it were in secret corners but as touching the outward face of the Church for the space of many yeeres nothing appeared any where but scatterings and confused wasts And we at this day behold how the Roman Antichrist vsurping farre and neere ouer the sanctuarie of the Lord by a sacrilegious tyrannie holds it vnder his feet rent and oppressed For seeing the puritie of doctrine is there corrupted by monstrous errors and that Gods seruice being ouerturned idolatries raigne there without number that in stead of a gouernement rightly instituted a cruell torture hath been brought in that the Sacraments be in part by grosse and absurd abuses corrupted and partly shamefully set to sale what remaine there I pray you but wofull ruines of that naturall beautie of the spirituall building Notwithstanding the Lord in our times hath begun againe to set vp that which was fallen downe that at least there might be some image of the true Temple where he was purely serued according as he hath ordained in the Gospel To which end he hath selected out as it were from among the least of the common people his chiefe builders to aduance this worke by sincere doctrine I grant it is of it selfe a difficult worke and of great waight though Satan should let vs alone in quiet But if euen now whilest some part of this building is raised vp he doth his vtmost to break it downe is it any maruell if we labour much and with great care yet see little or no fruit for the present to come of our labors Therfore these mightie Giants proudly scorne vs as if whilest we studying how to practise the ruine of the tyrannous Romane sea wee should striue to ouerthrow the mount Olympus These great wits also wâ—â—o as they thinke know somewhat deride our diligence in regard we are so earnestly busied in restoring the Church to her first estate as if in the same any certaine or setled estate were to be expected For these forsooth imagine that they are so well founded and on all sides so furnished that it is no lesse easie to abolish poperie then to mingle heauen and earth together But the conceit of these wise men differs somewhat For in regard the peruersitie of the world is so great that it cannot be held in awe they thinke we trauel in vaine and against the streame to seeke in correcting vices to haue a pure and sincere administration of a Church The flout of Erasmus is well enough knowne What hopes Capito of the tenth which shall come after him It cannot be denied but Wolfangus Capito was an holy man who with a most sincere affection endeuoured to purge the Church But because he was perswaded that the Ministers of Christ should no lesse lose their labour in correcting the stubbornenesse of the world then if they should haue taken vpon them to haue forced the streame the contrarie way for thus they are wont to thinke who talke of things in the shade he taxeth vs all of inconsiderate zeale in the person of one But both the one and the other are much deceiued in that they consider not that wee so imploy our selues in the Lords seruice as he hath commanded that in the meane while the restauration of the Church is meerely the worke of his owne hands Neither is it without cause that the whole Scripture commonly testifies and that our Prophet againe and againe so carefully repeates it Wherefore being mindfull of this doctrine let vs no way be discouraged from vndertaking vnder Goâ—â— guidance a businesse which farre surmounts our owne abilities that so no encumbrances may either breake off our purpose or so weaken vs that we should dâ—â—â—st from our enterprise And here I doe expresly summon you most excellent King or rather God by the mouth of his Prophet Isaiah calles you namely to goe on in imploying whatsoeuer power and force God hath endued you withall and with new encreases to set forward the restauration of the Church which is now so happily begun in your kingdome First you daily heare and reade that this charge is committed vnto you in that Kingdom ouer which God hath placed you Yea and Isaiah as I haue said calling Kings nurcing fathers of the Church permits not that the helpe which shee in this behalfe requires of you in her affliction should now be wanting vnto her Neither ought your heart to bee lightly touched with that where the Prophet denounceth an heauie curse to fall vpon all Kings and nations which shall defraud her of their aide Againe your Maiestie also euidently knowes that euen the necessitie of these times requires it And albeit by your endeuours it may be you shall gaine little yet knowing how acceptable a seruice this is vnto God and that it is a sweete smelling sauour in his nostrils no dangers whatsoeuer ought to turne you from this enterprise Seeing then that God thus exhorts you to behaue your selfe valiantly and therewithall promiseth you an happy issue why shuld you not cheerfully follow him wheÌ„ he cals you In another place our Prophet cries Prepare prepare the way for my people It is wel enough knowne how there was no hope that the poore captiues could bee restored home to their countrie againe neither was this presently performed But in regard the Prophet by the spirit of prophesie then foresaw what the posteritie should effectually feele lest by so lamentable a spectacle the faithfull might be discouraged he preuents them betimes telling them that there are no obstacles or impediments whatsoeuer be they as firme and as close as they may be thorow which God wil not make a way to deliuer his Church Neither do we stand in lesse need of consolation to quicken vs vp at this day And as for you most noble King it is very requisit that you be readie and watchfull in respect of the charge which is committed vnto you seeing Isaiah exhorts all Kings and Magistrates in the person of Cyrus to reach foorth their hand to the Church in her trauel to the end shee may be restored to her former estate Although in this regard your condition differs much from that of Cyrus in that he being but a stranger ouer the Lords flock was neuer taught expreslie willingly and with a franke courage to offer himself to restore maintaine the Church but you whom the Lord hath not only vouchsafed to receiue by adoption but hath also placed you in highest ranke among his children the Prophet calles you to this office as if he reached you out his hand So much the more confidently therefore and with the more ardent affection ought you to proceede on in this race The matter as I haue said is in it selfe full of great difficulties intangled with much tediousnesse and mingled with dangers because Satan ceaseth not to broch his cunning shifts and deuices if by any meane he might either to ouerthrow or destroy the holie temple of God sometimes also God by such trials will prooue
be admonished then that our daies are not prolonged to the end we should giue our selues to iollitie and dissolutions but to honour him that hath so much honoured vs to further one another in his feare to meete together in the holy assemblies to magnifie his mercie and truth THE XXXIX CHAPTER Vers 1. At the same time Merodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan King of Babel sent letters and a present to Hezekias for he had heard that he had bin sick and was recouered THE expositors thinke that this Merodach was the first King of the Chaldeans because his father Baladan held the superioritie amōg the Babilonians without hauing the title of King After this Merodach then had reigned 12. yeeres he subdued the Assyrians and made them tributaries vnder the Caldeans For those are deceiued who thinke that the warres were begun by Nebuchadnezar It may well be that he made an end of them and whollie subdued the Assyrians whose power was then like enough halfe spent there remained nothing for him then but to confirme the kingdome in his owne hands which was cōquered by the power of his predecessor Now howsoeuer the Prophet in few words telles how the Ambassadors were sent yet we must obserue that Merodach did this guilefullie to guggle Hezekias with his flatteries He threatned the Assyrians alreadie whom he knew the Iewes hated for good cause because of their continuall warres that he might get him a companion then and a fellow helper in his intended warres hee insinuates himselfe cunningly into the amitie of this good King whose heart as you see was forthwith surprised with pride in that hee was too forward in accepting the fradulent flatteries of this Tyrant and suffered himselfe to be poisoned therewith And yet the pretence was nothing else forsooth but that the Ambassadors came to congratulate with him in regard of the late recouerie of his health howbeit the holy historie seemes to alleadge another reason to wit that Merodach was moued to send by a miracle 2. Chron. 32.31 No doubt but this going backe of the Sunne was renowned far and neere neither could it be but many nations were much moued by the report of so vnwonted a thing But it is hard to say that so profane a man respected any other thing then to catch Hezekias by this meanes in his nets And because God had by so excellent a signe signified how deare the safetie of Hezekias was vnto him Merodach thought with himselfe as the wicked and vnbeleeuers are wont to abuse such testimonies of Gods fauour to the seruing of their own turnes that his warres which he meant to vndertake must needes succeed wel and be blessed from heauen if he might get such a one as Hezekias to take his part Thence it was that to manifest his good will he sent his Ambassadors to him with a present for he meant to winne him because such an acquaintance should be fit and profitable to aid him against the Assyrians whom the Iewes as he well knew hated most deadly Thus you see the policies of Kings and Princes The practises of idolatrous Kings and Princes to wit by close conueiances to serue their owne turnes neuer caring by what meanes they procure aid so they may make themselues strong against their enemies Vers 2. And Hezekias was glad of them and shewed them the house of his treasures the siluer and the gold and the spices and the pretious ointment and all the house of his armour and all that was found in his treasures there was nothing in his house nor in all his kinkdome that Hezekias shewed them not THe Prophet plaies the historiographer For first hee telles plainly what Hezekias did next he will shew why he did it to wit because ambition had blinded his eies and thus he meant to make himselfe great in the sight of the Ambassadors Thus he taxeth this inordinate ioy from whence proceeded so great care at length to feast and welcome them He that shall reade the historie barely wil thinke there is no great fault to be found in Hezekiah for any thing he did Was it not humanitie in him to receiue such Ambassadors with gladnesse and magnificence and to shew them all signes of loue Who can denie it Nay hee had shewed himselfe more then barbarous if hee had reiected those who in such kind manner came to visit him or if he had set light by the friendship of so mightie a King Notwithstanding all this his heart was too farre tickled with vanitie and ostentation For he meant to shew his greatnesse to the end the Babylonian might know that this amitie should serue him to good purpose which he further insinuated by shewing his riches munitions and furniture for warre Hee was also blame-worthy for desiring to bee supported by strange and vnlawfull meanes for therein he bereaued God of his honour who had freely deliuered him out of two great dangers otherwise the Prophet would neuer haue reproued him so sharply for this fact Heere is a faire looking glasse therefore in which euery one may see that there is nothing so dangerous as to bee blinded with prosperitie Nothing so dangerous as to bee blinded with prosperitie to which purpose it was well said long agoe It is a harder matter to beare prosperitie then aduersitie We wax vnruly and insolent when things fall out as wee would haue them neither can we be kept in awe by any threatnings or admonitions whatsoeuer If this befell Hezekias whom the Prophet before hath so much commended whose onely treasure was the feare of God Chap. 33.6 how ought we to watch ouer our owne hearts lest we fall into the like dangers He suffers himselfe to bee ouerswaied with vaine ostentation If such a mightie Cedar fell what shall become of such low shrubs as we be and neuer remembers that being halfe dead before the Lord drew him out of his graue by a miracle from heauen In the 20. verse of the former Chapter hee vowed to sing the praises of God all the daies of his life in the assemblie of the Saints Now when he sees some suing for his friendship and that a mightie Monarch sends from far to salute him he presently forgets God with al the benefits which he had receiued at his hands Do we see this good King so soone ouerthrowne and ouerswaied with pride and ambition let vs learne to hold our selues within the lists of modestie by which we may daily be preserued in the feare of God Modestie the meanes to hold vs in the feare of God Vers 3. Then came Isaiah the Prophet vnto King Hezekias and said vnto him What said these men and from whence came they to thee And Hezekiah said They are come from a farre Country vnto me from Babel HEe goes on with the same narration still but he addes doctrine vnto it And howsoeuer he vtters not a word of Gods sending of him yet it is most certaine that he did this by the
the building of the Temple and for mens vse so it shall come to passe that they shall saile thither againe and this interrupted nauigation shall recouer the first course By Tarshish that is Cilicia which was opposite to Iudea vnder the figure Synecdoche he vnderstands all voyages and traffikes which they made by sea with strange nations Wee may also take it without figure thus The ships of Tarshish which were wont malapartly to scorne my Church shall subiect themselues to my authoritie and thereunto shall bring children from a far Country Their gold is vvith them He againe repeates his former speech to wit that the Gentiles shall so yeeld their obedience vnto God that they shall offer to him both themselues and all theirs The Popish Doctors doe heere againe as I touched in vers 6. shew their extreme impudencie Impudencie of Popish Doctors in their absurd collections Reu. 17.8 Persianlike pride noted in the Pope and his Clergie when they abuse these and the like places to vphold those tyrannous and Persian-like pompes whereby that Antichrist of Rome and his supposts glister and will be wondered at And albeit they ouerflow in costly raiment being couered from top to toe with gold and pearles in a word though they apparell themselues like a strumpet yet are they not ashamed to make the holy Ghost the author of all these abominations For when the Prophets doe but mention gold or siluer straightway they apply the same to their dissolutions Truly in this behalfe they resemble the Iewes Iewes and Papists iump together in their fond collections who leape for ioy as oft as the Prophets mention gold or siluer hoping to wallow themselues therein when the Messiah shall come So the Papists thinke on nothing else but vpon gold and siluer with which vaine appearance their mindes are so bewitched that they cannot aspire to heauen but this blockishnesse hath no need of any refutation The summe is that God vvill exalt his Church vnto an high and soueraigne degree of honour and decke her vvith ornaments befitting her But to the end the faithfull might not doubt that any impediments should hinder them to receiue so glorious a promise or lest they should attribute ought to their merits God himselfe promiseth to be the author of this thing Moreouer Isaiah now assignes the riches of the Gentiles whom heretofore he had abandoned from the Church to bee an holy offering vnto God and as spoiles and recompences of her victory And thus hee more cleerely expresseth that which I haue said namely that wee ought to desire nothing so much as to see the whole world subdued vnder Gods dominion Vers 10. And the sonnes of strangers shall build vp thy walles and their kings shall minister vnto thee for in my wrath I smote thee but in my mercie I had compassion on thee HE prosecutes the same argument The sâ—me argument pâ—osecuted and in the next verse expounded And as hee said heretofore that strangers should submit themselues vnder Gods authoritie to reedifie the Temple so now hee saith that the strangers shall bestow their labour in building vp the walles The comparisons whereby he promiseth the Churches restauration are diuers For it is a thing vsuall in the Scriptures where the Church is spoken of sometimes to set it foorth vnder the Temple and then againe vnder Ierusalem Now hee promiseth that the strangers shall helpe to set vp this building lest the Iewes should faint being astonished at their pouertie or smal number For in the captiuitie they might bee solicited to distrust thinking that albeit they should returne into their countrie yet there was no likelihood that euer they should perfect such a worke But Cyrus Cyrus did this who furnished them with great sums of gold and siluer And yet these things were but figuratiue in him for they had their full accomplishment in Christ to whose kingdome all that which is here spoken must bee referred For first of all he vsed the seruice of a few weake men to wit the Apostles Apostles who were disfurnished of fit meanes for so long a businesse afterwards therefore he raised vp strangers out of whom he chose Pastors Pastors and made their Princes to be nursing fathers to the Church Papists malepert in giuing their Pope soueraigntie ouer Kings The Papists too malepertly do ouerthrow and corrupt this place when they wrest it to establish the tyrannie of their Pope to whoÌ„ they giue soueraigne dominion our Kings and Princes Kings and Princâ—s And herein they shew themselues impudent liers against the truth in calling him Christs Vicar Papists shamelesse liers in calling their Pope Christs Vicar seeing the kingdome of Christ is not of this world Ioh. 18.36 And yet this companion on the contrary domineeres in pride and crueltie and takes vpon him to change kingdomes Now Kings so submit themselues vnto Christ that yet they cease not to be kings still Kings so submit themselues to the Church that they hold their kinglie authoritie still Onely they are to imploy their power for the maintenance of Gods seruice and to gouerne their subiects with equitie Whence wee see how farre off they are from Christs kingdom who would rent from Kings their power and authoritie to make themselues Lords ouer them Anabaptists would haue no kings From this place wee may also refute the Anabaptists who so ouerturne politike gouernment that Kings can no otherwise bee ChristiaÌ„s then in renouncing say these bedlems their authoritie But wee see here that God will haue himselfe honoured of the Kingly order Moreouer that none might obiect that it had been an easier matter to haue maintained the Church in her first estate In my wrath I smot thee then now to plucke her out of hell God preuents this also and shewes that the Iewes were iustly thus afflicted in regard they had too much prouoked him by their iniquities But hee giues them matter of good hope because he will not punish them with rigor according to their demerits but vvill content himselfe that they haue been humbled vnder temporarie chastisements And yet therewithal he informeth them touching the cause of such a change lest they should iudge therof according to their sense For when kingdomes are changed and sometimes on a sudden exalted and forthwith fall backe into ruine we thinke such things fall out by chance and that it is but the course of the world The Iewes might thinke the same when after the ruine of the Chaldean Monarchy they were set at liberty And therefore the Lord protests that all these things were guided by his Prouidence that they shuld not be partners with infidels in their blindnesse It is as much then as if he had said If thou askest wherefore thou hast endured so manie miseries truly because J was angrie vvith thee Gods free mercie and not our merits the cause of our redemption and tooke vengeance of thy offences But if thou wouldst
A COMMENTARY VPON THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIAH By Mr. IOHN CALVIN WHEREVNTO ARE ADDED FOVRE TABLES The first touching places of Scripture alleaged The second of the principall matters handled The third of Authors and diuers names mentioned Th◠fourth of certaine texts cited out of Isaiah in the new Testament which by the Author in the Commentarie are compared and reconciled TRANSLATED OVT OF FRENCH INTO ENGLISH BY C. C. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Iohn 1.29 To him also giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Act. 10.43 Lord who will beleeue our report And to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Isai 53.1 Iohn 12.37.38 AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON and are to b◠〈◊〉 by William Cotton dwelling in Pater noster Row at the signe of the golden Lion 1609. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE HENRIE PRINCE OF GREAT BRITTAINE SONNE AND HEIRE APPARANT TO our Soueraigne Lord IAMES King of Great Brittaine c. AND TO THE MOST NOBLE AND VERTVOVS PRINCESSE THE LADY ELIZABETHS GRACE his Highnesse most deare Sister all honour and happinesse with eternall glorie through Christ IESVS MOst gracious and renowned Princes hauing translated out of French into our English tongue the booke of the prophecie of Jsaiah interpreted and expounded by Master John Caluin of reuerend memorie I humblie craue that it may be published vnder your most Princely names and protection The reason of this my humble petition is that the honor of so noble a worke may not be imbased by the meanes of my endeuours This Prophet by birth was the sonne of Amos esteemed by many to haue been brother to Azarias King of Iudah and Father in law to King Manasses which being so this Prophet was by birth of the blood Royal and descended of the house of Dauid which for the promise of Christ to come of him was the most noble house of all the Kings of the earth Being so borne his education could not be but Princely and his bringing vp in all good learning wisdome vertue and honor His spirituall graces not attained vnto by ordinarie meanes but inspired into him immediatly by the Spirit of God were excellent This appeareth particularly in the sixth Chapter of this Prophecie declaring that an Angell of God with a burning coale taken from the Lords Altar and laide to the mouth of the Prophet refined his lips and his tongue that they became pure and precious as the finest Gold The same is manifest in all the booke of his Prophecie wherein both the light and the heate of that heauenly fire appeareth For he not onely declared the will of God sincerely according to the lawe and testimonie deliuered to Moses but also foreshewed the future euents of the Kingdome of Judah and of all the flourishing states and Kingdomes of his time He Prophecieth also of the birth of Iesus Christ as if hee had been taught by the Angell Gabriel who brought the annunciation and message of it to the blessed Virgin his mother Of his passion and death he spake as if with the Apostle John he had stoode by when he was crucified His resurrection he described as if with all the Apostles he had stoode vpon Mount Oliuet where the Lord tooke the cloude of glorie as his heauenly Chariot to ascend and goe vp to his Father His zeale and indignation against sinne is euident euery where in his sharpe reproofes of the offences of all estates Finally the booke of his Prophecie beareth written in the head of it the names of foure Kings in whose time he prophecied and before whom as a vessell of golde he bare the name of God with great honour All which things being royall it seemed to me most conuenient that his booke should still beare in the front of it the names of Princes And as hee foreshewed that Kings should bee Fosterfathers and Queenes Nurces of the Church of Christ so my desire was that his booke might be published vnder the names and protection of Christian Princes Moreouer I was led hereunto by the example of this Interpreter whose exposition vpon Jsaias prophesie I translate namelie of M. John Caluin a man in his time of excellent pietie and learning and one of the great lights whereby it hath pleased God both to chase away the errors of poperie as the darknes of the shadow of death and to cause his maruellous and comfortable light of the Gospell to shine vnto this present age For hee dedicated his first exposition of this booke to the young Prince King Edward the sixth of famous memorie for the princelie graces for the zealous loue of true religion and of al heroical vertues wherewith in his young yeeres he raised an admirable expectation of future glorie if his precious life had long continued He was also most worthily renowned with highest glorie for that gracious reformation in religiō which was established by his regal authority and which our English Church at this day with great comfort doth enioy vnder the happie gouernment of our Soueraigne Lord the King your most noble and renowned Father Furthermore the same Author setting out againe this Commentarie amplified and enlarged he dedicated this second edition to our late most gracious Queene Elizabeth worthie of eternall memorie in this Kingdome for the reestablishing after a few yeeres alteration of the zealous reformation of her most vertuous brother Which example hath led mee in most humble manner to seeke for the same worke the high patronage and protection of such Princes like those to whom hee presented this his seruice To whom I know none so like as your selues both in regard of your high estate and also in like most noble descent from the vnited houses of Yorke and Lancaster Besides which resemblance your Highnesse also is of like yeeres to the yong Prince King Edward and in the eies of all the kingdome of like hope of excellent vertue and zealous proceedings in the aduancement of Christian religion In like manner your Grace resembleth the most gracious late Queene Elizabeth both in her royall name and also in the constant expectation of all men to expresse in time all the princely vertues and graces that shined in that most renowned Princesse from this Westerne part of the world to the furthest East and to the rising of the Sunne In which respects esteeming such a dedication most like that which my author made of his owne worke I haue most humblie craued that this my translation of it might bee vouchsafed the honour to haue your Princelie names written in the beginning of it For notwithstanding the great difference that is betweene a reuerend learned writer and expounder of the holie Scriptures and the translator of such an exposition yet this meane seruice hath also his good vse in the Church of God and is of long and tedious labour to such as take paines therein which being gratiouslie
