indured but hee saith here that the faithfull are in cōtinuall trauaile Why so Because they still are assaulted with new pangs and trauailes and whē they thinke the birth is neere then they bring forth nothing but sorrowes and anguish which is expressed by the word wind to wit they saw no appearance of any deliuerance or ease of their sorrowes For so he forthwith expounds himselfe when hee saith that there was no helpe for them in the earth That is to say we see no succour at all He addes that the inhabitants of the world did not fall for the Hebrew word Naphal signifies to fall Some affirme it signifies to dwel If we take it in the latter signification the sense wil be That the Iewes shal not dwel that is they shall not returne into their Country the inhabitants which inioyed it should not perish But if we follow the common translation this must be referred to the wicked on this wise The inhabitants of the world oppresse vs and yet they fall not Why so Because they haue more then heart can wish For when the wicked florish as Salomon saith then Gods children must of necessitie sigh and be like vnto women in trauaile with child Yet let vs not refuse euen this hard condition if wee would haue any place in Gods Church It is most certaine that the common lot of all men is to beare sundry and infinite calamities and thence came the old prouerb It were best of all neuer to haue been borne or being borne to die quickly But we see that the faithfull are tired with extreme miseries and exercised therewith aboue all others For God meanes to try their faith to the end they may serue him Why God corrects his children and lets the wicked in the meane while run riot hauing renounced their lusts and the world also Seeing the Lord then hath such a speciall care of them he will chastise them and in the meane while will suffer the wicked to run riot into all misorder Hence also wee are admonished that wee must not onely suffer one or two calamities and so an end lest we should think our selues discharged after wee haue indured some few assaults for we must alwaies be prepared to meete with new trials When the Lord takes vp his children he lets them not down forthwith For we must be content euen then to bring forth the wind whē we thinke the houre of deliuerance is come our sorrowes shall still increase and our throwes shall ouertake one another at euery turne Wee must hold out with patience then in this combate as long as God shall be pleased to exercise vs vnderneath it We will therefore follow the vsuall exposition They fell not for as the Lord now and then cheeres vp the hearts of his children in manifesting vnto them the light of his countenance in their saluation and in shewing vengeance vpon the wicked so he also giues them with all occasion of mourning by causing them to see their aduersaries euery way aduanced into high place of rule and authoritie ouer them And if the Lord hath so exercised his Church in former times why should we thinke much if hee take the same course with vs now By the Inhabitants of the world he meanes the prophane and vnbeleeuers for he opposeth the rest of the world to the countrie of Iudea which by way of excellencie he called the land or the earth verse 15. making mention of the Inhabitants thereof apart Vers 19. Thy dead men shall liue * Or my body euen with my body shall they rise Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew * Or of the medow of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead ISaiah still continues to speake of this Consolation and turnes his speech vnto God and thus he shewes that our best course is to bend all our senses towards him Our best course in affliction is to gather in all our senses and fasten our minds vpon God as oft as we are to resist temptations For wee shall find nothing more hurtfull vnto vs then to vtter words at randon pleasing our selues in them for what doe we else but roule our selues hither and thither and at the last plunge our selues into many errors We can chuse no way therefore that is more safe then to draw neere vnto God God only able to giue our restlesse spirits rest and reliefe who only is able to quiet our distressed consciences which if we doe not we must of necessitie meete with many encumbrances which will shake our faith Will you haue the summe of this verse then If God be the protector of his seruants notwithstanding they be as good as dead shall they not liue euen in death it selfe or rather shall they not haue power to rise againe although they be altogether dead Yes surely Quest But it may here be demanded of what time the Prophet speakes in this place for many expound it of the last resurrection The Iewes referre it vnto Messiah and his kingdome but they deceiue themselues because they imagin that this was fulfilled at his first comming our writers that are Christians haue also missed the marke who haue restrained it to the last Iudgement Ans For the Prophet comprehends the whole kingdome of Christ euen from the beginning thereof vnto the latter end Why so Because the hope of the blessed life alwaies ouercomes the world as we shall see anon Now to the end we may the better vnderstand the Prophets meaning we must first know that life is not promised generallie vnto all but only to such as die in the Lord now he speakes of the faithfull which so die whom the Lord preserues vnder his safegard We know that God is the God of the liuing and not of the dead Math. 22.32 Are we the Lords Doubtlesse we shall liue But we must in the meane while become as those that are dead Col. 3.3 Rom. 8.23.24 for our life is hidden and as yet we can not see that which we hope for Thus then he only speakes of the dead that is to say of the condition of the faithfull which sit now in the shadow of death in regard of the many afflictions wherewith they are dayly visited whence we see that this can not be restrained to the last resurrection For we contrariwise affirme that the reprobates are dead The reprobates are dead whilest they liue euen whilest they liue Why Because they neuer tasted of Gods fatherlie loue in Christ wherein the true life consists and therefore they perish in their brutish sottishnes But because the faithfull runne vnto God therefore they obteine life in the middest of their greatest dangers yea euen in death it selfe but in regard they set this last resurrection before them as the end of their hope therefore it can not be said properlie that they liue til that day be come that being then freed from all sorrowes and corruption
the 39. Psalme saith I held my peace Lord because thou diddest it If the feare of Gods power restraines vs not wee will neuer cease murmuring and therefore Iob Iob 39.37 considering that he had to doe with God saith I wil lay my hand vpon my mouth I will make humble supplication to my Iudge Iob 9.15 Hezekias then puts himselfe to silence for hee saw it was but vaine for him to stand disputing the case with God And thus hee confesseth that hee was but as a dead man because the Lord made him feele how forcible his threatnings were By reason whereof this good King concludes that hee profites himselfe nothing at all with replies because discourses to and fro haue no place in this behalfe I grant that these words proceeded indeed from despaire for in feeling God his enemie he shuts vp the gate against the passage of his praiers But it is no new nor straÌ„ge thing for such words which turne vs from praier now and then to escape vs in extreme griefes prouided that on the contrarie wee cleaue close to the proppe of praier yea although the sense of the flesh doe ouersway vs so far for a time as to perswade vs that all is but in vaine Wee may coniecture that this good King was so intangled with perplexed thoughts that he fainted in his languishing disease but especially in that he saw it was the best way for him to be silent as I haue said for hee did but lose his labour to plead with God as it shall appeare more fully in the course of the text Whence we gather that he now sets before him the fearfull power of God to the end hee may dispose himselfe to true humilitie Moreouer because the verbe Dadah signifies to moue ones selfe to goe softly some expositors translate I shall be remoued or tossed others I shall walke softly But I verily thinke hee speakes of a weake and trembling gate for he was so weakened that he thought he should neuer recouer his former strength againe This trembling must be referred to feare for he addes by and by after in the bitternesse as if he should say The anguish which oppresseth mee is so fast rooted in mine heart that it can neuer be plucked vp and thence came this vveaknesse whereof hee speakes Now because the vulgar translation hath I will acknowledge Auâ—cular confession the Papists haue wrested this place to proue their auricular confession but so vnaptly that old dotards may laugh them to scorne For it plainely appeares that he speakes not heere of confession but of an astonishment and trembling wherewith Hezekias shall bee smitten euen all the daies of his life as he himselfe here saith Vers 16. O Lord * Or all those that shall liue after me shâ—l know the life of my Spirit because thou hast made me to sleepe c. to them that ouerliue them and to all that are in them the life of my spirit shall bee knowne that thou causedst me to sleep and hast giuen life to me THe Prophets words are so short that it hath caused many interpretations amongst which this that followes is the most approued O Lord others shal liue after these yeeres that is to say their life shall bee prolonged As if he should say Seeing thou hast prolonged my daies thou wilt also cause others to inioy the like fauour from thee But this sense agrees not with the text and I iudge it too far fetched I should rather deem Hezekias his meaning to bee this O Lord all those vvhich shall liue after these yeeres vvhich thou hast added vnto my life shall know the life of my spirit And therefore the relatiue which must bee supplied for it is a thing vsuall among the Hebrewes not to expresse it and so this will bee no constrained exposition For it is not to be doubted neither can it be denied but hee speakes of the yeeres which the Lord had giuen him as an ouerplus His meaning is then that the fauour which God hath shewed him shall not bee knowne to those of his time onely but of the posteritie also Thus he sets forth the greatnesse of the benefit which shall be renowned for the time to come and shall remaine ingrauen in the memories of all euen after Hezekias shall be dead so as it shall be called a kind of resurrection The word to sleepe signifies to die according to the Hebrew phrase Gen. 47.30 Thus hee compares his sicknesse to death 1. Cor. 7.39 11.30 2. Pet. 3.14 to which he was so nie that he made none account of life Vers 17. Behold for felicitie I had bitter griefe * Or thou hast loued my soule in the pit of perdition but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe AGaine he amplifies the greatnesse of his griefe by another circumstance for sudden calamities which we thinke not of doe trouble vs much more then those which wee see approching His sicknesse was the more cumbersome and insupportable because it surprised him vnawares whilest he was quiet and in prosperity thinking nothing lesse then to be so soone bereaued of his life We also know that the faithfull now and then doe please themselues too much in their prosperitie promising vnto themselues a constant and setled felicitie which Dauid confesseth himselfe was guiltie of I said in my prosperitie I shall neuer be moued but when thou hiddest thy face I was troubled Psal 30. Nothing therefore could astonish Hezekias more then to heare he must die when hee made account to liue in peace his enemie being driuen away and cut off for I thinke hee fell sicke after Sennacherib was repulsed and his host slaine as we haue said before See then a sore disease which now comes to vex him vehemently in the middes of this ioy and tranquillitie which presented it selfe before his eies We must not looke to inioy a setled estate any long time This shewes that we must make no account to reioyce in any setled estate long nor to lull our selues asleepe in iollitie seeing there is nothing stable nor stedfast in this life but we may be bereaued of all our ioyes in a moment Therfore whilest we are in peace let vs euen meditate of warre aduersitie and persecutions Aboue all things let vs carefullie seeke that peace which is grounded vpon Gods fatherlie loue and compassion wherein our consciences may rest securely The peace which is grounded vpon the assurance of Gods fauor is to be sought for aboue all things The second part of the verse may be expounded two waies because the verb Chaschak signifies To loue and sometimes To will This sense agrees not amisse It was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule but if nothing be supplied the sense will still be perfect O Lord thou hast loued my soule when it was in the Sepulcher It is knowne to all that the Soule is
many texts that are contained in other bookes of the holy Scripture as they will also be most helpefull to giue the true sense of the Prophet Isaiah which hath mooued mee good Reader to bestow my paines in translating the whole anew into French lest such among you as vnderstand not the Latin tongue should be depriued of so great a benefit Reade and profit thereby in the feare of God A PREFACE TO THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIAH BY Mr. IOHN CALVIN THey haue been wont to spend many words in setting forth the office of the Prophets The Prophets ground their doctrin vpon the law But I see no readier way then to referre them to the law whence their doctrine is drawne as the riuers from the fountaines For they set the law before them for their imitation so as by good right we may affirme and hold them to be the expositors thereof in whom there is nothing separate from it Whereof they are the Expositors The law containes three points Now the Law containes three points First the doctrine of life secondly the threatnings and promises thirdly the couenant of grace which is founded in Christ For as touching the Ceremonies they were exercises by which the people were held in the seruice of God and in godlinesse according to the Contents of the first Table The Prophets then expound the doctrine thereof more at large and lay that foorth in more plaine termes which is brieflie contained in the two tables teaching that which the Lord principallie requires As touching the threatnings Threatnings and promises Promises which Moses touched in generall they applie them to their owne times and describe them particularly Lastlie that which is said obscurely in Moses touching Christ and his grace they set it foorth more perspicuouslie and alleage more ample and abundant testimonies of the free couenant But that the thing may be more cleere we must fetch the matter further off namely from the Law it selfe which God ordained as a perpetuall rule for his Church that it might alwaies be in mens hands and that all their successors should follow it Now because this doctrin of the law sufficed not this obstinate vnruly people the Lord also foreseeing that they would neuer be held in vnlesse it were by some bridle hee addes a prohibition Prohibitions not to seeke to Magitians Southsayers Inchanters Sorcerers nor to such as regard the times or the flying of birds Deut. 18.9.10.11.12 to such as asked counsell of familiar spirits or at the dead because such things were an abomination to the Lord. And to preuent the replies which they might make namely that their condition should be worse then that of the infidels who had their Southsayers Astrologers Sacrificers and such like of whom they might aske aduice and counsel but they shuld be destituted of any that might be able to giue them satisfaction in doubtful and intricat causes herein to take away al pretext that they might not defile themselues in these execrable customes of the Gentiles God promiseth to raise them vp Prophets Deut. 18. by whom he wil manifest his wil who also shall faithfully teach them whatsoeuer hee shall giue them in charge that they might haue no cause to complaine for the time to come as if any thing were wanting vnto them I grant that in that place Moses mentions a Prophet and not Prophets Notwithstanding it is a change of the number to wit the singular for the plurall a thing common in the Scriptures And howsoeuer the place ought properly and principally to bee vnderstood of Christ as S. Peter expounds it Act. 3. in regard he is the Prince of the Prophets and that all of them with their doctrine also depend vpon him and with one consent aime at him yet by this name which is collectiue it also comprehends the rest of the Prophets The Lord then hauing promised them Prophets by whom hee would declare vnto them his counsell and will he commanded the people to rest in their exposition and doctrine Not that the Prophets should adde any thing to the law but that they should faithfully expound the same and conserue the authoritie thereof Whence also it is that Malachi exhorting the people to persist in that doctrine Mal. 4.4 saith or rather God by him Remember the Law of Moses my seruant which I gaue him in Horeb for all Israel Thus bringing them backe to Gods law only and commanding them to be content therewith But would Malachi haue them to despise the Prophets then No. But forasmuch as the prophesies are dependances of the law and that the law summarilie comprehends them all this exhortation sufficed For such as are well acquainted with the summe of the doctrine and principall heads of it hauing their willes well inclined thereto it is certaine that they will not contemne the prophesies for it were a thing too fond to boast of hauing affection to the law and yet in the meane while not to make any account of the diuine interpretation thereof such as are some at this day who are so shamelesse Note that they dare brag of louing Gods law and the whilest cannot endure to bee admonished or reprehended by the doctrine which is drawne and collected from the same Thus when the Prophets deale with mens manners they bring in no new thing The first table but explane those things which were misunderstood in the law As for example the people thought they had done their duties to the vtmost when they had offered sacrifices and obserued the ceremonies for the world is wont alwaies to measure God according to their owne ell and to botch him vp a carnall seruice This corruption the Prophets reprooue sharpely shewing that all ceremonies are nothing where the integritie of the heart is wanting and that God will be worshipped by faith and a right inuocating of his name This was manifested to them plainely enough in the law but it was needfull it should take a deeper impression and that they should be put againe in mind of it The hypocrisie The second tâ—ble wherewith men maske themselues vnder the vaile of ceremonies was to be discouered As touching the second table the Prophets thence drew their exhortations shewing how all wrong fraud and violence was to be abandoned The Prophets office then was nothing else but to hold the people in obedience to Gods law In the threatnings Threatnings and promises they haue something more speciall For what Moses propounded in generall they describe in particular Besides they had visions Visions which were proper to them by which the Lord reuealed things to come that so they might applie the promise and threatnings to the peoples vse and might further assure them of Gods will Moses Moses threatens God will pursue thee with the sword the enemies shall vex thee without and within domesticall contentions shall annoy thee Thy life shall hang as by a thread thou shalt tremble
should also be the mistris of fooles yet they harden their hearts vnder the blowes Isaiah strikes at this senselesnes as if he should say Haue you so soone forgotten the calamities vnder which you groned not long since Whence came it that the dead bodieâ— were cast heere and there but becauâ—e the Lord had stâ—etched forth his hand vpon you And if God dealt with you as a Iudge what is the cause that the wounds which do yet bleed do not worke a reuerent feare in you to preserue you from heaping sinne vpon sinne thus freshly againe on all sides And to this end doth he repeate the particle Therfore wherin he yelds a reason of his speech as if he should say These are not afflictions that come at aduâ—nture but are manifest signes of God his dispâ—easure He also saith expresly that God was angrie with his people for had not the Iewes fallen from their dignitie their condition had been more happie then that of all the nations of the world besides When God therfore deales so sharply seuerely with his chosen people no doubt but they had grieuously prouoked him by their rebellions And withall he refutes the false brag of the Iewes wherewith they were woont to aduance and boast themseluâ—s as if they forsooth ought to be exempt from all corrections because they were the peculiar people of God Also when he saith that the mountaines trembled by this comparison he expresseth the weight of the punishments vnder which they hardened themselues to the end he might yet more sharply reprooue their sensâ—lesnes as being more bloekish then things without feeling if they felt not the wrath of God and the horrible vengeance wherewith the kingdome of Israel had been chastised And for all these things Hee threatens more heauie plagues to come as hath been sayd For although the wicked know they are corrected of the Lord yet they thinke all is past as soone as they haue receiued but two or three blowes And therefore they wrap themselues vp as it were in a vaine confidence as though the worst were past and that the powers of the Almightie were spent This is the cause why he cries out that the wrath of the Lord is not yet appeased and that although they haue suffered many calamities yet notwithstanding hee is furnished with varietie of darts from whence they were to looke for infinite wounds The Coniunction Copulatiue may be resolued into the Disiunctiue as if he would say Be sure that the hand of God is yet sâ—retched out Now he hath regard to that which he had sayd before Verse 25. namely that the hand of God was lifted vp He saith now that it is not pulled in but that he wi l yet pursue and smite them with wounds yea yet more fearefull and terrible We ought to meditate vpon these sentences diligentlie to awaken such men who feare not to lie snorting and that after they haue been humbled and chastised of God Vers 26. And I will lift vp a signe vnto the Nations a farre and will hisse vnto * Or a people them from the ends of the earth and behold * Or he they shall come hastely with speede IN this and in the verses following he shewes what punishment the Lord would inflict vpon this people to wit that they shall be so spoyled by the Assyrians as the Israelites their brethren had been a little before them yea much more grieuously for howsoeuer the Assyrians in tâ—mes past had much wasted them the kingdome of Iudah neuerthelesse was not yet brought to ruine Adde hereunto that the destruction of the kingdome of Isâ—ael was as a looking-glasse wherein they might behold the wrath of God and the iust iudgement which hee had brought vpon them and yet no question but this prophesie seemed incredible to them of Iudea although there were many good likelihoods of it and all because the state was quiet and they no sooner had the least shew of truce but they forthwith grew carelesse therefore hee sayth that this destruction should come from farre whereof they did not so much as dreame And thus he sounds the Alarum as if the enemies had bin alreadie at the gates For he puts not these words from farre and from the ends of the earth to put them in any hope but rather of set purpose he thus speakes so the end they should not iudge of the wrath of God by things apparent to the eye We are woont to esteeme of dangers according to the outward appearaÌ„ce of things when the enemies are farre off or that they be hindred by other impediments to molest vs we thinke we are safe Thus the people slept as they say on both sides no otherwisâ— then as if they had been out of all danger But Isaiah declareth that all this shall not hinder the Lord from sending the Assyrians with banners displayed to cut them in pieces This lifting vp a signe is a figuratiue kind of speech because when the banner is displayed and the Captaine giues the signe then the souldiers are wont to arme themselues and to begin the fight He shall hisse Although the change of the number be a thing much vsed in the Scripture yet it is not without reason I take it that the Prophet of many nations makes but one people for he shewes that when God should assemble many peoples ioine them to one body that this shall be no confused multitude but should be as an intire body hauing one head which should rule and haue the soueraigntie ouer them He rather vsed the word of hissing then some other that sounded more terriblie as of sounding the Trumpet or such like to shew that God had no neede of any great noyse to assemble the enemies togither and that it is no hard matter for him to be reuenged on them which haue offended when the time appointed is come for he can finish all things by the least signe that may be And behold he shall come He heere yet further confirmes that which I haue noted to wit that the wrath of the Lord must not be esteemed according to outward obiects for although it seemes that all things do promise peace yet shall warre come notwithstanding sodainely froÌ„ thence whence we looked not for it yea and although it may seeme we be enuironed with friends round about vs yet shall God raise vp enemies from the ends of the earth which shal come easily vpon vs all lets whatsoeuer to the contrary as if a plaine and smooth way were prepared for them Which we ought to beare well in mind lest we suffer our selues to be blinded by some false trust and confidence We are also to obserue that warres fall not out by chance nor at mens appointments but by the commandement of God euen as if he sounded the Trumpet to assemble the souldiers Be it by warre then by famine or pestilence that we are afflicted let vs know that all of them do proceede from the hand
God did not so chuse his dwelling place there as if being tied to that he would therefore allow a bastard and newfound seruice but would be sought and serued there according to the rule of his word And therefore Isaiah taking the God which dwelled in Mount Zion on his side taxeth and sharpely galleth the hypocrits who foolishly and proudly bragged as oft as they cried The Temple of the Lord Ier. 7.4 because it was rather an idoll wherein they gloried contrary to Gods word Now although they snatched the promises to themselues yet they falsly alleadged them against the true seruants of God as the Papists at this day doe against vs. The Prophet then adorneth God with this title to the end hee may vnmaske those hypocrits which made no conscience vainely to oppose the name of the Temple against the expresse word of God And in this regard Isaiah now saith Take vs for monsters as it pleaseth you yet notwithstanding God will approue of his owne you cannot abhor them but you also therewithall reiect the God of Abraham and Dauid whose seruants we are Vers 19. And when they shall say vnto you Enquire at them that haue a Spirit of diuination and at the Soothsayers which whisper and murmur should not a people enquire of their God from the liuing to the dead BVt if they say The Prophet goes on with his speech to wit that all the faithfull being armed with the authoritie of God should not onely as with a buckler but as with a wall of brasse constantly resist all impietie He admonisheth them then to continue stedfast and not to be shaken if any should offer to solicite them to superstition and idolatrie Hee vseth the plurall number to shew that it was a vice common among all estates which had ouerflowed euery where as if he should say I see very well what will come to passe you shall be in great danger for those which remaine amongst you will indeuour to turne you aside from the true God because themselues being wicked will also desire to haue you become like them There withall he sheweth how wickedly they were reuolted from the law and couenant of God in that they were not ashamed to solicite others to seeke vnto Sorcerers and Enchanters whose verie names ought to haue been abominable and accursed vnto them A people Some reade this altogether in the person of the wicked as if vnder pretence hereof they would deceiue the simple to wit that there is no nation whatsoeuet without oracles reuelations but euery one asketh counsell at his gods or at least of the Magicians and Soothsayers Yet notwithstanding mee thinks the opinion of others is more sound who thinke that Isaiah teacheth his disciples how they should answere if so be any should solicite them to idolatrie And yet this doth not sufficiently open the meaning of this place for commonly it is expounded as if it were a comparison from the lesse to the greater What doe the Gentiles aske counsell at their gods which notwithstanding are falsly so called and shall wee not make more account of him whom wee know to be the true God especially seeing he hath manifested himselfe so to be vnto vs and that by so infinite testimonies Is it not a foule shame that the heathen should make more reckoning of their gods then we doe of our God But I rather expound this of the Iewes themselues who are called People by way of excellencie because they were adopted of God Neither is it materiall that the Prophet vseth the word Elohim Gods in the plural number for the same word is taken in the like sense in the singular This text is a buckler wherewith we ought to beate backe all those superstitions which glide so smoothly thorowout the world And if others doubt and stand in a mammering whether they should aske counsell at dead Idols or at Saints departed yet let vs alwaies haue this answere readie at hand That wee ought to aske counsell of God onely Now the Prophet alludes to the place in Deuteronomie where the the Lord forbids that they should goe to Enchanters or Sorcerers Deut. 18.10 And lest they should alleadge the examples of the heathen who had their Soothsayers and expounders of dreames and obserued the flying of the fowles hee addes in 15. verse that they should not want a Prophet neither should they be left destitute of necessarie doctrine It was the will and pleasure of God then that they should wholly depend vpon his word and onely learne from thence whatsoeuer was expedient for them to know and so to yeeld him loyal obedience As touching that which followes from the liuing to the dead some expound it otherwise and interpret for in stead of from and then the sense is this Will yee aske counsell at the dead for the matters of the liuing But in regard this sense is constrained it should bee more proper it may bee to expound it thus The Lord will be our master and for this end hath ordained his Prophets that wee should learne his will of them for the Prophet is the mouth of the Lord. It is not lawfull then to goe vnto the dead to whom this office was not giuen and adde hereunto also that the Lord mindes not to vse the seruice of the dead to teach vs. But yet when I haue well considered the text somewhat more narrowly I had rather translate the Hebrew word Bead From to wit frō the liuing to the dead as if he should say that one onely God ought to suffice vs as well for the liuing as for the dead Whether thou considerest the heauen the earth or the lowest parts thereof thou shalt finde that one God onely sufficeth vs. Me thinks this sense is most proper and easie The Prophet then armes the faithfull against the deuises and plots of the wicked which otherwise might haue caused them to reuolt to the end they might content themselues to haue God onely for their Master and that they should not doe him that iniurie as in forsaking his doctrine to giue themselues to other teachers but rather casting off all other things they should onely depend vpon the truth the which hee repeates and confirmes immediately Vers 20. To the Law and to the Testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them THis place is diuersly expounded For some take it to be a forme of an oath as if the Prophet should Sweare by the law that those were apostataes which drew others to the like apostasie with them But I take it otherwise namely that we are rather brought to the Law and to the Testimonie because the particle Lamed shewes that this is the true sense The Testimony is conioyned with the Law not as if they were diuers things but for the plainer vnderstanding As if hee should say To the Law which containes the Testimonie of Gods will toward you Lastly we must take the word Testimony for an
