following are more peculiar vnto vs. The Lord meant therefore to awaken the hearts of the faithfull by this exhortation lest they should faint vnder so many calamities First then he speakes to the Iewes which soone after were to be led away captiues into miserable seruitude where they should be depriued both of the sacrifices and Prophets and left destitute of all consolation had not the Lord bin pleased to haue releeued them by the comfortable doctrines of these prophecies ensuing In the second place he directs his speech to the whole Kingdome of Christ which should succeed them soone after to the end they might then take heart vnto them when in all likelihood they might seeme in the eies of the world to be vtterlie forlorne But to the end his words might haue the more efficacie and might indeede come neere the heart he brings in God raising vp new Prophets whom hee commands to sweeten and asswage the dolours of his people by an amiable consolation The summe is The summe of this prophecie that after these poore banished exiles shall haue seemed to haue beene forsaken for a time that Gods fauour and louing kindnesse shall breake forth as out of the darknesse and the prophecies which were ceased should then be brought to light againe Now to amplifie this their ioy he vseth the plurall number Comfort yee thereby shewing that he will not send one or two but many by troopes which also came to passe indeed wherein also we may more cleerly behold the infinite loue and mercy of God Moreouer it is diligently to be obserued that the verbe is put in the future tence will your God say Which some expositors translate in the present tence or in the preterperfect tence but therein they both change and corrupt the sense for the Prophet closly notes out the time wherein the people should be greeuously afflicted as if God had not seene them at all For howsoeuer the Lord at that time left them not destitute of hope touching their deliuerance by sending some Prophets vnto them yet in regard he deferred them long and that whilest they were miserably persecuted and in a maner halfe dead this consolation had no great efficacie till they saw some euident signes of their returne Comfort ye comfort ye The verb Comfort therefore is to be applied to the present time which being twice repeated not only confirmes the truth of the prophesie but also sets forth the power and efficacie of it as if he should say in this message there shall be a full perfect and perpetuall occasion of gladnes But especiallie they were to retaine the futurtence will your God say for in these words there lies hid a close opposition betweene that dolefull silence whereof I haue spoken and that comfortable doctrine which came in place of it This prophesie is like to the complaint of the Church Psal 74. Wee see not our signes our Prophets are not and there is none left that can tell vs how long in which we know she laments as one left destitute of true consolation because she could heare no promise of comfort in her distresses The Prophets meaning in this place then is The Lord will not suffer you to be left destitute of Prophets which shall comfort you in your extreame aduersitie for then he will raise vp men to whom he wil giue that commission which you haue so long desired and then will he shew he hath care of you Now I referre this verb will say not only to the captiuitie of Babylon but to the whole time of our deliuerance which comprehends in it the kingdome of Christ vntill his last cōming We must adde that he will say to the Prophet◠whom he will ordeine for this purpose for in vaine shal they vtter
the Prophet applies that which he said before to his purpose for albeit he hath spoken generallie yet he respected a certaine end that so he might fit his speech to the purpose in hand lest the Iewes should be troubled with this fained vvisdome of the Chaldeans and so be brought to doubt whether God would at any time deliuer them or no. He opposeth their vaine predictions then to Gods promises Gods promises opposed to vaine predictions that no man should thinke this Monarchie was vtterlie exempt frō danger Now the promise was this Babylon shall fall Chap. 21.9 But my people shall be set at libertie The Chaldeans derided these promises as if they should thus haue said Must wee needs fall A sort of wise men no doubt as if we could not foresee that by the starres if any such thing should happen The Lord therefore saith that he will raise vp that is to say will accomplish that which he hath promised and will bring such things to passe as the wise men neither yet had nor were able to coniecture For the scorners esteemed no better of these prophesies then of an vnprofitable sound which should forthwith vanish Against such an opinion hee opposeth the word to raise therby shewing that God would cause his word to be beleeued The name seruant may be vnderstood of all the Prophets vnlesse we had rather say that Isaiah is chieflie heere specified as the most apparent witnes and messenger of this deliuerance But there is no neede why we should restraine this to one in particular seeing it is a thing common to them all being all called by one and the same name of Ambassadors or messengers of God for he had sent many vnto them that by a mutuall consent they might the better vphold the faith of the people Vnder the word counsell he comprehends Gods decrees but not all for it is vnlawfull to sound the depth of those secrets which he hath not reuealed to his seruants but when he discouers that which he hath purposed to doe wee ought to receiue the same with as great reuerence as if God himselfe had opened his most secret counsels from heauen See Deut. 29.29 Let men beware then how they giue scope to their appetites to enquire further of things then God hath reuealed by the mouth of his Prophets To be short his meaning is to commend the authoritie of his word which is vttered by the ministrie of men Wha◠authoritie God giues to his Ministers and that no lesse then if they reuealed to vs the eternall counsels of God Which saith to Ierusalem After the Prophet hath spoken generallie he fits his speech in as particular a sort as he can to the present purpose touching Gods