in the end freed mee from this feare namely that as this Princely Prophet descended of the blood Royall and a most honourable Ambassador of Christ the Soueraigne King suted well with your person so I hoped that my labours which I haue taken in expounding his prophecies would bee accepted and esteemed of you Moreouer seeing he had good experience of the disposition of fiue Kings far vnlike each other to whom he continually preached yet I need not aduertise you which of these you ought to follow neither yet to exhort you to the performance of such duties vnto which you shew your selfe alreadie most willing Vzziah and Iotham fauoured him and yet they wanted sufficient courage in erecting Gods pure worship the greatest conflicts he sustained was with Ahaz not that he was an open enemie but a false hypocrite full of dissimulation and treacherie And what enemies I pray you gaule Gods seruants more then such His successor Hezechiah not only reuerenced this holy personage but also modestly as one of the coÌ„mon sort submitted himselfe to his doctrine obeyed his counsels and suffered himself to be gouerned by his admonitions Nay which is more he willingly yeelded to be sharply reprooued by the Prophet when need required The last which was Manasses who as all the Iewes with one consent affirme was his father in law wickedly slew him by cruell torments Yea euen during the time that good Kings aided him and also vnder Hezechias who shewed himselfe so godly a protector of pietie and godlinesse yet then was he continually vexed with sharpe and tedious trauels and made to vndergoe very grieuous conflicts so difficult and rare a thing is it to see men consent to wholsome doctrine I say more such as will faithfullie and vprightly discharge their duties in this propheticall function must needes make account to be at continuall oddes with the world So much the more therefore ought faithfull Kings by their defence to succour the Ministers of Christ that they be not molested nor pressed aboue measure by the insolencie of the wicked But by how much the more as this vertue is excellent and truely heroicall so if wee shall call to mind what hath past in all the ages from the first till now how rarely hath it been found or how few haue giuen themselues to the practise of it Many being remisse and fainthearted haue through meere negligence suffered Gods truth to be suppressed as if the matter had not at all concerned them The greater part shewing themselues aduersaries haue with furie and violence rushed against it And would to God all those who at this day professe themselues Christians had but so much heart to aduance the doctrine of saluation as they are proude in glorying of this name But to be silent touching others we may yet at the last worthilie esteeme this comfort not as a common fauour in the miseries wherein the Church now is that you most noble King haue been raised vp of God with this spirit and excellent magnanimitie of mind to maintaine the pure religion and as effectually to offer vnto God your seruice in this behalfe as you know he receiues and approoues the same at your Maiesties hands For howsoeuer the affaires of the Kingdome be yet managed by your honourable Counsell and that as wel the most noble Duke of Sommerset your Maiesties Vncle as also many others haue taken the cause of religion so to heart that they labour diligently as it is very fit they should to establish the same yet doe you in such sort outgoe them all that it well appeares the zeale which they see in you prouokes them not a little to follow you For you haue the same not only to be of such a princely disposition as promiseth much and to haue some seeds of vertues also which yet neuerthelesse seemes great in so young yeeres but more then that such a ripenesse of these vertues alreadie growne beyond your age which to the most aged gets not only rare praise but also maâ—es them much to be admired And aboue al so greatly is your pietie commended that I am very wel assured our Prophet shal haue one that wil with like respect reuerence him being dead as Hezekias did whilest he was liuing As concerning the fruite which may happily redound vnto you thereby it is best your selfe should learne it by your owne experience in reading of him and yet I haue touched that also a little in the preface There is only one thing which I haue determined to say vnto your Maiestie and this it is After the Prophet hath laid foorth Gods iust complaints against this so vnthankfull a people and hath threatned the Iewes with such chastisements as their disloyall reuolt and desperate obstinacie deserued namely that the time approched wherein they should be brought to an horrible ruine foorthwith comming to set foorth the new and incredible restauration of the Church hee promiseth that God will so respect the same that in despite of all her enemies shee shall alwaies flourish in beauty and happinesse Those which returned from the captiuitie of Babylon felt this ioyous and blessed estate when the sacrifices being againe newly erected they might conceiue some good hope of greater benefits then those which they then enioyed as when we behold the breake of day wee expect the Sunne-rising soone after But when Christ the sunne of righteousnesse appeared with his glorie in his Gospell the thing it selfe greatly surpassed all that which had been highlie praised by the Prophets reuelations Within short space the knowledge of the true God was dispersed almost throughout the whole world The pure religion which before was despised and shut vp within the bounds of Iudeah as in a narrow corner now begaâ—â—o bee spread into al nations and prouinces yea so honoured that God was called vpon with one consent of faith by infinit multitudes The sonne of God hauing here and there gathered the Churches set vp his royall throne and aduanced the same into the highest degree to be seene of all from the East vnto the West The Churches adorned with admirable graces of the holy Ghost not onely tasted of the incomparable fruite of the diuine goodnesse but were also faire and shining theaters to manifest the wonderfull power of God euen to such as were blind And albeit Christ raigned vnder the crosse yet amiddest the fierie conflicts and persecutions his glorie shined more gloriouslie and his triumphs more stately then if the Church had alwaies enioyed tranquillitie In the end it came to passe that that hautie pride of the Romane Empire submitting it self also vnto Christ was a singular ornament to the house of God But the malice ingratitude of men was the cause why this happinesse lasted not successiuely And so the spouse of Christ as one stripped of so pretious a robe spoiled of her dignitie and depriued of her honourable attire was brought backe againe to a miserable deformitie yet God alwaies preserued some remainders as
heretofore and therewithall I answere that it ought to seeme no new thing that the Prophet should be cast as it were into a swound and so astonished with this strange vision that he should vtterly forget he was a Prophet for there was no part in him which was not abashed at the presence of God and therefore as one amazed he willingly ran into some hole or rather thinking himself but a dead man he thought verily he should haue giuen vp the ghost And it is very necessarie that the children of God should be thus touched when God letteth them perceiue the signes of his presence to the end they may be humbled and confounded in themselues Adde also that God meant thus to feare the rebellious people in the person of his seruant and therefore it is no maruell if he excuse himselfe being so astonished with feare as also in regard that he had not before felt the weight of his charge as now he did after the maiestie of God had thus euidentlie appeared vnto him But why was not this vision giuen him in the beginning I answere Quest Ans it was necessarie in regard of the time to confirme him more and more in the execution of his office An example whereof we may see in the Apostles for in the beginning they were sent with commandement not to passe the bounds of Iudea but after Christ rose againe Mat. 10.5 Iohn 20.22 Act. 2.3 he establisheth them anew in a solemne maner He breatheth on them and tels them that they should receiue the holy Ghost and contents not himselfe therewith but sending downe the holy Ghost from heauen vpon them in firie toongs he put an extraordinarie power vpon them So according to the diuers mutations which happened in times and kingdomes it was necessarie that Isaiah should be confirmed and approued againe by a new vision as well that he might be encouraged to constancie and might with the more cheerefulnes follow his vocation in time to come as also that his ministrie might be authorised among the Iewes by the authoritie of God This reason to me seemes sufficient why he had not this vision at the beginning but had it rather sometime after he began to teach Now that this booke takes not his beginning here it sufficientlie appeares by that we haue seene in the former preface which is much more cleare and proper then this And because all passage might be stopped by the desperate obstinacie of this people it was necessarie he should begin his speech with this vehemencie here set downe as also because it is very likely that he had exercised the function of teaching a long time vnder king Vzzias who was dead as I thinke before this prophesie was published Lastly the Prophet by these words signifies that God appeared vnto him after he had alreadie begun to execute his office Some by Death vnderstand the Leprosie wherewith this king was smitten 2. King 15.5 which was indeed a ciuill death because the king was constrained to forsake the companie of men and to leaue the gouernment of the kingdome but I had rather take death in his proper signification Thus I thinke then to wit that Isaiah prophesied the former things frō the time of Vzziah at that time when he was strucken with Leprosie and that Isaiah had this vision after his death at that time when Iothan should succeed him For we know how the change of kings do bring diuers sturres and hurly burlies so as it is no wonder if Isaiah were confirmed againe in his calling Also the prophesie it selfe which followes will declare sufficientlie that he had preached sometime before he had seene the Lord. For the blinding of the people is heere spoken of whereof the Prophet had such experience that their stubburnnes might haue caused him to haue giuen ouer that which he had begun seeing he lost all his labour The Lord then confirmes him by this vision to the end all discouragemēts being set apart he should manfullie continue to do his dutie and goe on with that which he had begun by the commandement of the Lord. Obiect I saw the Lord. Some aske how Isaiah could see the Lord who is a spirit and therefore can not be seene with corporall eyes and also because the vnderstandings of men are not able to mount vp to his infinit greatnes how it can be that he should comprehend him vnder a visible forme Ans But we must note that as oft as God shewed himselfe to the fathers he neuer appeared vnto them in his whole essence but as men were able to comprehend him according to their capacitie For it is not inconuenient albeit men creepe heere as it were vpon the earth or at the least are very low beneath the heauens that God should descend downe vnto them so as the beames of his glorie should appeare vnto them as in a glasse Such a forme then was represented before Isaiah whereby he tasted and saw the incomprehensible maiestie of God as farre as his weakenes could beare And therefore he attributes a seate a garment and a bodily sight vnto him Whence wee may gather a very profitable doctrine to wit that as oft as God shewes any signe of his presence we are to know for certaine that he is present by vs for he deceiues not in giuing vaine representations as men wickedly disfigure him by their foolish inuentions Because this representation then was a true testimonie of God his presence Isaiah rightly affirmes that he saw him As when it is sayd that Iohn saw the holy Ghost in the likenes of a Doue Matth. 3.1.6 the name of the spirit is transferred to the signe because he should not doubt but it was the holy Ghost which rested vpō Christ Obiect It is demanded in the second place who this Lord should be S. Iohn in the twelfth of his Gospel teacheth and that truly Ans that it was Christ because God neuer shewed himselfe to the fathers but in his eternall Word and only Sonne And yet some notwithstanding do restraine this amisse to the person of Christ in my iudgement seeing the Prophet giues him indefinitly the name of God The name Adonai which seemes best to appertaine to Christ fauours their opinion nothing at all for it is often attributed vnto God simply and without relation Mention is made of God in this place then without determining of either end yet notwithstanding one may properly say that Isaiah saw the glory of Christ Col. 1.15 because he was the image of the inuisible God from euerlasting Sitting vpon a seate He could not haue better described the maiestie of God in regard of the circumstance of the place then vnder the person of a Iudge to the end his maiestie might the better awaken the Iewes and we shall see hereafter the horrible iudgement which the Lord pronounceth from his seate But to the end we thinke not the Prophet should inuent how he could paint out God we must note
Let vs make an entrance into it For the verbe Baqua signifies that which we commonly say let vs make a breach or entrance Now the meane to breake into Iudea was either to stoppe the passages by force of armes or by feares to solicit those which should be timerous and wauering to reuolt for whilest subiects hold their obedience all passage is shut vp but when all is on a hurly burly by seditions and factions an easie entrance is made to passe euen to the strongest and best fortified places Thus these two Kings hoped as soone as they should bee ariued in Iudea that they should terrifie all the hearts of the people with their great and mightie armie so as they should haue neither power nor will to resist For it is not likely that hauing so great a multitude of men they meant to holde any long siege True it is that Ierusalem was well fortified but they thought the citie would be frighted and troubled with this greate armie and therefore would by and by yeeld it selfe to their mercie Yet notwithstanding I leaue it to the libertie of euery one touching the interpretation of these words seeing the Prophets meaning is plaine enough But we cannot easily gather from the histories who this Thabeal was It is very likely that he was some Israelite who being an enemie to the house of Dauid these Kings would binde and oblige vnto them Vers 7. Thus saith the Lord God it shall not stand neither shall it be THat which was saide before was to the magnifying of so rare and excellent a deliuerance For when the Lord meanes to succour vs in temptations he sets the greatnesse of the danger before vs to the end we might perceiue that hee promiseth no lesse than the necessitie requireth Hee lesseneth not but rather amplifies the euils wherewith we are pressed then he offereth his promise and shewes that hee is alsufficient to deliuer vs although it seeme wee bee past recouerie The Prophet hath followed this manner of teaching For he might simply haue told them what should come to passe and might haue incouraged the King and the people to the end they should not bee affrighted nor discouraged in regard of these great armies but he discouers the counsell and deliberation of these Kings against which he now opposeth the promises and decree of God that his admirable worke in their deliuerance might the better appeare The sacred anchor Behold then the sacred anchor which onely holds vs fast in the middest of all tempestuous temptations whereas on the contrarie if God should take away his word from vs we were neuer able to hold out in aduersities Although the King then was almost ouerwhelmed with despaire alreadie Isaiah tels him that there is nothing so terrible which he may not boldly despise if so be that fortifying himselfe strongly vpon this promise of God he patiently waite for that which he sees not which yet seemes almost incredible to him He affirmes then that howsoeuer these men haue lifted vp themselues as giants against God See verse 6. yet they shal not bring their practises to perfection And hee vseth the word To arise vp as also the Latines by this similitude signifie a worke with his goings forward Lastly he affirmes that such a boldnesse so full of sacriledge cannot stand There is yet more vehemencie in that which he addes It shall not stand that is to say it shall be so disanulled as if it had neuer been We must note this manner of speech well by which he opposeth the bare and naked word of God against this great haste and the deliberation of these two Kings Vers 8. For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin * Or yeâ— 65 yeeres and and within fiue and threescore yeere Ephraim shall be * Or broken destroyed * Or and shal be no more a people from being a people THe head of Syria As if he should say These two kingdomes shall haue their limits euen as they haue at this present They aspire to thy kingdome but I haue set them bounds which they shall not passe Damascus was the chiefe citie of Syria as Paris is of France Hee saith then that these two Kings must be content with their owne greatnesse and that looke what estate they were now in the same should they continue in hereafter Now after he hath told them it is in vaine for them to endeuour at this time to amplifie their limits he foretels the calamitie of the kingdome of Israel For by the word To breake hee signifies that this kingdome shall be brought to nothing and sâ—all bâ— no more For the Israelites were carried away indeed into exile and brought to another people as part of Sauoy is now incorporated into the kingdome of France and hath lost his name This is it which the Prophet meanes when hee saith that they shall bee no more a people because that Israel in this exile should be mingled with strange nations and should euen lose his proper name Yet sixtie fiue yeeres Seeing that the Israelites were led into captiuitie in the sixth yeere of King Hezekias and that Achaz raigned but sixteene yeeres it is certaine that this reckoning of yeeres should not begin from the day that Isaiah was sent to bring this message For there was onely twentie yeeres to the time that the ten Tribes were caried into captiuitie Amos had prophesied of it Amos 3.11 and no doubt but as this prophesie of Amos was knowne so also the period of time appointed was vnderstoode of all euery one knowing the number of yeeres If we reckon then from the time that Amos foretold these things we shall finde it threescore and fiue yeeres for Iotham raigned sixteene yeeres Ahaz as many Adde thereunto sixe of King Hezekias wherein the ten Tribes were let into exile and then take twentie seuen yeeres wherein Vzziah raigned after this prophesie and it will make threescore and fiue This coniecture is very probable neither neede we doubt but Isaiah meant thus For we haue the prophesie of Amos by which the Lord admonished the people lest they should haue complained they had been suddainely ouerwhelmed without warning Isaiah confirmes this prophesie and proposeth the same time which was already knowne of all Besides by these words he sharpely galles the senselesnesse of the people of Israel in that being thus admonished of the destruction both of their countrie and name they not onely despised with all boldnes the name of God but burned with a desire to deuoure all Iudea as if they meant to scorne this heauenly reuelation of set purpose thinking because a long time was already past that they therefore had now escaped The Prophet derides this their folly namely because they imagined the word of God would waxe olde and wither away in so small a number of yeeres But because the Israelites were deafe Isaiah giues them of Iudeah a set time wherein to
or flesh of men to wit because he shall be nourished after the same maner that other little children be Now the Iewes had another maner of nourishing their children then we haue for they vsed hony which we commonlie vse not and they retaine this fashion among them yet to this day so as they cause the Infant new borne to taste of butter and hony before they giue it suck Till he know That is to say till he be come to those yeeres wherein he can discerne euill from good and as we commonlie say till he be of discretion for the letter Lamed signifies the time and terme namely how long he shall be nourished after the maner of children and this serues to proue his humane nature so much the more By knowledge hee meanes that vnderstanding and iudgement which comes after Infancie is past Whereby we see how farre it pleased the sonne of God to abase himselfe for our sakes that he would not only be fed with ordinarie foode but was also content to be depriued of vnderstanding for a time and to susteine all our infirmities according to his humane nature Heb. 2.15 for this can not appertaine to the diuine nature S. Luke speakes of this time of Christes ignorance when he saith he profited in wisdome and in stature and in fauour with God and men Luk. 3.35 If S. Luke had said simplie that Christ profited one might haue replied that was in regard of men but he expresly addes toward God It was needfull that he should be like to all other little children for a time that hee might be destitute of vnderstanding as touching his humanitie Vers 16. * Or Truely For before the Child shall haue knowledge to eschue the euill and to choose the good the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings MAny are heere deceiued when they will conioine this present sentence with the former as if it were spoken of the same child and so make it an exposition of the former as if the particle Ci were rationall But if we more narrowlie wey the Prophets meaning it will sufficientlie appeare that hauing left the generall doctrine from which hee had made some digression he now returnes to the matter againe for hauing grounded the hope of Ierusalems deliuerance vpon the promised Messiah now he teacheth how it shall be deliuered I expound not this verse then of Christ but of all children in generall and herein I differ in opinion from all others which thinke it should be spoken here of some certaine child But for mine owne part I take the word Hannar generallie so as the letter He should be added for the better vnderstanding rather to shew the age then some speciall child as we commonlie say The child adding this article The for the clearer vnderstanding of the matter which also is very vsuall in the Scripture Now if the word the had marked out some particular child he would rather haue said this child as in other places Neither is it likely that this promise touching the ruin of the kingdomes of Syria and Samaria which followed not long after should be deferred fiue hundred yeeres that is to the comming of Christ we know this were too great an absurditie The sense then is Before the children which shall be borne heereafter shall know to discerne euill from good the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken By land I vnderstand the land of Israel Syria for although they were two Countries yet notwithstanding they were esteemed but one by reason of the couenant which the two kings had made one with another Some take the land for Iudea but that can not agree because of the relatiue that followes Now it is easie to gather from the holie historie that these things came so to passe according as they are heere written For after Ahaz had called the Assyrians to help him Rezin was slaine by them 2. King 16.9 Pekah king of Israel died soone after that is to wit in the twelfth yeere of king Ahaz and Hoshea the sonne of Ela reigned in his stead 2. King 17.1 2. King 15.30 Before the children then which should be borne soone after should come to yeeres of discretion both the kingdomes were destitute of both their kings because Rezin and Pekah died before that time The word indeed is directed to Ahaz and to the end he might be the more reuiued God promiseth him to take vengeance of his enemies yet only to the end he might be left the more without excuse As touching the words it is said that king Ahaz abhorred or detested the land of Syria and Israel because from thence he was assailed God promiseth then that these kings shall quicklie perish Some turne the word Mipne Because and I confesse it is often taken in this sense but I expound it more simplie heere as if he should say the land shall be forsaken and left destitute of the presence of her two kings so as they shall appeare therein no more And by these words of the Prophet it sufficiētlie appeares that these things are to be vnderstood of both kingdomes Vers 17. The Lord shall bring vpon thee and vpon thy people and vpon thy fathers house the dayes that haue not come from the day that Ephraim departed frō Iudah euen the king of Ashur HEre the Prophet on the other side threatens this wicked hypocrite who seemed afraid forsooth to tempt God and yet in the meane while sought help frō those whom God had forbidden him to meddle withall Exod. 23.32 To the end then he should not lift vp his crest too high in regard of this promise heere made vnto him he denounceth his destruction and testifies that the help which he expected to wit from the Assyrians See 2. King 16.7 and 2. Chro. 28.16 should be altogether for his ouerthrow As if he should say Thou promisest thy selfe wonders from the king of Ashur and thinkest that he will stick close to thee because that against the commandement of God thou hast made a league and peace with him but thou shalt shortlie feele what commoditie will then redound vnto thee by tempting of the Lord. Thou mightest haue rested quietlie at home and so would God haue been mercifull vnto thee but thou louedst rather to haue help of Ashur well thou shalt learne by experience that their crueltie shall farre exceed the crueltie of all other enemies This speech of the Prophet then sutes very well with the former for he presseth the disloyaltie and vnthankfulnes of the king the more neere who in reiecting both the word of God and the signe had made himselfe vtterlie vnworthie of any promise at all Also because that as soone as hypocrites haue escaped any feare or danger they turne by and by to their old bias againe he affirmes that the Iewes can by no meanes escape but they must be chastised according as they had well deserued For this cause he saith expresly that