epithite to the end wee may know what the vse of the Law is namely that God manifests himselfe therein and shewes what a one he will be towards vs and lastly hee there ordaines all things which are needefull for vs to know This then is an excellent commendation of the Law which containes the doctrine of saluation and the rule of a right and happy life And this is the reason why hee iustly forbids vs to turne from it in the least iot as if hee should say Forsake all your superstitions after which these runne so violently They were not content with God alone but sought a thousand inuentions for what will satisfie him that forsakes the Lord Christ speakes also in this sort They haue Moses and the Prophets let them hears them Luke 16.29 For although Abraham bee brought in speaking there yet is it a perpetuall oracle which proceedes out of the mouth of God Wee are inioyned then to heare the Law and the Prophets to the end we should not be carried vp and downe after the curiosities of mans braine neither to desire the knowledge of any thing by meanes of the dead For if the Law and the Prophets sufficed not the Lord would not forbid vs to vse other meanes And hereby we learne that whatsoeuer is added to the word of God ought to be condemned and reiected Why so All our wisdome should be limited within the bounds of Gods word Because it is the Lords wil that we should wholly depend vpon his word and that all our wisdome should bee limited within the bounds thereof If we then listen vnto others we snatch vnto our selues a libertie which he hath forbidden vs and in so doing wee offer him great outrage Now whatsoeuer it is which men shall bee bold to set vp of themselues will bee found nothing else but a corrupting of this word Let vs therefore reiect all other teachers if we minde to obey God And he also shewes further that we shall then be well armed against all idolatries and superstitions when wee relie vpon the Law of the Lord. For as S. Paul calles the word The sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 so also by it ought we to bring Satan and all his inuentions to nought Retire we thither then when the enemies shall assault vs that being armed therewith wee may fight valiantly and at the last ouercome and put them to flight If they speake not c. I will not recite all the diuers expositions of this place because it would be too tedious And indeede the true exposition seemes to mee so sure that it may easilie refute all others The common interpretation is that the wicked doe therefore aduance their lies and set their wiles to sale because there is no light in them that is to say because they are depriued of common sense But for mine owne part I expound it that the faithfull are heereby exhorted to be of good incourage so as if the vnfaithfull agree not to the true doctrine they doe nothing else herein but shew their blindnesse And therfore must we contemne their blockishnesse to the end it may bee no let nor impediment vnto vs as also Christ admonisheth that we should boldly let such blinde guides alone lest we be moued with their blinde obstinacie They are blinde saith he and leaders of the blinde Will you wittingly perish together with them Matth. 15.14 For this cause the Prophet commands that such authoritie be giuen to the word of God to the end wee may boldly despise the whole world if they should gainsay it for by the authoritie thereof wee may condemne the Angels themselues if they should fall into such a sinne If an Angell from heauen should preach any other doctrine let him be accursed saith Paul Gal. 1.8 How much more boldly then may wee condemne men which resist God And this maner of speech also which the Prophet vseth hath great waight if they speake not according to this word because such a one is iudged blind who readily and without resistance imbraceth not this sentence namely That wee must not bee wise beyond the Law of God We must not be wise beyond the law of God Vers 21. Then hee that is afflicted and famished shall * Oâ— shall passe by this Country goe to and fro in it and when he shall be hungry he shall euen fret himselfe and curse his King and his gods and shall looke vpward LEst the faithfull should suffer themselues to be enwrapped in the common errors hee addes how horrible the punishment is which threatneth the wicked when they shall be once reuolted from God and also shall inforce themselues to draw others to the same reuolt with them The place is somewhat obscure but the cause thereof proceeds of this that some haue not weighed the words as they ought to haue done Now the verb Abar hath great weight for by this word To passe he signifies the giddinesse which causeth men to wander so as they are altogether disquieted not being able to stay loÌ„g in any place whatsoeuer We must supplie a noune to the verb indefinit to wit The Iewes shall passe By the pronoune in it he vnderstands the countrie of Iudea which the Lord had preferred aboue all other regions and therefore this may be well inough vnderstood albeit the Prophet hath not expressed it As if he should say I haue promised indeed that this region should be the perpetuall heritage of my people Gen. 12.15 17.8 but they shall be as restles vagabonds and it shall fare with them as with those who being driuen out of their countrie being afflicted with pestilence famine and all maner of miseries do seeke euery where for some place of abode better then their owne but can no where finde it Thus these words are opposed to that singular benefit of God whereof Moses makes mention so often to wit that they should dwell perpetuallie in Iudea for he foretelles here that they shall be vvanderers and vagabonds not in their countrie but in a strange region so as in whatsoeuer place they should ariue they should be assailed and vexed with infinite calamities Affamished It seemes the Prophet speakes of the Iewes conuersion as if he should say After they haue bin thorowly humbled with Gods iudgements they will come to repentance and questionlesse this is the true remedie whereby God for the most part heales the oâ—stinacie of men Notwithstanding if any tâ—inke that by the word hunger the Prophet describes the wrath and stubborne yelling of the wicked it must be obserued that he not only comprehends hunger and thirst but by the figure called Synecdoche all other calamities also By the word To prouoke he signifies that which we haue in our common speech they fret or chafe The meaning is that they shall begin to be displeased in themselues and shall also detest all those succors in which they trusted before and this in deed is the beginning of conuersion
would take them away and peck at him with their billes or else they would indeuour to driue him away by hissings and shrill cryings But this Tyrant boasts that there was no bodie durst so much as open his mouth against him and that by meanes thereof he conquered all kingdomes without any great adoe and therefore he attributes all these things to his wisdome acknowledging no prouidence of God at all Now the Prophet hath set forth these brags of set purpose and that euen by the mouth of the Tyrant himselfe to the end he might shew that these boastings of his were so many bellowes as it were to kindle the wrath of God For if such a proud caytiue were not to be borne with among men how much lesse can the Lord suffer or endure such an one Vers 15. Shall the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith or shall the saw exalt it selfe against him that moueth it as if the rod should lift vp it selfe against him that taketh it vp or the staffe should exalt it selfe as if it were no wood HEre the Lord doth more apparantlie deride the follie of this outragious Assyrian by which hee promiseth vnto himselfe mountaines and wonders For saith the Lord it is all one as if the axe or hammer should despise the hand that holds it and should brag of their nimblenes whereas it appeares well enough that these are but dead instruments without any proper mouing But before wee further expound the sentence at large I will touch something brieflie as concerning the Prophets words The second member of the verse is somewhat obscure True it is that the sentence is plaine but there is some ambiguitie in the maner of speech which also causeth great diuersitie among the expositors All things being well weyed then me thinks the sense which I haue giuen sorts best with the text What Were it not a monstrous spectacle if the staffe should exalt it selfe against him that takes it vp as if it vvere no vvood For the particle â—â—th often signifies as much as Against and the Copulatiue Vau is also often superfluous And thus we shall haue a cleare exposition and such a one as agrees with the Prophets meaning Heretofore he reproched the king of Ashur because he attributed the victories which he obteined to his counsels and forces but now he saith that herein this Tyrant exalted himselfe against God neither more nor lesse then if the axe despising the hand that ruled it should appropriate the praise due to the workeman vnto it selfe or that a staffe should rise vp against him that handleth it as if it were some other thing then wood which yet is dead and without strength Whence wee may know that men exalt themselues against God when they attribute vnto themselues more then is meete and that they war not so much with men like themselues as with the Lord himselfe Let vs then reiect these proud speeches so full of blasphemies as I haue done this by my power I haue directed this by my wisedome I haue brought such a thing to passe by my industrie For the Lord is a iealovs God Exod. 20.5 and cannot abide to giue his glory to another Isaiah 42.8 Now let vs obserue these comparisons whereby he likeneth men to instruments But first of all we must not referre this to the prouidence of God in general by which all creatures are ordered and gouerned as some doe who confesse indeede that all are moued of God because they can neither will nor chuse but they adde that euery creature is moued according to his naturall instinct as the Sun the Moone the heauens and such like things Thus they imagine that man is carried hither and thither by his owne will and free choice because God doth nothing else but continue the power which hee gaue at the beginning Now their errour tends hereunto that the frame of the whole world is indeed sustained by the hand of God yet so that it is not needful the particular mouings shold be ordered by his prouidence And thus they attribute vnto God the office to send raine and faire weather in as much as hee is the creator of nature and yet neuerthelesse that God commands nothing but the raine is ingendred of the vapors and faire weather proceedes from some other naturall causes Now this confused gouernement which they leaue vnto God is scarcely the one thousand part of the dominion which he attributes to himselfe Isaiah therefore rightly establisheth him as president ouer all actions so as hee disposeth of men according as it pleaseth him best no lesse then if they were rods in his hand He bowes their counsels ordereth their enterprises and moderates their actions to the end wee might know that all things depend vpon his prouidence and not vpon the appetite of the wicked Obiect Yet they reply that there is no reason wherefore men should bee thus called axes and swords and that in the meane while their will iudgement and whatsoeuer else that distinguisheth them from beasts should be taken away from them so as of men we should make trunkes of wood or stones Ans But the answer is ready for although God compares men to stones it followes not therupon that they should be altogether like them For that which is like is not the same but agrees in some point For although a staffe cannot moue it selfe hither and thither yet notwithstanding is fit to giue blowes so the wicked haue something in nature and yet can they turne themselues neither one way nor other further then they be still guided by the prouidence and secret counsell of God Thus this fitting or agreement of things hindereth not that the whole action should not be attributed to God onely But it is very farre from the purpose that some doe heere moue that question touching the will of man For although God be said to hold the counsels of men in his hand and turnes their enterprises and executions to what end it pleaseth him doth it therefore follow that they consult not or cease to deuise this or that For wee must not here imagine any constrained will as if God drew men whether they would or no but hee rules all their mouings by a wonderfull and an incomprehensible manner yet so as their owne will remaines vnto them still Now Isaiah teacheth chiefly in this place that all the indeuours of men are vaine if the Lord giue not an issue vnto them and therefore that the King of Ashur could haue done nothing what enterprise soeuer hee had taken in hand if God had not giuen him his victories In regard whereof hee hath no cause to attribute the praise of those things to himselfe which hee obtained not but by the meanes of God And this is it which hee confirmes by another similitude when hee saith that the lifting vp of the staffe comes not from the nature of wood but from the will of him which handleth it Vers 16. Therefore shall
put Christ himselfe to silence and can not indure his voice nay doe they not on the contrarie disgorge their edicts with full mouth their lawes decrees and tyrannicall constitutions against it Vers 5. And iustice shall be the girdle of his loines and faithfulnes the girdle of his reines OTher translate girdle but because the Prophet sets Christ before vs decked as it were with his royall ornaments I haue rather translated it sword-girdle or hangers for this also is a kinglie ornament as was the scepter which was giuen him heretofore Vers 4. And Iob minding to shew that God will strip kings of their honour saith that he will vnloose or vnbuckle their girdle Iob. 12.18 Wherefore to be girt with a sword-girdle is nothing els but to be placed in royall dignitie as we also shal see hereafter in another place Chap. 14.5 Chap. 22.21 Now the Prophet heere describes two sorts of girdles to wit iustice and faithfulnes vnlesse any had rather say that the word faithfulnes being a substantiue should be put in the place of an adiectiue as if he should say that Christ shall be gâ—rt with faithfull iustice For faithfulnes is not added here as a diuers thing from iustice but to declare what this iustice is wherewith Christ is girded Some thinke he speakes here of that iustice which Christ communicateth vnto vs so as it should not only be in him but in his members also By faith or veritie they vnderstand that faith whereby we imbrace the saluation which is offred vnto vs. The Chalde Paraphrast expoundeth it thus The iust shall come about him and the faithfull shal approch vnto him But I take it more simplie as if he should say He shall not appeare as kings clothed with purple crowned with a diademe or girt with a sword-girdle but iustice and faithfulnes shall shine in him I confesse that iustice is not so inclosed in Iesus Christ that it also appertaines not to all his members yet notwithstanding wee must obserue this maner of speech that Christ Girded with righteousnes comes forth to gouerne his members by it the which also he forthwith powres out vpon than by a secret power of the holy ghost If we distinguish the word faith from iustice me thinks it should be put for faithfulnes or stedfastnes as if the Prophet should say that Christ will neuer deceiue those that are his because he will alwaies continue like himselfe Vers 6. The woolfe also shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard shall lie with the kid and the calfe and the lion and the fat beast together and a little child shall lead them 7. And the cow and beare shall feede their young ones shall lie together and the lion shall eate straw like the bullocke HEe againe describeth the qualities and conditions of those which shall be subdued vnto Christ For because there is a mutuall correspondency betweene the King and the subiects he sometimes ascends from the body to the head and by and by from the head to the members and we haue alreadie said Verse 2. that Christ raignes not for himselfe but for his faithfull ones whence it followes that hee frames our vnderstandings to his will by the operation of his holy Spirit Yet notwithstanding the Prophet aimes at a further thing for it is as if he should promise an happie reestablishment to the world describing aâ— it were the order which was at the beginning before that woful and sorrowful change happened by the reuolt of man vnder the which we are constrained to sigh at this day Whence comes it that the brute beasts are so cruell that such as haue any strength giue themselues to snatch rent and deuoure with violence Certainely there should haue bin no discord betweene God and the creatures if they had continued stedfast in their first and pure originall When they rise vp then one against another and that the weakest haue neede of defence against the strongest is it not a testimonie of that confusion which is issued from the sinne of man Now seeing Christ is come to the end that hauing abolished the curse he might reconcile the world vnto God it is not without cause that the re-establishment of a perfect estate is attributed to him as if the Prophet should say that the golden world should returne during which time all felicitie should flourish that is to say before the fall of man and the change and ruine which followed thereupon God by Hosea speaketh thus I will make a couenant for them with the beasts of the field with the birds of the ayre and with the creeping things Hose 2.18 as if hee should say After that God shall become mercifull to the world for Christs sake he will therewithall shew the signes of his good fauour vnto it to the end that whatsoeuer corruptions did proceed from the sinne of man might come to an end To conclude the Prophets vnder these figures teach the very same which S. Paul affirmes plainely to wit Col. 1.20 that Christ came to gather the things which were scattered both in heauen and in earth Ephes 1.10 The summe of all then is that Christ shall come to chase all hurtfull things out of the world and to restore it to the first beautie in which it was before it was accursed And therefore he saith that the lion shall feede the bullocke Had not the contagion of sinne infected the world we should haue seene no beast giuen to deuouring or blood sucking but the fruits of the earth would haue sufficed all liuing creatures for if the contagion of sinne had not infected the world wee should not haue seene any beast giuen to blood nor to the pray but the fruits of the earth would haue sufficed all things which kind of foode indeed was prescribed vnto them by the Lord. In the meant while although Isaiah saith that the wild and the tame beasts should liue quietly together to the end the blessing of God should appeare shine euery where yet notwithstanding he aimes chiefly at that which I haue said to wit that no hurtfull affection should be discerned amongst the people of Christ neither yet any crueltie or inhumanitie whatsoeuer And whereas before they had beene as lions and leopards they should now become like lamb and sheepe because they shall haue put off all cruell and brutish affection For by these kindes of speech he meant nothing else but to say that those which in times past had been like outragious and cruell beasts should become gentle and tractable And therefore he compares violent men and robbers to wolues and beares which liue of the pray and spoile and pronounceth that they should become tame and meeke so as contenting themselues with a common and ordinarie diet they will carefully auoid the doing of wrong or hurt vnto any Now here we must argue from the lesse to the greater to wit if Christ doe appease and set the brute beasts at vnitie together
herb THe Prophet amplifies this desolation by a kind of excessiue speech He saith The grasse shall wither which falles out when God depriues a land of all helps Also that the waters shall be dried vp for it is very likely they were exceedinglie necessarie for this quarter which was drie for such countries as those bring forth nothing vnlesse they be watered But howsoeuer this be an excessiue speech yet it conteines nothing but that which is most true for he passed not his bounds but was faine to lay forth these things in the more words because of the peoples dulnesse to the end they might know that this land beeing depriued of Gods blessing should become a desert deformed and void of all beautie Vers 7. Therefore what euery man hath left and their substance shall they beare to the brooke of the willowes THat which euery one hath reserued signifies the same which we vsually say that which is left or spared For his meaning is to speake of riches reserued thereby shewing what happens ordinarily in those countries which the enemies inuade to wit euery one labors to transport his goods to an other place and to lay them vp safe there that so they may fetch them home afterwards Now he saith that these shall haue no fortresse nor refuge to put their goods in safetie so as they shall bee constrained to hide them amongst the willowes See here an extreme miserie when wee can finde no place of refuge to safegard and keepe that which wee haue gotten with great labour from being a spoile to the enemies It is very likely that these willowes stood in some secret and close place remote from others Some expound this of the enemies which bring the riches which they haue pilled to the riuer to part the pray among themselues Vers 8. For the cry went round about the borders of Moab and the houling thereof vnto Eglaim and the skriking thereof vnto Beer-Elim THe Hebrew particle Ci was added for ornament His meaning is that all the quarters of this Country shall be filled with cries and lamentations in euery corner because this destruction shall reach from one end to another To the cry he addes a skriking or double houling to expresse the execesse of dolour it being the maner of desperate persons to become vtterly desolate and to bee resolued into teares Vers 9. Because the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood and I will * Or increasings bring more vpon Dimon euen lions vpon him that escapeth Moab and to the remnant of the land HEe not onely describes here the dolour houling flight and trembling or the couetousnesse of the enemies in raking together of riches but the slaughter of men which must needes be fearefull when the great and renowned riuers as Dimon was were filled with blood By increasings hee meanes that the Lord in whose person hee speakes will augment the murthers so as the dead bodies shall be piled one vpon another and there shall be no end thereof till they be all put to the sword Now howsoeuer the aduersaries were cruell in this destruction yet the Lord passed not measure for all that because hee iustly punished the inhumanitie which the Moabites vniustly exercised ouer the Iewes vpon whom they ought to haue had compassion It was iust then for them to beare the same punishment which they had laid vpon others Which are escaped These are also the increasings whereof he spake or at least part of them For behold the highest pitch of all these calamities that if any indeuoured to saue himselfe in battel from out of the hands of his enemies hee should meete with lions and cruell beasts which should deuoure him And this is the true meaning of the Prophet if we narrowly weigh the whole context He meant to expresse this discomfiture and the miserie thereof in liuely colours by shewing that the small remnant which shall escape the slaughter shall fall into the pawes of the lion because the hand of the Lord doth so pursue the wicked that they can no way escape if they passe one danger they by and by fall into another But withall let vs remember that the Prophet speakes these things for the consolation of the faithfull that they might fortifie themselues by some promises against the cruelty of the enemies who in the end should be cut off and should finde no refuge at all in their gods fortresses or lurking holes neither should their flight any thing at all auaile them THE XVI CHAPTER Vers 1. Send yee a lamb to the ruler of the world from the rocke of the wildernesse vnto the mountain of the daughter Zion HEere the Prophet insults ouer the Moabites for that they knew not God whilest they had time but boldly expected his punishing hand till at length they were destroyed by it In this place then there is a condemning of too late a repentance when men cannot be brought to amendment by any admonitions whatsoeuer but harden their faces against God In a word this kind of exhortation hath place when the disease is become incurable Now wee must diligently obserue the words because both Hebrewes and Christians interpret this place amisse St. Ierome Saint Ierome expounds it of Iesus Christ because he descended from the Moabites of whom Ruth came Ruth 1.4 Matth. 1.5 and the most part of Christian expositours follow him As if the Prophet should say Lord although so seuere a iudgement be prepared for the Moabites yet thou wilt not vtterly destroy them Why Because they must send vs the Lambe which is the ruler of the world But as this exposition hath no ground so needes it not to be refuted As touching the Hebrewes they thinke this was spoken in regard that the Moabites who seeing the Iewes to haue ill successe ceassed to pay them the tribute which they ought and Isaiah hauing prophecied the restauration of the Kingdome of Iudah they thinke that therewithall hee exhorts the Moabites to acknowledge their King And so would haue this a royall edict to correct their disobedience as if hee should say Send the tribute which you owe. But wee reade not in any place that the Moabites were subiect or tributaries to the Iewes neither is there so much as any probable coniecture of it Wheras they alleage the history of the Kings they are mistaken for it is there spoken to the king of Israel Ahab and Samaria are there expresly named 2. King 3.5 6 and we know that the Samaritans bare a deadly hatred against the Iewes The true senâ—e of this place I content my selfe then in the first exposition which I haue touched as being the truest and most naturall because the Prophets meaning is to condemne the Moabites for not repenting in time and therefore should now seek reconciliation in vaine which before to their great vtilitie they might easily haue obtained Thus the word send must be taken by way of deriding as if he should say You may now send
and what we should vowe and fulfill There was neuer any libertie giuen vs to vow whatsoeuer wee list the reason is because we giue our selues the raines too much and suffer our selues to rush against God in all things being more impudent in this behalfe then if we had to deale with men Now ye see the cause why it was needfull that men should be restrained by some bridle euen to the end they might not giue themselues ouer-great libertie in Gods seruice and religion Seeing it is thus we may all see that God approues of nothing but that which his Law confirmes and reiects all things else as a strange and superstitious worship What soeuer then any man voweth of his owne head without warrant from Gods word can not be sound Note and if he fulfill it he sinnes double first for vowing foolishlie as if he toyed and plaid the foole with God secondly for accomplishing that which he hath rashlie vowed without warrant whereas he ought rather to haue repented himselfe and to haue forborne the doing of it So farre off is it then that such vowes do binde any man that on the contrarie hauing acknowledged his fault and rashnes in so doing he ought to change his mind and to cease from performing of it If any now shall make enquirie touching Papisticall vowes it is easie to proue that they haue no affinitie with Gods word For if those which they esteeme lawfull and the most excellent aboue the rest are wicked and vnlawfull Vowes of Monks as the vowes of Monks are what may wee thinke of the rest They vow perpetuall Chastitie as if it were granted to all in a like measure now wee know this gift is rare neither is it promised to all no not to those who otherwise are indued with great and excellent graces Gen. 11.29 25.1 Abraham was of an excellent faith and constancie of singular meekenes and holines yet had he not this gift Christ himselfe testifies that it is not giuen to all euen then when his Apostles so highlie commended single life Math. 19.6.10.11.12 and S. Paul saith the like 1. Cor. 7.7.9 He then which hath not this gift of continencie and yet vowes it doth ill Presumption in any to vow single life and shal be iustlie punished for his presumption Hence haue come those infinite shamefull examples whereby God hath iustlie punished such pride in the Papacie They vowe pouertie also Wilfull pouertie as if it were vnlawfull for them to inioy any thing of their owne yet doe they abound in wealth aboue all men is not this a plaine mocking of God Papists vows of obedience meere rebellion As touching the obedience which they vow it is nothing else but meere rebellion for they shake off Christes yoke to subiect themselues to men Others vow pilgrimages Pilgrimages to eate no flesh to keepe certaine dayes and other things full of superstitions Others vow vnto God fond and doltish toyes as if they had to deale with a little child for we are ashamed to make such promises vnto men amongst whom nothing is confirmed vnlesse both parties be first agreed betweene themselues and doe allow of one anothers fact Note Surely we should much lesse enterprise ought in Gods seruice vnlesse wee haue good warrant for our deede out of his holie word What seruice will you call that where the statutes of God are nothing accounted of and where the will of man only takes place Can this be acceptable vnto God thinke we Nay shall it not rather be termed superstition which S. Paul so much detesteth Coloss 2.23 Those which make such vowes then do brag in vaine that they serue God therein as if this place any thing at all fauored their conceit because the Lord detesteth such worship Vers 22. Wherefore the Lord shall smite Egypt he shall smite and heale it for he shall returne vnto the Lord and he shall be intreated of them and shall heale them NOw the Prophet concludes that which he had said before to wit that the chastisement whereof he spake should be profitable to the Egyptians because it should be as a preparatiue to bring theÌ„ to repentance as if he should say The affliction wherewith the Lord shall smite Egypt shall turne to the singular benefit and good thereof Those who reade He shall smite with an incurable wound do interpret this place amisse and do much diminish the Prophets meaning for he shewes that the wounds shall be profitable because God will vse them as a meanes to bring them home Whence we are to gather that we should neuer refuse to be chastised of the Lord seeing he doth it for our great good in regard that impunitie ingenders a greater licence to commit sinne And because men are wonderfullie prone in giuing themselues the raines whilst God spares them therefore he himselfe is faine to preuent the mischiefe as we say which he doth by chastisements and afflictions that he might thereby prouoke and prick vs forward to repentance and amendment of life Loe heere an excellent example set before vs in Egypt who found grace and mercie at Gods hands although she was stuffed with superstitions and impietie and surmounted all other nations in idolatry But note the meanes how to wit by turning vnto God for this is the exposition of the former member Conuersion a kinde of resurrection from eâ—ernal death as if he should haue said God shal heale the Egyâ—tians because they shall conuert Let vs gather from hence that conuersion is as it were a resurrection from eternall death for we are but dead all the while we remaine vnconuerted but being once conuerted we enter into fauour with God and are deliuered from hell Repentance merits not remission of sâ—nnes Not that we merit this grace by our repentance but because by this meanes the Lord raiseth vs as it were from death to life To this repentance there is a promise added whence we gather that our requests are not in vaine when we craue pardon for our sinnes prouided that our repentance be not hypocriticall Now when the Lord saith that hee will be mercifull to the Egyptians hee therewithall shewes that they shall obtaine fauour immediately after they be once conuerted Conuersion and inuocation goe alwaies hand in hand It shall be a true conâ—ersion then when calling vpon the name of God shall follow it But this inuocation cannot be without faith for the wicked themselues may haue some knowledge of their sinnes yet none of them will haue their recourse to Gods mercy neither shall they euer be truely reconciled vnto him vnlesse they bee touched at the heart with the true feeling of that repentance which is ioyned with faith Rom. 10.14 The word Healing taken heere in a double sense And I will heale Hee repeates not that which he said to wit the Lord â—hall smite Egypt and heale it but he promiseth to heale it in another signification that is
good lawes by the which they might liue but because they haue not obserued my iudgements and haue cast my statutes behind their backs prophaning mine ordinances and setting their eies towards the Idols of their fathers It is iust with God to mâ—ke vs serue cruel Lords when we will not yeeld willing obedience to his lawes therefore I also gaue theÌ„ statutes which were not good and iudgements in which they should not liue Ezech. 20.24 Now in regard they might haue prosred and beene happie by Gods blessing in times past if they had yeelded their obedience to his word therefore Ezechiel threatens them that Tyrants shall rule ouer them and in spite of their teeth shall cause them to submit themselues to their cruell edicts and lawes yea and that without bringing any profit or reward at all vnto them Isaiah in this place bewailes the like miserie Oh saith he whilst the Lord reigned ouer vs we had much adoe to content our selues with our estate but now we are constreined to beare a wofull seruitude and therein are iustlie punished for our wickednes The faithfull also which liue vnder the Papacie or such as are forced to yeeld in any sort to wicked lawes and constitutions full of superstition may well take vp the like complaint for they are vnder such an authoritie as is against God The slauerie of such as are vnder the tyrannie of the Romane Antichrist they are oppressed vnder more then a barbarous seruitude which binds not the bodie only but leades them to the flaying of their soules But we will remember thee only It seemes this particle should be opposed to the former thus Albeit these prophane Lords would turne and withdraw vs from vnder thy gouernment yet will we hold our selues fast vnto it because we assuredlie know our selues to belong to thee But there may be gathered from hence a more ample doctrine to wit that although carnall reason is readie to say that such as are made a pray to their enemies and cruellie vexed vnder their tyrannie are forsaken of God yet the Iewes cease not therefore still to reioyce in him notwithstanding they saw him nothing neere vnto them for the only remembrance of his name susteined them and did sweetly feede and nourish their hope Thus there is an opposition of great weight betweene the remembrance of Gods name A singular grace of God it is to cleaue fast vnto him wheÌ„ he seems to forsake vs. and the present feeling of his fauor for it is a rare and singular grace of God constantlie to cleaue vnto him when he seemes to be absent and farre off from vs. Others translate In thee and in thy name but here is no such coniunction To let that passe therefore A Consolation fitting our times this place affords vnto vs such consolation as is exceeding necessarie for our times wherein the peruerse vnthankfulnes of men by casting off the sweet yoke of God haue drawne vpon themselues a grieuous and cruell slauerie neither are we to wonder if we see this tyrannie alreadie exercised euen in many places where the name of God is called vpon The faithfull I say must not therefore be discouraged only let them rest their hopes vpon this consolation to wit God will neuer vtterlie forsake those whose whole ioy and delight consists in the remembrance of his name Let them not feare then I say at any hand to professe this their confidence before all men What confidence Truly that they had rather die ten times then once to recoile back from God Better to die often then once to reuolt and so to darken his glorie For whosoeuer he be that through feare giues place to men They that sin against conscience for feare of men neuer yet tasted in truth how gracious the Lord is let him know for a truth that he hath not as yet rightlie tasted how gracious the Lord is Whilest we enioy the free vse of Gods word then let vs diligentlie exercise our selues in it that so we may arme our selues therewith against the time of need to the end the world may know that we haue not studied it as in a dreame Vers 14. * Or being dead they c The dead shall not liue * Or being slaine they shall not c. neither shall the dead arise * Or for this cause thou hast c. because thou hast visited and scattered them and destroyed all their memorie THe Prophet comes againe to speake of the wofull end of the wicked whose prosperous estate often disquiets and dismaies vs as we may see in the 37. Psal and in the 73.17 That our eies then may not be dazeled in the beholding of present things the Prophet threatens that their end shall be most wofull Others expound this place of the faithfull who seeme so to die in the eyes of the world as if they should neuer rise againe but it is very cleare that he here speakes of the wicked and reprobates which will euidentlie appeere by the contrarie to this which is added in the 19. verse For we haue in this place an opposition betweene the resurrection of the good and the bad whose estates would be little differing one from another vnlesse it should appeere that the one sort were iudged to eternall death Euery iudgement that lights vpon a reprobate in this life is a seale vnto him of his endlesse torment in the life to come and the other to a blessed and an euerlasting life Nay the wicked are not simplie condemned to eternall perdition but all the iudgements of God which befall them in this life are as it were the beginnings and seales vnto them of their endlesse torment for they can not be relieued by any consolation at all Why so Because they inwardly feele that God is their enemie Whereas we haue translated Slaine others reade it Giants but seeing the word Rephaim in many places of the Scriptures is taken for the slaine Psal 88.10 Prou. 2.18 9.18 21.16 it will agree best if wee take it so here otherwise the opposition would not be fitting That which followes For this cause hast thou visited them is put here by way of exposition for he shewes why the reprobates perish without hope of any restauration to wit because God hath determined to cast them away Now what can they expect from Gods wrath which is inflamed against them but death and perdition Vers 15. Thou hast increased the nation O Lord thou hast increased the nation thou art made glorious thou hast enlarged all the coastes of the earth THis verse is diuersly expounded for some think the Prophet shewes how the faithfull are not pressed with one affliction alone but are plunged ouer head and eares as it were in extreme miseries and yet can see no issue out of them Others expound it more simply thus O Lord thou hast inriched thy people with many benefits and so they think that the Prophet mentions those
