to rage and the guilt and scruples of their consciences astonish them He hath very aptly then compared the wicked to the raging sea He that would escape and auoid these tempests and horrible boiling of spirit let him beware how hee reiects this peace which the Lord offers him There is no meane betweene these two for vnlesse wee abandon all our lusts to entertaine this peace we must of necessitie be continually tormented and vexed after an horrible maner Vers 21. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked THe Prophet confirmes the former sentence namely A confirmation of the former denunciation that the wicked shall gaine nothing in seeking this peace for they shall haue alarums rung in their eares on euerie side and in regard that God makes warre vpon them therefore they shall but lose their labour to hope for peace I grant the vvicked would with all their hearts inioy peace yea they much desire it For what seeke they else in this world but to be secured and to rocke their consciences asleepe that they may take their fill of pleasures and giue themselues ouer without checke vnto all lasciuiousnesse They indeuor to banish frō them al thoughts of Gods iudgements What course the wicked take to attaine peace and would faine become senslesse and these they take to be the true meanes whereby to obtaine peace but they shall neuer this way inioy it for till they be reconciled vnto God in Christ their consciences will euer be galling them and they shall not cease to be molested with the accusations thereof And thus hee brings in God the onely author of peace who by this terrible sentence takes from the Iewes their peace and calles him his God opposing it against their vaine glory who falsly couered themselues vnder such titles For they could not be said to haue any knowledge of God whilest they reiected both his Prophet and doctrine and therefore Isaiah is bold by Gods expresse commandement to proclaime open warre against them THE LVIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Cry aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes This Chapter depends vpon the former THis present Chapter was ill diuided in regard this is knit vnto the former so as if we will vnderstand the Prophets meaning wee must reade this as if there were no breking off Isaiah hath testified that the people should be so chastised that yet some hope of peace remained fot them Now hee confirmes this doctrine and teacheth that the Lord hath charged him to cry out of the throte A plaine gosier or as wee commonly say in our speech with open throte To what end Forsooth to shew the people their sinnes Neither speakes hee onely of the lifting vp of the voice but of that vehemencie and seueritie of speech whereof hypocrites stand especially in need as if God thundered vpon them from heauen For they flatter themselues in their vices if they be not rounly dealt withall and bee forced to come into the light nay no good is to bee done vpon them vnlesse they bee laid vpon with maine blowes Where he addes spare not it is a forme of speech much vsed among the Hebrewes I speake and will not hold my peace as we also commonly say Cry without ceasing We haue told you that the Prophet speakes not heere simply of the sound of the voice Crie sans espargner but signifies a sharpe biting kind of reprehension wherewith hypocrites must be galled to the quicke as for example if the Prophets should onely propound the Law of the Lord and shew wherein the rule of a well ordered life consists should fall into the praise of Gods worshippe and without any vehemencie reprooue iniquities what would hypocrites haue been the better for such a cold manner of preaching For their consciences are so drowsie that they cannot be awakened but with loud and shrill cries A cold maner of preaching then would doe them no good vnlesse they were sharply pressed and thundered vpon with terrible threats Saint Paul imitating the Prophets hauing proued all mankind guiltie and worthy of death he riseth vp with great vehemencie against such as had some appearance of holinesse and yet abused Gods patience Behold saith he thou art called a Iew and restest in the Law and gloriest in God thou knowest his will and approuest the things that are excellent being instructed in the Law Thou takest vpon thee to be a leader of the blind a light to such as are in darknesse an instructer of the ignorant and an instructer of them that lacke discretion hauing a forme of knowledge of the truth in the Law But thou which teachest others teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest another should not steale yet doest thou steale c. Rom. 2. Against such in conclusion hee denounceth iudgement and the horrible vengeance of God because they abused Gods goodnesse and gloried in his name in vaine Likewise in this place the Prophet taxeth the Iewes in particular who gloried in the name of the Lord and in the meane while rose vp in armes against him This is the course then that must be taken with hypocrites who content themselues with an outward maske of holinesse if wee meane to discharge our duties profitably and as we ought And euen as the Lord hath exercised his Prophets in this combat so mus◠wee also at this day be in like maner exercised that we may not feare the faces of hypocrites nor content our selues to haue reproued them lightly in two or three words but to cry aloud with might and maine against them But may some say If the Lord command such to be reproued for their sinnes Obiect to whom he promiseth peace then no doubt but his meaning was to leaue them some hope of saluation and yet it is out of question that this speech is directed to the reprobates against whom before he proclaimed open war I answere the faithfull were then few in number for a small remnant only imbraced this peace which was offered them When Isaiah then giues hope of a peace neere hand he had respect to that little flocke when he proclaimed warre that was to terrifie the multitude who were reuolted from God and contemned all admonitions For the state of the people was such that nothing was sound nor pure among them as we haue seene in chap. 1.21 He mentions the house of Jacob in regard the most of the people were corrupted Now this distinction in the Prophets Sermons is diligently to be noted of vs in that they now speake to the whole bodie of the people and by and by restraine their speech to a small number of the faithfull But it is not without a very sharpe and biting reproch that hee calles those his people and the children of Iacob which were degenerate from their originall and had shamefully reuolted from the faith of the Patriarks This
because there was no such thing to be seene in outward appearance he brings vs to the soueraigne King who should set all things in their perfect estate and bids them to wait for him Now the oppositions which the Prophet heere vseth are diligentlie to be marked for he opposeth the highnes of this King whom the Lord would exalt to the poore and miserable condition of this people who were almost brought into despaire And he promiseth that this King shall be the head of the people who shall florish vnder so worthie a leader though now they be afflicted and brought to the gates of destruction Why so Because all things shall prosper that their King takes in hand He calles Christ a seruant in respect of the office which God had imposed vpon him For Christ is not to bee considered of heere as bearing the person of a priuate man but with that office which the Father had committed vnto him namely that he might be this leader and conducter of the Church and might restore all things And let vs for our part know that the things heere spoken of Christ doe also belong vnto vs. Chap. 9.6 Christ is giuen vs of God and therefore haue wee interest in his office For the Prophet might haue said in a word that he should be exalted and be verie high but in attributing to him the name of a seruant it is as much as if he had said Hee is thus exalted for your sakes Vers 14. As many were astonied at thee his visage was so deformed of men and his * Or beautie forme of the sonnes of men A preuention in this and the next verse HEe vseth this preuention in regard this maiestie and dignitie of Christ appeared not at the first blush for which cause they might take occasion to reiect him Therefore the Prophet shewes that Christ must first be humbled and made low And thus he preuents the doubts which might haue caused them to stagger in beholding his abiect and deformed estate As if he should say You must not despise this his basenesse and deformitie for it brings with it forthwith eternall felicitie By men I vnderstand not this by way of comparison as many expound it to wit More then men or Aboue that which falles out among men But I willingly accept of the plainest sense namely that Christ was deformed amongst men or that his beautie was defaced in regard of the peruerse iudgements of men All vvere astonished Some take this astonishment for that admiration which men were in when they saw the miracles which Christ did and yet being brought to the Crosse they straightway reiected him But they come nothing neere the Prophets meaning for hee saith that Christ shall be so deformed that all shall be astonied at him his basenesse of birth was such as all despised him his glory was hid vnder the infirmitie of flesh And howsoeuer a maiestie worthy of the onely begotten Sonne of God shined in him yet men discerned it not but they rather gazed vpon that his abasement which eclipsed and darkened his glory See heere the true cause of this astonishment then namely because he conuersed among men Luke 9.58 without any outward pompe For the Iewes expected not a Messias of so meane an estate Now at his crucifying this astonishment was augmented much more Saint Paul speakes of this abasement of Christ and then of his exaltation when hee saith He being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall vvith God â—hil 2.6 and â—he verses â—ollowing but he humbled or emptied himselfe by taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen vnto the death of the Crosse Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth and that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Lord vnto the glory of God the Father Christ humbled before he was exalted It was needfull theÌ„ that Christ should first be humbled and shamefully intreated and that this glory into which hee was exalted should not appeare at the first But after his humiliation vpon the Crosse came a glorious resurrection with a soueraigne degree of honour Vers 15. So shall hee sprinkle manie nations the Kings shall shut their mouthes at him for that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they vnderstand OThers expound He shall distill so vnder a figure taking it To speake But seeing the verbe Nasa signifies to sprinkle and being so taken in the holy Scriptures I had rather follow this interpretation His meaning is that the Lord shall spread his word among many nations In the next place he addes the effect of this doctrine in saying that Kings shall shut their mouthes in signe of astonishment but yet diuers from that which he mentioned before for men shut their mouthes and stand astonished when the matter is of such consequence that they are vnable to expresse it because they can finde no wordes wherewith to vtter the same They shall see that vvhich vvas not told them The Prophet shewes that this astonishment shall not proceede from the bare sight of Christs person but rather from the preaching of the Gospell for though he rose againe yet all esteemed him dead if the glory of his resurrection had not been published The preaching of the gospel therfore manifested those things which neither the eye had seene nor the eare heard of before 1. Cor. 2.9 as also in regard the publishing of this doctrine came to Kings and nations farre off euen to the ends of the world Saint Paul alleadgeth this text and shewes that it was fulfilled in his ministerie reioicing that hee had preached the Gospell to those who had neuer heard of it Rom. 15.21 For this is the office of an Apostle The Apostles office and not of euery Minister now Thus then our Prophet shewes that the kingdome of Christ shall not be shut vp in so narrow bounds as within the â—and of Iudeah but should spread it selfe furlther off The Iewes vnderstood somewhat by the Law and the Prophets but the Gentiles knew nothing at all This therefore by consequence belongs vnto them Faith consists in certaintie of knowledge Shall vnderstand By this hee shewes that faith consists in certentie in assured knowledge for where this wants No faith without certaintie of knowledge there faith questionlesse is not Whence we may discerne how ridiculous the opinion of the Papists is touching their implicite faith in beleeuing as the Church beleeues which indeede is nothing else but an absurd ignorance or to say better a meere circle and blinde imagination THE LIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Who will beleeue
makes mention here of rich furniture as if he should haue said The Iewes haue decked their houses so sumptuouslie that they haue drawne the iudgement of God vpon them For vnder the pleasant pictures by a figure called Synecdoche hee comprehends as well rich hangings as the worke of Phrygia and the vessels made by exqusite Arte. Now it is certaine that mens manners are corrupted when they giue their lusts the bridle thus to seeke here and there for such vnnecessarie supefluities And we see that such deliciousnes was the ruine of the Empire of Rome Note For before the Romans trauelled into Greec◠they were very chaste continent and moderate But in the ende hauing ouercome Asia they began to wax delicate and to become more and more effeminate But after their eyes were once dazelled with golden pictures vessels pretious stones and tapistry and that their nostrils were perfumed with oyntments and odors by the same meanes they became besotted in all their senses and in following the dissolutenes of the Easterne partes as a more gentlemanlike fashion of liuing they began to ouerflow more and more in all disordered dissolutenes Vers 17. And the hautines of men shall be brought low and the loftimes of man shall be abased and the Lord shall be onely exalted in that day THe Phophet in naming so many kindes of heights in the former verses declares that he spake of men For the high mountaines and great Cedars displeased not God as they were his creatures but he signifies that all the mischiefe rests in the hearts and liues of men who do too much trust in high and great things But some may obiect Obiect It oft times fals out that the wicked are so farre off from comming to amendment or being humbled by the afflictions which they suffer that they rather become the more obstinate and rebellious as it appeares in Pharaoh Exod. 8.15 9.34 whose hardnes could not be softened by any plagues whatsoeuer Wherefore it seemes that that which the Prophet saith heere comes not alwaies to passe I answere Ans that the effect of the chastisment is not expressed as if God should bow rebels to his obediēce But the sense of the place is this to wit that although the reprobates be hardned that the Lord will not therefore finish his chastisments wherewith he will chastise them till such time as their pride and hautines be brought to the ground For whilest they rest vpon their riches and fortifications thinking as they say to be safe there they neither feare nor honour God But although they be fortified neuer so much the Lord will subdue and bring them downe easilie not by a plague or two but so manie waies that being brought low and shut vp they shall cease to lift vp their hornes against him and shall prooue by experience that it is in vaine for them to be obstinate and rebellious That which is added and the Lord onely shall be exalted hath been expounded before Vers 18. And the Idols will he vtterly destroy AS heretofore in his reprehension hee ioyned idolatrie with superfluities couetousnes and other vices so he now ioynes them againe together in denouncing the punishment Vers 19. They shall goe into the holes of the rocks and into the caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and from the glorie of his Maiesty when he shall arise to destroy the earth BEfore he vsed other words to wit in constraining and compelling them saying Enter into the rocks to the end hee might the more liuely pricke their consciences but now he shewes what they shall doe and telles them that they must enter And hereby it appeares that that