promises for otherwise the people could haue reaped little fruit by them He names Ierusalem therefore expreslie to giue them to vnderstand that it should be restored In this therefore we are especially to obserue Gods power in that he is able as oft as need is miraculously to defend yea and raise vp his Church euen from the gates of death Doe we beleeue that he is true and almightie The Church shall alwaies continue Then may we be assured that there shall alwaies bee a Church and when sorrowfull times approch towards vs let vs hope that hee will speedily redresse all disorders for that which is heere said to Ierusalem appertaines to the whole Church If we be inforced at this day then to see her lie in the dust and her towers cast to the ground so as nothing but pitifull desolations euerie where appeare let vs build vpon this promise that God in his time will build and repaire the decaied places thereof and bring her to her perfect hue Vers 27. He saith to the deepe Be dry and I will dry vp thy floods SOme thinke the Prophet describes Babylon here vnder a figure neither doe I denie but it may be heere comprehended yet I cannot allow that it should be onely restrained to her For I had rather take it for some vnexpected mutation because hee shewes there will be a necessitie of such a rare chāge as if the people were to be drawne out of the bottome of the sea but he resolues them that God will be omnisufficient to ouercome all lets and impediments As I thinke therefore Isaiah rather alludes to that first deliuerance at what time God brought the people out of Egypt through the midst of the sea as if he should say I haue done this for your fathers hope for the like at my hands now and thinke not that the waies through which you are to passe homeward Experience should breed hope in vs. shall be stopped vp against you Vers 28. He saith to Cyrus Thou art my shepheard and hee shall performe all my desire saying also to Ierusalem Thou shalt bee built and to the Temple Thy foundations shall surelie bee laid The certaintie of the prophecies THis is an excellent place In which wee may consider not onely the admirable prouidēce of God but also a worthy testimonie of the truth and authoritie of his promises for Cyrus Cyrus was named here a long time before he was borne How may that be proued There was betweene the death of Manasses who put Isaiah to death and the birth of Cyrus more then an hundred yeeres But say he had now been borne who could haue foretold that hee should haue come to Babylon 2. Pet. 1.21 frō the furthest mountaines in Persia These things are worthy our obseruation then for they shew that Isaiah spake not by the will of man for who would euer haue thought that one called Cyrus should come with maruellous swiftnesse from the remotest and most barbarous parts of the world to deliuer Gods people Whereas scoffers obiect Obiect that the Iewes might forge this after all was come to passe it is so sottish and absurd a cauill Ans that it needes no refutation For during the captiuitie the Iewes turned ouer these bookes to confirme their hope touching their deliuerance who doubtlesse had been put cleane out of heart if the Lord had not comforted them by these such liuely promises which were as goodly monuments left to strēgthen the minds of the faithfull in faith and hope Neither doe I doubt but Cyrus himselfe was much amazed when he vnderstood that God had appointed him to be the shepheard and leader of his people Israel yea it is verie likely also that it greatly inflamed his heart with such a loue towards the Iewes that it framed him with readinesse of mind to furnish the Iewes with victuals and other necessaries for their iourney Thus the Lord points him out with his finger by whose hand he determined to redeeme his people that so they might not gaze here and there for help in their perplexities And saith to Ierusalem This is the conclusion which confirmes the former things and all to assure them that Ierusalem should vndoubtedly be built
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
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
that Christ hath suffered for vs that now we might inioy the fruit of his death He makes expresse mention of the trespassers to aduertise vs that it is our duties to runne with boldnesse to the crosse of Christ when the dread and horror of sinne affrights vs. For for such is he an aduocate and intercessor without which our transgressions would hinder vs from approching neâ—re to the maiestie of God THE LIV. CHAPTER Vers 1. Reioice O barren that didst not beare breake forth into ioy and reioice thou that didst not trauel with child for the * Or widow desolate hath mo children then the married wife HAuing handled the doctrine of Christs passion From the doctrine of Christs passion deâ—th the Prophet turnes his speech to the Church that she might seâ—k the fruit and efficacie thereof hee now fitly turnes his speech to the Church to the end we might feele in our selues the efficacie of his death For we cannot perceiue it in Christ if we consider him by himselfe and therefore wee must come presently vnto his Church which is his body because hee suffered for it not for himselfe This order wee know is obserued in the articles of our Creed For hauing confessed that vve beleeue in Iesus Christ vvâ—o suffered and vvas crucified for vs we adde J beleeue the Church which hath issued as it were out of his side Gen. 2.1 22 23. And therefore after Isaiah hath deliuered the doctrine of Christs sufferings of his resurrection and triumph he descends now in due season to mention the Church which can neuer be separated from her head to teach all the faithfull from theiâ— oâ—ne experience that Christ hath not suffered in vaine If he had omitted this doctrine the faithfuâ—l could not so well haue confirmed their hearts in the hope of the restauration of the Church Now this exhortation to reioicing plainely shewes that after Chirst by his death shall haue got the conquest ouer death sinne and hell that hee shall not liue so much for himselfe but that he therewithall will inspire life into the members of his body He calles his Church barren Barren because shee seemed to haue none