through the Mediation of Christ it cannot seem strange that from the prediction of the deliverance he should now proceed to this promise concerning Christ The Lord hath called me from the Womb c. That is Even from the Womb he designed me to the Office of the Mediator yet the meaning is not that God did not appoint him thereto till he was conceived or born for he was by Gods decree chosen and separated to be the Messiah from all Eternity but that in his conception and birth there was a tendency to the accomplishment of this which God had decreed concerning him to that end he was born Thus it was with Isaiah in regard of his Prophetical Office as it was with Jeremy also Jer. 1.5 and with St. Paul Gal. 1.15 and thus it was with Christ From the bowels of my Mother hath he made mention of my Name that is from my very birth or before I was born he assigned me my name and did thereby make known the Work and Office whereunto I was appointed see Matt. 1.21 Luk. 1.31 and 2.21 Ver. 2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft in his Quiver hath he hid me For the understanding of this we must know first that Christs Word and Preaching and Typically the Prophet Isaiahs too is here compared to a sharp sword and to a Polished shaft which wounds not only near at hand but also at a great distance very far off be cause it should be of such power and efficacy to wound and pierce the hearts of Men both by working effectually upon some for their conversion and by convincing vexing and galling of others yea even of the Gentiles to the utmost parts of the World the accomplishment whereof we see in many things recorded in the Gospel concerning Christs preaching as where it is said of Christ that he was mighty in word Luk. 24.19 and where his very enemies confessed Never Man spake like this Man Joh. 7.46 and in that which is said concerning the Doctrine of the Gospel Heb. 4.12 that it is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword c. see the Notes also Chap. 11.4 and Psal 45.6 And 2dly that by saying that God had hid him in the shadow of his hand c. is meant that God would shelter him under the covert of his Almighty power and protect him from the rage of his enemies until the time came fore-appointed by God where he was to dye for the sins of his people see the Notes Chap. 18.1 and 42.1 And indeed considering how sharply Isaiah dealt with the Jews and that for so long a time together under so many several Kings as when he called them Princes of Sodom and People of Gomorrah Chap. 10. and so in many other places he might well say that God had hid him in the shadow of his hand c. For otherwise how could he have been so long secured against their Rage and Fury Ver. 3. And said unto me Thou art my Servant O Israel c. In our great Annotations another Translation is approved as best And he said thou art my Servant It is Israel in whom I will be glorified But this cannot be the meaning of the words according to our Translation of those therefore that adhere to our Translation some hold that this is spoken of Isaiah and that he is called Israel as owning him to be the only one in a manner amongst his people that in those times of general defection deserved to be called by that name an Israelite indeed as Nathaniel is called Joh. 1.47 but far most generally it is understood of Christ Thou art my Servant O Israel for Servant See Chap. 42.1 The greater question is why Christ should be here called Israel Some say it is because he was descended of the Stock of Israel which is not improbable it being manifest that elsewhere in like manner he is called David Hos 3.5 Others because he was the true Israel who wrestled with God to pacifiy his wrath against poor sinners and prevailed as Jacob once wrestled with the Angel and prevailed and was thereupon called Israel Gen. 32.28 And others again because he was the Seed to wit of Abraham and Israel to whom the promise is made Gal. 3.16 And so they hold that both Christ as the Head and the faithful as his Members are here joyntly together called Israel as elsewhere Christ together with the whole Church is called Christ 2 Cor. 12.12 But this seems not so probable because it is so clear in the foregoing Verse that one particular person is here spoken to However the ground of the following words In whom I will be glorified as they have respect to Christ is clearly because 1. by his making God known and the riches of his Grace towards poor sinners and 2ly by his accomplishing the great work of their Redemption and triumphing therein over Satan Death and Hell And 3dly by his performing all that had been foretold by the Prophets God was exceedingly Glorified whence was that of our Saviour Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Ver. 4. Then I said c. To wit Christ though indeed the following complaint might well be Isaiahs also as a type of Christ I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain to wit in regard I could prevail with so few of the Jews to embrace the glad tidings of the Gospel see Joh. 3.32 Yet surely my Judgement is with the Lord that is he it is that can and will judge my cause and to him I willingly refer my self and my work with my God that is he knows the Commission I had from him and how faithfully I have discharged my trust labouring therein even to the spending of my strength and therefore I know that he will reward me not according to the success of my Labours but according to my faithfulness in the discharge of my duty Ver. 5. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his servant c. That is that appointed and fitted me from the Womb to be his Servant and indeed then Christ took upon him the form of a servant see the Notes above Verse 2 3. to bring Jacob again to him that is to convert the Jews to bring them by Faith and Repentance to return to the Lord their God from whom they were strayed Though Israel be not gathered c. Some read this as it is in the Margin that Israel may be gathered to him and I may be glorious c. and so make it a farther declaration of Gods end in sending Christ namely the gathering of the Jews in to God But reading the words as they are in our Bibles Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord the meaning is plain as if
Babylon returned afterward back again into their own Country which the Israelites that were carried away by the Assyrians never did at which time both the City and Temple at Jerusalem were rebuilt again And 2. Because some few years after the promised Messiah should come and then they should enjoy the light of the Gospel which to the faithful should yield so great comfort that it would make them forget all their former sufferings and sorrows And indeed it is clear that the Evangelist St. Matthew doth in the place above cited apply that which he saith there concerning the springing up of the light of the Gospel to the places here mentioned by the Prophet implying that as those parts first tasted of the miseries here spoken of so they should be first revived by the bright shining of the Gospel amongst them Ver. 2. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light c. This was in part accomplished first when Sennacheribs army was destroyed wherewith he had besieged Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah and so the siege was broken up and the enemies were forced to fly out of the land with great confusion and shame for then the people of Judea might well be said to have seen a great light not only because their joy must needs then be exceeding great after such a dark time of extream distress and sorrow but also because their deliverance in such a miraculous way was so apparently the mighty hand and work of God 2. When the Jews were delivered out of Babylon and brought back again into their own land at which time some of the Ten Tribes also returned in regard whereof it may be spoken of the whole Nation of Israel And indeed considering that when by Nebuchadnezzar the City and Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed and so the people were wholly taken off from the publick Worship of God it might seem hereby that the Covenant betwixt God and them was broked off and the hope they had of the promised Messiah was at end therefore when the Lord had brought them back again from the land of their captivity their joy must needs be exceeding great see Psal 126.2 3. But 3. principally and most clearly by the coming of Christ and the breaking forth of the light of the Gospel when the Jews and Gentiles too were enlightened by the shining of that Sun of Righteousness amongst them and delivered from that blindness and that bondage under sin and Satan wherein formerly they abode whereof the Babylonian captivity was a type and brought into an estate of clearer knowledg and greater joy than ever that people had enjoyed before in the time of the Law And indeed as is partly noted before this I conceive is the chief reason why Zebulun and Naphtali and the land about Jordan were particularly mentioned in the foregoing verse to wit because the light of the Gospel did first break forth in those parts and there Christ wrought his first Miracles and the chief of his Apostles were there first called And the same is intended in the following words They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them hath the light shined for this also may comprehend both the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon where they seemed to have been in as hopeless a condition as men are that lye dead in their graves according to that which is said of them Ezek. 37.12 O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel And likewise more especially the deliverance of Christs redeemed ones from that darkness of sin and death both temporal and eternal under which they lay by nature see the Note Job 3.5 And observable it is that to express how certain it was that this should be the Prophet still speaks of that which was to come to pass many years after as if it were done already Ver. 3. Thou hast multiplied the Nation and not encreased the joy c. The Prophet still proceeds in a Prophetical strain speaking of future things as if they were past already The words may be read as it is in the Margent of our Bibles Thou hast â—â—â—â—ipliâ—â—â—he Nation and to