sentence was not an exhortation but a terrible denunciation of the heauie wrath of God to feare the wicked and obstinate who desperately despise all admonitions and threatnings That which is added of the feare of the Lord is to be vnderstood of the feare which the Chaldeans and Assyrians put them in whose hand hee called before as hee doth here againe the glorie of God because hee serued himselfe by them to chastise his people Although then that they were disloyall and wicked yet they serued to the glorie of God seeing euen the diuell himselfe serues somewhat to that end in despite of his teeth Thus he speakes of the Chaldeans and Assyrians because the glorie of God might be perceiued in the chastisements which hee executed vpon the people by their hand Hee confirmes the same thing by the word Arise which signifies as much as to go vp into the iudgement seate to giue sentence In the particle which by by followeth to strike the earth there is a goodly allusion or meeting of words which can scarcely be expressed in another language as if hee should say To smite downe to the ground Now hee saith that the Lord will arise because it seemes that he sleepes when he deferres his iudgements he ariseth then when he goes vp as Iudge to inflict punishments vpon the wicked in such sort as men shall well perceiue that nothing can scape his knowledge nor be hidden from his eies from him I say who leaues not any wickednes vnpunished Vers 20. And at that day shall man cast away his siluer Idols and his golden Idols which they had made themselues to worship them to * Or into the holes of the c. the moules and to the backs IDolaters doe please themselues wonderfully in their superstitions and wicked seruice For although they bee full of crimes and naughtines yet behold their refuge namely they thinke to appease God by their goodly seruices As if we at this day should set forth the wickednes and villanies wherewith the Papists ouerflow they were not able to denie them but will flatter themselues vnder this pretext forsooth that they performe a goodly seruice vnto God and will thinke that all their vices should bee sufficiently couered vnder this cloake The Prophet therefore pluckes away this vizard from Idolaters and denounceth against them that they shall no more haue ought wherewith to couer their filthines For the Lord will constraine them to cast away their idols to the end they may know it was in vaine for them to haue put their trust in them Lastly they should be ashamed of their vanitie Because in prosperitie they thought that God was fauorable vnto them as if he had taken delight in their seruice and could not otherwise perswade themselues til such time as it was manifested vnto them by effect that he abhorred them It is in aduersitie then that they began to acknowledge their filthines as the Prophet Hoseas verie well teacheth when he compares them to harlots Hos 2.7 who perceiue not their vncleannes all the while they gaine well and inioy their pleasures But when they haue lost these things and are forsaken of their louers then they begin to bethinke themselues of their pouertie and shame and to enter into the waie of repentance
the vanitie of men is who lay out an infinite masse of money to build pallaces which yet will one day bee nests and dens for nightcrowes owles mise and such like beasts These things are dayly before our eyes and yet wee take none of them to heart to grow the wiser by them There fall out so many and sodaine changes so many houses desolate so many cities wasted and laid on heapes lastly so many other and so euidēt signes of God his iudgements and yet notwithstanding men can not bee withdrawne nor weaned from this insatiable greedinesse of coueting The Lord threatneth by the Prophet Amos You haue built you houses of hewen stone but you shall not dwell in them Also he shall smite the great house with breaches and the little house with clefts Amos 5.11 and 6.11 This falls out day by day and yet the inordinate affections of men can not be aswaged Vers 10. For ten acres of vines shall yeeld one bath and the seed of an omer shall yeeld an epha HE teacheth that the like shall befall to the fields and vines namely that the couetous shal not inioy their reuenues which they desire because their lust is insatiable yea so as by their rauening they shall destroy the fruits of the earth euen as certaine beasts doe cause the buds of the vine and eares of corne to burne and moulder away by their breath The fields therefore shall be so barren that they shall hardly yeeld againe the tenth part of their seed The vines also shall yeeld very little wine A bath is a certaine measure of moist things as Iosephus witnesseth now it conteines 72. english halfe pints which measure is very little for ten acres and principallie in a fat soyle An omer is a certaine measure of drie things and also conteines as the same Author saith 31. bushels Epha is the tenth part thereof whereby it appeares that it conteines a little more then three bushels And yet notwithstanding in good ground one doth not only gather ten times as much but thirtie times more then was sowen and in ordinarie ground much more then it receiued when it comes otherwise to passe no doubt it is a certain signe of the curse of God who auengeth himselfe of the insatiable couetousnes of men and they notwithstanding lay the fault in the badnes of the soyle as if that were the cause but all in vaine because we shall not want ouerplus if the Lord do not curse the earth for the couetousnes of them that dwell in it When they gather together and heape vp so carefully what doe they else but swallow vp the benefits of God by their greedinesse And though this vice be not seene in all because they are not able yet the affection thereof is not wanting for the world was neuer more set on fire with this coueting Is it any wonder then if it haue experience of this punishment of God Vers 11. Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunckenes and to them that continue vntil the night til the wine do inflame them IT was not the Prophets meaning to reckon vp all the sinnes heere which then raigned but he only toucheth some perticulars vnto the which they were most addicted and hauing handled the generall doctrine it was necessarie to come to application yea and to touch those things which were chiefest because there would haue been no end if he should haue prosecuted them all one after another After that he hath reproued the vice of couetousnes he speakes against gurmandizing which was then a very common sinne among them for he makes choise not only of such perticular vices which were in one or two personages but of such as reigned commonly euery where And the truth is that these vices are so contagious that they infect the whole body To rise betimes signifies as much as to do some thing carefully as it is sayd in Salomon Woe to the people whose Princes eate in the morning that is to say who place their chiefe care in feeding their belly and in inioying their voluptuousnes Eccle. 10.16 now this is nothing else but to ouerturne the whole order of nature For as Dauid saith Man ought to rise in the morning to goe to his worke and to wait vpon his busines till the euening Psal 104.23 Men must not rise in the morning to be idle but to labor But if he rise to do nothing but to take his pleasures and to giue himselfe to follow drunkennes it is monstruous He addes that they continue till the euening As if he should say from morning to night they continued in their drinkings and were neuer weary in gouzelling in of wine Now abundance and excesse are ioyned together because where all things abound there men abuse them to excesse and intemperancie Vers 12. And the harp and the violl timbrill and pipe and wine are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord neither consider the worke of his hands HE addes Instruments with voluptuousnes by which men giuen to gurmandise prouoked their apppetit It may be these Instruments were differing from ours yet notwithstanding they appertained to Musick which Isaiah condemnes not for it is an arte in no wise to be contemned Musick in it selfe not to be condemned but he painteth forth a people ouerflowing in all sorts of superfluitie and who gaue themselues libertie to take all their delights which sufficientlie appeares by that which followes But they regard not As if he should say they so wallowed themselues in their delights and were so giued to their pleasures that it seemed they were begotten and brought vp in them neuer thinking wherefore God gaue them things conuenient For men were not sent into the world to eate and drink We are not put into this world to plunge our selues in delights but rather that we should studie how to please God to plunge themselues in dissolutions but to obey God and to serue him in reuerence to acknowledge his benefits and to studie how to please him in all things but when they ouerflow in excesse daunsing and singing without any other drift then to passe their life in iolitie they are worse then brute beasts for they consider not to what end God created them neither how he gouernes the world by his prouidence vnto which marke all that we do in our life ought to tend I thinke it enough that I haue laid forth that sence which I take to be the most plaine because I cannot receiue other mens accute interpretations Among others theirs who by the worke of the Lord vnderstand the law Neither am I purposed to recite euery mans opinion It sufficeth to hold that the Prophet laies this reproch vpon such as gaue themselues to surfetting so as they willingly became brutish when they withdrew their minds from God who was the author of life Vers 13. Therefore my people is gone into captiuitie because they had no knowledge and the glorie
that he faithfullie represents the same shape and forme which was exhibited and shewed vnto him Obiect Now some may doubt whether the Prophet was brought into the Temple or whither these visions were reuealed vnto him sleeping Ans Although they are wont to bring many reasons for the one or the other exposition which leaues it in suspence notwithstanding the most probable coniecture is that although he were out of the Temple in the house or in the fields yet that this vision might be giuen him as to the rest of the Prophets And with his lower parts Almost all the expositors do vnderstand this of the fringes of the garment although it may be referred to the verges of the iudgement seate so as his meaning is to shew that the greatnes of God was such that it spread it selfe throughout all the parts of the Temple He also meanes to attribute a more excelleÌ„t and glorious forme vnto God then to any humane creature whatsoeuer And that he thus appeared in the Temple it doth yet adde greater authoritie to the vision because he had promised his presence to his people there and there the people waited for answers according as Salomon had expresly declared at the dedication of the Temple 1. King 8.30 To the end then the people might know that these things proceeded from God vpon whom they called dayly and vpon whom in a vaine confidence they were puffed vp this vision was shewed to the Prophet in the Temple Now this must needs obtein great credit among them when it was preached aloud that this was no word of any mortall man but a diuine oracle comming downe froÌ„ God whose name they had wont boldly to vsurp as oft as they would attribute vnto themselues any great matter For this indeed was a very sharp and an odious prophesie and therefore had the greater need of sound confirmation And it is also a thing vsuall among the Prophets of God namely that he spake vnto them from his Temple and from his Sanctuarie Vers 2. The Seraphims stood vpon it euery one had sixe wings with twaine he couered his face and with twaine he couered his feete and with twaine he did flie HAuing testified that God had appeared vnto him full of maiestie and glorie he addes that the Angels were about him which he calles Seraphims in regard of their feruencie Now although the etymologie of this word is well enough knowne yet diuers reasons are brought on both sides Some affirme they are called Seraphims because they burne with the loue of God others because they are swift as fire others because of their brightnes Howsoeuer it be the incomprehensible maiestie of God is set forth vnto vs in this description as by the sunne beames to the end in them we might learne to consider and adore so admirable and excellent a glorie Many thinke there were two Seraphims Exod. 25. euen as there were two Cherubims which compassed the Arke I willingly receiue this opinion and yet I dare not affirme any thing where the scripture is silent Now in regard it is an vsuall thing in the scripture to appropriate the descriptions which are made of God to the signes the vse whereof was ordinarie and the knowledge thereof familiar among the faithfull it may be the Prophet saw such a figure In the meane while I so continue to hold this as a probable coniecture that yet notwithstanding I hinder not any to receiue a contrarie interpretation if any can bring better warrant for Daniel saw thousands of Angels and not two only Dan. 7.10 Six wings This figure is not without reason For these wings thus composed conteined some mysterie which the Lord would not haue whollie hidden The two by which the Angels flie signifie nothing else but their readinesse and nimblenesse to execute the commandements of God And seeing the analogie of this thing is certaine and â—uident I hope those which are not contentious will easily agree thereunto The other two wherewith they couered their faces sufficientlie shew that the Angels themselues can not beare the brightnes of Gods maiestie yea that they are dazled with his looke euen as we are when we behold the sunne in his brightnes And if the Angels can not beare the maiestie of God how great shall the rashnes of men be if they striue to attaine thereunto Let vs learne then to enquire no further of God then is lawfull and expedient in such wise as our knowledge may soberly and modestly taste that which yet is very farre off from our capacitie Yet notwithstanding the Angels do not so couer their faces as that they should vtterly depriue themselues of any sight of God for they flie not at randon So we also may behold God but yet so farre foorth as the weakenes of our vnderstanding can endure There is a little more difficultie as touching the other two wings For some thinke they haue their feete couered lest they should touch the earth and so get some soile from thence as wee our selues and others haue been wont to doe For euen as in walking we gather dust filth so whilest we remaine vpon the earth we are infected as with touching some contagious thing Whence we may learne that the faithfull shall haue no acquaintance with the Angels vnlesse they flie aloft being no longer glued to the earth This is the exposition which some bring But I am rather of their opinion who thinke these wings had a coÌ„trarie vse to those which were aboue rehearsed for euen as they couered their faces with wings aboue lest they should be ouerwhelmed with the exceeding brightnes of God so had they wings beneath to couer themselues from our sight Now if it be so that wee can not behold so small beames of the brightnes of God which glimmereth in the Angels but we be by and by dazled how can we behold that most excellent and bright maiestie of God which is able to swallow vp aâ— our reason Let men learne then that they are farre remote from the perfect knowledge of God seeing they are vnable to attainâ— so farre as to the Angels This exposition I take to be the best and yet I reiect not the first Vers 3. And one cried to another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole world is full of his glorie IT was necessarie all these things should be represented to the Prophet in a vision to the end that not only the people but euen Isay himselfe should be the more moued For there was no lesse neede in regard of him then of all the people seeing he was to susteine very hard and difficult assaults neither could he haue boldly denounced these things vnlesse he had been first confirmed The people also being â—dmonished by this vision how exceeding gâ—eat and fearefull the maiestie of God waâ— who pronounced this sentence against them should be terrified therewith in good earnest This God at whose only lookâ— the Angels themselues tremble and