issue whilest this wofull seruitude lasted And indeed if a man had onely looked vpon her outward estate hee would surely haue iudged her neere to destruction Moreouer besides the misery that appeared externally there was nothing sound within all were corrupted and defiled with superstitions They had also prophaned themselues with the idolatries of the heathen Neither contents hee himselfe to call her barren A widow but he also termes her a vvidow although one of them had been sufficient enough to haue taken from her all hope of posteritie But when both are ioined together what was to bee expected but an horrible desolation Notwithstanding he exhorts the people to bee of good courage in the midst of so many miseries for she that is desolate Desolate shall haue more children then the maried vvife This place may bee expounded two waies either that the Church is compared to the Gentiles which florished like a woman that had an husband or to the estate she was in before her captiuitie both senses wil agree well But I had rather follow one lesse constrained for I doe not thinke the Prophet makes a comparison heere betweene two estates But it is rather a forme of speech vsuall with him to signifie the extraordinarie fruitfulnesse of the Church that so we should not iudge of her according to the order of nature Why so Because God will worke in his behalfe wonderfully and miraculously And yet I confesse that shee was then in widowhood for long time before God had put her away by his Prophets and sued out a diuorce betweene him and his people which was then effected when he banished them out of their country But the Prophet pronounceth that this iudegemnt shall bee temporarie as wee shall more fully perceiue heereafter Vers 2. Inlarge the place of thy tents and let them spread out the curtaines of thine inhabitation spare not stretch out thy cords and make fast thy stakes 3. For thou shalt increase on the right hand and on the left and thy seede shall possesse the Gentiles and dwell in the desolate Cities HEe prosecutes his argument vnder other figures A prosecution of the former doctrine vnder other figures and promiseth that the Lord will not onely restore his Church but will also dignifie her with a more excellent estate Those who thinke that there is a comparison heere betweene the Church and the Synagogue are deceiued as I thinke Neither doe they ought else heereby then confirme the Iewes in their obstinacie who perceiue well enough that violence is offered to the sense of this text by such an exposition For mine owne part I doe indeede confesse that these things appertaine to the kingdome of Christ and that they were then onely fulfilled from the publishing of the Gospell But it doth not therefore follow that the Prophet should not also respect that time which went before Christs comming for the accomplishment of this prophecie beganne vnder Cyâ—us who gaue the Gospell leaue to returne then it extended it selfe to the comming of Christ in whom it receiued the full accomplishment The Church then conceiued when the people returned home for at that time the body of the people was gathered of whom Christ should be borne that so the pure worship of God and his true religion might againe be planted amongst them I grant this fruitfulnes did not then appeare for the conception was hid as it were within the mothers wombe which outwardly could not be any whit discerned But after the people multiplied and after the birth they were at the first like a child then they grew to mans estate euen till the publishing of the Gospel The infancie of the Church Which time indeed was the true infancie of the Church Afterwards she grew to womans estate and shall so continue euen till Christs last comming The perfect estate of the Church when all things shall be set in their perfect estate Wee must therefore comprehend all these things together if we wil attaine to the true meaning of the Prophets words And in this sense it is that Zacharie Malachi and Haggai doe incourage the people touching the hope of their estate to come whilest they thought they lost so much time in reedifying the Temple Zach. 2.5 Hag. 2.7 Mal. 4.2 For they promised that the glory of the second Temple should bee more glorious then the first but yet this was not perceiued And therefore they extended these promises to Christ for it was needfull they should be sustained with the expectation of him and with the assurance of his comming in the building of the Temple This consolation then was common both to the Iewes that liued vnder the Law and to vs who now see this restauration of the Church in Christ more euidently Of thy tents This is
him that bringeth forth an instrument for his worke and haue created the destroier to destroy THe Lord sheweth how easie it is for him to deliuer his Church from the wicked enterprises of his enemies God knowes how to work well by euill instruments for they can accomplish no more then that which hee permits them to doe yea he vseth them as his instruments to chastise his children withall Now this may as fitly bee referred to the Chaldeans as to the rest of their enemies which afterward molested the chosen people of God If wee receiue the first sense God plainly shewes that in a moment hee can chase them away whom he hath brought together and bring them downe whom hee hath exalted And if we referre it to Antiochus and his like the sense will not be much different to wit that euen those shall not hurt as they would for they shall not so much as remooue their least finger without Gods leaue Obiect But doth not the Prophet seeme to contradict himselfe For in the former verse hee said that the wicked should assaile the church vvithout the Lord and heere hee shewes that they fight as it were vnder his colours and that vnder his conduct and authoritie they waste and destroy the Church I answere Ans we must consider the opposition namely that the Lord had raised vp the Babylonians to scatter the Church for wee are to note the similitude of the deluge mentioned in the ninth verse whereby he signified an vtter destruction so as the Church was then in a maner cleane wasted by the Babylonians whom he vsed for that seruice But he there