to know him to be the only true God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 Moreouer the abundance of knowledge is here closely compared to that small taste which God gaue to the ancient people vnder the law And albeit the Iewes were kept vnder such childish rudiments yet vnto vs hath the perfect light of the heauenlie wisdome shined by the meanes of the Gospel as Ieremiah also foretold They shall not euery one teach his neighbour nor euery one his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me saith the Lord from the least vnto the greatest Ier. 31.34 If so be that this fulnes of knowledge then haue taken possession in our vnderstandings it will purge and cleanse them froÌ„ all maliciousnes This place also informes vs what maner of Church there is in the Papacie where the light of holy doctrine being smothered yea almost cleane extinct their whole religion is to be blindfolded in a brutish ignorance Now if it so fall out that we haue not a perfect knowledge at the first dash Though we attaine not vnto a perfect knowledge the first day yet we must endeuour to profit more and more continually yet we must endeuor day by day to profit more and more 2. Pet. 3.18 and that in such wise that the fruit thereof may issue from this roote Whence it appeares that the greater part haue profited but very meanly in the schoole of Christ when so many cosenages extortions and violences haue their full swinge on all sides Vers 10. And in that day the roote of Ishai which shall stand vp for a signe vnto the people the nations shall seeke vnto it and his rest shall be glorious HE returnes againe to the person of Christ and repeates the same similitude which he tooke vp heretofore in the beginning of this Chapter to wit of the roote or sprig issuing out of the drie stock which had no appearance of any sap in it He saith then it shal come to passe that the Gentiles who in times past had the Iewes in abomination shall yet come and doe homage to the King of the Iewes Now this might seeme a thing altogether incredible and no doubt but this promise was a long time derided because such a change should rather haue been expected when the kingdome stood florished in his full streÌ„gth then after it was destroyed But needfull it was it should be brought thus low to the end it might afterwards be exalted and that the glorie and power of God might hereby be better knowne then if all things had been in their florishing estate For what is he that with the eyes of flesh could haue apprehended such a height Luk. 2.31.32 from a little sprig that it should be discerned of all people and should draw the eyes of euery one vnto it He compares it to a standard lifted vp on high and we know that this was accomplished in the publication of the Gospel yea much more excellentlie then if Christ had soared aboue the cloudes Hereunto appertaines that which is said in S. Iohn Numb 21.9 As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp Iohn 3.14 Christ is then sought when wee run vnto him to obteine saluation as in many places of the scripture where the seeking of God is as much to say as to put our whole hope and confidence in him And therfore the Greekes haue translated They haue hoped respecting the sense rather then the signification of the word As touching that which immediatlie followes that his rest shall be glorious all the expositors almost do expound it of the Sepulcher of Christ taking a part for the whole because they by and by after referre it vnto his death And to say the truth the buriall of Christ was but an appendance of his death The sense then according to their opinion should be that the death of Christ which was ignominious before the world shall be full of glorie and maiestie But when I consider all circumstances more narrowly the Prophet in this place by this word rest signifies the Church as also it is said in the Psalmes This is my rest for euer here will I dwell Psal 132.14 And thus he decketh the companie of the faithfull with an honorable title because in them he will haue his perpetuall mansion Seeing then that the Church at that time was exposed to mocks and reproches he promiseth that it shall be brought to a better and more happie estate and shall yet againe recouer her first beautie Here then we haue an excellent testimonie which giues vs to vnderstand that God will dwell for euer in his Church although this shall not alwaies appeare so vnto men Vers 11. And in the same day shall the Lord stretch forth his hand againe the second time to possesse the remnant of his people which shall be left of Ashur and of Egypt and * Or parthe Pathros and Ethipia and of Elam and of Shinar and of Hamath and of the Iles of the sea BEcause the prophesie touching the future glorie of the Church was incredible hee now declares by what meanes it shall bee brought to passe to wit that God will manifest the strength of his hand to performe as it were a famous and memorable act Moreouer to confirme the elect people in good hope hee brings to their remembrance the deliuerance past to the end they might not doubt that God should not bee as well able to deliuer them now as hee was to deliuer their fathers Exod. 12.31 who had experience thereof in former time in Egypt For this word againe aimes at that and it is all one as if hee had said Now also will God be the Redeemer of his Church This hee confirmes by another reason to wit although it seemed that God should despise his people yet will hee not be depriued of his inheritance The summe is that God will take care of the saluation of his Church to the end hee may not be bereaued of his right Notwithstanding hee speakes expresly of the remnant because this deriuerance should appertaine but to a little handfull of seede Lastly hee repeates that which hee had said heretofore Howsoeuer God separates and scatters his Church yet can it not be that he should wholly reiect it because it is no lâ—sse pretious vnto him then our heritage is deare vnto euerie one of vs. Now he speakes not of the Assyrians which had led the people into captiuitie but also of other nations amongst whom the Iewes were scattered For after the greater part of the people were carried into Babylon some fled into Ethiopia others into other regions because they feared lest they should be led into the same bondage with others As touching Parthe in the text it is Pathros some thinke it should be Parthe and this is probable although others say that it is Arabia the Stony Vnder the word Elam he comprehends the
shall be glorious for otherwise the wofull oppression of the people which they indured might haue seemed to contradict this prophesie Quest But some may aske to what time these promises should be referred for whilst we are in this world we must fight against many assaults and that without any intermission so as we are not destinate to die once only but euery day To which purpose S. Paul complaines that he and the chiefe pillars of the Church in his time were gazing-stocks vnto all the world sustaining all sorts of reproches being esteemed no better then the of-scouring and refuse of the same In what time or when are these things fulfilled then Ans No doubt they are to bee referred to the whole Kingdome of Christ These and the like promises must be applied not onely to the beginnings but to the whole progresse of Christs kingdome Luk. 21.28 Rom. 8.23 Acts 3.21 Eph. 4.10 Psa 126.5 and I doe expresly say to his whole Kingdome because we must not onely consider the beginnings of it but also the end and full accomplishment thereof So that we are to stretch these promises vnto the second comming of Christ which for this cause is called the day of redemption and of restauration in regard that those things which as now seeme confused shall then bee restored to full perfection and shall put on a new forme I grant that it appertained also to the deliuerance from Babylon but in as much as that was but the beginning and entrance into this it is certaine that this promise must be prolonged till the last day Let vs bend all our senses and hopes vnto that then and we may be well assured that the Lord in the end will perfect all things in vs after we haue finished our course Be it that we now sowe in teares we shall then doubtlesse reape with ioy and gladnesse Let vs not feare the scornes nor threats of the mightie ones for God vseth this as a meanes by which in the end he will bring vs vnto eternall glory As we haue tasted the beginnings of this happinesse so must our hope hold ou till we see the accomplishmēt thereof in the last day And seeing we haue here already tasted the beginnings of this felicitie and happinesse as soone as God adopteth vs and that we begin to beare the image of Christ let vs with constancy and patience wait the accomplishment thereof till the last day But in regard the matter might seeme incredible after so many horrible calamities Isaiah tels them that this proceeded not from man but from God For after the Temple was raced to the ground Ierusalem destroyed the seruice of God abolished and the small remnant of the people that remained were oppressed vnder tyrannie who would euer haue beleeued that these things could haue been restored to their first perfection Hee preuents this incredulitie therefore vnto which men are ouermuch inclined and confirmes yea and seales vp these promises with this conclusion Know ye for certaine that the Lord is the author of this my message The word of the Lord a solid foundation for our faith to rest vpon in him therfore repose all your thoghts not vpon me rest your faith on him who neuer was nor neuer will bee found false of his word Tit. 1.2 Vers 9. And in that day shall men say Loe this is our God wee haue waited for him and hee will saue vs This is the Lord wee haue waited for him wee will reioyce and bee glad in his saluation ANd they shall say The verbe is indefinit and should be translated He shall say but because he speakes of that which All and not one or two should say I had rather turne it Men shall say This is a very good conclusion seeing thereby they shew that these benefits of God are not stinted nor scanted to a few but that men both receiue and feele them by effect His meaning is then that God prepares not this banquet mentioned vers 6. in vaine in regard men are satisfied therewith and reioyce with an eternall ioy For this gladsome voyce which he foretels should be publike is a reall signe and testimonie as you would say of Gods grace This place ought to be diligently obserued of vs for the Prophet therein shewes that there shall bee such a manifestation that it shal retaine mens mindes in the word of God so as they shall wholly rest in it without any doubting at all But if these things appertaine