her Therefore in seeing the Church so many waies and with such diuers calamities afflicted at this day and an infinit number of soules to perish whom Iesus Christ hath redeemed with his pretious blood must we not needs be cruell and barbarous if we be moued with no sorrow at all Especiallie the Ministers of the word ought to be thorowlie touched with the feeling of this sorrow for as they are held for the watchmen and therefore can see further off so also ought they to sigh when they perceiue the signes of a scattering of the sheepe to be at hand Now the Prophets publike teares serued as we haue said to breake the hearts of the people for he had to doe with men of such obstinacie as could not easilie be brought to lament There is a place almost like vnto this in Ieremiah where he bewailes the destruction and scattering of the people saying that his soule fainted with sorrow Iere. 4.31 And in another place Who will graunt that my head might be filled with waters and that mine eies might be a fountaine of teares to weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Iere. 9.1 Iere. 9.1 When the Prophets perceiued they labored in vaine to breake the hard hearts of this people surely they could not chuse but be ouerwhelmed with griefe and sorrow and therefore they indeuored by all meanes to mollifie y◠hearts of the obstinate that if it were possible they might be bowed and brought back againe into the right way Vers 5. For it is a day of trouble and of ruin and of perplexitie by the Lord of hosts in the valley of vision breaking downe the Citie and a crying vnto the mountaines HE againe signifies that the Lord is the Author of this fearefull iudgement Though it be often told vs that God is the author of our afflictiōs yet we forget it when we should put this knowledge in practise and to the end the Iewes might not gaze heere and there wondring that the enemies should get the vpper hand he tels them plainely that they fight against God himselfe Now albeit we often meete with this doctrine in the holie Scriptures yet notwithstanding it is no way superfluous neither can it be so often repeated but we forget it when we are to practise it thence it is that we humble not our selues before our Iudge but cast our eyes rather vpon men and externall meanes then vpon God who would easilie remedie our euils By day he meanes a time prefixed according to the vsuall prase of the Scripture because it seemes that God yeelds ouer his right for a time when he winkes at mens wickednesse but he forthwith recouers it againe in that season that himselfe hath appointed Now it is not for nought that he names the valley of vision againe for the Iewes thought themselues secured from all dangers because it pleased God to inlighten them by his word But because they did vnthankfully reiect the doctrine thereof it was but a vaine confidence to thinke the bare inioying of it should any way profit them for the Lord not onely punisheth the infidelitie of those that are out of the Church but that also of the Church it selfe Nay rather he begins to manifest his anger against it first for he will not indure to haue his graces abused nor that men should boast of his titles in vaine That which is added touching The cry of the mountaine it may be referred to God to the Caldeans and to those also which fled because the vanquishers raised vp a cry to augment the terrour but the vanquished either cried for mercie and fidelitie or else testified their sorrow by teares weepings The singular number may also be takē for the plurall or else it is meant of that side of the Citie in which the Temple was built Both expositions agree to the text and there is no great difference whether we say That the enemies cried from the mountaine of Zion to incourage one another or that their cry was heard of the neighbour mountaines when they pilled and destroyed the Citie or that the citizens themselues made their lamentations sound to the mountaines which inuironed the plaine of Iordan Vers 6. And Elam bare the quiuer in a mans chariot with horsemen and Kir vncouered the shield THe expositours are of opinion that this is a continued speech that the Prophet denounceth the same iudgement against the Iewes that he had done before But when I consider all things aduisedly I am enforced to bee of the contrarie opinion for I thinke the Prophet vpbraides the Iewes with their obstinacie and rebellion See the exposition of the eleuenth verse for that giues light to this for that they repented not albeit the Lord had chastised them and thus he repeates the historie of the time past to put them in remembrance that God his chastisements had done them no good Thus should these things bee distinguished from the former In the other verses he foretold what should happen to the Iewes but now he shewes that they are iustly punished and that they haue deserued these violent blowes wherewithall the Lord smites them For hee had called them to repentance not onely by his word but also by most wofull effects yet had they shewed none amendement at all notwithstanding that their wealth was wasted and the Kingdome weakened but proudly persisted in their rebellion There remained nothing thē but that the Lord should bring heauie iudgements vpon them seeing they thus persisted in their obstinacy and rebellion Now I haue translated this Hebrew coniunction Vau by way of opposition it being often taken in this sense Those who thinke the Prophet threatens in the time to come retaine the proper sense as if the Prophet hauing made mention of God should by and by adde the executioners of his vengeance But I haue already shewed what exposition I haue approued and it shall appeare hereafter by the course of the text that mine opinion is not without good reason In that hee names the Elamits and the Kirenians it agrees better as I take it to the Assyrians then to the Babylonians For although these nations did neuer make war vpon the Iewes by their owne instinct yet is it very likely that they were in wages with the King of Assyria and occupied a place in his host when he besieged Ierusalem Now we haue said alreadie that by the Elamits are meant the Esterne people and vnder the name of Kir it is certaine that the Prophet comprehends the Kirenians And because they bare shields he saith they discouered them because they drew them forth of their cases when they entred into the battell Whereas some translate In the chariot of horsemen I reiect it not yet had I rather render the words of the Prophet word for word for I thinke he meanes a chariot of warre They vsed then two sorts of chariots one serued to beare the baggage and the other to
this or that Iam. 4.13 Prou. 16.1 like those rash heads who think themselues able to accomplish all their lusts for if we haue not so much power as to moue our tongues to giue an answere much lesse can we of our selues bring greater enterprises to passe It is in vaine for men then to purpose determine and to dispose of their waies vnlesse God guide them by his hand But this his hand he reacheth forth to the iust and of them he hath a speciall care To whom God reacheth his directing hand For if so be the prouidēce of God extends it selfe generallie ouer all creatures and that he prouides for the necessities of the yong Rauens Sparrowes and the least worme that creepes vpon the ground much more hath he a fatherlie care of the faithfull to deliuer them out of the dangers and streits into which they are plunged Vers 8. Also we O Lord haue waited for thee in the way of thy iudgements the desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee THis verse conteines a most excellent doctrine without which the former things might seeme to haue been spoken in vaine for the Prophet hauing said that God will be our leader all our liues long so as we shall neuer erre nor stumble and yet in the meane while we see our selues brought into so many extremities that in our iudgements all these promises are meerely vaine when I say he thus exerciseth our patience it stands vs vpon to wrastle manfullie and yet to hope in him notwithstanding Of this the Prophet here giues vs warning namely that although we alwaies see not this smooth and goodly plaine and that the way is not made so euen vnder our feete but that we must presse thorow many streits yet must wee still giue place vnto hope and patience Though Gods promised assistance comes not when we would yet must we still giue way vnto hope and patience By the way of the iudgements he meanes aduersities for so this word is often taken in the Scriptures This is the marke then whereby true Christians are discerned from the false A note to discerne true Christians from hypocrits for whilest hypocrits inioy all things at their desire they blesse God and highly extoll him but in aduersitie they murmure and blaspheme him thereby plainely shewing that they neuer trusted in him at all and therefore they serue God no longer then he serues their turnes in al things Contrariwise when the faithfull are exercised vnder diuers crosses and calamities they are prouoked thereby to draw neere vnto God and to trust in his helpe The particle Also therefore hath great weight in it for it is as much as if the Prophet had said The faithfull serue God cheerfully not onely when hee vseth them gently but euen then also when hee deales roughly with them neither faint they vtterly because they are sustained by hope Wherein cōsists the true triall of sound godlines then Truely in this that we trust in God not onely when hee filles vs abundantly with his benefits A triall of a sound heart but then also when hee withdrawes the light of his countenance yea when he afflicts vs and shewes vs nothing but the signes of his wrath and heauie displeasure Let vs learne therefore to apply this doctrine to our vse as often as the calamities of this present life doe presse vs and let vs not cease to hope in him although all things seeme vtterly desperate If he should kill me saith Iob yet would I trust in him Iob 13.17 And Dauid protests that hee will not feare though he should walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death Why so because hee knew that God was with him Psal 23.4 In thy name In these words the Prophet meant to shew from whence this magnanimitie of minde in the faithfull proceedes which suffers them neither to faint nor to fall vnder the greatest assaults surely it is in respect that being loosed from those profane desires wherein the wicked are intangled they euen in their greatest distresses wherewith they are compassed about haue freedome and libertie of spirit to send forth their grones and cries boldly into the presence of God Naturally I confesse our desires are disordered and the cares of this life doe as it were glew vs to the earth our thoughts float vp and downe or else are so besotted that they cannot freely aspire vnto God The essence of God in like manner is hidden from vs whereby wee wax the more slow and dull in seeking of him For these respects therefore the Prophet brings vs backe from this hidden incomprehensible essence of God to his name As if he should say Content your selues with that manifestation of him which you find in his word for there he sets before vs as much as is expedient to wit his iustice wisdome and goodnesse yea and his very selfe also It is not without cause also that he addes this word remembrance for thereby he shewes that the first apprehension or thought of Gods name sufficeth not but that wee ought to meditate thereon continually because without this helpe all light of doctrine Meditation a speciall helpe to maintaine would by and by vanish For the trueth is the light of true doctrin the right and sound knowledge of God must needes inflame our hearts with a desire after him yea more then that it prouokes vs to an insatiable thirst after profiting Knowledg meditation must goe together euen as oft as we remember him The knowledge of God then goes before and in the second place we ought to exercise our selues much in the meditation of it for it is not enough once to haue had some little taste thereof vnlesse therewithall a loue and desire after the same bee increased by a continuall meditation Hence wee may learne then that the knowldge of God is no idle nor dead imagination Vers 9. With my soule haue I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within mee will I seeke thee in the morning for seeing thy iudgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse SEe yet a more ample exposition of the former sentence for before speaking in the person of all the faithfull he said that the desire of their soules was to the name of God but now he brings in himselfe speaking My soule hath desired thee saith hee As if hee should say All the powers of my soule are busied in seeking of thee and thy name The word Nephesh is often taken for the vitall spirit but because the Prophet vseth two sundry words here I so distinguish them How soule and spirit is taken here The vnderstanding and will two principall parts of mans soule as that the soule shall signifie the desire and the will and the spirit the intellectiue part For we know that the vnderstanding will are the two principall parts of mans soule and God
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
instinct and commandement of the holy Ghost for which cause he adornes himselfe with the title of Prophet wherein he signifies that he came not as a priuat man but as hee that was to execute the office which God had inioined him to the end Hezekias the King might know that he had not to doe with Isaiah the Prophet now The King called not for Isaiah now as with a mortall man In that he saith he came we may gather that the King called him not but let him rest at home in his house whilest hee shewed and discouered all his riches for Prophets are not wont to be called when such matters are in hand Before when calamities besieged him and that Rabshekeh had proudly and disdainfully blasphemed the God of Israel then Isaiah the Prophet was sought out and sent for to intreat him to lift vp his praier for the remnant that was left Chap. 37.4 and to giue him some word of consolation and comfort Thus the Prophets are sought vnto when aduersitie and troubles are neere or vpon vs but all things being quiet and well the Prophets are forgotten Prophets vsually sent for in extremitie but forgotten in prosperitie nay they are reiected because they trouble the feast as they say by their wholsome admonitions and seeme to fill all the company with nothing but melancholie Isaiah came notwithstanding vncalled for wherein we are behold his constancy Isaiah his constancie to be noted whose example may teach vs not to tarrie till wee be sent for by such as stand in neede of our office whilest they please themselues in most hurtfull vices and plunge themselues into perill by their lightnesse ignorance or malice It is our duties to gather the dispersed sheepe together yea we stand bound to doe it carefully though no man should require this dutie of vs. Now howsoeuer Hezekias deserued to bee sharply rebuked in that he suffered himselfe to be so soone corrupted by the King of Babylon neuer asking counsell of God The modesty of Hezekias yet the great modestie that was in him is worthy of memorie Why so He repulseth not the Prophet neither disdaines he his message as if hee had reproued him without cause but giues him a mild answer and in conclusion receiues his hard censure peaceably He had done better if he had inquired at the mouth of the Lord at the very first as it is in Psalm 119.24 Thy statutes are my counsellers but hauing failed herein vnawares it was a singular vertue in him obediently to receiue the reproofe of his fault which he had committed The first question What said these men The Prophet hits him not home at the first but prickes him gently that he might bring him by degrees to confesse his fault For Hezekias flattered himselfe and thought himselfe in as good ease as might be It was needfull therefore he should be awakened out of this his sleepe by little and little I grant this first blow was a very piercing one as if he should haue said I pray thee vvhat hast thou to doe with these fellowes Oughtest thou not much rather to haue fled from so contagious a pestilence He askes also what the summe of their message was to shame Hezekias who was ignorant of the serpent which lay hidden vnder the sweet flowers for he finds no fault with the gratulation of these Ambassadors although poison was also mingled therewithall but he aimes at the snares which the Caldeans had set to trap Hezekias his feete Notwithstanding it seemes by his answer that he was little moued by this light reprehension because he pleased himselfe too much as yet