protests to moderate his indignation so as he will neuer suffer the enemy to abolish his Church againe though for a time he giue the same ouer to be chastised by their hand Indeed that is the enemies drift for they imploy the vtmost of their power and force to bring the Church to confusion and vtter ruine but the Lord represseth their rage in regard they doe it without him vers 15. that is to say VVithout his commandement Some expound that the Smith is created for his worke that is to say to practise his owne death and the destroier to destroy himselfe But I thinke the first sense is more simple where the Lord saith that hee createth the destroier it is not onely referred to their nature as they are borne men but to the act of destroying and yet wee must not lay the blame vpon God as if he were the author of the vniust crueltie which remaines in men for God consents not with their wicked will but disposeth of their indeuors by his secret prouidence and vseth them as the instruments of his wrath But we haue handled this matter in another place Vers 17. But all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise against thee in iudgement thou shalt condemne This is the heritage of the Lords seruants and their righteousnesse is of mee saith the Lord. HE againe repeates that which was noted before namely that the wicked shall lose their labours let them plot as much as they will for their violent determinations are conducted and held short by the secret counsell of God Now he vseth the particle All signifying that the wicked should haue meanes of all sorts and in great number to worke the Churches ouerthrow but all should vanish like smoke because the Lord would represse them God indeede permits them to worke their wils for the triall of the faithfull but after patience hath had her perfect worke in them he strippeth the wicked of all the force and power in which they trusted Now hauing spoken in generall of the vveapons and instruments of warre wherewith the vngodly inuade the Church The tongue a pestilent enemie hee names the tongue expresly which is the most pestilent and deadly weapon of all Iames 3.8 For the wicked content not themselues to rent and teare the seruants of God by outrages and slanders but they also labour as much as in them is to extinguish the truth of God and to alienate mens mindes from the loue of it and this ought more to pierce and wound our hearts then if we were to lose our liues an hundred times Adde also that good men are more deeply wounded with false imputations then with the deepest gash that can be giuen them with a sharpe sword and therefore we must not ouerpasse this mortall and deadly weapon of the tongue Afterwards when hee addes that these tongues rise vp in iudgement it is to shew that the wicked shall be so bold and insolent that they shall maliciously prouoke and molest the children of God yea they shall doe it in iudgement for they couer themselues vnder goodly pretences that they may make the world beleeue their cause is exceeding good As when the Papists call vs dogs heretikes and schismatikes they plead against vs in iudgement as you would say and will be esteemed the defenders of the Catholike faith though they onely be the vpholders of idolatry and lies And yet their accusations are painted ouer with such colours that so they may make vs the more odious among them who are ignorant of our iust cause But admit they assaile vs with open violence by the smitings of the tongue Ier. 18.18 or with any other weapon yet let vs not doubt but we shall be more then conquerours as this prophecie witnesseth for the victorie is heere promised vs. Seeing therefore we may be bold to relie vpon the truth of it let vs buckle our selues to the combat with a stout and inuincible courage This is the heritage Hee shewes that the Lord hath giuen this to his seruants as it were by the right of their inheritāce whereof they shall not be defrauded for as there is no title so sure as that of an inheritance so he also shewes that the seruants of the Lord ought to assure themselues of this priuiledge aboue any thing in the world besides namely of his protection and perpetuall safegard by which he defends and keepes all his from all dangers whatsoeuer Righteousnesse is heere taken for that which we commonly call Their right To conclude his meaning is Leur droit that the Lord will shew himselfe the protector of his Church that he may maintaine their innocency As oft then as men offer vs any violence let vs learne to run straightway to God for in regard we seeke to other helpes it comes to passe that wee are destituted of his defence and protection THE LV. CHAPTER Vers 1. Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money A generall summons THE Prophet here greatly magnifies and extols Gods goodnes which should be spread abroad largely and in greater abundance then was wont vpon the Church vnder the kingdome of Christ vnto whose
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
her forlorne chiefly in respect her roote lay hidden That she might sprout a fresh then the Prophet saith that God will play the husband man namely in replanting that which was withered after it was plucked vp by the rootes In a word hee signifies that the deliuerance of the Church out of this miserable seruitude shal be an admirable worke of the Lord and not of men in regard she shall be raised vp as it were from death And truly that which belongs to the heauenly life is not giuen vs by nature nor obtained by our industry but flowes vnto vs and proceedes from Gods free bountie Euery one of vs also oght to apply vnto himself in particular that whcih is here said of the whole Church in generall for we were planted of God before the foundations of the world Eph. 1.4 and afterward incorporated and called to the end we might haue assurance of our election and plantation The wicked were neuer planted of God and therefore Christ pronounceth that those whom his heauenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked vp Mat. 15.13 To cōclude the end wherefore we be planted The end why we are planted is by and by added namely that wee might set forth the praise of God and tell of his wonderfull workes