and execrable impieties That we then may escape this horrible iudgement of God let euery one search and try his owne waies and a far off let vs espie the wrath of God lest being ouertaken at vnawares wee be suddenly ouerwhelmed therewith THE LVII CHAPTER Vers 1. The righteous perisheth and no man considereth in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come The Prophet continues on his aâ—gument still ISaiah prosecutes his argument still For hauing shewed how securely hypocrits repose themselues in their pleasures and with what impudencie they despise Gods word he further complaines that they consider not the workes of the Lord for we are placed in this world as vpon a spacious Theatre to behold the acts of our God Neither is there any of his works how meane soeuer they appeare in our eies that we should lightly esteeme but ought rather diligently and attentiuely to obserue and consider them Now among other testimonies of his prouidence the Lord sets before vs the death of the faithfull and of approued men whom hee takes out of this vvorld when he is purposed seuerely to chastise and correct his people But no man laies it to heart neither imagines that such matters should be forerunners of imminent destruction namely that the good are gathered to God and laid vp in safetie that they may not be wrapped vp with others in so many common miseries The summe is that the wicked greatly deceiue themselues in thinking that the prolonging of their liues should bee the onely happinesse that can befall them and that for this cause they should take themselues to be in better case then the faithfull who die sooner then they For as they are glued to the world so vnder this pretence doe they harden their owne hearts that as they suppose God fauours them exceedingly in suffering them to bee safe and sound whilest others die If by men of mercy you vnderstand the charitable and pitifull then this epithete must be diligently noted for thereby the Prophet shewes what the true righteousnesse of Gods children is whereas hypocrites place their righteousnesse in things of no value Now there is no vertue more pleasing vnto God then liberalitie whereby wee manifest our righteousnesse and discouer vnto all an heart void of guile But mercifull men may as well be taken in the passiue signification namely for such to whom the Lord shewes mercie for this maner of speech is common enough among the Hebrewes Neither is it from the purpose to say that the grace of God should be priuily opposed to the peruerse and sinister iudgements of men who are wont to condemne such as die 〈◊〉 the flower of their youth And yet seeing the Prophet in many places adornes the children of God with this title of being mercifull and liberall I see no inconuenience if as I haue said we make it a true definition of righteousnesse By this it appeares that then the Lord gathered a great number of good men out of the world vnto himself whose death prognosticated some horrible calamitie yet that the Iewes regarded not such forewarnings Nay which is worst of all they tooke occasion thereby to ouerflow with the greater freedome in all licentiousnesse thinking all should goe well with them when they suruiued the best men Now this doctrine is very fitting for all ages times For for the most part it comes to passe that God takes the good out of this world when hee is purposed sharply to punish the sinnes of the wicked Why so Surely as hee hath a tender care ouer those that be his so he puls them often times as brands out of the fire hauing compassion on them to the end that such as shall suruiue them may therein perceiue a token of Gods wrath And yet this is not a perpetuall law seeing the elect are often wrapped vp in the temporall iudgements with the wicked Notwithstanding the taking of them away first is a thing so ordinary that it seldome falles out otherwise whereof in our time we haue a famous example in the death of Martin Luther Martin Luthers death who was taken out of this world a little before Germany was pitifully wasted with that furious warre which many yeeres before he had foretold whilest hee thundered against the contempt of the Gospell against the villanies and foule enormities which then ouerflowed in euery place Often he entreated the Lord to take him out of this life before he should see those horrible iudgements which he had threatned the apprehension whereof made him to quake for feare and this request he obtained of the Lord. Soone after his death a sudden and vnexpected war began to inuade and miserablie to afflict Germanie euen then when they suspected nothing lesse And examples hereof also we haue dailie And doubtlesse if men did well consider of them they would not flatter themselues so much in their iniquities as they doe But I haue thought it good to recite this in particular not onely because it hath happened within these few yeeres but also that it might be the more apparant in regard it fell out according to that which so excellent a Preacher of the Gospell and a Prophet of God had foretold We therefore ought diligently to obserue the worke of the Lord as well in the liues as in the death of the iust but most of all in their death Whereby the Lord calles them to the enioying of a better life that so they may bee deliuered from those miseries into which the wicked must at length be plunged Vers 2. Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds euerie one that walketh before him The state of the faithfull after their death THe Prophet here describes what the state of the faithful is after death For the wicked who thinke there is no life after this do iudge that good men are perished because they can apprehend nothing in death but ruine and perdition Jsaiah therefore saith that such a peace shall come as is more desireable then a thousand liues that are replenished with troubles As if hee compared the good to crased souldiers who are permitted quietly to take their ease Simile He addes the similitude of sleepe to shew that they shall bee set free and deliuered from all disquietnesse and care as if they safely and sweetly slept in their beds Whereas he addes euery one that walkes I referre not whosoeuer to the word peace as some expound it Namelie that peace shall goe before the faithfull as if it led them the way But I think he therein notes out the faithfull As if hee should say Whosoeuer walkes before God he shall haue peace And therefore when the righteous doe die they after the enduring of many troubles are called to peace and rest as hauing finished their course Now they rest in their beds in regard they doe not yet inioy full and perfect glorie and
the vanitie of men is who lay out an infinite masse of money to build pallaces which yet will one day bee nests and dens for nightcrowes owles mise and such like beasts These things are dayly before our eyes and yet wee take none of them to heart to grow the wiser by them There fall out so many and sodaine changes so many houses desolate so many cities wasted and laid on heapes lastly so many other and so euidēt signes of God his iudgements and yet notwithstanding men can not bee withdrawne nor weaned from this insatiable greedinesse of coueting The Lord threatneth by the Prophet Amos You haue built you houses of hewen stone but you shall not dwell in them Also he shall smite the great house with breaches and the little house with clefts Amos 5.11 and 6.11 This falls out day by day and yet the inordinate affections of men can not be aswaged Vers 10. For ten acres of vines shall yeeld one bath and the seed of an omer shall yeeld an epha HE teacheth that the like shall befall to the fields and vines namely that the couetous shal not inioy their reuenues which they desire because their lust is insatiable yea so as by their rauening they shall destroy the fruits of the earth euen as certaine beasts doe cause the buds of the vine and eares of corne to burne and moulder away by their breath The fields therefore shall be so barren that they shall hardly yeeld againe the tenth part of their seed The vines also shall yeeld very little wine A bath is a certaine measure of moist things as Iosephus witnesseth now it conteines 72. english halfe pints which measure is very little for ten acres and principallie in a fat soyle An omer is a certaine measure of drie things and also conteines as the same Author saith 31. bushels Epha is the tenth part thereof whereby it appeares that it conteines a little more then three bushels And yet notwithstanding in good ground one doth not only gather ten times as much but thirtie times more then was sowen and in ordinarie ground much more then it receiued when it comes otherwise to passe no doubt it is a certain signe of the curse of God who auengeth himselfe of the insatiable couetousnes of men and they notwithstanding lay the fault in the badnes of the soyle as if that were the cause but all in vaine because we shall not want ouerplus if the Lord do not curse the earth for the couetousnes of them that dwell in it When they gather together and heape vp so carefully what doe they else but swallow vp the benefits of God by their greedinesse And though this vice be not seene in all because they are not able yet the affection thereof is not wanting for the world was neuer more set on fire with this coueting Is it any wonder then if it haue experience of this punishment of God Vers 11. Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunckenes and to them that continue vntil the night til the wine do inflame them IT was not the Prophets meaning to reckon vp all the sinnes heere which then raigned but he only toucheth some perticulars vnto the which they were most addicted and hauing handled the generall doctrine it was necessarie to come to application yea and to touch those things which were chiefest because there would haue been no end if he should haue prosecuted them all one after another After that he hath reproued the vice of couetousnes he speakes against gurmandizing which was then a very common sinne among them for he makes choise not only of such perticular vices which were in one or two personages but of such as reigned commonly euery where And the truth is that these vices are so contagious that they infect the whole body To rise betimes signifies as much as to do some thing carefully as it is sayd in Salomon Woe to the people whose Princes eate in the morning that is to say who place their chiefe care in feeding their belly and in inioying their voluptuousnes Eccle. 10.16 now this is nothing else but to ouerturne the whole order of nature For as Dauid saith Man ought to rise in the morning to goe to his worke and to wait vpon his busines till the euening Psal 104.23 Men must not rise in the morning to be idle but to labor But if he rise to do nothing but to take his pleasures and to giue himselfe to follow drunkennes it is monstruous He addes that they continue till the euening As if he should say from morning to night they continued in their drinkings and were neuer weary in gouzelling in of wine Now abundance and excesse are ioyned together because where all things abound there men abuse them to excesse and intemperancie Vers 12. And the harp and the violl timbrill and pipe and wine are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord neither consider the worke of his hands HE addes Instruments with voluptuousnes by which men giuen to gurmandise prouoked their apppetit It may be these Instruments were differing from ours yet notwithstanding they appertained to Musick which Isaiah condemnes not for it is an arte in no wise to be contemned Musick in it selfe not to be condemned but he painteth forth a people ouerflowing in all sorts of superfluitie and who gaue themselues libertie to take all their delights which sufficientlie appeares by that which followes But they regard not As if he should say they so wallowed themselues in their delights and were so giued to their pleasures that it seemed they were begotten and brought vp in them neuer thinking wherefore God gaue them things conuenient For men were not sent into the world to eate and drink We are not put into this world to plunge our selues in delights but rather that we should studie how to please God to plunge themselues in dissolutions but to obey God and to serue him in reuerence to acknowledge his benefits and to studie how to please him in all things but when they ouerflow in excesse daunsing and singing without any other drift then to passe their life in iolitie they are worse then brute beasts for they consider not to what end God created them neither how he gouernes the world by his prouidence vnto which marke all that we do in our life ought to tend I thinke it enough that I haue laid forth that sence which I take to be the most plaine because I cannot receiue other mens accute interpretations Among others theirs who by the worke of the Lord vnderstand the law Neither am I purposed to recite euery mans opinion It sufficeth to hold that the Prophet laies this reproch vpon such as gaue themselues to surfetting so as they willingly became brutish when they withdrew their minds from God who was the author of life Vers 13. Therefore my people is gone into captiuitie because they had no knowledge and the glorie
not here of the cause of saluation neither yet what men are by nature but what God makes them to be by grace and what Citizens he meant to haue in his Church for of wolfes he can make lambs as we haue seene in the 11. Chapter But whilest we liue in this world we are alwaies farre off from that perfection which God requires and therefore we ought dayly to aime still vnto it but the Lord esteems vs only according to that good worke which he hath begun in vs The Lord accounts of vs according to that which himselfe hath wrought in vs. and accounts vs iust after he hath once brought vs into the paths of iustice For when he hath begun to correct and change our hypocrisie he doth therewithall call vs faithfull and vpright Vers 3. * Or It is an assured thought thou wilt keepe peace peace I say for they trusted in thee By an assured purpose thou wilt preserue perfit peace because they trusted in thee BEcause the Hebrue word Ieiser signifies a thing made created or a thought some translate thus Thou wilt keepe peace with an assured foundation as if the Prophet meant that those who continue constant in the tempests of this world because they rest vpon God shall alwaies continue in safetie Others turne it Thou wilt keepe peace by an assured purpose which comes almost to the same sense to wit that those who haue fixed their hearts vpon God alone shall be happie and blessed at the last For God promiseth not to be the protector of his Saincts further then they quietlie rest vpon his good pleasure without wauering But because the Prophet in one word saith It is a stable or stedfast decree let the readers consider if this be not more fitlie applied vnto God so as the sense will be The peace of the Church is built vpon the eternall and immutable counsell of God For the very principall point is that the faithfull stay themselues vpon this heauenlie decree lest they should be shaken by so many changes as dayly fall out in the world It is sure that wee ought alwaies to hope stedfastlie in God to the end wee may euermore feele his faithfulnes in keeping vs it is requisite also that the faithfull be neuer turned aside for any doubtfull or perplexed accident but ought to stick close to God only notwithstanding the fittest sense and that which agrees best with the Prophets words is that God hath purposed by an assured and immutable decree that all those which hope in him shall enioy euerlasting peace For if this stedfast purpose should be taken for the setled constancie of the faithfull it were in vaine for the Prophet to adde that reason to his speech which followeth for they trusted in thee Againe both kinds of speech would be improper to say that a cōtinuall peace should be forethought of in the conceit But this agrees very well that God will neuer deceiue vs of our hope when we trust in him Why Because he hath decreed to keepe vs for euer Wence it followes that seeing the Church depends not vpon the brittle estate of the world it is not therefore shaken nor tossed vp and downe by the sundrie changes which fall out euery day but is stayed vpon a rock firme and immoueable to wit the constant decree of God so as it can neuer be moued And thus as I take it here is a close opposition betweene the setled purpose of God and our vnsetled and wauering thoughts A close opposition betweene Gods setled purpose and our wauering thoghts for it happens euer and anon that any new assault driues our thoughts hither and thither yea there is not the least change which brings not his doubtings with it It is good therefore wee should hold this principle to wit that we doe amisse to measure Gods immutable counsell by our tottering deuices for it is said as we shall see Chap. 55. That as farre as the heauens are higher then the earth so much higher are my thoughts from yours O yee house of Israel saith the Lord. First then let vs hold this for certaine that our saluation is not subiect to change because the counsell of God remaineth sure Our saluatiō not subiect to change because the counsell of God remains sure Therefore it is the Prophet repeates it Thou wilt keepe peace peace I say thereby shewing that it shall continue and last for euer Now by the word peace he not onely meanes peace of conscience By peace is meant both inward and outward felicitie but all kinde of felicitie as if hee should say Gods grace alone shall suffice to maintaine you in all happinesse and prosperitie Vers 4. Trust in the Lord for euer for in the Lord God is strength for euermore SOme reade the second member of the verse Hope in the strong God Lord of the worlds but in regard the word Tsur is not alwaies put for an epithite but signifies Strength I reiect that exposition because it is constrained neither sutes it to the matter in hand as we shall see anon There is also as little stedfastnesse in their curiositie who from hence would proue the Diuinitie of Christ as if the Prophet should say The Lord Iehouah is in the Lord Iah For Isaiah hath put the name of God twice onely to amplifie his power He therefore exhorts the people to repose themselues vpon God first then he laid downe doctrine and in this verse hee comes to exhortation Doctrine laid downe in the 3. vers in this he comes to exhortation Doctrine exhortation must goe together For it were in vaine to tell vs our peace is in the hand of God and that he will faithfully keepe it vnlesse after such instructions doctrines we were stirred vp and prouoked to haue our parts therein by exhortations Now he not onely wils vs to hope but to perseuere in it this sentence therefore belongs properly to the faithfull who haue alreadie learned what it is to hope in God And yet they haue neede to be daily confirmed because they are weake and readie oftentimes to slip according to the sundrie occasions of distrust with which they haue to fight He commands vs not barely to trust in the Lord then but that we perseuere constantly in hope and assurance for euer The reason which he addes likewise is to be noted to wit that as Gods power We must not onely trust but it must continue for euer Our faith ought to answer Gods power which is the obiect of faith indures for euer so our faith should still looke to this perpetuitie For when the Prophet speakes of the power and strength of God he meanes not any idle power but such as is effectuall and operatiue shewing and manifesting it selfe really in vs following and bringing to a good end that which it hath begun We must alwaies fixe the eyes of our faith vpon Gods nature And yet this doctrine hath a further scope
And thus they were not restrained by any feare or awe of God because they esteemed of religion but as a fable He also comprehends other wickednesses in adding that they rose betimes to doe euill for he speakes not of the Caldeans or Assyrians but of such as would bee held to be of the number of the faithfull and boasted that they were the children of Abraham Vers 21. Which made a man to sinne in the word and tooke him in a snare which reproued them in the gate made the iust to fall without cause WE haue told you heretofore with whom the Prophet had to deale namelie with hypocrites and prophane contemners who esteemed all the reprehensions threatnings of the Prophet but as wind and had forged to themselues a god of their owne deuising For such who only sought libertie to liue as they listed in their lusts and wicked courses were vtterlie vnable to beare the sharp reprofes of the Prophets neither would they bee touched nor repressed by their good willes For which cause they were diligent in noting and obseruing their words either to snarle at them or to wrest something or other to their purpose Neither do I doubt but he here taxeth the wicked who were offended at the plainnes of the Prophets and with their sharp and vehement rebukes as if they meant to bring the necks of the people princes and priests vnder their girdles Thence it is that these calumniations and false accusations are raised vp against the faithfull seruants of God at this day thence is it also that such doubtfull and curious questions are propounded vnto them euen as nets and snares to put the innocent in hazard of their liues or else to plunge them into some imminent danger And we see that the Scribes and Pharises did the like euen to Iesus Christ himselfe Math. 21.23 and 22.17 Iohn 8.6 The last member of the verse which is added by way of exposition shewes that this is not to be vnderstood of slanders and other cunning deuises in generall by which the subtle are wont to intrap the simple for the Prophet rather more plainly condemnes the wicked conspiracies by which the vnbeleeuers indeuor to exempt themselues from all reprehensions and censures Now in regard that their assemblies were kept openlie for giuing sentence in iudgement and that the gates were alwaies replenished with people the Prophets tooke opportunitie from thence to reproue all sorts so as they spared not the Iudges themselues For the matters of life and death at that time were in the hands of such wicked and godles wretches that it was needfull to rebuke them very sharplie But in stead of making any good vse of these admonitions to come to amendment of life they became so much the worse and raged against the Prophets and laid snares to catch them for as Amos saith They hated him that reproued in the gate and abhorred him that spake vprightlie Amos 5.10 This appertaines to all and especiallie to Iudges and rulers in Common-wealths who are the most impatient and wil by no meanes abide the least reproofe They loue to reigne as Kings and would be so esteemed of others also albeit they be worse indeed then the meanest good subiect The expositors agree not in the exposition of the verb Iekoshun which signifies to spread nets for some take it to chide others to do wrong as if the Prophet accused the malepertnes of those who gaue ouer themselues to violence and by meanes thereof banished such out of their presence as should any way touch thē in their reputations But as I hope the readers will approue of that reading which I haue followed He also saith that the iust was ouerthrowne without cause for they did what they could by craft and wicked practises to bring the iust into hatred as if they had been the only wicked men in the world but after they haue borne their scoffes and reproach for a while their enemies at length shall come to destruction Vers 20. For this is the Consolation which the Lord giues the faithfull to wit that he will not suffer the wicked to scape so scot-free but they also shall snart for it and in the end shall be suppressed howsoeuer for a time they had the world at will Let patience haue her perfect worke But we must haue patience to wait for the accomplishment of these and the like promises Vers 22. Therefore saith the Lord vnto the house of Iaacob euen he that redeemed Abraham Iaacob shall not now be confounded neither now shall his face be pale THis is the conclusion of the former sentence for he comforts the people to the end they should not despaire in this poore and wofull estate into which they should be brought It is also needfull to note the time vnto which these things ought to be referred to wit to the time of the captiuitie when the Temple was ouerthrowne the sacrifices abolished so as it seemed religion was whollie rooted out and all hope of deliuerance taken frō them There was great cause therefore why the hearts of the people should be susteined and vpheld by these prophesies to the end that the wrack and ruine of all things being come vpon them they might haue this planck as it were to saue themselues from Ship-wrack vpon which if they kept themselues firmely they might by meanes thereof come safe to the shore By this let vs be warned also to imbrace the like promises by faith and when all things shall seeme desperate yet let vs rest vpon them with our whole hearts Now he speakes of the house of Iaacob in which we are to note that the vertue of Gods word is perpetuall and of such efficacie that it brings forth fruit as long as there is a people in the world which adores and stands in awe of him For there are alwaies some whom God reserues because he will not suffer the race of the faithfull to perish Doubtlesse there is an end and thy hope shall not be cut off Prou. 23.18 None that trust in him shall be confounded Psal 34.22 Hath the Lord spoken it then let vs beleeue him and doubtlesse the time wil come in which we shal reape the fruit of our faith For as his truth is firme and stable in it selfe so if we rest constantlie vpon him wee shall neuer be destitute of comfort It is not without cause also that he addes that God who now promiseth to be mercifull vnto Iaacob saith that he redeemed Abraham for he therein brings the people to the beginning of the Church that cōsidering Gods power which from time to time was manifested by so many famous examples they might haue no occasion at all to call his truth into question If so be then they gloried in that they were the children of Abraham Abrahams deliuerances they were also therewithall to thinke from what place the Lord did first deliuer him to wit from the seruice of idols which he and