in that which he had done for he vaunts that these men were come to him from a farre Country from Babylon No doubt but Isaiah knew this Countrie well so as Hezekias needed not so eloquently to haue described the farre distance of the place but thus he flattere himselfe because ambition possessed him It was requisite therefore that his sore should bee gaged to the bottome and lansed with sharper instruments Vers 4. Then said hee What haue they seene in thine house And Hezekiah answered All that is in mine house haue they seene there is nothing among my treasures that I haue not shewed them The second question AGaine he said c. Hee continues on his couert admonition to see if Hezekias will at last bee touched and displeased with his sinne But he cannot yet win so much of him albeit it is almost incredible that the King should be growne so senslesse as not to feele such prickings For he knew wel enough that the Prophet came not as curious folkes doe to inquire of newes or to passe the time in meriment with the King but to conferre with him about some matter of importance How euer it were yet his calme answer is to be commended for he falles not out with the Prophet but modestly confesseth how all things went But no signe of repentance appeares neither confesseth he himselfe faulty for hee considered not his sinne in this his drowsinesse Ambition is so cunning a witch Ambition a deceitfull witch that shee not onely bewitcheth men with her sweete poison but takes away all their senses so as though they be admonished yet they repent not at the first onset When we therefore see this good King smitten with such a benummednesse that hee feeles no reprehensions neither can bee brought to the knowledge of himselfe wee ought by his example carefully to beware of so dangerous a plague Vers 5. And Isaiah said to Hezekiah Heare the word of the Lord of hostes 6. Behold the daies come that all that is in thine house and which thy fathers haue laid vp in store vntill this day shall be carried to Babel nothing shall be left saith the Lord. BY this iudgement heere pronounced by God we may see that Hezekias his sinne was not small howsoeuer common reason would iudge it otherwise For in as much as God keepes alwaies a measure in his chastising of men Hezekias had not faulted lightly God keepes a measure in his chastisements Ier. 30.11 from the greatnesse of the correction we may gather that this was no light offence but an horrible crime And hereby we are also admonished that men can neuer discerne aright neither of their words nor workes but that God is the onely competent Iudge thereof God the only competent Iudge both of our words and workes Hezekias shewes his treasures were they gathered together to lie alwaies hidden vnder locke and key Hee receiues the Ambassadors courteouslie Should hee haue driuen them away Hee heares their message but since the enemie of the Assyrians seekes amitie with him should he set light by such a commoditie In a word what fault is to bee found in all this if you looke to the outward act But God from whom no secrets are hid spies first of all ingratitude in Hezekias in this his gladnesse for he forgets the
stubbornnesse and let vs suffer our selues to bee meekened if wee meane to be gathered into this sold whereof God promiseth to bee the shepheard He vvill beare them These words expresse the singular goodnesse of God who ouer and besides the vehement loue which he beares to his flocke hath respect to the vveake and feeble sheepe for then he shewes the care he hath in dealing gently with them his humanitie in approching neere vnto them and his patience in bearing them in his armes Wherein we see he omits no office that appertaines to a good sheepheard whose dutie is to haue his eie vpon all his sheepe that he may gouerne them according to their condition and to comfort them but especiallie those that are sick and infirme The summe is That God will be gentle louing milde mercifull in gouerning his seruants so as he will not require more of the weake then they are able to beare Vers 12. Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted the heauen with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in a weight and the hils in a ballance Hauing set forth Gods fatherly loue towards his little flock now he sets forth his power the second time HAuing finished his speech touching the fatherlie care that God hath for the defence of his people now he comes to set forth his power and magnifies it as farre forth as possiblie he can which yet shal moue vs very little vnlesse we looke narrowlie into the Prophets meaning An ignorant person at the first blush would say that the Prophet hath heaped vp a many of broken sentences without grace or arte but if we haue regard to his scope and end by an elegant speech he adornes the power of God seasonably because his power is the true and best stay for our faith to leane vpon Gods power the true stay and prop of our faith that thereby we may be assured he will performe his promise It is not for nought the Apostle saith that Abraham doubted not knowing that he which had promised vvas also able to do it Rom. 4.20 And in the same sense he saith 2. Tim. 1.12 I know whom I haue belieued God is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him To this belongs the saying of Christ My father which gaue them me is greater then all Ioh. 10.19 Seeing then that we haue continuallie to wrestle against distrust and that Satan is readie to circumuent vs by many fetches wee must attribute to the power of God the praise that it deserueth to the end his promises may be receiued of vs with that assurance which is requisit Now because the restauration of the people was a thing incredible to flesh and blood it was needfull that the minds of the faithfull should be raised vp farre aboue the world lest they should tie the grace of God to humane helps Wee see the Prophet not only teacheth that God is the Creator of heauen and earth The Prophet playes not the orator only in setting forth Gods power but applies it to the present occasion but whatsoeuer he recites touching his infinite power it is applied to the matter in hand which we also are to doe at this day When any aduersitie presseth vs our saluation seemes to be hidden Gods power is ouershadowed as if a cloude were come betweene vs and it we stand amazed euen as if we were vtterlie reiected and contemned of the Lord. Let vs not thinke then that this description is some light matter for if the perswasion of Gods power were well setled in our hearts The firme perswasion of Gods power well setled in our hearts would keepe vs frō being shakē of any temptation we should neuer be so tossed vp and downe neither should any calamitie be able to trouble vs. Abraham rested vpon this power as we haue said that he might with assurance imbrace that which otherwise was incredible and therefore S. Paul affirmes that he hoped aboue hope being resolued that God vvas able to performe that which he had spoken so as he neither staggered neither was he weake in the faith Rom. 4.18.19 This teacheth vs to lift vp our eies aboue the hils Psal 221.1 and that wee iudge not of things according to the outward appearance We must not iudge of things according to outward appearances but that we may indeed assure our selues that that which God hath said shall surely come to passe because he hath all things in his owne power All of vs are to rest in this but as I told you the Iewes had exceeding neede to be fullie resolued of it for they were oppressed vnder very mightie tyrants all passages were shut vp against them all hope of libertie was taken from them in a word they saw themselues euery way compassed about as in a great and hidious wildernes This consolation therefore had bin set before them in vaine if by the Prophets admonition their minds had not bin raised vp to heauen that so they might whollie rest their hearts vpon the absolute power of God without looking to inferior things When he speakes of measures which men vse in small things it is to applie himselfe to our weaknes God is faine to lisp as it were vnto vs otherwise we were not able to comprehend his incomprehensible greatnes for the Lord lisps with vs thus ordinarily taking similitudes from things vsuall amongst vs when he is to speake of his owne Maiestie that so those of shallow and feeble capacities might the better comprehend his greatnes and excellencie Wee are therefore to reiect all carnall imaginations of God because his greatnes surpasseth all creatures for the heauen the earth the sea and all that in them is with their vnmeasurablenes are yet all of them nothing in comparison of him Vers 13. Who hath instructed the Spirit of the Lord or was his Counsellor or taught him 14. Of whome tooke he counsell and who instructed him and taught him in the way of iudgement or taught him knowledge and shewed vnto him the way of vnderstanding THe Prophet now descends to speake that of Gods wisedome The Prophet hauing described Gods power and goodnes now he mentions his wisdome which in the former verses he taught concerning his power and goodnes This golden chaine is to be noted for as carnall reason doth peruerslie restraine the power of God to outward helps so doth it without reason subiect the incomprehensible counsell of God to humane imaginations and thus many things will present themselues to hinder the course of Gods works till he himselfe be exalted farre aboue all creatures If our reason may be iudge then there will be no end of doubtings Where reason is Iudge there will be no end of doubtings For as oft as it conceiues not how the Lord works this or that wee will call into question the truth of his promises because whatsoeuer surmounts our reason
the follie of these blinde idolaters who care not what cost or paines they bestow or take so they may furnish out trim and goodly idols Vers 21. Know yee nothing Haue yee not heard it Hath it not beene told you from the beginning Haue yee not vnderstood it by the foundations of the earth HAuing scorned the beastly sottishnesse of the Gentiles hee now turnes againe to the Iewes for being all of vs by nature inclined too much to superstitious vanities so we also easilie fall if any example be set before vs. The Iewes being captiues and mingled amongst the Babylonians were constrained to looke vpon horrible damnable idolatries which might soone draw them to a wicked imitation Isaiah therefore as a good Prophet of God speedilie preuents them and warnes them that they bee no whit moued with such spectacles He askes if they haue not bin taught and instructed concerning the true God Manie expositors thinke that this is but one repetition to wit it appeares by the creation of the world that there is not so much as anie appearance of seeking God in wood stone gold or siluer but wee may gather from the scope of the text that these are two distinct members For if he continued still to reproue the Gentiles hee would then bring no other testimonies but heauen and earth against them but speaking to the Iewes who were familiarly acquainted with the law of God The Iewes had a double meanes of reproofe for their reproofe hee vseth testimonies taken both from the order of nature and from the word First he askes in generall if they knew nothing Secondly he propounds the meanes by which they ought to discerne the true God from the false The first is from hearing the word and therefore he saith expresly Haue ye not heard Hath it not been told you from the beginning The last is from this faire theater of the vvorld where Gods glory shines round about and beneath vs. He would haue contented himselfe with this second demonstration if he had had to deale with the profane Gentiles as Saint Paul also doth Act. 14.17 For speaking to them of Iconia who had neuer heard word of the heauenly doctrine he vseth arguments taken from the order of nature How That God left not himselfe vvithout vvitnesse by giuing raine and fruitfull seasons But our Prophet who speakes of that true religion which was among the Iewes could not omit the mentioning of the law which was to make them double inexcusable if they should forsake or despise it to prophane themselues among infidels For they were conuinced not onely by the sight of their eies but also by the hearing of their eares which were continually beaten vpon by God in the preaching of his law amongst them Seeing then that from their mothers breasts they had with their mothers milke been nurced vp with the milke of the true knowledge of God and were instructed by their fathers by continuall succession the Prophet telles them that they shall shew themselues too peruerse and vnthankfull if such an helpe shall nothing profit them For that which he saith of the beginning or long agoe is to the same purpose namely that from their cradle they had been nurced vp in Gods true worship and besides in ages succeeding they had such continuall teaching as would not suffer theÌ„ to erre only if they did but remember vvhat they had heard As if he should haue said You haue no new God but the very same who manifested himselfe from the beginning to Abraham Moses and the rest of the Patriarks And here we haue an excellent confirmation touching the antiquitie of that doctrine Antiquitie of true doctrine which hath continued so many ages among the faithfull not that antiquitie is sufficient of it selfe Antiquitie not sufficient in it selfe to giue faith assurance for so the Gentiles might reply that their superstitions were no lesse ancient but in respect that froÌ„ the beginning the authoritie of the law hath been abundantly confirmed and that God hath testified that himselfe is the author of it for this cause I say Antiquitie a good confirmation of the truth it gets great confirmation vnto it by long vse in that the successors knew that their ancestors gaue them such a forme of religion which they could not reiect without a manifest brand of apostasie By such an order and progresse then all difficultie is taken away Now we at this day haue the same faith with these good fathers Our faith one and the sâ—me with that that these good faâ—heâ—s professed because with vs they acknowledged one God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ for the faithfull haue all one word and promise tending all to one and the same end Where he addes from the foundations of the earth it is spoken by a figure where a part is taken for the whole for a part of the world is here taken for the whole God hath set this world before men as a looking-glasse that by viewing of it they might come to the knowledge of his Maiestie and that it might be an image of things inuisible as Saint Paul saith more fully Rom. 1.20 Their ignorance then is inexcusable for they neede nor complaine touching the want of meanes whereby they may come to the knowledge of God seeing he is ready so many waies to manifest himselfe vnto them Men sinne more of pride and obstinacie then of ignorane And to say the truth men sinne more of obstinacie and pride then of ignorance for they willingly despise God speaking thus distinctly that they might stay themselues in creatures and in vaine things Can such a contempt deserue to be excused No for those who worship their owne inuentions in stead of God of which all almost are guilty are they not welworthy to be blinded Truly such and so iust a punishment is worthily to be inflicted where there is so great headstrongnesse Those that haue a double meanes of knowledge are doubly inexcusable if they sinne against it But if the doctrine of Gods word be ioined to this knowledge which we haue by the creatures we shall be much lesse excusable Thus then Isaiah mentions both knowledges to shew that the Iewes shall be worthy of double condemnation if they stand not fast in the faith being thus informed and assured of the power and goodnesse of God Vers 22. Hee sitteth vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers hee stretcheth out the heauens as a curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in Which he began in vers 10 11 12. HEe continues on his former argument but after another manner and sets out the magnificence and power of God Wee haue told you heretofore why hee speakes thus to wit because we are too much inclined to distrust so as the least occasion in the world will make vs stumble and be offended For which respect The reason why the Prophet vseth