to Christs Kingdome as they doe indeed wee receiue great fruit thereby What Christians haue now that certaine trueth in which they may boldly rest vnlesse they forget themselues and reiect the grace of God For it is manifested vnto all hath taken frō them all occasion of doubting so as they may safely boast that they truely know what his will is yea we may say and that truely as Iesus Christ said to the woman of Samaria We worship that which we know Iohn 4.22 Therefore in as much as we are assured by the Gospell What vse we are to make of this certentie of trueth now reuealed vnto vs in the Gospell of that grace which is offered vs in Iesus Christ we wander not any more in vncertaine coniectures as many doe but we imbrace God and his pure seruice so as we boldly bid adiew to all humane inuentions The opposition also is to bee noted betweene the little and obscure knowledge which the Fathers had vnder the Law and that fulnesse of knowledge which shineth now in the Gospell for albeit God vouchsafed the people of old the light of his heauenly truth yet it did appeare more familiarly by Christ as it is said in the first of S. Iohn vers 14.18 The Prophet therefore now extols and sets forth that assured confidence which the onely Sonne of God reuealing his Father hath brought vnto vs at his comming Besides as in this behalfe we haue a much greater prerogatiue then the ancient people had in regard that the reconciliation made by Christ sets the Lord more at one with vs so God cannot bee otherwise knowne but in Christ God cannot be knowne but in Christ who is his liuely image and the ingrauen forme of his substance Heb. 1.3 He that knowes not the Sonne Ioh. 14 7. the same knowes not the Father Howsoeuer the Turkes Iewes and other infidels boast Turkes and Iewes not acknowledging God in Christ worship their owne imaginations in stead of God that they worshippe God the Creator of heauen and earth yet in so doing they worship nought but the deuice of their owne braine And albeit they be obstinate yet they follow nothing but vncertaine and false opinions in stead of the truth they grope in darkenesse and worship their owne imaginations in stead of God In a word All religions out of Christ detestable all religion out of Christ is false and deceitfull all seruices are detestable ought boldly to be
belongs vnto him because he dwels in the heauens Whence it appeares that he is neuer depriued of his diuine right howsoeuer often times hee suffers his power to lie hid but when it seemes best vnto him he will manifest his greatnesse in the view of the whole world for dwelling in heauen as wee know signifies an imperial soueraignty vnder which the whole world is subiected Thus he shewes not onely that God can easily ouerthrow all the pride of flesh but also concludes from the nature of God that hee must needes shew forth his glory at the last when the wicked fall to despising of him for otherwise he should renounce himselfe Where hee saith that Zion was filled with iudgement and iustice it is another confirmation to wit that God will shew signes of his speciall fauour when the Iewes shall be deliuered from the tyrannie of the Caldeans And it was no lesse then needfull to set the author of so great a benefit before their eies He hath filled for we see how peruersly we darken his glorie by our ingratitude To be filled with iustice and iudgement signifies that God will liberally and abundantly shed abroad his grace in the restauration of his Church Neither will the sense be much impertinent if we refer this to a right politike order when all things are iustly and wel mannaged for without that the Church shall neuer florish though all things else succeed according to our wish We must measure our prosperous estate then by iustice and iudgement rightly executed and not by the ouerflowing of these corruptible things Vers 6. And there shall be stabilitie of thy times strength saluation wisdome and knowledge for the feare of the Lord shall be his treasure HEe promiseth that the estate of the kingdome shall shall bee happie and glorious vnder Hezechias hauing respect principally to that wofull and miserable scattering which was seene in Achaz his daies For albeit the enemie was expulsed yet was there small hope that the Iewes being in such extremitie should haue recouered their first condition As touching the words some translate thus There shall bee in thy times truth strength and saluation as if the Prophet should relate what felicitie the people should inioy vnder this holy King and they thinke that euery word containes in it so many benefits of God Others take the word stabilitie for fidelitie as if the Prophet should haue said that it should bee in stead of saluation and strength Othersome draw a sense from hence a little differing to wit that strength saluation and knowledge shall bee stable vnder Hezechias But when I scan the words of the Prophet considerately I had rather make another distinction to wit that stabilitie strength and saluation shall reigne in wisdome and knowledge vnder Hezechias and so that which is by and by added the feare of the Lord shall be the treasure of this good King will follow and agree well For in time of peace euery one desires to be secured yet how few are there that care to vse the meanes to inioy so great a benefit Nay doe not the most part pamper themselues as swine in the stie so as whilest blind couetousnesse drawes all the world after things earthly few make any reckoning of that incomprehensible light of the heauenly doctrine The Prophets meaning then is that the Churches felicitie shall be stable when vvisdome and knowledge beares sway therein and that strength shall long indure when the knowledge of God is aduanced thirdly that eternall saluation shall dwell there when men shall be taught rightly to know it This is a verie excellent place from whence we may learne that ingratitude shuts out Gods blessings from vs that is when we forsake them to wallow our selues in earthly and carnall desires also that although all the benefits we could imagin or desire were giuen vnto vs No benefits of God sweet and sauorie to vs vnlesse they be seasoned with the salt of faith and knowledge Where the light of Gods word is quenched our g eatest prosperitie is worse then the worst thing the world can afford without it yet shall all turne to our ruin and destruction vnlesse they bee seasoned with the salt of faith and knowledge Wee may therefore hence conclude that the Church hath no strength vnlesse the knowledge of God preceede all other benefits and that she then truly florisheth whilest she willingly confesseth to hold all the graces shee hath of Gods free bountie But where this light of the word is wanting and the true knowledge of God is either dimmed or put out the greatest prosperitie we can inioy is worse then all the miseries the world can afford I therefore refer stabilitie strength and saluation to one the same thing to wit that the Church shall haue stabilitie when blindnesse and error being banished men shall begin to learne the knowledge of God By this wee see what Church there is amongst the Papists a pompous and glorious one it is indeed in outward shew but where is this knowledge Therfore cā she not be stable neither is she the Church of God If the Lord then shew vs that fauour that the light of faith may shine truly amongst vs other blessings no doubt shall easily flow vnto vs and if it fall out we be shaken with diuers stormes yet God will vphold vs alwaies with his hand Now when he saith thy times he speakes to Hezekias not as to a priuat person but as to the head of the people vnder whom also the whole bodie is comprehended But seeing the kingdome of Hezekias was but a little shadow of Christ his kingdome as we haue touched before these things therefore ought to be referred vnto Christ Coloss 2.3 in whom are hid all the treasures of vvisdome and knowledge We are also to note these titles which are vsed to set forth the commendation of Gods word and the doctrine of the Gospell S. Paul also doth the like Coloss 1.9 when he saith Teaching in all knowledge and wisdome for by this praise he extols the dignitie of the Gospell Whence we also gather that where Iesus Christ is not truly knowne there men are destitute of true vvisdome although they be expert in all other sciences which without this are all but vanitie Moreouer it seemes the feare of God should be added for an exposition that the Prophet might the better manifest that the knowledge whereof he spake was the gouernesse of pietie Knowledge the gouernesse of pietie being neither idle nor vaine but penetrating with efficacie into our hearts to conforme vs to the feare of God See therefore why this feare is elsewhere called knowledge Prou. 1.9 and 9.10 yea The feare of God not only the beginning but also the end of wisdome the beginning of it that is to say the summe and principall part of wisdome And those deceiue themselues which take the word beginning for the first rudimēts or elements seeing Salomon meanes the beginning
hauing omitted no part of their duties shall to their griefe and smart I confesse see no fruits to come of their labours yet let them not repent that they haue heerein pleased God whose approbation is heere opposed to all the peruerse iudgements of the world As if the Prophet should say Be it that men abhorre you and charge you with many faults yet must you swallow this and much more too with patience for God hath another end and will crowne your patience with glorie and honour which the wicked so proudly and scornefullie despise He addes in the same sense that it ought to suffice them that God is their strength to the end that neither the multitude nor power of their enemies doe astonish them seeing in their God consists their strength Vers 6. And hee said It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruant to raise vp the tribes of Iakob and to restore the desolations of Israel I will also giue thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou maiest bee my saluation to the end of the world HEe goes on further and shewes that the labours of Christ and of all his seruants shall be glorious indeede not onely before God but also before men For howsoeuer they be esteemed vaine and vnfruitfull in the beginning yet in the end the Lord will cause them to bring forth fruit contrary to all the opinions of men It was enough that in the first place God approued their labours but in that he now addes that the same shall not proue vnprofitable no not in regard of men this ought to bee as a spurre to put life into them and much to comfort their comfortlesse spirits Whence it followes that wee ought to hope that the issue of that which is committed