who are wont to reply that their goods are their owne like Nabal 1. Sam. 25.11 It is mine owne say they and therefore I may keepe it to my selfe Why should I make that common which God hath giuen me for my particular vse The Prophet answers that it doth indeed appertaine vnto thee but vpon condition that thou dealest out part thereof to the hungry and thirstie and not that thou shouldest eate all thy selfe alone Truly common reason teacheth vs that the hungry are defrauded of their right vnlesse their wants be supplied yea such a wofull spectacle often moues the most barbarous and cruell to compassion Afterwards hee reckons vp some particulars which are vsually wont to mollifie the stoniest heart and moue them to shew mercie The reason is that their inhumanitie which are not touched with the sense of the pouertie and need of their brethren might be the lesse excusable Lastly hee concludes and hide not thy face from thine owne flesh where we are to note this word flesh for thereby he meanes all men in generall not one whereof wee can behold but therein of necessitie wee must view our owne nature as in a glasse It is great inhumanitie then to disdaine and despise those in whom wee are forced to acknowledge our owne image Vers 8. Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall imbrace thee THe Prophet shewes that God is not ouer rigorous A preuention of an obiection neither requires hee of vs more then is neede though hypocrites complaine causlesly neuer so much in accusing him of too great seueritie for when their workes are condemned then they gnash the teeth and answer that God can neuer be content and therefore they know not what they should doe more nor what way to take Hee answers them againe that God requires no more but a pure and vpright heart that is to say a good conscience If they haue that he will shew them mercy and in gathering them together againe will giue testimonie of their holinesse and will blesse them euery manner of way whom he hath iustly chastised for their disloyalties In a word that they shall haue no occasion at all to murmure as if he were too sharpe towards them because they should taste of his bountie and liberalitie if in reiecting all hypocrisie they would dispose themselues to worship him in sinceritie We must note the particle then For on the contrarie it signifies that hypocrites are very farre off from this pure worship of God though they would be taken for the holiest men in the world But the Prophet holds them more then conuinced when by their owne workes he shewes that they neither feare nor reuerence the Lord. By the word light he meanes a prosperous estate as on the contrarie darkenesse signifies a life full of miserie and calamities And this we know is a phrase of speech much vsed in the Scriptures Mich. 7.8 Chap 42.16 Health notes out an happie and quiet life as we shall see anon in another place For the plagues which were inflicted vpon this people by the hand of God in regard of their sinnes had almost consumed them so as they pined away as a sicke man that is brought low by a languishing disease For there is no sicknesse so sharpe as to be pressed with the iust vengeance of God or to be washed vnder his curse The word righteousnesse may be taken two waies either for a testimonie of vprightnesse or for an estate well ordered because God would heale the confusions and place all things in their first estate The first sense then will be after God shall be reconciled with thee the testimonie of thy righteousnesse shal appeare before him and before men as if an Herauld of armes went before thee There are other expositors which had rather take righteousnesse for a well ordered common-wealth which is a gift of God and no small token of his fatherly loue And in other places also we haue seene that it is taken in this sense amongst the Hebrews But the last member which followes the glorie of the Lord causeth me rather to follow the first exposition Thy righteousnesse shall goe foorth that is to say All shall know that thou art iust and holie vvhereas before thou wast guilty and conuicted And thus the glorie of the Lord shall be put vpon thee whereas before thou wert ouerwhelmed with ignominie and reproches For we are exposed to shame and contempt when we beare the punishment of our transgressions Vers 9. Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answere thou shalt crie and hee shall say Here I am if thou take away from the middest of thee the yoke the putting foorth of the singer and wicked speaking ISaiah prosecutes that which he hath alreadie begun to intreate of namely that the Iewes should prosper in all things The same argument further prosecuted if they liue in such equitie and so abstaine from all wrong that thence men may take notice of their piety and religion For he pronounceth that which is said by Hosea and is repeated by Christ That mercie ought to bee preferred before sacrifice Hos 6.7 Matth. 12 7. Hauing spoken then of the duties of charitie and likewise hauing protested that such as performe them shall be happie now he ads Then thou shalt cal and the Lord shal heare thee For herein consists the chiefest part of our happinesse namelie if God vouchsafe to heare vs contrariwise there cannot befall vs a more wofull condition then when hee is our enemy Now for the exercise of our faith he attributes that to our prayers which he is minded to bestow voluntarily Wherein our principall happinesse consists and of his meere liberalitie For if he should still supplie vs with his benefits while we slept as it were the affection of prayer would grow cold in vs yea would be vtterly frozen vp and so his liberality shuld nourish our sloth negligence Albeit then that hee preuent vs by his free grace yet will he haue our prayers to come betweene and therfore he addes Thou shalt crie and he shall say Here J am For this promise containes also an exhortation to the end we should not remaine idle When hee saith Here am I this appertaines not to our outward senses but by the effects he shewes that he is neere vnto vs and afuours vs. And in the end of the verse he repeates againe that God will be pacified towards the Iewes if so be they did repent By the yoke he comprehends all the molestations wherewith the poore were vexed As if hee should say If thou ceasest to molest thy brethren and abstainest from deceit and violence the Lord will blesse thee euery kind of way The lifting vp of the finger also containes vnder it all manner of iniuries For wee are wont to say Lift vp thy finger when we meane to
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
her forlorne chiefly in respect her roote lay hidden That she might sprout a fresh then the Prophet saith that God will play the husband man namely in replanting that which was withered after it was plucked vp by the rootes In a word hee signifies that the deliuerance of the Church out of this miserable seruitude shal be an admirable worke of the Lord and not of men in regard she shall be raised vp as it were from death And truly that which belongs to the heauenly life is not giuen vs by nature nor obtained by our industry but flowes vnto vs and proceedes from Gods free bountie Euery one of vs also oght to apply vnto himself in particular that whcih is here said of the whole Church in generall for we were planted of God before the foundations of the world Eph. 1.4 and afterward incorporated and called to the end we might haue assurance of our election and plantation The wicked were neuer planted of God and therefore Christ pronounceth that those whom his heauenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked vp Mat. 15.13 To cōclude the end wherefore we be planted The end why we are planted is by and by added namely that wee might set forth the praise of God and tell of his wonderfull workes as we are taught verie well by Paul in Eph. 1.12 And by Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2.9 Vers 22 A little one shall become as a thousand and a small one as a strong nation I the Lord will hasten it in due time HE confirmes that which he hath alreadie said A confirmation of that which was said before namely that albeit they were few in number yet the Church of God should bee plentifully replenished with people When the Prophet foretolde these things there were great multitudes of people but in short time after they were so diminished that the remainders were very few as we haue seene in the first and tenth Chapters yet this small number saith he shal so increase that in processe of time it shall become an infinit people of great power Let vs know then that whatsoeuer was said vnto the Iewes in this behalfe Vse is also said vnto vs at this day For howsoeuer we be but a poore handfull of people and seeme to bee neere our vtter ruine yet the Church cannot perish but shall grow and increase to a great multitude because it is the planting of God vers 21. which we must not esteeme of by outward appearances nor by the force or multitudes of men I the Lord. Now the Prophet shews to what end all his former speeches haue tended namely that we should not resemble God vnto men whose counsels and indeuors easilie vanish and come to nothing If they would take vpon them to alter the state of the world or of a kingdome alas they could doe nothing but the Lord can change all these things in a moment He speakes not then of an ordinary gouernment but of a rare and admirable worke whereby the Lord will deliuer and multiply his Church In the end of the verse he promiseth to hasten the accomplishment of this worke but he addes a particle that is worthy to bee noted touching the time of the Church For the relatiue is in the feminine gender so as they who refer it vnto God are deceiued And those who translate In his time are the cause of this error in regard this word His is ambiguous The Prophets meaning is that there is an appointed time set in which the Church should be deliuered And thus hee exhorts the faithfull vnto patience that they should not fall away but rather depend vpon the vnchangeable decree of God who hath skill enough to dispose of the moments of times First of all thē he notes the fit time wherein it shall be most for the Churches profit to be deliuered We cannot iudge of this for we would haue God doe that which hee hath promised out of hand and if he foreslow the time we storme But he defers for our good in respect that the fit time is not yet come Afterwards he speakes of hastening because we imagin that the Lord is asleepe or takes his ease when hee deferres And yet hee hastens to execute all things according to that time and season which he alone knowes to be fittest THE LXI CHAPTER Vers 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is vpon me therefore hath the Lord anointed me hee hath sent me to preach good tidings vnto the poore to bind vp the broken hearted to preach libertie to the Captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison That which is here said appertaines to Christ as the head and all the Prophets and Apostles as his seruants FOr as much as Christ expoundeth this place of himselfe Luk. 4.18 therefore the interpreters doe without any difficultie restraine it vnto him holding it for a principle that Christ is here brought in speaking as if these things onely appertained vnto him The Iews scoffe at such who inconsiderately haue attributed to Christ alone the things which doe also agree to the rest of the Prophets To speake then what I thinke it seemes to me that this Chapter is added as a seale vnto the former This Chapter is added as a seale vnto the things before going thereby to confirme that which hath been said hitherunto touching the restauration of the Christian Church And that to this end Christ protesteth that God hath anointed him which is the cause that he and that very iustly appropriates this prophesie vnto himselfe in regard hee hath exhibited that to vs clearely and manifestly which others haue taught obscurely Yet this hinders not but that this sentence may in like manner agree to the rest of the Prophets whom the Lord hath also anointed For they spake not in their owne names neither did they execute their offices from their priuate authoritie but they shewed foorth the authoritie and office of Christ to whom it not onely belongs to publish these things but also to fulfill them This place then must be thus vnderstood namely that Christ who is the Prince of the Prophets obtaines the chiefe place among thē and that it is he only who manifests all that which is here mentioned also that Isaiah with the rest of the Prophets and the Apostles are his seruants euery one of them imploying thēselues to the vtmost in preaching and publishing the benefits which we receiue frō him So as that which Isaiah hath said should be finished by Christ wee now see it accomplished by the effects For this cause he hath anointed me This second member was added in stead of an exposition For first it would haue been obscure to vs If he had concealed the cause vvherefore God had giuen him his Spirit but now wee may euidently perceiue his meaning when he shewes the vse thereof namelie that hee exerciseth a publicke office that so hee may not bee taken as some priuate person
say If there bee any power in mee then vvill I manifest the same for your saluation and lest your mindes should vvax drouzie in so difficult a thing J sweare by my inuincible hand that conquers all things that you shall remaine safe and sound by my meanes whatsoeuer dangers can befall you to the contrary As oft then as hee promiseth vs saluation let vs forthwith bethinke vs of his vertue and power If I giue is a phrase of speech wherein more is vnderstood then that which is vttered and it teacheth vs with what holinesse and feare we ought to vse an oath With what reuerence we ought to vse an oath The words themselues are as much in effect as if he had said Let mee not be beleeued heereafter if the euent of these things doe not manifest the truth of these promises When hee promiseth a peaceable inioying of vvheat and vvine it is to shew that when the Church is destituted of them that it fals not out by chance but by the iust iudgement of God For as oft as the enemies spoile and rob vs of them let vs assure our selues that this falles out by Gods permission according as he threatens vs in his Law Deut. 28.33 As on the contrary God the author both of weale and woe it is by the speciall blessing of his hand when euery one sits in peace vnder his owne vine and vnder his owne figge-tree 1. King 4.25 Vers 9. But they that haue gathered it shall eate it and praise the Lord and the gatherers thereof shall drinke it in the Courts of my sanctuary SEe heere both the exposition and confirmation of the former sentence An exposition confirmation of the former sentence For hauing protested that hee would no more suffer the goods of the church to be exposed for a pray he now addes that shee shall inioy them In the meane while he shewes that we may iustly call wheate and wine ours when wee haue obtained them by our honest labour for those who rob others of their bread or get it by vnlawfull meanes hold it not by any right from the Lord neither can they attribute goods so gotten to his blessing as if they iustly possessed them To which also answers that in Psal 228.2 Thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall goe vvell vvith thee But seeing he assignes food to such as shall till the ground wherefore saith he Obiect that they shall giue thanks to God Wherefore should men praise the Lord when they reape the corne and gather in the grapes by their labour and industrie This might seeme to be but a fained thanksgiuing seeing it is attributed to mens good husbandry and that God should deserue no thanks for that which a man hath atchieued by his honest paines Ans But wee must note that after the Prophet hath taught them the lawfull meanes of getting their liuing he therewithall addes that our labour shall be in vaine if the Lord himselfe doe not by his blessing of the same furnish vs with things necessarie For all that we inioy belongs of right to him and to him alone ought we to giue the honor of all that which we haue gotten When he addes in my holy courts he alludes to the solemnitie of the sacrifices They might drinke any where else it was in euery ones power to eate at home But he alludes to the custome which they held in sacrificing their first fruits vnto God at what time they consecrated the reuenues of the whole yeere as the Law inioined them Leuit. 2.12 and 23.10 And this sentence is very frequent in the bookes of Moses Thou shalt eate and reioice in the presence of thy God Deut. 12.18 Vers 10. Goe thorow goe thorow the gates prepare you the way for the people cast vp cast vp the way and * Or paue it with gather out the stones and set vp the standard for my people FRom the former words he concludes that they shall freely passe thorow the gates of the Citie which were either shut vp or broken before shut vp during the siege of the enemie broken when the Citie was destroied and raced euen with the ground Thus his meaning is then that the Citie shall be so restored that the inhabitants thereof shall be gathered in great troopes and that they shall often passe to and fro Some thinke that this speech is directed to the Pastors namely they should enter into the gates and passe thorow before others as their leaders But the sentence is generall and figuratiue wherein hee compares the Church to a Citie well peopled which notwithstanding had been laid waste for a time and desolate as Ierusalem was Others descant more wittily and say that the gates of the Church shall be open when remission of sinnes is there preached by meanes whereof God cals men vnto himself But if we will haue the Prophets true meaning then let vs note that all this is spoken figuratiuely as wee touched before Cleanse the vvay for the people See wherein the office of the Pastors properly consists but the Prophet hath spoken generally and addresseth his speech to all such whose seruice God vseth to prepare the way for his people Chap. 57.14 Then he spake to the Medes and Persians through whose meanes the Lord gaue the Iewes passage to returne home but afterwards he comprehends all others by whom God restored his Church Now he commands all men with authoritie to clense and make the vvay plaine that the Iewes might know how euery impediment should easily be remoued and that their greatest enemies should forthwith yeeld obedience to Gods commandement and herewithall he also bids the faithfull to fit themselues in good earnest for their iourney as if many workmen were alreadie prest to second them And the weight which is in the repetition of the words ought to be noted for they serue for the further confirmation of the matter Paue it vvith stones The verb Sakal signifies as wel to take away the stones as to paue And I had rather take it in this latter signification though the expositors for the most part be of the contrarie opinion Hereunto appertaines that which he saith touching the setting vp of the standard For his meaning is that the nations shall as readily obey Gods commandement as the subiects doe their Princes For they assemble and runne together when the ensigne is displaid and imploy their endeuors to bring back the people He speakes very magnificentlie then of Gods power that the Iewes might be well assured to be restored to their first estate one day Vers 11. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed to the ends of the world tell the daughter of Zion Behold thy Sauiour commeth behold his wages is with him and his worke is before him An obiection preuented THe Prophet meant to say that the Lord in working miraculouslie beyond all hope and conceit of flesh and blood will cause all nations
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
accepted may encourage others to trauell in this kind and cause many to giue thankes to God for you both by whose most princely fauours and protection they are made partakers of such worthie writings And I shall alwaies pray Almightie God with this new yeere to multiply many more vpon you and dailie replenish your hearts with all princely and heroicall graces that may enable and adorne Princes of so hie estates amongst this people Your Highnesse and Graces most humblie deuoted in all loyall and dutifull affection CLEMENT COTTON TO THE MOST HIGH AND RENOWMED PRINCESSE ELIZABETH Queene of England c. A most gracious defender of the true Christian Faith IOHN CALVIN ALthough in correcting and polishing of this Commētary most noble Queene I haue trauelled with such diligence that it may well be esteemed a new booke yet because in the first edition it was dedicated to your brother King Edward who in his infancy farre surpassed the men of his time whose memorie also I wish euer to flourish as worthily it deserues I was determined to alter nothing touching the inscription But because in this miserable and wofull scattering of the Church and the abolishing of the sincere doctrine which hath happened in so short a space with an incredible violence this booke with the whole word of God was banished England for a time and that now as I hope it shall be receiued as before at your happie entrance into that kingdome I haue committed no absurditie as I thinke if together with the name of so worthy and excellent a King I also ioyne yours which all good men do both loue and honour Yea besides this occasion which thus offers it selfe necessitie also may seeme to require that I should intreate your fauour touching this Commentarie in particular the banishment whereof hath I am well assured been much lamented by very many of the faithfull your louing subiects Although I confesse my meaning is not so much to obtain◠your fauour onely in respect of my labours as humblie to beseech yea and by the sacred name of Christ to adiure you that not onely all good bookes may againe find intertainement and bee freely vsed in your kingdome vnder your allowance but also that you be carefull in the first place of that true religion which hath been shamefully corrupted If Iesus Christ the onely sonne of God doth iustly challenge this of all the Kings of the earth then hath he bound you most noble Queene with a more holy band to put your sacred hand to such a worke For in that time wherein your selfe the daughter of a King were not free from that dreadfull tempest rushing downe so furiouslie vpon the heads of all the faithfull this Lord Iesus I say plucking you safe thereout albeit you had your part with them in the feare of this danger he hath obliged you to vow your selfe and all your designes to his seruice And so farre is it off that you haue any cause to blush in respect of such a deliuerance that contrariwise God hath therein giuen you ample and plentifull matter of reioycing in vouchsafing thus to conforme you to the Image of his sonne vnto whom our Prophet among other glorious titles giues him this namely That out of prison and from iudgement was he taken and exalted vnto a soueraigne degree of celestiall rule and dominion As it is not a common honour then to resemble such a Patron so as oft as you shall call the same to mind which you should neuer forget out of what perplexed and wofull feares you are escaped through Gods prouidence who hath in a visible manner as it were reached forth his hand from heauen vnto you Know yee that he sets this marke before you namely that with a fearelesse constancie and an inuincible magnanimitie of mind you should interchangeablie reserue vnto your Protector and Redeemer that right which vnto him appertaineth and setting all other businesses aside with which on all sides you shall be enuironed in these beginnings of your reigne you will which I nothing doubt of giue such order that his seruice vnworthilie corrupted for a time in your countrie may bee there reestablished in its first glory And if Satan endeuour to terrifie or weaken you in proposing many and great impediments you know of whom you ought to craue courage cheerefully to goe on and to ouercome all obstacles God also for his part who approoues of mens particular actions will crowne in you his worke with an happie and wished end Moreouer your dutie to religion most excellent Queene should the rather prouoke you seeing our Isaiah requires that Queenes should be no lesse nurcing mothers to his Church then Kings the nurcing fathers thereof Neither are you only bound to purge out the filth of poperie againe and that the flocke lately affrighted and dispersed be againe gathered together and fostered but that you also call home the banished exiles who chose rather to lose the present profits of their natiue countrie then there to continue whilest pietie was chased thence Here is the summe of your thankefulnesse towards God and a sacrifice of a most sweet sauour namely that the faithfull seruants of God who were constrained to wander to and fro in farre countries for the profession of the Gospell may now returne home to their houses by your fauour As for vs who for good cause haue bitterly bewailed so lamentable a spectacle we I say haue iust occasion giuen vs now to be glad and to gratifie you when by the clemencie of your eie we presently see the way made open to our brethren not onelie to serue God with freedome in your Maiesties dominions but also to be a meanes whereby others may enioy the like benefit there with them To conclude most noble Queene if of your fauour you accept as I hope you will this testimonie of the reuerence which I owe to your Greatnesse though many may esteeme the same small and contemptible yet shall I thinke my selfe abundantly recompenced and will all my life endeuour by all meanes possible to manifest my thankefulnesse to your Highnesse for the same The Lord guide and gouerne you most noble Queene by his Spirit of wisdome strengthen you with inuincible fortitude defend and inrich your Highnes with all sorts of blessings From Geneua the yeere 1559. Ianuarie the 15. which as they say is appointed for the day of your Coronation for which cause I did the more willingly set pen to paper hauing obtained some release from a quartan Ague TO THE MOST NOBLE AND RENOWMED EDVVARD THE sixth King of England c. A true Christian Prince IOHN CALVIN ALbeit I acknowledge most noble Prince this Commentarie to be faithfully and aptly gathered from my ordinarie readings yet in regard it was polished by another hand at the first I feared lest being published vnder the title of your name it might seeme I had not furnished my selfe with a present worthie of your Maiestie But one speciall reason among others
be no man which will take the charge of gouernment vpon him although he shall be entreated so to doe Surely ambition hath the swinge so for the most part amongst men that the greater part doe alwaies thirst and long for headship and that with enuie one ouer another yea they aspire many times to get it with hazard of their liues For euen in all times we shall see that the greedie lust to reigne and rule hath shaken the whole world and there is not the meanest village in which some are not to bee found who would be right glad to haue power and authoritie giuen them to command the rest so much is flesh and blood prone by nature to be couetous of honour Things are come to a very low ebbe when men refuse to beare rule Whence wee may perceiue that all things are brought to an extreame exigent when such a dignitie is not onely contemned but also reiected with a disdainefull refusall For the calamitie is extreame and past cure when men begin to flee and auoid that which they were wont naturally to couet But for the fuller amplification of the matter the Prophet sets other circumstances before vs to wit that the Iewes shall rather cast off all sense and feeling of mercie and humanity then to take vpon them the charge of gouernment If any should refuse to rule in a strange countrie it may bee it would not seeme strange at all but when we speake of the preseruing of our brethren it is too vncurteous a dealing to refuse so honorable a charge It is a signe then of an extreame desperatenes when he vpon whose faithfulnesse his brethren doe rest themselues and whose aide and succour they wait for and desire reiects and casts all desire of rule and authoritie from him And therefore also they haue been wont to chuse those for Princes who are rich or at the least it is very seldome that gouernment is committed to any but such as are of a competent sufficiencie lest their pouerty should expose them to contempt and disdaine or else draw them to vse vnlawfull shifts This circumstance is also added to wit that although they bee sufficient to beare the burthen yet they shall nor accept of it as if hee should say that not the meane and base people shall refuse the place of gouernment onely but euen the greatest and best furnished also Moreouer the verbe shall take hath a great emphasis in it for it is altogether as much in effect as to lay hands vpon him to arrest him as if Isaiah had said Those who shall seeke a Prince shall not proceede therein by allurements nor intreaties but there shall bee a multitude full of tumult where they shall endeuour to lay hands vpon some one or other by violence and shall force him to take the charge of gouernment vpon him And there is no lesse weight in the last circumstance when he addes This scattering shall be vnder thy hand that is to say At the least if there be left in thee any sparke of mercie or humanity put forth that strength thou hast to helpe vs in this our extreame misery For when a troup of men are as a scattered flocke asking succour at the hands of one of their brethren as at their pastor and shepheard yea pitifully bewailing their scattering their hearts are harder then iron or flint who will not then lend their helping hand for their helpe Some translate Let thy hand be vnder this scattering to wit to susteine it as if there were therein some amplification in the Prophets words Vers 7. In that day he shall sweare saying I cannot be an helper for there is no bread in mine house nor clothing therfore make me no Prince of the people BY the word To sweare he expresseth a vehement refusall and a resolute denial For often it falles out that he who in the beginning excused himselfe and made shew to bee vnable to doe any thing yet at the last being intreated doth yeeld to that which is requested of him but he who refuseth any thing and that by way of an oath giues them that haue sought his helpe no hope that hee will euer fulfill their desires for he hath resolued to continue his purpose And it may be also that the particle in that day signifies as much as incontinently that is without pausing any thing at all or making any longer coÌ„sultation about the matter But because it may also be taken to signifie a time full of calamitie I do not gainesay this latter There is no difficultie as touching the Prophets meaning onelie he purposed to say thus much in effect that there shall be no refuge nor fit remedie to restore this wofull dissipation Although the expositors doe interpret this hebrew word chobesâ—h diuersly yet I agree willingly with them who thinke it should be a similitude taken from Surgeons because there is nothing more fitting thereunto And it is all one as if some bodie being called to heale a sicke man he should answere I am no Physitian or the nature of the disease is so incurable that it is impossible to heale it The coniunction copulatiue Vau which follows afterwards is put to note out the cause of such a deniall as if he should say I assure you I haue no power to do it His meaning is then that the estate of this people shall bee so desperate that there shall not a man bee found who dares giue order to redresse their wants no not when things shall bee driuen to a narrow pinch Vers 8. Doubtles Ierusalem is fallen and Iudah is fallen downe because their tongue and works are against the Lord to prouoke the eyes of his glorie HEre the Prophet shewes the cause of this ruine lest it might seeme that God were cruell in chastising his people thus sharply Now it is as much as if he had said This people doe perish most iustly seeing they haue so many waies hardned their harts against the wrath of the Lord. And hereby he cuts off all complaints For we know how audaciouslie the world rageth when it is chastised more then ordinarily it is wont to be Now he saith they were readie both in words and deeds to commit all sorts of euils Hee speakes also of the destruction of the citie as of a thing presently acted albeit the time past may bee taken for the time to come as oftentimes it is To prouoke to wrath This manner of speech amplifies the fault shewing that of set purpose they meant to prouoke the Lord. For the things that are done before our eies doe very much offend vs especially if they be displeasing vnto vs. Wicked men mocke with God as if they could beguile him But because nothing can be hidden from him be it neuer so secret Isaiah reprocheth them that in his presence without blushing they ouerflowed in committing their wickednesses The epithite glory is also to be marked for it is a signe of more then a furious