it to Pharaoh and Abimelec Gen. 12.17 and 20.3 whereof the Prophet expreslie speaketh in the 105. Psalme for the Lord rebuked and chastised them in that they durst aduenture to touch his anointed But hee speakes properlie of the victorie which he got ouer the foure Kings which led his kinsman Lot captiue with all his familie for it sufficientlie appeares by the scope of the text that he speakes not of kings or nations that were peaceable but of armed enemies who by force were subdued He afterwards amplifies the easines of this victorie and expresseth therein a great contempt when he compares Kings to dust and stubble for Abraham ouercame them without hazarding his person And therewithall we are taught to attribute this victorie to God and not to the power of man for men can not atchieue a victorie with so little adoe Vers 3. He pursued them and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet AGaine he magnifies the singular goodnes of God in amplifying this victorie by other circumstances and this is aduisedlie to be considered of vs that he should obteine so great a conquest in a countrie vnknowne vnto him It was a difficult and dangerous matter for him to pursue his enemies into regions vnfrequented for Histories record sufficientlie what aduantage is gotten by knowledge of places both by sea and land which those that frequent the warres haue euer and anon experience of But this hindred not Abraham whence it appeares yet better that he was conducted and succored by Gods hand who leades those that are his forward with boldnes Vers 4. Who hath wrought and done it He that calleth the generations from the beginning I the Lord am the first and with the last I am the same THough Isaiah propounds nothing here but the example of Abraham yet no doubt his meaning is to put the people in mind of all those benefits which the fathers in former times had receiued As if he should say Remember your beginning From whence raised I vp Abraham your father Through what waies led I him And my benefits haue not ended there for since that time I haue neuer ceased to fill you with all manner of blessings When he asks Who it is He speakes not of one fact but ads other mercies powred out vpon them many waies which the people were now to call to minde Where he saith that God called the generations from the beginning it ought to be referred to the continuall successions of the times and the word Dor among the Hebrues signifies not only the time or age of mans life but those also which liue in the same age And thus one age is distinguished from another as the fathers from the children and the grandfathers from their little ones for our successors will call vs which now liue the former or next age and that of our predecessors the old time Now because one age would consume the race of mankind if it were not supplied by the children which are borne the Prophet shewes that God multiplies men by continuall succession that so one may supplie anothers roome when it is emptie Whence it followes that his prouidence gouernes all ages Gods prouidence gouernes all ages lest we should thinke the world were ordered by fortune for wee may euidentlie perceiue that his hand and power is in the succession of one age after another But because diuers changes make vs thinke that the world goes vpon wheeles as they say therfore the Prophet contrariwise shews that these so many alterations were foreseene from the beginning The summe of all is That God rules in these varieties and changes which time brings forth God rules in all the changes which time brings forth and with a steadie hand brings that to passe which himselfe from the beginning hath ordeined I the Lord. He affirmes in more euident termes that God is the author of these benefits namely that Abraham ouercame his enemies liued so long among the wicked without harme done vnto him that he discomfited foure kings and that the Lord reuenged the wrongs he receiued when Pharaoh and Abimelec tooke his wife from him Gen. 12.9 and 14.15 and 20.18 To be short he teacheth that it is to him we ought to referre all the benefits bestowed vpon the ages following after so diuers and sundrie waies for he extended not his liberalitie towards Abraham and his seed alone but likewise to the whole world Where he names himselfe the first and saith he is with the last this appertaines not only to the eternitie of his essence but to his rule and dominion which he exerciseth ouer the whole world As if he should say Continuance of time makes me not wax old for I neuer meane to giue vp my right He is not idle in the heauens but from his high throne beholds and orders the least things Moreouer although the world forgeth vnto it selfe a world of dunghill gods yet he will lose nothing by it because he alwaies continues one and the same Vers 5. The yles saw it and did feare and the ends of the earth were abashed drew neere and came 6. Euery man helped his neighbour and said to his brother Be strong HE shewes now that the world was too vnthankfull who hauing seene the workes of God did still perseuere in that blindnesse wherewith it was possessed before In the beginning of the Chapter hee shewed that the victorie was his if they would but lend their eares to heare his plea now he addes that the Gentiles knew his power well enough and yet for all that continued obstinate and rebellious In which respect they were left without excuse Why so Because the Lord manifested himselfe so apparantly that they could not chuse but see him vnlesse they would wittingly shut their eyes lest they should behold him That he might therefore take from the nations furthest off all pretext of ignorance he saith they were abashed at the sight of his works and yet they fell to their old bias againe and forthwith wrapped themselues in many superstitious vanities and errors The summe is that they not onely beheld but were also conuinced in that this knowledge abashed them But some may obiect Obiect that the benefits which God did to Abraham could not bee made knowne to all in such wise that forraigne nations should be fully acquainted with it I answer Ans that howsoeuer he mentions none but Abraham here yet vnder him hee meant to call to mind other examples of his goodnesse which their forefathers had tasted of since that from both they might conceiue hope of deliuerance Abraham was not onely deliuered out of Caldea but God drew also all his posteritie out from the bondage of Egypt Exod. 13.16 and put them into possession of the land of Canaan He saith then that the Iles felt his power when hee deliuered and preserued his people that they might know the true God for his power plainly appeared in so many miracles Lastly he
it that wil pardon such a carelesnesse as is ioined with the losse of mens soules Men busie themselues tooth and naile for the matters of this naturall life We see how busilie men bestir them when the naturall life is in ieopardie stands it not vs much more in hand then to awaken men out of the slumber of their soules which are in danger of eternall damnation especially if wee may doe it by putting forth our hand in pulling them out Moreouer it is said that he deliuers his soule which by repentance escapes out of Satans nets And in that sense we are said to saue one another when we bring men that haue erred into the right way by our holy admonitions Whence comes it then that Idolaters runne headâ—ong into perdition The cause that plungeth Idolaters iâ—â—o pâ—rdition Because they take the bridle in their teeth and wilfully rush into the same euen as the horse rusheth into the battell Lastly in the end of the verse hee shortly shewes the meane whereby men may recouer themselues out of this danger to wit in considering their owne vvorkes without flattering of themselues Note for he that pleaseth himselfe in his error and inquires not whether he doth well or no such a one shall neuer be able to deliuer his owne soule As for example our Papists will not examine vpon what reason their diuine seruice is grounded but content themselues to couer such a beastlinesse vnder the cloake of simplicitie as if God meant to haue a Church of rude asses or as if hee had not commanded vs to distinguish betweene that seruice hee accepts and that which he reiects or as if hee had not commanded vs diligently to search what his good and acceptable will is lest we should indifferently allow darknesse for light and sower for sweete For these things must bee examined by the touchstone of his written word To the law and to the testimonie Chap. 8. which if we shall doe it shall be easie for vs to escape out of the dangers if not then let vs lay the cause of our ruine vpon our selues Why so Because our meaning is to perish wilfully in regard wee will not suffer our selues to be brought into the right way or will not beare the words of exhortation Vers 21. Remember these O Iakob and Israel for thou art my seruant I haue formed thee thou art my seruant O Israel forget me not Application NOw hee applies that to the peoples vse which he hath so long insisted vpon before touching the lies and superstitions of the Gentiles wherein the ignorant deceiued themselues especially in the matters belonging to Gods worship and seruice Now hee writ not this so much for them of his owne time as for their sakes principally which were to succeede and should afterward remaine captiues in Babylon In which regard they by their long abode among the Idols were in danger to be corrupted declined from the true seruice of God if they had not been restrained by such bridles The Prophet therfore admonisheth them that howsoeuer they should be detained seuenty yeeres in captiuitie yet they should call these exhortations vnto mind thereby to sustaine their hearts in their greatest temptations Thou art my seruant Hee addes this as the reason why they should remember these promises euen to keepe themselues from this common contagion For it had been a thing insupportable for the elect people whom God had inclosed within the limits of his law thereby to separate them from others if they confusedly and indifferently should haue mingled themselues among the pollutions of the Gentiles As if he should say Wonder not you that the Caldeans are so rise in their errors neither follow their example because I haue formed thee to serue mee that is to say I haue reformed and regenerated thee that thou mightest be heire of eternall life Of this creation we haue amply spoken heretofore to wit that it appertaines to the renewing of the inward man Now the Scripture is often wont to vse this argumeÌ„t to wit You are called to holinesse and not to vncleannesse 1. Thes 4.7 Also Phil. 2.15 Walke as children of the light in the midst of a peruerse and froward nation With many the like places Hence wee gather that wee are worthy of many stripes if by our carelesnesse and negligence wee suffer that light of Gods grace wherewith he hath inlightened vs to go out because our fault will be much greater then theirs who haue not tasted of the like fauour I grant the prophane are worthily punished neither shall the excuse of ignorance be able to serue their turnes but those that haue receiued grace and haue abused it shall bee worthy to be the more seuerely chastised Forget me not His meaning is that it is vnpossible for those which were once entred into the good way to turne aside vnlesse it bee by forgetting of God For as long as the remembrance of his Maiestie remaines imprinted in the tables of our hearts neither errors nor impostures shall euer bee able to take place Errors will neuer take place in vs if the remembrance of Gods name bee thorowlie imprinted in vs. Is any reuolted from God then to turne to superstition and impietie Let him impute it to his owne malice What is the cause of apostasie then The forgetfulnesse of God for that by little and little drawes vs out of the right way till at the length we be wholly reuolted But by the remedie heere prescribed he assures them that they shall be out of danger to reuolt namely if they exercise themselues in continuall meditation for if our minds grow once carelesse heerein they gather rust as it were which infects and corrupts all knowledge of God till it be cleane eaten out Vers 22. I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist turne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee A consalatorie promise THe Lord promiseth deliuerance to his people for the truth is that our mindes cannot be raised vp to remember him as wee ought vnlesse we first feele him gracious and fauourable vnto vs. That hee might preserue his people which he had formed for himselfe from reuolting then he addes now a promise of consolation to perswade with them that this their banishment should not indure for euer for God as hee is a most patient and louing Father so mitigates their corrections When God forgiues the sinne he also remits the punishment that hee alwaies forgiues the faults of his children As touching the putting away of their iniquities it properly belonged to the captiues which for their iniquities sake suffered that punishment Hence it followed therefore that God being appeased their deliuerance was at hand for it is an argument taken from the cause to the effect An argument taken from the cause to the effect If the fault be remitted so is the punishment For the Iewes were no sooner reconciled with God
in his promises concerning their deliuerance for the time to come From the vvombe Hee addes this also to teach them to acknowledge that all the benefits they had receiued from God were vndeserued for he had preuented them by his mercy euen before they were able to open their mouthes to aske any benefits of him And by this consideration Dauid cheereth vp his spirits in his extreme distresses It is thou O Lord saith he that hast drawne me out of my mothers wombe thou gauest me hope whilest I sucked my mothers breasts I was cast vpon thee euen from the vvombe thou art my God from my mothers belly Psal 22.9 10. But our Prophet speakes not heere of that generall fauour which is common to all men as soone as they are come into the world but he magnifies that couenant whereby God had adopted the posterity of Abraham euen to a thousand generations for doubtlesse he which hath begun so good a worke would finish the same vnto the end In the next place followes the titles concerning his power to wit that it is he which of his owne good pleasure did spread out both the heauens and the earth By the word spreading out his meaning is that the absolute gouernment of the whole world is in his hands and that all creatures are subiect vnto him for Gods vvord and power ought so to be ioined together that they must neuer bee separated Vers 25. Idestroy the tokens of the soothsaiers and make them that coniecture fooles and turne the wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishnesse THe Prophet expresly addes this because Babylon not onely surpassed all other nations in riches men and munitions but also in a wonderfull measure of vvisdome and that in such wise as they seemed to pierce euen the very skies For what inconuenience could befall them which foresaw things to come a farre off and could preuent imminent dangers as they imagined Astrologers which then were in great request among them foretold of great matters and thence came that bastard Astrologie which we forsooth call Iudiciall Bastard Astrologie which is called iudiciall wherewith many good and toward wits at this day are corrupted They vsurp the name also of Mathematicians Mathematicians that they may get them the more credit among the common people But the Egyptians gloried as the only authors of this science because they held themselues to be of greatest antiquitie and were the instructers of others But this contention we leaue to them Sure it is that the Chaldeans were practitioners of it from the beginning and so highly esteemed of it that both Greekes and Latins haue giuen the name of Chaldeans to the Astrologians For as much then as they trusted very much in this science the Lord auoucheth that he vvill scatter all things belonging thereunto Now by the word tokens or signes he vnderstands the situation concurrence and diuers aspects of the starres from whence the Astrologers draw their coniectures In the next place he saith he will make them fooles Some take the word Baddim for lies as if he should say The diuinations of Astrologers are but impostures and meere illusions but I had rather take it for soothsayers it being often elsewhere taken in this signification But it may be demanded whether he vtterly condemnes the Astrologie of the Chaldeans Quest or only the abuse and corruption of it I answere Ans he heere only condemnes the siges whereby the Chaldeans coniectured as if they could iudge of things to come