as we are taught verie well by Paul in Eph. 1.12 And by Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2.9 Vers 22 A little one shall become as a thousand and a small one as a strong nation I the Lord will hasten it in due time HE confirmes that which he hath alreadie said A confirmation of that which was said before namely that albeit they were few in number yet the Church of God should bee plentifully replenished with people When the Prophet foretolde these things there were great multitudes of people but in short time after they were so diminished that the remainders were very few as we haue seene in the first and tenth Chapters yet this small number saith he shal so increase that in processe of time it shall become an infinit people of great power Let vs know then that whatsoeuer was said vnto the Iewes in this behalfe Vse is also said vnto vs at this day For howsoeuer we be but a poore handfull of people and seeme to bee neere our vtter ruine yet the Church cannot perish but shall grow and increase to a great multitude because it is the planting of God vers 21. which we must not esteeme of by outward appearances nor by the force or multitudes of men I the Lord. Now the Prophet shews to what end all his former speeches haue tended namely that we should not resemble God vnto men whose counsels and indeuors easilie vanish and come to nothing If they would take vpon them to alter the state of the world or of a kingdome alas they could doe nothing but the Lord can change all these things in a moment He speakes not then of an ordinary gouernment but of a rare and admirable worke whereby the Lord will deliuer and multiply his Church In the end of the verse he promiseth to hasten the accomplishment of this worke but he addes a particle that is worthy to bee noted touching the time of the Church For the relatiue is in the feminine gender so as they who refer it vnto God are deceiued And those who translate In his time are the cause of this error in regard this word His is ambiguous The Prophets meaning is that there is an appointed time set in which the Church should be deliuered And thus hee exhorts the faithfull vnto patience that they should not fall away but rather depend vpon the vnchangeable decree of God who hath skill enough to dispose of the moments of times First of all thē he notes the fit time wherein it shall be most for the Churches profit to be deliuered We cannot iudge of this for we would haue God doe that which hee hath promised out of hand and if he foreslow the time we storme But he defers for our good in respect that the fit time is not yet come Afterwards he speakes of hastening because we imagin that the Lord is asleepe or takes his ease when hee deferres And yet hee hastens to execute all things according to that time and season which he alone knowes to be fittest THE LXI CHAPTER Vers 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is vpon me therefore hath the Lord anointed me hee hath sent me to preach good tidings vnto the poore to bind vp the broken hearted to preach libertie to the Captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison That which is here said appertaines to Christ as the head and all the Prophets and Apostles as his seruants FOr as much as Christ expoundeth this place of himselfe Luk. 4.18 therefore the interpreters doe without any difficultie restraine it vnto him holding it for a principle that Christ is here brought in speaking as if these things onely appertained vnto him The Iews scoffe at such who inconsiderately haue attributed to Christ alone the things which doe also agree to the rest of the Prophets To speake then what I thinke it seemes to me that this Chapter is added as a seale vnto the former This Chapter is added as a seale vnto the things before going thereby to confirme that which hath been said hitherunto touching the restauration of the Christian Church And that to this end Christ protesteth that God hath anointed him which is the cause that he and that very iustly appropriates this prophesie vnto himselfe in regard hee hath exhibited that to vs clearely and manifestly which others haue taught obscurely Yet this hinders not but that this sentence may in like manner agree to the rest of the Prophets whom the Lord hath also anointed For they spake not in their owne names neither did they execute their offices from their priuate authoritie but they shewed foorth the authoritie and office of Christ to whom it not onely belongs to publish these things but also to fulfill them This place then must be thus vnderstood namely that Christ who is the Prince of the Prophets obtaines the chiefe place among thē and that it is he only who manifests all that which is here mentioned also that Isaiah with the rest of the Prophets and the Apostles are his seruants euery one of them imploying thēselues to the vtmost in preaching and publishing the benefits which we receiue frō him So as that which Isaiah hath said should be finished by Christ wee now see it accomplished by the effects For this cause he hath anointed me This second member was added in stead of an exposition For first it would haue been obscure to vs If he had concealed the cause vvherefore God had giuen him his Spirit but now wee may euidently perceiue his meaning when he shewes the vse thereof namelie that hee exerciseth a publicke office that so hee may not bee taken as some priuate person