they may receiue a sure life that neuer decaies And therefore S. Paul very fitlie shewes that it were to turne the order of things vpside downe if that the faithfull should liue till such time as Christ who is the fountaine of life appeeres Col. 3.3.4 Therefore it is we said before that Isaiah here comprehends the whole kingdome of Christ for albeit we begin to feele the fruits of this consolation when we enter into the Church yet we whollie enioy not the full measure thereof till the day of the resurrection be come wherein all things shall be perfectlie restored The day of resurrection the day of our refreshing Mat. 25.32 in which respect it is also called the day of restauration Act. 3.21 Here then we see the only remedie to mitigate the bitternes of all our griefes to wit euen to turne our eies to the beholding of this day in which God shall separate the good from the bad As death then naturallie deuoures and destroyes all the race of Adam so the miseries to which they are subiect in this world are forerunners of the same death All miseries are forerunners of death Their life therefore is but a kind of death but in regard that by the redemption wrought by Christ the curse of God is taken away both in these beginnings of death as also in death it selfe Christ hath by his death taken away the curse both of these beginnings of death as also of death it selfe therefore it is rightlie said That all those that are grafted into Christes bodie liue whilest they die because all their euils are turned vnto their good Rom. 8.28 Whence it followes that they alwaies come forth as those that are more then conquerors euen out of the very iawes of death and that till they be fullie and whollie knit vnto their head Would wee then be esteemed in the number of those that are dead in Christ of whose life he is the sure gardian We must then lift vp the eies of our faith aboue the whole course of nature But this is yet better expressed by the word body or carcase as if he should say this old rottennes which it seemes hath consumed the bodies of the faithfull shall hinder the Lord nothing at all to make them rise vp in full beautie againe As touching the proprietie of the Hebrue phrase some translate it With my bodie others Which are my bodie Others againe supplie a particle of similitude As my bodie but in regard the sense agrees well enough without adding or deminishing let vs content our selues with that which the words do plainely sound of themselues and so had I rather take it by way of application At the least this word is added of set purpose so as the Prophet thereby ioines himselfe to the whole bodie of the Church and thus he placeth himselfe in the number of those which being dead in the Lord do notwithstanding wait for a resurrection apart And in that he mentions himselfe in particular A commendation of Isaiahs faith in God and loue to the Church it is that he might giue the more authoritie vnto his doctrine For he thereby shewes that he spake from the heart vttering and testifying by this his confession the fruit of his faith according to that sentence I beleeued therefore did I speake Psal 116.10 2. Cor. 4.13 otherwise the wicked and prophane may well discourse in words of Gods mercie and of life eternall and yet in the meane while haue no feeling at all of these things in their heart As did that false Prophet Balaam who knew well enough that that which be spake was true and yet for all that receiued no profit by his prophecies himselfe Num. 23.19 and 24.5 But our Prophet speakes in this place far otherwise for he professeth that he is of their number who belonged to a better life thus shewing that he willingly vnderwent the sorrows and calamities which God laid vpon him for the furtherance of his mortification as one indeed that chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Now thus he makes it cleere to all the world that he speakes not here of things whic hee knew not or of that which he felt not but of those things which he learned by experience Yea hee shewes hereby that his confidence was so great that he willingly ranged himselfe among a company of dead bodies which yet should as he beleeued be restored to life chusing rather to bee accounted a rotten carcase knowing himselfe to bee a member of the Church then to be in his full strength out of the same And this doubtlesse caused his doctrine to be so much the more effectuall for he opposeth it to the former sentence verse 14. in which hee said that the wicked should not liue because all hope of a ioyfull resurrection was taken away from them If any obiect Obiect that the resurrection shall be common as well to good as to bad it is easilie answered Ans for Isaiah speakes not here onely of the resurrection but of that felicitie which the faithfull shal inioy I grant the wicked shall rise but it is to eternall perdition their resurrection therefore shall be to their ruine and death whereas it shall bring happinesse and glory to the iust He calles the inhabitants of the dust the faithfull who are humbled vnder crosses and afflictions who in life haue death continually before their eyes Yet I deny not but they also inioy the benefits of God euen in this life but by this similitude the Prophet sets out their miserable condition as those that beare in their bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus 2. Cor. 4.10 For it is needfull that their outward man should be beaten downe and mortified till at the last it be brought to nothing that so the inward man may be renued daily 2. Cor. 4.16 If we meane then to haue any part or portion in this consolation let vs willingly content our selues to lie downe in the dust For this cause hee commands the dead to arise and sing which may seeme to be very vnfitting for men in their case there being nothing among them but a sorrowfull silence In this therefore the Prophet shewes an apparent difference betweene the elect of God An apparent difference betweene the elect and the reprobate who arise by an heauenly power albeit they be as good as rotten in their graues and lie buried in the dust and the reprobates for they being separated from God and Christ the fountaine of life wither away whilest they liue that so death may vtterly deuoure them Now in that he promiseth to giue them the deaw of the meddow hee thereby inricheth his doctrine with a verie elegant and fit similitude for we all know that the flowers do fade and die in winter but especially in meddowes for they seeme to be altogether dead neither can a man be perswaded to the contrarie
then we are as good as dead and vtterlie cut off but how soeuer the Lord afflicts his Church yet he neuer suffers the rootes to die God afflicts his Church but he neuer suffers her roote to perish true it is they lie hid but yet in time they shall reuiue and bring forth fruit Whereas he saith the world shall be filled with the fruit of these rootes that was accomplished at the comming of Christ who gathered and multiplied the people of God by his Gospell Ephes 2.14 Isa 2.3 for then Israel and the Gentiles were vnited into one bodie and so the difference was taken away which was betweene them in former time Now we are not ignorant that the Gospell Ioh. 4.22 and the whole fruit which it brought forth proceeded first from the Iewes Vers 7. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him or is he slaine according to the slaughter of those that were slaine by him HE confirmes the former sentence to wit that they might see sure and euident signes of Gods loue and goodnes euen in his chastisements for he is wont so to correct his people that whilest he beates thē downe with his left hand he susteins them with his right This verse is diuerslie expounded some interpret it thus Haue I smitten Israel as his enemies haue smitten him The Assyrians shewed them no mercie but vexed them with all rigor but I haue moderated my wrath and haue not smitten them for their ruine whereby I haue well shewed that I was not their enemie And yet me thinks the other exposition pleaseth me better which also is the most receiued to wit that a difference is here put betweene the faithfull and the wicked God afflicts the elect and reprobate both alike in this life but after a diuers maner Rom. 9.22 for the Lord punisheth them both indifferentlie but yet after a diuers maner For in punishing the reprobate he giues way to his anger because he meanes to root them out in regard they be vessels of his wrath ordeined to destruction as those that haue no taste nor feeling at all of his goodnes but when he corrects his children he moderates his anger and aimes at a contrarie marke for he thereby meanes to worke their amendment and to draw them to himselfe that so in the end they may haue a better a more permanent estate Quest But may some man say Wherefore doth the Prophet vse a relatiue here saying of him which smote him Ans I answere it is because the Lord often vseth the wicked as his instrumēts to correct his chosen and that for their greater humbling For no doubt it is a very great triall the Lord puts vs vnto when he suffers vs to be oppressed vnder the tyrannie of the wicked for we doubt sometimes as if he tooke part with them against vs or as if he hated vs and meant to disappoint vs of his succor For the preuenting of this doubt he saith It is true that now and then he permits the wicked to afflict his people and to worke their wills vpon them for a time but in the end they themselues with their impietie shall be punished much more sharplie then they haue punished the faithful Notwithstanding if any had rather follow the first exposition I leaue it to his choice namely that the Lord will not deale with vs as with his enemies Thēce came that sentence 2. Sam. 24.14 It is better to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of men for the Lord can neuer forget his couenant wherein he hath giuen his word to vse his Church with all louing and fatherly affection Vers 8. In measure in the branches thereof wilt thou contend with it * or although he shal blow when he bloweth with his rough wind in the day of the east winde THis is the second proofe of Gods mercie towards his elect whom he iudgeth with the world 1. Cor. 11.32 lest they should be condemned with the world for whilest he smites them he so moderates his blowes that he still hath an eye to their weaknes so as he will neuer correct them beyond measure As touching the word measure all the expositors conclude that it signifies moderation for otherwise wee were neuer able to beare Gods hand but should be ouerwhelmed forthwith but he holds an euen hand and is also faithfull as S. Paul saith and wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare 1. Cor. 10.13 And thus Ieremiah Iere. 10.24 desires the Lord to correct him in iudgement that is to say in measure that so the blowes might be proportionable to his infirmitie But the expositors agree not in the interpretation of these words in the branches for some translate In setting one of them against another by ciuill warres Others that God will reuenge their wickednesses by that sword which themselues haue drawne out and put into his hand But I passe by both these expositions because I can not approue of them that interpretation which I take to be the most probable is theirs who expoūd In his buds that is to say In his plāts signifying that the Lord will not only curse their goods but their persons also For we know that Gods chastisements are of diuers kinds the lightest are those whereby he depriues vs of outward things which are commonlie termed the goods of fortune Goods of fortune His meaning is then that God will so chastise the faithfull as he will not only touch them in their persons but he will also depriue them of ordinarie foode to wit of wheate wine oyle and other like commodities which the earth brings forth for the verb Shalach wherof this word bud comes signifies to bring forth sprout or bud But I haue another exposition which comes neerer the Prophets meaning to wit that God contends with his Church in her buds or branches for albeit hee lops off the branches and cuts downe the body of the tree also yet he will not suffer his wrath to consume the rootes and all but the tree shall spring because there is alwaies some sap in the rootes which God will neuer suffer to die nor decay And this fits well with the sixt verse where hee promised that Israel should take roote and bring forth fruit He expounds that then which hee spake before to wit in measure that is to say hee will not plucke it vp by the rootes for the Lord will lop off that which appeares on the outside of the tree to wit the branches and the leaues but he will keepe the roote sound As for the reprobates hee will vtterly stub them vp and so mangle them to peeces that they shall neuer sprout more Whereas others haue translated He blew with his wind I haue thought it better to say Although he shall haue blowed for he continues the similitude in which hee alluded to the herbes and plants which wither away when any
owne neckes for it came to passe by his iust iudgement that Satan drew them on by little and little with his sweete baites till hee had caught them fast in his nets But in the end it was euident that they were not onely depriued of that succour which they expected but were also sharplie corrected for their presumption and infidelitie The Prophet threatens them then that the Egyptians shall not onely deceiue them as it often falles out that the wicked either giue vs the slip when we haue most neede or doe treacherously betray those whom they haue set a gog with faire promises but that they should stand them in no stead although they did their best indeuours to keepe that faith which they had promised For let men do the vtmost they can for vs Men can doe vs no good further then it pleaseth God to blesse their indeuors for our good yet in as much as the issues of all things rests in the hands of God we shall receiue no benefit thereby vnlesse God bee pleased to adde his blessing When the Prophet spake this it was verie doubtfull and hard to bee beleeued that so mightie a people should bee vnable to giue them helpe but we ought to hold it for a sure principle A Principle that all the comforts which the world is able to set before vs shall turne but to smoke vnlesse the Lord be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs. Vers 6. The burthen of the beasts of the South in a land of trouble and anguish from whence shall come the young and old Lion the Viper and fierie flying Serpent against them that shall beare their riches vpon the shoulders of the Coltes and their treasures vpon the bounches of the Camels to a people that cannot profit HAuing inueied against the consultations of the Iewes in seeking helpe from the Egyptians he now scornes them for the large expences and great paines which they were at to bring this about and therefore he denounceth the same curse which he did in the beginning of the Chapter because they foolishly busied themselues much in trangressing Gods commandement He mentions the South because they passed thorow the South Country wherein Egypt was situated from Iudea And in regard of the way thereunto he calles the beasts and speakes to them the rather to shame men who were become senslesse and would heare no admonitions at all He therefore shewes that the effect of this prophecie shall extend it selfe to the very brute beasts seeing men did shut their eares against it For seeing this people did proudly contemne these threatnings the Prophet doth for good cause direct his speech to the Horses and Camels who though they were destitute of reason yet should they perceiue that God spake not in vaine Furthermore the Prophet shewes that Egypt vpon which this people thought to build their perfect happinesse should proue a land of trouble and affliction euen to the verie beasts The way was long and tedious yet they spared no cost to satisfie their inordinate lusts yea they were so violently ouerswayed and caried away therewith that no distance of place nor length of way could possibly coole or abate the same Now Isaiah threatens them with a speciall iudgement besides the former incumbrances which should catch hold vpon them to wit that wild and cruell beasts that is the young and old Lion should meete them Which was no new nor extraordinary accident vnto them that trauelled betweene Iudea and Egypt Therefore hee heere notes out some thing more rare and dangerous to wit that besides the sore trauaile discommodities and charges which they should be at God in his iustice would meete them with such misfortunes that in the end they should miserably perish This doctrine ought to be applied vnto vs who are too much wedded to the verie same vice for as soone as any shew of danger ariseth wee by and by hasten to vnlawfull shifts imagining that they shall doe vs good albeit we know they be condemned of God Is it not great reason then that if wee will needes partake with this people in their sin that wee also should share with them in their punishment vnlesse we preuent the same by repressing our stubburnnesse and vnbeliefe by Gods word We ought also to obserue and take heede of this folly which caries vs away in such wise that we care for no cost nor refuse any paines whatsoeuer to satisfie and accomplish our ouer great fond and furious lust Whilest we were captiues vnder the Papacie we had too wofull experience hereof trotting hither and thither Men will take great paines to fulfill their owne lusts but none at al in yeelding obedience to the Gospell and made long and wearisome pilgrimages to diuers Saints when as yet the most tedious iournies were easie and light vnto vs but now when wee should yeeld obedience vnto God and beare the light yoke of Christ wee can indure no paines at all Vers 7. * Or Surely For the Egyptians are vanitie and they shall helpe in vaine Therefore haue I cried vnto her their strength is to sit still THis verse containes in it the exposition of the former sentence for he denounceth and repeates but the same thing as it were to wit that the Egyptians shall stand the Iewes in no stead albeit they weary their bodies and empty their purses neuer so much in seeking helpe at their hands As if hee should say Egypts strength shall be vnprofitable vnto you notwithstanding they should do their vttermost and imploy all their power to that end Thus the Iewes should be vtterly frustrated of their hopes and to their great griefe should find themselues much deceiued The letter Vau here signifies For or Surely as I haue translated it In the next place he shewes that the Iewes haue nothing to say for themselues in that they were thus giddy headed to runne into Egypt and that they were vtterly vnworthy of pardon in regard they would not repent but wilfully and wittingly posted downe thither albeit they had been admonished to tarrie at home For I refer this crying vnto Ierusalem to the persō of God wherein he complaines that he did but lose his labour in seeking to reclaime them by so many and plaine admonitions therewithall shewing that it was not without good cause that he had forewarned them to sit still for he therein sought to preuent the afflictions and calamities which otherwise he foresaw would surely fall vpon them But whence I pray you sprang this vnquietnesse Truely from this that Ierusalem would not beleeue the word of the Lord. In a word he shewes that meere rebellion of heart pricked them forward to trot into Egypt Why so Because they might haue liued in safetie if they would haue taried at home The verbe to crie signifies that they were not onely admonished by words but also by stripes whence it appeares that their obstinacie and rebellion was the greater He takes sitting still here to remaine
and to rest quietly in the house for he will shew afterward that it had been their parts to haue been of a quiet spirit See now the fountaine from whence this vnquietnesse and stirring yea this their madnesse and giddinesse of head sprang Oh! They thought that the Lord was too weake for their defence vnlesse the strength of Egypt were also added thereunto For it is the propertie of infidelitie The nature of infidelitie to solicite the hearts of such as giue not honour enough to the power of God to be in continuall vexation of spirit without anie rest at all Vers 8. Now goe and write it before them in a table and note it in a booke that it may be for the last day for euer and euer HAuing conuinced the Iewes of manifest incredulitie now he would haue it signed and sealed as it were vpon perpetuall record for a witnesse vnto all posteritie to the end those which should succeed might know both how obstinate rebellious this people were as also how iustlie God inflicted his punishments vpon them We haue told you before that the Prophets were wont to gather their Sermons into certaine chiefe heads See chap. 8.1 and afterwards to fasten them vpon the gates of the Temple which being read and viewed of all at leisure the Ministers tooke them thence and laid them vp safely in Chests in the Temple and thus the booke of the Prophets were conserued and afterward gathered orderlie into volumes But when among the rest there was some rare and excellent prophesie and worthie of memorie then the Lord commanded that it should be written in greater letters the better to draw the people to the reading of it that they might mark it the more diligentlie The Lord now commands the Prophet to doe the like thereby shewing that this was no ordinarie matter but the whole to be carefullie written and very attentiuely read Yea that it should not only be read but also so ingrauen as it were in mens memories that it might neuer be raced out No doubt but the Prophet got great hatred of all hands by this prophesie in regard he was not afraid to bring them thus vpon the open stage not only to shame them among those that then liued but among the posteritie also and that from generation to generation For what can men lesse indure then to haue their wickednesses published or that the same should stand as it were vpon record in the minds of men oh they can not abide that they detest and abhorre it accounting it a most vnworthie fact Yet the Prophet notwithstanding was to goe thorow with it and to yeeld obedience vnto God albeit he thereby got the hatred of men Isaiahs constancie worthie to be obserued followed yea and it may be put his life also in danger which constancie of his we are carefullie to obserue in regard that he nothing feared the feare of men when the question was of his obedience to his God and the discharge of his dutie Then he contemned hatreds enuie hurlie burlies threats false alarums and all dangers that so he might the more freely and boldly performe that charge which was imposed vpon him In which respect it is our parts to follow and imitate his worthie example if we meane to giue eare and to follow Gods call Before them Others translate with them But the word Before agrees best for he meant to prouoke the Iewes in the sight of all by setting forth this prophesie written in a Table And hence may we gather that wicked men ought to be seuerelie reprehended and that in the presence of all albeit they storme neuer so much at it Wicked persons must be sharplie reprooued though they storme neuer so much at it as being a thing which at no hand they can away withall for howsoeuer such reprehensions and threatnings doe them little or no good yet others peraduenture may be warned thereby when they shall see them so branded with perpetuall shame and infamie Iere. 17.1 That which is recorded elsewhere to wit the sinne of Iudah is written with the penne of a diamond and grauen vpon the table of their hearts shall be fulfilled in them Neither ought they once to imagin that they shall escape albeit they contemne the prophesies by stopping their eares at the publishing of them for their wickednes shall be manifest to the view of men and Angels Furthermore in regard they did neuer willinglie repent themselues nor were ashamed of their sinnes the Lord commands a spectacle of their infamie to be erected and set vp before the eies of all for as they were wont to engraue victories or some notable things in tables of brasse so would God haue their shame noted in publike tables which the Iewes notwithstanding labored to hide and couer by their cauils For this was an extraordinarie matter as I said erewhile that the Prophet was charged to defame his owne nation by so solemne an edict for which cause it is added that it should be for the last day that so they might be had in detestation for euer or because that when the great Iudge shall appeere and sit in Iudgement and that all bookes shall be opened then the sinnes of the wicked shall be truly discouered for then the things which before lay hid and buried as it were in obscure darkenes shall be discouered and brought to light Let vs heere obserue diligentlie that the prophesies were not written for the men of one age alone Note that the prophesies were not only written for them of former times but to instruct vs and our posteritie after vs. but also for their children and all posterities which should be instructed to the end they might learne to eschew that hardnes of heart which was in their forefathers Psal 78.6.7.8 and 95.8 And that which S. Paul saith of the whole Scripture that it is profitable to teach to admonish comfort agrees also to this prophesie for we know that these points are needfull to be knowne in all times 2. Tim. 3.16 Let vs reiect then the imaginations of those franticke spirits and bad companions who affirme that this doctrine was fit for that time and not for this Let the faithfull I say learne to stop their eares at such blasphemies and to driue them farre away from them for albeit our Prophet be now dead yet must his doctrine still liue and bring forth fruit amongst vs. Vers 9. * Or For. That it is a rebellious people lying children and children that would not heare the law of the Lord. THe particle For serues as an exposition in regard the Prophet now explanes that which the Lord would haue published to all posteritie namely that the obstinacie of this people was past cure because they would not suffer themselues to be brought into any good order notwithstanding they were dayly taught and instructed Besides we may from their vaine bragges gather how much these goodly Epithites did
similitudes from things pertaining to our naturall life for they could not otherwise expresse the true felicitie of Gods children vnlesse they had done it by setting the same before vs in the image of those things which are subiect to our senses by which men are wont to measure out an happie and florishing estate The summe then is Happie people that submit thēselues to Christ their King The faithfull cease not to be happie though they suffer want that such as obey God and submit themselues to Christ their King are happie people But we must not iudge of this happinesse by the abundance of outward things whereof the faithfull many times haue little enough and yet cease not to be happie notwithstanding But these kinds of speech are allegoricall by which the Prophet applies himselfe to our capacitie that by the things which our senses can comprehend Heauenlie things are of that supernaturall excellencie that they can not now be comprehended of vs but vnder borrowed speeches wee might conceiue somewhat of those things which are beyond our comprehension which being of such an excellent nature our vnderstandings are too shallow to conceiue the least part of them When he saith the riuers in the mountaines it is further to set forth this ouerflowing of God his liberalitie wherewith he would enrich his chosen Waters vsuallie issue not out of the tops of mountaines where nothing is seene but barrennes I grant that valleys are moystned watred with the springs but you shall seldome see fountaines in the tops of hils yet the Lord promiseth to bring this to passe howsoeuer it seemes a thing vnpossible But by this phrase of speech he meanes that we shall be most happie that liue vnder the kingdome of Christ Happie men and women that liue vnder Christes kingdome so as there shall be no place whatsoeuer but he will replenish the same with all sorts of benefits Nothing so barren but he by his goodnes will make it fruitfull so as felicitie shall abound in all places Note Our eyes should see the performance of this promise if Christ might haue the full gouernment ouer vs for wee should behold his blessing on euery side if wee obeyed him with a pure and perfect heart All things would then fall out to our wish the world and the vtmost bounds thereof should be subiect vnto vs Our sparing obedience prouokes God to be sparing in bestowing benefits vpon vs. but because wee are farre off from such a kind of obedience therefore we receiue but a small taste of these benefits and so much thereof doe we inioy as we feele the growth of the new man in vs. By the day of the great slaughter he signifies and sets before them another signe of Gods fauour How Hee will maintaine those that are his in safetie against the rage of the enemie and thus the Prophet goes about to procure credit and authoritie to his former prophecie for otherwise it had been almost incredible that poore banished exiles should haue inioyed so many benefits Hee speakes here then of the slaughter of the wicked as if he should say The Lord will not onely doe you good in sauing you but hee will also destroy your enemies All the expositors almost thinke the Prophet speakes here of the discomfiture of that wicked King Senacherib when he came to besiege Ierusalem but when I weigh all things aduisedly I had rather refer it to the destruction of Babylon For albeit there was a great slaughter whē Senacherib was with shame put to flight yet this people was not at that time deliuered By this we are admonished that we bee not heartlesse Though the enemies of the Church be many and mighty yet God power will easilie ouer match them though our enemies bee many in number and haue greater strength fortresses and more garrisons then wee for the Lord can easily destroy them and yet cōserue his Church although for the time he suffer them to triumph to haue al things at their wish Let neither their power nor rage daunt vs then neither let our hearts faile vs though we be but a small number for neither their munitiōs nor fortresses neither yet their furie nor pride shall bee able to saue them from falling into the hands of the Lord. Vers 26. Moreouer the light of the Moone shall bee as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sunne shall be seuen fold and like the light of seuen daies in the day that the Lord shall bind vp the breach of his people and heale the strokes of their wound THe Prophet contents not himselfe to describe an vsuall or ordinarie state of happinesse except thereunto he adde somewhat that is extraordinarie For hee saith that the Lord will worke far aboue the order of nature in this his liberalitie Wee neuer read that the light of the Sunne was augmented vnlesse it were when it staid it selfe in the daies of Ioshua that hee might haue leasure to pursue his enemies Iosh 10.13 Also in the daies of Hezekias at whose request the Diall went backe ten degrees 2. King 20.11 But our Prophet alludes now to none of these miracles Nay more then that he meddles not with the lengthening of the course of the Sunne vpon our Horizon but of the augmentation of the light thereof vnto seuen fold more For he shews what the state of the faithfull shall be vnder the raigne of Christ otherwise we know that the Lord makes the Sunne to shine no lesse vpon the wicked then vpon the good but the question is here of such a felicitie as the wicked cannot attaine vnto There is difference between Gods liberality which extends it self vnto all and that which is onely proper and peculiar vnto the faithful as it is said in Psal 31.20 Great are the benefits which thou hast laid vp for those that trust in thee Isaiah speakes of this particular fauour which that he might the better expresse he takes similitudes from things cōmon to euerie mans eye And thus shewes that God will inlighten the faithfull with such a light that the beames of seuen sunnes put together shall be far inferior thereunto But to the end the sharpnesse of their miseries wherewith this people were soone after ouerwhelmed might not lessen the authoritie of this prophecie he addes yet another promise to wit that God will as a good Physitian bind vp or heale the stroke of his childrens wounds Whence it followes that there was a necessitie of this correction that so by these roddes the people might be prepared to come to repentance yea it was necessarie that they should be bruised and broken till they were in a mnaner brought to nothing He mentions their stroke then to shew that the wound shall be great for the people resembled a body hurt with many wounds If at any time then the Lord deales more roughly with vs then hee is wont thinke I pray you vpon these prophecies for the Lord