it was now no time to pleade but rather to represent the matter by an outward signe By an example then he sets the vengeance of God before their eyes whereof the Prophets had so often told them in vaine before to the end it should pierce the more deepely into their hearts and should remaine engrauen in their memories So that as oft as one should but mention these words haste to the spoile they should also call to mind the destruction of Israel and Syria Chap. 7.14 and be further certified of it Now because the Prophet prophecied in the former chapter of the comming of Christ many vnaptly expound this of him to wit that being furnished with an heauenly vertue hee came to dispoile the prince of the world and therefore hastneth to the pray Although this hath some shew of wit yet it can by no means agree to the text For the true and plaine sense declares that the Prophet saith not any new thing but confirmeth that which hee had saide before Vers 2. Then I tooke vnto mee faithfull witnesses to record Vriah the Priest and Zechariah the sonne of Ieberechiah THe Prophet vseth a noune and verbe deriued from one roote and the meeting together of the words hath elegancie as if we should say I haue witnessed my selfe with witnesses Now because this matter was of great importance he tooke witnesses with him as men were wont to doe in things of consequence Hee calles them faithfull that is to say true and meete and yet notwithstanding one of them was a cursed and wicked apostata who to flatter the King 2. Kin. 16.11 built an Altar like vnto that at Damascus and openly consented to an horrible impietie and abomination I know there are others who are indeed of a contrarie opinion but if wee consider the circumstance of the time well we shall finde it to be euen that same Vriah who like a trencher-chaplaine conformed himselfe to the vngodly humour of the King as the holy historie witnesseth Whereas they thinke it was some other because Isaiah calleth him faithfull it is too weake a reason for the Prophet did not so much looke to the man as to the office which he exercised in regard whereof hee was sufficient to be a witnesse in this case He meant not to say then that Vriah was a good man but that his person was not to be reiected in regard of the authoritie of his office but was in respect thereof a witnes free from all exception as they say Moreouer I thinke this prophecie was fixed to the doores of the Temple in the presence of Vriah and Zechariah who were taken to be witnesses to it For hee speakes of no vision but of a commandement of God which hee indeed did and performed to the end these words might be as a common prouerbe in the mouthes of all the people Vers 3. After I came vnto the Prophetesse which conceiued and bare a son Then said the Lord to me call his name Maher-shalal-chash-baz I Make no question but this which followes happened to the Prophet in vision to seale vp the former prophecie It seemed then to Isaiah that he had the company of his wife and that by this copulation he begat a son vpon whom this name is imposed There were no absurditie if we should confesse that the Prophet had the company of his wife and that hee did indeed beget a child to whom this name was giuen neither would I much contend with him which should be of such an opinion But because it is not very likely that this name was imposed vpon any man there being no testimony of it I rather incline this way to think that this visiō was offred to the Prophet as a confirmation of the former prophecie He calles not his wife a Prophetesse as the wiues of Kings are called Queenes by way of honour but because she was a publike person in this vision Isaiah therefore out of doubt doth of set purpose turne away the mindes of the faithfull from thought of any carnall copulation that they might so much the more attend to this sacred mystery For howsoeuer it be a thing lawfull in it selfe to beget children in mariage yet notwithstanding nature it selfe teacheth that the act is a matter of blushing or shamefastnes which seeketh to do it secretly Vers 4. For before the child shall haue knowledge to crie My father and my mother hee shall take away the riches of Damascus and the spoile of Samaria before the King of Ashur HEre followes both the exposition of the obscure words of Isaiah as also of the vision adioyned vnto it For seeing God meant to speake briefly it was needefull it should bee intelligible I referre not the word child to the sonne of the Prophet but to all those that should bee borne soone after as I haue said heretofore Chap. 7.14 He threatens then that the two kings of Israel and Samaria shal be cut off before those children shall be of any growth Jn the presence of the King of Ashur That is to say according to his desire and will Wherein it may bee hee meetes with the ancient manner of those which triumphed before whose chariot they vsed to carrie the spoiles of the enemies Thus the spoiles of Damascus and Samaria shall bee borne before the King of Ashur From hence it appeares yet better that the Prophet meant nothing else but to foretell the ruine of the kingdome of Israel and Syria First for the comfort of the faithfull and secondly to scorne at the foolish feare of this cursed King which could not endure that the Lord should succour him He had not onely reiected the promises but also the signe which was offered him This is the cause why the Prophet doth so much the more reprooue the impiety of this king and of al the people as if he should say I see that thou art resolued to beleeue nothing but yet is the Lord determined to assist his chosen For thou shalt shortly see sudden and vnexpected changes by which God will deliuer his people And yet it is certaine that these things are not directed so much to the King as to the faithfull Whence we are to note that the seruants of God doe not alwaies speake so that the hearers doe by and by beleeue their sayings Isaiah speakes heer to the wicked whom he profited nothing at all Why then doth he direct his speech vnto them To the end hee may conuince them more and more and to lay their infidelity in their dish as also that the goodnes of God might be the better knowne For who would not haue thought but such an impietie would haue shut vp the gate of all Gods mercies from them yet notwithstanding the Lord by his goodnes ouercomes both the peruersitie of the King and of the people Now yee see the Prophets drift to wit that whilest he reprocheth the wicked with their pride he shewes them notwithstanding that God is alwaies like
referred to those which are assistants or counsellers to kings or some others If any cauiller will yet rest himselfe too obstinately in this wrangling of the Rabbins he shall do nothing else but manifest his impudencie Let vs follow that which is plaine and cleare Wonderfull We must note 1. Wonderfull These titles giuen to Christ be no vaine things that these titles be no vaine things but fitlie applied to the present occasion for the Prophet teacheth what a one Christ shall shew himselfe to be towards the faithfull Now he disputes not of his incomprehensible essence but extols his vertues whereof we shal haue experience by faith Which we ought so much the more to keepe in mind MeÌ„ are wont to content themselues wâ—th the bare name of Christ without consideration of his power because men for the most part content themselues with the bare name of Christ without consideration of his vertue and efficacie the which indeed we ought euermore chieflie principallie to weigh and consider In the first epithite he prepares the minds of the faithfull to the consideration of a very rare thing to wit that they should expect some more excellent and greater matter from Christ then that which we see in the course of Gods ordinarie workes As if he should say There are inestimable treasures wonderfull things hidden in Christ And the very truth is that his redemption farre surpasseth the worke of the creation of heauen and earth So then the summe is that the grace which God hath manifested in Christ is more excellent then all other miracles The second epithite signifies 2. Counseller that the redeemer shall come adorned and decked with all wisedome But heere we must call that to mind which I haue touched before namely that the Prophet disputes not in this place of the hidden and secret essence of Christ but of that vertue which he manifested towards vs. He calles him not Counseller then because he knowes and vnderstands all his Fathers secrets Iohn 1.18 but rather in regard he issued out of his Fathers bosome and therefore performed all the parts of the office of a soueraigne and perfect Teacher so as it is not lawfull for vs now to be wise further then his Gospell to the praise whereof also this appertaines 1. Cor. 1.24.30 Ephes 1.17 Col. 1.9 for therein the wisedome of God is fullie conteined as Saint Paul also often shewes and therein also Iesus Christ manifests and declares whatsoeuer is necessarie for our saluation and that so familiarly that he speakes no more to his disciples as vnto seruants but as vnto friends Iohn 15.14.15 The mightie God 3. The mightie God El is one of the names of God which notwithstanding is deriued from might or power so as sometimes it is added in stead of an epithite But here we may perceiue it is a proper name because Isaiah contents not himselfe therewith but hath added the epithite Gibbor which signifies strong And truly if Christ were not God it were ill done to reioyce in him for it is written Cursed is he that trusteth in man Iere. 17.5 The maiestie of God then must of necessitie shine in him that in him we may place our confidence because we can not rest vpon any creature without high sacriledge He is called the Mightie God then for the same reason that he was heretofore called Immanuel Chap. 7.14 For if in Christ we only find flesh and the nature of man our reioycing should be friuolous and peruerse and the stay of our hope should be grounded amisse and without any stedfastnesse If Christ bee God yea a mighty God â—hen wee may boldly repose our confidence in him Eph. 6.12 But if so be he shew himselfe to be a God to vs yea a mightie God then may wee boldly and securely repose our confidence in him There is also very great reason why the Prophet calles him the Mighty and Strong for we haue to fight against the diuel death and sinne enemies that are farre too mightie and strong for vs to deale withall who would quickly master vs if wee were not clothed with the inuincible strength of Christ By this epithite then wee are taught that Christ is strong enough to vphold our saluation to the end wee should desire none but him Christ is a strong God for vs. for he is God and wil shew himselfe strong for vs. This application is the key of this place and of others like vnto it to wit that we distinguish betweene the incomprehensible essence of Christ and that power by which he manifesteth himselfe vnto vs. 4. Eternall Father Eternall Father The Greeke Translator hath added To come and in my iudgement hath rightly expounded it for it sets forth the Eternitie vnlesse wee had rather say that a perpetuall and continuall order of times and seasons should agree better lest the heauenly life which is yet hidden from vs should needlesly bee restrained to this place It is true that the Prophet also comprehends that yea and admonisheth vs that Christ shall come to make his elect immortall but because the faithfull being yet in this world must passe from death to life this time to come is referred to the eternall estate of the Church The name Father is taken for Author because Christ maintaines his Church in all ages and giues immortalitie as to the whole body thereof in generall so to euerie member in particular Whence wee learne how fraile and brittle wee are being out of him For be it that wee liue very long according to the manner of men what shall become of this old age at the last Let vs therefore lift vp our mindes to that eternall and blessed life which wee possesse by faith and hope although wee see it not visibly with our bodily eyes 5. Prince of peace The Prince of peace Behold the last epithite whereby the Prophet declares that Christ shall bring full and perfect felicitie with him at his comming or rather a quiet and blessed securitie For the word peace signifies as much oftentimes amongst the Hebrews as prosperitie in regard that among all blessings none are found better or more desireable then peace The summe is that all those who will subiect themselues vnder the gouernement of Christ shall leade a quiet a happy life vnder his obedience Whence it followes that where this King raignes not mens liues are most miserable and full of troubles But herewithall wee must obserue that the nature of this peace and of this kingdome are both alike For it hath his principall seate in the consciences of men otherwise it must needes be that wee should be alwaies in conflicts and exercised through continuall assaults And therefore Isaiah doth not promise an external peace only but such a peace whereby wee may enter againe into fauour with God from whom we were vtterly estranged and enemies before Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God saith S. Paul Rom.
together all the testimonies wherein the Prophets promise the afflicted that they shall be restored in the person of Dauid Ier. 30.9 Ezech 34.23 24. 37.24 Hosea 3.5 or of his Sonne For they sometimes say that Dauid should be King who yet notwithstanding was dead long time before So Isaiah in this place shewes that hee propounds nothing of his owne head but onely refresheth their memories with the consideration of that which God had in times past promised touching the eternitie of this Kingdome By the way then hee touched that which Amos had handled more fully to wit that the throne of Christ which had been ouerthrowne for a time should be set vp againe Amos 9.11 Isaiah also describes the estate of this kingdome but it is vnder a similitude taken from earthly kingdomes For he saith that Christ shall be a King who shall order and establish his kingdome by iudgement and by iustice These indeede are the two meanes whereby worldly gouernments doe flourish and stand stedfast which on the contrary doe by and by fall to ruine when they are gouerned by violence and tyranny Iustice the fortresse of Kingdomes Therefore in regard that iustice is an excellent defence and fortresse of kingdomes and gouernments and that the felicitie of the whole people depends thereupon the Prophet by this particular teacheth that the Kingdome of Christ shall bee an example and paterne of an excellent gouernement But this iudgement and iustice whereof hee heere speakes Christs Kingdome spirituall appertaines not to outward policie because wee must hold the proportion which is between the kingdome of Christ and the conditions of it Now it being spirtuall it is established by the power of the holy Ghost Lastly all this ought to be referred to the inward man to wit when we are regenerate of God to be made truely righteous The outward iustice indeede followes forthwith but it is necessary that this renouation of the spirit and heart doe goe before We are none of Christs vnlesse we be giuen to vprightnesse We are none of Christs then vnlesse wee bee giuen to vprightnesse and equitie bearing that righteousnesse in our hearts which he hath engrauen and fixed there by his holy Spirit Where it is added from hence forth it seemes it should rather be referred to the perpetuity of iustice and doctrine then to the eternitie of the Kingdome to the end wee should not tâ—â—nke his lawes resemble those of Kings and Princes which continue in comparison but three daies or a very smal time and are sometimes renued that a little while after they should come to nothing but that wee might know how the vertue and power thereof endures for euer For they are established as Zachariah saith in his song that wee might serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1 75. Rom. 6.9 For as Christs Kingdome is perpetuall because himselfe dieth not so also iustice and iudgement endures for euer and cannot be changed by any time The zeale of the Lord. By zeale I vnderstand a burning affection and care which God will manifest in the conseruation of his Church by remouing all difficulties and impediments which otherwise might hinder the deliuerance of it For euen as when wee enterprise some difficult and hard matter our affection vehemencie and ardent desire surmounts all the hinderances which lie in our way to breake off or let our indeuours so Isaiah shewes that God will be inflamed with a rare and singular desire to saue his Church that if the faithfull in their vnderstandings cannot comprehend the promise which hee erewhile made them yet they should not cease therefore to be of good comfort because the way and course which God holds is wonderfull and incomprehensible Lastly hee signifies that the Lord will not come with a light and slowe arme to deliuer his Church for hee will alwaies be inflamed with an inestimable loue which hee beares to his faithfull ones and with the care of their saluation Vers 8. The Lord hath sent a word into Iacob and * Or is fallen it hath lighted vpon Israel HEere followes a new prophecie And as I thinke this Sermon is diuided from the former because the Prophet speakes now of the future estate of the Kingdome of Israel which was then aduersarie to the Iewes Now wee know that the Iewes were terrified with the forces and power of this Kingdome and not without cause especially when the Israelites made a league with the Syrians because the Iewes were too weake to resist their power Wherefore for the comfort of the faithfull hee shewes what the estate of the Kingdome of Israel shall be He takes Iacob and Israel for one and the same but this variety hath his elegancie when hee shewes that the wicked shall gaine nothing by their deuices in seeking to winde themselues out of Gods iudgements and to blot out the remembrance thereof He alludes to the speech of those who thinke to escape by scoffes and taunts turning whatsoeuer the Prophets doe threaten vnto sport and matter of merriment as if some wise man would striue to beate backe a tempest by blowing against it with his mouth It is a yeelding of the thing vnto them then by way of derision as if hee should say You are of opinion that God will bring euery thing to passe which hee hath threatned vpon others but all the menaces which he pronounceth against Iacob shall also fall vpon Israel The verbe To send is taken To appoint or ordaine The particle Beth signifies into Iacob himselfe For the word of God must abide and rest there because it cannot be that the same should vanish away without his fruit So then he teacheth that in this place which he will repeate heereafter in other tearmes My word shall not returne to me in vaine Chap. 55.11 because looke what hee hath once decreed is neuer published but it fructifieth For by the word to fall he shewes the certaine effect and euent of the thing as if he should say I imagine not neither doe I foreshew these things out of mine own braine but it is God which hath spoken who can neither change nor be deceiued Vers 9. And all the people shall know euen Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and presumption of their heart BY the word people I vnderstand not the Iewes but rather the Israelites as also that herewithall the Prophet looseth this knot by naming Ephraim expresly He addes Samaria thereunto which was the capitall citie of this people or of the ten Tribes because the strong and best furnished Cities which think theÌ„selues out of all danger are for the most part much more proud then others For they thinke by agreeing with the enemie to bee alwaies able to escape out of danger although all the rest of the Country villages be destroyed And therfore Isaiah threatens that it also shall bee enwrapped in the very same
then that the Assyrian lifts vp his crests yet God declares that hee hath meanes in his hand suddenly to conuert the glorie of this King into dishonour and shame Wherefore hee heere comprehends the contempt disdaine pride and other arrogant behauiours and signes of vaine glory all which are to be seene in the proud Now he brings in God speaking for that which God pronounceth with his mouth hath greater vehemencie then if hee should haue spoken by the voyce of the Prophet From hence we are to draw a generall doctrine namely that God cannot indure the insolencie of the proud but hee must needes downe with it 1. Pet. 5.5 because hee is at perpetuall warre against them Iam. 4.6 Let vs also note that this sentence comes in by way of restraint to the end the Prophet might preuent the ouer great hastinesse of men saying that this shall come to passe after that the Lord shall haue accomplished his worke For as soone as we see a man proud wee meruaile how the Lord can suffer him But Isaiah shewes heere that God indeede suffereth this tyrant although hee proudly and fiercely exalts himselfe because hee is minded to serue his turne of him and that the time is not yet seasonable wherein the Lord should shatter the wicked too pieces but that they must wait with patience For after he hath afflicted the kingâ—ome of Iudah as bringing his owne houshold first into order he will not then be slowe nor slothfull to punish the enemie stranger as fathers who are wont either to cast away or breake the rods wherewith they haue beaten their children Hee takes the mountaine of Zion for the Church by a figure called Synecdoche to the end that by the Temple and royall Citie hee might decipher out the whole body as by the head or principall part He expresly saith all the worke We oft times hinder the Lords working by our inconsiderate hastines because wee willingly hold backe the Lord from his worke by our inconsiderate hastinesse yea many times when he hath but euen new begunne For we are wont to make such wishes against the reprobate as it is hard to restraine our impatience vnlesse God apply himselfe to our affections in punishing them by and by To abate such heate the Prophet commands that wee should let God alone and leaue the fit time free vnto himselfe when to exercise his fatherly chastisements All the worke then This word All hath gâ—eat emphasis heere is taken for a iust measure Behold here a very profitable doctrine and of great consolation We see the wicked are wonderfull proud and how they lift vp themselues audaciously against God as if they were stronger then he also how they pursue his doctrine with iniuries and slanders so as we can hardly expresse the fiercenes of their arrogancie with words Note If the Lord should agree to our will hee should runne by and by and thunder from heauen against them and vtterly roote them out God begins first with his owne But his purpose is before hee doth this to correct his Church by them For he speakes not heere of Egyptians or Assyrians but of the Iewes of Zion of the Temple his dwelling place which it pleased him to dedicate and consecrate to his honour So at this day there are diuers diseases in the Church which the Lord will purge and heale True it is that he hath alreadie begun but wee deceiue our selues if wee thinke his worke to be now perfect Hee will not cease then till he hath so tamed vs that being touched with a true feare of his name Note we submit our selues vnto him with such modestie and teachablenes as is fit Wherefore wee must not maruell if he le ts loose the bridle to Tyrants and suffreth them still to exercise their crueltie against his Church for the consolation is readie to wit hauing vsed them as his vassals to correct his people he will visit their pride and arrogancie And it is no wonder if God in smiting his chosen first do therein declare that he hath a speciall care of their saluation Iudgement then must begin at the house of God first 2. Pet. 4.17 and afterwards he proceeds on in iudgement against strangers who shall be yet more grieuouslie punished Vers 13. Because he said by the power of mine owne hand haue I done it and by my wisdome because I am wise therefore I haue remoued the borders of the people and haue spoiled their treasures and haue pulled downe the inhabitants like a valiant man THe Prophet doth againe repeat the open blasphemies which the Assyrian would disgorge for he attributes all the victories which he obteined to his wisdome and power By the strength of his hand he meanes his armed souldiers gathered out of diuers nations but withall he brags also to haue beene a valiant king and this is the custome of these vaine braggers to attribute all that to themselues which is done in their name although they in the meane while giue themselues to feasting and ease vnder the shadow Afterwards he boasts of his wisdome and warinesse as we commonly say I'ay esté bien entendu expert I haue been very discreet and expert And no doubt but he adornes his fraudes and deceits with the title of honestie wherewith yet hee had circumuented his neighbours For behold the craft and cunning of Kings and Princes euen to trouble and vex the Countrie by indirect meanes to seeke pretence of lawes to sow discords and lastlie to mingle heauen and earth together as they speake by their practises When he saith I haue remoued the borders of the people it is as much to say I haue stretched out the bounds of my gouernment and haue added other countries to mine owne so as there is no bound nor distinction As if we should say that the French King hath taken away the limits of Brittanie Burgonie Aquitaine Prouence and other regions in ioyning them to his kingdome He addes also that no treasures lay so secret and hidden which he discouered not got to himselfe as if he should say By my wisdome I haue drawne all nations round about into my nets I haue emptied their treasures and griped all that was hid into mine hands Vers 14. And mine hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people and as one gathereth egges that are left so haue I gathered all the earth and there was none to mooue the wing nor to open the mouth or to whisper HE further addes that it was no hard matter with him to ouercome Kings and lay their riches on an heape and he makes this the more plaine by a similitude Simile as if he should say If a man should seeke a nest and finde the birds gone he may take the egges away without any difficultie For if the birds sit vpon their egges as they haue a naturall affection to keepe their nests either they wil flie vpon him that
mightie trees he meanes whatsoeuer is strong excellent and high so as he foretels the ruine and destruction of Iudea and compares it to the cutting downe of a forest signifying that there shall be nothing so high and excellent in the countrie which the enemies shall not cast downe euen till they shall haue stripped the land of all her ornaments He also makes mention of Lebanon for wee know that it was a mountaine greatly renoumed in regard of faire goodly trees which were in it but if he had spoken of the Assyrians there should haue been no reason in it for him to speake of the destruction of Lebanon Whence we gather that he heere threatens the Iewes againe and that the preface of his Sermon agrees very well when it begins at this particle demonstratiue Behold Vers 33. Chap. 10. Reade the former Section saue one for the better vnderstanding of the verse following THE XI CHAPTER Vers 1. But there shall come a rod forth of the stock of Ishai and a graffe shall grow out of his rootes BEcause the description of so horrible calamities might astonish the faithful and might therewithall minister matter of despaire vnto them it was very requisit to set some word of consolation before their eyes For the beholding of the kingdome wasted the cities ouerthrowne and all parts of the countrie destroyed could not but worke sighes and deepe gronings in them so as they might very easily haue been shaken and in the end vtterlie become desperate if the Lord had not preuented them by this consolation The Prophet then shewes what the Lord will do in time to come as also how he will restore the kingdome Now he still continues the similitude which he had vsed in the former Chapter Vers 33.34 for there he said that Iudea should be brought to nought euen as the fire consumes the forest The deformitie of this countrie then should resemble a wast ground where nothing can be discerned but ashes after the trees haue been consumed with fire But to the end there might be some resemblance betweene things opposite he saith that a rod shall come forth of a stocke which yet shall become a tree and shall spread his branches and fruits farre and neere For this cause I haue chosen rather to translate the word Gueza A dry stocke then roote although the matter be not great whether of them both we vse and yet this word stocke notwithstanding doth better expresse the Prophets meaning for hee signifies that howsoeuer the stocke be dry yet the graffe which shall come forth of it shall bee more excellent then all the forrests in the world Whence wee gather that this prophecie cannot agree to any other person then to Christ because no such graft was seene to come forth before hee came into the world Verily this can no way be applied vnto Hezekias neither yet to Iosias because they were aduanced euen from their birth to be Kings at the length As touching Zorobabel he neuer came to the thousand part of that dignitie which the Prophet extolleth in this place Wee see then that the consolation of the poore and desolate Iewes is heere set before them in one onely Messiah and that their hope concerning the same is deferred euen till his appearing For when he was manifested there was no hope left of any restoring or reestablishing of the kingdome neither in deed could they haue had any if this promise had not been added because it seemed that the house and linage of Dauid was vtterly extinct For this cause he mentions not Dauid but rather the familie of Ishai 1. Sam. 16.11 12. 2. Sam. 7.11 Psal 78.70.71 because the dignitie of this family was so diminished that it seemed rather the house of a countrie Farmer then the house of a King for such indeed was the house of Ishai when Dauid little thinking thereon was called to the gouernment of the Kingdome Thus then after they had lost their antient glory and had receiued so great a discomfiture hee calleth it the familie of Ishai because it was the most inferiour of all others And therefore I thinke that the consolation rather beginnes heere then at the end of the former Chapter The Iewes might doubt in so horrible a destruction who should be their defender Isaiah promiseth one vnto them howsoeuer hee must come forth of a drie stocke He continues still the former similitude of the forrest as I haue said because it hath greater elegancie then if he had simply said that Messiah should come For hauing shewed heretofore that the forrest should be vtterly consumed hee addes notwithstanding that a rod shall come forth which shall restore the abundance and beautie of this burnt forrest againe and this rod is Iesus Christ who should come to bee the protector and Sauiour of his people Now it is not needfull to shew how abiect and base the beginnings of this kingdome was Truely all that was to bee seene therein was so poore and weake that to outward appearance all things the originall of the blood royall excepted seemed to be directly contrary to this which should be accomplished in the person of the Redeemer Yea so low were they brought that this royall race was as good as vtterly extinguished for who would haue thought that a poore Carpenter had been begotten of the royall feede Besides in what place I pray you was Christ borne Marke 6.3 and what was his bringing vp To conclude after he had spent his whole life in contempt and continually exposed to shame and derision was he not cruelly and shamefully put to death by which hee was to begin his kingdome Yet notwithstanding all this he grew into an infinite greatnesse euen as a great tree growes vp of a small little seede as Christ also himselfe teacheth vs Matth. 13.31 whereof wee haue daily examples Mark 4.32 For it must come to passe of necessitie that the same should befall his kingdome which came to passe in his owne person Vers 2. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and strength the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. NOw he begins to speake of Christ plainely and without any figure It had been sufficient to haue propounded the consolation vnder the former similitude and fitly did the opposition answere betweene the burning of the forrest and the new restoring of it againe He therein described the twofold estate of the people for hauing spoken of the calamitie he by and by addes the hope of restauration the beginning whereof notwithstanding must come forth of a little bud but now hee manifestly shewes what this deliuerance shall bee and what the condition both of Christ and his Kingdome should be also Some thinke this should rather be referred to Ezekiah who was a figure of Christ but how inconsiderately wee shewed heretofore For when Ezekias was borne the name and royall