Whether Astrologie be vtterlie condemned or no. for the Lord pronounceth that all such things are meerely vaine It is not without cause then that he forbids his people to aske counsell of Astrologers Southsayers Prognosticators such like Magicians and that no man should haue to deale with men of such professions vnder paine of death Deut. 18.10.11 But if any could haue gathered certaine coniectures from the situation and aspect of the starres no doubt the Lord would neuer haue condemned such sciences Seeing then without exception he forbids them it clearly shewes they conteine nothing but meere illusions and therefore that all his people should esteeme thē as abominations Obiect But those that pleade for this vanitie alledge that the Lord hath giuen the planets and starres for signes Ans Gen. 1.14 Be it that I grant them this principle yet we must consider vvhereof they be signes For we condemne not that Astrologie which contemplates the course of the starres The course of the starres wherein Gods wonderfull Maiestie is to be seene but we reiect as vaine such curious heads as will thence conclude how long kingdomes and common-wealths shal stand What is to be condemned in Astrology vvhat accident shall befall this Citie or nation that man or such a vvoman for herein they passe their bounds and abuse these signes which were neuer ordeined to foretell things to come Planets neuer ordained to tell things to come I confesse indeed that sometimes we are admonished by these celestiall signes to behold Gods wrath which we haue iustlie enflamed and also the plagues which hang ouer our heads but not to make vs so foole-hardie as thence to conclude of euery particular accident much lesse to search out things hidden and vnreuealed which it is not lawfull for vs once to enquire after But aboue all things we are to finde out the cause and spring of this mysterie of iniquitie which is in it Wherein the mysterie of this iniquiue consists for a man no sooner receiues this error to wit that mans life is gouerned by the starres but Gods prouidence is by and by ouerthrowne and he turned out of his iudgement seate or thus that they may take from him the authoritie of punishing the wicked any more or in his mercie to giue life to those that were lost For such as thinke that the starres gouerne and rule mens liues by their irreuocable mouings doe forthwith harden their owne hearts with this imagination of fatall destinie Fatall destinie and so they leaue nothing at all vnto God thus then his iudgements are concealed pietie nipt in the head and prayer vtterly abolished He calles them vvise and attributes knowledge vnto them by way of granting them so much for such kind of men are wont to glorie much in the titles of vvise men Wise men and in making shew what knowledge they haue in the starres as if God had called them to be of his priuie Counsell Thus then in a word he concludes that none of these vaine maskes of vvisdome nor knowledge shall be able to hinder the Lord from ouerturning of their estate because he will bring all their iuggling tricks to nothing Vers 26. He * Or raiseth vp confirmeth the word of his seruant and performeth the counsell of his messengers saying to Ierusalem thou shalt be inhabited and to the cities of Iudah ye shall be built vp and I will repaire the decayed places thereof NOw
can they vse it in the defence either of themselues or their people but by his commission For if he be pleased to dispoile them of their principalities they cannot defend the same against him neither by force nor by any meanes else whatsoeuer And I vvill open the doores before him By this phrase the Prophet meanes that fortresses cannot resist God which in generall termes all will confesse but yet they cease not for all that to trust in their towers of defence For when Cities are enuironed with thick walles The strongest Fortâ—fications too weake when the strong God minds to redeeme his chosen and that the gates are fast shut euery one thinks himselfe in safetie contrarywise the Prophet shewes that all fortifications are vnprofitable and that the stopping vp of passages are but in vaine when the Lord will open the vvay to their enemies Now howsoeuer it is not to be doubted but the gates were shut and surely barred yet because Cyrus marched with an incredible swiftnes through all places where he came as if all Cities had giuen him way the Prophet rightly affirmes that all impediments shall be remoued Vers 2. I will goe before thee and make the crooked straight I will breake the brasen doores and burst the yron barres 3. And I will giue thee the treasures of darknes and the things hid in secret places that thou mayst know that I am the Lord which call thee by name and name thee though thou hast not knowne mee THese two verses depend vpon the former These two verses depeÌ„ds on the former but in a word they shew that Cyrus shall easily ouercome and that in short time because the Lord shall prepare the way for him for this cause he promiseth that the crooked way shall be made straight in respect that God will take away all obstacles Now because money is the sinew of warre Money the sinew of warre and that Cyrus was to passe ouer the poore barren mountaines of Persia Isaiah tels him that the treasures which before were hid should fall into his hands that being enriched with the spoile he might furnish himselfe with all necessaries for by treasures of darknes he meanes treasures hidden and buried deeply in the earth Now it appeares plainly by the histories how these things came to passe for after Cresus king of Lydia Cressus king of Lydia was taken who was the richest king in the world Cyrus recouered great treasures A man would neuer haue supposed then that he could haue made such a generall Conquest had not the cause of so good successe been heere expressed to wit that the Lord called him forth and guided him in his iourney that in him he might manifest a notable signe of his power for so much that thou mayst know imports Cyrus no true conuert I grant that Cyrus knew as we haue said that God was the God of Israel and did greatly reuerence him yet he became no true Conuert for all that neither did he imbrace the true worship according to the ordinances of Gods law This therefore was a particular knowledge to wit so farre forth as he assisted the Church for whose deliuerance he was ordeined It was needful then that he should be in some measure touched with this knowledge Cyrus was not indued with a sauing knowledge in regard of this worke of God which he had to performe He speakes not of that knowledge then by which we are enlightened or of the spirit of regeneration but of a particular knowledge such as the prophane and vnbeleeuers haue Which call thee by thy name Some barely expound this phrase of speech that Cyrus was thus called of God before he was borne But we haue said heretofore Chap. 43.1 that by these words the Prophet meant another thing namely that God calles those by name whom he chuseth and ordeineth to execute some speciall worke in which respect he separates them from the common multitude for this signifies a neerer and a more familiar calling And in this sense it is said that the good shepheard calles his sheepe by name Iohn 10.3 because he knowes them distinctlie But aboue all this agrees to the faithfull whom God accounts his flock and of his familie which grace he neuer vouchsafed to Cyrus But in as much as he appointed him to be a speciall Leader in such a speciall seruice he stamped him as it were with rare and singular notes of his power And thus much touching the cause why this title of Calling is giuen vnto him These words The God of Israel must be well obserued because the superstitious are wont to attribute their victories to their Idols And in that sense Abacuk saith That euery one sacrificed to his god Aba 1.16 They runne riot then in their talke and forge such a diuinitie as it pleaseth them to conceiue of in stead of acknowledging the only and true God Now all that which is heere said of Cyrus may be applied vnto vs in a farre better sense to wit that we frame not to our selues such a knowledge of God as fits our owne appetites but that we separate him so from Idols that he may only be rereceiued and acknowledged of vs in one Iesus Christ out of whom we can worship nought but an Idoll nay the very Diuell himselfe Out of Christ we can worship nothing but an Idoll nay the Deuill himselfe In this respect then let our knowledge surpasse that which Cyrus had to wit let vs reiect all superstitions and idolatries that wee may serue him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life Vers 4. For Iaakob my seruants sake and Israel mine elect I will euen call thee by thy name though thou knowest not mee HE shewes the reason why Cyrus shall prosper thus happily in all his enterprises euen for the conseruation of Gods people As if the Lord should haue said Thou shalt obteine a glorious victorie but it shall be more in respect of mine elect then of thee for for their sakes it is that I haue subdued kings and nations vnder thine obedience By these prophesies then the Prophet meant to comfort the Iewes lest they should despaire in the middes of so many calamities and yet no doubt he also meant to teach Cyrus that hee was beholding to the Iewes for all his conquests that by meanes hereof he might be enclined to vse them with the better respect In the second part of the verse there is a repetition which amplifies the reason very much and on the other side the Prophet shewes by what right the Israelites came to be Gods seruants euen because it pleased him freely to elect them For it is not in the power of man to make himselfe the seruant of God It is not in the power of man to make himselfe Gods seruant or to obteine such an honour by his owne free will This word elect therefore is added as an exposition of the former member and yet the
husband nor children on the contrary he shewes that both these euils shall ouertake her so as she shall be made a wofull spectacle for all to behold with contempt in regard of her desolatenesse He addes that it shall come vpon her in perfection that is to say there shall not one iot or tittle thereof faile for she shall know the miserie of widowhood with a witnesse as they say And thus there is a close opposition betweene the moderate corrections in which some mitigation may bee expected and that horrible vengeance of God which brings forth no other issue but a finall desolation for the more the wicked exalt themselues in their pride the lower will the Lord abase them in his indignation and wrath The higher the proud exalt themselues the lower the Lord will abase them Because of the multitude c. Others translate Of thy soothsaiers But mee thinks the word should rather note out the vice then the persons Some take the letter Beth for a particle of rendring the cause and expound it Because in which sense it is often found in the Scriptures albeit wee may expound that the Chaldeans shall finde no helpe nor succour in their deceiueable diuinations in which they gloried so much and so it may be translated Notwithstanding As if hee should say Notwithstanding the multitude of thy diuiners and coniecturers these things must needes befall Babylon For he derides the confidence which they put in these fond prognosticators through whom they thought to foresee things to come But in regard he will insist longer vpon this point in the 12. and 13. verses therefore I willingly consent that hee heere recites one of the causes of their destruction to wit that they despised all dangers vpon the confidence they conceiued in these impostures and illusions Vers 10. For thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse thou hast said None seeth mee Thy wisdome and thy knowledge they haue caused thee to rebell and thou hast said in thine heart I am and none else HE explanes that which he said in the former verse though we may extend it further to wit that he taxeth the Chaldeans for their fraud oppression outrages and wicked practises whereby they so highly magnified thēselues For all these great kingdoms lightly become great dens of theeues as an arch-theefe which once raigned among them said because they can neuer inlarge their territories but by plucking from others by force and violence therefore they driue the lawfull possessors out of their houses that they may be Lords and Kings within themselues Now he calles that vvickednesse which hee adornes afterwards with these goodly titles of vvisdome and knowledge For thus tyrants are wont to compasse their deuices they forget all equitie and right that they may make the poore to fall in their nets But the Lord detects and discouers their trecheries so as euery one may see they dance but in a net After Iob hath said that God catcheth the wise in their wisdome to shew what this wisdome is he calles it craftinesse Iob 5.13 As touching that which by and by followes namely that Babylon said none saw her wickednesses this sets forth with what freedome she committed the same For seeing reuerence or shame holds men in some awe he that feares not God as a witnesse of his behauiour and thinkes men notes nothing hee doth such a one will not sticke to practise anie villanie I grant that the most wicked are sometimes stung with the worme of an euill conscience but they close vp their eies and plunge themselues into a benummednes and deadnesse of conscience as Moses within the ground In a word their confidences are seared vp with an hot yron But aboue all we see how they scorne God with a desperate presumption as if by their fetches they were able to dazle his eies For when they purpose to beguile the simple it sufficeth that they may doe it closely as if belike they could deceiue his eies who in all places beholds both the euill and the good Prou. 15.3 But they flatter themselues in their cunning in vaine for the Lord will easilie plucke off their vizards Let all men detest such vvisdome then by which men deceiue their owne soules and pull ineuitable ruine vpon their owne heads I am and none else He againe repeates those blasphemies mentioned in the 9. verse that all might know how much God abhors them and how neere such are to endlesse perdition that exalt themselues higher then is fit Vers 11. Therefore shall euill come vpon thee and thou shalt not know the morning thereof destruction shall fall vpon thee which thou shalt not bee able to put away destruction shall come vpon thee suddenlie ere thou bee aware HE continues stil to scorne the vaine confidence of the Babylonians Babels sudden downefall who thought all things safe by reason of the foresight they had touching the situation of the starres He therefore denounceth against them that which the Scriptures affirme to hang ouer the heads of all contemners of God When they shall say Peace and safetie then shall sudden destruction come vpon them 1. Thes 5.3 So as they shall not know in the morning what shall befall them ere night Now it appeares sufficiently out of Dan. 5.30 how certainly these things came to passe Vers 12. Stand now among thine Inchanters and in the multitude of thy Soothsayers with whom thou hast wearied thy selfe from thy youth if so bee thou maiest haue profit or if so be thou maiest haue strength THe Prophet speakes to the Chaldeans Babels confusion remedilesse as wee are wont to speake to common ruffians or harlots who will receiue no admonitions Hold on your course still you shall see in the end how the world will goe with you So he saith Thou shalt tell me one day what good thou hast gotten by thy soothsaiers and coniecturers By the word Stand hee alludes to the gesture of diuiners who stand still in a place til some bird flie that way Also the Astrologers stand obseruing the course of the heauens and will not misse the least point If any had rather expound it Diuines then Diuinations I doe not much contradict him because the word Kabarim is ambiguous If thou mayst be strengthened As if he should say Thy diuiners can not turne away that destruction which is ready to fall vpon thine head for he insults ouer their peruerse confidence foretelling that after they shal haue vsed all the shifts they can yet they shall proue fruitlesse and bootlesse Vers 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels let now the * Or binders of the heauē Astrologers the starre-gazers and Prognosticators * Or come forth stand vp and saue thee from these things that shall come vpon thee A plainer description of that which before was deliuered obscurely NOw hee describes that more plainely which he said a little before somewhat obscurely to wit that all the counsels which