other benefits wherewith the faithfull are inriched soone after the establishing of Christ his Kingdome as if hee should say You shall not neede to feare any want after you be reconciled vnto God through Christ for plentifull and perfect felicitie streames from him vpon vs. But these things the Prophet sets before vs vnder borrowed speeches Wee are poore and beggerly â—ill God inrich vs with Christs benefits First he saith the vvaters are digged For whereas all things were barren before now there should be great abundance How poore and beggerly are we then vnlesse God for the loue which hee beares to Iesus Christ powres out his blessing vpon vs which Iesus onely brings with him from his heauenly Father and then imparts it to the members of his body I denie not but the wicked thriue wonderfully in outward abundance but all is accursed of God because they are out of Christ from whom onely flowes that true and sauing influence of all riches Truly it were much better to wish death Death is rather to be wished then that abundance with which we must needes swallow Gods curse rather then the abundance of wine and oyle with which wee must needes swallow the curse of God When Christ then shall beginne to manifest himselfe then shall riuers and waters flow forth to the healthfull vse of the faithfull Vers 7. And the dry ground shall be as a poole and the thirstie as springs of water in the habitations of dragons where they lay shall bee a place for reedes and rushes HE confirmes the former sentence to wit that Christ shall come to satisfie his chosen with abundance of all good things Why so Because waters shall issue and flow out of the dry ground But we must remember what I said erewhile to wit that the Prophet here desciphers out vnto vs an image as it were of euerlasting happinesse for howsoeuer this outward change appeared not visible to the eye at Christs comming yet Isaiah not without good cause affirmes that vnder his gouernment all things shall be fruitfull for hee hath said before that without him all things are accursed vnto vs. This whole world will bee but as a parched heath and wildernesse The world but a wildernesse without Châ—ist Psal 67.9 7. Psal 84.11 where lions dragons and wild beasts range after their pray vntill the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ bee erected and set vp amongst vs let it bee once established the faithfull shall feele no want at all The Lord did set his seale to the truth of this doctrin wheÌ„ he deliuered his people out of Babylons captiuitie Yet we are to seek the accomplishment of this prophecie in Iesus Christ who sets all things that are out of frame in their perfect estate againe For that deliuerance was but a darke shadow of this and yet wee are not to seeke the full accomplishment of this promise in this world neither because as our blessednesse consists onely in hope so must wee frame our mindes to wait for the same till the last day As our full blessednesse consists in hope so must we patiently wait for the same till the last day when wee shall be put into the full possession of our happinesse which now for the present is hidden as it were from vs. It sufficeth vs that God giues vs some sweete taste thereof in these our conflicting daies that with the greater affection wee might learne daily to aspire to that full felicitie which is reserued for vs in the heauens Vers 8. And there shall bee a path way and the way shall bee called holy and the polluted shall not passe by it for he * Or shal go shall be with them and walke in the way and the fooles shall not erre THe Prophet promiseth the Iewes heere that they shall bee set at libertie to returne home againe into their country to the end that being afterward carried captiue into Babylon they might not imagin it to be a perpetuall banishment And yet me thinkes this sentence should extend it selfe further For as heretofore hee promised them abundance and store of blessings Vers 7. where there was nothing but barrennesse so he saith now that the place where none dwelt shall be inhabited and frequented by multitudes To bee short that Iudea shall be in such league and amitie with other nations that one of them shall mutually passe to the other without any danger at all for where places are not inhabited what traffique can men haue there You shall see no man passe to and fro there He saith then it shall come to passe that the Iewes shall haue egresse and regresse as we vse to speake to traffique with others after they are come home and shall bee setled in their Country But it is not without cause our Prophet addes that the way shall be holy For where there is much concourse of people vices and corruptions haue their swinge on euery side How could it bee auoided then but these great troupes must needs pollute the land yea and infect one another with a mutuall contagion The Prophets meaning is then that not only the land but the minds of men should be purged and renued by the benefit of Christ that both the one and the other which in times past were wont to be prophaned by their vncleanes should now be sanctified And yet we must keepe that in minde which I haue touched before to wit that the Iewes whose way shall be made holy should returne into their countrie again to serue their Redeemer therein As if he should say The land shall be purged from those filthie sinkes which in times past were in it that it may be inhabited by the true seruants of God He ads also a more ample exposition when he saith that no polluted shall passe by this land now hallowed by the Lord for his children As if he had said God will so separate the faithfull from the prophane that they shall no more be mingled one with another and this doubtlesse was to be esteemed as one of the principall blessings that the Church receiued But this is not accomplished in this life for hypocrits and contemners of God intrude theÌ„selues pell mell into the Church and many times hold great places in it and yet we may see some signe of Gods fauor this way when he takes off the scumme from his Church by diuers meanes The Church shâ—ll not be fullie purged till the last day only we must wait for the full purgation of it vntill the last day yea euen the seruants of God theÌ„selues who are regenerated by the worke of his holy spirit are yet compassed about with many corruptions for albeit the Lord hath begun to sanctifie them yet it shall not be perfected in this life their old man is not whollie mortified but only tamed and repressed to giue way for obedience to the new Now because the Lord liues and reignes in them and subdues their lusts they are called
there was great likelihood of famine to insue which vsuallie followes warres for it is not possible but great dearth must ensue where the fields haue beene wasted and spoiled But against this necessitie which was likely to befall the Lord promiseth continuance of foode and propounds this as an euident signe of their deliuerance the better to perswade the people that he was the author thereof or at the least to fixe the memorie of it the faster in their minds This was a thing incredible and seemed farre to surmount all their capacities but it was needfull that the faith of Hezekias and the peoples also should be thus awakened that hauing intelligence of so rare a deliuerance they might be the better prepared to hope and that the issue also might shew how it came not to passe by chance or fortune vnto which for the most part these so many admirable workes of God are attributed The Prophets meaning then is After the Lord shall haue fraied the enemie away he will hold him so short that he shall neuer be able to renue his armie againe and thus thou shalt liue quietly in thy kingdome which shall bring thee forth fruit in such abundance that thou shalt want nothing Now in regard that part of their store was spent and the rest wasted as it comes to passe ordinarily in such publike calamities and that it was not permitted them to till the earth being now either besieged or else fled hee promiseth them corne without sowing vnto the third yeere Vers 31. And the remnant that is escaped of thâ— house of Iudah shall againe take roote downeward and beare fruit vpward THis appertaines to the former sentence for his meaning is that the Lord will deliuer Ierusalem in such wise that he will care for it also for the time to come and will keepe it vnto the end Truely all the benefits the Lord bestowes vpon vs are so many signes and testimonies of his perpetuall good will towards vs to the end wee might assuredly know that hee will neuer leaue nor forsake vs. But in this sentence wee are chiefly to obserue that which we haue also touched before to wit that the Lord defended Ierusalem because hee had pitched his Sanctuarie there out of which also the Messiah was to come The word Peliaih properly signifies Deliuerance but it is here vsed as a nowne collectiue which signifies those that are deliuered or are escaped as in other places the word captiuitie is taken for the captiues Now it is not without cause that he promiseth increase to this little remnant for albeit the siege was raised yet the people being much diminished they had small cause to reioice it was a thing very vnlikely to expect a full restauration of such an handfull of people That he might a little reuiue their sorrowfull hearts then he shewes that the Country shall be filled with inhabitans no lesse then if a faire and goodly plump of trees should fill the granges which were emptie before But it was not onely the waste of the land of Iudah which wounded the hearts of the faithfull thus with sorrow but the great dimunition of the ten Tribes their brethren which had also beene carried away captiues Now albeit they were thus scattered yet Isaiah promiseth that God would set them againe into their first estate so as they should multiply into an infinit number God often suffers his people to be brought to low ebs that his glory might the better appeare in their deliuerance for the Lord often suffers his to be diminished brought to nothing that his glory may the better appeare afterwards in their deliuerance And we at this day are to expect the like fauour from God which he hath heretofore shewed to his people that when wee see the Church at the last cast giuing vp the ghost as it were yet theÌ„ we may assure our selues notwithstaÌ„ding that God hath meanes enow readie at hand to multiply this small remnant againe For such a restauration must not be measured according to the scantell of our reason But hee saith the Church shall bee brought to so low an ebbe that euerie one will esteeme it quite forlorne euen as if it were plucked vp by the rootes and truly the kingdome of Israel was a most sorrowfull spectaâ—le of this plucking vp Yet the Prophet in the name of God promiseth such an increase that the tree which was stubbed vp by the rootes shall againe take deeprooting downwards Albeit the church then haue not that goodly outward hew beautie which the kingdomes of this world haue The Church of God must liue by faith and not by fight yet will the Lord giue it such an inward and secret power that by meanes thereof shee shall florish and grow contrary to all hope and reason of flesh and blood Let vs not be out of heart then though the Church seeme to want rootes neither let vs not thinke she hath none because they appeare not to our sight for the Lord hath promised she shall take roote downward Now hee addes the fruit also because the Church florisheth not onely as the grasse on the house top which is the estate of the wicked as we obserued in the 27. verse but shee shall bring forth plentifull increase and thus the Lord will finish in her the good worke he hath begun Vers 32. For out of Ierusalem shall goe a remnant and they that escape out of mount Zion the zeale of the Lord of hosts shall doe this BEfore hee promised the deliuerance of the Church vnder the similitude of rootes and fruits now hee sets it forth in plaine tearmes without any figure In these words therefore he alludes to that siege of Sennacherib which inclosed this small remnant of people vp in Ierusalem as in a prison by meanes whereof they were brought to great extremitie Now saith he they shall come forth that is to say all passages shall be laid open so as you shall walke to and fro againe at libertie without any annoyance For going forth is here opposed to the straits into which the poore Iewes were brought in regard of the feare of their enemies Albeit this word not onely signifies libertie to goe and come but the multiplying of the people which were few in number When the land of Iudeah then was ouerspread againe with great troopes and that out of these small remnants there came forth men and women like flocks of sheepe Ier. 30 16.17.18.19.20 31.10.11.12.13 Zach. 8.2.3.4.5.6.7.8 which were dispersed into all the quarters of the world it could neuer haue bin brought to passe vnlesse the Lord of this little handfull had created I will not say one but many peoples He not onely opposeth the zeale of the Lord against the counsels of men that hee might magnifie the excellencie of this worke but also admonisheth vs that it sufficeth of it selfe for all reasons wherefore the Lord shewes so wonderfull and admirable signes and tokens of
man in which respect he was superior to the very Angels for he represented the person of Iesus Christ Ezech. 21.26.27 Now albeit soone after his Throne was throwne downe and the Diadem torne in peeces yet was not this confirmation vaine that God would still for a time keepe the Citie because he would in no sort breake his promise made to Dauid in his truth Psal 132.11 touching the perpetuitie of his kingdome For wee know that his successors lost not the principalitie by the exile of the people till Christ came Iere. 30.9 Ezech. 37.24 who for this cause in Hosea 3.5 is called Dauid By this we see how ridiculous the Papists are Papists ridiculous in vrging the merits of Saints as a cause why God should pardon vs. whē they affirme we are pardoned by the merits of Saints for there is great difference betweene the Saints and Dauid in regard of the promise which was made vnto him He might as well haue named Abraham or any other renoumed Patriarke in the Church but because he now speakes of the Church and of the eternitie of Christes kingdome he speciallie names him whom aboue all others had expreslie receiued this promise Behold this is my rest here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein Psal 132.14 Seeing the Prophet then respects the promise The Prophet respects the promise not Dauids person and not the person the Papists then are worthilie branded with the name of absurd Doctors in thinking that the intercession of Saints a dreame of their owne deuising can be any whit confirmed by this place Nay that which they pretend here directlie crosseth their error for Dauid which is heere placed betweene beares the image of the only Mediator who abolisheth all newfound intercessions Reade 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Iohn 2.1.2 Vers 36. Then the Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the Camp of Asshur an hundreth fourscore and fiue thousand so when they arose earely in the morning Behold they were all dead corpses NOw the Prophet shewes what befell the Assyrian that wee might not thinke the Lords words to be but winde he testifies then that his prophesie tooke effect in deed that so they might be the better perswaded he was sent of God and had spoken nothing of his owne head But this so admirable a worke must not be restrained to this one prophesie alone but to the whole scope of his doctrine which by this miracle was authorised himselfe knowne to be the seruant of God and his calling ratified and confirmed For doubtlesse he annexeth this notable and rare example of Gods iustice as a thing then very fresh in mind to testifie to the end of the world that it was God which spake by his mouth But now where the Angell made this slaughter it appeares not The common opinion is that it happened whilest Ierusalem was besieged but it might well happen also in the way that is to say when Sennacherib came to lay siege against Ierusalem But I leaue it as a thing in suspence because it is of no great moment albeit we may easily iudge by the scope of the text that this Tyrant came not so neere that he could throw any of his darts against the Citie Moreouer we are to reiect an inuention of Satan who hath indeuored by help of prophane histories to darken so manifest and admirable a iudgement of God which affirme that part of Sennacheribs host died of the plague in the warres of Egypt by reason whereof he was inforced to returne home into his owne countrie But who will say that there died so many men of the pestilence in one night This father of lies according to his ancient custome honors the Egyptians with this miracle which God purposely wrought in fauor of his Church The fact it selfe makes it more then manifest that Ierusalem was miraculouslie deliuered as from the gates of death speciallie if we way the message which Isaiah brought as we haue seene before by which he apparantlie testified that God wrought this worke rather for the Iewes then for the Egyptians And lest any man should imagin this miracle came to passe by naturall causes it is expreslie added that all this multitude was slaine by the stroke of an Angell Now it is no vnwonted thing for God thus to vse the ministerie of Angels in procuring the safetie of the faithfull for whose sakes he hath created all the armies of heauen It also serues greatly for the confirmation of our faith when we see there are so many thousands of them which wait for our saluation The Lord himselfe is strong enough and his truth it is which onely keeps vs Rom. 8.38 For the Angels are but his hands as it were in regard whereof they are called powers and principalities Eph. 1.21 but hee prouides exceedingly for our weaknesse by giuing such celestiall ministers to be our gardians and protectors And yet the whole glorie must be ascribed to God alone we are to acknowledge the Angels but his instruments for otherwise wee should easilie slip into the error of the Papists who ascribing more then is meete to them doe rob God of his power to clothe them with it With which error also the learnedst men of our time haue bin bewitched as we know Now we cannot affirme certainly whether this were done by the hand of one or manie Angels neither is it much materiall for the Lord is able easily to effect one and the same thing by one or a thousand of them For he vseth not their ministerie as if hee stood in need of their helpe but rather to support our infirmitie as we haue said before yet it is most probable and answers best to the Prophets words that one Angell alone had commission to doe this seruice Euen as in the antient deliuerance one Angell passed thorow the land of Egypt in a night to slay their first borne Exod. 12.29 Sometimes God also executes his iudgements by wicked angels but he chose one of his voluntarie seruants here to deliuer his Church as by his hand An hundred fourscore and fiue thousand We are not to maruell that this was so great an armie as some ignorants doe who esteeme it but a fable when they heare tell of such an huge multitude of souldiers because a lesse number serues the turne now a daies But histories doe plainly testifie that the easterne people mannaged things cleane contrarie to vs and it is to bee seene among them yet at this day It was no maruell they brought so many forth to battel because they were much more inabled to indure cold and heat then wee they had more able bodies to labour they were more sparing in diet neither were they giuen to delicious and daintie fare with which vice our souldiers are corrupted As touching the manner of this discomfiture here is nothing set downe for certaine The Rabbines Rabbins too bold in coining fables without any testimony or likely coniecture affirme
that they were smitten with thunder and lightning For as they are bold to coine fables so are they not afraid to auouch any thing that comes in their heads euen as if they had found the same recorded in some anthentique historie But the words shew that this was no such apparant slaughter for the Prophet saith that they lay all dead vpon the earth if they had bin smitten with lightning euery one would haue perceiued it neither would the Prophet haue concealed it The coÌ„iecture of the Rabbines then you see is confuted out of the very text but I had rather lane off in the mid way It sufficeth that wee know thus much the Lord was minded to deliuer Ierusalem out of the hand of the Assyrian and he smote the host with sudden death altogether without mans helpe Vers 37. So Sennacherib King of Ashur departed and went away and returned and dwelt at Nineueh NOw Isaiah shewes with what dishonour this Tyrant retired who before in his conceit had deuoured all Iudeah and durst challenge the Lord himselfe In that he expresseth his recoiling backe with so manie words to one purpose it is to cast disgrace vpon his cowardly flight for it is no superfluous repetition when he saith he departed hee vvent his vvay and he returned Il partit il s'en alla il retourna The name of King is also added to his further shame As if he should say See this King this great King Chap. 36.4 whom Rabshekeh extolled so highly because of his power Hee came not into Iudeah to returne with infamie but God for his mercy and truthes sake droue him out thence euen as chaffe before the wind Where it is said hee returned to dwell in Nineueh it shewes vs further that hee not onely left his courage but his forces also quailed for hee would not willingly haue staied at home if despaire had not been as a chaine to keepe him in he contented himselfe with his kingdome then whereof Nineueh was the mother Citie Afterwards when the Caldeans had subdued the Assyrians the Monarchy was transported vnto Babylon to wit ten yeeres after the death of Sennacherib in which time Esar-haddone of whom mention is here made reigned For Paricides being winked at and supported by many the forraigne enemies might easilie conquer and subdue a nation full of factions and therefore Merodach hauing made vse of this occasion inuaded the Assyrians and brought them vnder his command Vers 38. And as hee was in the Temple worshipping Nisrock his God Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes slew him with the sword and Esar-haddon his sonne reigned in his stead THe Rabbines Rabbins bold in coining fables giue themselues the like libertie heere to coine deuices for they faine that Sennacherib asked his idoll why he could not vanquish the Iewes and it answered because Abraham meant to haue sacrificed his sonne to God And then this Tyrant following this example determined to offer howsoeuer he could not by and by dispatch himselfe out of these incumbrances Rom. 8.26 yet the holy Ghost did suggest into this confused and perplexed spirit of his such groanes as could not be expressed And in truth it had been an vncoth and absurd message if so bee God had not conforted him inwardly by the secret worke of his Spirit who was now a good as stricken downe to hell with the outward sound of the Prophets words Now for as much as hee would neuer haue repented being seased on by despaire mortification went formost next followed that secret worke of the Spirit which consecrated this poore dead body a liuing sacrifice acceptable vnto God Vers 3. And said I beseech thee Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore IT seemes here that he meant to reason the case with God and to rip vp his former life vnto him as one being wrongfully afflicted but he meant nothing lesse He rather furnisheth himselfe with arguments to buckle against the sharpe and dangerous temptations which might follow For when the Lord dealt thus roughly with him he might thinke himselfe forlorne forsaken and reiected as it God had disliked of all that he had done before for which cause he fortifies cheeres vp himselfe by protesting that all his actions proceeded from the vprightnesse of his heart In a word hee concludes that his indeuors were not displeasing vnto God though hee were presently taken away and thus he makes way for good hope and praier Hee opposeth not his merits then to the righteousnesse of God Hezekias opposeth not his merits against Gods righteousnes but armes himselfe against a shâ—rp temptation neither complaines he as if he were punished vniustly but armes his selfe against a sharpe temptation to the end Gods dealing might not seem too seuere in his eies in regard that hee had so well reformed and taken away corruptions which had then the full swinge in his kingdome but chiefly in the Church God admits his children sometime to glory in their well doing I denie not but the Lord sometimes admits his children to reioice in the things which they haue well done not as vanting of their deserts in his sight but to acknowledge his benefits and to be so touched with the remembrance thereof that they may the better fit themselues thereby to beare all their aduersities patiently Sometimes also the importunitie of their enemies constraines them to glory with an holy boasting that they may commend their cause to God as to him that is the Iudge and defender of it and so Dauid boldly opposeth his innocencie against the slanders of his aduersaries and that euen before the iudgement seate of God Psal 7.9 and 17.3 It is an old practise of Satan vnder colour of humilitie to driue vs into despaire But Hezekiah meant here to preuent Satans sophistrie whereof the faithfull haue sufficient experience whilest vnder pretence of humilitie hee ouerwhelmes them in despaire We must be very warie therefore that our hearts be not swallowed vp of it Besides from his words we gather the true rule of a well ordered life The rule of a well ordered life The first rule Nothing prouokes God more then fained holinesse Ioh. 4. to wit when the integritie of the heart holds the first place for there is nothing that displeaseth God so much as when we goe about to cosen either him or meÌ„ by our dissimulatioÌ„ for as a glistering shew of works is wont to dazle our eies so nothing prouokes his wrath more theÌ„ feined holinesse in regard his name is thereby most profaned We know he is a spirit is it not good reason then that he should be worshipped spiritually especially seeing he protesteth that a double heart is an abomination vnto him Hezekiah therefore had good cause as you see to beginne at the vprightnesse of his heart The word Chalem which is translated perfect
is nothing else but that integritie and soundnesse of heart which is opposed to hypocrisie which also appeares by the word truth according as Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.5 that the end of the law is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfeined Moreouer Hezekias sets downe the fruits which issue from a pure heart as from the roote not onely to animate himselfe but others also especially concerning those things which might giue them any occasion of stumbling Hee staggered not then but meant to remoue the impediments which peraduenture might discourage many Againe The second rule let vs note how our life must be ordered if we desire that God should approue of vs to wit that we doe nothing vvithout his commandement And haue done that which was good in thy sight for as hee reiects and condemnes all outward shewes whereby hypocrits would bee thought iolly fellowes so esteemes he nothing at all of any newfound seruices wherein the superstitious sort trauaile in vaine thinking they merit much at his hands whilest they cast his word behind their backs But Hezekias Hezekias not onely ran but he ran well who knew that obedience was better then sacrifices 1. Sam. 15.22 saith not onely that he ran which some often doe though cleane out of the way but also that he squared his whole life to the commandements of God which onely is the competent Iudge thereof Now from this place wee may gather how much this holy personage was kindled with the affection of praier for albeit he sees nothing about him but signes of Gods wrath yet hee ceaseth not to haue recourse vnto him still God must be sought vnto by praier when hee seemes most angrie and exerciseth his faith by powring out his praiers teares in his presence which all faithfull hearts ought carefully and diligentlie to practise and that euen in their deepest distresses Vers 4. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying ISaiah went his way and left his sting behind him as they say leauing him as a dead man whom in the name of the Lord he had adiudged to die In the meane while we may gather from his song how restlesse his thoughts were or rather with how great terror he was surprised It is not easie to define of the intermission betweene the Prophets departure and his returne yet it is out of question that the promise both touching his recouery and life was not made till he had felt himselfe forlorne yea after he had a long time been tossed vp and downe with furious stormes and tempests For his faith was tried to the vtmost when God thus hid his face from him and suffered him to lie plunged in the darknesse of death yet we haue told you already that the faith of this King was not so quenched but that some sparks thereof appeared though hee were left destitute of all outward comforts For by the secret instinct of the holy Ghost he breathed out vnutterable groanes from this bottomlesse gulfe which ascended vp into the eares of the most high From whence we gather that the faithfull are so heard in the day of their distresse that the fauour of God manifests not it selfe vnto them at the first cry but hee deferres of purpose to let them feele it till hee sees they be throughly humbled Now if it were needfull that so excellent a king and seruant of God should be in a manner thus ouerwhelmed with sorrowes that he might be the better fitted and prouoked to desire Gods fauour and to sigh and grone vnto him being at the last cast and almost swallowed vp of the lower hells let vs not wonder if sometimes he leaues vs perplexed with feare and anguish and deferres that comfort long which we desire First obiection Obiect But some may thinke it strange that God forthwith called back his sentence as if he repented himselfe of that which was gone out of his lips for there is nothing lesse agreeable to his nature then to be changeable Ans I answere Hezekias was not adiudged to death in the decree and counsell of God but his meaning herein was to trie and examin the faith of his seruant Wherefore in this denunciation there must be a condition supplied A condition must be supplied in the denuntiatiō for otherwise Hezekias could neuer haue bowed the Lord nor disanulled his irreuocable decree neither by his prayers nor teares But the Lord threatned him as he did Abimeleck king of Gerar for taking Sarah Abrams wife Gen. 20.3 And as Ionas did the Nineuits Ionas 1.2 3.4 But it will be further obiected Obiect Second obiection that it is contrarie to Gods nature to speake one thing thinke another for thus his words shall lose their authoritie because men will esteeme of his promises and threatnings as things of little weight Ans But wee must iudge of the forme of these words as of the sense of those which I haue alreadie expounded GOD gaue sentēce of death vpō Hezekias because he would not that he should die neither had it been needfull nor profitable to haue sent him this message had not the remedie been neere at hand Besides as it was the meaning of God to humble his seruant with feare and astonishment that by a voluntarie condemning of himselfe he might by prayers and teares escape this chastisement so also it was no lesse his purpose to bring him low by this sharp and biting speech Thou shalt die to the end he might require life and to haue it restored as to him that was now shut vp as it were in his sepulchre The Prophet supplied an infolded condition therefore which Hezekias easily espied although he perceiued it not at the first We can not conclude then that God vsed any dissimulation here seeing he fits his speech to the capacitie and reach of the person to whom he speakes for it is no vnwonted thing with him to kill before he quicken He only then holds part of his speech in suspence He only held part of his speech in suspence that by the outward appearance of death Hezekias might by little and little be framed to newnes of life Vers 5. Goe and say vnto Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer and seene thy teares behold I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres IN his first ambassage Why God propounds his name to Hezekias in a diuers forme vers 1. he meant only to terrifie Hezekias and therefore contents himselfe with a bare propounding of the name of God * As in vers 1. before whose iudgement seat he summoned this poore guiltie person but now when hee brings message of consolation he addes a particular title * The God of Dauid thy father to shew from what fountaine this fauour proceeded as if he should say God is now mooued to shew mercie so as he will not deale extreamely with
taken for the life Soule taken for life but the Prophet here extols the bountie of God who vouchsafed to loue Hezekias though he were halfe dead It was thy pleasure c. In the next place he giues the reason of it in bringing vs to the fountaine from whence this deliuerance issued for otherwise one might imagin that he hath spoken of nothing hitherunto but of bodily health But we may now see that he looked much higher to wit first vnto his guiltines before God secondly to the free reconciliation He confesseth in deed that he hath receiued his life anew but yet he esteemes his reconciliation with God more then a hundred thousand liues Hezekias esteemes his reconciliation with God aboue an hundred thousand liues Truly it were better for vs neuer to haue beene borne then to liue long heaping sinne vpon sinne and so to hale downe the more horrible iudgemēts of God vpon our own heads Hezekias then reioyceth chieflie in that the light of Gods countenance did shine clearely vpon him for our only felicitie consists in hauing him good and gracious to vs. Yet herewithall he shewes that we must impute the euils which God laies vpō vs to our sinnes for such as accuse him of ouer-much seueritie doe nothing else but double their owne woe To accuse God of ouermuch seueritie is but to double our owne woe This good King condemnes not himselfe of one sinne only but confesseth himselfe guiltie of many sinnes and therefore stood in neede of more then one pardon If we then desire to be truly comforted in afflictions let vs begin heere for if God be appeased towards vs no euill can hurt vs seeing he delights not to haue his beloued ones lie languishing in their miseries Simile It fares with vs therefore as with inconsiderate patients who neuer thinke of their disease but only of the accidents thereof and of their griefes which they feele but it is more wisedome for vs to follow the counsell of the skilfull Physitian who considers of the cause of the disease first and aboue all things indeuors to remoue that for they know that outward remedies are not only vaine but hurtfull if the inward disease be not discerned Why so Because remedies in such wise applied do driue the disease further in and so settles augments it there that afterwards there is no hope left for healing of it Hezekias therefore like a wise patient acknowledgeth the cause of his sicknes Hezekias looked into the cause of his sicknes to wit his sinnes which being forgiuen he then knew the punishment was likewise remitted and ceased Now by this we may see the sottishnes of the Papists touching their distinction between the fault and the punishment The ridiculous distinction of the Papists betweene the fault and the punishment for Hezekias testifies here that the one was pardoned as well as the other Wee are also to obserue this phrase of speech which the Prophet vseth to wit Thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe for his meaning therein is that God had whollie abolished the remembrance of them As in Miche 7.9 Thou hast cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea And in Psal 103.12 He separates our sinnes as farre from vs as the East is from the West All which sentences may assure vs that God will neuer impute the sinnes vnto vs which he hath once pardoned If it fall out that we be corrected afterwards he doth it not as a Iudge but as a tender and mercifull father that he might thereby instruct and keepe his children in awe The Papists therefore deceiue themselues in dreaming that the corrections which follow are satisfactions or recompences Afflictions no satisfactions as if he would exact that at our hands because he is loth freelie to remit all No Gods only purpose in correcting vs is that he may thereby prouide for our saluation for the time to come Vers 18. For the graue cannot confesse thee death can not praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth WHere he saith that he can not set forth the praises of God if his life be taken away he promiseth to do it if so great a benefit may be granted vnto him and therewithall shewes that the only cause why he desires to liue is that he might praise God Now albeit there is not a better signe of a godlie heart then to desire life vpon condition to glorifie God continuallie by the same yet it seemes Hezekias speakes somewhat too strictly For the faithfull glorifie God no lesse by their death then by their life The faithfull glorifie God no lesse by death then by life by death they come to be perfectlie conioined with him and neuer cease to sing his praises with the elect Angels But there is yet another difficultie which moued Hezekias so much to flee death and so earnestlie to desire to liue still on earth Which second question albeit we haue discussed heretofore yet the readers shall againe be put in minde that this terror proceeded not from the only apprehension of death for when the houre came that he should die he recoiled not back but willinglie went vnto his God But at this time being smitten with the sense of Gods wrath his only sorrow is that his sinnes had bereaued him of his life fearing he should neuer taste any of Gods blessings or fauours afterward Hereupon also depends the solution of the first question for what maruell is it if this good man seeing he must die The cause why Hezekias was so loth to die his death also proceeding from the anger of God kindled against him to take vengeance on his sinnes what maruell is it I say if he sorrowed and lamented to be condemned to die as one vnworthy to bee imploied any longer in the aduancement of Gods true religion and seruice Whosoeuer he be that is once strucke with this thunderbolt can not freelie magnifie the name of the Lord neither in life nor in death but must needes be mute because despaire hath ouerwhelmed his spirits In this sense Dauid saith In death there is no remembrance of thee Psal 6.5 And the whole Church in Psal 115.17 saith The dead praise not thee O Lord neither any that go downe into the place of silence Why so Because those who feele the guilt of their sinnes and Gods anger pressing them want matter of thanksgiuing And yet wee must note that when the Saints spake thus Note they considered not what their condition should bee after death but from the dolour which they felt they onely looked to the end for which God had created preserued them in this world The chiefest end of mans life we know The principall end of mans life is to spend the same in his seruice who for this purpose conserues his Church vpon earth as hath been said because hee will haue his name alwaies praised Now he