him encreased the joy as if he had said Thou wilt multiply this Nation and wilt increase their joy And indeed whether we understand this of the joy of the Jewish Nation either 1. at their deliverance from Sennacheribs army that had besieged Jerusalem Or 2. at their deliverance from the Babylonian captivity Or 3ly at their deliverance by Christ their promised Messiah these two may well be joined together concerning the multiplying of the Nation and the increasing of their joy Because 1. When Sennacherib had made great havock amongst the people in the land after his army was destroyed so miraculously to the great joy of that Nation God was pleased to cause them to multiply and thrive again according to that promise made to Hezekiah Chap. 37.31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward 2ly Because after their joyful return out of Babylon through the blessing of God upon them the people did great multiply as was foretold by the Prophets Jer. 31.27 Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast And Zach. 2.4 Jerusalem shall be inhabited as Towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattel therein And 3ly Because at the coming of Christ which was a time indeed of greatest joy the people of God were exceedingly multiplied by the confluence of multitudes of the Gentiles that joined themselves to the Church of Christ See the Notes Chap. 3.1 2. Psal 17.1 c. And this Marginal reading of the Text I cannot but judg far the most probable because according to this Translation of the words the meaning of the place is so clear and easie whereas if we read it as it is in our Bibles Thou hast multiplied the Nation and not increased the joy there seems to be a manifest contradiction betwixt this and the following words They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil Whence it is that so many ways have been found out by Expositors to salve this seeming contradiction For first some understand the first part of the verse of the Assyrian to wit that though the Assyrian had raised or though God by his Providence had suffered him to raise a very numerous army yet their joy was not answerable thereto because by the sword of an Angel there was such havock made amongst them as they lay before Jerusalem and so they returned not home rejoicing and triumphing in their victory as they thought to have done And then the following words they understand of the Jews to wit that they had cause of
fear of the Lord which therefore some expound thus That by reason of this his being so abundantly anointed with the holy Spirit of God he should breathe forth nothing but what was sweetly pious and religious or that in all his courses he should send forth a sweet sent suitable to the precious savour of his spiritual unction But rather by this figurative expression is only meant that which we have in our Translation And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. By the smell we discover things more secret than those things are which appear to the eye or ear and likewise by the smell we discover things more easily and quickly than any other way so that when it is said That the Spirit should make Christ sent or smell in the fear of the Lord This seems to intend that he should be of a sharp and quick understanding certainly and presently to discover the truth of things as in our ordinary speech we use to say of a man that doth quickly find out a thing That he hath soon smelt out the matter As for that which is added concerning the fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord thereby is shown wherein the quickness of his understanding should be discovered to wit not in earthly things which are far beneath his Cognizance but in the things that appertain to Religion and the fear of God and in judging of mens persons as to the inward frame of their Spirits that looking into their hearts he would soon discover whether they were such as did truly fear the Lord or such as did not fear God even when they did hypocritically make the fairest shews of Piety yea and some would have this also farther included in that expression That he should judge of men in these regards according to the fear of God that is justly and uprightly acquitting and saving those that truly fear God and judging and condemning those that are void of his fear and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his ears that is he shall not be carried away with respect of persons neither shall he acquit or condemn any man meerly upon outward appearances the looks or gestures or words of men or what is rumoured reported or affirmed by others but according to the clear knowledg which he shall have of their hearts Men that have no other way to judge but according to what they see or hear are often mistaken in judging But so it could not be with Christ because he should of himself know all things yea even the thoughts and intentions of mens hearts Ver. 4. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor c. See the Note before Chap. 2.4 and likewise the Notes Psal 72.1 2. The meaning is That he should do justice to the poor as well as to the rich though he should not favour them in any unjust thing because of their poverty or that he should as a righteous King rule and govern his people poor broken-hearted self-condemned sinners protecting them against all their enemies temporal and spiritual And much to the same purpose is the following clause and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth to wit That he should plead the cause of his poor people that were meek and gentle under their sufferings rebuking and punishing their proud Oppressors Or that he would correct his own meek ones but it should be with gentleness and moderation as intending to reform and not to destroy them And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked This may be understood 1. of the preaching of the Gospel which as it is elsewhere called the word of his mouth Rev. 2.16 and 19.15 so here it is called the rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips to wit that with this word as with the Scepter of his Kingdom Christ should sharply smite those that dwell on the earth as with a rod reproving and convincing them of their sins with such mighty efficacy that some should thereby be brought to submit themselves and so his word should be the savour of life unto life to them and others should be mortally wounded even to despair and so the Gospel should be the savour of death unto death to them And 2ly of the Almighty Will the sovereign sentence and command of God to wit That Christ should only with a word of his mouth smite the earth that is wicked earthly-minded men the enemies of God and his people and should utterly destroy them as we know it is peculiarly said of Antichrist That the Lord shall consume him with the Spirit of his mouth 2 Thes 2.8 Ver. 5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loyns c. Because in those times 1. men did constantly use girdles to bind their loose Garments close to their bodies And 2ly by binding up their long Garments about their loyns they were the better fitted and strengthened for the dispatch of any work or service they undertook And 3ly they wore also their Girdles as a choice Ornament and there was a Belt or Girdle that was usually the special Ornament of Princes for all which see the Notes Job 12.18 therefore it is said here That righteousness should be the Girdle of Christs loyns and faithfulness the Girdle of his reins to imply 1. That he should be constantly and eminently fitted and funished with righteousness and faithfulness for the execution of the Office which God had imposed upon him 2ly That he should most justly faithfully and industriously manage and perfect the work he had undertaken for the Salvation of his people And 3ly This should be an honour and glory to him throughout the world These glorious endowments of Gods Spirit should be to him instead of those outward Ornaments that are usually wore by the great Princes and Potentates of the World Ver. 6. The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lyon and the fatling together c. That is those men that were before of a proud fierce cruel and savage disposition most untractable most brutish and ravenous and shameful in the places where they lived more like Wolves and Lyons and Leopards than men when they shall once be subdued by the Gospel and Spirit of Christ and give up their names to him shall become meek and gentle tame and tractable so that they shall live and converse together in the same Church with other poor Christians quietly and harmlesly and the weakest that are shall not need to fear them Now this is mentioned as one of the strangest and most glorious effects of the Kingdom and Government of Christ that thereby the most wicked and mischievous men should be changed as if they were transformed out of beasts into men and so