into Gods hands shall be good because the blessing which hee promiseth to our labours shall in the end appeare so farre forth as he sees it expedient and for his own glory Besides he addes that this labour shall not onely fructifie among the people of Israel but among the Gentiles also which blessed be our God is now come to passe Nay more then that for seeing the Iewes with an obstinate hardnesse became so gracelesse as to reiect Christ the Gentiles are now grafted into their stocke And thus Christ is appointed of God to be a light vnto the Gentiles and his saluation manifested to the vtmost parts of the world This consolation then was very necessarie as well for the Prophets as the Apostles Acts 13.47 For they had but too wofull and dailie experience more and more of the frowardnesse of the Iewes In which regard they might haue called the certainty of these promises into question seeing so little fruit of them appeared But vnderstanding that Christ was also sent to the Gentiles they were not so vnwilling to goe thorow thicke and thin as otherwise they would haue been I grant it was a thing incredible nay prodigious but thus the Lord is wont to worke far aboue the reach of mans reason Saint Paul calles it a secret hidden Eph. 3.9 from the foundations of the world and is yet vnknowne to the very Angels 1. Pet. 1.12 further forth then it is manifested vnto them by the Church Eph. 3.10 Thus then although the Iewes were once the onelie wise people vnder heauen Deuteronomie 4.6 yet they are heere matched with the Gentiles neither is there anie more distinction now betweene them before God Rom. 10 12. The Rabbines reade this verse by an interogation Is it a small thing As if he should say that it is enough and that nothing greater nor further is to be required But they doe maliciously peruert the natiue sense of the Prophets words and make themselues belieue forsooth that they shall one day become Lords ouer the Gentiles and raigne ouer all nations But the true meaning is that this shall be an excellent and glorious worke in it selfe when God shall restore and reestablish the Tribes of Israel And yet this worke shall be much more glorious in respect that he will ioine the Gentiles to the Iewes that they may with one mouth and heart professe the name of one Christ He speakes not in this place of the reiection of the ancient people then but of the increasing of the Church when Iewes and Gentiles shall be made one body I grant that after the Iewes fell away from the couenant of grace the Gentiles supplied their emtie place so as their reuolt was the cause that those which were strangers before were now made children by adoption But heere as in many other places Isaiah foretelles that the Church shall haue a large extent when the Gentiles shall be receiued in and made one body with the Iewes Now albeit the word light may be vnderstood ioy and felicitie yet I doubt not but the Prophet respects the doctrine of the Gospell which giues light to our vnderstandings and pulles vs out of darknesse Hee also saith that this light which Christ shall bring shall be saluation for as Christ is called the way the truth and the life because we obtaine life by the knowledge of the truth so in this place he is called the light and saluation of the Gentiles because hee inlightens our mindes by the doctrine of the light of the Gospell that he may bring vs ro saluation Let vs obserue these two things then first that our eies are opened by Christs doctrine secondlie that wee which were dead shall be raised vp to life or rather that life is restored vnto vs. Vers 7. Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israel and his holy one to him that is despised * Oâ— in himselfe in soule to a nation that is abhorred to a seruant of rulers Kings shall see and arise and Princes shall worship because of the Lord that is faithfull and the holy one of Israel which hath chosen thee ISaiah goes on with the same argument that the people might conceiue a better hope in their minde touching their estate condition when they should see themselues afflicted vnder so many tedious calamities And the rather to confirme his saying hee calles God who promised to performe these things the redeemer of Israel But may some obiect Obiect How can these things stand together that God should bee called the redeemer of his people whom he suffered to be ouerwhelmed with miseries For where was this redemption and sanctification become seeing the people had iust cause to complaine of their pouertie and calamities I answere Ans that the memorie of that which had fallen out long before is heere propounded and set before them to minister vnto them matter of hope and trust For the Iewes being pressed with despaire the Prophet preuents it by aduertising them that that God which in times past had deliuered their fathers is now no lesse almightie then he was then Albeit then for a time hee withdraw the light of his countenance from them to exercise and trie their faith
can so vse the matter that they shall famish for hunger euen whilest they swallow downe their morsels because his blessing being taken away all nourishment shall passe away as smoke To be short his meaning is that the people shall haue no food that shall strengthen them either because they shall haue no bread nor water or if they haue them yet they shall be able to get no nourishment out of them Vers 2. The strong man and the man of warre the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged 3. The Captaine of fiftie and the Honorable and the Counseller and the cunning artificer and the eloquent man HE mentions other helpes by which the state of nations or cities are vpheld in their perfection He threatens that the Iewes shal be wholly depriued thereof so as they shall be able to doe nothing in the house by counsell or aduice nor in the fields abroad by force of armes Now he standes not to keepe any strict order but in contenting himselfe with a briefe summe he mingles one thing with an other He beginnes with men of warre by whose hand the countrie was defended Sometimes God takes them away by death and sometimes he makes them become faint hearted and effeminate This last is the most vsuall so that the successors doe degenerate from the valor of their ancestors and those who before were stout hearted in processe of time become fearfull and are disabled for the warre We see also that the first often falles out to wit that the most valiant haue their courage by and by quailed He addes the Iudge and the Prophet Wee know that amongst the Hebrewes Iudges are taken for all gouernors whatsoeuer Also it is not to be doubted but that all Teachers whatsoeuer are to be vnderstood by the name of Prophet He threatens the Iewes then that after the ciuill gouernment shal be abolished The Magistrâ—cie and the Ministry that to the Common-wealth which the two eies are to the bodie and teaching extinct that then they shall be cut off And to speake the truth the Magistrates Teachers haue the same place in the Common-wealth that the eyes haue in a mans head To the same rancke also I referre the word ancients who are the fittest to gouerne because age obtaines prudence counsell and grauitie As touching the name diuine although it be taken in the euill part in the Scriptures yet it should seeme to be taken in the good part here seeing Isaiah reckons vp those things which are necessarie to defend or conserue the estate of a kingdome or citie We may well cal this man then one that knowes wisely how to forecast matters and who hath a deepâ— insight into dark obscure things which are necessarie not by diuinations or superstitious Artes but with a quick and prompt iudgement and with great dexteritie of wit Also in regard that God had forbidden them to go to aske counsell of Magicians Inchaunters Diuiners and that Balaam himselfe testifies that there was no soothsaying in Israel Numb 23.23 if any had rather vnderstand this place of diuinations made by Inchantments I do not gainsaie it neither will there any absurditie follow to reckon it among the number of their chastisements to wit that this people so full of wickednesse shall be also depriued euen of all vnlawfull succours as in Hosea Hosea 3.4 the Idols are ioyned with the Altar and the sacrifices Hee calles him the Duke or Captaine of fiftie according to the manner of speech then in vse For the Captaines of fiftie were among the Iewes as they of hundreds were among the Romanes The Greekes do call them by a name which signifies Princes of hundreds And because such manner of principalitie was not in vse among the Latins therefore the name also was vnknowne vnto them The Hebrew word Ioets which I haue translated Senatour may be applied to particular persons who are excellent in knowledge But because they attribute it to Counsellors who exercise a publike charge I would not depart from the common opinion Moreouer because handicrafts men haue their good vse in the conseruation of the common good and for supporting of an estate aswell as other Arts Isaiah saith that they also being abolished the downefall of the Iewes approcheth vpon them The expositours expound that which is said in the last place diuersly word for word it is He which vndeâ—standeth low words spoken betweene the teeth Now because the pythonicall spirits do giue their answeres by mumblings and low voices some thinke that he should speake heere of Inchantments Others expound it better who by the word Lachas vnderstand secret counsels But for as much as by this word we may vnderstand a graue oration as well as of things secret I haue not been afraid to translate it Oratours Notwithstanding if any had rather vnderstand it of those men who are prudent and learned who being vnfit for oratorie in publike doe yet giue counsell in secret which also is a good thing I do not say against it To conclude we are to obserue this summarie description of a well ordered estate For first Isaiah hath placed corne and other things necessarie for the maintenance of life in the forefront secondly force of warre thirdly knowledge how to gouerne the people and other parts of politicall gouernment in the fourth place the propheticall function charge and lastly handicrafts The Lord beautifies the people with these helpes whom he minds to keepe safe and sound and on the contrarie strippes those of them whom he means to bring to ruine Let vs know theÌ„ that all things which we finde profitable to maintaine vs in this life flowes vnto vs from the free fauour of God Whence it followes that we consider an other point to wit that we take diligeÌ„t heed that we by our vnthankfulnes doe not depriue our selues of so excellent gifts of God Vers 4. And I will appoint children to be their Princes and babes shall rule ouer them TO the end the vengeance of God might be the more apparent he now tels vs how wofull and miserable this change should be to wit when the faithfull wise gouernours should be cut off and that God should put dastards mecoks in their stead By Children we must not onely vnderstand them that are so in age but also in vnderstanding and manners such as are delicate and effeminate persons who haue no strength in them neither are able to manage the sword that is put into their hand He hath not opposed all the members one against an other he thought it enough to shew the meane by which a Common-wealth might soone be brought to ruine namely if so be that fooles and ignorant ones do beare rule who are as children in whom there is no wisdome nor grauitie to be found We may therfore hold it for a sure principle that he is vnfit to gouerne a Common-wealth that is not called thereunto of God nor furnished with singular vertues