be admonished then that our daies are not prolonged to the end we should giue our selues to iollitie and dissolutions but to honour him that hath so much honoured vs to further one another in his feare to meete together in the holy assemblies to magnifie his mercie and truth THE XXXIX CHAPTER Vers 1. At the same time Merodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan King of Babel sent letters and a present to Hezekias for he had heard that he had bin sick and was recouered THE expositors thinke that this Merodach was the first King of the Chaldeans because his father Baladan held the superioritie amōg the Babilonians without hauing the title of King After this Merodach then had reigned 12. yeeres he subdued the Assyrians and made them tributaries vnder the Caldeans For those are deceiued who thinke that the warres were begun by Nebuchadnezar It may well be that he made an end of them and whollie subdued the Assyrians whose power was then like enough halfe spent there remained nothing for him then but to confirme the kingdome in his owne hands which was cōquered by the power of his predecessor Now howsoeuer the Prophet in few words telles how the Ambassadors were sent yet we must obserue that Merodach did this guilefullie to guggle Hezekias with his flatteries He threatned the Assyrians alreadie whom he knew the Iewes hated for good cause because of their continuall warres that he might get him a companion then and a fellow helper in his intended warres hee insinuates himselfe cunningly into the amitie of this good King whose heart as you see was forthwith surprised with pride in that hee was too forward in accepting the fradulent flatteries of this Tyrant and suffered himselfe to be poisoned therewith And yet the pretence was nothing else forsooth but that the Ambassadors came to congratulate with him in regard of the late recouerie of his health howbeit the holy historie seemes to alleadge another reason to wit that Merodach was moued to send by a miracle 2. Chron. 32.31 No doubt but this going backe of the Sunne was renowned far and neere neither could it be but many nations were much moued by the report of so vnwonted a thing But it is hard to say that so profane a man respected any other thing then to catch Hezekias by this meanes in his nets And because God had by so excellent a signe signified how deare the safetie of Hezekias was vnto him Merodach thought with himselfe as the wicked and vnbeleeuers are wont to abuse such testimonies of Gods fauour to the seruing of their own turnes that his warres which he meant to vndertake must needes succeed wel and be blessed from heauen if he might get such a one as Hezekias to take his part Thence it was that to manifest his good will he sent his Ambassadors to him with a present for he meant to winne him because such an acquaintance should be fit and profitable to aid him against the Assyrians whom the Iewes as he well knew hated most deadly Thus you see the policies of Kings and Princes The practises of idolatrous Kings and Princes to wit by close conueiances to serue their owne turnes neuer caring by what meanes they procure aid so they may make themselues strong against their enemies Vers 2. And Hezekias was glad of them and shewed them the house of his treasures the siluer and the gold and the spices and the pretious ointment and all the house of his armour and all that was found in his treasures there was nothing in his house nor in all his kinkdome that Hezekias shewed them not THe Prophet plaies the historiographer For first hee telles plainly what Hezekias did next he will shew why he did it to wit because ambition had blinded his eies and thus he meant to make himselfe great in the sight of the Ambassadors Thus he taxeth this inordinate ioy from whence proceeded so great care at length to feast and welcome them He that shall reade the historie barely wil thinke there is no great fault to be found in Hezekiah for any thing he did Was it not humanitie in him to receiue such Ambassadors with gladnesse and magnificence and to shew them all signes of loue Who can denie it Nay hee had shewed himselfe more then barbarous if hee had reiected those who in such kind manner came to visit him or if he had set light by the friendship of so mightie a King Notwithstanding all this his heart was too farre tickled with vanitie and ostentation For he meant to shew his greatnesse to the end the Babylonian might know that this amitie should serue him to good purpose which he further insinuated by shewing his riches munitions and furniture for warre Hee was also blame-worthy for desiring to bee supported by strange and vnlawfull meanes for therein he bereaued God of his honour who had freely deliuered him out of two great dangers otherwise the Prophet would neuer haue reproued him so sharply for this fact Heere is a faire looking glasse therefore in which euery one may see that there is nothing so dangerous as to bee blinded with prosperitie Nothing so dangerous as to bee blinded with prosperitie to which purpose it was well said long agoe It is a harder matter to beare prosperitie then aduersitie We wax vnruly and insolent when things fall out as wee would haue them neither can we be kept in awe by any threatnings or admonitions whatsoeuer If this befell Hezekias whom the Prophet before hath so much commended whose onely treasure was the feare of God Chap. 33.6 how ought we to watch ouer our owne hearts lest we fall into the like dangers He suffers himselfe to bee ouerswaied with vaine ostentation If such a mightie Cedar fell what shall become of such low shrubs as we be and neuer remembers that being halfe dead before the Lord drew him out of his graue by a miracle from heauen In the 20. verse of the former Chapter hee vowed to sing the praises of God all the daies of his life in the assemblie of the Saints Now when he sees some suing for his friendship and that a mightie Monarch sends from far to salute him he presently forgets God with al the benefits which he had receiued at his hands Do we see this good King so soone ouerthrowne and ouerswaied with pride and ambition let vs learne to hold our selues within the lists of modestie by which we may daily be preserued in the feare of God Modestie the meanes to hold vs in the feare of God Vers 3. Then came Isaiah the Prophet vnto King Hezekias and said vnto him What said these men and from whence came they to thee And Hezekiah said They are come from a farre Country vnto me from Babel HEe goes on with the same narration still but he addes doctrine vnto it And howsoeuer he vtters not a word of Gods sending of him yet it is most certaine that he did this by the
it to Pharaoh and Abimelec Gen. 12.17 and 20.3 whereof the Prophet expreslie speaketh in the 105. Psalme for the Lord rebuked and chastised them in that they durst aduenture to touch his anointed But hee speakes properlie of the victorie which he got ouer the foure Kings which led his kinsman Lot captiue with all his familie for it sufficientlie appeares by the scope of the text that he speakes not of kings or nations that were peaceable but of armed enemies who by force were subdued He afterwards amplifies the easines of this victorie and expresseth therein a great contempt when he compares Kings to dust and stubble for Abraham ouercame them without hazarding his person And therewithall we are taught to attribute this victorie to God and not to the power of man for men can not atchieue a victorie with so little adoe Vers 3. He pursued them and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet AGaine he magnifies the singular goodnes of God in amplifying this victorie by other circumstances and this is aduisedlie to be considered of vs that he should obteine so great a conquest in a countrie vnknowne vnto him It was a difficult and dangerous matter for him to pursue his enemies into regions vnfrequented for Histories record sufficientlie what aduantage is gotten by knowledge of places both by sea and land which those that frequent the warres haue euer and anon experience of But this hindred not Abraham whence it appeares yet better that he was conducted and succored by Gods hand who leades those that are his forward with boldnes Vers 4. Who hath wrought and done it He that calleth the generations from the beginning I the Lord am the first and with the last I am the same THough Isaiah propounds nothing here but the example of Abraham yet no doubt his meaning is to put the people in mind of all those benefits which the fathers in former times had receiued As if he should say Remember your beginning From whence raised I vp Abraham your father Through what waies led I him And my benefits haue not ended there for since that time I haue neuer ceased to fill you with all manner of blessings When he asks Who it is He speakes not of one fact but ads other mercies powred out vpon them many waies which the people were now to call to minde Where he saith that God called the generations from the beginning it ought to be referred to the continuall successions of the times and the word Dor among the Hebrues signifies not only the time or age of mans life but those also which liue in the same age And thus one age is distinguished from another as the fathers from the children and the grandfathers from their little ones for our successors will call vs which now liue the former or next age and that of our predecessors the old time Now because one age would consume the race of mankind if it were not supplied by the children which are borne the Prophet shewes that God multiplies men by continuall succession that so one may supplie anothers roome when it is emptie Whence it followes that his prouidence gouernes all ages Gods prouidence gouernes all ages lest we should thinke the world were ordered by fortune for wee may euidentlie perceiue that his hand and power is in the succession of one age after another But because diuers changes make vs thinke that the world goes vpon wheeles as they say therfore the Prophet contrariwise shews that these so many alterations were foreseene from the beginning The summe of all is That God rules in these varieties and changes which time brings forth God rules in all the changes which time brings forth and with a steadie hand brings that to passe which himselfe from the beginning hath ordeined I the Lord. He affirmes in more euident termes that God is the author of these benefits namely that Abraham ouercame his enemies liued so long among the wicked without harme done vnto him that he discomfited foure kings and that the Lord reuenged the wrongs he receiued when Pharaoh and Abimelec tooke his wife from him Gen. 12.9 and 14.15 and 20.18 To be short he teacheth that it is to him we ought to referre all the benefits bestowed vpon the ages following after so diuers and sundrie waies for he extended not his liberalitie towards Abraham and his seed alone but likewise to the whole world Where he names himselfe the first and saith he is with the last this appertaines not only to the eternitie of his essence but to his rule and dominion which he exerciseth ouer the whole world As if he should say Continuance of time makes me not wax old for I neuer meane to giue vp my right He is not idle in the heauens but from his high throne beholds and orders the least things Moreouer although the world forgeth vnto it selfe a world of dunghill gods yet he will lose nothing by it because he alwaies continues one and the same Vers 5. The yles saw it and did feare and the ends of the earth were abashed drew neere and came 6. Euery man helped his neighbour and said to his brother Be strong HE shewes now that the world was too vnthankfull who hauing seene the workes of God did still perseuere in that blindnesse wherewith it was possessed before In the beginning of the Chapter hee shewed that the victorie was his if they would but lend their eares to heare his plea now he addes that the Gentiles knew his power well enough and yet for all that continued obstinate and rebellious In which respect they were left without excuse Why so Because the Lord manifested himselfe so apparantly that they could not chuse but see him vnlesse they would wittingly shut their eyes lest they should behold him That he might therefore take from the nations furthest off all pretext of ignorance he saith they were abashed at the sight of his works and yet they fell to their old bias againe and forthwith wrapped themselues in many superstitious vanities and errors The summe is that they not onely beheld but were also conuinced in that this knowledge abashed them But some may obiect Obiect that the benefits which God did to Abraham could not bee made knowne to all in such wise that forraigne nations should be fully acquainted with it I answer Ans that howsoeuer he mentions none but Abraham here yet vnder him hee meant to call to mind other examples of his goodnesse which their forefathers had tasted of since that from both they might conceiue hope of deliuerance Abraham was not onely deliuered out of Caldea but God drew also all his posteritie out from the bondage of Egypt Exod. 13.16 and put them into possession of the land of Canaan He saith then that the Iles felt his power when hee deliuered and preserued his people that they might know the true God for his power plainly appeared in so many miracles Lastly he
erewhile whereupon we should build the confidence of our saluation that we might continue safe against all assaults to wit when we were certainly perswaded that God is our God Now hee teacheth the same thing but in other words neither is the repetition superfluous for we know how easilie the remembrance of this doctrine vanisheth away albeit we haue it often repeated vnto vs. This promise therefore cannot be too much praised nor insisted vpon seeing it doth so hardly take roote in our hearts Let vs bee well assured then that wee shall find an vndoubted issue in all our perplexities because the Lord will assist vs as oft therefore as we shall be pressed vnder anie dangerous assault let vs learne to fix our eies vpon him Now when hee calles himselfe the Lord our God it is not so much to set forth his power as his goodnesse which he will make vs feele For what benefit should redound vnto vs from the knowledge of his power if therewithall we were not well perswaded of his loue At the onely hearing of his power we are astonished but when his goodnesse is preached with it the very remembrance thereof sufficeth to appease vs. He speakes of taking by the hand and of the voice againe for it serues much to the comforting of our weake faith to know what signes of loue God shewes vs especially when the doctrine of faith is ioined thereunto which assures vs of his perpetuall fauour This clause therefore saying vnto thee hath great weight in it for we must needs remaine alwaies in suspence Gods voice till we heare the voice of the Lord in his word It is that alone which sufficeth to abolish all our feare and to set vs at rest Are we desirous then to haue our harts quieted and to ouercome the many troubles which daily befall vs Let vs hearken directly to the good word of God and euer hold fast the comfort thereof in our hearts For it is impossible for them who either will not heare this word at all Note or hearing it doe it negligentlie to attaine this peace nay let them be sure that an accusing conscience and a trembling heart shall alwaies pursue them Vers 14. Feare not thou worme Iakob and yee * Or dead men of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel What course God takes in ministring comfort to his afflicted Church HE seemes to speake somewhat too meanely of this people in that he calles them a worme and then dead men but this comparison agrees well with the calamitie which the people were in and he takes a better course this way to minister comfort vnto them then if he had called them The elect nation a royall priesthoode an holy tree springing forth of an holy roote or if he had adorned them with the like titles For to say the truth it had bin absurd to haue imposed such glorious titles vpon them being pressed as they were vnder so base and vile a slauerie By the name of worme Worme Iacob therefore he laments the ignominie and shame into which they were brought and puts them in good hope of a better estate For thus he shewes that the Lord cares for them notwithstanding they be abiect and vile in the eies of men As if he should say Though now thou beest nothing yet will I succor thee and by restoring thee to thy first estate will cause thee to come forth of this rottennes and abiect condition of thine Some translate the word Methim Men which agrees not with the text but must necessarily be translated dead for it is an exposition of the other epithete worme according to the Hebrue phrase I agree with S. Ierome S. Ierome who hath so translated it neither doe I passe much that the word is otherwise written here then elsewhere in regard of the changing of the pricks for this might easily fall out by reason of the likenes which these pricks haue one with another The thing should be weyed for there is nothing more absurd then to reade men in stead of wormes vnlesse they reade it dead or mortall But God meant no doubt that this voice should be heard among the people who were now at last cast to the end it might pierce euen into their graues for on the contrary he promiseth to be the redeemer of these which are dead Now the Prophet had not such respect vnto his owne time The Prophet had respect to the succeeding ages as to his owne times but that he meant his doctrine should extend it selfe to all ages of the world As oft then as we shall see the Church oppressed vnder cruell tyrants let vs call this sentence to minde that albeit Gods children be trodden vnder foote by the proude that they be despised and that they haue not so much leisure as to take their breath being persecuted and afflicted aboue measure yet let vs know that euen such are in great account with God so as they shall be able ere long to lift vp their heads Let this be applied to euery one of vs in particular that we may not be discoraged for the scoffes of the wicked nor for the miseries and calamities which we indure no nor for death it selfe Do we resemble dead men and is all hope of deliuerance taken away A Consolation yet wil our Redeemer come at last and will raise vp his Church out of her very graue When the Prophet addes the holy one of Israel he brings back the people as he hath done before to the remembrance of that Couenant by which Israel was separated from other nations to be Gods peculiar people thus he incourageth them that their miserable condition should not too much deiect nor cast them downe though they seemed as wormes of the earth and as dead men Vers 15. Behold I will make thee a roller and a new threshing instrument hauing teeth thou shalt thresh the mountaines and bring them to pouder and shalt make the hills as chaffe HE speakes still of the restauration of the Church promising that she shall be so exalted aboue her enemies that she shall bruise and grind them to pouder And this he expresseth vnder a very fit similitude For the Iewes to whom he speakes were almost crushed in pieces but now on the contrarie he tels them that they being deliuered shall crush their enemies and so render them like for like Now it was very needfull that this consolation should be added for had they not recouered new strength it is like enough they had bin subiect to the tyranny of their enemies for euer God meant to arme them then that they might be able to repulse the outrages done vnto them so as they were now become the executioners of Gods vengeance as our Prophet shewes But by these words it might seeme he meant to inflame the Iewes with a desire to reuenge Obiect which is directlie contrarie to the nature of
But some may aske why hee calles Egypt and Ethiopia the Churches ransome seeing prophane nations are vnworthy of such an honor as to be the redeemers of Gods children I answer Ans the Prophet borrowed this phrase of speech from mens vsuall maners of speaking as if hee should say The Egyptians Ethiopians and Sabeans vvere put in thy stead I constrained them to sustaine the harmes vvhich hung ouer thine head euen as if there had been an interchange made betweene you for to saue thee I destroied them and in thy stead put them into the hands of thine enemies See Prou. 11.8 21.18 Wee must resort to the historie for the better vnderstanding hereof for when Sennacherib came with violence against Iudah God arested him by the way and sent him to fight with others so as hee was constrained to turne backe his forces And thus the Egyptians and the Ethiopians were destroied vvhilest Gods people vvere spared 2. King 19.9 Hence we may easilie gather that the same prouidence and infinite goodnesse of God Gods prouidence the same in releuing his Chuâ—ch at this dâ—y as in former ages is as far extended vnto vs at this day as it was towards the Iewes vnlesse wee be more then blockish Is it not he thinke you that makes tyranâ— who would eate vs vp at a morsell aâ—â— with one consent are all of them readie in theiâ— furie to swalâ—ow vs vp quicke to deuoure one another and to turne their rage which was kindled against vs vpon others Doe wee not see by experience that to preserue vs hee puts others in our roomes and so they become our ransome When wee therefore are thus fauoured of God that the wicked lets vs alone in quiet whilest they are assaulting one another for it is not of anie good will they beare vs that wee are freed from their furie let vs then lift vp our eies vnto heauen and with all thankfulnesse acknowledge that God puts others in our places by a miracle Whence it is that the Church liues in peace to the end he might spare vs for we are as sheepe appointed to be slaine naked swords are glistering on euery side ouer vs and if hee either plucked them not out of their hands or turned the points and edges of them towards others wee should feele the smart which they doe Hence we may draw a generall doctrine to wit A generall doctrine God esteems the faithfull more then all the world besides that God hath such a respect to the faithfull that hee esteemes them aboue all the world besides Be it then that the world doe cast vs off yet let vs reioice in this that the Lord doth highly esteeme of vs first in that he prefers vs aboue all his creatures secondlie in deliuering vs so wonderfully out of dangers yea and in that hee preserues vs in the midst of a thousand deaths If all things were in quiet amongst vs and that we saw no troubles at all this fauour of God could not be so well discerned of vs. But when it seemes we are compassed in so on euery side that all hope of escaping is taken from vs and that then on a sudden the enemie is forced to recoile backe and is turned from vs another way we shall haue good experience of that which the Prophet heere saith See 1. Sam. 23.26 27. and shall acknowledge Gods inestimable fauour towards vs. Vers 4. Because thou wast pretious in my sight and thou wast honourable and I loued thee therefore will I giue man * Or in thy stead for thee and people * Or in the place of thy soule This verse containes the reason of the former for thy sake SOme expound Thou wast honourable because I aduanced thee vnto honour but me thinks God yeelds a reason heere why he deliuered Egypt and Ethiopia into the enemies hands in the stead of his people to wit because they were his beloued and that he held them deere and pretious in his sight And thus this particle should be expounded in this sort Because I loued thee I gaue man for thee All merit shut out Now in these words he shuts out all merit to the end the Iewes might challenge nothing vpon desert Euen so the very cause of our saluation The cause of saluation and of all benefi s besides comes vnto vs of Gods meere liberalitie and of all the blessings wherewith wee are adorned is onely from Gods free loue Thence also flowes all our dignitie and honourablenesse for if hee should esteem vs according to our vertues he might soone shake vs off Let vs therefore renounce all opinion of merit which is not to be found in vs that so we may wholly attribute all to Gods free grace who shewes vs no meane or common fauour when he vouchsafeth to intitle vs precious In which respect he also calles vs his first borne Exod. 4.22 and friends Iohn 15.15 In that he saith he gaue man for them it is nothing else but an explication of the former sentence taking man for men Man taken for men as if hee should say There is not a man whom the Lord will not destroy for thy safetie for hee makes more reckoning of the soule of one faithfull man then of all the world besides And yet hee heerewithall admonisheth the Church that she is heere redeemed at their cost who by nature and birth differ nothing at all from her Vers 5. Feare not for I am with thee I will bring thy seede from the East and gather thee from the West WE must not thinke there is any superfluitie in that the Prophet so often repeates this exhortation All of vs know and haue sufficient experience how inclinable our nature is to distrust Now it is hard for vs to thinke or imagin into what wonderfull straits and distresses the Church of the Iewes was then brought As soone as we begin once but to call Gods promises into question our mindes are distracted with many passions we stand amazed at the greatnesse and diuersitie of the dangers wee are daily assaulted with vexations of spirit at last we grow sottish and cannot bee brought to taste how gracious our God is Our mindes therefore being thus possessed with despâ—ite haue we not neede that this voice should againe againe ring in our eares I am vvith thee feare not that so this feare may either be whollie rooted vp out of our hearts or at least so corrected by little and little that we may not be ouercome of it for I can tell you if it take neuer so little rooting there it is not so easilie displanted Hence we obserue that we ought to place our hope in nothing but in Gods being present vvith vs for if he be absent Wherein our hope ought to be placed we must needes tremble for feare or wax dull and dead hearted or stagger to and fro like a drunken man And yet the Lord would not haue vs be so
shall bee so discomfited that they shall be vtterly extinct Which sudden destruction he further expresseth by the similitude of towe when fire is put to towe it may well make a blaze for a while but forthwith it is consumed and gone Vers 18. * Or Forget ye the c. Remember ye not the former things neither regard yee the things of old This verse must bee vnderstood by way of comparison THe Prophet hitherunto hath shewed at large how mightie the Lord is to saue his people now hee saith that all the miracles which were wrought in the first redemption vvere nothing in comparison of those that should be effected heereafter that is to say the glory of this second deliuerance should be so rare excellent that it should darken the first not as if the Iewes were to forget so great a benefit for the memorie thereof worthily deserued to be celebrated from age to age euen to the worlds end and as the Lord had commanded was to stand vpon perpetuall record For in the preface of the Law Exod. 20.2 thus he speakes I am the Lord thy God vvhich brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage He also commanded the fathers to be often recording of it to their children and to continue the remembrance of it to their successors This therefore must be taken by way of comparison as in Ieremiah Behold the daies come saith the Lord that they shall say no more The Lord which brought the children out of Egypt but the Lord liues which hath brought the posteritie of Iaakob out of the land of the North and out of all the coasts of the earth whereinto he hath scattered them Ier. 23.7 The summe is that the last deliuerance shall be far more glorious then the first if the one be compared with the other Whence it followes that this prophecie is not to be referred to a few yeeres because the Prophet extols not here the beginnings of their deliuerance onely but extends the fruit of this returne euen vnto Christ at whose comming both the kingdome and priesthood were reallie established Vers 19. Behold I doe a new thing now shall it come forth shall you not know it I will euen make a way in the desert and floods in the wildernesse BY this wee may yet better perceiue what the Prophets drift was in the former verse For heere he saith there shall be a new worke that is no common or ordinary A new work is heere opposed to that which is cōmon and ordinarie See Chap. 42.10 but such a one as by the excellencie and greatnesse of it shall darken the same of all the rest no lesse then the Sunne when it shineth in his might darkens all the starres in the firmament In that hee saith it shall now come forth the meaning is it shall not be long deferred I grant these things were not by and by accomplished but when wee haue respect vnto him that speakes foure hundred nay a thousand yeeres in his sight are but as yesterday Thus hee comforts them because hee would not that their seuentie yeeres captiuitie should discourage them When he addes shall you not know it The interrogation hath more force in it then a bare affirmation This interrogation hath more force and vehemencie in it then a simple affirmation And this manner of speech is much vsed both among the Hebrewes and also among Greeks and Latines Further he promiseth to make a vvay in the desert The desert betweene Babylon and Iudea wherein he hath respect to that desert which was betweene Babylon and Iudea for here he speakes of the peoples returne home And for that cause also hee mentions the floods for they might well haue perished for thirst in trauelling thorow a place so barren and waste Therefore the Lord promiseth to prouide them of water for their iourney as if he should say Feare not for want of necessaries for I wil furnish you sufficiently so as you shall returne vnder my conduct and leading But it seemes the Prophet passeth his bounds when he magnifies this deliuerance in such excessiue speeches For we reade not that the riuers were heere turned into blood nor that a grosse and palpable darknesse troubled the aire or that the first borne were slaine or that any vermin were sent to deuoure the fruits of the earth neither any of the like wonders which came to passe in Egypt none of these happened as wee know in Babylon What meanes hee then by this new deliuerance This hath caused almost all the writers that are Christians to expound this place simply of Christs comming wherein no doubt they haue been deceiued no lesse then the Iewes who onely restraine this to the deliuerance out of Babell And therefore as I haue said in another place wee must heere comprehend the whole time that passed betweene the deliuerance out of Babylon vntill the comming of Christ The Churches redemption out of Egypt may be compared to her first birth The redemption out of Egypt may bee compared to the first birth of the Church because the people were then gathered into a body and the Church was established which before was without forme yet this redemption ended not at the peoples comming forth of Egypt but continued till they were possessed of the land of Canaan which was giuen them after the Kings were driuen thence The like may bee said of this birth by which the Iewes were brought out of Babylon and restored home into their owne Country for this restauration must not bee restrained to their going out of Babylon onely but it stretcheth it selfe vnto the comming of Christ during which space of time there came great and wonderfull things to passe indeed Was it not an admirable thing that a sort of poore captiues contemned of all as miserable abiects and slaues yea held and esteemed as detestable as the disease of the pestilence should notwithstanding bee restored and sent home into their Country by infidell Kings Besides that they should be furnished with all things fit for their iourney and order taken for their affaires as also for the building of the Citie and restoring of the Temple But yet behold wonders much greater then these which came to passe afterwards when there were but a few of the people which would returne backe againe and the most were so discouraged See Exod. 14.11.12 that they preferred so miserable a seruitude before so blessed and happy a freedome When a small handfull I say of them then returned into Iudeah in respect of that great multitude which was led into captiuitie yet fell there out greater lets and hinderances For were there not conspiracies What impediments happened to the Iewes in their returne new hatreds grudgings raised vp against this people who were in too much contempt and disgrace already Did not the worke cease and was not all meanes procured to hinder the finishing of it In which