to know him to be the only true God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 Moreouer the abundance of knowledge is here closely compared to that small taste which God gaue to the ancient people vnder the law And albeit the Iewes were kept vnder such childish rudiments yet vnto vs hath the perfect light of the heauenlie wisdome shined by the meanes of the Gospel as Ieremiah also foretold They shall not euery one teach his neighbour nor euery one his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me saith the Lord from the least vnto the greatest Ier. 31.34 If so be that this fulnes of knowledge then haue taken possession in our vnderstandings it will purge and cleanse them froÌ„ all maliciousnes This place also informes vs what maner of Church there is in the Papacie where the light of holy doctrine being smothered yea almost cleane extinct their whole religion is to be blindfolded in a brutish ignorance Now if it so fall out that we haue not a perfect knowledge at the first dash Though we attaine not vnto a perfect knowledge the first day yet we must endeuour to profit more and more continually yet we must endeuor day by day to profit more and more 2. Pet. 3.18 and that in such wise that the fruit thereof may issue from this roote Whence it appeares that the greater part haue profited but very meanly in the schoole of Christ when so many cosenages extortions and violences haue their full swinge on all sides Vers 10. And in that day the roote of Ishai which shall stand vp for a signe vnto the people the nations shall seeke vnto it and his rest shall be glorious HE returnes againe to the person of Christ and repeates the same similitude which he tooke vp heretofore in the beginning of this Chapter to wit of the roote or sprig issuing out of the drie stock which had no appearance of any sap in it He saith then it shal come to passe that the Gentiles who in times past had the Iewes in abomination shall yet come and doe homage to the King of the Iewes Now this might seeme a thing altogether incredible and no doubt but this promise was a long time derided because such a change should rather haue been expected when the kingdome stood florished in his full streÌ„gth then after it was destroyed But needfull it was it should be brought thus low to the end it might afterwards be exalted and that the glorie and power of God might hereby be better knowne then if all things had been in their florishing estate For what is he that with the eyes of flesh could haue apprehended such a height Luk. 2.31.32 from a little sprig that it should be discerned of all people and should draw the eyes of euery one vnto it He compares it to a standard lifted vp on high and we know that this was accomplished in the publication of the Gospel yea much more excellentlie then if Christ had soared aboue the cloudes Hereunto appertaines that which is said in S. Iohn Numb 21.9 As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp Iohn 3.14 Christ is then sought when wee run vnto him to obteine saluation as in many places of the scripture where the seeking of God is as much to say as to put our whole hope and confidence in him And therfore the Greekes haue translated They haue hoped respecting the sense rather then the signification of the word As touching that which immediatlie followes that his rest shall be glorious all the expositors almost do expound it of the Sepulcher of Christ taking a part for the whole because they by and by after referre it vnto his death And to say the truth the buriall of Christ was but an appendance of his death The sense then according to their opinion should be that the death of Christ which was ignominious before the world shall be full of glorie and maiestie But when I consider all circumstances more narrowly the Prophet in this place by this word rest signifies the Church as also it is said in the Psalmes This is my rest for euer here will I dwell Psal 132.14 And thus he decketh the companie of the faithfull with an honorable title because in them he will haue his perpetuall mansion Seeing then that the Church at that time was exposed to mocks and reproches he promiseth that it shall be brought to a better and more happie estate and shall yet againe recouer her first beautie Here then we haue an excellent testimonie which giues vs to vnderstand that God will dwell for euer in his Church although this shall not alwaies appeare so vnto men Vers 11. And in the same day shall the Lord stretch forth his hand againe the second time to possesse the remnant of his people which shall be left of Ashur and of Egypt and * Or parthe Pathros and Ethipia and of Elam and of Shinar and of Hamath and of the Iles of the sea BEcause the prophesie touching the future glorie of the Church was incredible hee now declares by what meanes it shall bee brought to passe to wit that God will manifest the strength of his hand to performe as it were a famous and memorable act Moreouer to confirme the elect people in good hope hee brings to their remembrance the deliuerance past to the end they might not doubt that God should not bee as well able to deliuer them now as hee was to deliuer their fathers Exod. 12.31 who had experience thereof in former time in Egypt For this word againe aimes at that and it is all one as if hee had said Now also will God be the Redeemer of his Church This hee confirmes by another reason to wit although it seemed that God should despise his people yet will hee not be depriued of his inheritance The summe is that God will take care of the saluation of his Church to the end hee may not be bereaued of his right Notwithstanding hee speakes expresly of the remnant because this deriuerance should appertaine but to a little handfull of seede Lastly hee repeates that which hee had said heretofore Howsoeuer God separates and scatters his Church yet can it not be that he should wholly reiect it because it is no lâ—sse pretious vnto him then our heritage is deare vnto euerie one of vs. Now he speakes not of the Assyrians which had led the people into captiuitie but also of other nations amongst whom the Iewes were scattered For after the greater part of the people were carried into Babylon some fled into Ethiopia others into other regions because they feared lest they should be led into the same bondage with others As touching Parthe in the text it is Pathros some thinke it should be Parthe and this is probable although others say that it is Arabia the Stony Vnder the word Elam he comprehends the
length hauing ouerturned all their enterprises eueÌ„ in lesse then the twinkling of an eye Vers 16. They that see thee shall looke vpon thee and consider thee saying Is this the man that made the earth to tremble and that did shake the kingdomes THe Prophet scornes this wicked king againe in the person of the dead and yet this may also be vnderstood of the liuing but it is better to referre this whole speech to the dead vnlesse we had rather vnderstand it of the sepulchre which is almost all one in effect Now we are wont to stretch forth our neck and to stand vpon the tipto when any admirable or rare thing is presented to our view So in regard it was a thing almost incredible that this king furnished with so great power should be dead the Prophet saith that all haue cast their eyes vpon him to behold him diligentlie as if they could hardly beleeue that to be true which they saw euidentlie before them They aske in the first place whether it be possible that he which made the world to tremble with his looke only could be so suddenlie easilie brought low Next the Prophet shewes how all his wicked desires and enterprises are ouerthrowne as also that tyrants with their crueltie are like to cloudes which poure downe water or haile on a sudden as though they meant to destroy the whole world but they are scattered and gone in an instant And this similitude that same good old father Athanasius vsed See Martin Luther vpon the Psalme â—f degrees fol. 33. when some threatned him with the furie of Iulian. Now the Prophet shewes that this change came from the hand of God who by his only will can ouerthrow the whole world Vers 17. Hee made the world as a wildernesse and destroyed the Cities thereof and opened not the house of his prisoners IN this verse he expresseth the crueltie and in humanitie of this Tyrant namely that he brought the world to a wildernesse rased the Cities deliuered not his prisoners Those who haue obtained victorie haue been accustomed sometimes to release their prisoners that they might win their hearts by gentlenesse Tyrants had rather be feared then loued but Tyrants had rather bee feared then loued because they perswade themselues that the onely safe way to raigne is to make themselues feared of all through a brutish cruelty We need not wonder then at their so miserable and wofull an end for it cannot bee but God must render them like for like after hee hath corrected his Church by their crueltie shewing no more mercy to them then they did to others Thus then he shewes how miserable Tyrants are in regard they haue both God and men their enemies Vers 18. All the Kings of the Nations euen they all sleepe in glorie euerie one in his owne house 19. But thou art cast out of the graue like an abominable branch like the rayment of those that are slaine and thrust thorow with a sword which goe downe to the stones of the pit as a carkase troden vnder feete HEe opposeth the King of Babylon against other Kings to shew that hee shall be more wretched after his death then they all And thus he amplifies the iudgement of God who should execute vengeance vpon the cruelties done to his Church by comparison This place is the cause why I dare not restraine that which Isaiah speakes heere of the King of Babylon to the onely person of Nebuchadnezzer because we finde not by histories that hee was depriued of buriall Although the Iewes tell how Euil-merodath commanded hee should be taken out of his sepulchre because the great Lords of his kingdome durst not doe him homage till they were certaine of the death of his father But S. Ierome howsoeuer hee be credulous enough in other things yet holds this as a fable He speakes not then of one man particularly 2. Thes 2. but of the whole Kingdome euen as when the Scripture speakes of Antichrist it comprehends the estate of all the Popes And therefore he scornes the pride of all Tyrants vnder the person of one testifying what their issue shall be to wit that they shall fall into such miserie that not so much as a small handfull of dust shall be giuen them for their burial howsoeuer in times past they were like insatiable gulfes whom all the wealth in the world was not able to satisfie Those which haue scarse one foot of land haue notwithstanding the honour of buriall and this was esteemed sacred and inuiolable aboue all things among the Patriarks for it was a great dishonour to be depriued of this priuiledge Yet he shewes that the Kings of Babylon should receiue such an opprobie that being cast out of the sepulchre of their fathers they should be a spectacle of disdaine vnto all Quest But some may aske whether it were so great a matter in Gods sight to bee buried with a mans predecessors that it should be esteemed as a punishment and curse to be depriued of it I answere Ans he speakes not of the sepulchre here as of a thing necessarie to saluation and yet that it was reputed a great shame for this Tyrant to want buriall First of all then let vs consider why buriall was so esteemed among all Nations Doubtlesse this came from the Patriarks whose bodies the Lord commanded to bee buried in hope of the last resurrection The carkases of beasts are cast out The reason why we are buried and beasts are not because they are ordained to none other end but to turne to rottennesse but our bodies are couered with earth that being laid vp therein they may wait for the last day at which time they shall be raised vp to inioy the soule in an eternall and blessed life Whereas diuers superstitions are crept in touching the buriall of the dead it is certaine that Satan hath brought this to passe by his subtletie who is wont to corrupt and peruent all things which yet in their owne nature are good and profitable for he hath forged infinite waies whereby to bewitch men But concerning the Iewes we are not to meruaile if they had many ceremonies in this behalfe neither ought wee to condemne them for it for they had not so cleere and manifest a reuelation of the resurrection because Christ was not yet reuealed But the matter is farre otherwise now seeing we behold our resurrection in Iesus Christ appâ—rently and the vaile being taken away wee now see the promises as in the sunshine which were obscure to the Iewes If at this day then any would bring in and reuiue the ancient ceremonies such a one should suppresse the light and doe great wrong vnto Iesus Christ for they indeuour to put a vaile before him who hath discouered himselfe vnto vs with open face Notwithstanding it is not vnprofitable to regard the interring of the corps Buriall of the dead ought to be retained but superstitious customes therin to be reiected The
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
happinesse vnto vs Rom. 8.28 Now Isaiah shewes that this shall not come to passe by meanes of men but by the grace of God which is the onely builder of this throne Wherefore to him onely must we attribute this mercie and acknowledge that it is of his free goodnesse that he hath established this sacred throne in the middest of vs. Now the Prophet confirmes it very well in saying that the cause must be sought no where else but in the meere mercie of God This is a grounded trueth for God was not mooued thereto by the worthinesse of any merits alas they were of no value to set vp that throne againe which was fallen downe by the sinne and iniquitie of the people but seeing those whom he had adopted had vndone themselues he meant to shew a token of his infinite bountie in their restauration Shall sit vpon it in stedfastnesse There is almost no one word here which hath not his weight so as this verse is worthy to be continually remembred I grant indeede there is an allusion heere in the word Tabernacle 1. Sam. 16.11.12 2. Sam. 7.2 as some doe expound it to wit that he was as a common person before he was called to sit in the royall throne For the Prophet meant to decipher out a liuely image of the Church which is farre vnlike the thrones of kings and princes neither shines it with gold siluer or precious stones as they doe Now howsoeuer he proposed the spirituall kingdome of Christ vnder a base and abiect resemblance yet he therewithall admonisheth that it shall beâ— prepared and set vp among men in the earth For if it had been onely said that the throne of Christ should be set vp it might haue been demaunded whether his seate should be set vp in heauen or in earth But when he saith in the Tabernacle of Dauid he shewes that he reignes not onely among Angels but among men also lest wee should imagine he were not to be found vnlesse we ascend vp into heauen The wicked laugh at this taking all that we say of the kingdome of Iesus Christ but for a fable as if it were a fancie forged in our owne braine For they must behold that wee tell them of with their eyes Vnlesse the wicked see yâ— with their eies which is told them they will beleeue nothing also it must agree to their senses as for vs we ought in no wise to conceiue any thing carnally of him but to content our selues with his power and vertue In stedfastnesse The word Emeth signifies all stedfastnesse whatsoeuer and trueth Here the Prophet meanes that the kingdome of Christ shall be firme and stable as Daniel also hath witnessed Dan. 2.44 and 7.14 Likewise the Euangelist Luke Of his kingdome saith he shall be none end Luke 1.33 Wherein it differs from the common condition of other kingdomes Christs Kingdome differs from the common condition of other Kingdoms which often fall and tumble downe by their owne weight be it that the foundations of them bee riches and other great commodities alas their stedfastnesse differs very little from vanishing shadowes But howsoeuer the kingdome of Christ seeme to totter now and then yet Isaiah tels vs that it shall stand for euer Christs Kingdome may now and then seeme to totter but it shall euer stand stedfast because God vpholds it because God vpholds it with his hand We must therefore arme our selues with these testimonies against the temptations which shal happen when Christs kingdome is assailed with many and mighty enemies so as a man would imagine it would fall to ruine forthwith Let the world deuise what it can then yea let hell it selfe cast forth flashes of flaming fire yet must we sticke fast to this promise Who shall iudge I take the word â—â—ophet for Gouernour as if he should say there shall be one that shall gouerne we often see a magnificent throne and yet no man fits on it and it will ordinarilie fall out that kings shall be either idols or beasts who haue neither iudgment wisedome nor any discretion in them But heere he saith that he which shall sit in this throne wil performe the office of a good gouernour which is added to the end we may know that Christ will be our protector in deed for the iudgement which is attributed to him is nothing else but the safe custodie vnder which he hath receiued vs and which none can wring from him neither will he let the wicked remaine vnpunished when they haue offred vs violence if so be that with a meeke and quiet spirit we will put our selues vnder his protection By the word hasten the Prophet sheweth that Christ will take vengeance quicklie and speedilie of our afflictions We must set Christs speedines in comming to our rescue against our impatiencie which we ought to oppose to our impatieÌ„cie because it seemes to vs that he is too slow in succoring vs. But when we shall be so ouerswayed by our passions let vs thinke surely this comes to passe because we giue not place to his prouidence Although then that he tarrie according to the sense of the flesh Although Christ seeme to tarrie long in our sense yet he knows what time is fittest to help vs. yet doth he alwaies moderate his iudgements after a most excellent order according as he knowes the seasons best for vs. For this cause then let vs quietlie wait his good pleasure Vers 6. We haue heard of the pride of Moab he is very proud euen his pride and his arrogancie and his * Or insolencie indignation but his lies * Or shal not be approued or shall not take effect shall not be so THe Prophet addes this sentence by way of preueÌ„tion For that which he had promised touching the restauration of the royall throne seemed incredible neither could they perswade themselues that the Moabites could be destroyed seeing they florished at that time with abundance of riches as also in strength and power of men who for this cause being puffed vp with prosperitie became exceeding proud Adde also that their malapertnes wherewith they insulted ouer the poore Iewes was vnto them like a sore and hard engin to breake and bruise their hearts The Prophet that he might preuent this temptation tels them that the brags of the Moabites are well enough knowne but yet their pride shall not hinder the Lord from punishing of them because there is neither force riches nor multitude that is able to resist him Isaiah then speakes as of a thing commonlie knowne to wit that the Moabites were become so extreame proude that they feared nothing it being in deed the vsuall fashion of those that abound in wealth and power to insult malapertlie ouer God and men But how great soeuer their arrogancie is the Lord will easily pull it downe His insolencie The word Eurah for the most part signifies indignation but the circumstance of this place seemes to require
it signifies that the Idolaters are not led with reasoÌ„ but rather by their natural appetites euen like vnto bruite beasts For as beasts iudge by touching smelling and seeing so also the Idolaters haue no better schoolemaster to instruct them than their owne carnall sense If any then conuince them by sound arguments that they doe ill a man shall gaine nothing from them And howsoeuer they sometimes haue experience that all their labour in vexing themselues after their maner is but lost yet will they not therefore giue ouer but forge new meanes and will bring in seruices of their owne inâ—ention which they would faine haue God to approue of If they haue good successe that they attribute to their superstitions and so waxe the more obduarate and if matters succeed ill they reiect their inuentions condemne their new deuised worship and blame their gods To be short they depend whollie vpon euents Idolaters depend altogâ—ther vpon euents iudging of nothing neither by reason nor by the word of God Therefore they are newfangled euermore according as experience leades them But it seemes the Prophet passeth yet further to wit that the Moabites shall come to the Temple of Chamos when their follie shall be manifestlie discouered vnto all rather with shame and blushing then of any mature deliberation Vers 13. This is the word that the Lord hath spoken against Moab since that time THis short sentence is the confirmation of the prophesie for his meaning is that he hath euen pronounced the very decree of God himselfe and hath vttered nothing but the Lords message Thus putting off as it were the person of man he brings in God speaking in this manner Vers 14. And now the Lord hath spoken saying In three yeeres as the yeeâ—â—s of an hireling and the glorie of Moab shal be contemned in all the great multitude and the remnant shall be very small and feeble THree yeeres The time is not only prefixed for the certaintie but also to the end the faithfull might not languish in waiting any longer Now he alludes to the agreements and couenants of men wherein they haue been wont to set downe a certaine day which they must not breake This is speciallie done in mercenarie businesses which similitude is often vsed in the scriptures Iob. 7.1.2 14.6 Chap. 21.16 because the hireling waits with exceeding desire for the appointed day wherein he is to receiue his wages For they groane as it were vnder the burthen and beare their ordinarie labors vnwillinglie Thus God saith he will assigne a certain day vnto the Moabites which they shall not escape but all their puissance shall therein be brought to nothing He speakes expreslie of the multitude because they were a great people and therefore bragged of it as if they had been inuincible Where he ads that the remnant shall be feeble he meanes there shall be such a change that there shall be great ods betweene their former and latter estate because nothing shall be seene but a wofull and hidious spectacle in those that remaine THE XVII CHAPTER Vers 1. The burden of Damascus Behold Damascus is taken away from being a Citie for it shall be a ruinous heape HE prophesieth against the kingdome of Syria and mentions the head Citie which was the regall seate of the Kingdome The reason why this burden is pronounced against Damascus Now it was requisite that this destruction should be described as well as the rest to the end the faithfull might assure themselues that God would assist them in time conuenient and would not alwaies suffer the wicked to molest them without ceassing For the king of Syria was confederate with the king of Israel against the king of Iudah as we haue seene before in the seuenth Chapter and because the Iewes were not strong enough to resist them being destitute of sufficient meanes they might also haue doubted of succor from God as if he had left them at sixe and seauen That he might therefore free them from this perplexitie he threatens destruction to this kingdome of Syria from whence they might well conclude that God fought for the defence of his people It is not knowen in what time Isaiah prophesied this neither as I haue touched heretofore doth he obserue the precise order of times when he threatens any nation with the chastisements which it deserued but as I coniecture he foretold this The time when this burden waâ— threatned when the two kings of Israel and Syria had inuaded Iudah hauing therewithall conspired the destruction of the Church For in as much as he ioines the Israelites and Syrians together he calles them both to the same iudgement to let them vnderstand that they had so profited by this wicked and cursed league that both of them should be inwrapped in one and the same destruction The Prophets meaning then is to comfort the faithfull of the tribe of Iudah because he especiallie had regard to them and not to the Israelites nor Syrians whose ruine he now foretels lest they should be left comfortlesse The particle demonstratiue Behold seales vp as it were the truth of this prophesie Whereas he only mentions Damascus in particular it followes not therefore that hee meant to exempt the other parts of the kingdome but this maner of speech is very vsuall in the Prophets namely to take a part for the whole so as vnder the ruin of the principall Citie Reasons why the Prophets threaten ruin to the chiefe Cities rather then to the inferior he comprehends that which should befall the whole Nation for what could the lesser Cities expect but confusion when the fortresse of the kingdome should be taken There is also another reason why the Prophets threaten the chiefe Cities directing their speech against them to wit because they were the seminaries of all wickednes from which as out of a fountaine it dispersed it selfe ouer the whole land Vers 2. The Cities of Aroer shall be forsaken they shall be for the flockes for they shall be there and none shall make them afraid Num. 32.34 Deut. 2. â—6 3.12 4.48 IT is vncertaine whether by Aroer here he meanes that Citie whereof mentioÌ„ is made elsewhere It should rather be the name of a Region or Country howsoeuer hee describes the forme of a Country laid waste for hee saith that the places where Cities were built should now be common pastures so as nothing should remaine but the lodges tents of sheepheards for if any inhabitants were left there they should driue their flocks to another place Vers 3. The munition also shall cease from Ephraim and the Kingdome from Damascus and the remnant of Aram shall bee as the glorie of the children of Israel saith the Lord of hostes HEe now shewes the cause why the Lord would cut off the Kingdome of Syria The Prophet Amos recites many Amos 1.3 But that which Isaiah mentions here was the principall to wit that they had drawne the