set againe in their first estate He addes the spirit of burning by which their filthinesses are purged and consumed Wherein we are to note two things First that the purgation of the Church is wrought by the spirit Secondly that the name is imposed vpon the spirit by the effects now of Iudgement now of burning As if he should say The iudgement of the spirit and the burning of the spirit As oft then as these manners of speech are met withall in the Scripture to wit The Lord will doe these things by the spirit of truth power and righteousnes c. we may turne this phrase of speech thus In truth in power and in righteousnes of the spirit For the spirit of God from whom both the beginning and end of the worke of our saluation comes workes thus in vs. From these epithites then we must obserue what the principall effects of the spirit are the Lord purgeth out our drosse by his spirit that he may amend and reforme vs. By the word iudgement he sheweth what the chiefe vertue is in the restauration of the Church to wit when those good things which were confused ouerthrowne are restored and set in their right order againe Burning also sheweth the maner and way which the Lord vseth to restore the Church to her first puritie Vers 5. And the Lord shall create vpon euery * Or habiâ—â—tion place of mount Zion and vpon the assemblies thereof a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for vpon all the glorie shall be a defence 6. And a couering shall be for a shadow in the day for the heate and a place of refuge and a couert for the storme and for the raine VPon euery habitation As if he should say There shall not bee the least corner in the mountaine of Zion where the grace and fauour of God shall not appeare I take habitation and assemblie for one and the same thing For I take not Assemblie for congregation but for the place where men meete Now to the end hee might describe and set foâ—th a full blessing he alludes to that which Moses recites namely that when the Lord would deliuer his people from the bondage of Egypt hee sent a piller of a cloud by day and a piller of a fire by night Exod. 13.21 It is an vsuall thing with the Prophets that when they would set forth any excellent benefit they then call to remembrance this most glorious worke of God to wit The deliuerance out of Egypt Because then did the Lord wonderfully display the infinite treasures of his grace to the end hee might establish his Church not omitting in that worke any testimonie of his bountie and goodnes that the felicitie of his chosen people might be famous thorowout the whole world But aboue all things this was most memorable that they should be preserued by day by the couering of a cloud from the annoyance of too much heate and that the piller of fire should goe before them in the night to the end they should not wander or goe astray The summe is this that when God will gather home his Church from out of Babylon that the manner of it shall bee no lesse admirable then that by which the people were in times past deliuered out of Egypt Not that they should be accompanied in the midst of their iournie betweene Babylon and Iudea with the cloud and the piller of fire as in the wildernes but because he shewed testimonies of his fauour towards them by meanes no way lesse excellent then they As if any should say at this day The Lord will illuminate vs by the light of his holy spirit he will giue clouen tongues by which his Gospell shall be spread thorowout the world No man would take this literally as if the Holy Ghost should be sent downe from heauen in a visible forme but this miracle should bee remembred only to the end the faithful might learne to rest at this day vpon the same power of God in the restauration of the Church as the Apostles had experience of in their time And withall that by this manner of speech the Prophet mentioneth a continuall succession of blessing as if he should say God will not stretch forth his hand to deliuer you for a moment only but euen as he hath alwaies assisted our fathers in the desert so after he hath deliuered you he will defend you vnto the end That which he addes vpon All glorie depends vpon that which he said before to wit that the bud which should againe sprout forth should be glorious It is as much then as if he had said Vpon those which shal beare the signes and markes of their deliuerance It may be also that he alludes to that place of Exodus where it is said that the houses which the destroying Angell had marked were not hurt Exod. 12.23 For as then the sprinkling of the blood was a safekeeper of their saluation so also Isaiah promiseth that the faithfull shal be in safetie when God shall haue marked them And this ought to be diligently obserued For wee are admonished that we cannot otherwise bee partakers of the grace of God vnlesse wee beare his image and that his glorie doe shine in vs. And a couering c. Although the Prophet confirmes that which wee haue touched alreadie to wit that God will leade his chosen perpetually vntill he haue brought vs to our wished end yet notwithstanding we are admonished that the faithfull shall bee alwaies subiect to many troubles For heate and cold and other sharper euils then those doe still fiercely pursue them so as when they are deliuered out of one danger they fal againe into another But behold here a most sweet consolation to wit that against all stormes the only shadow of the Lord shall suffice vs because by it we shall be so couered that nothing shall hurt vs or bring vs the least damage Although then that diuers afflictions and troubles doe enuiron vs on all sides yet the Lord promiseth that hee will assist vs as it is spoken in the Psalme The sunne shal not smite thee by day nor the Moone by night Psalm 121.6 For the Lord shall preserue thy going out c. It onely remaines that wee follow our vocation and discharge our duties faithfully It befalles alike to faithfull and vnfaithfull to endure many troubles but the wicked haue no refuge nor couert vnder which they may shroud theÌ„selues they must of necessitie be ouerwhelmed But the condition of the faithfull is blessed For although they be cumbred with heate and cold yet they haue a sure refuge vnder the protection of God Only let vs be mindfull that that glorie whereof wee spake before doe shine in vs otherwise these things doe nothing at all appertaine vnto vs. But if we beare the marke of God let vs be assured that he will bee our helpe as oft as any tempest shall fall vpon vs. THE V.
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
out to afflict them with a new plague Vers 13. * Oâ— but yet For the people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither do they seeke the Lord of hostes THey expâ—und this as if the Prophet yeelded a reason why God ceased not to strike them blow vpon blow with new chastisements to wit because the people are so obstinate and stifnecked that they will not come to an acknowledgment of their faults nor to amendment For wherefore should God giue place to the obstâ—nate in whom he sees no repentance so it might seeme they were stronger thâ—n he This is the cause then why he continues to smite them more sharply And seeing Israel amended not for any correction whatsoeuer his destâ—uction was iust such was their extreme obstinacie that not so much as any one of them were moued or turned any whit although they had been chastised and beaten so often This forme of chiding is terrible For when the Lord not only admonisheth vs with words but pricks vs forward and constreines vs by his works namely by diuers chastisements and yet we remaine obstinate not enduring that hee should pluck vs from our wicked delights is it not a signe of a desperate malice and can one thinke or speake of a thing more horrible It is too much when men submit not themselues to his doctrine as soone as it is propounded vnto them but the sinne is yet greater when they are not moued by any reprehensions but greatest of all is their sinne when they haâ—den themselues against the rods of God yea kick and wince or by their brutishnes inflame the wrath of their Iudge more and more against them neuer calling themselues to account wherefore they are smitten nor what it is to which the Lord thereby calles them When the remedies then profit nothing what should we thinke but that the malice of such is become incureable and past all hope of amendment Now this reprehension appertaines not to the Israelites only but to vs also For the Lord hath alreadie chastised all the world in such wise by diuers plagues and calamities that there is almost no part thereof free And yet notwithstanding it seemes that all haue obstinately coÌ„spired against God in so much that albeit he do his vtmost yet they are alwaies like themselues neuer ceasing to goe on still in their leaudnes The Lord then may iustly take vp this complaint against vs. And the truth is that he speakes now to vs by his Prophet Isaiah neither ought we to looke for another Prophet which should threaten new chastisements seeing our case differeth in nothing from that of the Israelites being guiltie of the same iniquities with them When he saith that they haue not sought the Lord he therein expounds the first member of the verse for God smites to draw such vnto him as recoile back from him And yet it seemes notwithstanding that by this meanes he driues men farre off from his presence but because his propertie is to draw those out of their graues whom we thinke he hath ouerwhelmed with his chastisemeÌ„ts he humbleth poore sinners by fearing them only to the end they should returne vnto him And truly the beginning of our conuersion yea the only rule of good life is to seeke God If we seeke any other way we goe vtterlie awrie But let vs now see what it is to seeke God or how we ought to do it For hypocrites will alwaies alledge this for themselues that they carefullie humble theÌ„selues before the Lord to obteine remission of sinnes by prayer fasting teares How the Lord will be sought and other outward shewes of sorrow But God will be sought farre otherwise to wit The Sinner being humbled before him in good earnest must willinglie receiue the yoke of obedience which before he had shaken off and whollie imploy himselfe in his seruice whom he before despised Vers 14. Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and taile branch and rush in one day 15. The ancient and the honorable man he is the head and the prophet that teacheth lies he is the taile HIs meaning is that the vengeance of God shall be vniuersall and that it shall wrap all estates in it for the whole people was corrupt and the contagion thereof had so inuaded the whole countrie that there was nothing whole nor sound amongst them Now then when impietie hath thus gotten the swinge men begin to flatter themselues and euery one thinks to frame goodly excuses when they haue many to beare them companie and imagine that they haue sufficient reasons to dâ—fend themselues withall when they make comparison of themselues with others This is the cause then why he denounceth this vengeance against all in generall because they were all alike infected with a common disease By branch he vnderstands the mightie and strong by rush or râ—ede the weakest that is the people of base estate who in a maner had no wealth at all He shewes then that the wrath of God is readie prepared which shall spare neither weake nor strong neither small nor great because there was none which were pure and cleane from the common contagion of filthinesse But in the next verse hee expounds that which he spake allegorically of head and taile plainely and without figure and saith that the antient and honourable which swayed the common affaires and had the managing of the Commonwealth are the heads to whom he ioynes the false Prophet which he comprehends vnder the word taile Now he explaines both the first part of the former verse making no mention at all of branch and rush But wee may yeelde a good reason why hee omitted this For his meaning was to presse them chiefely which sinned most and thereby drew others to sin also by their example because they were respected in regard of their estates Hee brands the Prophets with this name of taile not that they were abiects and contemptible as some thinke but his meaning is to expresse the lowest part of the body The magistrates and Iudges are in the head or highest ranke because they are promoted to the chiefest place he puts the false Prophets in the taile because they abused the people by their cunning and hypocrisie as if hee compared the one to lyons or beares and the others to foxes We are heere admonished not to sleepe in our vices although iniquitie raigne in all estates yea although there should not be a man left that were pure and vpright For by how much the more wickednesse increaseth so much the more will the wrath of God bee kindled both against small and great Which wee ought to take good heede of in this deluge of all mischiefes which wee see at this day namely lest when the wrath of God shall once beginne to burne that all things bee not vtterly consumed by it Vers 16. For the leaders of the people cause them to erre and they that are led by them are duoured OThers translate They which
from the hypocrites and contemners who ceased not to heape sinne vpon sinne Afterwards it is said he gaue the reines to the rage of the enemies that they should deuoure and ouerflow into all kinds of pilling and extortions And yet we must not take this as if because the Assyrians had commandement from God they might therefore excuse themselues for God commands after two sorts to wit by his secret counsell whereof men haue no knowledge secondly he commands by his law which we ought chiefly to haue regard vnto that so we may answere a companie of fantasticall spirits who dispute prophanely of the counsell of God wheÌ„ they will excuse their owne and others impietie Wee must then wisely distinguish betweene these two sorts of commandements We must distinguish betweene Gods secret and reuealed will for seeing the Lord declares his will in his law I ought not to mount vp to his secret counsell which he hath hidden from me but ought rather to bring my selfe simplie vnder his obedience Obiect If any shall alledge that he obeyes God when he plungeth himselfe into dissolutions Ans he is a lyar and accuseth God in vaine to be the author of his wickednesses whereof his owne heart knowes himselfe to be guiltie for in this respect there needs none other witnesse but euery mans owne conscience I grant that God serues his turne of the wicked but the wicked haue no purpose therein to serue God Therefore when he works by the wicked and reprobate The wicked do Gods wil yet it is not with a minde to serue him but their owne lusts it is a thing accidentall in regard of men for they haue no intent of seruing his will neither haue they any will thereunto If therefore they take this pretext they may be easily conuinced as vtter rebels against God seeing they only do that which pleaseth themselues for they haue the expresse will of God in his law so as they seeke it in vaine any where else In regard of them then they do not the worke of God but the diuels because they serue their owne lusts It is certaine that the Assyrians did not so much as looke for any reward for their paines at Gods hands but were caried away with their lusts ambition and auarice in the meane while the Lord ordered their endeuors and counsels to another end which was to them vtterlie vnknowne Now the summe of this place is that a rare and extraordinarie testimonie of Gods vengeance should be manifested when the Assyrians should ouerflow with a furious licentiousnes because they should be sent of God not to deale mildlie or moderatelie with his people but to pill and sack them as in open warre He addeth also To be trod vnder feete which is the vttermost of all rage for what can men do more then with shame and contempt to stamp them vnder feete whom they haue vanquished Vers 7. But he thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so but he imagineth to cut off and destroy not a few nations BEcause the wicked doe trouble the consciences of the weake by casting out the fome of their rage as if God had not the power to hold their fiercenesse and furie short the Prophet preuents this betimes and exhorts the faithfull to know that they are iustlie afflicted by a secret iudgement of God although the wicked ouerflow into all dissolution So then he shewes that which we touched erewhile namely that the Assyrians shall minde nothing lesse then to serue God and to be executioners of his vengeance but we shall see by and by to what end they did it For some might obiect thus Obiect Thou art the Ambassador of God why doest thou menace vs with the Assyrians As if belike this furious beast would yeeld obedience to the commandement of God Ans To this he answereth that God is such a wonderfull workeman that he knoweth how to draw those to do him seruice who thinke nothing at all thereon or which otherwise would not obey him Although saith he that their endeuors and counsels tend whollie to another end yet nothing shall hinder God that euen by them he should not execute and fulfill that which he hath ordeined For many might replie What a preposterous course is this Will God subiect his chosen people to profane nations There is no equitie at all in it that our estate be we sinners as we are in the highest degree should be made worse then the condition of theeues who by their wickednes and impietie had deserued a most seuere punishment The Prophet declareth then that the Assyrians should haue their turne also and should be iustlie punished in their time and yet ought no man to thinke it strange if they afflict pill deuoure massacre others seeing they should not want their recompence Besides the Prophet comforts the faithfull and asswageth their trouble and perplexitie shewing that God holds the pride of these wicked ones short lest they should exercise whatsoeuer pleased them He teacheth then that howsoeuer the wicked furiouslie rage that God notwithstanding moderates his owne iudgements from heauen so as he takes a speciall charge of the saluation of his Church And therefore although that Ashur be inflamed as as cruell beast after his pray yet he commands the faithfull to lift vp their eies vnto God whose counsell is farre remote from this blind furie of the enemie Vers 8. For hee saith Are not my Princes altogether Kings THe Prophet shewes the cause why the Assyrian will not thinke himselfe to bee the rod of God namely because hee was so blinded with pride that he acknowledged not any power aboue his owne Neither can it otherwise be that those should in any sort submit themselues vnder the prouidence of God who resting vpon their greatnesse attribute this and that vnto their owne forces For then are wee said to giue the chiefe dominion vnto God when we beleeue that it is vnpossible to moue the least finger without his will Contrariwise whosoeuer thinks himselfe to haue any power of his owne hee vsurpes Gods power vnto himselfe with a pride full of sacrilege as in this place the Prophet describes the insolencie of a profane King in liuely colours who proudly vaunted as one hauing all things This especially happens to great Princes for they are so blinded with abundance of riches munition and power that they hardly can bee brought to thinke themselues men Of which wee haue too much experience for what Prince shall we see at this day who thinks or remembers that he is a man and subiect to the miseries of this present life They are so carried away with giddinesse of spirit that they thinke to â—ttaine to the top of whatsoeuer they haue determined by and by and that in despite of all impediments whatsoeuer Vers 9. Is not Calno as Carchemish Is not Hamath like Arpad Is not Samaria as Damascus HEere hee names certaine Cities although others affirme that they are regions
then that the Assyrian lifts vp his crests yet God declares that hee hath meanes in his hand suddenly to conuert the glorie of this King into dishonour and shame Wherefore hee heere comprehends the contempt disdaine pride and other arrogant behauiours and signes of vaine glory all which are to be seene in the proud Now he brings in God speaking for that which God pronounceth with his mouth hath greater vehemencie then if hee should haue spoken by the voyce of the Prophet From hence we are to draw a generall doctrine namely that God cannot indure the insolencie of the proud but hee must needes downe with it 1. Pet. 5.5 because hee is at perpetuall warre against them Iam. 4.6 Let vs also note that this sentence comes in by way of restraint to the end the Prophet might preuent the ouer great hastinesse of men saying that this shall come to passe after that the Lord shall haue accomplished his worke For as soone as we see a man proud wee meruaile how the Lord can suffer him But Isaiah shewes heere that God indeede suffereth this tyrant although hee proudly and fiercely exalts himselfe because hee is minded to serue his turne of him and that the time is not yet seasonable wherein the Lord should shatter the wicked too pieces but that they must wait with patience For after he hath afflicted the kingâ—ome of Iudah as bringing his owne houshold first into order he will not then be slowe nor slothfull to punish the enemie stranger as fathers who are wont either to cast away or breake the rods wherewith they haue beaten their children Hee takes the mountaine of Zion for the Church by a figure called Synecdoche to the end that by the Temple and royall Citie hee might decipher out the whole body as by the head or principall part He expresly saith all the worke We oft times hinder the Lords working by our inconsiderate hastines because wee willingly hold backe the Lord from his worke by our inconsiderate hastinesse yea many times when he hath but euen new begunne For we are wont to make such wishes against the reprobate as it is hard to restraine our impatience vnlesse God apply himselfe to our affections in punishing them by and by To abate such heate the Prophet commands that wee should let God alone and leaue the fit time free vnto himselfe when to exercise his fatherly chastisements All the worke then This word All hath gâ—eat emphasis heere is taken for a iust measure Behold here a very profitable doctrine and of great consolation We see the wicked are wonderfull proud and how they lift vp themselues audaciously against God as if they were stronger then he also how they pursue his doctrine with iniuries and slanders so as we can hardly expresse the fiercenes of their arrogancie with words Note If the Lord should agree to our will hee should runne by and by and thunder from heauen against them and vtterly roote them out God begins first with his owne But his purpose is before hee doth this to correct his Church by them For he speakes not heere of Egyptians or Assyrians but of the Iewes of Zion of the Temple his dwelling place which it pleased him to dedicate and consecrate to his honour So at this day there are diuers diseases in the Church which the Lord will purge and heale True it is that he hath alreadie begun but wee deceiue our selues if wee thinke his worke to be now perfect Hee will not cease then till he hath so tamed vs that being touched with a true feare of his name Note we submit our selues vnto him with such modestie and teachablenes as is fit Wherefore wee must not maruell if he le ts loose the bridle to Tyrants and suffreth them still to exercise their crueltie against his Church for the consolation is readie to wit hauing vsed them as his vassals to correct his people he will visit their pride and arrogancie And it is no wonder if God in smiting his chosen first do therein declare that he hath a speciall care of their saluation Iudgement then must begin at the house of God first 2. Pet. 4.17 and afterwards he proceeds on in iudgement against strangers who shall be yet more grieuouslie punished Vers 13. Because he said by the power of mine owne hand haue I done it and by my wisdome because I am wise therefore I haue remoued the borders of the people and haue spoiled their treasures and haue pulled downe the inhabitants like a valiant man THe Prophet doth againe repeat the open blasphemies which the Assyrian would disgorge for he attributes all the victories which he obteined to his wisdome and power By the strength of his hand he meanes his armed souldiers gathered out of diuers nations but withall he brags also to haue beene a valiant king and this is the custome of these vaine braggers to attribute all that to themselues which is done in their name although they in the meane while giue themselues to feasting and ease vnder the shadow Afterwards he boasts of his wisdome and warinesse as we commonly say I'ay esté bien entendu expert I haue been very discreet and expert And no doubt but he adornes his fraudes and deceits with the title of honestie wherewith yet hee had circumuented his neighbours For behold the craft and cunning of Kings and Princes euen to trouble and vex the Countrie by indirect meanes to seeke pretence of lawes to sow discords and lastlie to mingle heauen and earth together as they speake by their practises When he saith I haue remoued the borders of the people it is as much to say I haue stretched out the bounds of my gouernment and haue added other countries to mine owne so as there is no bound nor distinction As if we should say that the French King hath taken away the limits of Brittanie Burgonie Aquitaine Prouence and other regions in ioyning them to his kingdome He addes also that no treasures lay so secret and hidden which he discouered not got to himselfe as if he should say By my wisdome I haue drawne all nations round about into my nets I haue emptied their treasures and griped all that was hid into mine hands Vers 14. And mine hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people and as one gathereth egges that are left so haue I gathered all the earth and there was none to mooue the wing nor to open the mouth or to whisper HE further addes that it was no hard matter with him to ouercome Kings and lay their riches on an heape and he makes this the more plaine by a similitude Simile as if he should say If a man should seeke a nest and finde the birds gone he may take the egges away without any difficultie For if the birds sit vpon their egges as they haue a naturall affection to keepe their nests either they wil flie vpon him that