to such a cleere knowledge of it It is as much then as if he had said The Lord will so deliuer and restore his Church that all shall know his righteousnesse for deliuerance is an excellent testimonie thereof He addes praise in respect that such a benefit ought to be accompanied with thanksgiuings for the end of righteousnesse is Gods glory And therefore he exhorts vs to beware of ingratitude seeing it were too vnworthy a thing to haue our lippes shut vp after the receiuing of so many benefits from God THE LXII CHAPTER Vers 1. For Zions sake I will not hold my tongue and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest vntill the righteousnesse thereof breake forth as the light and the saluation thereof as a burning lampe The causes of these oftē repetitions IN regard that this sorrowfull exile approched neere which should in a maner vtterly extinguish the name of this people it was needefull for the faithfull to bee confirmed and hartened with many words that in sure and stedfast confidence they might bee supported with these promises vnder the heauie burthen of the Crosse In this verse the Prophet discharging that office which was committed vnto him plainely protests that hee vvill no vvay be idle in the performance of his dutie neither vvill he cease to speake till he hath cheered vp the hearts of the faithfull in the hope of their saluation to come that they might know and bee perswaded that God would deliuer his Church For himselfe good man might be discouraged in beholding the peoples incredulitie and might be driuen to forsake all in regard he knew things would grow euerie day worse and worse Adde also that he well foresaw this horrible vengeance to bee at hand But as one vtterly neglecting all these incumbrances hee notwithstanding vowes a constant perseuerance in his course to signifie vnto all that neither the common calamitie nor yet the peoples diffidence should be able to hinder God from the performance of his promises when the appointed time thereof was come Now it was needfull that these things should be often repeated vnto them because the peruersitie of our minde is such that we presently forget Gods promises In that he saith he vvill not hold his peace he therewithall admonisheth others also of their duties that they might be couragious and with assurance of faith to wait for their redemption though it were deferred for a time yea that their hope should not cease to answer Gods voice which sounds continually in their eares We haue daily experience of the necessitie of this dutie when Satan labours with might and maine to turne our feete out of the right way Thus then the Prophet not onely shewes what hee himselfe would doe but by his example teacheth what end all faithfull Ministers should propound vnto themselues to wit What ought to be our principall care wholly to imploy their vtmost indeuors for the benefit of the Church For when he saith for Zions sake it is to shew that our principall care ought to extend it selfe about the procuring of the perpetuall safetie and prosperous estate of the Church as also that such deserue not the titles of good and faithfull Pastors vnlesse they haue taken the care of her welfare so to heart that they refuse no paines whatsoeuer for the bringing thereof to passe Some referre these words to praiers but I had rather referre it to preaching and so the sense agrees best namely that the Prophet will not be discouraged for any incumbrance or iniurie that he should meete withall in the way neither would he suffer his zeale to bee cooled for any impediment whatsoeuer from pursuing his office of publishing that which God had inioined him touching the Churches deliuerance For had he liued vntill this wofull desolation fell out no doubt but hee should haue suffered many outrages by reason of the multitudes infidelitie as well as other Prophets did But what euer came hee protests that he is fortified with such inuincible constancie that he will neuer be ashamed for any disgraces that men shall offer him but will manfully hold on his course By this phrase of speech also he shewes that his prophecies are all true and therefore addes the more authoritie vnto them that after his death they might neuer cease to sound in the eares and hearts of the faithfull Hee takes righteousnesse for the Churches right which during the time of her affliction seemed to be condemned Her righteousnesse brake forth and appeared then when shee was restored vnto her perfection and had recouered her first estate for this righteousnesse was hid as long as they were captiues Saluation is coupled with righteousnesse for whom God iustifies or maintaines their right such recouer their saluation by the same meanes Hence we gather that wee are most miserable and succourlesse whilest God withdrawes his grace in regard of our frowardnesse The Prophet therefore in other places hath attributed that righteousnes vnto God which he now saith belongs vnto the church Wee are vndone then when we are depriued of Gods grace that is to say whilest wee lie snorting in our sinnes and God manifests his iust iudgement in punishing vs for them Moreouer the verbe to breake forth signifies that the righteousnesse of the Church was hidden and buried as it were for a time Truly shee deserued to haue been consumed and brought to nothing before God Nay more then that her great iniquities were come to such an height that there was nothing to be expected but the iust vengeāce of God Verily it was so in respect of men who gaue the Church thus afflicted for lost and by their pride and crueltie deiected her euen almost to the bottome of hell To be short he compares her with the world in respect whereof she is righteous when hauing been purged from her filthinesse God beginnes to take her cause into his owne hands By this then the Prophet aduertiseth vs alwaies to hope well touching the restauration of the Church though for a time she be plunged into an horrible darknes yea euen into death it selfe For howsoeuer for a moment she seemes to be ouerwhelmed and forlorne yet hath she God still for her defence in the heauens who after he hath corrected her in measure as it is in Chap. 27.8 will at last manifest the care he hath ouer her For it must needes be that his righteousnesse should breake forth and be manifested namely in the saluation of such as he hath chosen for his people and heritage Vers 2. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousnesse and all Kings thy glorie and thou shalt bee called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name NOw he shewes more fully The reason of the Prophets vehemencie in verse 1. why hee protested before that hee would not hold his tongue euen because the faithfull might bee assured that saluation was not promised them in vaine Glory is heere taken for saluation In this place