that he was the iust auenger of his Church The Chaldeans proudly boasted of the protection they had vnder their false gods but the Prophet refutes this vaine confidence saying that the God of Israel will not content himselfe only to roote out the prophane people but will also ouerthrow all their gods to their vtter shame and disgrace And therefore he saith that they shall be borne vpon mares in regard they should be throwne into some cart or other to be transported and tumbled vpon heapes together as it pleased the carters to dispose of them that is it which he signifies by the word put downe because the souldiers should lay all the gods on heapes which were so highly aduanced before And no doubt but this was accomplished when the Medes and Persians tooke Babylon for the Monarchie being translated to them these Idols also were taken away as part of the spoile Now howsoeuer Isaiah prophesied these things in respect of the Babylonians yet doubtles he speciallie aimed at the comming of Christ in the flesh at whose appearance all Idolatries and superstitions should be abolished For when his kingdome is once established Where Christes kingdom is established there all Idols fall to the ground Se◠1. Sam. 5.4 all Idols forthwith fall to the ground for it is not possible that false religion and superstitions can stand with his true knowledge he expels all darknes by his brightnes so as he leaues no roome neither for the false gods nor anie of their seruices for what communion hath light with darknes or Christ with Belial as S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 6.15 But withall we must obserue that the Prophet respected the time in which the Iewes were held prisoners for they saw the Chaldeans perfume their Idols and attributed vnto them a soueraigne power as if the issue of all things had bin at the beck of these puppets and in the meane while they scorned the God of the Iewes as if he had bin insufficiēt to defend his people or if he were yet that he did not much regard them He shewes then that there shal be such a change that the gods of the Chaldeans which were highly exalted should fall and that the true God who seemed to be throwne to the earth shall be exalted and shall reuenge the outrages done vnto his seruants Vers 2. They are bowed downe and fallen together for they could not rid them of the burden and their soule is gone into captiuitie THe Prophet derides the vanitie of these goodly gods who had neither strength nor motion neither were they able to stand vpon their fees nor to defend themselues seeing the poore beasts were faine to carrie them A close opposition betweene the true God and Idols Heere is a close opposition then betweene their Idols and the true God who stands in no need of any help at all But the Prophet to their further disgrace addes that the mares whereof hee speakes in this verse were bowed downe with the burden See verse 1. of which they would gladly haue rid themselues And thus these false gods after they suffered their worshippers to bee depriued of them were now become troublesome to the poore bruit beasts Their soule It is an Hebrew phrase by which the Prophet mockes these Gods who had neither sense nor any vnderstanding at all He speakes it then by way of contempt against the vaine and dumbe Idols to wit that they and their soule were led into captiuitie Obiect But let vs see if this may not as well be retorted vpon the true God whose Arke was taken by the Philistims 1. Sam. 4.11 which was the signe of his presence for thus it seemed that the Lord himselfe was in a maner led prisoner The answer Ans to this obiection is easie For howsoeuer the Lord meant that the Arke should be a testimonie of his presence yet he forbad the Iewes to rest in it but commanded them to lift vp their cies to heauen and there to seeke and adore him for as hee is a spirit so meant he alwaies to be serued spiritually Iohn 4.23 The Arke then was not worshipped in Gods stead but was a signe by which the people were led as by the hand Col. 3.1 to set their affectiōs on things aboue euen vpō the Lord himselfe contrariwise the Gentiles doted onelie vpon their puppets and attributed vnto them a diuine power Wee may also affirme that the Philistims were at last well scourged for their presumption so as they felt how they had to deale with the true God 1. Sam. 5.7 Obiect But this answer may seeme insufficient because the Lord suffered his Arke to be in contempt for a time as it plainly appeares by the course of the history Ans 1. Sam. 5.6 Thus then the true solution is that howsoeuer the Lord communicates himselfe vvith vs by signes and sacraments yet he vvill be sought of vs in heauen Moreouer himselfe had foretold by memorable prophecies that the Philistims in their conquest led him not prisoner but that be willingly exposed his Arke as a pray to his enemies to auenge him of the wickednesses of the people 1. Sam. 3.11 Also when the Temple was destroied and burnt and the vessels carried into Babylon the Iewes could not be ignorant but the same God which they had worshipped in Ierusalem was the authour of this chastisement in regard hee had so often foretold that by his Prophets which then came to passe Vers 3. Heare yee mee O house of Iakob and all that remaine of the house of Israel which are borne of mee from the wombe and brought vp of mee from the birth THe Prophet heere elegantly shewes what great difference there is betweene the true God and Idols A conclusion vpon the premises for hee said before that the gods of the Babylonians should be carried vpon carts and drawne by beasts because they were dead stockes heere hee attributes a far higher proprietie vnto the God of Israel to wit that he carried his people as the mother carries the child in the vvombe vvhich being borne shee alwaies carries in her bosome Wee may iustifie God to be the true God by our owne experience Now hee calles the Iewes to giue eare that they might make answer from their owne experience for they ought to be the more affected in regard they had felt by the effects that God had continually supported both them and their burdens He vseth a very fit opposition then and from the former words thus concludes Acknowledge and confesse indeed that I am the true God and in nothing like vnto Idols which are vaine things and dead burthens adde also that in regard of my continuall benefits which I haue neuer ceased to powre vpon you from your birth you cannot be ignorant but must needes know the greatnesse of my power For the Lord is not onely powerfull for himselfe but extends it to all his creatures that we might truly feele the efficacie
then had iust cause to reproch the Iewes that if they had not wittingly depriued themselues of the fruit of this doctrine they should haue bin ignorant of nothing that tended to their profit and saluation Now if it bee affirmed touching the Law that by it God taught his people profitable things how much more may it be said of the Gospell by which whatsoeuer is profitable and necessary is fully reuealed vnto vs And here also we see how execrable the blasphemies of the Papists are Papists giue God the lie who auer that the reading of the Scripture is dangerous and hurtfull that they may disswade the laitie as they call them from medling therewith What Dare they indeed giue the lie to God who by the mouth of his holy Prophet pronounceth that they are profitable See 2. Tim. 3.16 Whether is it better we should beleeue God or them Let them disgorge their blasphemies then as long as they will with an whorish forehead yet ought not we to refraine the studie of them for wee shall perceiue that Isaiah hath spoken the truth if wee reade the holy Scriptures with feare and reuerence Guiding thy vvay These wordes shew yet more cleerly the profitablenesse before mentioned For the Prophets meaning is that the way of saluation is set open to vs if we heare God speaking because he is readie to leade vs through the whole course of our life if we will submit our selues to his lore And thus Moses protests that hee set before the people life and death Deut 30.19 Also This is the way walke in it For the rule of a godly life is contained in the Law the which cannot deceiue I command thee this day saith Moses that thou loue the Lord thy God that thou walke in his waies and that thou keepe his commandements ordinances iudgements that thou maiest liue that the Lord may blesse thee in the land whither thou goest to possesse it Deut. 30.16 The summe is that such as are teachable shall neuer bee destitute of light vnderstanding nor counsell Vers 18. Oh that thou haddest hearkened to my commandements Then had thy * Or peace prosperitie been as the flood and thy righteousnesse as the waues of the sea IN regard the people might haue complained of their being led captiue the Prophet to preuent such grudgings A preuentiō shewes the cause why it came to passe namely because they reiected the doctrine of saluation without reaping any benefit by it No doubt but he had respect to Moses his song where there are almost the same words repeated Oh that they were wise then they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 The particle Lu heere signifies a wish Oh that or Would to God But the Lord not onely complaines that the Iewes lightly esteemed the good and profitable things offerd them but he also bewailes their miserie as a father doth that of his children For he takes no pleasure in afflicting vs God takes no pleasure in our afflictions neither would he shew himselfe seuere but that wee constraine him thereto by our frowardnesse God then is heere moued vvith compassion in beholding their ruin who had rather wittingly perish then to be saued for he was readie to haue dealt all sorts of blessings liberally amongst them if they by their owne rebellion had not repelled and put him backe Now it were preposterous to enter into Gods secret counsell Who art thou that disputest with God and to inquire wherefore himselfe made not the externall word effectuall vpon them by the worke of his holie Spirit For the question is not heere of his power but mans rebellion is heere onely reproued that they may be left without excuse Truely as oft as God calles vs to himselfe by his word there is a full and absolute felicitie offered vs which wee obstinatelie resist Wee haue told you before that the word peace signifies all happy euents It is then as if he had said Thou haddest had abundance of all good things and shouldest neuer neede to haue feared any change in regard the blessing of God vpon his seruants is a fountaine that can neuer bee drawne drie As touching the word iustice Tondroit ioined vnto peace wee may take it for that which wee commonly call thy right But I had rather vnderstand it of a Commonwealth well gouerned where all things are ruled orderly and well as if hee should say All things had prospered and had gone well with thee and thou hadst had a florishing State Hee worthily ioines such an estate with peace for if good gouernement bee ouerthrowne all goes out of frame for it is not possible to inioy a right peace where iustice is wanting Not possible to inioy a comfortable peace where iustice is wanting that is to say vnlesse matters of state be managed with equitie and vprightnesse If we loue peace then let vs forthwith be instant with the Lord to obtaine this happie estate which is blessed of him Some descant heere vpon spirituall iustice and vpon remission of sinnes but they misse the marke and stray quite from our Prophets meaning who speakes plainly and simply Vers 19. Thy seede also had been as the sand and * Or the children the fruit of thy bodie like the grauell thereof his name should not haue been cut off nor * Or abolished destroied before me THis also appertaines to an happy estate namely when posteritie is increased for by their helpe the aged are comforted and refreshed in their labours and the aduersaries repulsed The Psalmist you know compares such children to arrowes shot from the hand of a mighty man and pronounceth him blessed that hath his quiuer full of them Psal 127.5 that is to say who hath many such children In mentioning of sand it seemes he had respect to the promise made to Abraham I will multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand by the sea shore Gen. 22.17 Afterwards he repeates the same thing in diuers words according to the custome of the Hebrewes calling children and grauell that which he had called seede and sand In a word hee shewes that the people hindered God from causing them to feele and taste the fruit of his promise Afterwards comming to the interruption of this grace hee plainly reprocheth them namely that themselues had sought their owne ruine and destruction whereas God had multiplied them wonderfully by his power For by the word name hee vnderstands the lawful estate of the people which had alwaies florished if the course of Gods blessing had not been stopped And whereas he saith the people were abolished this must bee vnderstood in respect of the land of Canaan out of which Gods people being vomited Leuit. 18.25.28 they seemed to bee banished the house of their father For the Temple whereof the Iewes were depriued was a sacrament vnto them of Gods presence and the land it selfe was a pledge vnto them of their heauenly inheritance
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
euen in wilde beasts who yet are gentle and louing in this behalfe howsoeuer otherwise they be of cruell and fierce natures Now in regard women sometimes proue more vnnaturall then wilde beasts yea and ouercome them in crueltie by neglecting the fruit of their bodies the Lord addes that if this should fall out that yet he will neuer forget his people For the firme and vnmoueable affection he beares vs farre surmounts the vehement loue and amitie of all fathers and mothers in the world Let vs then call to minde what Christ saith Math. 7.11 If you which are euill can giue good things to your children how much more will your heauenly father Is it possible that he should emptie himselfe of this fatherly affection No verily Men which are of peruerse natures and loue thēselues yet will not neglect their children and will the Lord the fountaine of mercie who needs nothing but giues to all men liberallie and hath not the lesse neglect his Church Wherefore howsoeuer it falles out sometimes that mothers reiect and forsake their children which yet is prodigious yet notwithstanding God who loues his children with a stable constant and perpetuall loue will neuer reiect them To conclude then Chap. 27.23 Hebr. 13.5 our Prophet heere sets out the inestimable care of God who watcheth night and day for our saluation to assure vs that he will neuer leaue nor forsake vs though we be tossed to and fro with many and great calamities Vers 16. Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of mine hands thy walles are euer in my sight Gods loue to his Church set forth by another similitude BY another similitude he sets forth this inestimable care that God hath ouer vs. We vse to say in our common prouerb That one hath that vpon his fingers ends which is seriouslie imprinted in his memorie And when Moses commands a dayly meditation in Gods law he saith Thou shalt bind them vpon thine hands Deuter. 6.8 that so they might alwaies haue Gods commandements before their eies Heere our Prophet vseth the same similitude as if he should say I can no sooner looke vpō my hands but I behold thee there I beare thee so ingrauen vpon my heart that nothing is able to blot out the remembrance of thee In a word I can not forget thee but I should also forget my selfe True it is that GOD hath neither hands nor any bodily shape but thus it pleaseth the holy Ghost to stoupe downe to our slender and weake capacities that he might the better set forth the infinite loue which he beares vs. And because the Church is in many places called the Temple or Citie of God whence also comes that similitude of building so much frequented in the scriptures Psal 102.16 Ier. 24.6 Math. 16.18 therefore the Prophet brings in the similitude of vvalles by which hee notes out the quiet and peaceable estate of the Church as if he should say I will alwaies see that Ierusalem shall florish and be in good plight Whence also we obserue that heere is set forth vnto vs a right order of gouernment and discipline A right order of discipline described whereof the Lord will be the perpetuall protector and defender as himselfe heere protests Let vs also remember that this prophesie tooke place in that wofull desolation when the walles of Ierusalem which were the liuely image of the Church Ierusalems walls a liuely image of the Church were throwne downe the Temple raced good gouernment abolished and in a word when all things were out of ioint and almost brought to vtter confusion for he promiseth that all the Churches priuiledges shall forthwith be restored to their first perfection Vers 17. Thy builders make haste thy destroyers and they that haue made thee waste are departed from thee HE amplifies that which he touched in briefe in the former verse An amplification of the former verse for his speech might haue bin esteemed ridiculous vaine concerning this continuall care that God hath ouer the Church and her walles which he now suffered to be raced to the very foundations For this cause I say he addes an exposition to wit that it is ruinated indeed but ere long it shall be reedified anew From this word builders wee may gather wherin the right way of repayring the church consists The right way to repaire the Churches ruines namely if the Lord bee pleased to send forth master Carpenters and Masons to frame it anew Secondly in driuing out the destroiers which build not but breake downe For albeit God can build vp his church without the helpe of men yet is he pleased to vse their labours and howsoeuer he finisheth the whole building himselfe alone by the secret worke of his holy Spirit yet hee blesseth the indeuors of his seruants that the same should not become altogether vnfruitfull To him we must pray and from him alone wee must expect workemen for hee is able to fit them with gifts and graces and to appoint out to euery one his taske as Saint Paul saith 2. Cor. 3.5 Thus wee are then not onely to pray that God would send forth labourers into his haruest but also that he would furnish them with power and efficacie Mat. 9.38 that they may not bestow their paines in vaine Is the doctrine of the Gospell then preached with some fruit It comes to passe by the singular goodnesse of God But this were not enough vnlesse he therwithall should driue farre off the destroiers for Satan inuades and assaults the Church by infinit waies neither wants hee his supposts and catchpoles who imploy all their forces either to slake hinder or ouerthrow the Lords building and therefore we ought continually to pray that God would still defeate all their enterprises But if that good be not done which we desire let vs accuse our selues and our owne ingratitude for the Lord is readie to bestow his benefits vpon vs in great abundance Vers 18. Lift vp thine eies round about and behold all these gather themselues together and come to thee As I liue saith the Lord thou shalt surely put them all vpon thee as a garment and gird thy selfe with them like a bride HE awakens the Church by setting her deliuerance before her eies The Church is exhorted to behold her glory in the middest of her greatest ruines to the end she might view this so glorious a worke might behold the troopes of men which should flow in vnto her on euery side Now as this gathering together serued to sustaine the mindes of the faithfull in captiuitie so was it their duties who saw it accomplished indeede to render thanks vnto God Whence it appeares that this prophecie was of good vse in both the times as well whilest their deliuerance was yet hidden vnder hope as when it was ratified by the effects And albeit also he speakes to the Church in generall yet this speech belongs to euery one in particular that
skill to put the fault farre enough from you and to reproch the Lord you haue your defences in your hands readie to shew and yet in the meane while your selues haue violated the faith of mariage neither are you able to alleadge any iust matter for your selues whereby to disproue the lawfulnesse of your diuorce Where is the creditor Heere hee sets forth the same thing by another similitude when any was so farre indebted The second Simile that hee could not satisfie his creditors hee was constrained to giue his children in paiment The Lord now askes if hee were forced to doe this to wit whether hee hath sold or giuen them to pay his creditor or whether he was like to those vnthrifts who fondly waste their substance or to those housholders who suffer themselues to runne ouer shooes in debt As if he should say I am sure you are notable to charge mee with any such matter And therefore it is euident to all that you haue been sold brought into bondage for your iniquities And thus the Lord maintaines his owne iustice against all false imputations which by this second member hee thus repulseth in regard the Iewes were sold and put away by their owne fault Saint Paul vseth the same similitude when he saith We are sold vnder sinne Rom. 7.14 but in a diuers sense Besides the Hebrues are wont thus to speake of wicked ones 1. Kin. 21.25 who giue ouer themselues to commit sinne with a reprobate mind But heere the Prophet onely meant to conuince the Iewes in regard that by their owne offences they had wittingly pulled all the euils they sustained vpō themselues If any aske but can the Lord reiect his heritage Can hee disanull or breake his couenant No verily but it is said hee forsakes and prophanes his heritage as in Psal 89. Ezech. 24. because we can iudge no otherwise of it by outward appearance For in that he bare not that affection towards them hee was wont it was a kinde of diuorce or reiection To be short we must note these oppositions either that the vvise is diuorced by the husbands fault or because her selfe is a shamelesse harlot Againe that the children are sold either by reason of their fathers pouertie or for their owne vnthriftinesse And thus the context of this text will be easily vnderstood Vers 2. Wherefore came I and there was no man I called and none answered is mine hand so shortened that it can not help or haue I no power to deliuer Behold at my rebuke I drie vp the sea I make the floods desert their fish rotteth for want of water and dieth for thirst IT may be the Prophet renders a reason heere why the people hauing prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger hath not only pulled vpon themselues a sea of euils but are also worthely cut off by their owne obstinacie from all hope of pardon and saluation But I rather thinke the Lord proceeds yet further The Lord proceeds on in prouing his plea to be iust For hauing shewed that he had good cause giuen him to reiect this people who willinglie choosed rather to liue a seruile life then to be free he addes that it is none of his fault that they were not forthwith deliuered And as in the former verse he shewed that the fault whollie rested in the Iewes so heere he proues that their owne malice was the cause why they grew old and putrified in their miseries for there wanted neither will nor power in the Lord to haue holpen them if they had not stubbornly refused his grace and liberalitie To shut it vp in a word Isaiah shews that both their entrance and continuance in this calamitie came only from their owne fault that he might free God from blame and signifies that the Iewes did wickedlie when they accused him to be the author of their miseries or in complaining that he came not soone enough to their succor First then the Lord saith that he came But to what end To reach the Iewes his hand Whence it followeth that they are iustlie destitute of help in regard they despised his fauor Now the Lord comes when he giues vs any signes of his presence He comes by the preaching of his word and by the sundrie benefits which he bestowes vpon vs as also by the many testimonies which he vseth to manifest the fatherly loue and good will he beares vs. Was there euer any people saith Moses that saw such signes and wonders as thou hast done or that hath heard the voice of God speaking out of the middes of a fire and liue Deut. 4.33.34 Seeing such a dayly summons serued to no purpose and that in setting hope of mercie before thē he sought to draw them to repentance doth he not iustlie cōplaine as of a prodigious thing that they would not come foorth to meet him They are cōuinced of ingratitude then that whereas they ought to haue sought vnto God they would not vouchsafe to meet him For what a vile vnthankfulnes is it not to receiue that grace which is freely offred In that he saith I called he repeates the same thing in diuers words When God calles vs we ought to giue eare and to offer our readie and willing obedience For this is the answer which he complaines is not giuen him to wit that we submit not our selues whollie vnder his command But this word sutes very well heere to the circumstance of this place in that they wilfullie despised God who offred them present deliuerance out of their troubles It auailed him no more to speake vnto them therefore then if he had spoken to so many deafe and dumb men Thence he concludes that their deliuerance was deferred only in respect of their owne backwardnes which he confirmes vnto them by former testimonies in that he had in former time manifested to their fathers the sufficiencie of his power Now lest they should cauill and excuse themselues in affirming that they were not saued though they desired it God on the contrarie affirmes that they must seeke the cause of such a change elsewhere then in him For sure it is his power was not diminished He would not haue bin slack in reaching out his hand to them in their affliction if they had not obstinately reiected his offer Now by this Interrogation he expresseth the equitie of his cause as one that maintained a thing cleare and manifest For who dares obiect that his power is lessened And to that end he puts them in mind of that power of his by vvhich he brought them out of Egypt lest they should imagin the same were now diminished but might rather acknowledge that their vices stopped the course of this power that it could not now manifest it selfe At his rebuke he saith the sea is dried vp as if he had terrified it in rebuking of it For by his commandement the waters parted in twaine to giue his people passage Exod. 14.21 And Iordain fled back Iosh
mouth God speakes for wee ought to reiect all such as broach their owne inuentions albeit they shrowd themselues neuer so much with the title of Gods name But let vs a little see into the Prophets meaning For hauing shewed that mens consciences alwaies wauer till the Lord haue secured them it teacheth vs to hold this principle that it is God who speakes by his Prophets Acts 28.25 Heb. 1.1 for otherwise our consciences would remaine in doubtings and perplexities still There is also great weight in these words in that he recites the commandement of God for by the authoritie heereof he was hartened on to performe his office And haue kept thee in the shadow of mine hand Though this was said in Chap. 49.2 yet was it no needlesse repetition God will alwaies protect his Ministers For hence wee learne that God will vndoubtedly defend his Ministers at all times that so being vpheld by his succour he may fit them to passe thorow the pikes Now that we may be couered vvith this shadow two things are required First that wee be well assured that we publish nothing to the people but Gods word secondly that we doe this at Gods command for such as rashly intrude themselues may well crake of the title of teachers but to no purpose for they shall turne their backes when it comes to the triall indeed But if we haue the testimonie of a good conscience to witnesse with vs that we are called of God then may we resolue our selues assuredly of Gods aid and protection and that in the end we shall haue the victory The end of the ambassage is added that J may plant the heauens saith he that is to say that I may bring all things into their right order I grant this is diuersly expounded but the most natiue sense as I thinke is that heauen and earth are renewed by the doctrine of saluation because in Christ as Paul speakes all things both in heauen and earth are gathered together in one Eph. 1.10 For in regard that since the fall of the first man The world renued as it were by the the Gospell preached we see nothing heere but such horrible confusions as burthen the very insensible creatures and make them as it were to beare the punishment of our sinne Rom. 8.22 this disorder can no way be repaired but in Christ Seeing then that the whole face of the earth is disfigured by this wofull desolation it is not said without cause that the faithfull teachers doe renue the world euen as if God did cast heauen and earth into a new mould againe by their hand By this let vs take a taste of the grieuousnesse of sinne seeing such an horrible downefall hath succeeded in the nature of things It is said then that the heauens are planted and the earth set vpon her foundations when the Lord establisheth his Church by the ministerie of his word This he doth by the hands of the Ministers whom hee directs by his holy Spirit and defends them against all the furie and plots of their enemies that they may effectuallie accomplish the worke imposed vpon them Lastly he shewes that this ministerie tends to an higher end then to the visible forme of this world which suddenly vanisheth away to wit that hee will raise vp and nourish in the hearts of the faithfull the hope of the blessed life For the true restauration of the Church and of the world consists in this that the elect may be gathered into the vnitie of faith and that they all with one accord may aspire vnto God Verse 15. and in this verse Thou art my people seeing he so louingly allures them by these words I am thy God By this we may see what account God makes of his Church and the saluation thereof in that he not onelie preferres it aboue the whole world but shewes that the stabilitie of the world depends vpon it We are also to obserue what word it is which God will haue preached for in it we haue the rule of a godly life prescribed and besides it testifies vnto vs our adoption wherein especially consists our saluation Vers 17. Awake awake and stand vp O Ierusalem which hast drunke at the Lords hand the cup of his wrath thou hast drunke the dregs of the cup of trembling and wrung them out IN regard the Church was to sustaine and indure many afflictions the Prophet furnisheth her with consolation and meetes with a difficultie that might come betweene namely the enemies tyrannizing ouer the poore Iews when as in the meane while they felt no fruit of these promises His meaning is then that the Church should be restored and shall recouer her full strength though now she be afflicted and tossed vp and downe with diuers tempests And by the word awake then he raiseth her from death and as it were out of her graue As if he should say No ruin can be so wofull nor any desolations so horrible that can let God from effecting of this restauration Such a consolation doubtlesse was of singular vse for when sorrow hath seazed vpon our hearts wee by and by thinke that the promises belong nothing at all vnto vs. It is very needfull then that wee be often put in mind of this and may also haue it euer in our sight namely that it is God who speaks and thus calles not such as are in a florishing estate but those that are brought low yea and dead for these hee can awaken notwithstanding and raise vp by his word for this doctrine of saluation is not ordained for those that are in good plight but for the dead which haue lost all hope Which hast drunke c. The cup of vvrath is taken two waies for sometimes it is said that the Lord giues vs a cuppe of vvrath to drinke when hee smites vs with giddinesse and depriues vs of sense and this wee see often befalles men in their affliction Sometimes also it is taken simply for the bitter and smart blowes wherewith hee corrects his children in wrath in which sense this word ought to be taken in this place as it appeares because the relatiue His is thereunto added Neither doth this crosse that which is said to wit that the Church was amazed and drunke for this happened in regard the Lord chastised her so seuerely Now this is a similitude much vsed in the Scriptures by which the Lord calles his rod wherewith he corrects his children a drinke or potion diuided to euery one Notwithstanding when it speaks of the elect this word cup serues to set forth the measure which God keepes in his iudgements for he fauours his blow though hee chastiseth his people sharpelie See Chap. 27.8 Ier. 30.11 I take the word Taraela for anguish or trembling wherewith men are seazed when they feele themselues oppressed with grieuous afflictions Wee may also say they be drunke in regard they haue swallowed al that was in the cup so as their calamitie and