God hath committed vnto them with al faithfulnesse who also for their parts ought to be well assured that the end wherefore God hath put them in that place is to execute that office faithfully which is committed vnto them Shebna was called indeed for a time but as he was Gods rod because he thought nothing lesse then to serue God in that place But it was farre otherwise with Eliakim for he acknowledged himselfe the seruant of God Note this difference and willingly obeyed his holy calling So that I will call him then signifies as much as if hee should haue said I will giue a signe to my seruant whereby hee shall know that it is I who haue put him into this estate of honor A particular relation betweene thâ— Lord and the seruant There is here then a particular relation betweene the Lord and the seruant which at no hand belongs to the vnbeleeuers because they serue their owne imaginations and wicked lusts but Eliakim acknowledged the Lord and serued him truely To be short this marke puts a difference betweene the true seruant of God and the froward and hypocriticall who climbes to honour by euill practises Vers 21. And with thy garments will I clothe him and with thy girdle will I strengthen him thy power also will I commit into his hand and he shall be a father of the inhabitants of Ierusalem and of the house of Iudah HEe now more plainely expounds that which hee had set downe briefly in the former verse to wit that Shebna shall be deposed by Gods iust iudgement to the end Eliakim may succeede him Doubtlesse God by his prouidence disposeth of all the changes which happen in the world for as Iob saith he girdes the loynes of Kings with a girdle and looseth it againe when it pleaseth him Iob 12.18 It was pleasantly said in old time of the Emperours of Rome That it was the tragedie of Kings for as players that represent some great personage vpon the stage hauing ended their part in stead of Kings become poore snakes as they were before so these being deiected from their high estate are now and then led to shamefull deaths And yet is it most certaine that things were not then thus confused by hap hazard neither yet by mens deuices onely nor by the violence of men of warre but by the counsell of God which ouerruleth all The Prophet affirmes then that men shal see a special note of Gods iudgement in the banishment of this same Shebna and on the other side a right forme of gouernement in the restoring of Eliakim By the garments and girdle are vnderstood part of that attire which belong to Magistrates The girdle was a kingly ornament and no doubt but the chiefe gouernours ware it by a speciall priuiledge of honour But in Rome the Pretors vsed such a kinde of ornament ordinarilie Iob also saith as wee alleadged before that God looseth off the girdle from Kings when they are stripped out of their dignities Now the Prophet foretold this to the end euerie one might not onely behold the admirable counsell and prouidence of God in this example but to the end they might also know that this wretched fellow who was thus aduanced by vnlawfull meanes was iustly deposed Hose 13.11 And he shall be a father No doubt but heathen Magistrates are established by God but so as it is in his wrath that is to say when we are vnworthy he himselfe should beare rule ouer vs. For hee giues the raines to Tyrants and Pagans thereby auenging himselfe vpon our vnthankfulnesse as if he reiected vs and regarded not how nor by whom wee are gouerned Contrariwise when as good Magistrates beare rule wee therein see God comming neere vnto vs commanding vs that by them which himselfe hath ordained This is that which the Prophet meant now to say to wit that Eliakim will shew himselfe a father because he shall be indued with the Spirit of God In the meane while he admonisheth all the faithfull that it was their duties to sigh earnestly after the aduancement of Eliakim in regard his preferment should tend to the common good of the Church Good Magistrates ought to be fathers of the Countrie By the name of father he teacheth what is the dutie of a good Magistrate and the verie profane authors haue affirmed as much to wit that a good King is in stead of a father And when they would flatter tyrants which oppressed the Commonwealth nature it selfe put this title of honour into their mouthes to call them fathers of the Country So likewise when the Philosophers say that a familie is an image of a kingdome they meane that a King ought to be a father to his subiects The ancient titles also which they gaue kings witnesseth the same as for example Abimelec Gen. 20.2 that is to say My father the King and such other like Whereby is shewed that the kingly power cannot bee separated from the affection of a father Let them then which would be esteemed true and lawfull Princes and would bee taken for Gods seruants let them I say shew themselues fathers of the people Vers 22. And the key of the house of Dauid will I lay vpon his shoulder so hee shall open and no man shall shut and hee shall shut and no man shall open THis is a figuratiue kinde of speech and therefore we shall not neede to seeke out an allegoricall sense of it as many do for this phrase is taken from the vsuall dealings of men The keyes of the house are giuen to such as are appointed the distributers of necessarie things so as they open and shut at their pleasure The house of Dauid signifies the kingly house and this was a common speech among the people because a promise was made to Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12 Psal 132.11 that his kingdome should last for euer this is the reason why it was vsually called the house of Dauid The word key is put in the singular number for many keyes Now albeit they were wont to beare the keyes in their hands yet it is said here that they were laid vpon his shoulder because he was to vndergoe an heauie burthen And yet he meanes nothing else but that the tuition and gouernement of the house is committed into Eliakims hands to order it as he thinkes best Wee also know that to giue the keyes signifies as much as to put one into possession Some referre this vnto Christ but with what reason I see not for the Prophet here compares two men together namely Shebna and Eliakim Shebna was banished and Eliakim was placed in his roome wherein doth this concerne Iesus Christ For Eliakim was no figure of him neither doth the Prophet describe some hidden mysterie here but borrowes a similitude from the dealings of men as if one should giue the keyes to some steward placed ouer his house as hath beene said There is also the same reason to be giuen of it where
that God meant her good in chastising of her Now our Prophet brings in the Lord speaking as I touched before to the end his exhortation might haue the better authoritie Vers 21. For behold the Lord commeth out of his place to visit the iniquitie of the inhabitants of the earth against him and the earth shall discouer her blood and shall not hide her slaine NO doubt but it is an heauie temptation to the faithfull when they see the wicked exercise their rage against them and in the meane while that God should hold his peace for in so doing they imagine he hath forsaken them The Prophet then labours to preuent this temptation and shewes that howsoeuer the Lord hath been silent for a while yet hee will in the end shew himselfe in due season to giue reliefe to his seruants and to punish the wrongs that haue been done him Thus by the word of comming forth he describes the Lord reaching out his hand as it were to his children as if the same had been hidden before in regard they felt not his helpe For that is the cause why he saith the Lord comes forth into sight namely to succor his Church and to execute his iudgements vpon her enemies for in former time it seemed he had kept himselfe close and altogether shut vp in heauen We may also verie well affirme that Isaiah alludes to the sanctuarie which maner of speech is often met withall in the bookes of the Prophets Mich. 1.3 Abac. 3.13 Zach. 14.3 As if he should say Howsoeuer the prophane nations despise the Arke of the couenant being seated in a very meane place yet from thence shall the faithfull feele by good experience how readie the power and fauour of God is prest to succour them and that hee is not called vpon in this holy place in vaine In the meane while wee must hold this as a sure principle that albeit the wicked scorne the Temple as if it were no better then some Country barne or some such like thing yet euen from thence will the Lord come forth when he sees the time fit to defend and to auenge his peoples quarrell vpon all the inhabitants of the world And this exposition sutes better then if by the word place we should expound that he should come forth of heauen for Isaiah meant to expresse somewhat more The Prophets whē they make any mention of heauen they therewithall present before vs the glorie and maiestie of God but our Prophet in this place respects our capacitie that is to say when we feele that God who in times past seemed to be farre off and hidden out of our sight doth at the last appeere for our comfort He also hath vsed a particle demonstratiue and a participle of the present tence for the greater certentie of the matter as also to the end the faithfull might not thinke much to bridle their passions by patience till his comming forth Hitherunto appertaines that which he ads touching the visiting of iniquitie for it were contrarie to his nature who is the Iudge of all the world to suffer wicked men to giue ouer themselues to all wickednes without impunitie There is in the verb to visit a similitude well enough knowne for we thinke that God either sees not at all or else is busied about some other matters when he withholds or deferres the execution of his iudgements be it neuer so little a while These words also against him want not their weight for it is often said that when the wicked lay their ambushes they spread a net or dig a pit for themselues Psal 9.15 57.6 The sense then is that all the annoyances oppressions which the wicked bring vpon the Church shall in time fall vpon their heads that haue been the contriuers thereof Lastly there is also a very great vehemencie in the word shall disclose for now whilest the wicked shed and tread vnder foot innocent blood the earth seemes as it were to suck and drinke it into her womb in the meane while it seemes the death of the faithfull is quite and cleane forgotten and the memorie thereof raced out of mens minds for euer yea and that God himselfe vtterlie neglects it These are mens imaginations but the Lord witnesseth the contrarie here He calles the blood of the earth then which the earth hath drunke in as it is said Gen. 4.11 The earth hath opened her mouth to receiue thy brothers blood when the blood of Abel was shed For the Lord in that place amplifies and aggrauates the foulenes of the fact when he saith That the earth is defiled with that blood which was shed and therefore he therein shewes first how pretious the death of his Saincts is in his sight secondly what care he hath of the same and lastly that he will reuenge it For the earth it selfe shall be armed to punish the cruelties which haue been exercised by tyrants and the enemies of the truth against the faithfull so that there is not the least drop of blood which is shed that shall not be accounted for Let vs therefore remember this consolation A Consolation which we ought to haue continuallie before our eies and set it alwaies before our eyes when the wicked smite vs laughing and sporting themselues whilest they vex vs with all maner of outrages For God in the end will shew that innocent blood hath not cried in vaine because he can neuer forget his Saincts THE XXVII CHAPTER Vers 1. In that day the Lord will visit Leuiathan that pearcing Serpent and Leuiathan that crooked Serpent with his sore and great and mightie sword and will kill the Dragon that is in the sea THE Prophet speakes heere of Gods iudgement in generall and so comprehends the whole kingdom of Satan For hauing spoken before of the vengeāce of God against tyrants and vnbeleeuers which had shed innocent blood he now passeth on further and publisheth the edict it selfe The word Leuiathan is diuerslie expounded but generallie it signifies a serpent or the whales and fishes of the sea which are as mōsters in regard of their excessiue greatnes Now howsoeuer this description agrees to the king of Egypt yet vnder this one kind he meant to comprehend all the enemies of the Church For mine owne part I make no question but by way of Allegorie he speakes here of Satan and his whole kingdome describing it vnder the figure of some monstrous beast Gen. 3.1 Satan and therwithall also priuilie taxeth the subtleties wherewith he couers his deceitfull baits And thus he meant to preuent many doubts wherewith as with mightie billowes we are at euery turne tossed to and fro whilest God on the one side promiseth to assist vs and yet Satan on the other side ceaseth not to make vs feele the force of his darts and craftie conueyances for his cunning is exceeding great to worke mischiefe and his wrath is wonderfull hot against the poore Saincts of God But in the meane
and to powre out his blessing vpon that which they take in hand Pro. 10.20 His onely blessing therefore makes rich â—nd that alone is it which vpholds vs in any estate or condition For which cause it is said that his hands built Ierusalem Psal 47.2 Now as touching that which Isaiah here threatens against the Idumeans the holy Ghost pronounceth the like elsewhere against the house of Ahab meaning that it should bee raced euen with the ground 2. King 21.13 Vers 12. The Nobles thereof shall call to the Kingdome and there shall be none and all the Princes shall bee as nothing THis text is diuersly expounded but I will not trouble you with the reciting of the expositions for in refuting of them I should make my selfe more worke then needes That which is most probable is this They shall call the Nobles of Edom to rule but it shall be in vaine As if he should say In so miserable an estate there shall none be found that will willinglie beare rule or take vpon him the gouernment of state-matters Chap. 3.6.7 This sentence is read elsewhere yea we haue had the same in a maner before albeit somewhat differing in words Now this maner of speech leads me to think that the Prophet meant closely to taxe the pride of this people who were waxen ouer-haughtie by reason of their peace and abundance For as much then as the Idumeans being seated vpoÌ„ high mountaines grew proud the Prophet shewes that they should be brought downe with shame so as none of the Nobilitie should be left neither should there remaine any man of great place for when kingdomes are ruinated all gouernment is also abolished The people are as a bodie without an head neither is there any distinction of persons or places Thus then by way of scorne he saith that these braue Nobles which were so highlie exalted shal be as Lords without Lordships Lords without Lordships which appeares yet better by the second member where it is added for expositions sake that they shall be brought to nothing The summe is that Edom shall resemble a bodie shattered in peeces in which shall appeare nought else but an horrible confusion of all things Oh fearefull curse of God! What doe men differ from beasts I pray you if they want the execution of good lawes Is their condition any whit better No surely The beasts may well be without any head or gouernour because they will not offer crueltie to those of their owne kinde but Lord what is more cruell then man if he be not kept vnder Is he not caried an end by his passions as a furie of hell to runne out into all dissolutions Vers 13. And it shal bring forth thorns in the pallaces thereof nettles and thistles in the strong holds thereof and it shall be an habitation for Dragons and a court for Ostriches HE continues on his speech wherein he sets forth an Image of an horrible desolation to wit when beautifull houses and pallaces are razed euen with the ground or so laid on heapes that men can haue no vse of them being rather fit for thornes briars and nettles to grow in then for dwelling places which is farre worse then if they had bin conuerted into meadow or errable ground But see how the Lord punisheth the pride of such as delight in building of sumptuous houses How God punisheth the pride of such as delight in building sumptuous houses and gorgeous pallaces they thinke to make their names immortall as it were but God driues them out and makes nests therein for birds and dennes for wild beasts and thus they serue as perpetuall ensignes of their vaine ambition who by such buildings thought to make theÌ„selues garlands of their owne renoume and excellencie Mens places then are inhabited of such beasts The houses of men inhabited by beasts answerable to their natures that dwelt in them who represent the nature dispositions of those which built and dwelt in those so goodly houses Now this ouerturning of order is also a wofull signe of Gods wrath to wit when the earth which was created for the vse of man is coÌ„streined to receiue inhabitants of other kinds A note of Gods curse in this change and to spew out their right and lawfull owners but by meanes thereof no doubt it shall be purged of that filthines wherewith it was in times past defiled Vers 14. There shall meet also Ziim and Iim and the Satyre shall crie to his fellow and the Skritch-owle shall rest there and shall finde for her selfe a quiet dwelling 15. There shal the Owle make her nest and lay and hatch and gather them vnder her shadow there shall the Vultures also be gathered euery one with her make SOme affirme that these beasts are Fayries others Hobgoblins others Satyres neither do the Hebrues themselues agree about the proper signification of their names But what need we stand much about the matter It sufficeth vs that wee haue the Prophets scope and drift He meant to decipher out an horrible desolation As if he should say Idumea shall be laid so wast that it shall be left without inhabitants The like was threatned before Chap. 13.21.22 against Babell for in stead of them it shall be replenished with wild beasts See here the iust reward of those vaineglorious fooles which built such sumptuous pallaces to continue the perpetuall memorie of their names forsooth And here by the way also is a prediction of the chastisement wherewith this cursed nation was to be scourged for their crueltie in regard they whollie bent themselues to seeke the ouerthrow and destruction of their brethren and neighbours Now howsoeuer it be doubtfull whether the Prophet speakes heere of * Ladies of the Fayries or Elfes Fates * A Skritch-owle or an vnlucky kind of bird Hobgoblins or * Gods of the wods hauing the head of a man and bodie of a goate Satyres yet all agree that these words signifie such beasts as haue the faces of men We also see how cunning the Deuill is by diuers illusions ghosts and fearefull apparitions by sounds and hidious noyses to inchant desolat places but of this wee haue spoken in the 13. Chap. Now this vice which God hath so sharplie punished in one people is almost common to all for who is he that builds such stately houses but the price therof is wrung out of the poore sometimes by violence and extorsion Sumptuous buildings for the most part reared vp by extortions sometimes by continuall molestations so as the very morter stones wood are replenished with blood in Gods sight Therefore the stone shall crie out of the wall saith Abacuck Abacuk 2.11 and the beame shall answere vnto it Woe to him that builds a Towne with blood c. Let vs not wonder at these strange iudgements and horrible changes then when wee see that ambition drawes with it these wicked extortions and robberies but rather let vs
was bent to serue his God purely For we may wel thinke that God brought not this scourge vpon him now for his negligence excesse or wantonnesse much lesse for his superstitions or idolatry seeing at the very first entrance into his Kingdome he imploied himselfe to the vtmost with exceeding diligence to establish religion in the puritie of it What was Gods purpose herein then Surely hee meant to try the faith and patience of his faithfull seruant Vers 2. And the King of Ashur sent Rabshakeh from Lachish towards Ierusalem vnto King Hezekiah with a great host and hee stood by the conduit of the vpper poole in the path of the fullers field THe order of the historie may seeme somewhat here to be altered for hee said before that Sennacherib had taken all the Cities of Iudah vers 1. and now hee sends Rabshakeh from Lachish which he had besieged Lachish was not taken yet then But we are to note that oftentimes the course of an historie is disioynted so as that is recited last which was done first Besides the Scripture haue this figure frequēt in them as in this place where it is said that all the strong Cities were taken although some no doubt escaped which Hezekias notwithstāding was vnable to succour It seemed then that the Assyrian was become Lord of the whole land seeing nothing was left but Ierusalem in which Hezekiah was imprisoned This historie is described more at large in the second booke of Kings 18. 19. Chapters where it is shewed that Hezekiah vsed all the meanes he could to redeeme his peace for he would haue had it almost vpon any condition He gaue 3000. talents of siluer and 30. of gold which this tyrant exacted for payment whereof he was driuen to rob the Temple of the vessels that were in it and of the plates of gold which were fastned vpon the gates thereof because his owne treasure was spent But as such insatiable gulfes can neuer be filled so when he had receiued this money he then falles to demaund greater things and imposed vpon him harder conditions then the former that he might vex and afflict this good King to the full For hauing once wrought vpō his mildnes he thought the second time to draw him to whatsoeuer himselfe listed only he waited for fit opertunitie to begin warres afresh But the people no doubt for their parts had well deserued to be thus scourged for their wickednesses according as it had been before prophesied for albeit religion florished in outward shew yet their liues remained vnchanged impietie ouerflowed and their hearts were as foule within as euer they were before For as much as the people repented not of their sinnes then was it not needfull they should be chastised with the greater seueritie in regard of such a malitious obstinacie But because the measure of their iniquities was not yet full God pacified the rigor of his wrath and gaue them an admirable deliuerance when all things were become vtterlie desperate Vers 3. Then came forth vnto him Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiah the steward of the house and Shebna the Chancellor and Ioah the sonne of Asaph the Recorder MEntion was made of this Eliakim in the 22. Chapter to him the Lord promised the chiefe place in the kingdome after the death of Shebna But it seemes this was but a vaine and idle promise seeing he is sent to the enemie to sue for fauour as one being readie to yeeld and submit himselfe to the mercie of such a cruell Tyrant This might also astonish the hearts of the faithfull euen to make them call the truth of Gods promises into question Besides this good king was so destituted of good seruants that he was constrained to send Shebna with the rest though he knew him to be a disloyall traytor The word Sopher signifies a Scribe and therfore it is often taken for Teachers or such as are learned sometimes for those that keepe bookes and haue the disposing of the rowles or charters of Kingdomes I haue translated it Chancellor for it can not be referred to the knowledge of the Law we may also gather that this Shebna was in great credit though he were put from the estate of being steward or great master of the kings houshold The word Mazkir signifies a secretarie or a master of the requests Vers 4. And Rabshekeh said vnto them Tell you Hezekiah * This clause I pray you is not in Master Caluins text I pray you Thus saith the great king the king of Ashur What confidence is this wherein thou trustest THe Prophet shewes that these three Ambassadors which represented in a maner the whole state of the kingdome were not only repulsed but receiued disgracefullie galled with insupportable iniuries by the Captaine of this Tyrant For he is so impudent as to aske how Hezekias durst presume to rebell no lesse then if he had bin a man conuinced of Rebellion Some expound the particle Na I pray you but it can not well stand with the honor as you would say of so proud and insolent a Tyrant to come vnto them by way of intreatie He speakes rather like those who impose conditions vpon others who are either vanquished or are readie to yeeld themselues for feare whome such are minded to receiue to mercie which we commonlie call Sommer that is To call vpon or To Summon one But that his Summons might be of the greater authoritie this Captaine speakes in the person of his King and with big words sets forth his greatnes the rather to daunt the heart of Hezekias when he should heare he had to deale with so powerfull an enemie For his meaning was not only to say that Hezekiah was farre inferior to his Master the chiefe Monarch of the world in comparison of whom Hezekiah was to be esteemed no better then a meane Gentleman but he calles him the great King the King of Ashur that by these titles of his power and magnificence he might as it were darken the glorie of all other Kings that so all might seeme to rest in him alone Which thunderbolts had bin sufficient to haue terrified and feared the heart of Hezekiah especiallie seeing he was mued vp as I said before within the walles of the Citie out of which he could not escape much lesse was he any way able to make his partie good against the violence of this Tyrant Vers 5. I say * Or they are but words of the lips Surely I haue eloquēce but counsell strength are for the warre on whom then doest thou trust that thou rebellest against me WHereas we reade in the holie historie Thou hast said it may be expounded thus to wit that Rabshekeb makes as if hee knew Hezekiah his thoughts as if hee should say Thus thou deliberatest with thy selfe But the sense comes all to one though we reade this word in the first person for Rabshekeh speakes as one that had gaged the depth of Hezekias his enterprises and