to darken the grace of God Now it seemes the Lord permits the Iewes to bring in their allegations which they had as those who trusting to the goodnes of their cause dare thus defie their aduerse partie Bring in thy reasons and if thou hast anie metall in thee shew it The Lord then prouokes them first and bids them tell if they can whether the gods of the Gentiles haue foretold any such things or no. And this may also be applied to the Soothsaiers and Prognosticators who attributed to themselues the knowledge of things to come which they could not foresee at all And in the same sense he repeates that which followes in the verse insulng I euen I haue spoken it The summe comes to this then that the Iewes wauer yea and fall because they haue not well informed themselues how singular a grace of God it is to learne from his sacred mouth whatsoeuer is needfull to saluation In the latter part of the verse hee recites one particular namely God had foretold the end of their captiuity in Babylon True it is that he names not Cyrus as the dispenser of this benefite Cyrus but in speaking of some certaine personage well knowne he saith God hath chosen him to surprise Babel by force The word To loue is not taken heere simply but for some speciall respect and therefore he restraines it to the happy issue of his voyage And so we may say that Saul was beloued of God for some priuate end Example namelie that hee might raigne for a time and might haue the gift of prophecie 1. Sam. 10.10 But there is an higher matter to bee considered of touching the faithfull whom God loues with an euerlasting loue for hee will neuer suffer them to be separated from him Iohn 13.1 Iere. 31.3 The Prophet then meant to say that Cyrus shall vanquish Babylon because he shall vndertake that businesse vnder Gods authoritie leading not of his owne motion but after such a manner as God thrusts forward the blind and ignorant whither him listeth or as hee vseth sometimes to serue his turne of men against their wils For Cyrus is not praised for his voluntary obedience but it is rather indeed an extolling of Gods singular prouidence by which hee disposeth of all sorts of men to performe his will and to execute his decrees By arme vnder a figure familiar amongst the Prophets we may vnderstand his vvorke And thus the speech will runne better Hee shall execute his vvill against Babylon and his vvorke against the Chaldeans And wee know that the Prophets are wont to ioine Gods counsell and worke together Now he priuilie taxeth the Iewes for their ingratitude in that they would not beleeue Gods promises though hee pointed out the thing before them with his finger and spake far otherwise then did the Chaplaines of the false gods To conclude hee meant to informe the Iewes that the surprizing of Babel by the hand of Cyrus shall bee a vvorke of the Lord vnder whose direction all things shall bee so carried that the Church in the end shall be deliuered Vers 15. I euen I haue spoken it and I haue called him I haue brought him and his way shall prosper HEe brings the Iewes againe to the prophecies and attributes this honour vnto God that hauing in fit time reuealed the thing hee takes away all doublings Afterwards hee addes that whatsoeuer was foretold shall be confirmed And thus there is a double force in the doubling of these words I euen I. As if he should say It is none but the God of Israel that hath spoken these things which are hidden and to come secondly he being true and one that neuer deceiues he will vndoubtedly accomplish whatsoeuer he hath promised Isaiah then propounds two ends here vnto himselfe First that the poore captiues should wait for their deliuerance secondly being deliuered that they should acknowledge God to be the author of so excellent a benefit and not to ascribe it either to the arme of flesh or to haphazard Now he shewes that Cyrus his good successe in his enterprises shall proceede from Gods calling of him Not that he was worthy of so great a fauour neither that he obtained it by his own industry and power but in regard that the Lord vsed him as his seruant to deliuer his people For where he called him his beloued in the former verse and heere saith that he hath called and brought him I told you erewhile that it is not to bee referred to that loue of God whereby he adopts vs for his children by calling vs to himselfe Cyrus was neither loued nor called in this kind How Cyrus is said to be loued and called of God See Chap. 45.3 for howsoeuer he were indued with excellent vertues yet was he tainted with very odious crimes as ambition desire of swaying Kingdomes couetousnesse crueltie and many other vices Cyrus had a miserable end for his wofull and vnhappy end manifested sufficientlie what he was The Prophets meaning is then that God will be fauorable to Cyrus in prospering him outwardly not to adopt nor to shew him that fauor which he only communicates to his chosen The cause must be considered then for which he giues him these titles to wit that he will vse his ministrie for the deliueraÌ„ce of his Church as we haue said before Vers 16. Come neere vnto me heare you this I haue not spoken it in secret from the beginning from the time that the thing was * Or done I was there and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me God rebukes the people for their ingratitude HE directs his speech againe to the Iewes and in commanding them to draw neere he meetes them halfe way as it were gently to receiue them and yet he couertlie taxeth their reuolt shewing that they were vnfit to entertaine wholesome doctrine vnlesse they departed from their errors Surely it was a detestable fault in them to be so farre separated from God with whom they ought to haue bin so neerely conioined but their separation coÌ„sisted not so much in distance of place as in the want of consent in affections our approching then consists in a readines to heare hauing subdued our owne carnall reason But this is a worke of his owne grace for who will be readie to direct his heart vnto God Iohn 6. if himselfe draw him not J haue not spoken in secret The expositors expound this place diuerslie Some applie it to Iesus Christ whereas Isaiah had no such meaning and it stands vs in hand to auoid all wrested and constâ—eined interpretations Wrested expositions are to be auoided Others referre it to the Prophet himselfe but this sutes as badly as the former for this speech can agree to no man I thinke then that Isaiah brings in God speaking and blaming of the people touching their ingratitude in that from the beginning that is to say since the day he began first
from this temptation that the multitude of the wicked and vnbeleeuers who reiected Gods grace and this happie estate mentioned verse 18.19 might not trouble them but rather without gazing vpon such kinde of persons might comfortablie imbrace and possesse this benefit themselues THE XLIX CHAPTER Vers 1. Heare ye me ô Iles and hearken ye people from farre The Lord hath called me from the womb and made mention of my name from my mothers belly From the treatise of their redemption hâ— comes to speake of Christ HAuing discoursed of the redemption to come hee now descends to speake of Christ vnder whose leading the people were deliuered from the captiuitie of BabyloÌ„ as in old time they were out of Egypt Now it was needful the former prophesie should be confirmed with this present doctrine for they would hardly haue bin drawne to expect this redemption from the Lord had he not set Christ Iesus before their eies in whom all Gods promises are Yea and Amen All the promises are Yeâ— and Amen in Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 who only also is able to cheere vp and refresh the fainting spirits for wee are no lesse to looke for temporall saluation from him then that which is eternall Adde that the Prophets are wont in speaking of the restauration of the Church euer to mention Christ not only because he is the minister thereof but also because our adoption is grounded vpon him The Iewes who haue any sparke of sound iudgement do confesse that this place is to be vnderstood of Christ only But all haue not kept the order which we haue noted For the Prophet speakes not of Christ at the first brunt but vseth this preface for without it the people could looke for no redemption in regard their reconciliation with God depeÌ„ded thereupon Now that it might haue the greater efficacie he brings in Christ himselfe speaking not only to the Iewes but to the nations beyond the seas and to the strangers farre remote from the common wealth of Israel who are specified heere vnder this word iles as we haue shewed in another place The Lord hath called me from the vvomb Some aske what this vocation is for seeing we were elected in Christ before the foundations of the world Ephes 1.4 it followes that he is before vs because he is the beginning and foundation of our election It seemes the Prophet therefore hath spoken lesse then the thing imports in affirming that Christ was called from the womb seeing he was before all time But the answer to this is easie for the question is not heere touching Gods eternall election whereby we are adopted for his children but only of the establishing and consecration of Christ ordeined to this office that wee should not thinke he intruded himselfe thereinto at randon Christ thrust not himselfe into his office without a calling For no man takes this honor to himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4.5 So Christ tooke not vpon himselfe the office of the high Priest but he which aduanced him to it said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Psal 2.7 Moreouer the Prophet defines not of the beginning of time as if God had then begun to call him from the womb but it is as if he should haue said Before I came out of my mothers womb God ordeined me to this office as S. Paul saith That God had chosen him from his mothers womb Gal. 1.15 though notwithstanding he had elected him also froÌ„ before the foundations of the world It is also said of Ieremiah Before I formed thee I knew thee Iere. 1.5 In a word the summe is that Christ tooke our flesh by the ordinance of his Father that he might fulfill the worke of our Redemption vnto which he was destinated Hereunto appertaines the last member of the verse for the mentioning of his name signifies as much as a familiar knowledge of him He separates him then from out of the common ranke of men because he is chosen to a rare and singular piece of seruice Vers 2. And hee hath made my mouth like a sharpe sword vnder the shadow of his hand hath hee hid mee and made me a chosen shaft and hid me in his quiuer HE vseth two similitudes to wit the sword and quiuer to expresse the efficacie of his doctrine Two similitudes expressing the efficacie of his doctrine and then he shewes to what end he was called and dignified with so noble a title namely that he might teach for that is it he signifies by the word mouth Christ then was not sent of the Father to conquer by force of armes as earthly Princes doe but his conquest is obtained by the sword of the Spirit Christ conquers not by force of armes but by the sword of the spirit that is to say by preaching the whole counsell of God in which hee will be sought and knowne for he is not to be found elsewhere Now hee shewes what the force of his mouth is that is to say of the doctrine which proceedes out of his mouth when he compares it to a sharpe sword For the word of God is liuely in operation and more piercing then all two edged swords for it diuides betweene the soule and the spirit and the ioints and the marrow and is a discerner of all the intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 Psal 45.5 He compares it also to an arrow because it not onely hits neere but also a farre off and comes euen to them who seeme far remote But after Isaiah hath spoken of the efficacie of his doctrine hee addes that God will maintaine both Christ and it by his power God will mainâ—aine both Christ and his doctrine The Gospell no sooner preached but it is opposed by enemies so as nothing shall be able to hinder the course thereof For as soone as Christ opens his mouth that is to say as soone as the Gospell begins to be sincerely preached the aduersaries band themselues on all sides and infinit enemies conspire how to suppresse it So as this efficacie whereof he speakes and which hee attributes to his doctrine would not stand vnlesse Gods protection and shadow came betweene to abandon the aduersaries But he speakes not heere onely of Christ but of the whole body of his Church I grant we must beginne at the head but froÌ„ thence we must descend to the members and apply it to all the Ministers of the word which is heere spoken of Christ in regard this efficacie of the word is giuen them that their voice should not beate the aire in vaine but that it should enter to the pricking of the heart Acts 2.37 The Lord also causeth the trump of his word to sound not in one place onely but to the vtmost ends of the earth Lastly in regard the Lord faithfully keepes them vnder the shadow of his hand though they be subiect to many reproches and that Satan on euery side assailes them
by his succours And if it so fall out that he tarry long let vs impute it to our negligence for we stop and hinder the course of his mercies from flowing in vnto vs by our owne sloth or rather indeed by our rebellion But howeuer it be yet he watcheth alwaies carefully for our saluation and makes speede to succour vs nay whilest wee flee from him and resist him he then allures vs to himselfe that he might refresh vs by his loue and fauour He repeates the word morning twice thereby signifying a daily continuance lest wee should thinke there were any passions in him as there are in men to reiect despise them afterwards whom hee hath once taken into his custodie No contrariwise he makes them alwaies to feele his goodnesse euen vnto the end and neuer destitutes them of consolation That I may heare as the learned His meaning is that his eare was attent not like to one that is ignorant or dull witted but that hee was fitted and wel instructed for the purpose And yet withall hee shewes by his example that God teacheth all such Ministers as hee sends forth for the saluation of the Church with efficacie for it were to small purpose for them to be indued with humane learning vnlesse there withall they had the inward teaching of the holy Ghost By this wee see yet better how true that is which wee haue said before namely that none proue good teachers but such as haue first been good disciples He shall neuer become a good Doctor in the Church that hath not first been a good disciple Such the Prophet calles them taught and learned for those that will not vouchsafe to learne as thinking that they know enough are twice mad and foolish For by Gods owne censure none are truly taught and learned but such as suffer themselues to be taught before they take vpon them to teach others that so they may haue the certaine knowledge of the things which they meane to teach them Now to publish ought abroad to the world which they may not with good conscience protest they haue receiued from God To shut vp all in a word those are learned vvho in learning dailie disdaine not to grow still in learning Vers 5. The Lord God hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neither turned I backe HE repeates that againe which he said before and heere comprehends whatsoeuer is fitting for the office of a teacher For the opening of the eare ought not onely to be referred to doctrine but to the whole vocation as first to his entrance secondly when he that is to bee sent receiues his charge touching all that which he is to performe to wit the commandement it selfe and authoritie to execute the same Besides the Lord not onely opens the eare when hee manifests his will but when hee toucheth the mans heart with efficacie and so mooues him that hee yeeldes him his obedience As in the fortie Psalme Thou hast pierced mine care And Christ saith Whosoeuer hath heard and learned of my Father hee comes to mee Iohn 6.45 Hitherunto appertaines the second member where the Prophet saith he was not rebellious The summe is that hee vndertooke nothing at randon but being well assured of the calling of God hee performed the office of a teacher notwithstanding it was heauie and tedious to beare because he was made fit and willing to obey Vers 6. I gaue my backe to the smiters and my cheekes to the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting HE