and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust As for the last words and his rest shall be glorious some understand this of Christs death and burial to wit how ignominious soever his death should be to him in the sight of the world yet he should be then and thereby exceedinlgy glorified according to that which he said when he was preparing himself to dye Joh. 17.1 Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee And indeed it cannot be denied but that this Rest of his was glorious first because he then overcame all the powers of darkness and 2ly because his name was then highly honoured by the great and wonderful things that were done at his Death and the eclipsing of the Sun c. and especially by his Resurrection honoured with the apparition of Angels and many miraculous passages and by his triumphant Ascension into Heaven and 3ly because of the great Glory given him by the Chuch for that great work of their Redemption But yet I do rather conceive that the meaning of these words in this place is either that the Rest and Peace of his Church would be very glorious or else that his Church the place where he had determined to settle his perpetual residence according to that Psal 132.13 14. The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my Rest for ever c. and that Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world and the people upon whom he had setled his love and favour should be very glorious to wit in regard of the glorious signs and effects of his presence amongst them in the abundant knowledge and eminent holiness that should be wrought in them by his word and Spirit and in the great and wonderful things that should be done amongst them for their deliverance and safegard And herein there seems to be an Allusion to that which is often formerly said That the Tabernacle and Temple was filled with the Glory of God See Exod. 40.34 35. Lev. 9.23 and 1 King 8.11 And see also the Note before Chap. 4.2 4. Ver. 11. And it shall come to pass in that day c. In the foregoing verse the Prophet foretold the Conversion of the Gentiles here now he adds that at the same time the Jews should also be converted And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time c. Some understand the first deliverance here intimated to be that of the Israelites out of Egypt and the second here promised to be that of the Jews out of Babylon But because the Jews that were delivered out of Babylon were for the generality only of the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin and here the Prophet speaks of the deliverance of his people of all the Tribes from all parts of the World and that too in the days of the Messiah that ensign that should be lifted up whereof he had spoken in the foregoing verse I rather think that this is meant of their deliverance by Christ from the spiritual Bondage of Satan Sin Death and Hell to wit that as the Lord did once before with an out stretched arm deliver the Israelites out of Egypt by the Ministry of Moses so he would the second time with great zeal again set himself to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left that is to bring home to himself by Christ those of his ancient people the Jews which shall there remain undestroyed amongst the Gentiles as being still mindful of the Covenant he had formerly made with them And this was partly accomplished in those many thousands of Jews Act. 21.20 though but a remnant in comparison of the whole body of the Nation that were by Christ and his Apostles won to embrace the Faith of the Gospel and shall be more fully performed when the main body of the residue of that Nation shall in the last days be brought in to Christ of which the Apostle speaks clearly Rom. 11.25 26. And indeed because the Prophet doth in this place first foretel the gathering in of the Gentiles to Christ in the foregoing verse and then doth here after that add this concerning the bringing in of the Jews therefore many learned Divines have thought that it is that last Conversion of the Jews that is here principally intended by the Prophet As for the places here mentioned from which the believing Jews should be gathered from Assyria and from Egypt and from Buthros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Islands of the Sea it is hard clearly to determine what all these Countrys are It may suffice us to know that upon the grievous miseries that were brought upon this people first by the Assyrians and afterward by the Babylonians many of them did of their own accord leave the Land of Judea and flee into Egypt of which Pathros seems to have been one particular Province Jer. 44.1 15. See Jer. 43.57 and 44.27 28. and so likewise into other Countrys and that many of them that were carried away Captives by the Assyrians and Babylonians might by them be sold to other Nations and so be dispersed all the world over And evident it is in Scripture that all those Countrys that bordered upon the Sea and were divided from them by the Sea were by the Jews usually called the Islands of the Sea Jer. 47.4 See also the Note Gen. 10.5 Ver. 12. And he shall set up an ensign for the Nations c. See the Note before ver 10. But this I conceive is a farther Explanation of what was said in the foregoing verse concerning the Conversion of the Jews and therefore by saying that the Lord should set up the ensign of the Gospel for the Nations either the Prophet intended that the Jews should be gathered in hereby to the Church from the Nations amongst whom they were dispersed or else that the Nations should hereby be summoned to bring in the Jews unto Christ or at least that the Jews should be converted by the preaching of the Gospel together with other Nations for that the Prophet doth principally here speak of the Conversion of the Jews And therefore by saying that the Lord should set up the ensign of the Gospel for the Nations either the Prophet intended that the Jews should be gathered in hereby to the Church from the Nations amongst whom they were dispersed or else that the Nations hereby should be summoned to bring the Jews unto Christ or at least that the Jews should be converted by the preaching of the Gospel together with other Nations for that the Prophet doth principally here speak of the Conversion of the Jews is evident by the following words and shall assemble the out-casts of Israel See the Note Psal 147.2 and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of
Cor. 3.14 Some I know by this destroying the face of the covering cast over all people do understand Christ's destroying Death and that in the expression here used there is an Allusion to the Face-cloth wherewith the faces of dead men are wont to be covered Joh. 11.44 or to the custom of covering the faces of condemned Malefactors see the Note Esth 7.8 But this of Christ's destroying Death is added in the next verse and the former therefore is rather here intended namely the freeing of his people from that ignorance under which they lay by Nature by the enlightning of the Gospel which was signified by the rending of the Veil of the Temple at the Death of Christ And all this is said should be done in this mountain as before not only because it should be done in the Church made up both of Jews and Gentiles but also because the Gospel whereby this was to be done was at first to go out of Mount Zion See the Notes Chap. 2.3 Ver. 8. He will swallow up death in victory c. That is He will destroy Death for ever as the word in the Original here translated in victory doth properly signifie so that it shall never more prevail over his redeemed ones but Christ shall reign this his last Enemy being destroyed for ever and ever Now though this was done partly by the Death of Christ whereby he abolished Death 2 Tim. 1.10 having by his suffering Death delivered his people â—â—om that Death which their sins had deserved Heb. 2.15 yet it shall chiefly bâ— accomplished at the Resurrection of the just when they shall pass into Lifâ— Eternal after which there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 for so the Apostâ—â— saith expresly 1 Cor. 15.54 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption and thâ— mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass that Saying â—â—at is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the like may be said of thâ— following words And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces to wit of his people even as a tender Mother wipes away the tears of her weeping little Child For though God doth this partly by the comforts of his Word and Spirit here yet it is not completely done till they be taken up into Heaven to which estate therefore this passage is applied by St. John Revel 7.17 and 21.4 And so likewise in the next clause And the rebuke or reproach of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth the meaning is that God would free his people from that extreme scorn and contempt which was cast upon them all the world over and from the worlds base and despightful usage of them in their continual afflicting and persecuting of them as if they were a people not worthy to live upon the face of the earth But now the accomplishment of this here principally intended is the exceeding Glory whereunto God's people shall be advanced in Heaven For when God shall take them into this blessed and glorious condition then indeed all the Inhabitants of the earth shall be effectually taken off from that vile and base esteem which they formerly had of them Many good Expositors do I know apply all this to the deliverance of God's people out of Babylon But it is only as looking upon that as a Type of this far greater deliverance promised to God's redeemed ones in and through the Lord Christ Ver. 9. And it shall be said in that day c. That is In that day when these Promises shall be accomplished the people of God shall say to wit with wonder and exceeding great joy for this is as it were the language of the Guests at the Feast mentioned before ver 6. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us c. Which may be understood 1. in the Type of the rejoycing of God's people at the Lord 's delivering them out of Babylon which they had long expected and came at last to pass according to God's Promise and their earnest expectation And taking it thus observable it is that in this expression of their present joy and confidence in God they do withal covertly judg and condemn themselves because before their being carried into Babylon by their disobeying God's Laws and seeking to foreign Princes for help in their dangers they had not carried themselves towards the Lord as now they found they should have done Or 2. of the people of God's owning Christ at his coming in the flesh and embracing him by Faith when tendred to them in the Gospel as the true God their Lord and Saviour long ago promised them with great joy because of the peace made by him between God and them Or 3. of the Churches triumphing in Christ when he shall come to judge the world and to receive them into his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 10. For in this Mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest That is His powerful Providence shall be constantly and continually over his Church to protect and bless them See the Note Psal 80.17 It is the same in effect with that of our Saviour Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world And Moab shall be trodden down under him c. That is under his feet Psal 110.1 Moab is here particularly mentioned because none were more constantly and more fiercely bent upon doing mischief to God's people than they were but under these by a Synecdoche all the wicked enemies of his people are intended Even as straw is trodden down for the dunghil to wit the worst of the straw not fit to be reserved for any other use The word which we render trodden down some translate threshed and accordingly they read this verse thus And Moab shall be threshed under him even as straw is threshed in Madmenah and then take Madmenah to be a City of Moab called Madmen Jer. 48.2 and hold that because this City being scituate in a rich Corn-country where there was abundance of straw which was the less regarded thence the Prophet useth this expression here of straw threshed in Madmenah Ver. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim c. Some hold that this is spoken of Moab with relation to the last words in the foregoing verse to wit That as the Swimmer stretcheth forth his hands to swim so he being trodden down by his enemies should in the midst of them stretch forth his hands to beg for mercy both of God and his enemies Or that he should though in vain strive with all possible endeavours to save himself from utter ruin even as a ship-wrack'd man being fallen into the Sea laboureth with all his might by swimming to escape drowning But clearly as I conceive this is spoken of God That he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth