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
and the end for as men are fooles vntill they haue submitted themselues vnto the word of God so the perfection of wisdome flowes from teachablenes or the obedience of faith All outward felicitie meere beggerie without the feare of God The feare of God then is called his treasure because without it all prosperitie is but miserie whence it yet further appeares that all the parts of a prosperous life consists in the knowledge of God which we attaine by faith Also vnder the person of this king he shews that it is an inestimable treasure to serue God in such deuotion and humilitie as is meete and further he esteemes all them miserable and forlorne people which are void of this feare of God On the contrarie blessed and happie are all those which feare him albeit of the world they be iudged the most miserable of all others But what feare speakes he of here Euen of that which conteines in it true obedience and a reformation of our minds and affections For the wicked haue a feare of God but they feare him as malefactors doe their Iudge Such a feare deserues no such praise because it proceeds not from the true knowledge of God nor from a readie desire to serue him It therefore is directlie contrarie to that vvisdome whereof our Prophet speakes These things haue reference first to Hezekiah secondly to the people but especiallie to Christ who hath so applied these things vnto Hezekias that in the meane while they also appertaine to the whole bodie of the people as we haue said before Whence we gather that they haue relation vnto the people as well as the king but much more vnto Christ who was filled with the Spirit of the feare of the Lord as we haue seene in the 11. Chapter to make vs partakers with him of the same grace Vers 7. Behold their messengers shall crie without and the Ambassadors of peace shall weepe bitterlie 8. The paths are wast the wayfaring man ceaseth he hath broken the Couenant he hath contemned the Cities he regardeth no man IT is not very certaine whether Isaiah here mentions the perplexitie and danger in which the Iewes were the rather to set forth the greatnes of their deliuerance or whether he foretels the calamitie which was to come that the faithfull should not faint vnderneath it For mine owne part I thinke this is not to be referred to the historie of that which already happened for in regard that sharp and sore temptations were at hand it was necessarie that the faithfull should be fortified to wait patientlie for the help of God euen then whē things should be growne desperate Howsoeuer it be it is a wofull and lamentable description of the wast of the Church that in these dangers the faithfull might hold fast their confidence secondly that seeing themselues deliuered they might acknowledge they were no other way rid from them but by the wonderfull power of God The signe of a desperate estate is noted out when he saith that the Ambassadors which were sent to appease this tyrant could obteine no truce for which cause they returned with bitter sorrow and teares not being able to hide the same in their iourney but were willing to manifest to others what was in their hearts in regard they were in such a wretched estate No doubt but Sennacherib with proud and scornefull reproaches refused the conditions of peace which were offred him so as the Ambassadors were constreined openly to lament and crie as hauing forgotten the dignitie of their persons and letted not to publish the answer which this tyrant gaue them euen before they returned to the King their master to giue an account of their Ambassage Others by the Ambassadors of peace vnderstand those which were wont to proclaime peace but this interpretation is vnapt and as I thinke too farre fetched By the Ambassadors of peace I vnderstand those which were sent to appease Senacherib and to redeeme peace with any conditions In the next verse he addes that the waies shall be so stopped vp that there shall be no commers or goers as it falles out when open warres are proclaimed Now it seemes that the Prophet brings in the Ambassadors telling how it shall not be lawfull for them to passe to nor fro any more the passages shall be so dangerous As touching that which followes he hath broken the Couenant some expound it as if the hypocrits complained that God kept not his promise But if this be referred vnto God such a complaint may be attributed not onely to the hypocrits but to the faithfull also who sometimes expostulate the matter on this wise with the Lord but I like not this sense And therefore I rather thinke the Prophet continues to set forth the crueltie and vnappeaceable furie of Sennacherib who disloyally brake the couenant which he made before with Hezechias For albeit he promised truce yet as soone as any occasion offered it selfe to inuade Iudea he falsified his faith and began warre afresh Thereunto appertaines that which is in the end of the verse he contemned the Cities and regarded no mans person wherein he shewes that the crueltie of this tyrant was such that hee could not be withheld neither by feare nor shame Vers 9. The earth mourneth and fainteth Lebanon is ashamed and hewen downe Sharon is like a wildernesse and Bashan is shaken and Carmell 10. Now will I arise saith the Lord now will I bee exalted now will I lift vp my selfe HE here more fully expresseth after what maner they should see the estate of Iudeah miserably distressed yet so that their faith in the end should breake forth as out of a bottomlesse gulfe He also names the places particularly to wit Lebanon Bashan and Carmell which are far distant one from another being as it were the borders of the holy land all which is to shew that no corner shall be spared or rest in safetie And in the description of this desolation hee attributes to euery seuerall place that which agreed with the situation of it as to Lebanon shame and confusion because glory and beautie are attributed vnto it in other places 1. King 7.2 Psal 92.12 Chap. 35.2 in regard it was replenished and adorned with great and goodly trees As touching Sharon because it was a plaine and fertile soile he saith it shall be like a wildernesse That Bashan and Carmell is shaken because there grew abundance of fruits Thus he alludes to the nature of these places and describes the miserie and calamitie which should befall the same that hee might the better amplifie and set forth the mercy and goodnesse of God which should be the cause of their deliuerance albeit for the present they saw themselues as good as forlorne For here was cause to behold the immediat hand of God Vnlesse any had rather say that the Prophet recites a thing already done to stir the people vp to thanksgiuing Verse 10. Now I vvill arise The particle now
in Gods presence but digge themselues hiding places that they may flatter themselues without checke or controle To the end then that they might no more deceiue themselues with the sweete deceits of lying vanities the Prophet summons them before Gods iudgement seat and grants indeed that they florish in appearance as long as they keep themselues a great way oâ—f from the presence of Gods Maiestie but let the Lord beginne once to blow vpon them their all their beautie and strength shall forthwith vanish into smoke He seemes to attribute an office to the Spirit of God Obiect which is not very fitting vnto it for it is his propertie to 〈◊〉 the face of the earth as on the other siâ—â—â— he withdraw himselfe neuer so little al things fall to nothing Psal 104. And Isaiah affirmes here the cleane contrarie Some may thinke then that one Prophet contradicts another Ans But there is no absurditie in it to say that all things are renued by the vertue of the holy Ghost And againe that the same Spirit should consume those things which seemed very glorious before For we haue no being but in God and to beginne to be something in him wee must first of all bâ— conuinced of our vanitie that we may the better acknowledge it The Lord therefore bloâ—es vpon vs to teach vs that in our selues wee are nothing Now to the end all might know that the Prophet spake not of strangers but of that people which gloried much in the name of God he addes that the people is graffe â—or the Iewes thought themselues more worâ—â—â—nd excellent then any other nation and therefore that they of all others ought to be separated from the common sort of men Hee speakes to them then properlie and expreslie to the end they might attribute nothing vnto themselues aboue others as if he should say You shall shew your selues very discreet and wise if in considering your owne pouertie and basenes you shall reiect all vaine confidence In a word the Prophet hauing spoken of comfort in the first verse hee now shewes how men ought to be prepared to receiue it In the first verse the Prophet mentioned some consolation now he shewes them the meanes how to be prepared to receiue it but they are no way fit to receiue it vnlesse they be first brought to nothing Our hardnes of heart then must be softned our high and prowd conceits must be brought low our glorie turned into shame of face and our hearts tamed and humbled if with fruit we will receiue the consolations which the Prophets shall bring vs by the commandement of the Lord. Vers 8. The grasse withereth the floure fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for euer THis repetition is added once againe to bring all the glorie of prowd flesh vnto nothing With matter of humiliation the Prophet mingleth matter of consolation it also therewithall conteines an excellent consolation to wit that the Lord hauing humbled his seruants forthwith giues them matter of ioy and gladnes This is the order of the text then The grasse withers but the word of the Lord