expects succor that her sonnes lie prostrate What sorrow is more bitter to a naturall mother then to see the throtes of her children cut and not only one or two of them but the streetes to be paued with the multitudes of them thus slaine He addes a similitude taken from a Beare or from some other wilde beasts thereby shewing that the strongest among the Iewes were snarled as it were in the nets In saying that they were full of the vvrath of the Lord it is to aduertise them that it came not to passe by fortune For he would not haue them impute this worke to chance neither yet to accuse God of hard dealing in that they were afflicted so sore Why so Because his iudgements are alwaies iust and right which he shewes further in telling them that this plague proceeded from Gods rebuke or threatning But withall wee must note his meaning which I haue touched before namely that the faithfull should not cast away the hope of their saluation notwithstanding their many miseries and desolations daily solicited them thereunto Vers 21. Therefore heare now this thou miserable and drunken but not with wine NOw he shewes more plainely why he hath spoken of the calamities of the Church A mitigation of the Churches sorrow in this and in the next verse Quest namely that the faithfull should not doubt of the Lords readinesse to comfort them though they indured many and great extremities But wherefore calles hee the Church miserable Is there any estate so blessed as to be in Gods fauour especially seeing this blessednesse cannot bee taken from vs For it is not said without cause in Psa 144.15 That the people are blessed which haue the Lord for their God Ans The Church miserable onely in appearance See Hos 14 4 I answer she is miserable onely in appearance Also the Lord calles her not by this name in vaine for himselfe is the helper of the miserable and of those that be destitute of succour as wee haue said before Where he calles her drunken we must note that the faithfull doe not alwaies indure their afflictions with such patience and constancy that they are not sometimes astonied but notwithstanding their amazednesse they ought to conceiue that the Lord chastiseth them iustly and also to be assured that hee will succour them For he speakes not to the strong and valiant but to the feeble miserable the humbled and to such as resemble those that are drunke to such hee promiseth comfort To be short by this word he asswageth the Churches sorrow and shewes that hee keepes a measure in the greatest afflictions that he may draw her out of perdition as if he raised a dead and rotten carkase vnto life Vers 22. * Or Thus saith the Lord thy ruler and thy God the protector of his people Thus saith thy Lord God euen God that pleadeth the cause of his people Behold I haue taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling euen the dregs of the cup of my wrath thou shalt drinke it no more IT is not without cause that he addes three epithetes to the name of the Lord First that he is the ruler or patron Secondly thy God And lastly the protector of his Church For we must alwaies consider what acquaintance we haue with God who is such a one as beckens vs to come vnto him in familiar maner because in making himselfe one with vs by a perpetuall couenant he manifests that hee hath once chosen vs to bee his people The Iewes in their time no doubt were incouraged by this preface boldly to imbrace that which is heere promised and the new people whom God hath now created Psal 102.18 and receiued into his safegard and protection as well as the people of old haue no lesse cause to imbrace the same promises with them Now the Lord attributes to himselfe the title of protector to teach vs that when we see great dangers approching and that we suppose they will worke our ruine euen then to run to this strong tower namely that God is the protector of his people It ought also to bee a shield of defence vnto vs as well against all Satans fierie darts as against the assaults of our visible enemies Behold I haue taken He propounds vnto theÌ„ matter of good hope to wit that God chastiseth his Church but for a time By which God afflicts his Church but for a time the Iewes were to learne that all the calamities which threatned them were iust recompences of thou transgressions as also that the rod should bee tied to their backes till God had receiueâ— them to mercy The summe is that his wrath will be appeased in such wise that he will mitigate their afflictions and will cause the iudgements wherewith he had for the present visited his Church to cease In the seuenteenth verse wee haue spoken of the similitude of the cup and this place doth sufficiently confirme that which was said there God mentions the cuppe of his wrath then which caused his Church to tremble as if shee had bin smitten with giddines notwithstanding the Prophet vseth the word Taraela which some translate Anguish others Trembling By the dregs he meanes that the measure of Gods vengeance shall be full so as God for the loue hee beares to his children will be satisfied Vers 23. But I will put it into their hand that spoile thee which haue said to thy soule Bow downe that we may goe ouer and thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the streete to them that went ouer THis is the other part of the consolation where hee promiseth God corrects his own first but the wicked must keepe their turne next Prou. 11.8 Hest 7.10 that the Lord will not onely content himselfe to deliuer his Church out of so many euils but will also send vpon her enemies all the calamities wherewith she was afflicted Are wee pressed then persecuted A time will come wherein God will speedily turne our captiuitie and our enemies in their turne shall be plauged to the vtmost For it is iust with God as Paul saith to render affliction to those vvhich trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto theÌ„ that know not God nor obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thes 1.6 7 8. The temporall punishments then which God inflicts vpon them in this life are the beginnings of their endlesse torments in hell to which at the last they shall bee adiudged And the better to describe the insolencie and pride of their enemies the like whereof we taste at this day from our aduersaries hee sets downe their vvords Bow dâ—wne c. True knowledge makes vs lowly ignorance makes vs proud and cruell in which they shamefully tyrannized ouer the children of God for pride crueltie are the inseparable companions of
according to the custome of the Hebrewes I see no reason why Oecolampadius hath translated Oecolampadius Hee hath exposed his high places to the rich By the rich vnderstanding tyrants and proud men for they are wont to wax insolent and intemperate in regard of their riches which they abuse to play the Tarmogants Thus I thinke that by the vvicked and rich he vnderstands one and the same thing Isaiahs meaning is then that Christ was subiect to the contumelies insolencies and lusts of the wicked Scribes and Pharisies For the Scribes and Pharisies on the one side rushed vpon him with a desperate fury and on the other side the factious people cried no hing but crucifie him The factious people Pilat crucifie him Matth. 26.66 Pilat contrary to all equity law gaue an vniust sentence of death vpon him though hee were informed of his innocencie The Roman souldiers Marke 15.14 And the Roman souldiers greedy of any pray put the cruell and wicked sentence cruelly and wickedly in execution Iohn 19.16 Who would not haue thought now but that Chrst had been vtterly ouerwhelmed an◠buried amongst the bloody hands of these cruels murtherers For I take the graue heere by a metaphor in regard the wicked and their executioners had almost ouercharged him Obiect And if any obiect that Christ was buried honourably I answere Ans that this buriall was the beginning of his glorious resurrection But heere hee speakes of his death which is often signified by the graue This then I take to be the true meaning and yet I giue euery man leaue to iudge as it pleaseth him Though he had done none iniquitie The Prophet sets Christs innocencie heere before vs not so much to defend him against the slanders of the wicked as to recommend vnto vs the fruit of his death lest wee should imagin that he suffered at aduēture He was innocent and suffered by Gods decree not for his iniquities but for ours for he bare the punishment due to vs. Now in two words he expresseth Christs perfect innocencie to wit that hee sinned neither in vvord nor deed Surely euerie one will confesse that this cannot be affirmed of any mortall man it followes then that it appertaines to Christ onely Vers 10. Yet the Lord would breake him and make him subiect to infirmities when hee shall make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seede and shall prolong his daies and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand BY this we may the better discerne of that which I haue briefly touched The fruit of Christs death expressed to wit that the Prophet propounding Christs innocencie had a further drift then to defend him against the contumelies and reproches of the wicked The marke hee aimes at then is to make vs looke vnto the very cause that so we might feele the effect thereof in our soules for God neither ordaines nor executes ought at randon Whence it followes that the cause of Christs death was lawfully vndertaken The exposition also is still to bee remembred of vs Obiect which we touched in vers 6. There was no sinne in Christ but why vvould the Lord then haue him suffer Ans Euen because hee sustained our person and cause for there was nothing at all that could satisfie Gods iustice but the death of his only begotten Son The word Asham signifies sinne and oblation for sinne and so oftentimes it is found in the latter signification in the Scriptures Exod. 29.14 Ezech. 45.22 For the beast sacrificed was so offered as that bearing the punishment and curse of the sinne it also blotted it out And the Priests signified so much by the imposition of hands euen as if they had laid vpon the beast the sinnes of the whole people Leuit. 4.4 And if any priuate man had offered he also put his hands vpon the head of the beast as if hee had thereby translated his sinne from himselfe vnto it Leuit. 4.27.29 And therefore Saint Paul calles Christ the curse or execration saying Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs Galat. 3.13 And in another place Hee made him to be sinne for vs vvhich knew no sinne that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 Also in Rom. 8.3 For that which was impossible to the law in that it was weake by reason of the flesh that hath God done by sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of flesh subiect to sin and for sinne hath condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs. The Prophet then by this word Asham signifies the same which Paul calles curse and sinne in the places formerly alleadged Now heere the fruit of Christs death is expressed in regard that by his sacrifice sinnes are done away and God is pacified towards man for the vertue of this word sacrifice must be referred heereunto Hence it followes that the abolishing of sinne and satisfaction for sinne is no where to bee found but in Christ Now that we may the better remember these things first wee must note that we are all guiltie before God so as we are accursed and lothsome in his presence Will wee then bee brought againe into his fauour Sinne must be taken away But this cannot bee done with purgations deuised by man How then We must resort to Christs death because wee cannot otherwise make satisfaction to God In a word No satisfaction can be made to God for our sins but by christs death Isaiah teacheth that sinnes cannot be pardoned vnlesse wee flee to this death If this language seemes harsh and not seemly for the person of Christ let such a one enter into his owne heart and consider in good earnest how feareful and terrible Gods iustice is when nothing is able to appease it but the sacrifice of Christ And so the inestimable grace which shines in the curse of Christ will easily remoue all offence Hee shall see his posteritie The Prophets meaning is that it shall bee so farre off that Christs posteritie shall be diminshed by his death that contrariwise it shall be the meanes to raise vp seed vnto him For in quickening the dead he begets a people which he afterward will cause to multiply exceedingly Neither is there any absurditie at all in it to call the faithfull the posteritie of Christ though they bee his brethren for they bee his of-spring Where hee addes Hee shall prolong his daies some supply the relatiue Asher Which saying that the posteritie shall indure long But I expound it more simply that the death which Christ shall suffer shall not cut off the length of his daies that is to say from liuing eternally Some departing out of this life doe leaue children which shall suruiue them yet vpon condition that their fathers be first dead But Christ shall haue his children with him for he dies not as men doe but obtaines eternall
life both for himselfe and his And thus the Prophet shewes that both the head and the members shall liue eternally The vvill of the Lord shall prosper in his hand This word hand is often taken for ministrie as where it is said that the Lord gaue the Law by the hand of Moses Numb 36.13 Also the Lord did this by the hand of Dauid 2. Sam 3.18 meaning that he vsed his seruice In this sort also shall the will of the Lord prosper in the hand of Christ that is to say the Lord vvill cause Christs ministrie to bring forth his fruit that it may not seeme he was exposed to so many cruell torments in vaine Vnder these foure or fiue words is comprehended a very large and ample doctrine which euery one may collect by himselfe for wee will content our selues now with expounding the text onely The vvill of the Lord is taken in the same sense heere as it was in the former member for he vseth the word Kephets which signifies a franke and liberall affection full of mercy This text then sets two benefits of God before vs First that hee spared not his owne Sonne Two benefits se before vs in this verse but deliuered him vp for our sakes to redeeme vs from death Rom. 8.32 Secondly that he suffers not this his death to be fruitlesse and vnprofitable but causeth it to fructifie very largely for vvhat benefit should vve reape thereby vnlesse vvee felt the power and efficacie thereof in our selues Vers 11. He shall see the trauaile of his soule and shall bee satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities The former argument further prosecuted ISaiah prosecutes the same argument For he shews that after Christ hath suffered death he shall reape the fruit thereof from the saluation of men To the words shall see therefore must be supplied the fruit and efficacie Surely these things containe wonderful consolation in them for Isaiah could no way better expresse Christs infinit loue to vs then in shewing that hee takes a singular pleasure in the worke of our saluation and doth herein as it were refresh himselfe as with the fruits of his owne labours Euen as one that reioiceth to see that which aboue all things hee desired to inioy◠as if nothing but that could content him In the next place he shewes the meanes by which we may feele the vertue and power of Christs death to wit by his knowledge This word knowledge or doctrine may be read in a double sense to wit in the actiue or passiue but in whether of them you reade it we shall easilie see the Prophets meaning Neither shall the Iewes be able to cauill so impudently but wee will force them to confesse that which is heere said to wit that Christ is the onely Doctor and author of righteousnesse for the Prophet manifests so much by the effect saying that he shall iustifie many Thus then men shall not only learne in the schoole of Christ to define what this righteousnes is but themselues also shall be made iust Note really and effectually thereby The difference betweene the righteousnes of the law and that of faith And heere behold the difference between the righteousnes of the law and that of faith For albeit the law shewes what it it to bee iust yet Saint Paul shewes it is impossible to obtaine righteousnes by it Which he proues by experience in regard the law is but a looking glasse seruing to manifest vnto vs our owne vnrighteousnesse Rom. 3.9 10. But the doctrine to obtaine the righteousnesse which Christ sets before vs is nothing else but a knovvledge of him to wit faith that is when we accept the benefit of his death and doe wholly rest our selues therein Philosophers The Philosophers giue many goodly precepts wherein they thinke all iustice is comprehended but they were neuer able yet to make any man righteous by them For where is he that had euer yet the power to liue according to their rules It is a small matter to know wherein true iustice consists vnlesse therewithall we taste the benefit of it But to let the Philosophers passe The Law conferres righteousnes to none we see the law it selfe which containes a perfect rule of a godly life is not able to conferre righteousnesse as we haue said Not because there is any want in it for Moses testified and protested that hee did set before them in it good and euill life and death Deut. 30.19 But the law is vnable to confer righteousnes to vs Why the law is vnable to confer grace in regard of the corruption of our nature as S. Paul well affirmes that this impossibilitie proceeds from our flesh and not from me law Rom. 8.3 For our nature is enmitie vnto it and our lusts ouercarry vs violētly as wild beasts to rush against the commandement of God And thus the lavv ingenders vvrath rather then righteousnesse Rom. 4.15 The law then condemnes all men and hauing discouered their sinne makes them without excuse We must therefore seeke out another meane whereby to obtaine righteousnes namely Christ our righteousnes Ier. 23.6 33.16 in Christ himselfe whom the very law points vs vnto as to the end of it Rom. 10.4 But what is that righteousnes of the law Doe these things and thou shalt liue Leuit. 18.5 Gal. 3.12 But none can doe them Then you must seeke another righteousnes which S. Paul collects out of a place of Moses The word is neere thee in thy mouth and in thine heart This is the word of faith which wee preach Deut. 30.14 Rom. 10.8 By this doctrine we are iustified not as it is nakedly and barely propounded but as it offers vnto vs Christ and all his benefits by which our sinnes are done away and we set at peace with God for if vvee imbrace this benefit by faith vve are reputed iust before him And our Prophet also expounds his owne meaning in shewing wherein this knowledge consists for these two members must be ioined together By his doctrine or by the knovvledge of himselfe he shall iustifie many because he shall beare their iniquities For as hee hath once offered himselfe for the purgation of all our iniquities so now hee daily allures vs to receiue the fruit of his death by the preaching of the Gospell The publishing of which his death and passion is the substance and foundation thereof that by bearing of it wee might be iustified Saint Paul also accords very well with this sentence of the Prophet For hauing shewed that Christ was offered for the remission of our sinnes that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him hee addes we are ambassadors for Christ and do beseech you that you will be reconciled vnto God 2. Cor. 5.20 My righteous seruant The Prophet teacheth that Christ iustifies vs not onely as he is God but also as he is man Christ iustifies
into his iudgement seate then men are forced to come out of their dennes and their villanies are manifested to euery one Psal 50.21 The Prophet therefore meant to say that the world esteemes horrible impieties to be vertues as long as God is silent but this shall vanish at the last when hee shall sit to iudge of them For after men shal haue flattered themselues much and for a long time together yet in the end they shall feele him to be their Iudge And they shall not profit thee This appertaines to the effect by which men are wont to iudge of things for the most part For they care not whether the matter bee iust or vniust but imagin that vvhatsoeuer is profitable ought to be approued of and therefore denounceth that all the vvorkes from whence they expected any benefit should turne to their detriment and ruine Vers 13. When thou criest let them that thou hast gathered together deliuer thee but the winde shall take them all away vanitie shall pull them away but hee that trusteth in mee shall inherit the land and shall possesse mine holy mountaine The former verse amplified HEe shewes now more at large that which hee touched but briefly in the former verse namely that when the matter shal come to the vp-shot they shall be confounded for the clause let them deliuer thee signifies as much as if he had said they shall not be able to doe it In this verse then hee alludes to that which he said before in vers 9. to wit Thou wentest to Kings with thy presents And for this cause hee calles all the meanes whereby the Iewes thought to secure themselues gathered for in resting thereupon they prostituted themselues to all kindes of villanies as if they had had been liable to no punishment at all in regard they were fortified with ramparts on euery side But the Lord shewes how vaine all their preparations are that are thus gathered together without him The cry here signifies that calamitie wherewith they should be afflicted For being setled vpon leagues and succours of their confederates they thought themselues in such safetie as if before they had neuer been annoied by such associates But hee protests that all the aid which they haue gathered together shall serue them to no vse for the hopes which we conceiue in the things of this world and in the helpe of man ioined with the forsaking of God is accursed and abominable Ier. 17.7 Hee reproched the Iewes in Chap. 8.6 for not contenting themselues with the still waters of Silo but searched out swelling and roring riuers which would ouerwhelme them in the end which indeed came so to passe For the Assyrians Egyptians and in the end the Chaldeans not onely were vnprofitable to the Iewes with whom they were confederate but at last were also their destruction Afterwards there followes an opposition wherein he recalles them to trust in God which was the onely remedie that ought to bee opposed to all calamities as on the contrary all our miseries flow from our owne infidelitie and distrust All our miseries flow from our owne infidelitie And whereas hee promiseth an heritage to those that hope in the Lord it is as if hee should haue said What is it that you seeke but that you may liue in safetie and that your inheritance may remaine whollie vnto you And I am sure my selfe can giue it you For tell me who brought you into this land Who gaue you possession in it And yet you trot downe into Egypt and seeke aid from men which cannot helpe you and you set mine assistance at nought The word heritage out of all doubt is meant of Iudea wherin the Iewes desired to remaine securely For afterwards he mentions the mountaine of his holinesse whereupon the Temple was built Thus then the Iewes sought to turne God out of his office as it were seeing they rather ranne for succour to the Egyptians and Assyrians then to him Hence let vs gather a generall doctrine Doctrine namely that all our affaires shall succeede well if we trust in God but if wee reiect that wee are not to wonder if wee be tossed from post to pillar and carried with the violence of diuers tempests whither we would not By the holy mountaine to which the Iewes were to be brought againe hee meanes that neither life nor none of the commodities thereof are to be desired but vpon condition that we may therewithall inioy the true worship of God for the end of mans life is The end of mans life that God may haue a people to call vpon his name purely Let our eies then be alwaies fixed vpon the honour and seruice of our God if wee either desire deliuerance from troubles or to inioy life with the commodities thereof Vers 14. And he shall say Cast vp cast vp prepare the way take vp the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people See vers 13. BEcause this promise to wit that those who trusted in the Lord should possesse the land might seeme ridiculous seeing soone after they should be banished out of their countrie A preuention therefore this second promise is added for the little remnants sake which yet remained In which he promiseth that they shall be brought home againe into the land of Canaan though for a time they were cast out and driuen into a farre countrie He meetes with a doubt which might arise that so the faithfull might not be discouraged during this long and tedious exile nor esteeme Gods promises to be vaine Some expound That the Lord would send true and faithfull Prophets which should remoue and purge out those offences of the Church wherewith it was corrupted by false prophets and wicked gouernors For they as he shewed in Chap. 56.10.11 were the cause of the ruine of it and therefore they iudge that heere is a better and more desirable estate promised But this exposition sutes very ill and therefore I had rather follow the first namely that albeit the Iewes for a time were to be depriued of this land yet the Lord would establish them therein againe who will to that end command the rough vvaies to be made smooth for their returne This place therefore agrees with that which we haue seene in Chap. 40.1.2.3.4 where the Lord commanded that the people should be comforted that their returne should be proclaimed and that the vvaies should be clensed For being yet in Babylon as in a sepulcher and the distance of place very great and the passage tedious they were hardly drawne to hope that they should euer returne againe into their countrie Isaiah therefore was not lightly to passe ouer this matter that so he might take from them all feare of being hindred in their iourney either in regard of the mountaines or the sea He speakes to Cyrus Cyrus and Darius Darius then into whose minds God would inspire a will to giue the Iewes both passage and all necessaries fit
remaines alwaies the same For if it be asked Who reedifed Ierusalem Truly it was this people But out of this infinite multitude God culled out an handfull and cut off all the rest Some thinke that the Cities should not be big enough to containe so many people for which cause they should be forced to build those againe which were throwne downe before But this seemes too farre fetched By the foundations from generation to generation whereof he speakes in the second member some thinke that the Prophet only repeates that which he said before and so expound foundations of generations because they had a long time bin ouerthrowne in regard these buildings were forthwith to be reedified and set vp but many impediments should come betweene that should cause the worke to cease notwithstanding this may be referred to the time to come thus Thou shalt reare vp the buildings which shall remaine for a long space for he seemes to promise vnto the Church such an estate as shal continue a long while as if he should say other buildings stand not long but this shall indure for many generations If any had rather referre it to the time past I gainsay him not And thou shalt be called The Prophet here comprehends two points First that the people should resemble a ruinous building Secondly that they should shortly be built againe But he attributes to the Iewes that they shall be the repairers and directors of the paths in regard the Lord shall vse their seruice to that end Wee haue heere then an excellent promise namely that the ruins of the Church shall be gathered againe together and repaired Now seeing the Lord will vse our selues in this worke let nothing hinder vs from imploying our whole seruices this way And albeit the world resist and scorne vs as witlesse people yet let vs be of good courage and ouercome all these impediments For we must be valiant and bold when we know it is the Lords vvorke who hath enioined vs thus to doe Vers 13. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath * Or delites a delite to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honor him not doing thine owne wayes nor speaking * Or thy words a vaine word SOme thinke the Prophet hath respect to the outward obseruation of the Sabbath because it was not lawfull to trauaile on that day Now howsoeuer I reiect not this yet I take it that the sense hath a larger extent for vnder the figure Synecdoche he signifies the whole course of mans life it being a thing well knowne to all that by vvalking our whole conuersation is vnderstood He saith then If thou ceasest to follow thine owne swinge if thou shut vp all passage against thy selfe vvalke not vvhither thy fantasie leades thee c. For they are said to turne their feete from the Sabbath who impose not this law vpon themselues namely not to wander whither their vnbridled lusts would carrie them Now as before vnder the fast he comprehended all ceremonies and shewed that these disguisings in which they placed their holines were nothing but vain and vnprofitable things so in this place he shewes wherein the true obseruation of the Sabbath consists to the end they should not thinke it to be in the outward rest from bodily labor but in the true renouncing of our selues that is in abstaining from all wickednes violence voluptuousnes and euill thoughts First by the word foote he meanes their works for the Iewes durst not trauaile nor dresse any flesh vpon the Sabbath day and yet they made no scruple at all to vex their poore neighbors and to scorne the afflicted notwithstanding he comes forthwith to speake of the vvill and vvords that he might comprehend all the parts of that obediēce which is due vnto God The word delights ought to be referred vnto God and not to men For there is nothing which pleaseth him better or is more acceptable vnto him then the obseruation of the Sabbath and his pure worship He carefullie repeates that men do much ouershute themselues if they cōtemne the commandements of God to set vp their vnprofitable workes in the stead thereof and also admonisheth vs to suffer our selues to be gouerned by his only will Moreouer he mentions some particulars whereby he shewes that the true obseruation of the Sabbath consists in the renouncing of ouer selues and in the conuersion of the whole man and therefore he layes the vvill for the foundation that from thence may flow vvords and deeds for we lightly vtter the conceptions of our vnderstandings and by our vvords we manifest our vvill then followe the actions Whosoeuer then will indeuor to serue God as he ought he must first of necessitie whollie renounce his will and carnall reason Hence we see wherefore the Lord so oft requires the obseruation of the Sabbath in the Scriptures Exod. 20.13 Doubtlesse he looked higher then to the externall ceremonie which is this rest in which the Iewes placed a worke of great holinesse No he rather meant that hauing put off all the concupiscences of the flesh and renounced all their inordinate affections For a more particular explication and application of this 13. verse see Widley vpō the Sabbath Lib. 2. Chap. 4. Sect. 2. they should testifie their sincere obedience For in truth that man can neuer be said to meditate aright of the heauenly life that is not dead both to the world and to himselfe Now howsoeuer this ceremonie bee abolished yet the substance remaines For Christ is dead and risen againe to the end we might keepe a perpetuall Sabbath that we cease from our own workes to suffer the Spirit of grace to worke powerfully in vs. Vers 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iaakob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it THen shalt thou delight It seemes he alludes to the word delights in the former verse For the word Tithannagh which the Prophet vseth comes of the word Onegh which hee vsed in vers 12. in saying that the Lord tooke great delights in the true obseruation of the Sabbath In a word his meaning is that the people receiued no delight from God because they prouoked him to anger would not obey his will For if wee square our liues according to the rules of Gods Law wee shall be his delights and hee shall be our ioy and contentment He testifies then that the Iewes are the cause themselues that God takes no more pleasure in them also that their owne liues are so comfortlesse By this then hee priuily reprocheth the Iewes namely that through their owne folly they haue drawne downe so many calamities vpon them Afterwards he addes that they shall mount vpon the high places of the earth thereby promising vnto them their returne
to know that this was done by his commandement For some might obiect Obiect How can it be that the nations who now proudly resist God should come to yeeld him obedience He answers Ans Because the Lord will proclaime your returne in such wise that they shall vnderstand how you must be restored by his commandement But as touching that he addes Tell the daughter of Zion it properly appertaines to the Prophets and Ministers of the word to whom the Lord giues this charge to promise saluation and deliuerance vnto his Church Hence wee gather that these promises ought not to be restrained to one particular time Doctrine but must bee extended euen to all ages till the second appearing of Christ For if wee beginne at the returne out of Babylon into Iudea wee must passe along still to the comming of Christ because then this prophecie was truly fulfilled and the end of the deliuerance came because the Sauiour then appeared when the grace of God was published by the Gospell In a word he affirmes that Gods voice shall one day sound from the East to the West and shall not be vnderstood of one people onely but of all Now this voice is Behold thy Sauiour commeth which we know is the proper voice of the Gospell He therefore inioines the Teachers of the Church to raise vp the hearts of the faithfull vvith the comming of the Lord though vnto the people it seemed a thing far remote But this promise belongs chiefly to Christes kingdome who fully and perfectly did accomplish these things for he indeed shewed himselfe to be the sauiour of the vvorld as we haue seene heretofore in Chap. 40.10 And lest any scruple might remaine he furnisheth the Lord with power when he shall appeare as it is in that very place which we before alleaged for hee vseth the very same words there which are heere mentioned as if he meant to shew that as soon as it should please God to stretch forth his hand the effect will in a moment appeare for whilest he either ceaseth or deferres flesh and blood esteemes him idle Wee also see that many fantasticall spirits forge I know not what diuinitie as if they meant to paint out a dead image The Prophet therefore very aptly addes the vvorke and reward before God to shew that he is the iust Iudge of the world in the time of neede Vers 12. And they shall call them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be named a Citie sought out and not forsaken HE sets forth the benefit of the Lords comming The fruit of the Lords comming namely that in shewing how his elect are as deare vnto him as his owne heritage he will make it knowne to all the world that the couenant of Adoption by him contracted with Abraham is not in vaine for this cause he calles them the holy people in regard the Lord had separated and consecrated them vnto himselfe for though he gouerned all the nations of the world yet he vouchsafed to chuse the posteritie of Abraham to haue a speciall care thereof And in this sense God meant to say that his people shal be holy when he shall appeare their sauiour and redeemer And as the people are called prophane when they be plunged in their dregs being afflicted and vexed by the scoffings of the wicked so on the contrarie they are said to be holy when the Lord shewes himselfe by effects to be the God of their saluation which came to passe in their wonderfull deliuerance for then God shewed indeed that he remembred his holy couenant touching his heritage which he had as mans reason deemed vtterly reiected and cast off For in these words sought out and not forsaken we must note the opposition betweene the time wherein the Lord sued out this diuorce against his people and that wherein he reconciled those againe vnto himselfe vvhom he had put away THE LXIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Who is this that commeth from Edom with red garments from Bozrah he is glorious in his apparrell and walketh in his great strength I speake in righteousnes and am mightie to saue A preuention of a dangerous temptation THE expositors Christian haue misinterpreted this place as if that which is heere said should appertaine vnto Christ seeing the Prophet speakes simplie of God himselfe and thus they haue made a Iesus died all ouer vvith red in regard he was thorowly bathed in his owne blood which he shed vpon the Crosse But the Prophet had no such meaning at all The true and plaine sense is That the Lord presents himselfe here clothed vvith red garments before the people to aduertise all that he vvould maintaine the cause of his chosen The naturall meaning of this verse and be auenged on their enemies For whilest the people of God were pressed with infinite miseries and that the Idumeans with the rest of their aduersaries who were as it seemed out of all danger ouerflowed in all excesse of riot it might dangerouslie tempt the Iewes to thinke either that these things were guided by fortune or that God made light account of his children or that at least he chastised them with ouer great seueritie So then if God corrected the Iewes because of the contempt of his name and religion how much more were the Jdumeans and other enemies to bee roughlie dealt withall being the sworne enemies thereof The Prophet meetes with this so cumbersome a temptation by bringing in God the auenger Psal 94.1 returning from the slaughter of the Edomites as if hee had been stained all ouer vvith their blood The force of interrogations Now this description is liuely and full of efficacie when hee saith Who is this For such an interrogation rauisheth the minds of the hearers into an admiration and affects them more then if it had been vttered in plaine termes The Prophet did the rather vse it that hee might thereby awaken the Iewes who were become drâ—uzie and besotted We know that the Idumeans were somewhat akin to the Iewes in regard they were descended from the same ancestors with them For they were thus called of Esau who was also called Edom Gen. 36.1 These hauing corrupted the pure worship of God See Obad. 10.11 though they had the same marke of circumcision notwithstanding persecuted the Iewes most despitefully And besides they exasperated the rage of other enemies against the Iewes manifesting to all what great pleasure they tooke in the ruine of this poore people as it appeares by their egging on of the Babylonians Remember O Lord saith the Church Psalm 137.7 the children of Edom who in the day of Ierusalems ruine said downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Thus then the Prophet denounceth that the Edomits shall also keepe their turne in being iudged according to their deserts that none might otherwise think but they should surely bee punished for the barbarous crueltie by them exercised against their brethren For the Lord wil