it is written that is in the Old Testament With men of other Tongues and other Lips will I speak unto this People and yet for all that will they not hear me for the aim of the Apostle there being to dissuade them from an inordinate desire of hearing those that had the gift of Tongues rather than those that Prophecied yea even then when there was none that did interpret what they spake he alledgeth this place to prove that herein they did ambitiously affect that which God threatned as a curse Ver. 12. To whom he said c. This is added farther to set forth how the Word of God had been to them without all good effect as if God had spoken to them in a language they did not understand or else to shew why God would speak to them with stammering Lips and with another Tongue it was because they were obstinate and would not be instructed To whom he said that is to which stupid People that regarded not the instructions and warnings they enjoyed the Lord said to wit by his Prophets This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing That is this which I require of you that you should obey the word of my Prophets is the only means whereby you may procure rest and refreshing for your selves your Country and People from those many miseries troubles and calamities wherewith you have been wearied a long time together Yet they would not hear that is though the Lord shewed them plainly the way to rest and happiness they would not hearken to it Whereby is also implied that their stupidity in being like little Children that could not be taught proceeded from their obstinacy it was from meer wilfulness and stubborness that they were so ignorant Ver. 13. But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept c. That is say many Expositors instead of obeying the words of the Prophets they mocked at their words repeating those words ver 10. in a flouting way Precept upon precept precept upon precept line upon line c. As if they should have said Our Prophets deal with us as with young Children we must have precept upon precept c. And indeed that which follows ver 14. Wherefore hear the word of the Lord ye scornful men seems to favour this exposition But I rather think that the Prophets intention in these words was to shew that after God had so plainly made known his will to them and taught them what might have been for their peace and rest yet still they were as dull as ever Gods Word was still to them only as an empty sound striking their ears they were still as unteachable as new-weaned Children That they might go and fall backwards and be broken and snared and taken That so through the just Judgment of God upon them by this their stupidity they might come to fall and be ruined under those Judgments which God had threatned against them It is probable that this expression of their falling may be used with reference to that sin of drunkenness wherewith he had charged them ver 7. And that it is particularly said That they might fall backward Either because that way of falling is most dangerous or to imply that their not minding Gods Prophets would bring them to fall under those Judgments which though foretold they would not foresee And so likewise by their being broken the utter cutting off some may be intended and by their being snared and taken the Captivity of others Ver. 14. Therefore hear the word of the Lord ye scornful men that rule this People which is in Jerusalem This is meant of the whole Nation of the Jews only he calls them this People which is in Jerusalem because thither they used to resort to Worship God as his People and to imply that their scorning was the greater sin because they pretended to be Gods peculiar People Ver. 15. Because ye have said We have made a covenant with Death and with Hell are we at agrement c. That is because you think your selves so secure as if ye had made a Covenant with Death and Hell Or because you run on so boldly in your wicked ways slighting the vengeance of God denounced against you that it is all one in effect as if you should openly say We are not frighted with your threatnings of Death and Hell We have made a Covenant with them both and therefore are sure they will do us no hurt This I conceive the Prophet intended by these words Yet it may well be that the wicked wretches of those times did use to say thus to the Prophets not as thinking they could make an agreement with Hell and Death but only in a way of derision as if they should have said Think not to scare us with the threatnings of Death and Hell alas we have made a strict league of friendship with Death and with Hell or the grave and therefore may well be fearless in regard of them both Yea some think that by saying they had made a Covenant with Death and the Grave they might intend that Death and the Grave would do them good rather than hurt namely because they would take them out of harms way before those evils which the Prophets threatned were like to come upon them when the overflowing scourge shall pass through to wit which you the Prophets tell us is coming upon the land it shall not come near us And hereby might be intended either the Assyrians invasion whereby the ten Tribes were utterly ruined and if this be intended it implies an exceeding height of presumptuous security in these men that when they saw the land of Israel over-run thereby yet could promise themselves that it should not reach them or else that of the Chaldeans which was often before-hand threatned by the Prophets For we have made lies our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves as if they should have said Those things which you call lyes and falshood things that will surely deceive us we doubt not will prove a sufficient refuge and shelter to us Add hereby they might mean either 1. their false gods on whose help they much relyed though the Prophets often cried out against them as lying vanities as Chap. 44.20 A deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his Soul nor say Is there not a lye in my right hand Or 2ly the respect which in some things they pretended to have to Gods law and to his service and worship in the temple which was indeed no better than meer hypocrisy and a lye Or 3ly their subtil shifts their crafty dissembling and treacherous compliance with the enemy wherewith they might vainly hope to secure themselves what ever became of others Or 4ly the outward means they had for their defence and whereby they did foolishly hope to safeguard themselves as their great riches gotten by lies and falshood their leagues with foreign Princes
that is I resolved with my self that my life was cut off or by my sins I have provoked the Lord to cut off my life even as a Weaver cuts off his web from the Loom when he hath finished it and sometimes too which some think is here intended before he hath made an end of it he will cut me off with pining sickness or as it is in the Margin from the Thrum which is the loose threads of the Woof fastned to the Weavers beam that is God will utterly cut me off from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me that is All the day long from morning even to night thou wilt be hewing me down so that there is not a moment wherein I am not in fear of death Or thou wilt speedily and presently dispatch me this very day before night there will be an end of me See the Note Job 4.20 Ver. 13. I reckoned till morning that as a lion so will he break all my bones c. That is All the night long from evening even to the morning I lay thinking with my self and made full account with my self that partly by the torturing pain and sickness I endured in my body and partly by the inward terrors wherewith my mind was perplexed God would as a lion tear and devour me both flesh and bones and so make an end of me This I conceive is the plain meaning of these words yet some I know think further and that not improbably that this is spoken with relation to what he had said in the foregoing verse and so that the meaning is that though he lived out the foregoing day which he thought he should not have done yet when the Evening came all the Night long he was so torn and broken with the extremity he was in that he reckoned for certain that he should dye before morning or that he could not hold out another day And therefore say they he repeats here that again which he had said in the foregoing verse from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me and that by reason of the extream anguish and fear he was in as if he should have said I shall dye I shall dye I cannnot long subsist in this woful plight wherein I now lye Ver. 14. Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourn as a dove c. Some take the meaning of this to be that he was so weakned and perplexed in mind that he could hardly speak and did therefore pour out his complaints and prayers before God with a low muttering hoarse and interrupted voice much to the same purpose with that of the Psalmist Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak But the meaning rather seems to be that the violence of the pain and sickness he endured in his body and the terrors he endured in his spirit through the fear of present death made him lye groaning and sighing and sobbing the confused noise whereof was much like that of the fowls here mentioned especially when the young ones do want their meat or when the Dams have their young ones taken from them mine eyes fail with looking upward to wit with looking up to God for help See the Notes Psal 119.82 and Job 11.20 O Lord I am oppressed that is so heavily overpressed that I am not able to endure it any longer undertake for me to wit as a surety as if he should have said This sickness hath arrested me to carry me to deaths Prison-house rescue me out of its power as sureties do those they engage for See the Note Psal 119.22 Ver. 15. What shall I say he hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it c. Many learned Expositors hold that Hezekiah doth still here proceed in bewailing himself and setting forth the hopelesness of his Condition What shall I say that is What shall I say further What need I say any more he hath both spoken unto me and he also hath done it that is It was God that said to me by his Prophet Thou shalt die and not live and what he hath said he hath done it is he that hath brought me to this extremity that I am now no better than a dead man and therefore it is in vain for me thus to complain to mutter against and strive with my Judge yea to what purpose is it to call upon God to undertake for me to ease and help me if he have resolved that I must dye there 's no seeking to have it otherwise I must stoop and yield See Psal 39.9 And indeed such Expressions of impatience and despair That it is in vain to pray to God and to hope for any favour from him may sometimes flip from the best of Gods servants in desperate dangers and great discomposures of spirit Thus I say many do understand these words But indeed I see not how this can suit with the following clause I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul if we take it as they do as a complaint that he should go drooping softly that is Mournfully See the Note 1 King 21.27 all his years for how could he speak of living years in that condition wherein he concluded that he should not live a day to an end Rather therefore we may think that Hezekiah having in the foregoing verses set forth the low and hopeless Condition wherein he lay for a while doth at these words begin to relate the wonderful mercy of God to him in his recovery What shall I say as if he had said But alas how shall I be able to express the wonder of Gods love to me in rescuing me out of this danger Sure I shall never know how to shew my self thankful enough for such a mercy he hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it that is He was pleased by the same Prophet by whom he pronounced the sentence of Death against me to send me a promise that I should recover out of this sickness and what he hath promised he hath accordingly done I shall go softly all my years that is Deliberately and considerately say some or gently and easily say others in the bitterness of my soul that is In the constant remembrance of that bitterness of soul which I have undergone in this time of my sickness So that the meaning may be either 1. That he would be all the remainder of his life often and seriously calling to mind the bitterness of this his late condition that he might be the more thankful to God for his deliverance Or 2ly That being comforted with the experience of Gods favour to him he would go on quietly fearlesly and chearfully all his life long though he should be assailed sometimes with the fear of death or any other bitter affliction as not questioning but that God would out of his wonted love be a sure refuge to him Or 3ly That by the remembrance of that bitterness he had been in
and Gods great goodness to him in raising him upon his Prayers to him so speedily out of so sad a Condition he would be careful to walk all his days as became a true Penitent softly that is Pensively and mournfully as to his bewailing the sins wherewith he had displeased God or softly that is Warily and circumspectly as to his care for the avoiding of every thing whereby he might offend and displease him for the time to come Neither indeed can I see how this last clause as it is in our Translation can be any other way probably understood Ver. 16. O Lord by these things men live c. This verse is several ways translated by Interpreters But according to our Translation the meaning is clearly this O Lord by thy favour and promises by the word of thy command and by thy providence accomplishing what thou hast spoken is the life of men continued to them or prolonged as thou pleasest yea even to those that were at the brink of the Grave or that haply had before the sentence of Death pronounced against them for this is spoken with reference to that in the foregoing verse he hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it See the Note Deut. 8.3 and in all these things is the life of my spirit that is And by these things doth my soul still continue within me chearfully and comfortably enlivening my body so wilt thou recover me and make me to live that is And so by thy will it is that I am recovered and do live or so thou wilt perfect the work of my recovery which thou hast begun and make me to live that remainder of years thou hast appointed for me Ver. 17. Behold for peace I had great bitterness c. Or on my peace came great bitterness that is When I was healthful and well and had not the least fear of any distemper of sickness that was coming upon me yea when by Gods miraculous destroying the Assyrian Army both my self and the whole Kingdom seemed to be in a way of setled peace and thereupon I began to promise my self that I should now live the remainder of my days in prosperity and peace on a sudden I was surprized with this bitter affliction but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption that is Out of thy fatherly love to me See the Note Psal 3.2 thou wert pleased to recover me even from the very grave for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back to wit as things loathsome to thee which yet thou wert pleased to forget and forgive so as never to charge them upon me And Hezekiah that had before alledged that he had walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart and done that which was good in his sight ver 3. doth yet withal acknowledg here That his sins had been many and the cause why God had visited him with his late dangerous sickness and doth not so much rejoyce in his recovery as in Gods love and pardoning mercy which was better than a thousand lives to him Ver. 18. For the grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee c. See the Notes Psal 6.5 and 30.9 and 115.17 Hereby Hezekiah intends to intimate that he knew that Gods end in restoring him to his former health was That here in this World he might set forth his praise and that this therefore he would certainly do yea that upon this account he chiefly rejoyced in his recovery Ver. 19. The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day c. The repetition of this word the living the living is very Emphatical and amongst other things doth clearly discover how full of joy his heart was upon the thought of this that by his recovery he should have so fair a season afforded him to speak good of Gods name the fathers to the children shall make known thy truth that is Thy faithfulness in performing thy promises as thou hast now done unto me they shall teach their Children what great things thou hast done and how they ought upon such occasions to extol thy name and so thy Praises shall be continued from Generation to Generation yea these words may seem probably to imply that Hezekiah had it now in his thoughts that by Gods gracious lengthning out of his days he might come to have a Son to succeed him in his Throne whom he might instruct to live to Gods praise and glory Ver. 20. The Lord was ready to save me therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments c. That is I will do it with and in the publick Assemblies of thy people as indeed Hezekiahs recovery was a great blessing and a just cause of thankfulness to all the people and he saith we will sing my songs either as intending the Psalms which he meant to compose or else those Psalms of Thanksgiving which he and the people used to sing upon such occasions Ver. 21. For Isaiah had said Let them take a lump of figs c. See the Note 2 King 20.7 Ver. 22. Hezekiah also had said What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord See the Note above ver 7. In 2 King 20.8 it is What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day But the last clause is here only mentioned because this implies how earnest his desires were that he might go up to the Temple to praise God for his recovery CHAP. XXXIX VERSE 1. AT that time Merodach-Baladan the Son of Baladan King of Babylon sent Letters and a present to Hezekiah c. To wit by the consent and advice of his Princes whence it is that these Messengers are called the Embassadors of the Princes of Babylon 2 Chron. 32.31 But see the Notes for this whole passage 2 King 20.12 c. Ver. 2. And Hezekiah was glad of them c. To wit as being vain-gloriously joyed with thinking how renowned he was become even in remote Countries and withal haply as chuckering himself with a conceit that by the friendship of this King of Babylon he should be the safer for the future from any further Invasion of the Assyrians and if this were so it must needs argue that he was not so confident in Gods protection as the remembrance of Gods late miraculous Deliverance of him from the Assyrians might well have made him But for this and that which follows and shewed the house of his precious things See the Note 2 King 20.13 Ver. 3. What said these men and from whence came they unto thee c. This the Prophet demanded of the King not because he knew not who they were and whence they came but that by the Kings answer he might take occasion to deliver the Message which God had given him in charge As for his answer They are come from a far Country c.