6. 10. 29. 10 11. and 42. 19. 21 Blood taken for inhumanitie 59. 3 Bloods for murther 35. 15 Bloods of the earth what 26. 21 Booke taken for the Law it selfe 34. 16 How the books of the Prophets were gathered 30. 8 Booke of life what 4. 3 Reprobates not written in it 4. 3 To render into their bosome what 65. 6 Brags of the wicked 59. 4 Proud bragging of the Iewes 57. 4. 65. 15 Brags of Papists 1. 30. and 29. 14. and 36. 19. and 45. 20. and 49. 21. and 62. 5 Branch put for the strongest 9. 14 Bread and wine taken for ordinary food 33. 16 Not bread but Gods blessing that nourisheth 3. 1 Gentiles become brethren of the Iewes 66. 20 Brethren falsly so called 66. 5 The hurt that comes by taking bribes 1. 23. 5. 23 Burden what is signifies 13. 1. and 14. 28 Buriall a signe of the last resurrection 14. 18 The care of buriall not to be condemned 22. 17 Whether the depriuation of buriall is to bee esteemed a curse of God 14. 8. See more of this in 14. 20. and 22. 17. C CAines repentance 26. 11 Why Isaiah laments the calamity of the church 15. 4. and 16. 9. and 21. 3 Why we are called into the Church 56. 7 Calling of Christ what 49. 1 Calling of God cannot be disanulled 63. 19 What efficacie is in Gods calling 11. 12 Calling of the Gentiles foretold 2. 3 4. and 11. 10. and 12. 5. and 14. 1 2. and 19. 22 23. and 25. 7. and 26. 15. and 42. 4. 6. 11. and 45. 22 23 25. and 49. 6. 12. 21. and 52. 8. 15. and 54. 5. and 55. 4 5. and 56. 3. 7. and 60. 9. and 65. 2. and 66. 19 20. The certaintie of our calling 65. 2 The end of our calling 43. 21. and 55. 5. and 56. 6. and 60. 21. and 61. 3. and 63. 8. The calling of the Gentiles admirable to the Apostles 56. 3 Isaiahs calling confirmed the second time 6. 1 No man ought to take vpon him the office of teaching vnlesse he be called 61. 1 God hath neuer been called vpon as a Father in the Church otherwise then by Christ 63. 16. and 65. 24. To call what it signifies 44. 5 To be called of God 43. 1 Canaan a pledge of adoption to Abrahams posteritie 14. 1 Captiuitie in Babylon a kind of diuorce 50. 1. 54. 5 Why compared to a deluge 54. 9 Why to darknesse and death 9. 2 Carmel a fruitfull soile 10. 18. 33. 15. The cause from whence all Gods benefits proceed 63. 9 Ceremonies must not bee separate from the word 1. 11 Not simply required in respect of themselues 1. 11 Why ceremonies were instituted 1. 13 Why reiected 1. 11 Why necessary 1. 11 Of themselues considered apart vaine and friuolous 66. 2 Vse of ceremonies 1. 11 Abolishing of ceremonies 2. 3 Vaine ceremonies established in the Papacie in stead of sacraments 20. 2 Ceremonies of the Law obolished and how 66. 23 Chapters ill diuided 4. 1. 14. and 10. 33. and 14. 28. and 24. 17. and 46. 1. and 53. 1. and 58. 1. and 64. 1. Chaldea signified by the word Desert and why 21. 1 Chaldeans seuere cruell compared to the Egyptians 5. 29. 52. 4 Chamos an Idoll of the Moabites 15. 2 No change in God 14. 17 Change of kingdomes comes of God 19. 1. and 22. 21. 41. 4. 51. 6. Change of the number vsed among the Hebrewes 23. 6 A change of the person 42. 24 Charra a citie 37. 12 Chariots had a double vse of old 22. 6 Why the chastisement of the wicked is deferred 10. 13. 13 6. 18. 5. 26. 1. 28. 24. 25. 63. 4. 65. 6. 56. 66. 18. Vnto vs a child is borne 9. 6 In what sense the Church is said to bring forth a man child 66. 7 In what sense the word child is taken 3. 4 A child vnthankfull to his father a double monster 1. 2 All the children of the Church taught of God 54. 13 Why God giues children 38 9 Children not punished for their fathers offences 14. 21. 43. 27. 65. 7 Christ God eternall 2. 4. 6. 1. 10. 8. 14. 9. 7. 25. 9. True man 7. 15. 11. 2. 42. 1. 53. 11. Wonderfull 9. 6 Why worshipped in the Church 60. 14 Altar of the faithfull 56. 7 Soule of the Law 29. 11 Author of peace 57. 19 Onely author of righteousnesse 53. 11 Head of the Church 54. 1 Head of the faithfull 25. 9 Counseller 9. 6 Why called Dauid and the sonne of Dauid 37. 35. and 45. 1. Why called Immanuel 7. 14. 8. 10 Iudge of the whole world 32. 6 Light of the faithfull 42. 6 Mediator betweene God and man 8. 10. 19. 20. 37. 35. 49. 8. 53. 12. 63. 17. 65. 24. Physitian of soules 53. 4 Why sent of God 42. 7 Exposed to the wickeds reproches 53. 9 Father of eternitie and why 9. 6 Cornen stone 28. 16 A tried stone ibid. A stone to stumble at and why 8. 14. 15. 28. 16 The first borne of euery creature 37. 28 Prince of peace 9. 6 Promised to all the world 11. 1. 2. 4. 42. 6. and 55. 5 Promised to be borne of the virgin Mary 7. 14 Where to be sought 16. 5 Onely redeemer 35. 10 Onely and most sure refuge of the faithfull in trouble 32. 2 King of Gods people 52. 13 King eternall 9. 7 Hee onely raignes where his Gospell is preached 11. 4 The end of all the Prophets and promises 29. 11. 42. 1 The Sauiour of his Church 62. 11 Gods seruant and how 42. 1. 43. 10. 53. 11. 55. 5 Sonne of righteousnesse 25. 7. 60. 3 Spouse of the Church 62. 5 The protector of the poore 11. 4. 16. 5 The way the truth and life and how 49. 6 He ouercame in the midst of death 53. 8. 12 Iustified as he is man 53. 1 Brought in speaking 49. 1 Alwaies the gouernor of his Church 63. 16 Wherein his dominion consists 92. 2 He raignes not for himselfe but for his 11. 6 Why silent before Pilat 53. 3 His comming foretold 9. 6 7 He came in a contemptible estate 42. 2 The Papists brag of his name falsly 55. 4 We are none of Christs vnlesse we be giuen to vprightnesse 7. 8 The nature of Christs kingdome 11. 4 All things subiected vnder him 14. 2. 45. 23. All haue need of him 53 The name Christ attributed to Israel 49 3 Difference betweene Christ and other men 9. 6. and 11. 3 Difference betweene Christ and the Kings of the earth 42 2. 49. 2 Christ must be the matter and end of our ioy 9. 6 Called Sonne by way of excellencie ibid. His two natures in one person noted 7. 14 Christ had no father on earth ibid. Whence it is that we are called Christians 11. 2 A note to discerne true