Medes Zocdians Bactrians and other Easterne people Shinar or Ethiopia is comprehended in Chaldea By Hamath some vnderstand Cilicia and other neighbour regions about Mount Taurus Vnder this word of the Iles the Iewes vnderstand all the regions which are beyond the sea For according to their opinion Greece Italie and Spaine are Iles because the sea is betweene them and others We see then that the Prophet speakes not onely heere of the deliuerance which was vnder Zorobabel but the aimes at a further marke for the Iewes were not then carried into Egypt neither into Ethiopia nor yet into any other regions This cannot be vnderstood then of the deliuerance out of Babylon but ought to be referred to the kingdome of Christ vnder which this deliuerance hath been and is accomplished by the preaching of the Gospell Moreouer we must obserue that this which is heere mentioned is a speciall worke of God and not of men because hee saith that the Lord shall stretch out his hand heerein attributing that to the diuine power of the Lord which men cannot accomplish by all their strength We are also to note that from the consideration of the benefits which the Lord hath done for vs in times past wee ought to be the better confirmed in hope for the time to come so as when we call to minde the deliuerance out of Egypt and out of Babylon Former deliuerances should incourage vs to hope for the like in time to come 2. Cor. 1.10 wee may boldly conclude that the Lord is as mightie now as he was then and that he will no lesse assist vs at this day euen in setting vp the Church againe in her primitiue beautie and glory He can performe the same thing the third the fourth yea many times which hee hath done once or twice Whereas the Prophet calles those whom God deliuers a remnant let vs learne not to affect a great multitude Multitudes not to be affected vnlâ—sse truth and righteousnesse doe also flourish but let vs content our selues with our small number and not bee abashed although we be but a few For if so be the truth and righteousnes of God florish amongst vs we shall hâ—ue true and ample occasion giuen vs to rest therein securely Vers 12. He shall set vp a signe to the nations and assemble the dispersed of Israel and gather the scattered of Iudah from the foure corners of the world THis verse containes nothing in it but the explication of the former Now this maner of speech is taken from a similitude the sense whereof notwithstanding may be double to wit either that the Lord in making this signe will amaze the enemies in such wise as they shall not dare to stop the passages against the people which shall returne or rather that hee will set vp a signe to the poore banished to the end they should make no difficultie to take their iournie home againe Besides the vse of this doctrine hath its force amongst vs euen at this day for looke how the standard is lifted vp in the Campe to assemble euerie one to his colours and to hold himselfe in battel aray so also is the standard now set vp before vs to the end all of vs should gather our selues together thereunto that is to say The Gospell which the Lord hath lifted vp amongst the Gentiles and in the which Iesus Christ is preached vnto vs. From hence let vs obserue that we cannot be gathered vnto the Lord vnlesse wee come vnder this ensigne and bee vnited vnto him by faith For he will not acknowledge vs for any of his sheep if we be not gathered in from our scattering and that all of vs doe assemble our selues vnder this banner as himselfe also saith My sheepe heare my voyce and they follow me Iohn 10.27 There is a repetition in the word To gather for he shewes how effectuall the calling of God shall bee because he will set his people in their former estate euen as soone as he shall be pleased to make but a signe onely The word scattering is collectiue and vnder it he comprehends the Iewes scattered here and there It seemes also that he alludes as hee often doth in other places to one selfe same text of Moses where the Lord promiseth to gather together his people when they shall be scattered to the vtmost parts of the world yea euen into the foure corners of the earth Deut. 30.4 Now this was fulfilled vnder the leading and gouernment of Christ at this day therefore ought wee to hope that by the meanes of this good Captaine the poore and desolate Church shall bee restored For otherwise there is little hope that this small remnant shall bee gathered together vnlesse the elect doe bend their eyes toward this ensigne We ought often therefore to call these promises to minde to the end wee being vnderpropped by them may bee more and more established and confirmed Vers 13. The hatred also of Ephraim shall depart and the aduersaries of Iudah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not enuie Iudah neither shall Iudah vexe Ephraim HEere hee promiseth that there shall bee such great tranquillitie in the Church that the Israelites and the Iewes shall not waste themselues any more by ciuill dissensions neither yet bee molested in any sort by their enemies also that they shall not bee subiect to hatred nor enuie as they were before Not as if there should no wicked ones at all be found still among them but that the Lord will roote them out at the last Yet we are especially to obserue that which he addes touching the pacifications of ciuill hatreds and dissensions to wit that the children of Abraham shall no more molest one another but shall be at vnitie in one religion and in the true feare of God For it was an odious and detestable spectacle to see them so long time sworne enemies one to another Enuie the fountaine of dissensions It is not for nought that he shewes the fountaine of dissensions to wit enuie which was the cause why the successours of Abraham did rent one another when the Tribes of Iudah and Ephraim stroue amongst themselues for the excellencie This cursed fire brand enuie hath kindled all the warres in the world when as no man will humble himselfe nor part with the least iot of his right In a word the Lord promiseth heere both an outward and an inward peace which is an excellent and desireable benefit aboue all things But some will say that this was neuer yet accomplished Obiect and that we haue rather seene the contrarie come to passe For as soone as the Gospell beganne to be published diuers wars tumults and horrible persecutions followed thereupon all the world almost was in an vprore and shaken and since I pray you what peace hath the Church had within it Satan by sowing of his cockle and cursed seede hath stirred vp horrible troubles euen amongst Christians themselues so as the Church hath had none more
or caues so also the diuels seeke for the night darkenesse and places far remote from mens sight to the end they may the more affright them which are fearefull and timerous of nature Vers 22. And Iim shall cry in their palaces and dragons in their pleasant palaces and the time thereof is readie to come and the daies thereof shall not bee prolonged HEe sets forth that which hath been touched before and shewes how horrible this change shall be that it might appeare that this shall come to passe from the iudgement of God and not by fortune He also amplifies it wheÌ„ he saith that this shal happeÌ„ not to houses but to pleasant palaces The shortnesse of time whereof he speakes here may be referred to the first destruction yet so as it was requisite that the expectation of the faithfull should bee held the longer in suspence I haue told you that Babylon was not so quickely ouerturned and that the discomfiture made by the Medes was not so great that the Citie might therefore be compared to a desert He saith then that the destruction thereof shall shortly come the beginnings whereof were seene soone ofter for the Iewes were to content themselues in regard that this vengeance vpon Babylon was not promised them in vaine The holy Ghost in like manner is wont to preuent our heate and hastinesse A iust reproofe of our impatiency because we would haue God execute his iudgements out of hand and should chastise the wicked as soone as we thinke good But he only knowes the fit season which yet wee are impatient in waiting for by reason of the boiling of our passions The meditation of Gods eternitie the best bridle to curbe our impatiency But if wee could meditate of his euerlastingnesse we should easilie bridle this ouer great hastinesse by patience but because we haue much adoe to hold in our importunitie God doth somewhat incline vnto vs shewing that he will come by and by And yet let vs not iudge of the shortnesse of the time We must not iudge of this shortnesse of time according to our carnall reason according to our reason but let vs lift vp our hearts to heauen and despise the daies of this life Aboue all let vs learne to stoope as soone as we begin to see the iudgements of God comming towards vs yea though it be in the least measure although he deferre the execution of them for a long time The second member is immediately added for a confirmation to wit that the daies of Babylon shall not be prolonged as if he should say The Lord hath appointed a day so as none shall be able to make truce any longer THE XIIII CHAPTER Vers 1. For the Lord will haue compassion of Iacob and will yet chuse Israel and cause them to rest in their own land and the stranger shall ioyne himselfe vnto them and they shall cleane to the house of Iacob BEcause the particle Ci hath diuers significations wee may conioyne this verse with the former thus But yet the Lord will haue pitie vpon Zion and so it should shew how much the condition of the Church differeth from that which he described before But I had rather take it for a particle rendring the cause and that indeed agrees best to this place as in many other texts so as the sense shall be this God shall destroy Babylon because he shall haue compassion of Iacob whom hee can neither despise nor reiect Whence wee perceiue that the Prophet hath indeuoured hitherto to asswage the sorrow of this poore people to the end they might learne to be of good comfort in those their afflictions which God would at length auenge Thus Babylon the Church of God are here set before vs as in a glasse Babylon I say exalted in her soueraigne power who had so oppressed the poore and desolate Church that shee was vtterly past hope in a manner that euer shee should be restored againe But the Lord tumbling Babylon downe from her high seate therein witnesseth that he hath care ouer his people â—ow abiect or contemptible soeuer they seem to be Note this consolatioâ— From hence we may gather a sweet coÌ„solation when wee see that God thus gouernes all the world for our saluation For all things aime to this end that the elect may be saued and not ouerwhelmed by any changes how many soeuer befall theÌ„ Quest But some will aske whether mercie and compassion ceased to be in God for a time Ans Doubtlesse it continued in him alwaies but the people which were so greeuously afflicted felt it not For being forepossessed with the sense of his wrath they iudged of themselues according to the outward appearance and were not able to apprehend his mercie And yet was the Lord euer like himselfe notwithstanding neuer left his mercifull nature We must distinguish between faithâ— apprehension and experience Thus then we must distinguish betweene the vnderstanding or knowledge of faith and experience for whilest the signes of Gods indignation appeare on all sides in regard that according to the iudgement of the flâ—sh we thinke hee is angrie so his grace is hidden from vs yet faith notwithstanding lifts vp our hearts aboue all darkenesse to the end wee may behold God in heauen who is fauourable towards vs. He will yet chuse Israel saith he Gods election eternâ—ll The election of God is eternall for hee chuseth vs not as if he thought not on it before and euen as we were chosen before the foundations of the world so doth he neuer repent himselfe of the same his election Ephes 1.4 Rom. 11.29 But when the Lord corrects his children this hath in it some appearance of reiection as we may gather from the ordinarie complaints of the faithfull Psal 7.4.1 Lord why hast thou put vs away for euer Why is thy wrath kindled against the sheep of thy pasture Psal 74.1 For we apprehend the election or reiection of God according to our infirmitie We often measure Gods affection towards vs by his outward worke Our vocation a confirmation of our election How God is said to elect and reiect vs. and measure his affection towards vs by the outward worke I speake of that knowledge which proceeds from experience which is corrected by the light of faith And therefore when the Lord calles vs that is to say when he confirmes his election it is said he chuseth vs and contrariwise that hee reiects vs when he shewes vs any euident signe of his indignation See then how we are to vnderstand this verse to wit that although the Lord should so sharplie correct his people as if he meant to cast them off yet notwithstanding he will shew in the end by the effects and will giue them to know that he hath elected them when he shall giue sufficient testimonie thereof and shall take compassion vpon them Now we may easily collect that which I said erewhile to wit that there
is great difference betweene the chastisements which the faithfull indure Great differeÌ„ce between the chastisements of the elect and those wherewith the reprobate are visited Note and those wherewith the reprobates are visited For the faithfull bethinke theÌ„selues forthwith of their election whereby they take heart of grace but the vnbeleeuers see nothing but thick darknes bottomles gulfes and fearefull confusion on all sides As soone then as the Lord corrects vs let vs by and by call to mind this difference to the end we may confirme our hearts in the hope of an happie issue When he speakes of their returne into their owne land he therein sets before them a signe of grace and reconciliation for the land of Canaan was a pledge of adoption to the children of Abraham The land of Canaan a pledge of adoption to Abrahams posteritie And the stranger shall ioyne himself with them He prophesieth of the calling of the Gentiles as if he should haue said The Lord will not only put them into the possession of the land of Canaan but will also inrich them with a great increase A prophesie touching the calling of the Gentiles for he will ioyne the Gentiles with them that of two peoples there may be made but one only bodie This benefit then is not to be referred to a few daies but appertaines to the whole Church which God promiseth to set at rest in a sure place For the Prophet speakes not only of the Church of that time but of that also which should be before and vnder the kingdome of Christ otherwise this addition should be improper Vers 2. And the people shall receiue them and bring them to their owne place and the house of Israel shall possesse them in the land of the Lord for seruants and handmaides and they shall take them prisoners whose captiues they were and haue rule ouer their oppressors HE shewes that the strangers shall willinglie accompanie the Iewes and that in such sort that they shall not refuse to become their seruants We haue seene the proofe of this when the people came out of Babylon Ezra 1.6 but this was onely a small taste of those things which were done by Iesus Christ to whom all this must be referred For the Lord in deed inclined the hearts of the nations which hated his people deadly to be louing to them whom he meant to restore to their countrie and libertie by their meanes but so farre was it off that many nations helped the Iewes after their returne from Babylon that contrariwise the neighbours through enuie conspired one with another to molest them Ezra 4.4 For they were not only bent against them to driue them out of the land of Canaan but also to roote them from off the earth These things then were accomplished vnder the kingdome of Christ to whom all power is giueÌ„ not only in earth but in heauen also Math. 28.18 who by his Gospell hath vnited the Gentiles with the Iewes which before were strangers Ephes 2.14 to the end they might not only help the Iewes to take possession of their inheritance but also to bring them vnder so as to beare the yoke quietlie and willinglie And hereunto appertaines that which he addes of seruants and handmaides Exod. 4.22 for seeing the Iewes are the first borne in the house of God we which are ioined vnto them seeme to haue bin assembled as it were vnder their hand because they were before vs The Iewes might hold the honor of the first born still in the house of God if their owne ingratitude depriued them not of it and obteined the first place before all other nations which honor they might hold euen at this day if by their owne frowardnes and ingratitude they depriued not themselues of such a dignitie and yet their vnthankfulnes did not let the Lord to effect that which he here promiseth For the Apostles who were Iewes subdued strange nations by the word of God yea euen those which in times past held them prisoners and to whom they paid tribute to wit the Assyrians Chaldeans Persians and at last the Romane Empire so as all the Gentiles might iustlie be called their heritage although they would not reigne ouer them The Apostles meant not to reigne by their conquest but to win men to God but winne them to God that so together they might acknowledge one Lord and Prince This then ought to be referred to the yoke gouerment of Christ whereunto the Iewes subdued the Gentiles and not to a worldlie kingdome and rule as the Iewes falslie imagin Vers 3. And in that day shall the Lord giue thee rest from thy sorrow and from thy feare and froÌ„ the sore bondage wherein thou didst serue 4. Then shalt thou take vp this prouerb against the king of Babel and say How hath the oppressor ceased and the gold-thirstie Babel rested HEe addes a confirmation to the former promises God will prâ—uâ— the stedfastnes of our faith in pâ—omising vs saluâ—tion and in the meane while withholding from vs all hope of obtaining the same and thus God vseth to prouide for our weakenesse because it is very hard for vs to giue credit to his word but especially then when things are troubled And yet the Lord will this way proue the stedfastnesse of our faith when hee ceaseth not to promise vs saluation and yet all hope thereof shall be quite and cleane cut off from vs. He confirmes this with many words that so casting off all doubt wee should not cease to rest our selues vpon his gracious free promises how desperate so euer things seeme to be And herewithall also he exhorts the Iewes to acknowledge and neuer to forget so excellent and memorable a worke of God Now of set purpose hee makes expresse mention of the yoke and bondage thereby to teach the Iewes that the Lord would take away all these impediments when it pleased him and that nothing should let him to deliuer his people as soone as he saw occasion We are in these times to â—pply this doctâ—inâ— to our vses Let vs apply this doctrine to our vse now euen in this miserabâ—e seruitude and vile bondage of Antichrist vnder whom poore Christians are holden For albeit they be inuironed and inclosed on al sides in his nets and snares yet haue they God for their deliuerer who will easilie ouercome all manner of difficulties and impediments And this may also bee referâ—ed to all vexations miseries and troubles Moreouer by the word prouerbe or parable for amongst the Hebrewes it signifies graue sentences high worthy of note he shewes that this destruction of Babylon shall be so great that men shall make a prouerbe of it which they are wont to do in great and wonderfull things This word how is an interrogation proceeding from a taunting manner of astonishment for it was incredible that Babylon furnished with such abundance of riches and strength could be ouerthrowne and fall into the
hands of her enemies Hee iustly mockes then at their vaine and foolish confidence in regard that being puffed vp with their intollerable pride they thought themselues inuincible and out of all danger But it seemes contrarie to the modestie of the faithfull to mocke at the miserie of others a man would thinke they should rather haue compassion on them To scorne the wicked is not against modestie when our zeale is ordered therein accoâ—ding to the equity of Gods iudgements Psal 2.4 But this is not against modâ—stie when our zeale is ordered according to the equitie of Gods iudgement for by humane affection we may bewaile the miserie of those who perish through their owne folly and yet theâ—ewithall despise their pride and furie And euen as the Lord exalts himself against them scorning their beastlinesse so also hee doth in this place command vs which loue and desiâ—e his glory to contemne them not after a proud and insulting maner but as magnifying and extolling his goodnesse and power By this example then it is lawfull for vs to scoffe at Gods enemies when they are ouerthrowne and abased as at Antichrist whose power wee daily see to decay by little and little The word Madheuah which is put in the end of the verse may be translated gilt or of gold but because this word is conioyned with tyrant or exactor it is very like the Prophet speakes of the couetousnesse and insatiable desire of gold which the Babylonians thirsted after For it often comes to passe that how much the more great Empires Commonwealths and nations haue of riches so much the more doe they burne with lust of increasing and hauing Vers 5. The Lord hath broken the rod of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers 6. Which smote the people in anger with a continuall plague and ruled the Nations in wrath if any were persecuted he did not let HE now answers to the former interrogation and would not that the faithfull should any way doubt of the euent thereof but rather that they should stand astonied at such admirable workes of God For the interrogation serued to awaken vp their mindeâ— to the greater attention It is as much then as if he should haue said It came not to passe by chance or by any blinde passion of fortune that you were not still oppressed vnder a continuall bondage but you are wholly to attribute it to the prouidence of God who brake so sore a yoke of seruitude from off your neckes Now the wicked are at their wits end when they see such workes and stand amazed because they see not the reason of them but the faithfull know that this ought to bee attributed vnto God Let vs learne then to admire the workes of the Lord and let vs bee stricken with such an astonishment that we may acknowledge him to bee the author of them and let vs not in any wise passe lightly ouer the least of them Gods worâ—â— ought diligently to bee obserued but especially in the redemption of his Church but especially then when he manifâ—sts his power in the redemption of his Chuâ—ch when by his admirable strength he redeemes any one of vs from vnder the seruitude of the diuell the tyranny of Antichrist and from eternall death For these are no common workes and therefore wee may not in any sort attribute the same to the power of man or to any other causes whatsoeuer Hee ioynes the scepter of the rulers to the staffe of the wicked shewing by this repetition that an vniust tyranny cannot be established by a power imperial in any sort whatsoeuer Then by and by after he more cleerly shewes that the Monarchy of the Babylonians shall be abolished because it was vniust and tyrannicall and saith that the people were smitten with an incurable wound and extremely afflicted because they ouerflowed in all excessiue dissolutions By this we are admonished that howsoeuer God may seeme to winke at the tyranny of the wicked for a time yet that he will spare them neuer the more for all that in the latter end for they shall be destroyed euen as we know Babylon was because the Lord is iust and continues alwayes like himselfe Vers 7. The whole world is at rest and is quiet they sing for ioy 8. Also the firre trees reioyced of thee and the cedars of Lebanon saying since thou art laid downe no hewer came vp against vs. HEere he shewes how Tyrants are hatefull to all the world Tyrants hatefull to all the world for they are no sooner dead or destroyed but all leape for ioy shewing what affection they caried towards them which for feare before they dissembled Then shall you see men vtter forth their discontentments and hatreds and not men only discouer their ioy but euen the dumb creatures also as the Prophet addes afterwards speaking of the firre trees and cedars by way of amplification for as all things are ouerturned and peruerted by tyranny so also it being abolished it seemes all things are put into their perfect estate againe Now to the end the speech might haue the greater vehemencie he addes a figure called Prosopopeia by which he brings in trees speaking and reioycing that they shall stand quietlie now this tyrant is dead So then the Prophets drift is to shew that the heauenly Iudge can not indure tyrants alwayes to vsurp God will not alwayes suffer Tyrants to vsurp whom all the world detests hates Whence we may gather that albeit men be silent and dare not open their lips whilst tyrants beare sway yet the Lord notwithstanding heares their secret grones and complaints Let vs not wonder then if tyrants be cut off by such admirable meanes for it is necessarie that God who is priuie to all the outrages which they commit should fauour and assist the innocent Vers 9. Hell beneath is moued for thee to meete thee at thy comming raising vp the dead for thee euen all the princes of the earth and hath raised from their thrones all the kings of the nations EVen as before he attributed gladnes to Trees so now also by the same maner of speaking hee attributes speech to the dead For he brings them as it were out of their graues to the end they should deride the pride of this tyrant and all the words following are nothing else in a maner but most pleasant taunts and flouts For when great kings approch neere a place people tremble they go before and receiue them with great pomp and preperations so Isaiah faines that the dead shall goe before this tyrant who after his death shall descend into his sepulchre that they may do him homage but yet such as to him appertaineth Which is as much as if he should say His death shall not only be acceptable to the liuing but to the dead also so as they shal receiue him honorablie according to his deserts Vers 10. All they shall cry and say vnto thee Art thou become weake also as