the word which we Translate Prison some understand the restraint under which he was held after they had apprehended him yea including his imprisonment in the Grave where his dead Body was sealed up and watched by a guard of Souldiers And some add too those bonds of anguish and anxiety that were upon the Soul of our Saviour from the apprehension of Gods wrath when in his Agony he sweat drops of Blood Luke 22.44 and when upon the Cross he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 And then by Judgment they understand as is before said the Judgment that was pronounced against him and executed upon him And thus they make the meaning of this first branch of the Verse to be this That he was taken from all his sufferings rising again triumphantly out of the Grave and then ascending up into Heavenly Glory But 2. Others understand it only of what he suffered from his Enemies namely that the intent thereof is to shew either that after they had him under restraint and had pronounced sentence of Judgment against him he was taken away by death and some think too that in the expression here used there is relation to his being taken up to the Cross according to a like expression used else-where Joh. 12.32 or else the violence and precipitancy of their proceedings against him to wit that after they had him once under restraint they presently carried him away to the Judgment Seat and when Pilate had pronounced Judgment against him immediately without any delay they hurried him away to Execution so that as it is clear in the Evangelists all was done in a violent hurry they apprehended him but over night and he was condemned and executed the very next day And indeed because the Prophet both before and after these words speaks of his sufferings this last Exposition I judge the best But then for the following words and who shall declare his generation It is confessed that most of the ancient Writers have understood it either of the generation of Christ of God the Father from all Eternity as he was the only begotten Son of God See the Notes Psal 2.7 and Prov. 8.24 or of his Conception and Birth as man of the Virgin Mary without the knowledge of man And indeed both these are wonderful Mysteries which no man is able to comprehend or express But why in this place they should be mentioned it is hard to conceive And therefore the most of our later Expositors do understand it otherwise and that three several ways For 1. Some by his generation do understand the duration or continuance of his Life and Kingdom as indeed the word is sometimes taken Chap. 13.20 Having said in the foregoing words say some that he was from his sufferings taken up into Heavenly Glory he adds here expressing it by way of admiration that after that the continuance of his Age his Life and Kingdom would be uncountable even unto all Eternity it should not be with him as with them who being delivered from Death do yet afterwards dye again because Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more Death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 Yea and some extend this also to the Life everlasting of his Church and People which indeed agreeth well with that which follows ver 10. He shall see his Seed he shall prolong his days Or say others Having in the foregoing words spoken of his being taken away by Death here he adds as in opposition thereto but who shall declare his generation as if he had said Though he lived so short a time and was cut off in the flower of his age yet who can count his age who shall live and reign even unto Eternity 2. Others by his generation understand the Men of that generation wherein he lived and so make the meaning of the words to be this who shall declare his generation that is who is able to set forth the monstrous impiety and wickedness of that generation of men that could deal thus with the Lord of Glory that came to save them And 3. Others by his generation understand his Spiritual Seed or Issue as the word is taken Psal 22.30 And this too is conceived to be added as in opposition to the foregoing branch thus Though he shall be taken away by Death yet oh what an innumerable generation shall spring from him In an ordinary way when a man is slain there is an end put to the enlarging of his Posterity but it shall not be so with him no man shall be able to count the Spiritual generation that shall spring up to him after his Death to wit of those that shall believe in him which is that is said afterwards ver 10. He shall see his Seed c. And then for the last Clause for he was cut off it is the very same word that is used concerning the death of the Messiah Dan. 9.26 from the Land of the Living See the Note Psal 27.13 for the transgression of my People was he stricken therein a reason is given why he should not be quite destroyed by Death but should be taken up into Heavenly glory for as is said before so some understand the first words of this Verse and should live and see his Seed or Generation unto Eternity namely because he should not dye for any wickedness of his own but in obedience to his Father and that to bear the punishment due to the Sins of Gods People that is the Sins of Gods Elect People say some See 2 Tim. 2.10 Or the Jews amongst others that put him to death And thus the Prophet might call them his People Though indeed because of those words for the transgression of my People many Expositors hold that these last words are spoken in the Person of God the Father Ver. 9. And he made his Grave with the wicked and with the rich in his Death c. It is in the Hebrew in his Deaths because of his many grievous sufferings which were as so many Deaths to him as the Apostle said of himself that he was in Deaths oft 2 Cor. 11.23 Not only because he was often in danger of Death but also because his Afflictions and Sufferings were as sore and bitter as Death it self There are many Expositions given of these words which seem to me extreamly forced and some which our Translation can by no means admit I will only mention those that may consist with our Translation and which have some appearance of probability in them 1. Some understand it of the just vengeance which befell the Jews for their Crucifying of Christ when they were destroyed by the Romans to wit that God the Father or Christ would bring that wicked People even the greatest and richest of them who are particularly mentioned because such being puffed up with their greatness and riches are usually most boldly wicked and oppressive of others to be as harshly and cruelly dealt with by others
as they had dealt with Christ that he would bring them to Death and to the Grave as they had brought Christ 2. Others understand it of the efficacy of Christs Death and Burial namely that thereby many wicked men yea many of the great and rich ones amongst them most unlikely to yield should be crucified with him and buried with him to wit Spiritually and so be made new Creatures and be brought to be obedient to the will of his Father or which is all one in effect that they should be brought to be with him and own him though Crucified and Buried as their Lord and as his People to submit to his Scepter and Government Again 3. Some understand it only of his Sufferings but in a several way For 1. Some take it thus That God the Father gave Christ over into the hands of the wicked Jews and the Gentiles even the great ones of those times such as were Caiaphas and Herod and Pontius Pilate that so they might dispose of him how they pleased both in regard of his Death and Burial which agreeth with that of our Saviour Matth. 26.45 Behold the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of Sinners or for so some would have it that He that is the Jewish People gave him up into the hands of the wicked Gentiles Pilate and the Roman Souldiers that they should Crucifie and bury him as they pleased But 2. Others understand it thus that he should be cut off by an untimely Death as a wicked man and accordingly should be Executed amongst other Malefactors in Mount Calvary the ordinary place where such kind of Varlets used to be Executed and Buried according to that which followeth in this Chapter ver 12. And he was numbred with the Transgressours but yet withall the providence of God so disposing of it he should be buried in the Sepulchre of a rich man as Joseph of Arimathea is expresly called Matth. 