indures for euer This only consolation is sufficient namely that the word of God is made the ground of our comfort Gods word the ground of our comfort as if God himselfe should reach out his hand to lift vs vp after he hath manifested to vs how emptie and destitute wee are of all good things and how perishable and transitorie our flesh is We then are fraile and fading as the flower but the word of the Lord is firme and eternall To be short that life which is wanting in vs is offred vs elsewhere The whole summe of the Gospell The summe of the Gospel is heere comprehended in few words for it consists in the knowledge of our miserie pouertie and vanitie that being humbled in good earnest we might haue our recourse vnto God by whose only grace we shall be whollie restored Let not such then as are acquainted with their wofull condition by nature be therefore out of heart Our base estate must not put vs vtterlie out of heart for the word of the Lord is set before them which is able to build them vp and to giue them strong consolation Moreouer wee are here taught to seeke consolation no where else but in eternitie which is only to be found in God and in none other for there is no stabilitie in earth or earthlie things No stabilitie in earth or earthly things What madnes is it then to place our happines in present things which wee see consume like smoke He therefore much deceiues himselfe which thinks he can meete with true felicitie till he be come vnto God who is therfore called the eternall in holy Scriptures because we might know that life flowes from him into vs yea he hath adopted vs for his children on this condition that we may partake with him in his immortalitie But all this shall profit vs very little vnlesse we be shewed the way how to attaine it The way how to attaine true felicitie the word therefore comes betweene from which we must not turne an haires breadth For if we wander and stray from it we shall be intangled in such wonderfull laborynths that we shall neuer know how to get out Now he saith the word endures for euer not only in it selfe but in vs also which we ought diligentlie to obserue because without this addition we should neuer be able to attaine any sound consolation And S. Peter a faithfull expositor of this place applies it vnto vs in saying that we are regenerated by this incorruptible seed yea by this word which saith he is preached amoÌ„g you 1. Pet. 1.23 whence we gather as I touched a little before that life is prepared for the dead which shall earnestlie draw neere to this fountaine set open vnto them for that power which is hidden in God is manifested vnto vs by this word Vers 9. O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee vp into the hie mountaine O Ierusalem that bringest good tidings lift vp thy voice with strength lift it vp be not afraid say vnto the Cities of Iudah Behold your God HE goes on still with the same argument The Lord promised before that he would send Prophets which should publish the promises to comfort this desolate and sorrowfull people now he commands that this consolation be spread further because he meanes that his grace shall be shed forth vpon the whole land of Iudeah He gaue hope of these ioyfull tidings to Ierusalem and Zion before now his purpose is that this voice should sound forth and ring throughout all the rest of the Cities for which purpose he commands them to lift vp the voice and to publish it in the high mountaine Now howsoeuer it be true that by the names of Zion and Ierusalem one and the same is to be vnderstood yet the repetition is diligentlie to be marked For the
and those that trust in Idols was not in vaine Moreouer it is very certaine that by the two marks which he here expresseth Two marks to discerne Idolaters by all Idolaters are meant who fix their hope in any thing but in God For albeit they bow not before their Idols yet in attributing vnto them I know not what diuinitie they take that glorie from the only true God which to him belongs for the principall part of Gods seruice stands in faith and prayer both which the Prophet expresseth in this place But it may be demanded Quest whether they were so blockish as to say to a block Thou art my God For the most superstitious haue confessed that God was in heauen neither haue they bin so grosse as to attribute a diuine nature directly to wood or stone it seemes therefore that Isaiah makes them more sottish then they are Ans I answere that all Idolaters attribute that power to their Images which belongs to God All Idolaters attribute that to Idols which belongs to God albeit they acknowledge him to be in heauen for when they trot so fast after their puppets and Idols to whom they make and pay their vowes doe we not euidentlie perceiue that they giue that to them which only appertaines to God It is in vaine then that they labour to colour and cloake brutishnes for they make gods of wood and stone and in thus doing offer extreame violence to the Lord. The Prophet therefore hath not ouershot himselfe neither hath he framed a false accusation against Idolaters because their owne vvords doe sufficientlie testifie the same to their faces when they call their Idols and Images gods Yea let it be granted that they be not heard to pronounce any such words yet their madnes may easily be discerned in that they thinke God can neither heare nor help them vnlesse they prostrate themselues before a senselesse stock and mumble vp a certaine stint of prayers before it Now these things are thus vttered to let all know that none can be saued but he which shall trust in God only Vers 18. Heare yee deafe and yee blinde regard that yee may see HE takes blinde and deafe here in a contrarie sense to that in the sixteenth verse where by this similitude he noted out those who were so destitute of counsell and ouerwhelmed with the weight of afflictions that it depriued them of all sight For by blind Blind in this place he meanes such as did shut their eies against the cleare light and would take no knowledge of Gods works By deafe Deafe those that vvould not heare but rather delighted to lie snorting in the filthines of their ignorance He condemnes here therefore the blindnes of the Iewes or rather of all men as I take it A generall blindnes and deafnes gone ouer all men For although it be true that he reprocheth the Iewes to be blind euen in seeing and deafe whilest they heard yet this also doth in part belong to the Gentiles to whom he manifested himselfe by the creatures ingraued in their minds and consciences the knowledge of himselfe and to whom also he had and should make knowne his admirable works In that he calles for audience then he giues them to vnderstand that the only cause which hinders them from comprehending Gods truth and power is their owne deafnes and blindnes mixed with a malicious vnthankfulnes For he is not wanting in giuing them sufficient testimonies of his power neither is he negligent in teaching them familiarly enough but the fault is in themselues in that they applied not their hearts to instruction nor to meditate in his word no nor yet to behold his wonderfull works so as euery one wittingly shut their eies and therfore the Prophet shewes that all the fault rested in themselues if they saw not Gods power Vers 19. Who is blind but my seruant or deafe as my messenger that I sent who is blinde as the perfect and blinde as the Lords seruant ALl expositors almost doe expound this verse as if Isaiah mentioned the outrages which the wicked are wont to belch out against the Prophets For they cast the seruants of the Lord in the teeth with the things which they haue reproued and condemned which such companions as they can not indure As if they should say Who are they I pray thee whom thou accusest of blindnes The misinterpretation of this place and and who are they thou callest deafe Take it hardly to thy selfe We know none so blinde as thou art They thinke then that it is as much as if the Lord complained thus of the Iewes I see very well that you esteeme my Prophets for no better then blinde and deafe But we shall by and by see that this interpretation sutes nothing at all with the scope of the text for the Prophet shewes afterwards why he calles them blind to wit because they saw many things but kept them not Now this can not any way agree to the Prophets let vs therfore follow the pure and natiue sense Isaiah before condemned all men of blindnes but the Iewes especiallie because they inioyed those meanes whereby they might haue a clearer sight then any others The right interpretation for they had not only that glimmering which was cōmon to all nations but had also the word sounding in their eares by which the Lord fully manifested himselfe vnto them Though the whole world besides then was blind yet these should haue had eies to see and know the Lord in regard they had the doctrine as a burning lampe to giue light vnto them Besides hee speakes to these afterwards in the sixtie Chapter Rise vp Ierusalem and bee bright for the darknes shall couer the whole earth but the Lord shall giue thee light Because the Iewes then were blind in so cleere light therefore he taxeth them by this particular reprehension As if hee should say I striue but in vaine against those which are far off from mee neither doe I much maruell at their blindnesse but this is strange that such a thing should befall my seruants who haue the cleere light shining before their eies I am as one astonished to see them deafe who haue the word continually sounding in their eares The things I teach them are so plaine and euident that the very blind and deafe may in a manner vnderstand them but alas I speake to them in vaine for I thinke there is not a more brutish and sottish people to bee found To be short whereas they should haue had the quickest sense of hearing and seeing they were the worst of all Whom I sent Isaiah descends by degrees from all men in generall to the Iewes in particular then to the Priests which were the lights of the world as it were for it was their office to interpret the Law The Priests to walke before others in a good example of life and to shew vnto them the high way to heauen Their