to execute his iudgements For he spake thus to them heretofore Prepare a slaughter vers 21. Whence we haue to note not only the power of God but also the efficacie of prophesie Whence the Prophets ordeined of God giue commandement to all nations to do this or that it is then so farre off that men can hinder the euent thereof that they are euen constreined to performe the will of God Now because we ordinarilie stay our selues vpon men and in forsaking God attribute the power of doing all things vnto them we must hold this principle that seeing God worketh by them himself is properlie the author of the worke whereof they are only but the executioners and instruments This is clearely inough laid open vnto vs by the dependence of the places following I haue thought it best to resolue the letter Vau into a particle of shewing the cause for he yeelds the reason wherfore he commands the Medes and Persians to prepare a destruction and slaughter for the Babylonians for I will rise vp against them This phrase I will arise expounded saith he and this phrase where God saith he will arise is very frequent Thus also the Prophet applies himselfe to our capacitie because the maiestie of God is so high that we can not comprehend it We thinke he takes his ease and is idle whilest he winks at the wicked and therefore when he will cause men to feele his power and giue some testimonie thereof by some visible worke he saith he will arise The epithite which he afterward addes calling him The Lord of hostes serues for a confirmation of this sentence as if the Prophet should say I haue not giuen these Commandements to the nations of mine owne head for it is God that gouernes and leades all the battailes vnder his owne hand Seeing the Prophet is ordeined then to pronounce the senteÌ„ce on Gods behalfe he may also command meÌ„ to the end they may yeeld obedience vnto him He yet repeates the same thing in the latter end of the verse Sayth the Lord. shewing that he speakes nothing but that which the Lord gaue him in charge that so the prophesie might be the more autenticall God cuts off not only the posteritie of the wicked but their memorie also Pro. 10.7 Now it hath been often told vs before that Babylon was not thus ruinated till after the death of Alexander the Great By the sonnes and nephewes he meanes not only the Posteritie but the Memorie which the wicked would obteine so as they might be long renoumed after their death God tooke euen this also away from Babylon that so no remembrance should remaine thereof at all but only reproch and ignominie Vers 23. And I will make it a possession to the hedghog and pooles of water and I will sweepe it with the beasome of destruction saith the Lord of hostes HE yet againe confirmes the same things which he spake heretofore touching the future destruction of Babylon to wit that men shall hereafter inhabit it no more but it shall be made an hidious Caue into which wilde beasts shall retire Some say that the word Kipod which we haue translated Bicure signifies a Beuer others an Hedghog other a Torteis But it is very likely by the circumstance of the place that our Prophet speakes of a beast which frequents the waters because afterwards he mentions a poole or marish which in deed properlie belongs to the situation of the place for howsoeuer Babylon was not compassed in with pooles yet is it situated in a moist soile Euphrates waters the region on the one side and Tigris on the other thence it is that the Lord threatens to drowne it Vers 24. The Lord of hostes hath sworne saying Surely like as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand IT was needfull to adde an othe for the more full confirmation of the threatning The reason why God in faine to adde an oth to his threatnings For nothing is more hardly beaten into our heads then to heare tell of a present destruction of the wicked because we see them florishing furnished with all kind of helps seeming to be out of all dangers vtterlie secure Therfore wee are at our wits end in beholding them being so dazled with their glorie that we can scarsly beleeue God when he threatens their ruin and perdition and therefore he addes an othe that they might haue no occasion to hang in any suspence See the like in Chap. 22.14 Whence we may see how gratious louing he is towards vs in succoring our weaknes by applying this remedie vnto it for otherwise his bare word ought to suffice This serues then for the great consolation of the faithfull as we shall see hereafter But this short forme of an othe which he vseth ought to be well knowne vnto vs because we meete often with it in the scriptures Othes slip out of our mouthes at randon with too much boldnes but Gods sparingnes in suppressing the greater part of his oth ought to bridle our inteÌ„perancie and thereby the Lord bridles vs lest we should take too great libertie in oths which slip out of our mouths at randon with too much boldnes for he suppresseth the greater part of the othe If I performe not this which I haue decreed let men take me for a lier and hold me no more for God this I say or some thing else like vnto it fearefull to vtter should be heere supplied Men ought then to refraine their tongues lest they ouerflow too lightlie in execrations making horrible imprecations against themselues yea let them rather learne by the Lords example here to hold in their rebellion Vers 25. That I will breake Ashur to pieces in my land and vpon my mountaines will I tread him vnder foote so that his yoke shall depart from them and his burden shal be taken from off their shoulder SOme thinke this is spoken of the host of Senacherib 2. King 19.35 Chap. 37.36 which was destroyed by the Angell whilest the siege was before Ierusalem If wee shall receiue this interpretation the sense will be thus to wit The Lord will shortly shew some euident proofe of this ruine wherewith hee threatned the Babylonians For those which heard the prophecies might aske What shall the ruine of Babel profit vs when she hath destroyed vs first were it not better for vs to remain in our own laÌ„d that she might continue safe What consolation can we take in her destruction seeing with her our selues must also perish And truely I make no question but Isaiah sets before them a proofe of Gods fauour in the destruction of their enemies which was either come to passe already or should shortly happen I dare not affirme in what time the Prophet foretold this There may be some probâ—ble coniecture that Senacherib was discomfited before the time of this particular prophecie vnlesse there bee
safe He calles them a terrible nation because they should be an astonishment to all those that should behold them being disfigured with such horrible calamities For I cannot approue of their iudgement who expound this of signes and wonders which the Lord shewed amongst the Iewes to make them feared of all he hath regard rather to that place of Moses where it is said The Lord shall make thee an astonishment and a wonder Deut. 28.28.37 also the nodding of the head and a prouerb and derision is vsed in other places Iere. 18.16 19.8 25.18 He signifies a people then whose sight shall be so fearefull that they shall be an astonishment vnto all and we know that as this was foretold so also did it come to passe to the Iewes When it is said on euery side it is as much as if one should draw lines and that they should be so well knit together as there should no place be left emptie betweene them or as if an husbandman made such furrowes in his field that he leaues not one clot of earth vnturned vp or broken Thus was this people beaten downe and broken By the floods he meanes a great armie of enemies to wit or the Assyrians Now he alludes to that which he said before in the 8. Chapter vers 6. to wit that the people being discontented with their little riuer Shilo desired rather roaring and violent waters After then that they had called theÌ„ forth for their succor they were ouerwhelmed by them as with a deluge So that the cause of all this ill successe was for that they coÌ„tented not themselues with Gods promises but sought out strange helps If now then this commandement giuen to the swift posts be taken as froÌ„ the person of God thence we gather that he doth not alwaies assist his elect at the first brunt but withholds his help till things be growne to a desperate estate For he sends not a ioyfull and happie message to those that were in safetie or to those that were onlie lightlie touched with the rod but to a nation spoyled and trodden vnder foote yet in that he commands them to hasten his meaning is that the iudgement shall be sudden and vnlooked for so as light shall shine out of darknes as it were euen in a moment Vers 3. All yee the inhabitants of the world and dwellers in the earth shall see when he setteth vp a signe in the mountaines and when he bloweth the trump ye shall heare HE shewes that this worke of God shall be so excellent that the Iewes shall not only perceiue it but all the inhabitants of the world also These words which are put in the future tence are by some translated in the Imperatiue according to the scripture phrase but it agrees best to take it in the time to come As if he should say euen the people farre off shal â—e witnesses of this calamitie because all shall behold thâ— stâ—ndard and shall heare trumpets sounding thorowout the world And hence it shall appeare that this warre was not raised vp by men but that God himselfe will shew that he is the only author of it and that by excellent witnesses When warres are made euery man discernes what is done openlie but the greater part of men attribute both the beginnings and issues thereof vnto fortune Isaiah contrariwise shewes that all these things ought to be attributed vnto God because he will plainely manifest his power by a new and extraordinarie meanes for he works so sometime that his hand is hidden and his worke vnknowne vnto men And sometimes againe he shewes his power in such wise that euery one is constrained to acknowledge it and that is it which the Prophet meant to say in this place Vers 4. For so the Lord said vnto me I will rest and behold in my tabernacle as the heate drying vp the raine and as a cloud of dew in the heate of haruest AFter he hath threatned the destruction of the Ethiopians or of their neighbours and hauing therewithall shewed that great consolation should thereby redound to the Iewes or else by way of a flout hauing derided the foolish confidence which deceiued them now he addes that God will so moderate these confusions that he will in the end gather his chosen people vnto himselfe The particle Ci which I haue translated Furthermore is sometime put for shewing the cause sometimes aduersatiuelie But the latter sense in this place seemes to agree best the reason is because the Prophet preuents a doubt which might otherwise haue greatly troubled the consciences of the weake For when wee see things in an vproare there is a vaile forthwith spread as it were ouer our eyes which takes away from vs the sight of Godâ— prouidence for the estate of this people whose destruction he threatens was such that this prophesie might seeme a fable or matter of scorne for as we may collect there was no danger nor change to be expected Some referre this to the person of Isaiah as if he satisfied himselfe by depending vpoÌ„ that which God had reuealed vnto him that is to say as if hee had now quieted and setled his minde which indeed wee ought to doe after we haue heard the voyce af God waiting assuredly for the accomplishment of that which is foretold vs. As Abacuk saith I will stand in my watch-tower Abac 2.1 But I rather think that the Prophet recites that which the Lord6 had reuealed vnto him and that the Lord himselfe pronounceth this sentence with his own mouth as if he should say I will rest that is I will hold me still and do nothing for the word also signifies to See Now hee which lookes earnestly acts nothing but onely contents himselfe with beholding that hee sees with pleasure and delight Hereunto serues also the word Tabernacle as if the Lord should rest himselfe on â—he roofe of an house 〈◊〉 on the contrary hee is said to ascend into his iudgement seate when he auengeth himselfe vpon the wicked behauiours of the vnbeleeuers for these phrases of speech are fitted to our capacitie Vnlesse any had rather affirme that the Prophet alludes to the Sanctuarie so as howsoeuer the maiestie of the Lord may seeme to be hidden for a time from this afflicted people yet should not his rest be vtterly without fruit The summe of all is this that howsoeuer all things should be coÌ„founded so as one might imagine that God would meddle no more with the gouernement of the world yet doth he take his ease on this wise as you would say of set purpose euen as if hee were shut vp and fallen asleepe in a chamber minding to manifest the fruite of this his rest in due season As the heate drying up Isaiah doth yet better expresse that which hee hath said before by this similitude Wee may apply it to the Prophets meaning two waies First as if God being awaked out of his sleep wold shew such a gracious couÌ„tenance as should
them in the winter as if he should say they shall not only be a reproch vnto men but euen to beasts also Such then is the condition of the wicked who thinke themselues cocksure euen then when they lift vp themselues most against the poore Church But the birds shall make their nests vpon them on the one side and they shall serue for houses and food for the wilde beasts on the other side so as they shall not only be in worse case then the meanest man in the world but their condition shall be far binferior to that of the brute beasts for being exposed to all shame and contempt they shall manifest to the whole world that Gods prouidence is wonderfull Vers 7. At that time shall a present be brought vnto the Lord of hostes a people that is Or rent or torne scattered abroad and spoiled and of a terrible people from their beginning hitherunto a nation by little and little euen trodden vnder foote whose land the riuers haue spoyled to the place of the name of the Lord of hostes euen the mount Zion THe Prophet shewes againe wherefore he threatned the ruine of this prophane people For in as much as all nations in a maner had conspired the destruction of the Church it should seeme that her vtter subuersion was now come The Lord shewes then that he will assist her in due season for had he not resisted such enterprises and repressed the plots of the enemies betimes the Iewes might haue despaired therefore hee lets it be knowne that he hath a care of his Church so as howsoeuer it pleaseth him to chastise her yet shall she feele his help in time conuenient Yea hee will oppose his strength against the power of tyrants and of her enemies lest they should ouerthrow her and so attaine their long expected hopes That the Iewes then might be imboldned to wait with patience he not only separates them from the Ethiopians but aduertiseth them in like maner that God will moderate his iudgements for their saluation Now he alludes to the second verse of this Chapter where wee saw the people of the Iewes termed by these names and titles He vseth the verb To bring because before this they should be led away as captiues so as it should be no more lawfull for them to goe vp to the Temple then for forreine nations We must also note this word Rent for his meaning is that the people shall be scattered as if hee should say Howsoeuer you must bee brought to a small number and shall be but a poore remnant yet shall this little portion that remaines be offred vnto God for a sacrifice From hence we are to gather a most fruitfull doctrine and exceeding fit for our time A doctrine of singular vse We see the Church at this day to be almost past recouerie for she is scattered oppressed ouerwhelmed and trodden downe on euer side What ought we to do in the mids of so great distresses We must lay fast hold vpon these and the like promises and assure our selues that howsoeuer the world goe yet God will defend and maintaine his Church And albeit she be as a bodie torne in pieces and scattered here and there yet will he easily gather her scattered members together againe by the worke of his spirit for he will neuer suffer the remembrance of his name nor the inuocation thereof to perish The Lord will so worke that of these peeces which lie now scattered here and there there shall be a people made and gathered together For it is easie with him to gather into one those whom he knits together by the vnitie of his Spirit although they be diuided farre asunder one from another Although then that we see the Church diminished and some of her members cut off yet shall some gift bee reserued out of her to be presented and offered vnto the Lord. To the place of the name The Prophets are accustomed to vse this manner of speech often For when they mention the seruice of God they set is forth by externall exercises as by altars sacrifices washings and such like Now the very truth is that in regard the seruice of God is internall it cannot be represented but by outward signes whereby men testifie that they serue and worshippe God Now he names the mount of Zion here chiefly because this place was consecrated vnto God as the place wherein he would haue sacrifices offered vnto him For the Lord honoured this place aboue al others in causing the doctrine of his word to come out thence as we haue seene Chap. 2.3 so that vnder this name wee may rightly vnderstand the pure and sincere worship of God To conclude the Prophets describe not this seruice in such wise as it should be after Christ his comming but such as it was in their own times the reason is because it was needfull for them to apply themselues to the capacitie of the people whom they taught Hence wee may gather that we appertaine not vnto the Church vnlesse we be offered vnto God in sacrifice We can haue no assurance that we belong to the Church of God vnlesse we offer vp our bodies and soules a sacrifice vnto God Rom. 12.1 15.6 2. Cor. 5.15 Whosoeuer hee be thē that challengeth any interest in God let him offer himselfe vp such a sacrifice vnto him and let him no longer liue vnto himselfe but giue and consecrate himselfe vnto God The meanes whereby this is done is by the sword of Gods word to wit the Gospell whereby Paul glorifieth that he sacrificed and offered vp men vnto God as Rom. 15.6 before alleaged By the place of the name of the Lord he means not that the essence of God of which wee must not thinke in any wise as of a carnall or earthly substance should be inclosed therein as if he were tied to any one place but because it was the place wherein the Lord was pleased to manifest testimonies of his power and to be honoured and called vpon where he also shewed his presence by his goodnesse and power especially in regard of the weaknesse of the people who otherwise could not comprehend his maiestie And yet we are to note that wee cannot be acceptable vnto God vnlesse wee be vnited vnto him in the same faith that is to say vnlesse wee be knit together as the members of his Church It is not needfull indeed that we should runne to Ierusalem or to mount Zion for Zion is now spread ouer all the world and is consecrated vnto God in generall It remaines then that we haue the same faith amongst vs and that wee be ioyned and lincked together by the band of loue For if these be wanting in vs then is there nothing in the midst of vs but pollution Where faith and loue is wanting there all things are vncleane vnto us neither have we any thing that is holy and consecrated vnto vs. THE XIX CHAPTER Vers 1. The burden
dangers but comes to himselfe and by himselfe alone considers that he is iustly punished that hee hath offended God and prouoked his wrath against him But the Prophet saith that not so much as one of the Iewes remembred God in these great calamities and that therefore the Lord had good cause to leaue them without thinking anie more vpon them From hence let vs gather that it is a signe of a desperate impietie when men amend not for the rods and scourges which are laid vpon them First of all wee ought to follow God cheerefully and to yeeld him voluntary obedience secondly as soone as he chastiseth and correcteth vs we are forthwith to repent vs. But if his rod doe vs no good what remaines but that God must double his blowes and make vs feele them in such seueritie that we at the last be brought to vtter destruction by them This doctrine is most fitting for this season wherein God calles vs to repentance by so many of his scourges and afflictions But seeing there is no repentance what are wee to looke for but that God should vtterlie cut vs off hauing before vsed all meanes possible To him that made it He closely coÌ„fesseth by these words that God absolutely condemns not the care we haue to resist our enemies to auoid dangers but that false confidence which wee put in externall means What course we ought to keepe in the time of peril For our inconsiderate hastinesse is iustly condemned of disloyaltie and high treason when wee forsake God to flie vnto swords and speares to fortresses and bulwarkes Let vs learne then to flie to him alone when dangers inuiron vs on all sides and let vs runne with all the powers of our soule Prou. 18.10 to the assured fortresse of his holy name This being done then is it lawfull to vse those meanes which hee giues vs but all things will worke to our destruction vnlesse we first of all put the hope of our safetie in his protection Hee calles God the workeman and maker of Ierusalem because hee had his habitation there and would there be called vpon Now seeing this citie was the image of the church this title also belongs to vs for the Lord is called the Creator of the Church in a speciall regard For howsoeuer this title appertaines to the creation of the whole world The first creation belongs to all the second peculiar to the elect onely yet this second creation whereby he deliuers vs from death by regenerating and sanctifying vs is a benefit which is peculiar to the elect others haue no part of this Now this title imports not a sudden act but such a one as is constant and perpetuall neither is the Church created once to be left by and by but the Lord defends and conserues it euen vnto the end Thou wilt not despise the worke of thine hands saith the Psalmist so Paul testifieth Psal 138.8 Phil. 1.6 that hee which hath begunne a good worke will accomplish it vnto the day of Christ And besides this title containes in it a wonderfull consolation A consolation for if God be the maker then neede we not to feare if so be we depend vpon his power and goodnesse But we cannot cast our eyes vpon him vnlesse we be indued with true humilitie confidence that being dispossessed of all haughtinesse and so brought to nothing we be readie to attribute the whole glorie to him alone Now this cannot be done vnlesse herewithall we bee fully perswaded that our saluation is in his hand being assured that we cannot perish no not although a thousand deaths should compasse vs about Well their fault then was the greater in regard the prerogatiue of this Citie which had been approued by so many euident signes could not yet prouoke the Iewes to commit themselues vnto Gods protection As if he should say What folly is it for you to thinke to keepe the Citie when you despise the workman that made it Long agoe The Hebrew word signifieth as well distance of place as length of time If we referre it to the place the sense will be that the Iewes are double vnthankfull that they loâ—ked not vnto Gâ—d no not a farre off Wherein we are to note that we ought not onely to looke vnto God when hee is neere vnto vs but also when it seemes hee is farre distant from vs. Now we thinke him absent when we feele not his present helpe and when he assists vs not as soone as we stand in neede To be short The nature of hope described he shewes what is the nature of true hope for it is a grosse and carnall kind of looking vnto God when we acknowledge his prouidence no further then wee câ—n see it before our eyes Hope must mount aboue the skies hope you know must mount aboue the skies I grant the Lord is alwaies properly and truely present but he is thought absent and farre off in regard of the weakenesse of our sight This must bee construed then according to our sense and not as the thing is indeed Wherefore albeit that he seemes to be absent in these calamities wherewith the Church is now afflicted yet let vs lift vp our mindes vnto him let vs awaken our hearts and shake off all sloth that so wee may giue our selues to the calling vpon his name But the other sense agreeth better to wit that they looked not vnto God who created and made his Church not yesterday or the day before it but a great while since as one who shewed himselfe the maker of it many ages off He is called then the ancient maker of his Church because that if the Iewes would but haue called to minde the long progresse of time they should haue knowne him to haue been a perpetuall conseruer of his worke wherein their ingratitude is yet the lesse excusable Vers 12. And in that day did the Lord God of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth THe Prophet further amplifies this wicked rebellion of the people For this circumstance cuts off all replies for in the middest of such extreme dangers they had despised the holy exhortations of the Prophes and had reiected the fauor of God when he was readie to haue healed and restored them to their former happines Here we see a signe of desperate malice when men are so besotted that they proudly despise instruction and correction kicking obstinatlie against the spurâ—e then I say may we euidentlie perceiue that they are giuen vp into a reprobate sense Whereas he saith the Lord called them we may expound it two waies for although he should not speake at all yet he calles vs sufficientlie by his rods and chastisements Put the case we had no Scripture at all no Prophets nor Teachers and that there were none to admonish vs yet doth God notwithstanding instruct vs by afflictions and calamities so as we may easily coÌ„clude that euery chastisement is