opposeth the inuincible force wherewith hee is indued to the reproches scornes and outrages of the wicked as if he should say Albeit the contemners of God vse many deuices yet will he ouercome all their iniuries so as hee will neuer repent himselfe of that labour which hee hath taken in hand Moreouer this place manifestly shewes that the Ministers of the word cannot faithfullie discharge their duties Ministers must make account to meete with oppositions in the discharge of their duties but they must therewithall prepare to buckle against the world yea to sustaine sharpe assaults on all sides For Isaiah no sooner affirmes that hee was readie to obey Gods commandement but by and by he addes that his person was exposed to the smiters Wherefore the faithfull seruants of God cannot auoid this condition in preaching the word as they ought but they must looke for stripes reproches hatreds slanders and diuers assaults of the aduersaries who repine at the libertie which the true Ministers of God must needes vse in their reprehensions and admonitions Let them arme themselues therefore with faith and constancie for there is a terrible combat prepared for them But he not onely expresseth what measure the Prophets shall haue at the hands of the wicked but also the contempt of the world for the wicked will haue men suppose that their cause is good and iust euen whilest they oppresse the Ministers of the Gospell and persecute their doctrine for they will haue Gods seruants reputed as euill doers that by this meanes they may bring them into disgrace and hatred Iohn 18.30 That is the cause why they rent and teare them with varietie of false imputations and belch out all the outrage they can And haue not wee experience hereof at this day Doe not our aduersaries load vs with the nickenames of seducers seditious schismatikes and heretikes and disgorge manie other reproches wherewith they haue heeretofore taxed Christ and his Apostles Now he complaines that he was smitten and spitted vpō not only by strangers and open enemies but he toucheth the wrongs which were done him by those that made shew to be of the Church For it is alwaies seene that out of the lap of the Church there ariseth wicked contemners of God who are the surliest enemies that the Prophets of God haue Those then who will serue God purely must fit themselues aforehand to beare all these things with patience that so they may passe as well through good as euill report 2. Cor. 6.8 Yea let them not only despise bands tortures banishments and death but reproches and spittings also though sometimes these things seeme harder to beare then death it selfe This doctrine appertaines indeed to all the faithfull but especiallie to the Ministers of the word who ought to be the ringleaders to others and to be as standard-bearers Vers 7. For the Lord God wil help me therefore I shall not be confounded therefore haue I set my face as a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed To those oppositions of men the Prophet sets the help of God HEere the Prophet shewes from whence this great magnanimitie proceeds wherwith he and other the seruants of God were indued to sustaine the violence of all commers namely the help of God for by faith therein Isaiah affirmes that he hath hardned his face as a flint against all the iniuries of the vngodly Hauing then with a stout courage
Prophet speakes heere by way of comparison For vnder Christ the Lord spake so euidentlie that he openly manifested himselfe to be the teacher of his Church and after he gathered to himselfe a great number of disciples Moreouer this place accords with that of Ieremiah Chap. 31.34 And they shall teach no more euery one his neighbour nor euery man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest saith the Lord. Wherefore if it were of necessitie that all the children of God in old time were the disciples of the holy Ghost much more ought we to be so in these times seeing this prophecie properly belongs to the kingdome of Christ And there shall be abundance of peace By the word peace he meanes felicitie Peace taken for felicitie that is all good things Hence we are to gather wherein mans chiefe happines consists namely Mans chiefe felicitie in hauing our minds illuminated of God to comprehend that saluation which is manifested to vs in Christ For as long as wee bee strangers to this knowledge wee are the vnhappiest people vnder heauen for so the very blessings of God are turned into cursings Mala. 2.2 till they be sanctified vnto vs by faith Vers 14. In righteousnes shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression for thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come neere thee As God is the teacher of his Church so will he be her protector HIs meaning is that God shall bee the workeman and Master builder of his Church I am not ignorant that others expound it otherwise and take righteousnesse for good workes which exposition hath some shew of reason in it because the Prophet hath before spoken of the doctrine of faith and wee are taught to the end we should liue holily and righteously But the Prophet hath another scope namely that the Church shall bee restored vnder the conduct of God who would bee her protector and defender For heere hee opposeth righteousnesse to that violence and oppression whereby the Church was ruinated or rather by this word he notes out the firmnes and stabilitie of it As if hee should say This shall be no building of stones nor timber which may haue some faire glosse set vpon it for a time because God will faithfully maintaine the worke of his owne hands and in regard he is iust he will cause her being restored to her perfect estate to stand for euer Let men conspire what they will then to worke the ruin of the Church their practises shall all come to nought because God will preserue her by his righteousnesse Wee haue seene the like speech heertofore This plaine interpretation therfore contents me Reade the exposition of the verse following for the better vnderstaÌ„ding of this though the other may seeme more plausible to many Vers 15. Behold the enemie shall gather himselfe but without me whosoeuer shall gather himselfe in thee against thee shall fall The Church must not promise to her selfe any seeme resting place in this world THe summe is that albeit many rise vp to ouerthrow the Church yet shall all their plots and assaults be defeated and vanish into smoke Yea it seemes that God not onely promiseth helpe against the open enemies but also against them vvithin for many creep into the bosome of the Church as if they meant to be her children but afterward they fall like vipers to eate out the bellie of their mother Some translate In assembling he shall assemble against thee vnderstanding this of all the enemies of the Church in generall This is the most receiued interpretation neither doe I reiect it prouided that wee therewithall comprehend the wiles ambushes and treasons wherewith the Church is assailed And no doubt but that is heere expressed which is contained in the second Psalme to wit the tumults and conspiracies against Christ and his Church for not one but many nations rise vp against her and yet it is very likely that the Prophet heere expresly ioines the domestike enemies and those from without who crept in to assaile her in her owne bosome as it were For it is said in thee against thee that is to say they shall set vpon thee from within yea euen in the middest of thee To bee short his meaning is that the Church shall neuer inioy such abundance of peace but she must looke for many aduersaries that will assaile her Obiect But how agrees these things together may some say for in the former verse he said shee should be farre from oppression and from feare for it should not come nigh her And now he shewes she shall haue intestine conspiracies Ans But the Prophet hath added this in very fit season lest the faithfull should promise vnto themselues a secure resting place in this world as if the wicked and hypocrites should no way molest her The Church then you see is so deliuered from reproches and oppression that she is perpetually to incounter with open and secret enemies for Satan wil euery day be raising vp of new alarums against her so as by his good will she shall not haue a minute of rest This therefore is a correction as it were of the former sentence teaching the faithfull to be alwaies vpon their watch and neuer to promise themselues any truce But for our comfort the Prophet addes a promise namely that the Lord will protect her in the miâ—st of all dangers Without God signifies as much as in vaine or without any good successe The plots of the wicked shall be all brought to nought and why For his meaning is that the plotting of the wicked shall come to nought though they busie all their wits and doe the worst they can They shall cast themselues headlong into an headlesse rage but the onely hand of the Lord shall giue his people an happy euasion and issue Now hee alludes to that which was said before namely that the Chaldeans should come vnder the conduct of God to destroy the land of Iudeah The people were then destroied because God was their enemie but now the enemies comming to assaile the Church without God that is to say without his fauour they shall flee and be confounded Which hee better expresseth by and by after saying Hee that shall gather himselfe in thee against thee shall fall That is whatsoeuer hee hath imagined against thee shall fall vpon his owne head yea thogh the whole world should rise vp against thee yet should it crush and ouerwhelme it selfe by the owne burthen The particle in thee is to bee noted for when the Lord driues our enemies farre off from vs then we grow confident but if they approch and draw neere then wee are out of heart Therefore he saith though they pierce euen to thine inward parts yet will the Lord destroy them and deliuer thee Vers 16. Behold I haue created the smith that bloweth the coales in the fire and
space seeing 863. yeres were expired since they began to possesse it and 1400. yeeres and more since Abraham entred into the land of Canaan But the promise must be considered in which it was said that Abrahams posteritie should inioy the land as an euerlasting possession Gen. 17.8 and 48.4 This was but a little vvhile therefore if it be compared vvith eternitie The people of God then obiect this short time vnto him not as accusing him of breach of promise but to put him in mind of his couenant and that he should rather haue respect to his owne goodnesse then to the chastisements which they had iustly deserued And after this manner the ancient Church complaines in Ps 102.23 24. that her strength was abated in the way that her daies were shortened and therefore praies that God vvould not cut her off in the midst of her daies because the fulnesse of time depended vpon the comming of Christ Our aduersaries This complaint was much more grieuous namely that the wicked prophaned that land which God had consecrated vnto himselfe And the truth is this went neerer to their hearts then all the rest of their miseries And good reason for we ought not so much to respect our selues as Gods seruice and religion And this is the end of deliuerance to wit that there might be a people which might praise and worship the Lord purely Vers 19. Wee haue been * Or a long time as they ouer whom thou neuer barest rule and vpon whom thy name was not called THe Prophets sense may admit two expositions For some take this place as if the people obiected vnto God that they were chosen when other nations were reiected and that this couenant was ratified from the time of old The other exposition which I rather follow is this that the people complaine and reply vnto God that there is no difference betweene them and the heathen in regard they had no succour nor refreshing at all in their aduersities which they hold to be an absurd and an vncomely thing This is a notable sentence and very worthy of memorie for heere wee see it is lawfull for vs to powre out our complaints vnto God when afflictions presse vs aboue measure and to set our calling before him to mooue him to succour vs thereby testifying what great difference hee makes betweene vs and strangers Ouer vvhom thy name is not called vpon This comes all to one sense For the peoples meaning is that Gods calling ought not to bee abolished And indeed it is not the Lords will that wee should call vpon him in vaine for praiers are vnprofitable and vanish in the aire vnlesse the Lord haue respect vnto vs. Heere note also one marke of the Church namely A note of the Church that Gods name is there called vpon The wicked cannot call vpon him because there is no accesse vnto him but by his word of which Faith brings forth praier they haue no knowledge and the refore faith is neuer separate from praier For where faith is there is also praier and if it be not there let vs know for a suretie that there is no faith nor hope at all Oh that thou wouldest breake the heauens and come downe Master Caluin makes this part of the 19. verse and that the mountanes might melt at thy presence OH that thou vvouldest breake The Hebrew particle as I take it comprehends a wish For though it hath many significations yet the scope of the text shewes that this agrees better to this place then any other For the faithfull heere enter into a more ardent praier as often it falles out when in the sharpest afflictiōs a set forme of words would want sufficient vehemencie to expresse our desires He saith that God breakes the heauens when hee suddenly shewes some memorable and rare signe of his power And the reason of this maner of speech is not onely in regard that men being in great distresse are wont to lift vp their eies to heauen from whence they expect helpe but because miracles also make way for them by breaking the ordinarie course of nature Now it seemes that God is shut vp in heauen whilest hee neglects to succour vs and lets all things in the world to goe at six and seuen For this cause then it is said that he opens and breakes the heauens vvhen he giues vs some signe of his presence at such a time as vve iudge him to be farre remote from vs. But these things are spoken according to our naturall reason as is also the clause That thou wouldest come downe for what neede is there that God should change his place Hee applies himselfe thus to our weakenesse that we might the better comprehend that which is said to vs of him That the mountaines vvould melt That is to say Oh cause thy Maiestie and glory to appeare in such wise as the elements being astonished at the feeling thereof might bow to giue way vnto thee as shall bee declared more at large by and by THE LXIIII. CHAPTER That which in our bookes is made the beginning of this 64. Chapter is in the Commentarie annexed to the last verse of the 63. Chapter where you shall find it expounded Vers 2. As the melting fire burned as the fire caused the waters to boile that thou mightest declare thy name to thy aduersaries the people did tremble at thy presence 3. When thou didst terrible things which wee looked not for thou camest downe and the mountaines melted at thy presence A confirmation of the former wish in this and in the verse following WEe may reade all this in the future tence or in the subiunctiue As if hee should say Lord if thou wouldest come downe the people would tremble at thy presence thine aduersaries would forthwith melt away But I thinke it to be more natiue as I haue turned it for it is very sure that the Prophet alludes heere to Mount Sinai Exod. 19.20 where the Lord manifested himselfe openly vnto the people Hence also it appeares how vnaduisedly this Chapter was distinguished seeing the contents thereof is recited for the confirmation of the former vvish which should haue been placed in the beginning We haue elsewhere seene that when the Prophets mention the reliefes which God hath giuen to his people they still bring in testimonies concerning the deliuerance out of Egypt Note And as oft as they speake of this historie they therewithall comprehend whatsoeuer benefits God bestowed vpon his people not onely when hee deliuered them from vnder Pharaohs tyrannie and appeared vnto them in mount Sinai but that also when by the space of 40. yeeres he furnished them in the desert with all things necessarie who hauing subdued and wasted their enemies did put them in quiet possession of the land of Canaan To bee short they comprehend all the testimonies whereby in times past he shewed himselfe gracious to his people and terrible to their enemies The Prophet saith that