beleeued the Scriptures after they had seene the signes of Christes resurrection in the Sepulchre Iohn 20.8 In another place also he saith That the disciples beleeued in Christ when that was accomplished which he had spoken with his mouth Iohn 2.22 The summe then is that the Iewes shall feele by the effects that they worshipped the true God after their faith shall be confirmed by visible signes A true faith distinguished from inconstant infidelitie In the meane while he discernes true faith from that wauering infidelitie which carries vnconstant men hither and thither for God giues knowledge iudgement alwaies to his elect whereby they shall be able to distinguish truth from lies After this followes faith and stedfast confidence which causeth them without doubting to receiue whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed vnto them and then faith kindles a greater light in the vnderstanding and as we profit by degrees so knowledge growes in vs and shines more clearly The power of the holy Ghost and not mans reason must effect all these things in vs. But this is not effected in vs by our owne reason but by the power of the holy Ghost for it is his office to inlighten vs. That I am His meaning is that it is needfull to know vvhat a one God is if vve vvould rightly beleeue and that it is he only and none other that we worship lest our mindes should wander erre in receiuing whatsoeuer men should approue True faith forgeth not fancies neither wauereth but is grounded vpon the infallible truth or thrust vpon vs. That is not properly termed faith which forgeth ought according to mēs fancies or that lightly credits whatsoeuer is set before her neither is that faith which by and by cleaueth to whatsoeuer is set before her or wauereth in vncertaintie but true faith is grounded in such assurance that in giuing her selfe to the seruice of the onely true God shee boldly contemnes all false gods and deliuers mens vnderstandings from all feare of error By this we may know what to iudge of the implicit faith of the Papists for they account them beleeuers The implicit faith of the Papists is to beleeue as their mother the holie Church beleeues who are senslesse and ignorant of that they beleeue and are not able to vtter one word touching the knowledge of God for alas they know not what he is in regard they openly protest that they beleeue as their mother the holy Church beleeues But the Lord contents not himselfe with such absurdities but ioines faith with vnderstanding to teach vs that the one cannot be separated from the other Moreouer it is no faith vnlesse we beleeue in one God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who spake by the Prophets and Apostles Haue we not this God Then is our faith but a fancie Which that he may the better confirme touching that he said before I am the onely God he addes in the second place that there is no other before him The words Lo-notzar may indeede in another sense he taken for a creature or worke of God for they signifie There is none But because it seemes that this is constrained I willingly agree to the vsuall exposition that There is no God formed before In which there is a kinde of Ironie as if the Prophet should haue said There is none other God but he vnlesse hee be forged by mortall men I trow then you will not compare them with the eternall God He addes that there shall bee none after because himselfe holds alwaies the intire and perfect soueraigntie and is not changed by age or corruption The summe is that wee cannot say we haue faith indeed till we come to rest the same wholy in him for those which acknowledge a kind of diuinitie and yet are ignorant what it is are alway pursued with a trembling conscience and are wrapped in wonderfull snares Let vs therefore stay our selues vpon that God which cannot indure any companion with him or that the least portion of his maiestie should be impaired because He onely is Vers 11. I euen I am the Lord and besides me there is no Sauiour THe Lord triumphs heere as hauing gotten the victorie In the former verses he hath sufficiently instructed vs touching the meanes whereby to come to his knowledge and hath shewed that there is no other God but him Now to confirme this doctrine hee breakes out into this exclamation It is I euen I that am the Lord and there is none besides mee And thus wee may see how dangerous a thing it is to forge a god according to our fantasie for wee haue no sooner effected it but behold an Idoll in stead of God Let not vs therefore accept of any thing but that which proceeds from him lest we runne out in this behalfe Hath he manifested himselfe vnto vs It is good reason wee should dailie profit grow and bee more and more confirmed in his knowledge And this is the vse wee should make of this repetition I I am the Lord. Yet I would not haue you thinke he speaks heere of his eternall essence onely but let vs know that his power and goodnesse which he fully manifests by causing vs to feele the same are here cōprehended And that is the reason why the epithete of the only Sauiour is added which is a mark whereby to separate him from all his creatures For the world deceiues it selfe in attributing vnto God a naked and bare title and in the meane while transports his dignitie ouer to the creatures In the Papacie I grant there is mention made of God but they strip him of his honour when one part thereof is giuen to Peter and Paul and another to William and George that is to say Saint Peter Paul William George when his offices are diuided into so many parts that they leaue nothing to him but the bare title of God The Papists leaue nothing to God but his bare title They brag that they worship but one God I wot well but when wee come to speake of his offices they forge as many gods as there are creatures and to them they distribute his authoritie and power But the Lord will haue these things to remaine wholly and soly vnto him neither can they be attributed to any other without committing horrible sacriledge for it is he onely that bestowes all good things vpon men and he onely defends and preserues them The latter member of the verse then expresseth that knowledge which proceedes from experience that so we might seeke saluation in none but in him who is the author of it Whence we gather that the principall part of Gods seruice consists in faith which is when he is acknowledged to be the fountaine of life when he is adorned with the title of Sauiour as also when these things which he affirmes to be proper to him onely and to dwell in him be not transported ouer vnto others Vers 12. I haue declared and I
for which cause indeed the foundations of Ierusalem are called euerlasting It is as much then as if he had said Before there vvere any men to forge or frame Idols I determined in my secret counsell to haue a Church which should indure for euer This people therefore is the most ancient and excellent of all others though others be before them both in yeeres and in dignitie For as all things were created for man so all men were made to serue the Church All men made to serue the Church yea there is not any nation whatsoeuer be it neuer so high or mightie which is not much inferiour For the Church is the body of Christ which far surpasseth both in age and excellencie The Church Christs bodie therefore shee is the most ancient and excellent of all We will not stand to recount fables Fables as the Iewes doe who affirme Ierusalem to be built from the beginning for the Prophet respects not beginnings of time here And yet wee must hold this principle A principle that the elect people are more honourable and ancient then the strange nations because they approch neerer vnto God who is the fountaine of eternitie Let them shew This permission giuen shewes that men shall but lose their time in looking for any answer from Idols touching the foretelling of things to come Idols vsed equiuocatiōs and if they should yet their answers would proue nothing but impostures and words hauing alwaies a double signification wherewith they were sure to bee seduced that went to aske counsell of them as wee haue said heeretofore Vers 8. Feare yee not neither be afraid haue I not told thee of old and haue declared it You are euen my witnesses whether there be a God beside me or a * Or strong God that I know not ISaiah shewes now wherefore hee spake of the power of God to wit that hee might confirme the peoples faith for this is the conclusion which he gathers out of the former arguments A conclusion out of the former arguments Seeing the Lord is so powerfull and gouernes all things after the counsell of his own will therefore the people whom he hath taken into his protection haue no cause to feare In the next place hee repeates that which was said before to wit that God had not onely succoured the Iewes in hugger mugger in shewing himselfe at vnawares when none waited for his helpe but had also vpheld their faith by many prophecies and gaue them sufficient testimonies of his fatherly fauour so as his diuinitie was manifested to the vtmost For what should it profit vs to know that God both foresees and is able to doe all things The knowledge of Gods prescience and power shold little auaile vs if he manifested not the same for our good if he did not therewithall manifest the same vnto vs concerning our saluation Albeit then it is his pleasure that many things should be vnknowne to vs yet hee communicates so much of his counsels as is expedient and fit for vs to vnderstand The word Meaz signifies a long time or if any had rather take it otherwise it notes out an opportunitie or fitnesse of time for the Lord reueales his secrets vnto his elect when he sees the time to be conuenient But the first interpretation seemes to me the least constrained Wherefore you are my vvitnesses His meaning is as I haue touched before that the people could not pretend ignorance if they contented not themselues with one God seeing he hath so fully manifested himselfe vnto them that they might be the best vvitnesses of his diuine power What is the end of our knowledge then concerning Gods glorie Euen openly to vvitnesse the truth of God before men as hath been said before vnlesse we had rather be counted smotherers of that light which hee hath manifested vnto vs by his holy Spirit Moreouer we can be no lawfull vvitnesses of Gods truth if he confirme vs not by his truth for what validitie is there in his testimony who doubts of the truth which he is to professe Wee must therefore be both taught by Gods word if we will haue such a faith and hope as accomplisheth saluation He attributes heere vnto God the title of strength as in many other places because it is not enough to know the eternall essence of God vnlesse wee therewithall ascribe vnto him power strength Otherwise we should leaue him onely a bare and naked title as the vnbeleeuers doe who indeed confesse there is a God with their mouthes and afterwards attribute his power to this and that creature Vers 9. All they that make an Image are vanitie and their * Or desirable delectable things shall not profite them and they are their owne witnesses that they see not nor know therefore they shall be confounded THe Lord now on the contrarie shewes how miserable the Idolaters are which erre and vanish away