teacheth vs to mount by little and little vnto heauen by the light of the promises which doe shine clearely before vs yet so that in seeking succour we imagin not that God should be absent from vs seeing he hath chosen his dwelling place in the mids of vs. For in regard that his Maiestie much surmounts heauen and earth it is not lawfull for vs to bound him within the narrow scantling of our vnderstanding yet we may comprehend him according to the small measure thereof because he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs by his word not that we must needs pull him downe from his heauenlie throne therefore but that our minds which are of themselues weake and dull might by degrees approach neerer and neerer vnto him for we haue good reason to presse with boldnes towards his highnes in regard he calles vs vnto him by his word and Sacraments And if we conceiue of these things aright the spirituall knowledge of God shall alwaies beare sway amongst vs so as wee shall not need to tye the Lord any more to stones nor stocks If the spirituall knowledge of God beares sway in our hearts we shall not need to tye his presence to stocks or stones No we shall imagin nothing of him that is earthlie or carnall for the neerer we shall draw towards him the more will we endeuour our selues to vse all lawfull meanes which he sets before vs that our spirits may not rest vpon earthlie things for he applies himselfe to our shallownes only to the end that his Sacraments might serue vs as ladders to climb vp vnto him by but this superstition hath peruerted and turned it to a cleane contrarie vse Vers 17. Incline thine eare O Lord and heare open thine eyes O Lord and see heare all the words of Sennacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God HEnce we gather in how great perplexitie Hezekias was for the vehemencie of his prayer discouers vnto vs a wonderfull measure of griefe so as a man may see that he indured great combates which he ouercame not without much adoe For albeit the affection and zeale of his prayer shewes the strength and power of his faith yet he therein represents vnto vs as in a glasse his passions that boiled within him As soone then as we are to indure any such assaults let vs learne from the example of this good King to oppose against the passions wherewith we are tossed that which may best serue for the confirming of our faith that by the tempest it selfe we may be brought to a safe and quiet hauen Let not the sense of our weakenes any whit astonish vs then no not when feare and dread shall presse vs aboue measure as it were For the Lord will haue vs wrestle valiantlie euen till we sweate and tremble God will haue vs wrestle till we tremble and sweate because we must not thinke to goe to heauen in a fetherbed or at ease as we vse to speake but after many combates God hath promised an happie issue to them that fight as they ought to doe which in the end he will vndoubtedlie bestow vpon vs. But why doth Hezekiah desire God to heare Thinks he that he sleepes or vnderstands not No such matter But wee are wont to speake thus in some desperat cases either when wee thinke God absent or when hee seemes to make light account of our afflictions Wee see he was so perplexed then that God as he thought had forgotten him that is to say according to the sense of the flesh for had he not beheld him present by the eies of faith he had vtterlie quailed It is as much then as if Hezekias had desired the Lord euen effectuallie and openlie to shew some worke for his saluation which he had long hoped for before in the secret of his heart But why doth he pray that God would open his eies and see It is as much as if he had said Lord let it appeare that thou hast care of these matters Now he sufficientlie shewes where his paine held him most namely he longed to see some vengeance shewed vpon these blasphemers which offred such outrage against Gods Maiestie for albeit this good King tooke great thought for the preseruation of his kingdome and people yet had he respect vnto Gods glorie aboue all other commodities whatsoeuer Hezekias respected Gods glorie aboue all things whatsoeuer And truly the aduancement thereof should touch vs neerer and moue vs more then any thing else especiallie when we know that his glorie and our saluation are things that can not be separated Thus Hezekias hauing brought forth this Tyrant vpon the stage as a blasphemous and hatefull enemie of God because Ierusalem gloried in this title The God of Iacob and in his protection he thereupon concludes that God can by no meanes cast off the Citie which he hath taken into his owne custodie vnlesse therewithall he should renounce his owne name also Seeing the Lord then of his infinit bountie is pleased to ioine his glorie with our saluation let vs hold fast these promises and let vs fortifie our selues with them namely that although the wicked goe on in a vaine hope thinking to scape scotfree whilest they blaspheme God and cast vp that poison out of their hearts which lurked before in them yet there is not a sillable thereof which he vnderstands not and he will in his due time bring them to an account for the same Vers 18. Truth it is O Lord that the Kings of Asshur haue destroyed all lands and their countrie 19. And haue cast their gods in the fire for they were no Gods but the worke of mans hands euen wood or stone therefore they destroyed them HEzekias begins here to put a difference betweene the true God and the false which we also had need diligentlie to do for the wicked that are not enlightened haue many confused thoughts of some diuinitie which by and by vanisheth away so as either they thinke there is no God at all or if there be yet they regard him not But God would not haue vs lightlie touched with some idle or vading conceit of him What knowledge of God is required to be in Christians but that we should acknowledge him to be the true God who by the brightnes of his power scatters abroad all the darknes of ignorāce It is not enough then you see to acknowledge a diuinitie of I can not tell what as prophane ones do but God ought to be so knowne and receiued that he be discerned from all Idols and the truth separated from lyes And questionlesse when he hath once cleared our iudgements all opinion of false religions which possessed our minds before will immediatlie fall to the ground And so much the rather are we to hold fast this doctrine by how much the more many please themselues in fond speculations thinking it sufficient for them if they acknowledge a God at randon Whether they ought to worship the god
thee because he respects the Couenant which he hath made with Dauid We know there is nothing more hard then to cheere vp the hearts of such as haue deeply tasted of Gods wrath Nothing more difficult then to comfort the hearts of such as haue tasted deeply of Gods displeasure with good hope of mercie and to cause them indeed to feele that God is now become fauorable and gracious vnto them This confirmation therefore was necessarie to the end this good king being forlorne in himselfe might perceiue that life was to be restored him whereof he was in a maner vtterlie depriued because the promise touching the perpetuitie of the kingdome of Iudah could no way be broken Thus he being in a maner halfe dead by reason of this message Thou shalt dye the Prophet to incourage him puts him in mind of that promise which was then familiarlie knowne of all I haue sworne once by mine holines that I will not faile Dauid His seed shall indure for euer and his Throne shal be as the Sunne before me Psal 89.35.36 Vpon this boord or planck Hezekias casts himselfe to saue his life from shipwrack in these boysterous stormes for he speakes not of Dauid here as of a priuat man but as of an eternall King which had the promise whereupon Hezekias might stay himselfe I say eternall not in himselfe but in the blessed seed Now because this eternitie was to be manifested at the length in Iesus Christ of whom Hezekias and the rest of the kings of Iudah were figures he had good cause to hope well in regard himselfe was the sonne and successor of Dauid As often therefore as our sinnes do shut vp the way against vs from approching vnto God that we might haue part in his fauor let this preface be present before vs. For howsoeuer by our own default he be estranged from vs yet he is the father of Christ our head in whom our saluation lies alwaies hidden for vs. To be short God who a little before spake as a Iudge speakes now as a louing father by looking vpon the mediator Iesus Christ who euer appeaseth his anger Hauing left him way for hope he now tels him that his praiers were heard of God which doubtlesse should be as a goad in our sides to pricke vs forward to the dutie of feruent praier For albeit God of himselfe be carefull enough of our saluation and hath euermore preuented vs by his louing kindnesse and that not onely whilest we slept but euen before we were borne notwithstanding when he signifies vnto vs that all the benefits hee bestowes vpon vs are as the fruits of our praiers our slothfulnesse is vtterly inexcusable if being so liberally inuited to come vnto God we scorne to open our mouthes to call vpon his name Yet we must not thinke that our praiers doe therefore merit because God accepts so fauourably of them but in giuing that freely which of fauour he hath promised he addes this declaration of his liberalitie to the end he may the better exercise our faith For it is no small priuiledge to haue accesse into his presence at all times frankly to powre out our hearts before him and familiarly to cast all our cares and anguishes into his bosome Had not Hezekias praied at all yet the Lord no doubt would haue taken order by some other meanes that the gouernment of the kingdome should still haue continued in the stocke of Dauid but that which he was bound to doe in respect of his truth is attributed vnto Hezekias praiers to the end hee might acknowledge how great the fruit was he receiued from his faith which he exercised in his praiers The Prophet mentions his teares as a signe of his repentance and also of his zeale and affection not that they obtaine grace or that they can appease God of themselues but to shew that by meanes hereof praiers which proceede from affection are distinguished from those which proceede from the lippes onely Praiers which proceed from affection distinguished from those that proceed from the lips onely Obiect In the last place hee addes that God prolonged the daies of Hezekias fifteene eeres which at the first might seeme absurd because we are created vpon condition not to passe one iot or tittle of that time which God hath set downe as Iob saith Thou hast set him his bounds Ans which he cannot passe Iob. 14.5 But the solution is easie that this length of time must bee referred to Hezekias his cogitation for he was excluded from hope of a longer life so as he was to account the yeeres following as the lease thereof renued againe no lesse then if he had been taken out of his tombe to liue vpon the earth the second time Vers 6. And I will deliuer thee out of the hand of the King of Ashur and this Citie for I will defend this Citie THose who thinke that Hezekias was sicke during the siege ground their argument vpon this verse because otherwise they think this promise should be superfluous but their reason wants weight For the Assyrian might well gather his forces together againe and prepare a fresh armie both to inuade Iudeah and to besiege Ierusalem Yea that discomfiture which he had before might so kindle his rage and furie as to giue a new onset The Iews then you see might iustly tremble when any should signifie some newes to them touching the enemies approching This promise therefore is not superfluous for with the hope of life Isaiah secures him from feare of the Assyrian whom Hezekias might alwaies haue had in some ielousie if by this meanes the same had not been preuented In which we see how God still amplifies and addes new mercies to the former which he had shewed him as in the Chapter before going God promised him abundance of the fruite of the earth with deliuerance from the siege Vers 7. And this signe shalt thou haue of the Lord that the Lord will doe this thing that he hath spoken 8. Behold I will bring againe the shadow of the degrees whereby it is gone downe in the diall of Ahaz by the Sunne ten degrees backward so the Sunne returned by ten degrees by the which it was gone downe THe holy histâ—rie orderly recites 2. Kin. 20.8 how Hezekias asked a signe of the Lord which was granted vnto him our Prophet wil onely touch it in the end of the Chapter but it is no new thing with the Hebrewes thus to set those things last which should be first c. Moreouer the Lord offers some signes voluntarily vnasked Againe he grants them to others that require them Now in regard that the generall vse of signes The generall vse of signes is to sustaine our infirmitie God for the most part staies not till they bee asked but from the beginning hath alwaies ordeined such as himselfe knew would be the most profitable to his Church If the faithfull then at any time haue desired that their
care of his Church and as he dearly loues his Saincts so he turnes all things to their saluation It is not without cause then that he saith he sent them to performe this worke by his free grace because he meant thereby to procure the saluation of his Church In the same sense he addes that at his commandement hee brought them downe for albeit the Medes and Persians Medes and Persians had another end yet their iorney was gouerned by an heauenly instinct And thus God meant to shew what loue he bare to his chosen people aforehand lest they should haue fainted in their extreme anguishes and afflictions This promise therefore was of great vse in respect the poore captiues might from hence greatly comfort themselues that they were beloued of God although all the world besides contemned hated and reiected them as the ofscouring of all things seeing they saw that God in the end was minded to succor them and for their sakes to destroy the Monarchie of the Babylonians Where he saith they shall flee it is to shew that God shall so prosper the affaires of Cyrus that the Chaldeans shall be astonished at his arriuall and shal throw downe their armes to take them to their heeles for it often falles out euen to some mightie Prince well appointed with all furniture to enterprise war in which notwithstanding the issue shall be wofull It was not enough then that Cyrus was sent with a great armie vnlesse therewithall his enterprises had succeeded well And that he might further set forth their hastie flight he addes there shall be a crie or tumult in the Ships for they could not flee by land True it is they had a riuer fit for the purpose to wit Euphrates Euphrates which met with the riuer Tigris Tigris by reason whereof they had meanes to escape but they were disappointed of their purpose in this behalfe in regard the riuer was drawne drie Vers 15. I am the Lord your holy one the Creator of Israel your King THis verse conteines in it only a description of him that speakes first shewing how great his power maiestie is secondly with what affection he entertaines his elect and all to the end the promises before mentioned might haue the greater waight This verse a seale to the former sentence I call this verse therefore a seale to the former sentence as if the people should haue said We heare much spoken of God and of his promises but I pray you what is this God The Prophet answers Euen he that is your holy one the creator of Israel and your king He is called holy one Holy one because he culled and separated a people to consecrate them vnto himselfe By this title then he puts them in minde of their adoption wherein he ioined himselfe vnto them by a speciall band to assure them for the time to come that he would be their Father and Sauiour In which sense wee at this day ought to acknowledge that God is our holy one God our Holie one now in that he hath put vs apart to be members of his Church whereof he hath assured vs by our vocation and calling The title Creator Creator is not to be referred to the generall creation of all things for so he is also the Creator of the wicked but to reformation in which respect we are called his workmanship Ephes 2.10 In that he addes your king King it might seeme somewhat strange for what appearance was there of a kingdome among the Iewes now Were they not loaden with reproches and contumelies because they were left destitute of all succor Yet faith was to breake thorow all these obstacles in this title therefore the Prophet gaue them hope that the kingdome should againe be restored howsoeuer to the eies of flesh and blood it lay now in the dust yea vtterly extinct notwithstanding all this they were to hold God for their Soueraigne and King still Vers 16. Thus saith the Lord which maketh a way in the sea and a path in the mightie waters HE once againe comes to confirme that which otherwise seemed incredible and that this confirmation might haue the greater authoritie he takes vnto him the person of God Now he puts them in mind of former benefits to teach them God alwaies the same that as they had found him an Almightie Sauiour before so they should assure themselues that he would be no lesse powerfull and gracious vnto them for the time to come neither lesse able nor willing to worke their deliuerance As if hee should say The Lord vvho speakes will certainly shew the greatnes of his power by the effects of which as your forefathers haue had experience so his meaning is to giue you no lesse triall of it then they had Vnthankfulnes Are we not too vnthankfull then if by former benefits receiued we be not drawne to hope in him for hereafter but especially when hee hath showne so certaine and so excellent testimonies of his continuall care ouer vs. Israel deliuered out of Egypt to the end they should neuer forget it Hee brought Israel out of Egypt vpon condition they should neuer forget such a deliuerance Exod. 13.9 The Prophet now sets the same God before their eies shewing that nothing could withstand him which by his power hee ouercame not when he tooke his peoples saluatioÌ„ in hand For then he made a vvay for them in the sea Exod. 14.21 and guided them thorow the tempestuous mightie waters to wit thorow the riuer Iordan which he dried vp though it was very boisterous Ios 3.16 Now hee expresly names these two admirable miracles because they might imagin that all passage was shut vp against them in regard of their returne into Iudea and that all these promises therefore were but fables Vers 17. When hee bringeth out the chariot and horse the armie and the power lie together and shall not rise they are extinct and quenched as towe NOw he shewes that neither munition nor strength can resist God or hinder him from deliuering his people when hee thinks good no more then the sâ—a was able to let him from sauing them but hee diuided the same and drowned theiâ— enimies with their chariots and horses therein See here then an amplification of the former verse as if he should say Be it that the whole world haue conspired your destruction and would hinder mee from working your deliuerance shall it not be in vaine For when I list I will not onely find out a passage for you in the midst of bottomlesse gulphes but I will also scatter and ouerthrow all force and power of your enemies yea I will so dash them in sunder that they shall neuer be able to arise It may be he that hath lost one victorie will gather his forces afresh together the second time and win that he lost before but the Lord in this place promiseth a perpetuall victorie shewing that their enemies
of their life Vers 6. Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his redeemer the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last and without me there is no God THe Prophet enters not in to any new discourse but onely confirmes the former doctrine A confirmation of the former doctrine The reason of it which it was needfull for him to do for mens mindes are wonderfully inclined to distrust and they are quickly out of heart in the time of aduersitie neither can they be raised vp by one or two exhortations He spends no wast labor then in confirming this doctrine with so many words because we neuer attribute so much to Gods power as we should We are often distracted with pensiue cares and are ouermuch glued to the things of this life The Prophet therefore hauing fixed this vnutterable name of Iehouah in the forefront By these two titles of King and Redeemer the Lord sets forth his power and loue he also calles him King and Redeemer because it is not enough to apprehend his power vnlesse we be also assured of his fatherly loue which he beares vs. That the promises of God then might haue their authoritie with vs he not only mentions his glorie but his goodnes also to assure vs that it appertaines vnto vs. But it might seeme rediculous that he calles himselfe King seeing the people were in a maner brought to nothing yet were the faithfull notwithstanding to cleaue fast to this promise so as by faith they were euen in this seruitude to apprehend a kingdome to come though for the present they saw not so much as any glimps of it The faithfull by the eies of faith behold glorie in their lowest abasement And the very truth is the former doctrine would neuer haue entred into the minds of men oppressed vnder so extreme a bondage yea almost ouerwhelmed with despaire had not this preface prepared a way and passage for it But when God familiarly inuites vs vnto him shewing that he indeed is ours faith being allured by so sweet a summons breakes forth though it were euen out of hell it selfe In saying I am the first The vse of this clause I am the Lord. he meanes not to magnifie the eternitie of God but to set forth his vnchangeablenes that so the Iewes might beleeue him to be such a one for the time to come as they had found him in times past But what necessitie was there of this Obiect may some say seeing he speakes to the faithfull who were rightly informed of this truth alreadie I answer Ans that albeit men beleeue in God yet doe they not know him for such a one as he is and oftentimes they attribute lesse to him then to a creature Therefore the Prophet would haue vs to lift vp pure hearts vnto heauen that being emptied of all false imaginations concerning him we might intirely fixe our faith vpon one God only I adde further that it was needfull this people so extreamely vexed should be confirmed against such violent temptations that they might neither lose their hope nor patience Vers 7. And who is like me that shall call and shall declare it and set it in order before me since I appointed the ancient people and what is at hand and what things are to come let them shew vnto them NOw the Lord compares himselfe with Idols as we haue seene before Another confirmation of the former doctrine Chap. 40.18.19 His purpose is to deliuer the Iewes from being discouraged or offended when the victorious Babylonians should proudly triumph ouer them for the reproches wherewith the wicked loded them were exceeding intollerable and fearefull as Wicked blasphemies Where is your God Why doth he not help you now Such blasphemies were sufficient to haue shaken the hearts of the faithfull in sunder and so farre to dismay them as to driue them into vtter despaire The Prophet therefore insists very carefully vpon this point that he might euer be confirming of them against such assaults This lamentable desolation into which the people were then falne was as a thick cloud which shadowed from them the sight of Gods louing countenance and the wicked on the other side reioiced as if their gods had now obteined the preheminence But the Prophet intending to scatter the darknes of such mists and clouds of errors shewes that Gods glorie shines as it were in certaine and infallible marks of his diuinitie which discernes him from Idols Why so Because the Lord foretold all things that should come to passe to the end his people might acknowledge him a iust Iudge in his chastisements inflicted vpon them and yet might also aboue hope be assured that he would be fauorable and mercifull vnto them To call is taken heere two waies either it is to be referred to Gods foreknowledge or to the execution thereof for as all things are gouerned by his prouidence so doth hee also know what is to come and giues plaine proofes of his prescience But we neede not stand long in discussing the signification of this word seeing it plainly appeares that the Prophet attributes vnto God both prescience and the administratiō of al things Yet I rather iudge that he refers it to the act as if he should say Shall there be found any among the gods of the Gentiles that can call that is can publish ordaine and raise vp deliuerers May you not easilie discerne by this that there is none other God but me And thus hee derides the Idols to whom men attributed such power causlesly By the verbe to shew which is presently added he sets forth the speciall goodnesse of God who vouchsafed to reueale his secrets to the elect and chosen people by the ministerie of the Prophets By the antient people some vnderstand the Gentiles saying that the singuler number is put for the plurall because the Lord no sooner furnished the nations with people but he separated them one from another and established an order which should indure for euer Others extend it vnto the creatures so as the starres should bee one people and the hearbs beasts and such like should be another But when I consider all circumstances I am constrained to follow another exposition to wit that the Lord speakes of his people and calles them ancient because he preferred them before all others and yet it is certaine that there were some long before them The Egyptians Arcadians Egyptians Arcadians and others brag of their antiquitie As touching Abraham Abraham Gen. 11.31 he came out of Mesopotamia whilest the Caldeans florished and liued solitarily in his house as if the memorie of his name should haue been buried in obliuion when the neighbour Countries were replenished with people and with all sorts of benefits Neither must we iudge of the antiquitie of Israel by the length of yeeres or in respect of any thing externall but by Gods election We must fetch our antiquitie from Gods election