Factors of Antwerpe who feare not to spend more then the richest Gentlemens substance can beare Now we are wont to aske questions when nothing can be answered but what we please which also is a signe of courage and boldnesse Vers 9. Ans The Lord of hostes hath decreed this to * Or profane staine the pride of all glory and to bring to contempt all them that be glorious in the earth The pride Or the haughtinesse A rare thing to finde an humble heart in an haughtie minde for we may reade it both waies because haughtinesse begets pride for it is very rare to finde humilitie of spirit in a haughtie minde Notwithstanding it is better to reade it pride which is enough of it selfe to prouoke God to take vengeance when men vnder pretence of their excellencie aduance themselues aboue measure To profane and dishonour are takn for one and the same thing because those who are exalted to honour seeme to bee as men consecrate and set apart conceiting I wot not what greatnesse of themselues as if they were now quite exempt out of the common ranke of men Note But God no sooner strips such of their dignity and brings them down but hee forthwith makes them vile and contemptible Let vs therefore learne from this place so to consider of Gods prouidence that we giue that praise to his infinite power which belongs vnto it for his so iust a gouernement So then albeit the iustice whereby it pleaseth God to moderate his actions alwaies appeares not vnto vs yet ought wee not therefore to separate his power from his iustice In the meane while for as much as the Scriptures plainely shew and often set before vs the end why God doth this or that we ought to bee wise in obseruing the causes of his works Now this inuention of Gods absolute power God absolute power which the Schoolemen haue forged is a most execrable blasphemie for it is all one as the dayes of a king to Dauid it is too friuolous for he takes it for the age of a man as the Psalmist shewes The age of a man saith he is often limited to threescore yeares and ten Psal 90.10 But why mentions he a king rather then some other man It is because Tyre had a king and therefore he counts the yeres by his life This serued much therefore to confirme the certentie of this prophesie for the Prophet could not know these things by any humane coniectures By the song of the harlot he vnder a fit similitude meanes merchandize not that merchandizing is to be condemned in it selfe for it is profitable and necessarie for a Common wealth but he taxeth the deceits and guile wherewith it aboundeth so as it may very well be compared to the art of harlotrie Vers 16. Take an harp and goe about the Citie thou harlot that hast been forgotten make sweet melodie sing mo song's that thou mayst be remembred HE compares Tyre to an harlot who hauing passed all her youth in whoredomes and filthines at last becomming old by reason whereof all forsake and despise her yet can she not forget her first gaine nor her wicked prancks but desires to reuiue and refresh her old spirits And that she may the better draw men out of all parts of the Citie vnto her she goes singing and playing vpon Instruments to delight her companions For such whores become mad as it were when they see themselues despised because of their age we see also that the Poet Horace flouts an harlot called Lydia for the fame cause Horace Lydia an harlot So Tyre being destroyed and as it were buried in obliuion shall againe pluck vp her courage vsing all her wits and deuises to recouer her first estate By the harp and the sweete melodie he vnderstands the deceits craft entisments and flatteries which are vsed in merchandise by which Merchants serue their turnes to inueigle men and to snare them in their nets In a word he shewes by what meanes the Cities which consist of merchandise become rich to wit by craftie and vnlawfull shifts For this cause it is that the Prophet saith Tyre shall tickle mens eares with her sweete melodie He further bids her to double her songs as if he should say adde deceit to deceit and flatterie to flatterie till thou hast drawne euery one vnto thee steale into mens minds againe and recouer thy first fame To be short euen as an old harlot deuiseth meanes how she may get into fauour againe with men by painting trimming and decking her selfe in fine apparrell also with musicall Instruments and loue-songs so Tyre shall rise and inrich her selfe againe by the same meanes wherewith she gat wealth before not that he counsels or giues Tyre licēce by these words to enrich her selfe this way but continues on his prophesie Vers 17. And at the end of seuentie yeares shall the Lord visit Tyrus * Or but. and she shall returne to her wages and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the earth that are in the world ALthough Tyrus shall seeme to be vtterlie destroyed when God shall afflict her yet the Prophet shewes that she shall obteine mercie for after her calamities she shall be restored to her first glorie But it is rightlie said that such a restauration shall be brought to passe by the worke of the Lord for otherwise Tyre must of necessitie feele that which Malachie pronounceth against the Idumeans to wit that the Lord would ouerthrow and cast downe all that which they built and set vp Mala. 1.4 They had neuer recouered their first estate then vnlesse the Lord himselfe had been the author of it Now frō hence we may gather a very profitable doctrine to wit that albeit God be a iust seuere Iudge against the wicked yet he giues place to his mercie and is neuer so sharp in making the wound but he is as gentle in asswaging that smart of it and in the end takes it cleane away Now if he be such a one towards the godlesse reprobates what a one will he be to those whom he hath adopted in Christ Iesus for his children vpō whom he wil powre out his goodnes When Kingdomes then are restored when Cities are peopled afresh and that men recouer their liberties all comes to passe by the only prouidence of God who casts downe the highest things when it pleaseth him and on a sudden sets vp and plants that which he had cast downe That which followes to wit and she shall returne should be read But she shall returne for the meaning is that Tyrus shall not become the better nor the wiser by such a tedious chastisement but shall by and by returne to her old bias againe for in these words he taxeth her ingratitude We euery day behold such examples for there is almost no corner in the world in which the Lord hath not set the print of his iudgements Sometimes he giues those whom
also in an other place teacheth With such sacrifices God is pleased Heb. 13.10 For he neuer commanded men to offer sacrifices as if they benefit him no he needed them not but he only appointed them these exercises of pietie vnder the law now vnder the Gospell he commands vs to distribute something to our neighbours of that we possesse testifying that whatsoeuer wee employ for the reliefe of our brethren is to him a sacrifice of a sweete smell And it ought greatlie to kindle the loue of bountie and liberalitie in vs when we heare that our almes are so highlie commended and that our hands together with our gifts are consecrated vnto God THE XXIIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Behold the Lord maketh the earth emptie and he maketh it waste he turneth it vpside downe and scattereth the Inhabitants thereof THis prophesie as I take it is as it were the shutting vp of all those things which haue bin described froÌ„ the thirteenth Chapter vnto this wherein Isaiah hath not onely foretold the ruine of the Iewes and Israelites but also of the Moabites Assyrians Egyptians and others In a word he heere comprehends all in a short summe as if he had viewed all the neighbour countries that were knowne to the Iewes Some referre this to the Israelites others to the Iewes thinking the Prophet speakes of their destruction but seeing he makes mention of the world I can not be drawne to take this place in any other sense but that he now in a few words comprehends all that which he hath said of many particulars and those belonging to diuers times Whereas he in the next verse makes mention of the Priest it contradicts this that I say nothing at all although it might thereby seeme that these things should only appertaine vnto the people of God for albeit he speakes of all nations yet the Iewes alwaies deseruing to be preferred in the first place Isaiah was to regard them chieflie and principallie because it was theirs by right For he speakes of others accidentallie as you would say no maruell then if hauing touched them he mentions his owne people in a particular maner Others vnderstand this place of the whole world in generall yet so as they referre it to the last day which me thinks is too strict for the Prophet hauing threatned the Iewes and other nations in the end addes a consolation to wit that the Lord will once againe raise vp his Church making her to flourish more then euer it did now how can this agree to the last Iudgement By the word earth I thinke the Prophet meanes not the whole world but those regions which were well knowne to the Iewes as for example if we at this day should speake of things which happen in the world we should hardly passe beyond Europe much lesse should we thinke of that which is done in India because the parts on this side is our world as it were In the same Isaiah speakes of the earth and of the Inhabitants of the Countries adioyning which he and those to whom he spake knew To conclude we may limit this world whereof the Prophet speakes in this place within the confines or bounds of the Assyrians Egyptians Moabites and other nations as if he should say Hitherunto I haue spoken of diuers calamities which then were like to fall vpon many people and do yet threaten many others in particular but now behold the conclusion The Lord will spoile and ouerthrow the face of the earth with all the beautie of it Others expound the verb Bolkah he opens the earth that the enemies may the more easily enter into it but I had rather expound it He vncouers the earth because they vse to say The earth is couered or clothed all the while great multitudes of people inhabit it as also wheÌ„ it abounds with beasts and fruits contrarywise it is said to be vncouered and made bare when it hath lost her inhabitants for so she is stripped of her garment euen as if a man should be stripped out of his coates and other apparell Now this was to happen to the Assyrians Egyptians and other nations which he mentioned before as well as to the Iewes and therefore he wraps them vp altogether in one iudgement Vers 2. * Or and the pâ—iest shal be like the people c. 〈◊〉 And there shall be like people like priest and like seruant like master like maid like mistris like buyer like seller like lender like borower * Or the borower like the lender like giuer like taker to vsurie ANd there shall be like priest By these words he signifies an vtter ruine where all order gouernment and policie shall cease for whilest any Commonwealth flourisheth there is alwaies a certaine difference betweene the people and the priests well then he notes an horrible confusion Now vnder this word priest he puts the particular for the generall taking a part for the whole which is a thing very vsuall in the Scriptures although we may take the word Cohenim for those which are placed in any dignitie whatsoeuer because the Hebrues sometimes giue this name to Princes but speciallie to such as are of the blood Royall notwithstanding I willinglie receiue the figure Synecdoche before mentioned Now sithence the Prophet puts this confusion of estates among the catalogue of Gods curses shewing that when they be thus turned topsie turuie it proceeds from his fearefull indignation Good order in a Commonweâ—lth a singuler testimonie of Gods fauor we ought on the contrarie to gather how well-pleasing policie and the well ordering of all things is vnto God as also what a great fauour we receiue from him when such good order is preserued and continued amongst vs. For it being gone our life differs nothing from that of brute beasts Wee are therefore not onely to acknowledge it to be an heauie hand of God vpon vs but also to confesse our owne sinnes to be the cause Our sinnes the cause of all disorders in Commonwealths when hee confounds estates depriues vs of the word and of iudgement seates which being once put downe the comfort of our life therewithall is fallen to the ground We may also obserue hence that the Lord in executing his iudgements spares not mens persons of what calling soeuer they be What an holy calling was the priesthood which the Lord had consecrated to himselfe and adorned after a glorious manner How much did the people also glorie in it as if the continuance thereof had been vnchangeable and to haue indured for euer Yet notwithstanding euen this honourable order of men is wrapped in amongst the iudgements of God because he respects no persons Nay the more fauours wee haue receiued from him and the greater our aduancement is the more seuerely will hee correct vs if wee proue vnthankfull and abuse his benefits To this appertaines that which is here added touching masters and seruants buyers and sellers for wee know that these callings are lawfull and
are not iumbled together vnlesse it bee when God smites his people in iustice as we haue said before for in a State well managed men put a difference betweene the master and the seruant Neither can a Commonwealth long stand without buying and selling now to make the poore equall with the rich what is it else but to ouerthrow all humane societie We haue the Prophets meaning then The confusioÌ„ of estates in a kingdome a forerunner of very strange alterations as if he should say All policie shall be abolished because in these ruines the rich should be brought into extreme pouertie To conclude he here sets sorth an horrible destruction after which shall ensue a wonderfull change Vers 3. The earth shall bee cleane emptied and vtterly spoiled for the Lord hath spoken this word HE confirmes that which hee said before and withall admonisheth them that these changes shall not fall out by haphazard as they say but that it shall come to passe by the prouidence and worke of the Lord. He said expresly in the first verse that the Lord was determined to emptie the earth now he tels theÌ„ that it shall so come to passe adding a reason of it to wit because God had spoken the word and therefore it could not be called backe againe Vers 4. The earth lamenteth and fadeth away the world is feebled and decayed the * Or high proud people of the world are weakened THe Prophet holds on his speech still for all these words serue to lay forth the maner of the ruine of the whole earth that is to say so much as was knowne to the Iewes Now hee sets out this iudgement of God vnder borrowed speeches more familiarly that he might awaken the drowsie as hee is wont to doe By the high people we may vnderstand those which were more excellent then others for that was a matter of greater wonder then if some people of a base condition had been destroyed Notwithstanding if any be pleased to expound it particularly of the Iewes I will not gainesay them for albeit the Assyrians and Egyptians exceeded them in riches and power yet notwithstanding the Iewes were higher then they in regard that God had adopted them for his owne Yet the other exposition pleaseth mee better for so his meaning is that God will not onely punish them of meane estate but those also that are aduanced to honour and dignitie aboue others Vers 5. The earth also deceiueth because of the inhabitants thereof for they transgressed the lawes they changed the ordinances and brake the euerlasting couenant OThers translate The earth is polluted because the verbe Caneph signifies to be wicked both senses may agree but the verse following requires that wee expound it The earth deceiueth For hee seemes to amplifie it further by and by after when hee saith Vers 6. that the curse hath deuoured the earth There is no great hardnesse in the word Tacath whether we translate it Vnder or Because of her inhabitants Now there is a mutual traffique as it were betweene the earth and those that labour in it so as she ought to render theÌ„ that which she hath receiued into her bowels with vsurie for otherwise shee deceiues them but she yeelds a reason why she deceiues when shee laies the blame vpon the inhabitants for themselues haue made her barren by their wickednesse Mens sinnes the cause of the earths barrennesse Our sinne is the cause why the earth sustaines vs not nor brings forth her increase as God hath ordained by the course of nature His will is that shee should be a mother vnto vs to the end she may yeeld vs food now if she change her nature and course or degenerates from her fruitfulnesse let vs impute that to our owne wickednesse because we our selues ouerthrow that order which God hath set for otherwise the earth would neuer deceiue but would alwaies render vs that which she ought The cause is by and by added why the earth is become vnfaithfull and deceiues her inhabitants for is it not good reason they should be defrauded of their prouision of food that will defraud God their Father and sustainer of his honour Now he taxeth the reuolt of his nation heere in a particular manner for their fault was much more heinous and lesse excusable then all the sinnes of those which were neuer taught in God his schoole The word Thâ—rah is transferred to the law because it signifies doctrine but it is heere put in the plurall number and signifies all the doctrine that is comprehended in the law Now because the Law consists as well in Commandements as promises the Prophet addes two other words or parts of it to make his meaning the more plaine The word Chok signifies an Ordinance and by it some vnderstand the Ceremonies others Maners Wee may translate it Instructions foâ— I take it not only for Ceremonies but for all things that belong to the rules of good life Thirdly he puts the word Berith which signifies a bargaine or couenant This word is to be restrained to the couenants whereby the Lord adopting his people promised to be their God He reprocheth their vnthankfulnes then because that albeit the Lord had manifested himselfe vnto them diuers waies and had giuen them singular testimonies of his loue yet were they rebellious and wanton transgressing his lawes and violating his holy couenant Quest But why directs he his speech to the Iewes Because he knew that he was sent vnto them as their Prophet to teach them Ans Hence wee may gather what the rule of a well ordered life is The rule of a well ordered life described for it is conteined in the Law which we must precisely follow if we will approue our doings vnto God if we turne from it to the right hand or to the left we are guiltie of transgression Wee may also obserue that God would not only haue vs to thinke vpon his Lawes and Commandements in his word but also vpon his Couenant The principall part of the word consists in the promises for the principall part of the word consists in the promises by which hee adopts and receiues vs for his people Now it is not to be doubted but in these varietie of words the Prophet meant to amplifie the matter as if he should say You are whollie corrupt nothing remaines sound amongst you Why he calls it an euerlasting couenant He calles it the euerlasting couenant because it ought to be perpetuall inuiolable and to indure for euer for it ought to continue alwaies from the father to the sonne that the memorie of it might neuer be lost but might be preserued stedfast in all ages He laies forth their disloyaltie then and malice in that they durst violate the Couenant made betweene God and them and ouerthrow the things which the Lord would haue kept sure and stedfast This was odious no maruell then if the earth auenge her selfe of such an impietie by
as hath been said For their exposition is farre wide from the naturall sense who extend it generallie to all the world because in what place soeuer we liue God maintaines vs vpon this condition that we behaue our selues vprightlie towards all The Lord indeed hath now caused his kingdome to spread into all places How farre this land of vprightnes may now be said to extend it selfe the land of vprightnes therefore is wheresoeuer his name is called vpon and thus we deserue a double condemnation if wee yeeld not testimonies of true thankfulnes by giuing our selues to pietie good works wheÌ„ God pâ—ouokes vs therunto by so many of his benefits Where he addes that the reprobates shall see the maiestie of God it is not to lessen the fault but rather to augment and increase it for it is a foolish and wicked ingratitude in men to bee carelesse of Gods glory which plainly shines before their eyes The wicked then are no way excusable for although God proclaime his name diuers waies yet in this so cleere a sunshine they see nothing Questionlesse there want not euident signes at all times by which the Lord manifests both his glory and greatnesse but their number is very small who take it to heart as we haue seene before Chap. 5.19 The Lord not onely sets forth his maiestie and glory by his ordinarie workes in nature but also by certaine signes and worthy documents wherein hee fully instructs vs as touching his iustice wisdome and goodnesse The wicked shut their eyes at it and perceiue it not albeit they be very quicke and sharpe sighted in other matters This frowardnesse and peruersitie the Prophet now reproues Others thinke hee threatens the reprobates here as if they were vnworthy to behold the workes of God Which although it be true yet seeing this member is ioyned to the rest the Prophet still reproues the sottishnesse of those who are so farre off from making benefit of the workes of God that rather they become the more senselesse by them For which cause it should not seeme strange vnto vs at this day if there be few which come to repentance albeit Gods iustice manifests it selfe so diuersly for infidelitie is alwaies blinde when it should behold the workes of God Infidelitie alwaies blind when it should behold the workes of God Vers 11. O Lord they will not behold thine high hand but they shall see it and be confounded with the zeale of thy people and the fire of thine enemies shall deuoure them THis is an exposition of the former sentence for hee enters into no new discourse but expounds that at large which he had said before in few words He said in the other verse that the wicked would not behold the maiestie of the Lord now he shewes that this magnificence of the Lord is the same which appeares in his workes For the Prophet sends vs not to the hidden maiestie of God which wee cannot behold with our eyes but brings vs to his workes which hee here represents by a figure vnder this word hand Well he accuseth the wicked once againe shewing that they haue nothing to alleage for their defence neither can they couer themselues vnder any pretence of ignorance for albeit they were starke blind yet was the hand of God made manifest enough so as nothing could hinder them from seeing of it but their owne grosse vnthankfulnesse or rather wilfull sottishnesse For many haue skill enough to pleade ignorance affirming that they perceiue not these workes but hee telles such that God hand is stretched forth not onely in such wise that it may be discerned of a small number but also farre and neere They shall see it and be confounded He makes it very apparent that this beholding is not the same whereof he spake before when hee said that the wicked saw not the maiestie of the Lord for they saw it well enough but they regarded it not Notwithstanding at the last they shall see it although too late and to their great disaduantage For hauing a long time abused the patience of God in shewing themselues obstinate and rebellious God may well suffer the wicked to take their swinge for a while but in the end hee paies them home Heb. 12.17 they shall be constrained in the end to take knowledge of his iudgements Thus albeit Caine Esau and the like who repented their sinnes too late fled from Gods presence yet in despight of their teeth they were made both to see and feele that he was their Iudge Gen. 4.13 and 27.38 Thus he often drawes some remorse as it were euen from those that despise him to the end he might cause his power to shine cleerely but such apprehensions bring them no profit at all The Prophet then so threatens the wicked whose blindnesse hee hath rebuked that he therewithall takes from them all pretext of ignorance plainely telling them that the time shall come wherein they shall know with whom they haue to doe and shall then well perceiue that this maiestie and high hand of God which they reiected made light of ought not in any sort to bee contemned For they ouerflow in all riot and dissolution with their eyes shut they flout and mocke thinking God will neuer call them to iudgement yea which more is the miseries and afflictions of the faithfull are things wherein they take great delight Thus they looke vpon vs with disdaine as if they were out of all danger hardening their hearts more more but in the end they shall know that the seruants of God haue not serued him in vaine Now that hee might the better shew that this beholding of God should not onely be vnprofitable but also hurtfull to the wicked he saith that they shall be confounded when they shall see the blessing of God vpon his people wherein they shall haue neither part nor portion In the next place he further augments the sharpnesse of the punishment in regard that these vngodly ones shall not onely be consumed with enuie when they shall see the children of God deliuered from these miseries and exalted into glory but they shall also be stricken with no lesse an euill to wit the fire of the enemies shall deuoure them The zeale of the people then in this place signifies the indignation wherewith the reprobates shall bee inflamed when they shall compare the condition of the faithfull with theirs Hee calles that the fire of the enemies wherewith God consumes his aduersaries taking this word fire for Gods vengeance for it must not be taken here for that visible fire wherewith things are consumed in this world neither yet for lightning onely but by a figure it is taken for a cruell torment for so by this word the holy Ghost is wont often to note out the extreme wrath of the Lord. Yet I denie not but the Prophet alludes to the destruction of Sodome and Gomorah Gen. 19.24 Deus 32.22 Iob 20.26 22.20 Vers 12. Lord
vnto vs thou wilt ordaine peace for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs. THis tends to the consolation of the faithfull As if he should say We see what will fall vpon the heads of the wicked for thou wilt cast them out of the company of thy children wilt consume them with fire as thine enemies but we shal haue an happy and blessed estate The verbe Shaphat which signifies to Ordaine among the Hebrewes is as much to say as to Establish as if he should say Thou wilt hold and preserue vs in peace continually The wicked indeed inioy a kind of peace but it lasts not long our peace is seated and established in the Lord and hath such a foundation as shall indure for euer Now by the word peace he meanes a setled and lasting felicitie Hence let vs conclude then that the children of God which trust in him are fully blessed for the life of the wicked is more then miserable albeit it be soaked in much deliciousnesse and pleasures as those that haue all things at their wish There is no assured nor stable peace then but in the fatherly loue of our God By workes hee meanes all the good which God doth to his chosen as if he should say All our affaires and actions all things which we vse for our benefit in this world in a word whatsoeuer we put our hands vnto Those then who haue alleadged this place to ouerthrow the doctrine of free will did not well vnderstand the Prophets meaning I grant it is God onely that works whatsoeuer is good in vs so as all our vprightnesse proceeds onely from his Spirit but the Prophet meant simply to teach here that wee receiue all the good things which we inioy onely from the hand of God He that hath begunne a good worke in vs will perfect it vnto the end Phil. 1.6 and thence concludes that this fauour shall neuer cease till wee be come to full and perfect happinesse Moreouer seeing God is author of all blessings wee ought especially to be mindfull of those which are chiefe and principall for if wee ought to acknowledge that the things which serue for our maintenance in this life are the gifts of God much more ought we so to doe in things appertaining to the saluation of the soule If so be then we owe thankfulnesse for his liberalitie in small things how much more should wee acknowledge his goodnesse in things that are high and excellent But what need haue wee to obiect this text against the Papists to refute their doctrine of free will seeing they may be easilie answered by other places yea we haue infinit testimonies besideâ— which are much more euident Thus it seemes then that the Prophet stirs vp the peoples mindes to thankfulnesse for hee commands them so to admire the goodnesse of God in his benefits that they confesse all things they haue to be his gift We haue here then a very fruitfull doctrine to wit Benefits receiued of God in times past ought to incourage vs to hope for the like in time to come that the faithfull are to conceiue an assured hope of Gods goodnesse for the time to come by considering what benefits they haue receiued from him in times past and thence to conclude that he will vndoubtedly haue care ouer them hereafter Haue wee then at any time had experience of Gods mercy towards vs Let vs learne to trust in him for euer and seeing it hath pleased him to shew himselfe so bountifull and readie to doe vs good let vs boldly and constantly settle our hearts in this truth to wit that hee will neuer faile vs. All the faithfull haue done thus and this way haue they confirmed themselues in the faith for see how Dauid speakes Psal 138.8 Thou Lord wilt not forsake the worke of thine owne hands And Saint Paul saith He which hath begun a good worke in you will perfect the same Phil. 1 6. Likewise the Patriarke Jacob saith Lord I am lesse then all thy mercies and trueth which thou hast shewed thy seruant but thou saidst I will doe thee good c. Gen. 32.10 11 12. For God is not like to men that is to be wearie in well doing or to be drawne dry by too much giuing but the more good he hath done vs so much the stronger ought our hope to be and to receiue daily increases Vers 13. O Lord our God other Lords besides thee haue ruled vs but wee will remember thee onelie and thy name THis verse containes a complaint which the faithfull make because they were oppressed vnder the tyranny of the wicked Thus this song is composed to comfort the hearts of the faithfull who in regard they were to vndergoe an hard condition of banishment and to bee expulsed out of that good land which was vnto them a signe of eternall happinesse as also being depriued of the sacrifices of the holy assemblies and so in a manner of all consolation and comfort being furthermore shut vp vnder the bondage of the Babylonians in a strange Country banished from their Country and ouerwhelmed with shame and most grieuous afflictions they might yet notwithstanding by this song powre out their sighes vnto God and so find solace in him He speakes therefore in the name and person of all the faithfull who in appearance seemed to be reiected of God but therewithall professing that they were his people and so consequently did put their confidence in him But had they not great cause to mourne thus when they were in bondage vnder the tyrannie of other rulers besides the Lord himselfe who once had gathered them in vnder the wings of his protection Hence therefore it followes that if they had not been estranged from him they had neuer fallen into so wretched a condition as to be exposed to the mercilesse tyrannie of their enemies But it should seeme by this Obiect that the gouernement of Princes is contrarie to that which God himselfe exerciseth notwithstanding that they rule in his name Ans but the Prophet speakes not of those heere who beare rule for our good but of such as are Idolaters and enemies of the true doctrine Dauid himselfe was a King hauing a diuers gouernment from that which God exerciseth yet so that he was Gods minâ—ster notwithstanding for the common good and saluation of all the people that were câ—mmitted to his charge and likewise maintained the true Religion which these tyrants desired whollie to ouerthrow The like also did iustlie befall the Iewes who had well deserued to be subdued vnder the crueltie of Infidels seeing they refused to obey God who vsed theÌ„ so louingly But it is not â—misse to note the close opposition which is heere put betweene God and the faithfull Kings who gouerned the people vnder his name and authoritie and those tyrants who at the last oppressed them vnder vniust lawes This will the better appeere by a like place out of Ezechiel I haue saith he giuen them