in their inuentions being not fast grounded vpon his eternall truth to wit they are senselesse and void of sound iudgement And as he hath heretofore iustly condemned the ingratitude of the people if by the testimonies of Gods prescience and prouidence they were not incouraged to hope well so now on the contrarie he armes and fortifies them against the superstitions of the Gentiles The faithfull armed against the superstitions of the Gentiles But in regard the vnbeleeuers were many in number and flowed in forces and riches he denounceth that all is vanitie and to be short that all their goodly shewes would proue deceiptfull helps in the end By their desirable Desirable things he not only comprehends their Idols but also all their seruice vestments pomp and ceremonies which fooles are wont to honour them withall And he sets out these things by a very fit word for seeing the chiefe end of mans life The chiefe end of mans life consists in aduancing the true knowledge and worship of God wherein stands the maine difference betweene vs and brute beasts so must it be preferred before all things be they neuer so excellent to this I say we ought to referre all the thoughts and desires of our hearts It is not without cause then that the Scripture vseth this word when it speakes of Gods worship and seruice but it is vsed here touching a corrupt and furious zeale wherewithall Idolaters are caried away after their Idols and their seruices for this cause he saith that all their desirable things about which they spend so much time are both vaine and vnprofitable Oftentimes also this desire is compared to the filthie lust wherewith men are so bewitched or whollie blinded that they can not see their villanie nor yet obey common reason whereof we haue largely spoken in the first Chapter In that he addes themselues are vvitnesses some expound it that the Idols beare witnes against themselues and plainely teach what vanitie there is in thē so as they which perceiue it not
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
of mountaines 65. 9 Why called Ile 20. 6 Iudgements of God true 1. 15. and 59. 12 Why compared to fire 66. 15 Gods iudgements against the wicked terrible 9. 17 How they ought to be pondered 19. 13. and 28. 13 Alwaies most iust 14. 21. and 16. 3. and 21. 2. and 30. 31. and 33. 1. and 39. 5. and 41. 15. and 65. 7. Their vse 26. 9 To iudge put to rule 2. 4. 16. 5 Iudges ought to be eies eares hands and mouth for the widowes and fatherlesse 1. 23 Iudges put for all sorts of gouernours 3. 2 Iudgement put for right 40. 27 Taken for moderation in afflictions 30. 18. and 64. 8 Put for forme of gouernment 51. 4 For right 1. 17 21. and 4. 4. and 32. 16. and 61. 8 For protection 16. 5. 59. 9 Iustice taken for equitie 33. 15 For succour 46. 13 For protection and faithfulnesse 16. 5. and 45. 13. and 51. 5. and 54. 14. and 59. 9 For integritie of heart 48. 1 For right 54. 17. and 62. 1 For a State well gouerned 48. 18 For testimony of iustice 58. 8 For truth 63. 1 What true iustice is 57. 1 It must be sought in God onely 45. 25 Iustice hath two parts 58. 7 Iust taken for tried 41. 26 K KEyes of the kingdome of heauen what 22. 22 Keyes a signe of possession ibid Key of the house of Dauid ibid The key that opens vnto vs the doore of Christs kingdome 65. 2 King of Iudah figure of Christ 14. 30 King of Babylon why compared to the morning starre 14. 12 Crueltie of the King of Babylon 14. 17 His pride 14. 13 A King ought to be a father of the Country 22. 21 See Princes Duties of Kings 49. 23. and 60. 16 In what sense called nursing fathers of the Church 49. 23. See more in 60. 11. and 62. 2 No true rest out of Christs kingdome 65. 21 Kingdome of Christ eternall 6. 7. and 16. 5 Established in despight of all his enemies 29. 22 Why called the end of daies 2. 2 Contemptible in appearance 53. 2 Kingdome of Christ and Dauid in what they differ 2. 4 Kingdome of Christ not yet compleat 60. 18 Prophecied of 2. 2 Peaceable 2 4 Spirituall 11. 2 4 14. and 16. 5. and 42. 1. and 56. 7. and 60. 2. and 61. 6. and 62. 6 Beginning of Christs kingdome 53. 2 Kingdome of Iudah a figure of Christs kingdome 33. 17 Why the kingdome of Israel is called anointing 10. 27 Wherein the defence of kingdomes consisteth 19. 3 To bow the knee before Christ what it signifies 45. 23 The knowledge of Gods name consists in three things 52. 6 Knowledge of God ingrauen in the mindes of all men 33. 15 The foundation of all true religion 19. 21 Men cannot attaine the perfection of it in this life 6. 2 Men may come to the knowledge of God by bestolding the heauens 40. 26 Knowledge of God certaine in the gospell 25. 9 How necessary the knowledge of God is 11. 9. and 26. 8. and 54. 13 L FEw whilest they labor fix their eies vpon Gods blessing 65. 23 Land of the liuing 38. 11 Law and the Gospell wherein they differ 66. 21 27 Law called Oppia 3. 17 Law taken for gospell and doctrine 42. 4 For the word of God 2. 3 The praise of the Law 8. 20 The principall end and vse of the law 45. 18. 19. 51. 4 The excellencie of the Law 8. 20 How needfull the publishing of it is 42. 21 The seat of the Law in the heart 51. 7 The difference betweene the law and the gospell 66. 21 23. 61. 1 Leprosie a ciuill death 6. 1. 58. 4 Lenten fast 58. 4 Leuiathan what 27. 1 Lycurgus made no law against the ingratefull 1. 2 Liberality of God towards his 12. 3. and 65. 10 True liberalitie what 32. 8 Our life but a vaine imagination till Gods presence hath awakened vs 6. 5 Life how it ought to be ruled 33. 19 Life of man limited 38. 5 Shortnes of mans life 38. 12 The end of mans life 38. 11. 18. 22 Fragilitie of mans life 40. 6 We must labor after integritie of life 26. 2. and 43. 23. and 52. 11. and 56. 1 How far lawfull to desire long life 38. 10. 22 Light taken for prosperitie 58. 8 10. and 59. 9 No light where the doctrine of the Prophets is wanting 60. 3 Libna a Citie what 37. 9 Lip put for tongue 19. 18 To looke put for hope 20. 3. and 31. 1 To looke to God what 17. 7 No loue comparable to Gods loue 63. 9 Infinit loue of God towards his 40. 3. and 42. 14. 43. 4. and 46 3. and 49. 11 15. and 50. 10. and 59. 18. and 65. 19. and 66. 14 Selfe loue the welspring of all euils in men naturally 11. 9 A notable description of Gods loue 65. 19 Lucifer held for king of diuels absurdly 14. 2 Iudgement day terrible 10. 3 Luther a Prophet of God and of his death 57. 1 M MAdian 10. 16 Madianites subdued by Gedeon 9. 4 Magike condemned 19. 3 Magistracie and ministerie what 56. 10 Magistrates called of God 22. 20 A singular blessing of God to haue a good Magistrate 1. 26 Euill Magistrates sent of God in his wrath 22. 21 Authoritie of Magistrates 3. 13 Their dutie 3. 4. 22. 21 24. and 20. 22 Consolation for them 22. 23 Their office an office of labour 22. 4 They ought to be the fathers of the Country 3. 5 Gods maiestie opposed to the pride of Magistrates 3. 15 In what sense God is said to be our maker 17. 7. 37. 26. and 51. 13. See creation new The word Many taken for All 53. 12 Whether marchandising be lawfull 23. 15 17 Oft times replenished with deceits 2. 16 Marchants of Venice 23. 8 Sacrifice of the Masse impudently maintained by Papists 19. 19 Meeknes in Pastors required 42. 4 Meeknes commended 11. 4 6. and 53. 7. and 57. 15. and 61. 1 No true meekenesse without the Spirit of Christ 11. 6 Meeknes of Christ 42. 3 All the promises grounded vpon the Mediator 9. 6 The benefit of meditation 26. 8 We must meditate in Gods workes of old 51. 9 What ought to be our meditation in the day of affliction 63. 7 The Medes authors of Babels ruine 13. 17 Their crueltie 13. 18 In what sense called vessels of wrath 13. 5 How said to be sanctified 13. 3 Men miserable by their owne fault 59. 11 Why compared to grashoppers 40. 22 They doe in vaine promise vnto themselues any certaine abiding heere 34. 17 To trust in men vaine 29. 5 Their felicitie consists in obedience 1. 19 Their glory vaine 19. 11 Their blockishnes 55. 2 Their hearts are in Gods hands 13. 3. 14. and 19. 2 Their condition out of Christ 49. 8. 9 Their nature before their conuersion 65. 25 Mens daies limitted 38. 5 That which is attributed to them is taken from God 31.3 Their power not to be feared 7. 4
much more will hee nourish brotherly concord betweene men whom hee will gouerne by the spirit of meekenesse And yet it is not the Prophets meaning that any are thus gentle and peaceable of their own nature before they be reformed by grace but he promiseth that how peruerse soeuer their nature shall be yet they shall forsake their crueltie and shall become as meeke as sheepe or lambs Whereas hee addes that a little childe shall leade them it signifies that those beasts which were otherwise cruell and vntamed shall readily yeeld cheerfull seruice so as there shal be no need to vse any violence to represse their crueltie In the meane while we must keep in minde the similitude which we haue touched to wit that those shall obey Christ which shall be giuen vnto him although they were outragious beasts before and shall obey in such wise that they shall by and by follow him and that at his least becke as it is also said in the 110. Psalme verse 3. Thy people shal come willingly Neither ought they to be placed in the ranke of sheepe which are not indued with this meekenesse Let vs suffer him then to master and rule vs and let vs willingly submit our selues to those to whom he hath giuen vs in charge although they be like little children Thus it seemes that the Ministers of the word should heere be compared to little children because they haue no externall power neither doc they shew themselues to haue any ciuill authoritie Obiect But it may be demanded whether there be not some who are meeke and gentle who yet haue not been tamed by the doctrine of the Gospell For it seemes indeed that the Prophet should say so when hee compares some to sheepe Ans and others to beares and lions I confesse we shall finde a meruailous diuersitie in men who yet are led by the very instinct of their own nature some are meeke and peaceable others turbulent and inhumane but yet it is certaine that all are sauage and outragious till Christ haue tamed them by the Gospell All are puffed vp with ambition pride before they bee purged with this medicine True it is that many may well counterfet a false appearance of modestie and humilitie No true humilitie to be found where the Spirit of Christ dwels not but in the meane while they burst with pride inwardly To bee short where the Spirit of Christ dwelles not there let vs not looke to finde any true humilitie Vers 8. And the sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand vpon the cockatrice hole HE continues his former speech to wit that when men shall be receiued againe into fauour with