againe As also that hereby they might conceiue in what deare and precious account God had them when they should see the Monarchy of the East giuen vp to the Persians And therewithall he shewes for what cause Ierusalem shall bee restored euen that Gods pure vvorship and seruice might be there againe erected For hee promiseth not this restauration to the end men should seeke their owne ease or preferment but that the Lord may be called vpon of his seruants in peace in puritie and in sinceritie of heart which it stands vs in hand to obserue diligently because many prefer their temporary pleasures and profits before the honour and worshippe of God In regard whereof Haggai takes vp a bitter complaint against those of his time Is it time for your selues to dwell in your sieled houses this house to lie vvaste Againe You suffer this house to lie vvaste and yee runne euery man vnto his owne house Haggai 1.4.9 and yet it was the Lords pleasure they should chiefly haue regarded his house To this appertaines that which the Prophet addes And to the Temple Thy foundations shall be laid Indeed we at this day haue no Temple of wood and stone which we are commanded to build What Temples God would haue built him now but the liuing Temples of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6. to wit our selues because he hath chosen vs for his habitation These are the Temples which wee must build vp by the wholsome doctrine of Gods word that we may be framed to an holy and an vpright conuersation and to render him the seruice due vnto him For this is the very cause why God will haue a Church in the world Why God will haue a Church still in the world namely lest the memory of his blessed name should bee cleane abolished from among vs. THE XLV CHAPTER Vers 1. Thus saith the Lord vnto Cyrus his anointed whose right hand I haue holden to subdue nations before him therefore will I weaken the loines of Kings * Or vngird and open the doores before him and the gates shall not be shut When God is determined to redeeme his Church no impediments can hinder the effecting of it ISaiah continues forth the matter which he beganne to hande in the latter end of the former Chapter For hee shewes that God hath not promised deliuerāce to his people in vaine because hee had before ordained and decreed the meanes how to bring it to passe according to his owne purpose When there is question made touching our deliuerance out of anie danger we forthwith inquire by what means it may be effected and also the reason of it Now albeit God had rather hold vs in suspence and so to conceale from vs the meanes he hath already in his hand notwithstanding in this place he applies himselfe to the weaknesse of their mindes and is contented to name the partie vnder whose conduct he purposeth to bring them home into their Country For in regard their faith was to be sharplie assailed by diuers temptations of other kindes hee was willing heere to preuent this particular doubt that so other troubles which befell them might not vtterly crush them To giue the more efficacie then vnto his word he turnes him to Cyrus saying I haue chosen thee to be my King I vvill take thee by the hand and vvill subdue nations before thee so as they shall make passage for thee and shall willingly yeeld themselues vassals vnto thee For this turning of his speech to Cyrus was much more effectuall then if the Lord had spoken onely to his people Obiect But some may thinke it strange that hee calles him his anointed seeing this title onely appertained to the Kings of Iudah and Israel in regard that they represented Christs person For to speake properly there is but one anointed of the Lord according to which Habacuk saith Thou wentest forth with thine annointed for the saluation of thy people Hab. 3.13 For the kingdome was set vp in the person of Dauid which was the image of Christ who for this cause among the Prophets is called Dauid the son of Dauid in many places Ezech. 37.24 Hose 3.5 I grant that the anointing which distinguished this priestlie kingdome from other prophane gouernements was the speciall seeing then that this title appertaines onely to the Kings of Iudea it might seeme strange that it should heere be attributed to an idolatrous Pagan For though Cyrus was instructed by Daniel yet we reade not that he changed his religion hee reuerenced indeede the God of Israel Why Cyrus is called Gods annointed and held him the soueraigne God aboue all creatures but he was neuer drawne by this means to serue him in any sinceritie neither was he euer brought to forsake his idolatries and superstitions God honours him thus far then Ans as to call him his annointed not with a perpetuall stile but during the time he held the office of a deliuerer and in respect he sustained the person of God both to reuenge the cause of the Church and to redeeme the same out of the Assyrians hands which office indeed properly appertained to Iesus Christ This ordinary title then giuen vnto Kings must be restrained to this circumstance to wit as he was the redeemer of Gods chosen in setting them at libertie Whence wee may see how greatly God esteemes the saluation of his Church when in regard of one particular benefite Cyrus an idolater is called his annointed I haue holden thy right hand By this phrase of speech he signifies that Cyrus shall prosper in all his enterprises because hee shall fight vnder God as his Generall Isaiah affirmes then that Cyrus shall haue good successe for the Churches sake that he may be fit to deliuer her And in this he againe magnifies Gods prouidence who in the midst of such troubles assured the Iewes that he would so dispose of things from heauen that all should worke together for the saluation of his elect Now in respect that Cyrus could not well goe into Babylon because al Asia bent their force to disappoint him of his purpose the Prophet in these words shewes that God vvill ouerthrow all contrary power that shall set it selfe against him And because mans chiefe strength consists in his loines or reines the Hebrewes take the vveakning of the loines for the dissoluing or weakening of the strength We may also expound it a little otherwise to wit that the Lord will spoile or vngird them according to the common phrase of the Scripture for Kings at their coronation are girt wit a girdle it being a part of their royall furniture Iob 12.18 In which sense God saith in the fift verse following that he would gird Cyrus I therefore rest my selfe rather in this latter exposition that so the opposition may sute the better Hence it appeares thē that Kings haue no more power then the Lord giues them Kings haue no more power then God giues them neither
God◠oath as the Apostle saith Heb. 6.16 but God hauing no superior sweares heere by himselfe We must note the cause of this oath It is euen to sustaine the infirmities of the Saints lest they should float vp and downe in vncertainties What a wonderfull goodnes of God is this who to remedy our diffidence disdains not to vse his owne name as if hee laid it to pawne On the other side how grosse and vile is our incredulity if this oath doe not satisfie and content vs Now seeing God reserues to himselfe the confirmation of all truth we must take good heed when wee are constrained to call him for a witnesse in othes Gods name not to bee mingled with creatures in our othes that wee mingle not his name with Saints or any other creatures whatsoeuer but vsing it with such reuerence as is meete let vs reserue his honour full and whole vnto himselfe The vvord is gone forth The meaning is that whatsoeuer the Prophet hath published at Gods commandement is firme and sure As if hee should say This commandement passed not from me vnawares In this sense the word righteousnesse is often taken for a true speech and such as shall alwaies bee found so and therefore he saith that his word cannot be called backe To this appertaines the other member shall not returne that is to say it shall still grow to perfection vntil it appeares by the effects that it came from a God most iust true and almightie Men inconstant for man a will call backe his word when he meetes with any difficultie that may hinder him from keeping the same But because nothing can let God from executing his determinations God vnchangeable the Prophet rightly concludes that the course of this word cannot be stopped nor broken off by any inconuenience at all The particle That is must serue heere for an exposition to wit Behold vvhat this vvord is Euery knee shall bow vnto mee By this hee meanes that all nations shall bow before God because the deliuerance of the Church shall terrifie the whole world Yet withall it followes from hence that his true worshippe shall also be receiued among all nations For we cannot truely bow the knee before God What it is to bow the knee to God till he hath manifested himselfe vnto vs. Men may indeede present a kind of seruice to the one God whom yet they know not there is nothing but vanitie and illusions in all this He speakes heere then of that true religious seruice which proceedes from such a knowledge of God as is rooted in the depth of the heart for where no faith is there can bee no sincere worshippe True faith as wee know staies not her selfe vpon any vncertaine or vnknowne thing He sets forth the thing signified therefore by the signe The thing signified see forth by the signe as the Scriptures are often wont to doe Whence we gather that God requireth the outward seruice of the body for the Prophet separates not the externall profession of religion from the internall affection of the heart It is in vaine then for such inconstant spirits to brag A friuolous excuse of temporisers that they can honour and worshippe God in their hearts though they bow their knees before Idols It is in vaine for them I say to make so friuolous an excuse seeing the inward beliefe of the heart cannot bee diuided from the outward confession of the mouth For with the heart man beleeues vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth he confesseth vnto saluation Rom. 10.10 For this cause the Lord approoues of their integritie and vprightnesse in his seruice that had not so much as bowed a knee to Baal 1. King 19.18 Saint Paul applies this text to the last iudgement where he saith that all shall bee constrained to appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ Although it is applied heere to the peoples deliuerance out of Babylon to the spreading abroad of the Gospell and to the establishing of the kingdome of Christ But the Apostle holds it for granted which we also are not to bee ignorant of that that which appertaines to Christs kingdome ought not to be restrained to some parts of it onely but to stretch it selfe throughout the whole course thereof euen till the full and perfect accomplishment of the whole appeare What is it then to bow the knee vnto Christ It is vvhen his doctrine is obeied What is meant by bowing of the knee to Christ and the preaching of the Gospell receiued But many still resist it and boldly contemne it Satan plots sundry mischiefes and with open mouth rageth against it continually so as the accomplishment of this prophecie seemes yet to be very farr off The knee shall then truly be bowed to Christ when he shall triumph and hath put downe and destroied all his enemies and when he shall appeare in maiestie and in glory to all which Satan and his supposts doe now seeke to abolish And therefore S. Paul teacheth that when Christ shall ascend vp into his Throne to iudge the world then shall that be accomplished which began to take effect from the beginning of the Gospell which we also see to draw neere from day to day The verb to sweare is put for seruice reuerence or subiection by the figure called Synecdoche whē a part is taken for the whole An oth also is part of the honor which is due vnto God An oth part of Gods honor for by it we confesse and acknowledge that he is the author father and lawfull protector of all truth and that all things are naked and bare before his eies Heb. 4.13 When this honor therefore is giuen to Idols Gods Maiestie is thereby violated with an execrable sacriledge thus then those which serue him purely sweare only by his name and by nothing else See Chap. 19.18 But we haue spoken of this matter in another place Vers 24. Surely he shall say In the Lord haue I righteousnes and strength he shall come vnto him and all that prouoke him shall be ashamed We must proceed from faith to feeling HE shewes what true faith is and what worship God approues of to wit when we haue not only a bare knowledge of him or thinke in our hearts that there is one God but when we also feele what a one he is to vs. Whosoeuer he be then that contents himselfe with a naked apprehension of God is farre off from that faith which so knits vs vnto him that we feele him dwelling in vs according as S. Paul would haue vs not only to know Christ but that he also should dwell in our heares by faith Ephes 3.17 For he that contemplates of an idle god in the heauens sitting at his ease will neuer bow his knee before him with a sincere heart neither will he euer make a franck and willing confession vnto him Now because righteousnes and strength God the author both of righteousnes
that thou shouldest plucke vp and destroy No power so high but it is subiect to the authoritie of Gods word and pull downe and plant Ier. 1.10 For there is no power at all that is not vnder the checke of Gods word Lastly his meaning is to bring the Iewes as it were to view the thing done for they could not without much difficultie conceiue how this change should happē vnlesse God should destroy their enemies with thunder lightning from heauen Touching this word daughter of Babylon it is a figure much vsed among the Hebrewes when they speake of Cities and nations He calles her virgin not in regard of her chastitie or shamefastnesse but because shee was tenderly and delicately entertained as virgins be and was not as yet forced nor rauished by the enemie as it was said of Zidon in Chap. 23.12 The like may be said at this day of Venice Venice and of other Cities flowing and abounding in riches and pleasures in which regard they seeme most happy in the eies of the world But they haue no lesse cause to feare the change of their estate then the Babylonians howsoeuer they seeme now to be far off from danger For thou shalt be no more that is to say those that esteemed thee happy shall reioice no more with thee for thy prosperitie Vers 2. Take the milstones and grind meale lose thy lockes make bare the feete vncouer the leg and passe thorow the floods ALl this description tends to this end Notes of extreame slauerie namely that Chaldea shal taste of a wonderfull change For this Citie which before was in great honour shall bee brought into extreme dishonout and euery way put to such drudgerie that all shall perceiue euident and apparant signes of Gods wrath therein Behold then the marks of a most seruile bondage Take the milstones and grind meale For they were wont in ancient time to put slaues of the basest and abiectest condition to the mill Their condition then must needs bee miserable when they were held no better then horses for in warre those that got the conquest handled some of their prisoners with much better respect But heere the Prophet propounds nothing before the Chaldeans but a wofull condition in all points to the end the faithfull might assure themselues that they should goe forth freely The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead Prou. 11.8 when the Chaldeans who held them captiues should themselues be captiuated Now howsoeuer we reade not that the great states of the land were thus dishonourably vsed yet it sufficed for the accomplishment of the prophecie that Cyrus suffering them to inioy some base offices made them vncapeable of any rule or authority by constraining them to cease from all honest exercises and liberall sciences And because they ouerflowed in voluptuousnesse Virgins but too curious in setting forth their haire by the lockes hee alludes to the trimmings of virgins We know they are but too curious in tricking and setting out their haire Isaiah therefore on the contrarie describes here a dressing far discrepant from the former to wit that from the head downe to the feete they should be couered with ignominie with filth and mire in stead of that braue and costly attire they were wont to weare Maidens and virgins will scarsly bee seene to passe through the streetes much lesse through high waies but the Chaldeans must passe thorow the floods and that with the thigh or leg vncouered Vers 3. Thy filthines shall be discouered and thy shame shall be seene I will take vengeance and I will not meet thee as a man THis is the conclusion The conclusion of the former sentence as if he should say As long as Babylon florished she kept her reputation and was greatly esteemed for oftentimes vnder riches and authoritie there lie many vlcers as vnder vailes which being taken away the filth is discouered to the great shame of the parties as Demosthenes speaking of Philip king of Macedon saith Whilest mens bodies are in good plight the weaknes vvhich is hidden in some of the members is not espied A saying of Demosthenes speaking of the estate of Philip king of Macedonia but if the body fall into any dangerous sicknes then all is out of order heere is a breach felt there is a sinew perished or somewhat else out of tune The same we see to happen in kingdomes Common-wealths and Cities ill gouerned for the filth and corruption which before was couered vnder the glorie of their estates A Simile being now a little troubled are discouered when their pomp and riches are taken from them then their cruelties treasons robberies periuries vniust taxes and other impieties by which they purchased to themselues honour in time of prosperitie begin to turne to their dishonour in the time of aduersitie I vvill take vengeance and vvill not meet thee as a man It is as much as if he should say Thinke not thou hast to do in this case with a mortall man whose violence thou mayst resist for in other places where mention is made of mans hand it signifies a kinde of moderation But here the Prophet shewes that the Chaldeans shall find no reliefe at all because God will vtterlie roote them out Others translate I vvill not meet a man that is to say I will accept of no man that shall intreate for them Let who will come forth and intercede for them yet I will not remit their fault neither lessen nor asswage the punishment one whit This sense agrees well but it is a little constreined in regard of the disposition of the words for thus the verb Paga which signifies to goe before must be taken in the passiue signification which cannot be Moreouer the Prophet saith not simplie that God will not be intreated but that he wil not be appeased Thus the first exposition sutes best if we consider rightlie of the order of the words yet euery one may follow whether of the senses he will for take which you list the summe will be that the Lord will race them out without pitie or mercie only this I say the first exposition likes me well because it agrees best with the text Vers 4. Our redeemer the Lord of hosts is his name the holy one of Israel The end of Gods iudgements is to manifest himselfe the redeemer of his Church THe Prophet shewes to what end God would take vengeance vpon the Chaldeans euen in regard of the peoples saluation as he said in Chap. 45.4 But this sentence hath much greater force in it in regard it comes in abruptly and as one wakening himselfe out of a dreame when he saw Babylon ruinated which before made it her trade to subdue and treade other nations vnder her feet And he shewes that this shall come to passe for none other cause but to the end the Lord may manifest himselfe to be the redeemer and auenger of
Iob. 9.4 and men in the end shall gaine nothing by resisting him for at last he wil subdue and bring down their rebellion that his Church may haue some breathing time in despite of them all In that he promiseth the childreÌ„ of the Church shall be brought in betweene the armes and vpon the shoulders it is a figuratiue maner of speech in which he would signifie that God will no way be hindred when he meanes to gather his Church from the scattering wherin he shal find her because all the Gentiles shal help him And howsoeuer this be in the first place to the banished and dispersed Iewes yet no doubt it is to be extended vnto all Gods elect in all places who are or shall be receiued in to participate of the same grace Vers 23. And Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes shall be thy nurses they shall worship thee with their faces towards the earth and lick vp the dust of thy feet and thou shalt know that I am the Lord for * Or all they shall not be ashamed that wait for me HAuing spoken of the obedience of the Gentiles he shewes that it not only appertaines to the common people but euen to Kings also whom he compares to foster fathers who bring vp other mens childreÌ„ and Queens to milch nurses which are hired forth for that purpose Why so Because Kings and Queenes shall furnish the Church with all things necessarie for her children For whereas before they banished Christ out of all their coasts now they shall from henceforth acknowledge him for their soueraigne King and shall yeeld him honor homage and seruice And all this came to passe after God manifested himselfe to all the world by his Gospel for the great Kings and Princes therof not only submitted themselues vnder the yoke of Christ but also imployed their wealth riches to restore maintaine the Church so as they became the protectors and defenders of it Whence we note that a speciall and particular dutie is heere required of Princes A speciall and particular dutie required heere in Kings and Princes besides their ordinarie profession of the Christian faith Why so Because the Lord hath clothed them with power and authoritie to the end they should prouide for the Churches good and also procure the glorie of God I grant this dutie belongs to euery one but by how much the greater power Princes are indued withall the more carefull should they be to imploy their studies and paines about these things That is the cause why Dauid expresly names them and exhorts them to be wise to serue the Lord with feare and to kisse his Sonne Psal 2.10.11 Hence also we may discerne of their follie and madnes who affirme that Kings can be no Christians vnlesse they giue ouer this office and dignitie The follie of such as affirme that Kings can be no Christians vnlesse they giue ouer their dignities For this was accomplished vnder the kingdome of Christ when Kings being conuerted vnto God by the preaching of the Gospell came to this hie degree and dignitie which far surmount all sorts of rule and principalities to wit to be the nursing fathers and defendors of the Church The Papists thinke none can be right nursing fathers to the Church vnlesse they leaue vnto Priests Monks and idle bellies great reuenues large possessions fat prebendaries to fatten them vp as swine in a stie But this nourishment tends to a far other end then to cramme and stuffe the guts of such a companie of insatiable gulphs After what maner Kings ought to be nursing fathers to the Church For the question is not here touching the inriching of their houses who vnder a fained pretence of holines will needs be taken for the Ministers of the Church who haue bin the only poysoners and corrupters of the Church of God with the deadly venome of the whores cup but rather to roote out Superstitions and vtterlie to ouerthrow all Idolatrie to aduance the kingdome of Christ to conserue the puritie of doctrine to remoue scandalles and offences and to purge out the filthie dregges of false doctrine whereby the wholesome doctrine of God is corrupted and whereby his glorie is darkned and obscured When Kings haue taken order for these things then are they also to furnish the Pastors Pastors and Ministers of the word with all things necessarie let them relieue the poore and looke that the Church susteine not by their negligence beggerie or vndecent wants Then let them erect Schooles and endow them with sufficient pentions The poore Schooles erected and endowed with sufficient pensions Building of Hospitals for the teachers let them foster and cherish Studients let them build Hospitals for the aged and diseased and performe other offices which serue for the maintenance and conseruation of the Church But these excessiue expences superfluouslie bestowed towards the founding of Masses and Oratories and imploied for the making of vessels of gold and siluer rich gorgeous vestments in which Papists glory and brag only serues for a pompe and ambition to corrupt the pure and sincere nourishment of the Church yea to choke and extinguish Gods seede which is the onely food by which the Church liues Now when we see things otherwise carried at this day to wit that Kings in stead of nurcing fathers to the Church become tormentors destroiers of the Church If Kings in stead of nurcing â—a hers to the Chuâ—ch become tormentors of her â—t is the iust â—eward of ouâ— sins that the true doctrine is reiected the faithfull Ministers banished and that greasie idle paunches insatiable gulfes and supposts of Satan are put in their roomes for to such Princes distribute their riches that is to say the blood of the people which they haue sucked when also those Princes who otherwise being faithfull yet wanting power and therefore hauing little or no courage to defend the word or to maintaine the church Let vs acknowledge that this is the iust reward of our iniquities and let vs confesse that wee be vnworthy to inioy such good nurcing fathers Notwithstanding after these so horrible ruines wee must be euer waiting and looking for the restauration of the Church and for such a conuersion of Kings as that they shall shew themselues fathers and protectors of the faithfull and such as shall constantly vphold the doctrine of the word in their dominions They shall licke the dust of thy feete The Papists in like manner offer violence to this place to establish the tyrannie of their Idoll as if forsooth Kings and Princes could not otherwise shew themselues the true and lawfull seruants of God vnlesse in his stead they should fall downe at the feete of their disguised head of the Church This they account a testimonie of great seruice done to God when they will abase themselues to kisse his feete with great reuerence But first of all if they will know what an opinion we
that resisted him we shall easily perceiue that all things came to passe as Isaiah foretold What were his Apostles that they subdued so many Kings and Nations by the sword of the spirit May they not well be compared to little sprigs Thus the Prophet shewes then by what meanes Christes kingdome should be erected and established that we should not iudge thereof as of a worldly kingdome Ioh. 18.36 The deformitie whereof he speakes in the next place is not only to be referred to Christes person This deformitie is not only to be referred to Christes person but to his whole kingdome which being contemptible and despised of the world was at last adiudged to a shamefull and cursed death but also to his whole kingdome which hath no forme beautie nor glorie at all in the eies of men in a word no appearance at all to procure any great admiration in the eies of worldlings For albeit Christ rose againe yet the Iewes alwaies esteemed him a man crucified and full of reproch so as they proudly disdained him Vers 3. He is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not The doctrine of this verse is all one with the former THis present verse tends to the same purpose with the former namely that men should reiect Christ because nothing was to bee seene in him but sorrowes and infirmities The Iewes needed to haue this often repeated vnto them that they might not conceiue a false opinioÌ„ of Christ nor of his kingdome for he that wil rightly see his glory He that wi l take a right view of Christes glorie must passe from his death to his resurrection must passe from his death to his resurrection Many are offended at his death as if he had been ouercome and ouerwhelmed of it But they must passe forwards to that diuine power and maiestie which shined in his resurrection Rom. 1.4 Yet if any shall begin at his resurrection hee shall not follow the order heere prescribed by the Prophet neither shall he comprehend the mightie power of the Lord. VVe almost hid our faces from him It is not without cause that hee vseth this word vve for thereby he shewes that thus all men shall iudge of him Neither shall any man be able euer to conceiue otherwise vnlesse the Lord correct and reforme his iudgement by the holy Ghost And howsoeuer he seemes heere to taxe the Iewes principally who should disdainfully reiect the Sonne of God promised and offered yea and puts himselfe in the number as being a member of that body yet let vs learne from this place notwithstanding that the whole world is here taxed and condemned of ingratitude for contemning of Christ because they iudge him vnworthy the looking vpon nay they turne their eyes from him as from an abominable thing Vers 3. Surely hee hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrewes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled THe particle Surely is not onely an affirmatiue but also serues for an exposition Now the Prophet sets downe the cause why Christ was thus farre humbled to wit when any thing is brought to light that seemes strange and vnwonted For is it not wonderfull nay monstrous that hee to whom God hath giuen soueraigne power ouer all creatures should be thus abased and humbled So then if the cause were not rendred heere all would esteeme this no better then a fable Why was Christ thus couered ouer with dolours and infirmities Surely because he bare our sorrowes Saint Matthew alleadgeth this prophecie after he hath told how Christ healed diseases of diuers kindes Chap. 8.17 And yet it is most certaine that he was appointed rather a Physition of mens soules then of their bodies Adde also that the Prophet speakes of spirituall sorrowes But in the miracles shewed in the healing of mens bodies Christ manifested a plaine proofe of that power hee had to heale the sicknesses of their soules This healing then whereof S. Matthew speakes extended further then to their bodies for he was ordained a Physition of soules Matth. 9.11 12. And this is the cause why Matthew attributes that to the signe which agrees to the thing signified In the second member the Prophet shewes the greatnesse of this peoples ingratitude and peruersitie in that they did not see the cause why Christ was thus farre humbled and afflicted but did rather iudge that hee was smitten of God for his owne sinnes and yet they knew well enough that hee was an innocent yea the Iudge himselfe testified it Matth. 27.24 Luk. 23.4.14.22 Iohn 18.38 Since then they saw well that he being not guiltie bare the punishment of sinnes which hee neuer committed wherefore did they not conceiue some rare excellencie to be in him But in regard they saw him smitten and despised they neuer stood to examin the cause but iudged onely by the euents as the foolish are wont to doe And for this cause Isaiah complaines of the frowardnesse of mens iudgements which considered not of the reason why Christ was so greatly afflicted And especially he bewailes the senslesnesse of the Iewes in esteeming God the sworne enemie of Christ without thinking of their owne iniquities which by this meanes were done away Vers 5. But hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him * Or in his wounds is our medicin and with his stripes we * Or in his wounds is our medicin are healed HE once again repeats the cause of these so great afflictions of Christ A repetition of the cause lest any should be offended at Christs abasement to preuent the scandall that might arise for the spectacle of the Crosse driues many farre from Christ That is to say whilest they onely consiâ—â—r of that which is present before their eies not looking whereunto the same tends But all offence is remoued when they see that by his death he hath not onely done away our iniquities but hath also â—btained saluation for vs. Some thinke that chastisement is here called the chastisement of peace because men were growne senslesse and hardened in their sinnes and therefore it was needfull Christ should suffer Others referre this peace to the conscience namely that Christ hath suffered to giue our consciences rest To which purpose Saint Paul saith Being iustified by faith vve haue peace vvith God Rom. 5.1 But I take this word simply for reconciliation because Christ bare the chastisement which was due vnto vs. And thus the wrath of God iustly inflamed against vs is appeased and the peace made betweene God and vs by meanes of this mediator so as wee are now reconciled Hence wee gather a generall doctrine to wit A generall doctrine that vvee are freely reconciled vnto God because Christ hath paid the ransome of our