27.57 the Evangelist thereby pointing as some think to the accomplishment of this Prophecy And this last seems to me the most probable Exposition of this place As for that which follows because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his Mouth or as it is cited 1 Pet. 2.22 neither was guile found in his Mouth which seems to have special respect to the unquestionable truth of his Doctrine it is given as a reason of that which went before and therefore must be understood according to the several Expositions of the foregoing words as either 1. That God would bring destruction upon those that crucified Christ because they had dealt so cruelly with an innocent man that had never done any thing blame-worthy either in word or deed Or 2. That his Death should be efficacious for the Conversion of wicked Men yea even the greatest and richest of them because he should not dye for any guilt that was in him but as a spotless Lamb that suffered for the Salvation of others Or 3. That God would not suffer him to be buried amongst those notorious Malefactors in that common place appointed for their burial in or about Mount Calvary but provided that he should be honourably laid in a new Sepulchre which a rich and honourable person had provided for himself because he was such a new man indeed as the World had never seen a man that had never sinned neither in word nor deed Ver. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief c. That is Though there was no fault in him yet it was the will of God that he should suffer sorely to wit because he was to suffer for poor Sinners See the Note before ver 5. when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for Sin that is when thou O God shalt bring it to that that his Soul that is his Life or himself shall be offered up as a propitiatory Sacrifice for sinful men Or as it is in the Margin when his Soul shall make an offering for Sin that is when Christ shall willingly even with all his Soul offer up himself as a Sacrifice for his People to wit in his Death See Gal. 3.13 and 2 Cor. 5.21 he shall see his Seed that is his Spiritual Progeny See the Notes Chap. 9.6 Multitudes of Believers that shall be begotten again by his Word and Spirit It is as if he had said that his Death should not hinder his having a numerous Seed because he should rise from the dead and so should live and see his Seed yea it should be so far from hindering it that it should be the cause of it because reconciliation being made by his Death he shall thereby purchase them to himself which our Saviour intended in that Joh. 12.24 Except a Corn of Wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit and likewise because it was not till after his Death and Ascension into Heaven that his Spirit was to be so abundantly poured forth both upon those that were to preach the Gospel and upon those to whom it was Preached Joh. 7.39 he shall prolong his days See the Note above ver 8. It is spoken with respect to his reigning long over his Church upon Earth till all his Enemies were subdued and after that together with his Church Eternally in Heaven and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand that is that which it was the Lords good will and pleasure should be done by him to wit the Redemption and Salvation of Men and that which should make way thereto the bringing in of Men to believe in Christ by the spreading of the Gospel through all Nations See Joh. 4.34 and 6.39 Ver. 11. He shall see of the travel of his Soul c. That is He shall for a long time together with much content and delight see and enjoy See the Notes Job 7.7 and Psal 34.12 the effect and fruit of all the toilsome and wearisome pains that he had taken and pains and sorrows he had endured and that especially in his Soul by reason of the pressures of Divine Wrath that lay upon him and put him into a bloody sweat And by this fruit of the travel of his Soul is meant that which in the foregoing Verse was called the prospering of the pleasure of the Lord in his hand as namely the gathering of multitudes of Gods Elect People from amongst the Gentiles together with that transcendency of Glory whereunto himself shall be exalted after his Sufferings and Labours See Phil. 2.8 9. and Luke 24.26 and the Eternal Salvation of all his redeemed ones and shall be satisfied to wit with full content and delight as having obtained that which he earnestly thirsted after and accounting it an abundant recompence for all his Labours and Sufferings even as a Husband-man is satisfied when after all his toil he comes to reap a plenteous Harvest and as a Woman is satisfied when after all her pains in travel she sees
the Child she hath brought forth And indeed this doth notably set forth the wonderful love of Christ to poor Sinners in that he is satisfied with their Salvation as having therein obtained that only thing which above all things he earnestly desired by his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many that is by their knowing him and believing on him according as the like expressions are used else-where Joh. 17.3 and Phil. 3.8 for he shall bear their iniquities that is the guilt and punishment of their iniquities See the Notes above ver 4.5 Ver. 12. Therefore c. That is Seeing he hath done me such faithful Service not sparing to lay down his own Life that he might bear the punishments due to poor Sinners and satisfie my Justice on their behalf Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the Spoil with the strong where the same thing is intended in both expressions only in the first the Fathers donation of that which is here promised is set forth and in the second the Lord Christs possession and enjoyment of that which his Father had assigned to him Some would have the intention of the words to be the same as if it had been expressed thus I will divide him great ones or I will divide great ones to him for a portion and he shall divide him a spoil amongst the strong or he shall divide the strong for a spoil And accordingly they would have the meaning to be either 1. That Christ should vanquish and subdue and spoil all his great and strong Adversaries Satan and the World as the Apostle expresseth his triumphing over the Powers of Darkness at his Death Col. 2.15 And having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly Or 2. That he should bring the Great Princes and Potentates of the World and the famous wise and learned men that were amongst the Nations of the World to stoop and submit to his Scepter But according to our Translation I conceive the meaning must needs be That after Christs vanquishing his Enemies he should divide the spoil as other great and mighty Conquerours are wont when they have overcome their Enemies in Battel to divide the spoil amongst their followers And if we so understand the words then by Christs conquered Enemies must be meant Satan Sin Death and Hell together with the wicked of the World who were all overcome and vanquished by the Death of Christ and by the portion and spoil he should have as the effect and reward of his Conflict and Victory may be meant 1. And principally The many Souls all the World over that should be rescued out of that Spiritual bondage under which they lay and brought into subjection to Christ See the Notes Psal 2.8 and 68.19 2. The riches of the Kings and great ones and the learning and wisdom of the wise men of the World who being Converted should dedicate all that they had to the service of Christ And 3. That transcendent Honour and Glory whereto Christ should be exalted All which he may be said to divide in regard his Church and People are made sharers with him in them all And indeed there are some Expositors that by the great and the strong with whom Christ divided the spoil do understand both the Apostles and others that should preach the Gospel and likewise those violent ones of whom our Saviour spake Matth. 11.12 that took the Kingdom of Heaven by force As for the following words therein the reason of this is further set forth because he hath poured out his Soul unto Death that is he willingly with all his Soul gave up himself to suffer Death for Mans Redemption and he was numbred with the Transgressors to wit in that they esteemed him such an one and Accused him Prosecuted Arraigned and Condemned him as such an one yea the worst of such in that they chose rather to have Barabbas a Thief and a Murderer to be let loose than him and so likewise in that he was put to the same Death that Malefactors used to suffer and in the same place where such were ordinarily wont to be Executed and at the same time together with others yea in the midst betwixt two Thieves as the chief of Transgressors so that the Evangelist saith expresly that therein this Prophecy was fulfilled Mark 15.27 28. and he bare the Sin of many See the Notes before ver 4.5 6. and made intercession for the Transgressors to wit even those wicked wretches by whom he suffered in that Prayer of his upon the Cross Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 But it may include also his work of Mediation as our Priest and his Intercession for poor Sinners that should be brought to believe in him both whilst he lived upon Earth Joh. 