he calles this one Tribe and an halfe but a remnant in respect of the other ten Tribes yet wee shall see hereafter that he puts a difference betweene those who were of the Tribe of Iudah onely Neither are wee to wonder that the Prophet speakes thus diuersly of one and the same people for sometimes he directs his speech to the whole body as it was generally infected with vices and another while he applies himselfe to the faithfull in particular It is certaine that hee rightly calles the Iewes a remnant of people in regard of the ten Tribes which had reuolted from the pure seruice of God and had separated themselues from the vnity of faith but if we shall consider them without comparison and shall view them as they were in themselues apart from the rest hee had iust cause to tax their wickednesse I am not ignorant that others are of a contrary iudgement the reason is because he by and by speakes of wine vers 7. and so they thinke this sentence should bee ioyned with the beginning of the Chapter thus It may be the Lord will spare the Iewes but how is it possible he should seeing they are as bad as the rest Seeing then that they are guiltie of the same sinne of vnthankfulnesse must they not needes share with them in their punishment But these expositours doe not aduisedly consider that the Prophet is about to set forth a testimonie of Gods singular fauour in that hee did not cause his whole indignation to fall at once vpon all the race of Abraham but albeit hee ouerthrew the Kingdome of Israel yet he gaue the Iewes respite to see whether they would repent or no. Now with the setting forth of Gods patience towards them hee vnder hand amplifies the fault of this peoples ingratitude For should not they haue learned wisdome by their brethrens harmes yes the calamitie of the Israelites should surely haue awakened them and drawn them to repenâ—â—nce But they past it ouer lightly and neuer tooke it to heart Were they not vnworthy of so many benefits then that would take no benefit thereby Well yet the Lord was pleased to conserue his Church euen in the middest of them Now you see the cause why hee deliuered Iudah and the halfe Tribe of Beniamin out of that calamitie in which he wrapped the Israelites Moreouer because Iudah was a verie small Tribe and was therefore contemned of their brethren the Israelites the Prophet affirmes that there is glory and riches enough in God to supply all outward wants Our true way vnto happinesse is to place it wholly in God By this place we are taught what is the true way vnto saluation euen to place our whole happinesse in God himselfe for we no sooner turne backe to the world but wee gather flowers which fade and wither yea and vanish away by and by But alas this phrensie reignes in euerie place more then it should for men will seeke to bee happie without God that is to say without happinesse it selfe Isaiah also shewes that no calamity be it neuer so great can any way let God to inrich and adorne his Church For when all things shall seeme as good as desperate yet God liues still to crowne his seruants with glory It is to be noted also that he promiseth the Church shall bee beautified with a new hew euen then when her multitude shall be diminished that by this meanes the faithfull might neuer be dismaied in the most horrible waste that may befall them Vers 6. And for a spirit of iudgement to him that sitteth in iudgemeÌ„t and for strength vnto them that turne away the battell in the gate THe Prophet shewes the cause why the Lord wil beautifie the remnant with new glorie For hee propounds before them the estate of a right gouernment vnder which a people is preserued which consists in two things principally that is to say Counsell and strength By counsell and wisdome affaires ought to bee managed amongst the subiects at home force and munition are for the annoiance of the enemie abroad Now for as much as Kingdoms and Commonwealths vphold and maintaine their estates by these two meanes therefore God promiseth the spirit of wisdome and strength vnto his people Wisdome and strength are the Lords Iob 12.13 Psal 127.1 And therewithall teacheth them that the gift of both these are in his owne hands and that they are not to be sought elsewhere for neither can the Magistrates gouerne the Citie well in giuing to euery one his due neither can the Captaines and Leaders repulse the enemie vnlesse both be led and directed by the Lord. Vers 7. But they haue erred because of wine and are out of the way by strong drinke the Priest and the Prophet haue erred by strong drinke they are swallowed vp with wine they haue gone astray through strong drinke they faile in vision they stumble in iudgement HEe now directs his speech vnto the profane despisers of God who were Iewes onely in name and sets forth their ingratitude to the full for albeit they had so euident a testimonie of Gods wrath before their eyes and saw their brethren seuerely chastised in their sight yea albeit they had good experience of his mercie patience towards them yet could they not be brought into the right way by this so fearefull an example of seueritie neither could they be brought to anie amendment by so liuely a taste of Gods goodnesse in sparing of them He speakes here of wine and strong drinke by way of similitude for I vnderstand not this place of the common sinne of drunkennesse against which he spake in the first verse but I rather thinke hee meanes they were become like vnto drunkerds in regard they were depriued of common sense and vnderstanding If the word As therefore be supplied to wine and strong drinke then the sense will be the more plaine and euident I deny not but men wax worse then beasts by the excesse of taking in meates and drinkes nay questionlesse their excesse therein had sore dazeled the spirits of the Iewes but if we consider well of the whole course of the text it will bee easie to see that he condemnes their iniquitie vnder a similitude Where hee addes the Priest and the Prophet he continues the amplification of their sinne whereof wee spake before so that the common people were not onely drunke but euen the Priests themselues who should haue been lights to haue giuen direction vnto others for they are compared to the salt of the earth as Christ teacheth now if they grow vnsauorie and gracelesse what shall become of the multitude if the eye be darke what shall become of the parts of the whole body Mat. 5. 13. and 6.23 But the worst of all was that they erred not onely in open wickednesses but in vision and iudgement also whence we may gather that the state of the Iews was very desperate And here haue we a faire looking glasse wherein we
As oft then as we shall thinke of the calamities wherwith the Church is so many waies afflicted let vs not by and by crie out that God hath cast her off as if because the wicked are let loose therefore they shall presentlie haue their willes but let vs on the contrarie assure our selues that the Lord will prouide a remedie for vs when his time appointed is come and in the meane while let vs reuerentlie and hartilie submit our selues vnder his iust iudgements Now if any be pleased by taking a narrower view of these words to gather that some are punished sooner some later as being deferred for a season this will not only be found probable but it is also fullie agreed vnto by the Prophet Hence then there is ministred vnto vs a singular consolation to wit the Lord will so moderate his strokes that at no hand he will bruise or breake in pieces those that are his seruants Indeed he destroyes the wicked and brings them to nothing but he corrects his children God destroys the wicked he only corrects his children that being thereby purged and tamed they may be brought home into his garner Vers 29. This also commeth of the Lord of hostes which is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in worke SOme expound this place as if the Prophet should say that this knowledge of Husbandrie comes of the Lord but I rather thinke it to be the application of the things that went before For as he hath set forth Gods wisedome in the smallest matters so would he now raise our minds higher that we might learne with the greater reuerence to consider of his secret and wonderfull iudgements We may and no doubt ought by the way to note as touching that which is conteined in the 26. verse that not Husbandrie alone but all other profitable arts also are the gifts of God All profitable sciences the gift of God who powres into their vnderstandings those artificiall and cunning inuentions Men therefore ought in no case to wax proud of them or to attribute the knowledge hereof vnto themselues as those of old time haue done who being vnthankfull vnto God haue deified those whom they thought to bee the deuisers of arts Thence came the heapes of so many goddes which the heathen haue forged vnto themselues out of the shop of their owne braine From out of this workehouse haue proceeded the great Ceres Triptoleme Mercurie and infinit others more so highly renowned by the words and writings of mem But our Prophet shewes that as these sciences were giuen them from God so ought they to be referred to his glory as to him that is the onely author and master workeman And if this esteeme be to be held of husbandry and other handicrafts what shall wee say of the noble and liberall sciences as of Physicke Law Astronomie Geometry Logicke and the like Shall we not much more affirme that these are the gifts of God If God be the author of handicrafts much more of Liberall arts Nay shal we not both coÌ„sider acknowledge his goodnesse in the bestowing of them that so as well in the least as in the greatest thereof we may set forth his honour and praise THE XXIX CHAPTER Vers 1. Ah * Or Ariel Ariel or woe be to c. altar altar of the Citie that Dauid dwelt in adde yeere vnto yeere let them kill lambs IT seems this should be another Sermon in which Isaiah threatens Ierusalem Hee calles it Ariel that is to say the Altar of God because the whole streÌ„gth of the Citie depended vpon the Altar For howsoeuer the Citizens trusted in other meanes whereof they had great store yet they chiefly relied vpon the Temple and the altar more then vpon anie other defences They thought themselues inuincible indeed by reason of their power and forces but aboue all they held themselues in a fort vtterly impregnable in regard that the Lord couered them vnder his wings Now they imagined that God was with them as long as they retained the Altar and the sacrifices Some thinke that the Temple is here called Ariel because it was proportioned like a lion to wit broad before and narrow behind but I had rather vnderstand it simply of the Altar and the rather for that Ezechiel also giues it this name Chap. 43.15 This prophecy doubtlesse was directed to the whole Citie but we must note the Prophets drift The Prophets drift which is to plucke away from the Iewes this fond trust because they thought God would surely helpe them as long as the Altar and sacrifices lasted For they bragged of them as those who vntruely perswaded themselues that they had serued God to the full albeit their liues were vile and wicked In the next place hee bends his speech against the Citie which hee adornes with a goodly title by calling it the Citie that Dauid once dwelt in and yet onely by way of yeelding so much vnto them for he will afterwards refute this their vaine pretext so full of vanitie Some by this word vnderstand little Ierusalem that is to say the innermost Citie which was also compassed about with walles for two Cities were comprised in one as it were because it was inlarged and extended the confines thereof further off then at the beginning but as I thinke this place should be vnderstood of the whole Citie He mentions Dauid in regard they gloried as much in his namâ— as if Gods blessing had bin continually tied to the palace royall for God indeed had promised that Dauids Kingdome should indure for euer 2. Sam 7.13 Psal 89.36 Hence wee may gather how sottish and ridiculous the Papists are now become who will needes lincke the Church to Saint Peters chaire Papists ridiculous in tying the Church to Saint Peters chaire and thus would make the world beleeue that God can no wherere find a place to dwell in but in the chaire of Rome Wee dispute not with them now whether Peter was euer Bishop of Rome or no but let vs grant it were vndoubtedly so yet dare they affiâ—me that Rome had at any time the like promise that IerusaleÌ„ had Rome neuer had that promise made her which God made to Ierusalem This is my rest here will I do all for I haue a delight therein Ps 132.14 But what if God had made them such a promise doe we not see how Isaiah threatens Ierusalem to wit that God is driuen thence God is banished from that place whence his word is excluded when his word was reiected and his pure worship corrupted What shall become of Rome then that hath no promise at all Dare shee compare with Ierusalem If God cursed that holy Citie which he had specially chosen what will he say thinke you to other Cities who haue ouerthrowne all his holy lawes and ordinances Adde yeere vnto yeere The Prophet ioynes this with the former because the Iewes thought themselues cleere aboard as they say when they
his father worshipped Iosh 24.2 But he redeemed him often besides that to wit when he was in danger in Egypt and in Gerar Gen. 12.17 20.14 Also when he discomfited the Kings Gen. 14.16 Lastly when God granted him issue euen at the time when hee was past power to beget any Gen. 21.2 For albeit the Prophet had a speciall respect to Gods adoption when he commanded him to goe out of his fathers house yet vnder this redemption he comprehends also all the benefits which God bestowed vpon him for we see that Abraham was not redeemed onely once that is from extrem dangers and perils of death Now if the Lord raised vp his Church in the onely person of Abraham and that in such a time as he had lost all strength to beget any children to conserue the same after him will not the Lord preserue it for the time to come when in mans iudgement it was as good as forlorne A singular consolation What a miserable waste was there of the Church at the comming of Christ How many enemies were there which opposed the same Yet did he set vp this his kingdome in despite of them all the Church florished and made all the world to wonder at the glorie of it Let vs not doubt then but that the Lord will in his due time manifest his power both in auenging himselfe vpō the enemies of his Church which oppresse it and in restoring of her to her first beautie When he saith Iaacob shall not be confounded we often see that the faithful are constrained to hang downe their heads with shame as Ieremie witnesseth I will put my mouth in the dust Lament 3.29 Also Micha Mich. 7.16 saith The time is come in which the wise shall put their hands vpon their mouth and licke the dust for when the Lord corrects his people so sharplie the faithfull must needes bee confounded therewith But the Prophet afterward shewes that this shall not indure for euer Let vs not dispaire then in aduersitie for albeit the wicked make vs their laughing stockes and lade vs with all the indignities in the world Harken to this O thou troubled soule and know it for thy selfe Iob. 5.27 yet will the Lord in the end draw vs out of this shame and confusion of face Yet the Lord therewithall shewes that this fauor belongs not vnto such proud ones who either are obstinate or oppose their hard heads against Gods blowes that hee laies vpon them but that it onely belongs vnto the humble who are bowed with shame walking humbly with their heads bowed downe But may some obiect Obiect how can it bee said that Iacob shall not be confounded seeing he was dead long before it seemes hee attributes some feeling to the dead and then they know what we doe in this world thence the Papists argue that the dead know all that we doe I answer Ans there is here the faining of a person which is often found in the Scriptures in which sense Ieremy saith That a voice was heard in Ramah Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted for them because they were not Ier. 31.15 For in that place he sets forth the destructiō of the Tribe of Beniamin by the lamentation of Rachel which was the grandmother as it were So Isaiah brings in Iaacob couered with shame and confusion in regard of the vices and wickednesses of his posteritie For as a wise sonne is the glory of his father so a foole is an heauinesse to his mother Prou. 10.1 Although mothers doe cocker their children most yet are they ashamed when they see them offend How much more fathers then Simile whose loue being guided by discretion are chiefly carefull for the well ordering and instructing of their children Must they not needs be much more grieued in seeing them wax wicked and dissolute But the Prophet meant here to touch the people to the quicke in setting Iaacob their father before them who being adorned with such rare graces of God was now dishonoured by his successors so as if himselfe had been present to haue seene them it would haue constrained him to blush for shame He therefore taxeth the vnthankfulnesse of the people who in stead of honouring dishonored their father Vers 23. * Or for whē he shall se◠c. But when hee seeth his children the worke of mine hands in the middest of him they shall sanctifie my name and sanctifie the holie one of Iaacob and shall feare the God of Israel THe particle Chi is here to bee read in its proper signification to wit For because the Prophet giues a reason why the shame of Israel should be taken away that is he should haue children raised vp vnto him againe as it were from death to life In that the Lord cals them the worke of his hands I nothing doubt but he therein meant to expresse the admirable worke of their redemption for he makes those new men as it were whom hee adopt◠and ioines vnto him for his children as it is said Psal 102.19 The people that shall be created shall praise the Lord in which place the holie Ghost doth in like manner speake of the restauration of the Church See chap. 4◠7 For there is no mention heere of that vniuersall creation of mankind vnder which all good and bad are comprehended as wee haue often said but he now brings vs to the knowledge of his power to the end we should not iudg◠of the saluation of the Church by viewing her present estate Here therefore wee must note diuers oppositions first betweene the deformitie of the Church and her beautie or excellencie betweene glory and shame secondly betweene the people of God and other nations thirdly betweene the worke of Gods hands and the worke of men for the Church can no way be reestablished but by the onely hand of God fourthly betweene her florishing estate and that miserable waste by which she was pittifully rent in sunder before For he calles the middest of her a perfect restauration by which the people shall be so reunited and ioyned together that she shall not only possesse the borders of the land but the middest and the chiefe place thereof also Lastly he shewes what the end of our redemption is The end of our redemption noted whē he saith That they shal sanctifie his name for we are all created to the end Gods goodnes may be magnified amongst vs. But because the most part of men doe shun this end God hath chosen his Church in which his praises do sound and continue as it is said in the Psalme 65.2 Praise waiteth for thee ô God in Zion Praise waiteth for the Lord but it is in Zion Now because many sheep in the flock grow corrupt the Prophet assignes this office to the faithfull whom God miraculouslie had preserued Moreouer because the hypocrites honour God with their lips and are farre from him in their hearts as we haue
should euen desire to haue companie with Asses and horses I grant our Prophet doth not simply condemne al leagues with idolaters in this place but hee respects that prohibition which was expressed in the very law of God it selfe Deut. 17.16 Exod. 13.17 to wit that they should haue no association with the Egyptians at all Hee is thus moued to indignation against the Iewes therefore chiefly in regard of this prohibition because it could not bee but Gods dishonour must of necessitie be ioyned with this their running downe as desperate men into Egypt This is the cause why hee calles them peruerse and ebellious children which phrase wee haue expounded in the first Chapter Chap. 1.4 His meaning is that either they were men sunke deepe in their obstinacie wittingly and willingly reuolting from God or that they were so rooted in obstinacie that there was no soundnesse nor integritie left in them In the very entrance then hee chrageth them that they were men giuen vp to their owne counsels and therewithall did cast off the Lord. Although some expound To spread the effusion or shedding and that it agrees with the Prophets meaning yet others in mine owne opinion haue turned it better to wit who couer the seceret and this reading I haue followed The reason is because he speakes here of counsels and priuie plots by which in thinking to deceiue the Prophets their meaning was indeed to flee from Gods presence Those which translate That they may couer themselues with a couering are grosly mistaken for albeit the Iewes sought to the Egyptians for securitie yet doth the Prophet rather aime at their wilie plottings of which I spake erewhile and both the expositions come all to one sense Now hee repeates one and the same thing by three phrases of speech first that they couered their counsels from God secondly that they asked not counsell at his mouth and thirdly that they would not be gouerned by his Spirit For those that are caried away with a conceit of their owne wit doe willingly giue themselues to cunning deuices whereby they may couer their infidelitie and rebellion and for as much as it was not their meaning to obey Gods word therefore they neuer craued the direction of his Spirit Thence comes that sorrowfull and wofull euent for it cannot be auoided but those counsels and determinations which the Lord gouernes not must come to a miserable and fatall end Counsels that are not directed by God must needes haue a fatall end They that take counsell from Gods word shall be sure to be directed by Gods Spirit What wisdome is there but that which proceedes out of his mouth Let vs seeke vnto it then that is to say let vs aske counsell of his word so shall wee also haue the direction and gouernement of his Spirit from whence proceedes all wisdome and counsell But wee are to note that the word and the Spirit are matched together which crosseth those fantasticall spirits who leaue the word forsooth to aspire to Oracles and secret reuelations And thus they would come vnto God but they will not keepe the Kings high way as they say nay rather despising it What doe they else then but striue to flie without wings as the prouerb Prouerbe is Let vs therefore hold vs fast to this principle Principle that whatsoeuer we consult or enterprise in the whole course of our life without warrant from Gods word will in the end deceiue vs because we begin at the wrong end for that onely ought to be our guide And surely if we doe but well bethinke vs of our owne ignorance or rather our great brutishnesse wee may easilie bee brought to confesse that our madnes is worthy to be condemned to wit if we shal thinke our selues so wise as not to vouchsafe to inquire at Gods mouth If any obiect Obiect that all things are not comprehended in the holy Scriptures neither doth it in euerie small circumstance resolue our doubts I answere Ans all things whatsoeuer that concerne the well ordering of our life is fully conteined therein Let vs then once conclude in our selues If we will yeeld our selues to be ruled by Gods word he will not suffer vs long to linger in our doubtings that the word of God shall haue the rule ouer our thoughts and actions and that we seeke to square them according vnto that then may we be sure that God will neuer suffer vs to hang long in suspence but will giue vs a way and passage out of all difficulties and incombrances And yet it may be wee shall wait long for the accomplishment of this worke but in the end it is certaine the Lord will deliuer and draw vs out of them all if we be willing and readie to obey him Be it therefore that we are carefull in laboring seeking after such meanes as may serue Gods prouidence yet must we alwaies nourish this meditation in our brest to wit that we begin nothing till we be assured that the thing is well-pleasing Begin nothing till thou beest assured that thou takest in hand is pleasing to the Lord. and acceptable in his sight The Prophet we see then condemnes the boldnes of such who seeke to succour themselues by vnlawfull causes thinking that way to prosper best when they vse all meanes be it right or wrong euen as if they meant thereby to be their owne sauiours Now it is certaine that this proceeds from infidelitie and distrust because they thinke God to be insufficient to saue them vnlesse they yet runne to seeke help of strangers although it be flatlie forbidden them From thence comes those vnlawfull contracts and craftie conueyances by meanes whereof men thinke their affaires shall haue better successe then if they walked honestlie and vprightlie one with another Wee for our parts doe see infinite examples of this vnbeliefe in all the parts of mens liues for they thinke themselues as good as vndone Men for the most part thinke themselues vndone vnlesse they liue by vnlawfull meanes if they should make it their resolution to be content with the only blessing of Almightie God and to deale truly and iustly with men But let vs know that we are not only cast off and forsaken but cursed of God as soone as we bend our selues to seeke defence from vnlawful helps Let all our enterprises counsels and studies therefore begin at Gods reuealed will It is our dutie alwaies to waigh with our selues what he commands or forbids that so being whollie deuoted to his seruice and to the obedience of his Commandements we may suffer our selues to be guided by his Spirit which if we refuse to do then shall our presumption cost vs the setting on as they say He saith that they laid sinne vpon sinne because the Iewes did nothing else by their goodly preparations wherwith they thought to furnish themselues but dasht their foot against the same stone and of one euill made twaine which was too