so auenge himselfe of the wicked and enemies of the Church that hee will thereby shew what care hee hath ouer her Now howsoeuer blood doth vsuallie spot and staine him that vanquisheth yet Jsaiah affirmes that God shall bee glorious in his apparell after he hath made hauocke of his enemies As in chap. 34.6 we haue seene that the slaughter of the wicked there was compared to the sacrifices in regard Gods glorie shined therein For what garment could hee put on more glorious then his iustice Therefore that he might speake honourablie of Gods iust reuengings hee shewes that the blood wherewith he is besprinckled by the slaughter of these desperate wicked ones is glorious and excellent As if hee had said Thinke not that God resembles any common person for though hee bee died ouer with blood yet shall not this hinder but that his Maiestie and glorie shall shine therein The Iewish expositors take the word vvalking diuerslie for some among them referre it to the people whom the Lord should bring backe from the captiuitie others to the nations whom the Lord would transport into other countries notwithstanding they then seemed to haue a setled habitation But I thinke it will better sute to the scope of the Prophets text if we take it absolutelie The Prophet then describes the glorious vvalking of God and his noble presence by which he will manifest his admirable power I am that speake The certenty of the prophesies noted The Lord himselfe answers which carries much more maiestie with it then if the Prophet had spoken in his owne person And herein he brings the faithful to the former prophesies to enforme them that not only Gods righteousnesse and goodnesse but also his faithfulnesse should appeare in these iudgements As if he should say Now you see the accomplishment of that which hitherunto I haue declared vnto you by my seruants For this effect of my promises plainely demonstrates that I am true of my word and that I speake from my heart without faining so as I will not by any meanes disappoint your expectations Now the vision of it selfe had not beene forcible enough vnlesse the Iewes had therewithall bin put in mind of the things they had heard of before Seeing the end thereof was to settle their hearts vpon the saluation of God hee therewithall attributes vnto himselfe an extraordinarie power and might to saue Vers 2. Wherefore is thine apparell red and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine presse HE prosecutes the same argument The former argument still prosecuted But because the bare recitall would not haue been of sufficient weight therefore he doth not at once manifest from whence this red colour in Gods garments did proceede but rather continues his Interrogation still that he might the better rouze vp their spirits to the consideration of so rare vnwonted a thing For his meaning is to say that this sprinkling with blood is a matter extraordinarie and not seene before And therefore the similitude of the presser of grapes sutes very well For Bozrah Vers 1. which hee mentioned in the first verse was situated in a countrie of vines as if he would haue said the grape gatherings shal be much differing frō the old wont for blood in stead of the iuice of grapes shall now bee squezed out Vers 3. I haue trodden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with mee for I will tread them in mine anger and tread them vnder foot in my wrath and their blood shall bee sprinkled vpon my garments and I will staine all my raiment NOw the Prophet expounds the vision The vision expounded and shewes wherefore the Lord is thus died with blood Verse 1. namely because he must be auenged on the Idumeans and other enemies who haue vsed his people very inhumanely It should bee a thing ridiculous to referre this verse vnto Christ in regard he hath redeemed vs without the helpe of any man for the Prophets meaning is that the Lord will so punish the Idumeans that he shall stand in need of no mans helpe because himselfe will bee strong enough to roote them out Ans For the Iewes might obiect Obiect that the Idumeans were mightie that no warre was made vpon them but that they florished and liued at their ease But the Lord shewes that this shall not hinder him from smiting them when him listeth I grant he vsed mens helpe when hee auenged himselfe of the Idumeans but yet in such wise that it was apparant to all how the whole action was managed by his owne hand neither could any thing therein be ascribed either to the counsels or forces of men For they were surprized with a sudden and vnexpected destruction in respect whereof the people could not doubt but that God only was the author thereof seeing they had been so often aduertised of it before Where he saith And of all the people there vvas not one vvith him it is to shew that howsoeuer some should be raised vp to bring destruction vpon Edom yet Gods worke therein should be separate from theirs For the infidell enemies neuer dreamed of auenging the vniust cruelties of the Idumeans The Lord would then that his iudgement should shine and be considered of in the clattering of the harnesse and weapons and in these violent moouings I vvill goe vpon them For mine owne part I willingly retaine the future tence in regard the Prophet speakes of things to come and not yet accomplished For the Idumeans were to bee seuerelie punished for their crueltie though for the present they were at their case and in great tranquillity Wee haue alreadie in part touched the cause why the Prophet hath vsed the simililitude of a bloodie presser which is both a hideous and wofull sight yet therewithall he addes that the punishments and vengeances of God against his enemies are properly his owne as if himselfe had gathered them together when he shall either consume or scatter them Euen as in Chap. 34.6 such an execution is called a solemne sacrifice to teach vs that wee are no lesse to glorifie God when hee executes his iudgements then when hee manifests the tokens of his mercie In the meane while hee expresseth his singular loue towards the Iewes seeing for their sakes he vouchsafeth to sprinkle himselfe with the blood of his enemies so farre that hee vseth the verbe to staine or to defile In my vvrath The Prophet shewes that this alone sufficeth for the destruction of the Idumeans namelie that the Lord is angrie with them As if he should say No man shall be able to deliuer them when God shal haue to doe with them Hence we are to gather that mens ruine proceedes from no other cause but Gods vvrath as on the contrarie our saluation depends wholly vpon his meere grace To conclude Mens ruine proceedes from Gods wrath the Lord meant here to testifie that the Idumeans should not escape vnpunished seeing they
effectuallie confirmed because it was verie hard to be credited Althogh euen in this noueltie the Prophet meant to magnifie Gods vnexpected grace The summe is The summe of this text that after God shall be offered to the Gentiles and that they shall bee receiued into the holy race of Abraham then there shall bee a Church in the world out of which the Iewes shall be expelled Now wee see that all these things which our Prophet here mentions were accomplished by the Gospell wherein the Lord truely manifested and offred himselfe vnto strange nations Vse As oft then as this voice of the Gospell sounds in our eares or as oft as we reade these holy prophesies let vs know that the Lord is neere and offers himselfe that being familiarly knowne wee may with boldnesse and assurance call vpon him Vers 3. A people that prouoked mee euer vnto my face that sacrificeth in gardens and burneth incense vpon brickes The fruit that came from walking after their owne imaginations in this and the next verse HE shewes and prosecuteth more at large in what things the Iewes rebelled against God namely that hauing forsaken his commandement they defiled themselues with sundrie superstitions Heretofore he had said that the Iewes had reuolted from God in regard they wandred after their owne inuentions Now he sets forth the fruit of this their wandring The spring of all superstitions namely that hauing giuen their thoughts free scope they ouerthrew the pure worship of God And this indeede is the fountaine from whence al superstitions proceede euen when men please themselues in their inuentions chusing rather to bee wise in their owne eies then to restraine their senses within the lists of Gods law It is but in vaine then that the superstitious alleage their deuotions and good intentions as they call them for God so abhorres and detests them that those who rest therin are tainted of high treason and are guiltie of the breach of Gods couenant because we ought to enterprise nothing of our owne braine but to yeeld our obedience to Gods commandement In a word the beginning and perfection of his pure seruice consists in teachablenesse By the verb to prouoke Isaiah sets foorth the inpudencie of the people who prouoked the Lord of set purpose neither had they any such reuerence of his Maiestie as to subiect themselues vnder his gouernement And this he further amplifies in adding vnto my face For seeing those that are admonished by the word haue him present as it were before their eies they sinne with an hie hand and are more guiltie of impudencie and rebellion then such as neuer heard tell of the word He also mentions the gardens which they had dedicated vnto their Idoles and affirmes that God was prouoked by them Some think it should be spoken of brickes here by way of contempt and that they are secretly opposed to the Altar vpon which God would haue them onely to sacrifice And thus they thinke the roofes of the houses are here meant where the superstitious sort were wont to sacrifice in regard they were made of brickes But I rather thinke this word simplie signifies the Altars which they had erected to their idols In the meane while howsoeuer they had a faire pretence to imitate the forme of that Altar ordained by the Lord yet he abhorred such an excuse because it was contrarie vnto his word Vers 4. Which remaine among the graues and lodge in the deserts which eate swines flesh and the broth of things polluted are in their vessels HE reckons vp other sorts of superstitions Which albeit by reason of the breuitie of the words it bee somewhat obscure yet from other places of the Scriptures it may easily bee gathered what they were For as Necromancy was a thing much in vse among profane nations so also the Iewes went into the sepulchers and deserts to aske counsell of diuels whereas they should onely haue sought counsell at the mouth of God And in supposing to fetch answers from the dead they delited to be deciued by the illusions of wicked spirits Now by the 18. of Deuteronomie vers 11. and other places it appeares how expreslie the Lord had forbidden this And we haue touched it somewhat before in Chap. 8. We are here taught in generall that the Lord requires nothing more of vs then obedience which hee accepts aboue all sacrifices 1. Sam. 15.22 Which eate svvines flesh He complained before that Gods seruice was polluted by their superstitions Now he addes that they reiected all difference of things so as they discerned not between the pure and vncleane And he recites one kind namely that they abstained not from swines flesh This seemes but a light matter Yet is it not so for all that For we must not iudge how great this sinne is by our rule but according to that which the Lawgiuer hath prescribed Neither is that sinne to be esteemed light which God hath forbidden This appertaines to the externall profession of faith by which the Iewes should haue shewed how farre off they were from the prophanations of the Gentiles Wee must not recoile then from that rule which God hath giuen vs no not the thicknes of our naile Vers 5. Which say Stand apart come not neere to me For I am holier then thou these are a smoke in my wrath and a fire that burneth all the day HE notes out a grosse impietie that was among the Iewes namely that of an obstinate mind and an vntamed rebellion they opposed themselues against the true seruants of God neither would they obey any admonitions For whilest we giue eare to admonitions and reprehensions there is some hope of repentance but if wee reiect them then is it certaine that we be past cure Now howsoeuer the Prophets words in appearance seeme to be obscure yet the summe of them is that hypocrites doe disdainfully and malepartly thrust backe those vvho faithfully admonish them because they attribute vnto themselues either a shew of holinesse or in respect that their pride cannot indure that any should reproue them for hypocrisie is neuer separate from disdainfulnesse Hypocrisie neuer separate from disdâ—infulnesse pride Let vs not meruaile then if those who bee tainted with this vice doe insolently exalt themselues bragging of their holinesse and thinke that they excell therein aboue all others and if we at this day also doe find the like qualities in the hypocrites of our time which Isaiah hath described to bee in those that then liued For Satan hath so blinded them that whilest with a vaine bragging of words they set their deuotions to sale they basely esteeme of Gods word The expositors thinke this should be a generall sentence which reproues the Iewes for not submitting themselues vnto the Prophets but me thinks the circumstance of the place should be considered which they haue not sufficiently respected namely that this verse depends still vpon the former so as the Iewes are sharply reprooued for
delightes in vs as in children and not as in men of a ripe age let vs willingly acknowledge our condition to bee such that so we may gladly accept of these consolations For doubtlesse it is a signe of Gods infinite goodnesse towards vs when he is thus pleased to support our infirmities Vers 13. As one whom his mother comforts so will I comfort you and yee shall bee comforted in Ierusalem 14. And when ye see this your heart shall reioyce and your bones shall florish like an Hearbe and the hand of the Lord shall be knowne among his seruants and his indignation against his enemies IT is wonderfull to see how long the Prophet insists vpon this renouation The first member of this verse is expounded before in vers 12. for it might seeme that he had spoken fully of it before But for as much as hee could not sufficiently expresse the great loue and affection which God beares vs nor content himselfe to haue spoken of it therefore it is that hee redoubles and repeates one and the same thing so often When he saith they shall be comforted in Ierusalem it may be expounded two waies For the meaning may bee that the faithfull shall be glad when they shall see the Church restord or the Church being restored that shee will endeuour to comfort her children The first exposition seemes more copious but we ought to haue an eie to the Prophets meaning and not to that which carries a faire shew only In the first place he makes God the author of this consolation And hath he not good cause yet notwithstanding ads in the second place that it shall be in Ierusalem by whom it was to be administred You see then that this comfort is not offered nor giuen to the prophane contemners who care not what becomes of the Church but to those who out of a true affection of godlines doe manifest themselus to be her children The verbe to see expresseth a sure experience that the faithfull should not doubt of the euent but fully imbracing this prophesie they might patiently endure for a time their mothers barrennesse He illustrates this by a similitude when he saith that their bones shuld receiue new force and vigor euen as dead hearbs waxe greene after winter Now hee speakes of the bones which become withered with sorrow as Salomon saith Prou. 17.22 as on the contrarie Ioy is wont to replenish and reuiue them Thus he notes out a vehement and an incomparable ioy and it seemes he alludes to that sorrow which had almost dried vp the bones of the faithfull in captiuitie in so much that they were become withered and like dead men The Lord therefore comforts them and promiseth that his Church shall flourish and abound in all blessings Afterwards that he might giue them better assurance hee commands them to lift vp their minds vnto God who will then manifest his succour It is added afterward that the hand of the Lord was not alwaies reuealed but remained couered for a time as if he had been vtterly carelesse of his chosen For in appearance it seemed hee had reiected them seeing Daniel and other good men were carried away captiues no lesse then Zedekias When the Sunne should shine againe vpon them then there should bee manifested such a difference betweene the godly and the wicked that his hand which before was as it were hidden should now euidently appeare because hee will no more dissemble the matter nor suffer the wicked any longer to take their full swinge but will openly shew what great care he hath ouer his Church Haue our enemies gotten the start of vs then haue they made their part the stronger so as wee seeme for a time to be forsaken and left destitute of all helpe Vse Yet let vs not faint nor be discouraged for a day vvill come wherein the Lord will reueale himselfe and will set vs free from vnder the tyraâ—nie and violence of the enemies Vers 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire and his charets like a whirlewind that he may recompence anger with wrath and his indignation with a flame of fire THe end of this description is that when the faithfull should see their miseries to serue in stead of a may game to the wicked whereat they would laugh their fill yet they should not therefore turne from the right way nor be discouraged For the Prophet meant not onely to gall the wicked who are wont to be daunted with no threatnings whatsoeuer but scorne all that is told them but he therewithall comforts the faithfull to assure them that they should be in good case being vnder Gods protection as also that they should not ioine in league with the wicked though all things fell out according to their desires Thus then it is to the faithfull especially to whom the Prophet hath respect to the end they should content themselues with Gods grace and protection But it cannot well be affirmed whether he heere comprehends the last iudgement with those temporall iudgements wherewith the wicked begin heere to be punished withall For mine owne part I nothing doubt but this iudgement is comprehended with those punishments which are onely forerunners of eternall death The Lord vvill come This beganne to take effect at that time in which the people being carried into Babylon God shewed his vengeance vpon the domestike enemies of his Church Afterward when the time of their deliuerance was accomplished then hee incountred with an outstretched arme with the prophane nations and neuer ceased to giue them diuers signes of his comming by which he shewed himselfe present to his people and came in fire to iudge his enemies Lastly wee know that he vvill come in flaming fire at the last day to reuenge himselfe vpon all the wicked 2. Thes 1.8 2. Pet. 3.7 But this place must not bee restrained to the last iudgement vnlesse we also comprehend the rest therewithall Notwithstanding hee opposeth these threatnings especially against the hypocrites as wee shall see heereafter which were among the Iewes Now these metaphors are much vsed in the Scriptures for we cannot otherwise comprehend this horrible iudgement of God vnlesse the Prophet should vse these similitudes taken from things in common vse amongst vs. The Prophets labour thereby to touch our sences to the quicke that so being mooued with the true feare of God wee should not enuie the estate of the wicked for whom so horrible and fearefull a vengeance is prepared By this we may see how fond and vnfruitfull the speculations of the Sophisters Fond speculations of Sophisters are who stand to dispute about the qualitie and sharpnesse of this fire seeing the drift of the holy Ghost is vnder these borrowed speeches to set forth the horrible iudgement of God because otherwise wee are not able to imagin nor comprehend the same And this appeares yet better by the word sword which he vseth in the next verse for there is the same reason to be
it is hid in them that are lost whom Satan the God of this world hath blinded 2. Cor. 4.3 Let the blind world then accuse it selfe when it cannot indure the brightnesse of this word and as for vs let vs stand fast and abide by this heauenly light which the faithlesse labour to dimme and darken with their mists and fogs of errors Moreouer it seemes the Prophet alludes to the Oracles which were giuen out of caues and the three footed stoole of their Idols for they were things vncertaine and full of illusions But Gods answers are free from such things for he speakes not in darknesse Prou. 9.3 but in the highest places of the Citie neither vtters he ought that can deceiue or be turned two maner of waies Obiect But will some say experience teacheth that the Scripture is both hard and obscure Ans It is very true but this is to be attributed to the dulnesse slownesse of our vnderstandings and not to the Scriptures For the blind or such as are weake sighted Simile cannot accuse the Sunne in that they are not able to behold it The fault is in themselues And yet this remaines sure that as many as are teachable and yeeld obedience vnto Gods ordinances shall not lose their labour because the Lord will shew himselfe a faithfull teacher towards the humble and meeke Psal 25.9 The Scriptures easie to them that will vnderstand Prou. â— 9. Howsoeuer then all attaine not to a perfection of knowledge yet the study of such as seeke vnto God vnfainedly shall neuer returne without fruit In this clause also the Prophet shewes that the end and vse of the Law serues to bring men to God for it is the onely true happinesse of man to be knit againe to his Sauiour and the sacred bond of this coniunction consists in faith and in true pietie Now in the second member hee not onely protests that he spake distinctly and without ambiguitie but also sets forth the stedfastnes and certaintie of his word The stedfastnesse and certaintie of Gods word as if he should say I make not these large promises to circumuent or beguile pooore captiues withall as if I meant to feed you onely with faire words but I will also surely performe whatsoeuer I haue promised And thus he conuinceth their ingratitude who being called answered not for Gods meaning is to make vs partakers of all the good things which hee offers vs whereof otherwise wee are vtterlie destitute Where it followes that God speakes in righteousnesse it serues as an exposition as if hee should say Gods word neuer yet found deceitfull to any that rested vpon the truth of it My word by which I seeke to draw the Saints vnto mee was neuer yet tainted with any vntruth but containes things that are altogether righteous Psal 19.9 The words of the Lord saith Dauid are pure words as the siluer tried in a furnace of earth fined seuenfold Psal 12.6 In Gods word then wee haue a cleere righteousnesse shining out vnto vs which hauing scattered all our darknesse will forthwith inlighten our mindes and vnderstandings Vers 20. Assemble your selues and come draw neere together yee abiects of the Gentiles * Or those which carry the wood of their Idol and which pray vnto a God that cannot saue them haue no knowledge they haue no knowledge that set vp the wood of their Idoll and pray to a god that cannot saue them HE bids defiance to all Idolaters and summons them to appeare that they might haue the matter taken vp All Idolaters summoned to appeare vpon some reasonable conditions as we haue seene before in other places But the issue will goe wrong on their sides because all their reasons will bee easilie ouerthrowne As if he should say They now please themselues in their superstitions but when their cause comes once to the trial all pretexts shall by by vanish like smoke so as it will be no masterie to put them all to silence Let them assemble then if they will by troopes let them consult conspire and doe their vtmost by threats fraudes and terrors yet must the truth needes preuaile at length against them The Iewes had great neede of this confirmation in regard they saw idolatries and superstitions to haue the full swinge on euerie side and the true seruice of God vtterly to be extinct To this fortresse also must wee flee at this day when wee consider our feeblenesse and weakenesse The Turkes possesse a great part of the world The Papists aduance themselues with their crests set vp on high in euerie place and we in the meane while which are but an handfull are esteemed no better then the wormes of the earth but yet in the end truth which is great will preuaile The truth will at length preuaile and as a conqueresse will pull downe all that state and pompe which now dazles our eyes Some translate the word Pelite Reiected others Fugitiue or escaped and thinke it is directed to the Iewes which were returned home But this sense is too far fetched it rather seemes that the Prophet vnderstands thereby the reiected of the Gentiles because the verbe Palat signifies to reiect And yet the Prophet speakes not heere of the common nor worst sort but directs his speech to those that were the learnedst richest and of greatest renowne among the Gentiles For he calles them reiected in respect that they are nothing in the sight of the Lord. And yet if any had rather expound the word a farre off I hinder him not for it is as if hee had said Assemble you selues from all parts of the earth In adding those vvhich carry the vvood hee shewes with what furie Idolaters are carried away who worshippe the Idols which themselues carry vpon their shoulders in processions or we may if you will take this word To beare To lift or set vp in some high place for it is the policie of Satan to erect and set vp Images vpon pillars and in high rood lofts to strike men with an admiration of them and to draw them by the onely view to proferre them some signe of reuerence and honour And yet we may take it simply for the whole seruice which is performed to the Idols that he might plainly shew how there was nothing but vanitie and folly in all that they did For the superstitious sort cannot be ignorant that their Idols haue more need of mens helpe then men haue of theirs Idols haue more neede of mens help then they haue of theirs that can neither goe nor stand an end vnlesse men lend them their hands And to this appertaines that which is added that they pray vnto a God vvhich cannot saue them For what follie is it to pray and make vowes to a senslesse stocke or stone that neither heares nor sees And yet the vnbeleeuers ride post as it were to dumbe and dead Idols for helpe Vers 21. Tell yee and bring them
and let them take counsell together who hath declared this froÌ„ the beginning or hath told it of old Haue not I the Lord and there is none other God besides mee a iust God a Sauiour there is none besides me A comparisoÌ„ betweene Gods predictions and those of the Idols AGaine hee protests against all such as might trouble the Iewes or weaken their faith by their scornings For the Prophet aimes alwaies at this marke to wit that hee may fortifie the peoples faith against the assaults of the Gentiles because the poore Iews who were so extreamly handled were in danger of staggering in the midst of so many great and violent temptations had they not had some pregnant arguments set before them to hold them in their faith and obedience towards the true God Thus then hee permits the prophane to bring in whatsoeuer they can for the maintenance of their cause Where he saith let them consult together it is added in token of the greater boldnesse and confidence for the Prophets meaning is that they shall gaine nothing as wee haue said before albeit they conspire neuer so much together It may be also hee meant to shew how there was nought else but vanitie and deceit in all that which the Idolaters dreame of touching the excusing of their errors Make what pretences you will then saith he to colour your inuentions yet shall Gods word be strong enough to sustaine the faith of his seruants Hee calles them therefore to a right examination of things that they may compare all the brags of the Infidels touching the predictions of their Idols with the Law and the prophecies I willingly receiue that which is affirmed by all to wit that the Prophet speakes of the deliuerance of the people But in regard the ouerthrow of the Babylonian Monarchy was ioined therewithall therefore I thinke one of these things is compared with the other And because one sentence is repeated twice these two words Mikkedem and Mean are as much in effect as if he had said From the beginnig and from the times past for this prophecie was published long time before the things prophecied were accomplished whereby the faithfull might euidently perceiue that it was God which spake To prescience he addes his power as we haue often said and yet withall he shewes to what end God is powerfull euen to saue his people Vers 22. Looke vnto mee and yee shall bee saued all the ends of the earth shall be saued for I am God and there is none other HItherunto hee hath spoken onely to the Iewes Now the Prophet turnes his speech from the Iewes to the Gentiles as if saluation appertained to none but them Now he extends his speech further off for he cals a great audience to him euen the whole world to partake of the hope of saluation and therewithall condemnes all nations of vnthankfulnes if in giuing themselues still to be seduced with erâ—ors they obstinately shunned the cleere light which was offered For can a man commit a greater sinne then directly to reiect his owne saluation God commands all then to looke vnto him to which Commandement he addes a Promise for this hath greater weight in it and confirmes the matter much more then if he had set it downe simply by way of a command We haue in this text therefore an excellent testimony touching the vocation of the Gentiles wherein wee see how the Lord indifferently calles all sorts of men vnto him the partition wall being broken downe which separated betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles Eph. 2.14 Moreouer wee are heere taught the true meanes how to obtaine saluation euen to looke vnto God and to turne vnto him with our whole heart But we must looke vnto him with the eie of faith that we may imbrace the saluation promised to all in Iesus Christ For God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that vvhosoeuer beleeues in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3.16 Now when hee exhorts all the ends of the earth All haue erred he shewes that all men haue hitherunto erred out of the right way haue had no respect vnto the true God for where infidelitie raignes there God cannot be discerned from Idols In a word he shewes that the condemnation of the whole world ariseth from doting vpon their owne inuentions whereby they forsake the liuing God for from the knowledge of him flowes eternall and assured saluation The way to saluation described The Lord then reacheth out his hand to saue all nations and shewes them what way they should take to obtaine it And thus it appeares it fel not out by chance that the Gospell was generally preached vnto all nations vnder heauen but that it proceeded from Gods decree who had ordained it so to come to passe long before Yet hee accuseth the Gentiles of blindnesse as I haue said ere while in that they turned their eies after vanities and ranne which way soeuer their giddie spirits led them For howsoeuer by nature they could not find out the true God hauing from their infancie been trained vp in superstitions and were bewitched with them yet God had iust cause notwithstanding to blame them for the prophane contempt of his grace Hypocrisie you know is alwaies wrapped in ignorance Hypocrisie alwaies mixed with ignorance so as men had rather bee deceiued through vaine deceits then to be led the straight way vnto God Vers 23. I haue sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne * O that is euery knee c that euerie knee shall bow vnto mee and euerie tongue shall sweare by me HE addes a more manifest confirmation to the former sentence A confiâ—mation of the fâ—rmer sentence for because this calling was extraordinary and vnheard of hee therefore addes an oath as men are wont to doe in things that are strange and hard to be credited The Iewes might haue made replies in regard they were then reputed the onely elect people But in that he confirmes it with an oath all contention is taken away I grant the Prophet aimes againe at the same marke that he did in vers 6. to wit that Gods glory shall so shine in the restauration of the Church that all the world from the rising of the Sunne to the West shal admire the same or to tell it you in a word that the signes of Gods power shal so shine in this deliuerance that all nations shall bee confounded with feare and astonishment In the meane while hence wee may gather that which I touched before namely the Gentiles are heere equalled with the Iewes so as God shall be the common father of all and his name called vpon in all places Now God sweares by himselfe because there is none more sufficient to be a witnesse of his truth for he is the truth it selfe Men sweare by greater then themselues The câ—use of