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word and now that he sits at the right hand of his Father in Heavenly Glory Heb. 7.25 CHAP. LIV. VERSE 1. SIng O barren c. Some conceive that this is spoken to the Church of the Jews in Babylon The Prophet say they foreseeing that the People of the Jews that seemed for the present to be in the Estate of a married Wife prosperous and comfortable injoying Gods presence in his Temple-worship and bringing forth daily a new Generation whom God owned for his Children should e're long when they were carried Captives into Babylon be in the condition of a barren Woman cast off as it were by God in a wasting and dying Estate and not likely to bring forth a Posterity whom God would own for his Children he doth here for the comfort of the Faithful give them a promise that after this she should bring forth a more numerous Issue to God than ever she had done Yet though this they say began to be fulfilled at the return of the Jews out of Babylon it was not fully accomplished till the days of the Gospel But because the Apostle Gal. 4.26 27. doth plainly cite this Prophecy as accomplished in the days of the Gospel Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all for it is written and we must know that the place is rendered as it is in the Septuagint Rejoyce thou barren that bearest not break forth and cry thou that travellest not for the desolate hath many mo Children than she that hath a Husband therefore I think that others do better hold that by the barren here is meant the Church of the New Testament consisting both of Jews and Gentiles but primarily with respect to the Jews out of whom the first-Fruits of the Church of the New Testament were gathered and into whose Body the Converted Gentiles were ingrafted and so became one Church of God together with them and accordingly that in the following words wherein the reason is given why she is called upon to break forth into so
I conceive to the vain things they vented when they did at any time undertake to teach the People even their own Dreams and not any thing which God had given them in charge However upon these men we must know the blame is particularly laid not because the People were not also extreamly wicked but because the neglect of their Duty was a main cause of the wickedness of the People Ver. 11. Yea they are greedy Dogs which can never have enough c. This may be added as another of their Sins to wit their insatiable Covetousness or else as a reason of that which was said before of them namely That they were blinded with Covetousness and they are Shepherds that cannot understand that is they know not how to order their Flocks aright see the foregoing Note they all look to their own way that is say some they all give up themselves to do every Man of them what they list or rather they are all for themselves minding only their own affairs and profit every one for his gain from his Quarter that is every one from the place of his abode even all the City over from one end to the other Ver. 12. Come ye say they I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong Drink c. This is another Sin wherewith their Watch-men before mentioned are here charged to wit Their Rioting and Drunkenness And they are brought in here enticing to and encouraging one another in this Sin and perhaps the People too to imply their obstinacy and security herein Come ye say they I will fetch Wine c. as if they had said Let Men say what they will and come what will of it we will thus take our Pleasure And so likewise in the following words and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant which do clearly hold forth a bold and desperate resolution of running on in this their excess day after day though they may also imply a scornful contempt of the threatnings of Gods Prophets as if they had said Come let us drink stoutly and fear nothing if it be well with us to day it shall be as well with us to morrow and it may be better CHAP. LVII VERSE 1. THE Righteous perisheth c. That is They dye it is spoken according to that which is outwardly seen in the Death of Men and no Man layeth it to Heart that is no man minds it or is troubled at it though it be an usual sign of some approaching Judgment when those that are the Pillars to support a Church are taken away and merciful men or Godly Men for the Word in the Original signifieth both are taken away to wit by a natural or a violent Death for some think it is spoken with respect to the Righteous that were cut off by Manassah see the Note 2 Kings 21.16 none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come to wit as Husbandmen make speed to House their Corn when they see storms coming So it was with Josiah 2 Kings 22.20 This therefore is another wickedness wherewith he chargeth not their Watch-men only as before in the close of the foregoing Chapter but the whole People in general namely That whereas many it seems of the Faithful Servants of God were at that time taken away they regarded not this warning which God gave them of those dreadful Judgments that were coming apace upon them But withall there is comfort hinted for the despised Righteous Ver. 2. He shall enter into Peace c. That is into the rest and peace of Heavenly Glory where they shall be with God perfectly freed from all the troubles of the World It may indeed be read as in the Margin He shall go in peace and then the meaning may be that they should go out of the World with quiet and peaceable Consciences and before those evil and troublesome times came of which he had spoken in the foregoing Verse they shall rest in their Beds that is in their Graves for as Death is called a sleep so the Graves are termed Beds wherein dead men lye asleep until the general Resurrection when they shall all awake and rise again their Souls being departed into Heavenly rest their Bodies shall rest quietly in their Graves see the Note Job 3.13 each one walking in his own uprightness or before him as it is in the Margin The meaning is that thus it shall be with every one that serves God sincerely see the Note Gen. 17.1 Ver. 3. But c. Having in the foregoing Verses touched upon the happiness of the Righteous that were by Death taken away from approaching Judgments here he turns his Speech to the wicked Wretches of that Generation that rejoiced in their Death rather than grieved for it and triumphed in their surviving of them and condemns and threatens them But draw near hither ye Sons of the Sorceress the Seed of ye Adulterer and of the Where as if he should have said Thus shall it be with my Righteous Servants that are cut off from amongst you but as for you the prophane Crew that survive them and applaud your selves herein draw near and hear your doom And he calls them Sons of the Sorceress with respect to Jerusalem their Mother that was much addicted to those wicked Arts and the Seed of the Adulterer and the Whore because the Inhabitants of that City were also much given to those Sins of uncleanness but especially to that Sin of Idolatry which is often in the Scripture tearmed Spiritual Adultery and Fornication see the Notes Chap. 1.21 and 2 Kings 9.22 And thus these tearms implyed that they were a Wicked and Idolatrous Generation descended from Wicked and Idolatrous Parents both by Fathers and Mothers side and especially that they were no more in Truth the Seed of Israel or Children of God than the Children which a Wife hath by an Adulterer are her Husbands Children Ver. 4. Against whom do ye sport your selves c. As if he had said When you make your selves merry with flouting and jeering at the reproof and threatnings of my Prophets consider well of it it is not poor mortal Men against whom you sport your selves but the immortal and mighty God of Heaven and Earth whose Servants they are and whose Word it is which they Preach to you see 2 Chron. 36.16 Luke 10.16 1 Thes 4.8 for that this is here intended is evident by the following words against whom make ye a wide Mouth to wit in a way of derision see the Notes Job 16.10 and Psal 22.7 and draw out the Tongue which was another gesture used of old by way of mocking as we see by that of Persius Nec linguae quartum sitiat canis Appela tantum Are ye not Children of Transgression That is say some born of Wicked Rebellious Parents as was said before Children of the Adulterer and the Whore or rather Children that are transgressors as Children of Iniquity Hos 10.9