know the reason of thy deliuerance it hath proceeded from my meere good will not for thy merits or a iumbling together of secondarie causes Calamities then fall not out by chance Neither is the Lord angrie without cause Neither yet is he euer so angrie but he leaues way for his mercie Vers 11. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring vnto thee the riches of the Gentiles and * Or and their Kings led that their kings may be brought THis verse is ill expounded of the most Interpreters For they thinke the Prophet meant to say that the Church shall be in safetie vnder the fidelitie and protection of God Why so Because open doores shew that danger is fare off But me thinkes the Prophet expounds himselfe namely that the gates shall be open that riches may be brought into the citie from all parts And in as much as they are wont to beare their burthens by day the day saith he shall not suffice in regard of the continuall resort of such as shall bring precious treasures thither Wherefore carriages shall not cease in so much that the gates must be kept open day and night Where he saith that the Church shal haue the riches of the Gentiles What is meant by the riches of the Gentiles it is not to be referred to temporall commodities but to the obedience which all the world shall yeeld vnto God in his Church to which he giues that which is offered vnto him in regard he hath nothing which is not hers And their kings led I had rather retaine the participle which the Prophet vseth then to follow them who change it into a verbe for they ouerthrow his meaning in regard that he expressely addeth this because the pride of kings is such Kings naturally vnwilling to submit their neckes to Gods yoke that they will not willingly suffer themselues to bee led Nay on the contrarie standing too much vpon their owne power they wax intemperate and in stead of being led whither they ought they carrie away with them al others as with a violent flood He shewes then that notwithstanding their naturall and vntamed rebellion they shall submit themselues to God and his Church Vers 12. For the nation and the kingdome that will not serue thee shall perish and those nations shall bee vtterly destroyed A confirmation of the former doctrine THe Prophet stands much vpon the confirmation of the hearts of Gods children to assure them that they should behold the restauration of the Church one day as hee hath now described it out vnto them These thinge were altogether incredible and howsoeuer we our selues are sufficiently confirmed by the euents of these things which are manifested in all mens sight yet if wee were not gouerned by the spirit of Christ hardly should wee conceiue them in our mindes He shewes then that there is no cause at all wherefore the Iewes should doubt of the restauration of the Temple because the Gentiles should come to aide them with all their power But Isaiah regarded something more high in this place then the building of the visible Temple For his meaning is to speake of that obedience which Kings Nobles and the commons should yeelde vnto the Church when they should aduance as much as in them lay the puritie of doctrine Yea hee passeth yet further in pronouncing that the kingdomes and nations which vvill not serue the Church shall perish If such as helpe not the Church are condemned with this fearefull and terrible sentence If such as serue not the Church shall perish how shall they eâ—câ—pe that persecute her what shall we say of those tyrants who set themselues furiously against her and labour with might and maine to worke her ouerthrow If the slothfull and carelesse shall not escape vnpunished ought not the wicked to wait for some horrible vengeance seeing they striue to hinder and ouerthrow the worke of the Lord He repeates that now in the plurall number which he said before in the singular to shew that if the whole world were guiltie yet they should wholly perish For the multitude cannot free those from perishing And those nations c. that estrange themselues from God neither shall the wicked be excused if they hinder one another from comming to saluation or if they incourage one another to commit iniquitie Now it is said as we haue seene before that Kings and nations serue the Church not in regard that shee exerciseth any dominion of her selfe but because God hath giuen and committed the scepter of his word by which hee rules vnto her custodie Vers 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come vnto thee the firre tree the elme and the box tree together to beautifie the place of my sanctuarie for I will glorifie the place of my feete ISaiah vseth yet another similitude which hee brought in when hee compared the Church to a building or Citie For he recites such things as are necessarie to build withall to wit the firre tree the pine tree and the box tree all which grew in Lebanon a forrest that abounded with goodly and excellent trees His meaning is then that whatsoeuer was faire and exquisite in this forrest should be brought vnto the Church But we must refer the truth of these figures to Gods spirituall worship for he adornes his Church with the title of the sanctuarie because himselfe dwels in the midst thereof notwithstanding hee hath alwaies respect to the Temple and to the customes of those times He sets before vs then a paterne of the Temple that stood in Ierusalem that vnder the image thereof we might consider of the spirituall Temple whereof wee are the matter and the liuing stones Eph. 2.21 1. Pet. 2.5 By the place of his feete he signifies that hee so dwelles in the Temple that yet his Maiestie is not inclosed therein for he is not contained within so narrow limits There is nothing but his feete then that is to say his lowest and meanest part thereby teaching vs to aspire vp vnto heauen and not to rest fixed in these externall signes which instruct vs according to our slender capacitie According to which it is said in Psal 99.5 Worship the footstoole of his feete for he is holy Also We will enter into his Tabernacle and worship before his footstoole Psal 132.7 Not that Gods essence is diuided into pieces Gods essence not parted into pieces part in heauen and part in earth but in regard that by such helpes hee raiseth vp his seruant as it were from his feete to his head Vers 14. The sonnes also of them that afflicted thee shall come and bow vnto thee and all they that despised thee shall fall downe at the soles of thy feete and they shall call thee The Citie of the Lord Zion of the holy one of Israel HE prosecutes the same argument still For he shewes how wonderfull this worke of redemption
of mountaines 65. 9 Why called Ile 20. 6 Iudgements of God true 1. 15. and 59. 12 Why compared to fire 66. 15 Gods iudgements against the wicked terrible 9. 17 How they ought to be pondered 19. 13. and 28. 13 Alwaies most iust 14. 21. and 16. 3. and 21. 2. and 30. 31. and 33. 1. and 39. 5. and 41. 15. and 65. 7. Their vse 26. 9 To iudge put to rule 2. 4. 16. 5 Iudges ought to be eies eares hands and mouth for the widowes and fatherlesse 1. 23 Iudges put for all sorts of gouernours 3. 2 Iudgement put for right 40. 27 Taken for moderation in afflictions 30. 18. and 64. 8 Put for forme of gouernment 51. 4 For right 1. 17 21. and 4. 4. and 32. 16. and 61. 8 For protection 16. 5. 59. 9 Iustice taken for equitie 33. 15 For succour 46. 13 For protection and faithfulnesse 16. 5. and 45. 13. and 51. 5. and 54. 14. and 59. 9 For integritie of heart 48. 1 For right 54. 17. and 62. 1 For a State well gouerned 48. 18 For testimony of iustice 58. 8 For truth 63. 1 What true iustice is 57. 1 It must be sought in God onely 45. 25 Iustice hath two parts 58. 7 Iust taken for tried 41. 26 K KEyes of the kingdome of heauen what 22. 22 Keyes a signe of possession ibid Key of the house of Dauid ibid The key that opens vnto vs the doore of Christs kingdome 65. 2 King of Iudah figure of Christ 14. 30 King of Babylon why compared to the morning starre 14. 12 Crueltie of the King of Babylon 14. 17 His pride 14. 13 A King ought to be a father of the Country 22. 21 See Princes Duties of Kings 49. 23. and 60. 16 In what sense called nursing fathers of the Church 49. 23. See more in 60. 11. and 62. 2 No true rest out of Christs kingdome 65. 21 Kingdome of Christ eternall 6. 7. and 16. 5 Established in despight of all his enemies 29. 22 Why called the end of daies 2. 2 Contemptible in appearance 53. 2 Kingdome of Christ and Dauid in what they differ 2. 4 Kingdome of Christ not yet compleat 60. 18 Prophecied of 2. 2 Peaceable 2 4 Spirituall 11. 2 4 14. and 16. 5. and 42. 1. and 56. 7. and 60. 2. and 61. 6. and 62. 6 Beginning of Christs kingdome 53. 2 Kingdome of Iudah a figure of Christs kingdome 33. 17 Why the kingdome of Israel is called anointing 10. 27 Wherein the defence of kingdomes consisteth 19. 3 To bow the knee before Christ what it signifies 45. 23 The knowledge of Gods name consists in three things 52. 6 Knowledge of God ingrauen in the mindes of all men 33. 15 The foundation of all true religion 19. 21 Men cannot attaine the perfection of it in this life 6. 2 Men may come to the knowledge of God by bestolding the heauens 40. 26 Knowledge of God certaine in the gospell 25. 9 How necessary the knowledge of God is 11. 9. and 26. 8. and 54. 13 L FEw whilest they labor fix their eies vpon Gods blessing 65. 23 Land of the liuing 38. 11 Law and the Gospell wherein they differ 66. 21 27 Law called Oppia 3. 17 Law taken for gospell and doctrine 42. 4 For the word of God 2. 3 The praise of the Law 8. 20 The principall end and vse of the law 45. 18. 19. 51. 4 The excellencie of the Law 8. 20 How needfull the publishing of it is 42. 21 The seat of the Law in the heart 51. 7 The difference betweene the law and the gospell 66. 21 23. 61. 1 Leprosie a ciuill death 6. 1. 58. 4 Lenten fast 58. 4 Leuiathan what 27. 1 Lycurgus made no law against the ingratefull 1. 2 Liberality of God towards his 12. 3. and 65. 10 True liberalitie what 32. 8 Our life but a vaine imagination till Gods presence hath awakened vs 6. 5 Life how it ought to be ruled 33. 19 Life of man limited 38. 5 Shortnes of mans life 38. 12 The end of mans life 38. 11. 18. 22 Fragilitie of mans life 40. 6 We must labor after integritie of life 26. 2. and 43. 23. and 52. 11. and 56. 1 How far lawfull to desire long life 38. 10. 22 Light taken for prosperitie 58. 8 10. and 59. 9 No light where the doctrine of the Prophets is wanting 60. 3 Libna a Citie what 37. 9 Lip put for tongue 19. 18 To looke put for hope 20. 3. and 31. 1 To looke to God what 17. 7 No loue comparable to Gods loue 63. 9 Infinit loue of God towards his 40. 3. and 42. 14. 43. 4. and 46 3. and 49. 11 15. and 50. 10. and 59. 18. and 65. 19. and 66. 14 Selfe loue the welspring of all euils in men naturally 11. 9 A notable description of Gods loue 65. 19 Lucifer held for king of diuels absurdly 14. 2 Iudgement day terrible 10. 3 Luther a Prophet of God and of his death 57. 1 M MAdian 10. 16 Madianites subdued by Gedeon 9. 4 Magike condemned 19. 3 Magistracie and ministerie what 56. 10 Magistrates called of God 22. 20 A singular blessing of God to haue a good Magistrate 1. 26 Euill Magistrates sent of God in his wrath 22. 21 Authoritie of Magistrates 3. 13 Their dutie 3. 4. 22. 21 24. and 20. 22 Consolation for them 22. 23 Their office an office of labour 22. 4 They ought to be the fathers of the Country 3. 5 Gods maiestie opposed to the pride of Magistrates 3. 15 In what sense God is said to be our maker 17. 7. 37. 26. and 51. 13. See creation new The word Many taken for All 53. 12 Whether marchandising be lawfull 23. 15 17 Oft times replenished with deceits 2. 16 Marchants of Venice 23. 8 Sacrifice of the Masse impudently maintained by Papists 19. 19 Meeknes in Pastors required 42. 4 Meeknes commended 11. 4 6. and 53. 7. and 57. 15. and 61. 1 No true meekenesse without the Spirit of Christ 11. 6 Meeknes of Christ 42. 3 All the promises grounded vpon the Mediator 9. 6 The benefit of meditation 26. 8 We must meditate in Gods workes of old 51. 9 What ought to be our meditation in the day of affliction 63. 7 The Medes authors of Babels ruine 13. 17 Their crueltie 13. 18 In what sense called vessels of wrath 13. 5 How said to be sanctified 13. 3 Men miserable by their owne fault 59. 11 Why compared to grashoppers 40. 22 They doe in vaine promise vnto themselues any certaine abiding heere 34. 17 To trust in men vaine 29. 5 Their felicitie consists in obedience 1. 19 Their glory vaine 19. 11 Their blockishnes 55. 2 Their hearts are in Gods hands 13. 3. 14. and 19. 2 Their condition out of Christ 49. 8. 9 Their nature before their conuersion 65. 25 Mens daies limitted 38. 5 That which is attributed to them is taken from God 31.3 Their power not to be feared 7. 4
any of them For he is called seruant in respect that God the Father hath not onely giuen him the charge of teaching or to doe some other thing but also in regard that hee hath called him to performe an excellent and peerelesse worke which is common to none but him Furthermore although this name be attributed to the person of Christ yet it ought to be referred to his humane nature for his Godhead being eternall and that in respect thereof he hath euer obtained equall glory with his Father Christ Gods seruant in respect of his humanitie it was necessary he should take our nature vpon him that he might submit himselfe to the obedience of a seruant And therefore Saint Paul saith that he being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with him and yet notwithstanding emptied himselfe and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant c. Phil. 2.6 Christ then is a seruant but voluntarily Christ being Gods seruaÌ„t no way impaires his dignitie DispensatioÌ„ lest wee should imagin his dignity might be somewhat impaired therby Which the ancient Doctors signified vnder this word Dispensation whereby it came to passe as they say that Christ subiected himselfe to all our infirmities The affection by which he became subiect vnto God Christs subiection voluntarie was voluntarie in the meane while it was to the end he might become our seruant also notwithstanding this his so abiect a condition hinders him nothing at all from inioying his soueraigne maiestie for which cause the Apostle saith God hath giuen him a name aboue euery name Phil. 2.9 He vseth the particle demonstratiue Behold to bring the Iewes as it were to the sight of the thing done for that which they saw in Babylon was able to haue put them cleane out of heart He wils them therefore to turne their eies from beholding things present and to fix them onely vpon Christ Some expound the verbe Tamach which signifies To stay passiuely others actiuely If we take it in the passiue the sense will bee that God so staies himselfe vpon his Christ that hee will giue him charge of all things euen as masters doe to their trustie seruants Now it is a signe of great trust which the Father reposeth in him that hee giues him charge of all things and commits into his hands his owne rule authoritie and power Yet I reiect not the actiue signification to wit I will erect or set him vp or I will establish him in his estate for that which followes immediately after I vvill put my spirit vpon him is but a repetition of the same thing He saith in the first place then I vvill stay vpon him then he shewes the maner of this stay in saying that he will gouerne him by his Spirit and thus hee shewes that he will sustaine and helpe Christ in all things and will not suffer him to fall vnder any difficulties Now it was needfull that Christ should be indued with the holy Spirit from aboue Why Christ was to bee indued with the holy Spirit in regard hee was to take vpon him that diuine office of being mediator betweene God and men for according to his humane nature he was vnable to beare the waight of so great a burthen Christ a seruant elect Elect is here taken for excellent as in other places young men which are in the flower of their youth are called men of choice Hee is called a seruant elect then because hee shall beare the message of reconciliation and all his actions shall bee disposed of by the Lord. Yet behold heere a testimonie of that loue which God hath shewed vs in his onely Son for in him the head wee may see our election shine by which wee are adopted to the hope of a better life Seeing then that there is an heauenly power dwelling in the humane nature of Christ Wee must looke vpon Christ in both his natures when we heare him speake let vs not so much looke vpon flesh blood as lift vp our mindes higher that so we may see his diuinitie shine in all his actions In vvhom my soule delights By this testimonie we may conceiue that Iesus Christ is not onely well pleasing vnto God his Father but is also that his onely beloued Sonne so as there is no obtaining of any grace but by the meanes of his intercession In this sense it is alleadged by the Euangelists Mat. 3.17 Luke 9.35 Saint Paul also teacheth that wee were reconciled with God through this his vvelbeloued one for whose sake God loues vs Ephes 1.6 According to which our Prophet shewes that Christ shall not be adorned with the vertue and power of the holy Ghost for his owne particular onely but to shed it abroad also far and wide vpon others By the word iudgement hee vnderstands a well ordered gouernment and not the sentence which the Iudge pronounceth vpon the iudgement seat for the verbe To iudge among the Hebrewes signifies to rule gouerne and direct things He addes that this iudgement shall extend thorowout all the earth as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes which promise was then new and strange for God was onely knowne in lurie Psal 76.1 so as forraine nations were excluded from any hope of grace We therefore that are Gentiles staÌ„d in exceeding need of these so cleare and euident testimonies that we may grow daily in the assurance of our vocation and calling for without these promises what assurance is left vs They nothing at all pertaine vnto vs. Christ was sent then to bring the whole world vnder the rule and obedience of God his Father Whence it appeares that al things without him are but a confused chaos Before hee comes therefore All things out of ordâ—r without Christ it is impossible to see any right order or gouerâ—â—ment among men Let vs then learne in all things to submit our neckes vnto his sweet yoke if we desire to be iustly and rightly gouerned Now we must iudge of this gouernment according to the nature of his kingdome that we liue in which as you know is not of this world but consists in the inward man Iohn 18.36 for it consists in a good conscience and integritie of life approued not of men only but of God chiefly and principally Wherein Christs kingdome principally consists The summe then comes to this that our whole life being peruerted since the time wee were altogether corrupted by the fall of Adam Christ is now towards the end of the world come vvith an heauenly power of the spirit The end of Christs comming in the flesh to change our hearts and to reforme vs into newnesse of life Vers 2. Hee shall not cry nor lift vp nor cause his voice to be heard in the streetes THe Prophet shewes after what manner Christ shall come to wit without such pompe and preparations as earthly Kings haue For when they come in trumpets are sounded on euery
side the Heralds make a great noise and crying so as a man would thinke heauen and earth would goe together But Isaiah saith that at Christs comming Christs kingdome not carnall none of this din shall be heard not so much to manifest his modestie as to teach vs that wee should looke for no outward pompe in him Secondly that by the beholding of his meeknesse by which he seekes to draw vs to him wee might run with all our might to meete him Thirdly that our faith might not languish in respect of his base and abiect condition He shall not lift vp his voice That is to say he shall make no stirres but shall bee quiet and still And surely hee was so far off from popularitie Mat. 9.30.31 that hee forbad the publishing of his owne miracles to the end we might thereby know that his gouernment and authoritie differed much from that which Kings and power of God that so we may credit that which he hath spokē accordinglie for Isaiah speakes not these things at randō but thereby meant to dispatch our minds of all scruples because nothing is impossible to God who holds the vvhole vvorld vnder his subiection but in the Chapters following we shall meete with the like phrases of speech Some translate the word El Mightie others God but the matter is not great because the sense comes all to one reckning for he describes his power and Maiestie and adornes him diuerslie with such titles to teach vs that he can easily raise vp and restore that which was falne to the earth Vers 6. I the Lord haue called thee in righteousnes and will hold thine hand and will keepe thee and will giue thee for a couenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles HE repeates the name of God againe in which we must supplie that which was said in the former verse touching Gods power All almost doe thinke that he speakes here of the end of Christes calling because he was sent of the Father to establish righteousnes among men of which before they were destitute whilest he is absent from them and being giuen to all sorts of vice and vnrighteousnes were detained prisoners vnder Satans tyranny But because the word Iustice or righteousnes extends it selfe further I leaue this subtletie neither is it said that Christ should be called to righteousnes but this phrase of speech must be resolued into the aduerb Iustly or Holily I rather thinke that Christ is called in righteousnes because his calling is lawfull and therefore shall be firme and stable Things that are not done according to a good and lawfull order can not long last for we know that things disorderedly done can not long continue vnlesse any had rather expound it that God in ordeining of Christ the restorer of the Church seekes no other cause of it then in himselfe and in his owne righteousnes notwithstanding it is certaine that this word notes out vnto vs stabilitie and is as much to say as faithfullie By the holding of the hand he meanes the Lords present help as if he should say I vvill gouerne and vphold thee in the vocation vnto vvhich I haue called thee In a word as thy calling is iust so also will I susteine and maintaine it euen as if I led thee by the hand And the verb vvill keepe which is forthwith added shewes sufficientlie what the holding by the hand signifies to wit that Christ shall be so gouerned of his Father that he will be his teacher and protector in such wise that he will succor and assist him in all things I vvill giue thee for a couenant Now he expresseth the cause why God promiseth to be the protector of Christ Moreouer he distinguisheth betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles not that they differ ought in nature or as if the one were more excellent then the other for all haue neede of Gods grace All haue need of Gods grace and Christ brings saluation indifferentlie to both but in regard the Lord had attributed the first degree to the Iewes therefore it was good reason they should be distinguished from others The Iewes more excellent then the Gentiles not by merit but by Gods free grace Before the partition wall then was broken downe they were the more excellent not by way of merit but by the free grace of God because the couenant thereof was first made with them But some may aske why Christ is named in the couenant which was ratified long before Obiect for there were two thousand yeres and more past from the time that God adopted Abraham the originall of this separation then was long before the comming of Iesus Christ I answere Ans that the couenant made with Abraham and his posteritie was founded on Christ for thus runne the words of the couenant In thy seed shal all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 The couenant was confirmed then only in Abrahams seed that is to say in Christ at vvhose comming it vvas confirmed and established by effect though it vvas done before in regard of the promise Therefore it is that Paul saith All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 who in another place is called the minister of circumcision to fulfill the promises made to the fathers Rom. 15.8 And in another place he shewes yet more plainely that Christ is our peace so as those vvho vvere furthest off are made neere by his blood and that both are by this meanes reconciled to God and made members one of another Ephes 2.17 By these places it appeares that Christ was promised not to the Iewes only but to the vvhole vvorld And here we haue againe another testimonie touching the vocation of the Gentiles Another testimonie touching the vocation of the Gentiles seeing our Prophet expreslie affirmes that he is giuen for a light to them Now he mentions the light because the vnbeleeuers were plunged in most palpable and profound darknes during the time that the Lord enlightened the Iewes only What is our lesson then Surely we are worthy to beare the blame for euer if we remaine in darknes and haue this light of life in the meane while shining before vs. For the Lord calles all vnto him none excepted and giues Christ vnto all that he may be our light It remaines then that we only open our eyes then will he alone chase away all darkenes and will illuminate our minds by the word of truth Vers 7. That thou maist open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknes out of the prison house ISaiah recites heere more at large to what end Christ shall be sent of the Father Why Christ was sent of his Father that we may the better perceiue what fruit we shal reape by the same and how necessarie his help is Now he taxeth all men of blindnes All are blind to the end wee