God and that they shall be purged from their vices by the spirit of regeneration they shall then also bee freed from their hurtfull nature For men should not neede to feare the biting of venemous serpents but in regard that they are vnworthy that God should subiect the parts of the whole world vnder their authoritie And in that the serpents haue this libertie to hurt little children truely it thence appeares The libertie of doing harme which one creature hath ouer an other argues that the whole posteritie of Adam is infected with sinne euen form the conception that all the posteritie of Adam is infected with sinne from the conception in the wombe Now we are to obserue this similitude whereof wee haue spoken to wit that those who are filled with an hidden venome to hurt shall in such wise change their naturall inclination that they shall not hurt so much as little children Some are openly fierce and cruell others carry and nourish their malice in secret as a serpent doth his poison as Dauid also describes it Psal 55.22 For some are more readie to manifest their malice others more slow In a word whatsoeuer they be he signifies that all must bee purged from their malice as well open as secret after they shall be once subiected vnder Christ He also signifies that hence forward there shall be a generall securitie euerie where so as those who are destitute of all helpe shall liue in safetie in such wise as they shall aduenture to expose themselues euen to the most perillous dangers Vers 9. Then shall none hurt nor destroy in all the mountaine of mine holinesse for the earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea NOw he plainely shewes that euen men themselues hauing subdued their naturall peruersitie shall bee inclined to equitie He speakes then of the faithfull who are truely regenerated into newnesse of life For although there are many hypocrits full of iniquitie mingled in the Church with the elect of God yet notwithstanding they are like to to the Ishmaelites whom God will driue out thence when his time is To this purpose we are to note that which is said in Psal 15 2. 24.4 that none but the louers of iustice shall haue any setled or sure râ—st in the Temple of God to dwell there perpetually This then appertaines to the lawfull citizens of the Church to bee pure and exempt from all desire to doe hurt Whence we gather also that it is a singular gift of the holy Ghost when men abstaine from violent courses because ambition pride crueltie and couetousnesse will ordinarily push them forward to wrong their neighbours euery kinde of way and therefore the Prophet addes to very good purpose that this inestimable gift flowes from the knoâ—ledge of God Thus then it behoues that all flesh be humbled and that meÌ„ learne to put themselues into the protection and safegard of God and to maintaine brotherly kindnes betweene theÌ„selues when they know that he is the father of them all For although many which are not yet renued by the spirit of Christ may haue some appearance of humanitie There may be some appearance of humanitie euen in the vnregenerateâ— which yet spâ—ings onely from selfeloue yet is it very certaine that they are caried away therein with the loue of themselues because all haue this naturallie so rooted in them that they will alwaies seeke their owne profit rather then the profit of an other and therefore thinke they are put in this world only to serue their owne turne and not their neighbours yea they would haue all the world at their commaund if it were possible which Plato Plato also wisely considered From hence proceed deceits periuries thefts robberies an infinit other such like wickednesses There is no fit remedie then to tame this vnbridled lust but the knowledge of God only Now we see how the Prophet doth againe establish the dominion of Christ in the faith and doctrine of the Gospel it being the meanes indeed without which he doth not ordinarilie gather vs to himselfe for thereby he illuminates our vnderstandings to manifest vnto vs the heauenly life which is nothing else as himselfe witnesseth but
lippes ye know were to preserue knowledge and at their mouth men were to seeke it Mal. 2.7 The Prophet therefore complaines that those who should bee lights and guides to others were themselues as blinde as the rest Some refer the word seruant to Isaiah others to Christ and thinke that both were condemned of blindnesse But this comes nothing neere the Prophets drift for his meaning is by way of comparison to amplifie the former complaint made touching the blindnesse of the Iewes Their fault was much greater then that of other nations but the Priests were yet in the greatest fault of all who were their leaders and guides Let vs know then that by how much the more wee come neere vnto God and the higher hee shall haue aduanced vs in dignitie aboue others the lesse shall our excuse be To the same purpose he calles them perfect which indeede should haue been so for hee puts them in minde by this reproch of that perfection from whence they were fallen by so vnworthy a reuolt and thereby had shamefully prophaned that holy and glorious name of their God For seeing he gaue them a perfect rule of righteousnesse to direct them both in life and doctrine it should haue been their parts not to haue swarued an haires bredth from it Vers 20. Seeing many things but thou keepest them not opening the eares but he heareth not NOw himselfe expounds what this blinding is which he mentioned before and he shewes it to be twofold Thus we may perceiue well enough that he speaks only of the Iewes who wilfully and maliciously had choked the heauenly light The fault will bee double then when they shall appeare before Gods iudgement seat if wee shut our eies before the cleere light and stop our eares whilest he vouchsafes to teach vs by his word I grant the prophane nations are iustly left without excuse but the Iewes and others to whom the Lord so many waies manifested himselfe shall bee worthy of a double condemnation in that they would neither see nor heare God Let vs feare this iudgement then What vse we are to make of the former doctrin who haue so many worthy lights and examples shining before our eies for there is a blinding espied at this day in many and as great an hardening as was among the Iewes but the one shall bee no more excused then the other Vers 12. The Lord is willing for his righteousnesse sake that he may magnifie the Law and exalt it THat he might amplifie the offence of the Iewes hee now shewes that it was not Gods fault that they were depriued of good daies Hee said before that the miseries and calamities which they indured were the punishments of their wilfull obstinate blindnesse Now to fill vp the measure of their iniquitie he addes that by their obstinacie they had reiected all reliefe This place is diuersly expounded Some reade This verse diuersly expounded See more in the sequell The Lord would haue it so others He is gracious But I haue translated The Lord is vvilling that is to say is inclined to deliuer his people to magnifie his law and to exalt his iustice And thus God yeeldes the reason why he is ready to succour the vnworthy to wit because he is willing that his glory may be aduanced in their saluation that his iustice by this meanes may also appeare and that his law might florish in her perfect strength Now in that the Iewes were in such a distressed estate it was because they wittingly loued darknesse rather then light and to heape sorrowes vpon their owne heads rather then to obey God for had not this come betweene it was his onely desire to haue inriched them and to haue aduanced them Some expound it thus The Lord is as willing to magnifie his law and to shew his iustice in chastising the Iewes as hee was to threaten them by it and thus they refer the word righteousnesse to the punishments and plagues wherewith this people were visited of God Others translate For my righteousnesse sake and so refer it to Christ but they deceiue themselues in the word Tsidko for doubtlesse the Prophet speakes of righteousnesse minding to shew that the Lord was willing to exalt the truth of his promises and the signes of his righteousnesse in the conseruation of the Iewes if they had not shewed themselues vnworthy of so great a benefit by their owne vnthankfulnesse others thinke that the Lord is heere excused in regard it seemed hee suffered his truth to faile when his chosen people were exposed to so manie calamities and that the Prophet meant to preuent this slander by telling them that they were not thus scattered made a pray because the Lord tooke any delight therein but because he respected his iustice aboue all things The sense according to Master Caluins iudgement But for my part I expound it simply in this sense that the Lord to exalt his Law vvas readie to doe his people good that his glory and iustice might shine therein but that the people depriued themselues of such a blessing and thus made their case desperate by their owne obstinacie The cause why the Lord adornes his Church with so many fauors From hence also wee may gather for what cause the Lord adornes his Church with so many of his fauours euen that hee might magnifie his law and bring men to the seruice of his Maiestie that so his truth might shine more and more When the Prophet saith that the Lord is vvilling it is euident that he findes no cause out of himselfe but yet he expresseth it further in adding for his righteousnesse sake for he excludes all that men bring of their owne neither can hee be moued to doe good but because he is iust Adde also that no dignitie or worthinesse is to be found in any man but there was a speciall reason of this in respect of the Iewes whom hee had vouchsafed to adopt among the rest Vers 22. But this people is robbed and spoiled and shall be all snared in dungeons and they shall be hid in prison houses they shall be for a pray and none shall deliuer a spoile and none shall say Restore NOw Isaiah shewes that the people are miserable and appointed to destruction by their owne folly because they reiected God who otherwise was readie to haue succoured them but they like desperate persons reiected all remedies and sought their owne ouerthrow He so excuseth the Lord then that he vehemently reproues the people who vnkindly did cast off the Lord and turned his grace into wantonnes And yet as I haue said alreadie this is not said so much to iustifie God as bitterlie to complaine of this nation who had sworne to procure their owne ruine seeing they wilfully threw themselues into sundrie calamities If we see the Church scattered and deformed at this day let vs blame our sinnes The cause of the Churches deformitie for we thereby would not suffer