but Abraham Gen. 17.5 Vers 3. Surely the Lord shall comfort Zion hee shall comfort all her desolations and hee shall make her desert like * Or a place of pleasure Eden and her wildernesse like the garden of the Lord ioy and gladnesse shall be found therein praise and the voice of singing THe Prophet shewes that the example propounded in Abrahams person After darknesse light agrees to all ages For as the Lord created so great a stocke out of one man in a moment so will hee replenish his Church by extraordinarie and vnknowne meanes not for once onely but as oft as in the worlds account she is become a widow and barren And thus after S. Paul hath spoken of Abrahams faith and commended the excellencie of it he applies the same doctrine to euery one of vs in particular Rom. 4.24 Where he addes and shall comfort all her ruines it may be thus expounded The Church must be very low b oughâ— before she is fit to receiue comfort The Lord will comfort his Church not onely whilest shee florisheth but euen when she shal be brought to desolation and solitarinesse And it was necessary indeed that she should be wasled and deformed euen to the vtmost before shee could rightly taste the helpe whereof hee heere speakes Whereas it followes that her desert shall be as a place of pleasure the Prophet hath respect to that place of Moses where he shewes how man at the beginning was put into the garden of Eden Gen. 2.15 The Garden of Eden a place of pleasâ—re Gen. 3.23 that is to say into a place of pleasure whence by his owne fault he was banished Now we which are depriued of this benefit and blessing which God bestowed vpon our first father are also scattered vpon the face of the earth and depriued of these pleasures Wherefore when many desolations befall vs and that wee see the order of nature ouerturned and nothing to bee perceiued but miserable wastes and scatterings let vs acknowledge that this is the iust punishment of our infidelitie and of the rest of our horrible iniquities Let vs also remember the sentence pronounced against our father Adam A good meditation for vs in the Churches desolation or rather against his whole posteritie which as we are to do in the whole course of our liues so then principallie when wee see the desolations and wracks of the Church For the earth which otherwise of it selfe vvould abound vvith all sorts of pleasures is now brought into a vvildernes by our fault and the Church which euery where florished is destroyed and laid waste Now in the next place the Prophet addes ioy and gladnes wherby he signifies that there shal be such a wonderfull change that the Church shall mourne nor lament no more for whilest she was oppressed vnder so heauie a bondage there was nothing heard but sighs and grones but being restored she shall reioyce and sing praises vnto God Heere then we are admonished to praise and blesse the name of God after we haue tasted of his liberalitie Psal 14.7 Vers 4. Hearken ye vnto me my people and giue eare vnto me my people for a law shall proceed from me and I will bring forth my iudgement for the light of * Or peoples the people Our slow attention causes God to dâ—uble his exhortation See verse 1. IT is not without cause that the Lord so often calles for audience for wee haue too wofull experience how dull wee are of hearing and chiefly in aduersitie When wee stand in greatest need of consolation then by our impatiencie and faint-heartednes we put it farre from vs. Wherefore it stands euery one of vs in hand to pluck vp our spirits especiallie when aduersities do pinch vs to the quick that by this meanes wee may rouze vp and awaken our spirits and banish all slothfulnes to receiue coÌ„sort Such an attention theÌ„ is heere required as may confirme our hearts in patience till the time of grace be come And thus the Lords meaning is that he will reigne againe and restore his Church to her first estate in which he will haue his name called vpon Albeit the word Law signifies as much as the Edict which the Lord will publish when he is determined to gather together his scattered Church How God wil raigne in his Church yet therewithall he shewes by what meanes he will reigne to wit by his law and by the doctrine thereof And thus we see that where the doctrine of the law is reiected there God reignes not that is to say there men acknowledge him not By Iudgement he meanes the rule of a well ordered gouernment by which he will restore his kingdome He saith that this Iudgement shall be for the light of peoples because miserable men by nature are drawne out of darknes when God begins to raigne and are then enlightened by the doctrine of the word The verb J vvill bring forth is diuerslie translated by the Interpreters because the Hebrue word Raga hath diuers significations for sometimes it signifies to cut and to open sometimes to rest Some then expound I will cause to rest that is to say I will make firme and this sense agrees not ill Many among the Iewes vnderstand it otherwise but I will not trouble the reader with their harsh and intricate expositions I rather willinglie receiue this translation I will bring forth or cause to come forth that is to say I will manifest my iudgement for this I thinke sutes best with the former member Now we know that the Hebrues are wont to vse many repetitions And therefore albeit the Lord repeates one thing twice yet the sense is but one and the same For where he said that a law should proceed from him now he promiseth to bring forth or to manifest his iudgement Vers 5. My righteousnes is neere my saluation goeth forth and mine armes shal iudge the people the Iles shall wait for me and shall trust vnto mine arme HEE confirmes the former doctrine A confirmation of the former doctrine The righteousnes of the Lord hath relation vnto men who haue experience that he is iust When the people were oppressed vnder so sore a bondage they had good cause to think they were iustlie chastised for their sinnes But they might wonder they were thus left and forsaken that Gods worship was dissolued and his holy name blasphemed by the prophane vngodly who committed many outrages against him without punishment That he might giue them some consolation then Isaiah promiseth that God will shortly assist them that so his truth and righteousnes may be published throughout the whole world But by the word Iustice he meanes not that recompence which he giues to euery one but that faithfulnes of the Lord who protects his Saints and bestowes many graces vpon them and keeps his promise touching their deliuerance in not suffring them to be ouerwhelmed This appeares yet better to be so by