he Psa 146.3 Cursed be he saith Ieremiah that trusts in man and makes flesh his arme Ier. 17.5 Yet we see that all none excepted determine and conclude of matters in themselues as if they were able to bring their designes to passe an hundred yeeres after which they haue plotted in their braine yea as if they could rule both heauen The pride of mans heart intollerable earth and seas and could gouerne all things euen as they listed Seeing there is such pride in all of vs let vs not maruell that the Prophet proclaimes that the Egyptians are not God but men For the Iewes attributed that vnto them which appertained vnto God What is that Euen the protection and safegard of the Church which he so reserues to himselfe that he will haue none to meddle with this office Isaiah doth therefore tauntingly taxe the Iewes in this place with the contempt of God and their false confidence wherewith they were puffed vp And thus we may see how great difference there is betweene God and men The great difference that is betweene God and men Men can doe nothing of themselues but so far forth as God shall giue them power Come we to speake of the nature and excellencie of man wee may well praise the great graces which he hath receiued of God but oppose him once against his Creator then must he be accounted lesse then nothing For is it possible to attribute any thing vnto man but wee shall thereby take so much honour from God This is the cause why wee can neuer consent vnto the Papists Why there can be no pacifications betweene the Papists and vs. when we come to dispute of the cause of our saluation of free will and of the dignitie of merits and workes for in as much as man and God are in these things opposed one against the other it must needs be that whatsoeuer is attributed to man is taken from God But they part stakes in such wise as they giue part to God and part to men we on the contrary affirme that the sole whole cause of our saluation ought to be attributed vnto God as also that it cannot bee giuen to anie other but we shall therein commit most abominable sacrilege In a word let vs know that in this opposition nothing can bee left to man which is worthy of any praise By the word flesh he means imbecillity and weaknesse for what is in flesh but onely corruption He speakes of horses but the same or the like weaknes agrees also to the EgyptiaÌ„s As if he should say They and all the forces they can make are not worth a rush For albet the Egyptians had a soule as well as a body yet because they were earthly creatures and dwelt in houses of clay they must downe As if hee should say I am sure you haue no spirituall nor celestiall power To which purpose the Prophet saith Psal 146.3 Trust not in Princes nor in any child of man for his breath departeth and then all his thoughts perish Now albeit this word flesh properly belongs to horses yet it is no maruell if men be sent to take a view of the rottennesse thereof there to learne their owne transitorinesse But from the threatning that is added to wit that this wickednesse shall not goe scot-free we may learne a generall doctrine For the Lord will not indure to haue that giuen to the creature which belongs to himselfe nor that any should repose that trust in men which ought to be reserued for him alone God threates both the succourers and the succoured He threatens then as well those which should giue their succour and should be the cause of this vaine confidence as those which should be succoured should stay the hope of their safetie thereupon If God caÌ„not indure we should leane vpon creatures for saluation in matters belonging to this life present much lesse can he indure vs so to doe in things appertaining to life eternall Now if the Lord cannot abide this peruerse trust as touching things belonging to our temporary saluation how insupportable are those thinke we who to obtaine eternall saluation forge diuers trusts according to their owne fantasie For in so doing they exalt the power of men to set it vp in the place of God Vers 4. For thus the Lord hath said vnto me As the lion and the lions whelpe roare after their pray against whom if a multitude of sheepheards lift vp their voice they will not bee moued nor will humble themselues at their cry so the Lord of hostes will come downe to fight for mount Zion and for the side of it THe Prophet adds this verse to shew that the Lord is not minded to leaue his nish the Iewes for their wickednesses and chieflie for their Idolatrie so God also promiseth that this enemie shall be cut off when they shall cease to sinne and to serue Idols Thus wee see that our obstinacie is the cause why the Lord addes plague vnto plague and doubles his blowes in pursuing vs more and more For we still giue him new occasions of enflaming his wrath against vs. Reforme thy euil maners and God wil redresse thy miseries If we desire that God should strike vs more softlie and that our enemies might at once be destroyed and neuer trouble vs more let vs studie by newnes of life to enter into his fauor againe for he will by and by lay downe his rods and take away the force and power of our enemies that they shall not hurt vs. When it is said that it shall not be by the sword of man the Prophet thereby meanes that the deliuerance of the Church is the peculiar worke of God The redemption of the Church a peculiar worke of God giuing the Iewes to vnderstand that albeit there appeered no help in earth yet Gods secret power should be sufficient to redeeme them Are our enemies confounded then is their force repressed Let vs know that this proceeds from the hand of God Indeed he repelleth the force and furie of the wicked diuers waies but it is his onely hand notwithstanding whereby the Church is saued Note For he so works by humane helps that yet he keepes his chosen after a wonderfull and extraordinarie maner as may be seene euen since the beginning of the world and it is no lesse easie to perceiue it now God vseth men as instruments in sauing hâ—s Church yet so that his owne power only shines in this work Chap. 37. 36. 37. if we were not hoodwinked And yet this lets not but the Lord may imploy some of his seruants in the deliuerance of his Church but so that still his owne hand especiallie shines in such a worke We know this prophesie of Isaiah was fulfilled when the host of the Assyrians was discomfited and when Sennacherib fled For men commonlie see not Gods hand therein but the Lord manifests his power to the end we might know that
seriouslie therein consider Gods iust reuenging hand Vers 16. Seeke in the booke of the Lord and reade none of these shall faile none shall want her make for his mouth hath commanded and his very spirit hath gathered them BY the booke of the Lord some vnderstand this prophecie as if he stirred them vp to reade it diligently and so it is as if he should say not one title of it shall faile when the time is expired as he addes by by after Others expound it more subtillie of Gods eternall decree thus Search whether he hath not so ordained it but this exposition is too farre fetched The word Law expounded I expound it of the law it selfe therefore which by way of excellencie is called the booke of the Lord because out of it the Prophets drew all their doctrine as we haue often told you heretofore That the noueltie of such a fact then should not make them reiect this prophecie Isaiah saith that they were aduertised of it long before and thus hee priuily taxeth their incredulitie for remaining so grosse conceited as to esteeme this thing altogether new and vnheard of Now he hath good reason to bring them to the law wherein God so often declares that he will haue care of his people and will punish the wicked sort Seeing Moses therefore spake of it so long agoe the Prophet saith that none ought to be so incredulous touching the truth of his prophecie seeing he telles them of no strange matters but onely confirmes that which Moses hath long since testified and taught This I take to be the natiue sense of our Prophet who by these words meant to fortifie the Iewes to the end they should wait with patience for the promise of the Lord as being assured that the euent would manifest the truth of those things which were alreadie foretold to fall vpon the Idumeans and other enemies of the Church Why so Because Moses had testified without cause of blame that God would alwaies protect and defend his people Againe it was needfull they should be aduertised hereof that when the Idumeans should be thus dealt withall indeed they might not thinke it fell out by chance but might acknowledge God the author of this iudgement For such is the peruersitie of mans nature that he beleeues not though he be forewarned till the very pinch and besides hee is giuen to attribute that vnto fortune which proceedes from the iust iudgement of God Isaiah therefore preuents these inconueniences in willing them to aske of Moses touching the truth hereof because hee was reuerenced of all in respect of his authoritie None of them to wit of the beasts for the Hebrewes vse these two wordes Isch and Ishah not only when they speake of men and women but also of males and females of all kinds For his mouth He confirmes that which he said before for albeit Gods works be manifest inough yet he makes vs comprehend them better by his mouth that is to say by his word that thereby wee may haue a clearer sight of them and this is the right viewing of the works of God to wit when with a quick eie we behold them in the cleere glasse of his word For we are too bold and presumptuous and giue our selues the raines too much vnlesse we be guided by this heauenlie doctrine as it were by torch-light The pride and ouerweening of men therefore is here to be repressed Men erre because they seaâ—ch not the Scriptures Mar. 12 who will call into question and censure the iudgements of God and all his workes without being ruled by his word for if they would seeke in his booke and aske at his mouth wee should see greater pietie and religion in them then there is Now the Prophet in speaking of the mouth of the Lord meant to confirme that which was said before touching this iudgement the reason is because nothing can faile of that which issues out of his sacred mouth Isaiah affirmes it to be a thing impossible then that that which is once decreed of God which he also hath coÌ„manded him to publish in his name should euer be called backe by any meanes And thus with this buckler hee repulseth all the difficulties which easilie ariseth as oft as the promises of God doe surmount our reach I grant he sometimes threatens with condition as he threatned Abimelec Gen. 12.17 and Pharaoh Gen. 20.3 and the Niniuites Ionah 1.2 whom afterwards hee pardoned because they repented but if he haue once determined to punish men indeed hee will shew by the effects that hee is both true of his word and able to performe it as well as hee is able to deliuer his in the time of neede This the Prophet expresseth againe when he maketh the mouth and spirit or breath to consent together for albeit the spirit of the mouth and the word doe often signifie one and the same thing and that the Hebrewes are wont to repeate one thing twice yet here he makes an elegant allusion vnto the breath from which the words proceed and of which they be formed as if he should say this prophecie shall not want his efficacie because God who by his voice hath commanded the brute heasts to possesse Idumea wil also draw them thither with his onely breath Now hee speakes of a secret inspiration What maruell is it then if all beasts assemble themselues together at Gods first becke as we see it came to passe in the deluge yea euen in the creation of the world when Moses testifies that at Gods commandement all beasts came by and by vnto man to subiect themselues vnder his gouernment Gen. 2.19 7.15 The bruit beasts would haue been subiect to man if man himselfe had been subiect to God And would they not thinke you haue been subiect and obedient to him still if he himselfe had not been depriued of this authoritie by his owne rebellion But being now reuolted from God the beasts forthwith began to band themselues against him and to offer violence vnto him Vers 16. And hee hath cast the lots for them and his hand hath diuided it vnto them by line they shall smite the eares in speaking and should not therewithall cause the same to sinke into our hearts all would be to no purpose In that he attributes this efficacie vnto the word then let vs also therein know that it is himselfe from whom that power proceeds that so it might not be spoken fruitleslie but might worke inwardlie vpon the conscience The Lord works not vpon all nor at all times inwardly vpon mens consciences not at all times nor vpon all but then when it pleaseth him thus to worke by the secret power of his holy spirit Hence we gather that by the same word we be brought into the right way of Gods seruice for without it we should remaine ignorant all our reason would faile and not only stagger but our infidelitie would make vs become whollie brutish It
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
holy in respect of the principall part of regeneration in them The elect are called Saints in regard the principall part is regenerated The expositors turne the end of the verse diuerslie where he saith he shall goe with them for some translate They shall walke that way and shall not erre after they haue been accustomed to walke in it no not they which knew it before others This way shall be for the children of Israell those which walke in it shall not erre though they be foolish But me thinks the pronowne demonstratiue he may better be referred vnto God As if the Prophet had said God shall goe before you to prepare the way and the scope of the text also requires it to be so vnderstood for it was not enough for them to haue an open way vnlesse God went first before to direct his chosen Our Prophet then magnifies this inestimable grace by bringing in the Lord walking with-his people for if he shew vs not the way we shall alwaies erre being of our selus whollie addicted to vanitie Nay though the way be plaine and be before our eies yet can not wee discerne it from that which is crooked and although we haue made some good entrance yet will our follie carrie vs hither and thither out of it by and by But our Prophet telles vs that we shall not neede to feare missing of the way when we follow God whilest he goes before vs seeing it pleaseth him to take this office vpon him It is very likely also that he alludes to the historie of the first deliuerance because God then led his people in the day vnder the cloude and in the night vnder a piller of fire Exod. 12.21 Therewithall he also shewes how needfull it is that God should gouerne vs he also taxeth vs all of follie be wee neuer so wise in our owne conceit when he addes that the fooles shall erre no more for God lets them wander by crooked paths which thinke themselues wise enough to be their owne guides if we therefore desire to keepe him in the way with vs let vs acknowledge that we stand in neede of his direction In the meane while he offers vs a good recompence when he promiseth that all such as forsaking their owne counsels shal be content to follow him shall not erre in any thing though they be none of the wisest And yet his meaning is not that the faithfull shall remaine fooles still after the Lord hath taken them by the hand but he shewes what they were before God vouchsafed to leade them the right way Vers 9. There shall be no lyon nor noysome beasts shall ascend by it neither shall they be found there that the redeemed may walke HE addes yet another fauour of God and that is that the people shall be deliuered frō all dangers though they walked through the deserts Before Chap. 30.6 among other curses of God he put this that wild beasts should meet the Iewes in all places which way soeuer they trauailed but now being receiued into fauor they should be assailed neither by lyons nor any other cruell beasts because God would chase them away that his redeemed might passe without hurt or danger For albeit they had libertie to returne yet they might well meete with many impediments in the way and therefore he saith The Lord shall remoue all anoyances that might any way stop their passage He that begins a good worke will accomplish it vnto the day of Christ Philip. 1.6 Hence we gather a very necessarie doctrine to wit that the Lord not only begins the worke of our saluation but cōtinues it vnto the very end lest otherwise his grace might be frutelesse and vaine in vs. First then he opens the way to giue vs entrance Secondly he makes it plaine and easie and takes away all impediments Thirdly he goes with and before vs in the way Lastly he so continues forth this grace in vs that at the last he brings vs vnto his perfection We ought to make vse of this doctrine for the whole course of our life We must make vse of these foure points euery day For albeit our hearts be set whilest we liue in this world to aspire to our inheritance which is in heauen yet Satan laies many stumbling blocks before vs and we are inuironed on euery side with infinit dangers but the Lord who hath set vs in this way and goes before vs leading vs by the hand will neuer leaue vs in the midway but wil fullie perfect that vnto the end which he hath begun in vs by his Spirit We may also obserue that the mouthes of rauening and wilde beasts are musled so by the grace of God they cannot hurt vs nor exercise their crueltie vpon vs according as it is said in Hose 2.18 I will make a couenant for you with the beasts of the field and with the birds of the aire Vers 10. Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Zion with praise and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flee away THe Prophet confirmes the former doctrine to wit that nothing shall hinder the Lord from working the full redemption of his people because he hath decreed it He calles them the redeemed of the Lord first that he might prouoke them to the consideration of his power secondly that they should not measure the promise of their returne by looking vnto humane helpes Moreouer hee shewes that they shall come to Zion Thereby giuing them assurance that God will not bring them out of Babylon to leaue them in the way Hence we learne that we cannot enter into Zion which is the Church vntill God haue redeemed vs We cannot enter into the Church till God haue redeemed vs. for in this example of the ancient people we haue a patterne set before vs in which wee may see that no man is deliuered from vnder the tyrannie of the diuell whose vassals we are all of vs by nature vntill God haue preuented vs by his grace For who is sufficient to be his owne redeemer Now because the worke of this redemption belongs in particular vnto the kingdom of Christ it thereupon followes that hee is onely the finisher of it as himselfe saith Iohn 8.36 Againe it is not enough to be once redeemed for marke what the end of it is here to wit that he might remaine in the Church of God and grow daily from faith to faith Hath Christ redeemed vs then let vs aime at this marke with all our might Obiect If any shall reply that we need not goe far to be receiued into the Church for wee are brought into it by Baptisme I answere the Prophet vnder this figure Ans speakes of the whole course of our life because the redeemed of the Lord are then said to bee truly come into Zion when hauing ended this their pilgrimage they enter into the possession of
the heauenly life We may therewithall also note that the more we profit in the grace of God and prosper in the Church the neerer we are vnto him By the words of ioy and gladnesse he meanes there shall be such felicitie vnder the Kingdome of Christ that we shal haue ample matter of reioicing But wherein doth true ioy and gladnesse consist And surely the true and onely way to obtaine gladnesse is to feele that God is reconciled vnto vs whose fauor alone is sufficient to yeeld vs perfect felicitie yea so far as to make vs reioyce in tribulation Rom. 5.1 2 3. Contrariwise what can comfort or glad vs if God bereaue vs of this reconciliation Hence wee gather a sure doctrine to wit the faithfull cannot be said to reioice as they ought vnlesse they ioine praises vnto God therewith this spirituall ioy therefore must be distinguished from carnall and prophane ioy and delights into which the wicked plunge themselues for they reioice indeed but the issue shewes how dangerous this lasciuiousnesse of the flesh is when wee flatter our selues in the contempt of God It is not without good cause therefore that S. Paul calles this ioy spirituall for it consists not in the inioying of earthly things as in riches honours treasures which perish and come to nothing in a moment but this ioy is secret it hath his seat in the heart and out of it can it not be remoued nor taken away by any meanes whatsoeuer though Satan indeuors with might and maine vpon all occasions to disturbe and afflict vs. And therefore our Prophet addes verie well that it is euerlasting and driues away all sorrow for albeit the children of God do euery day vndergoe many anguishes yet so great is the power of their consolation which they haue by the Spirit that in the end it swallowes vp all sorrow and mourning We glorie saith Paul Rom. 5.3 euen in our tribulations now this glorying or boasting cannot be without ioy The Apostles went away reioicing from before the Councell that God vouchsafed them the honour to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus Act. 5.41 I grant the faithfull are not exempt vtterly from sorrow nay they are oftentimes plunged in great distresses it is most true but they are not ouercome of them because by faith they looke directly vnto this redeemer by whose power they are more then conquerors For they may bee compared to one that being gotten vp to the top of some high mountaine Simile beholds the Sunne and is gladded with the brightnesse of it and in the meane while should see others vnderneath him below in the vallies so choked and stifled with fogges and mists that they could not behold this light The historie contained in the next Chapter and that which followes is as it were a seale set vnto the former prophecies THE XXXVI CHAPTER Vers 1. Now in the fourteenth yeere of King Hezekias Sennacherib King of Ashur came vp against all the strong Cities of Iudah and tooke them IN this Chapter and in that which followes the Prophet recites an excellent historie which is set as a seale vnto the doctrine of the prophesies before going touching the afflictions of his people in which also God promised to shew them mercy by repulsing the Assyrians that so hee might deliuer Ierusalem and the holy land out of their hands By this so manifest an effect then the people perceiued that the Prophet had not foretold these things in vaine Furthermore God had also a purpose to informe the posteritie to come albeit those which then liued had no lesse need of such a spectacle then their predecessors Our Prophet hath often threatned that Gods vengeance was at hand that the Assyrians taried but till God gaue them a signe to imploy themselues as his scourges in his seruice on the other side he published promises of consolation touching the Iewes to wit that God would succor them when all things should be brought to an after deale And these things were all fulfilled but the greatest part of the people closed their eies when they should haue beheld these famous iudgements of God nay which was worse they shamefully despised the succour which God offered them By all which circumstances their sottishnesse was altogether inexcusable The ends and vses of this history But this serued no doubt for the comfort of the little flocke who would not by their infidelitie cast disgrace vpon so excellent warnings but rather by beleeuing indeuoured to purchase credit vnto them for their sakes that should succeede And the Prophet for his part was hereby incouraged to hold on his course with the greater affection and with the more inuincible constancie when he saw before his eies that God did as it were from heauen so gloriously confirme the doctrine which he had preached And because the truth of God is neuer honoured according as it deserueth if it bee not furnished with infallible testimonies of his mightie power he being willing to relieue our infirmitie makes vs here behold as in a glasse his workes and word ioined together so that looke what the Prophet taught vpon earth God confirmed from heauen But his calling was then manifestly confirmed indeed when the Lord deliuered Ierusalem from the siege of Sennacherib all things being then in such a desperate case that the faithfull could not but confesse that they were rid out of death by his onely power Now yee see the reason why I haue said that this historie is as an authentique seale set to the former doctrines the which if it had been wanting would not haue bin beleeued In the fourteenth yeere It is not without cause that he notes this circumstance of time in which these things were done For Ezechiah had then established the worshippe of God in his Country and not content therewith he had also summoned the Israelites by posts and messengers sent from all parts with commandement that they should come to Ierusalem to offer sacrifices to forsake that their long reuolt that with one consent they might be reunited againe into their most holy faith serue God according to his word Read 2. Chro. 30 31.32 Chapters Euen when the Kingdome was brought into this good order to wit 2. King 18.4 when superstitions were abolished the Temple purged and Gods true worship erected and set vp Note then came the Assyrians to assaile Iudea who wasted the Country tooke the Cities and subdued the land vnder his command Ierusalem onely remained within which Hezechiah was mued vp as in a prison Let vs consider a little now in what dumps this good King and his subiects were cast for if we iudge of this calamity according to reason vnreformed a man would thinke that God did vniustly suffer his seruant to bee brought into such extremities because it seemed in some sort that his godlinesse nâ—ght deserue protection at Gods hands and that hee should haue exempted him from all incumbrances because his whole desire
teacheth vs to mount by little and little vnto heauen by the light of the promises which doe shine clearely before vs yet so that in seeking succour we imagin not that God should be absent from vs seeing he hath chosen his dwelling place in the mids of vs. For in regard that his Maiestie much surmounts heauen and earth it is not lawfull for vs to bound him within the narrow scantling of our vnderstanding yet we may comprehend him according to the small measure thereof because he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs by his word not that we must needs pull him downe from his heauenlie throne therefore but that our minds which are of themselues weake and dull might by degrees approach neerer and neerer vnto him for we haue good reason to presse with boldnes towards his highnes in regard he calles vs vnto him by his word and Sacraments And if we conceiue of these things aright the spirituall knowledge of God shall alwaies beare sway amongst vs so as wee shall not need to tye the Lord any more to stones nor stocks If the spirituall knowledge of God beares sway in our hearts we shall not need to tye his presence to stocks or stones No we shall imagin nothing of him that is earthlie or carnall for the neerer we shall draw towards him the more will we endeuour our selues to vse all lawfull meanes which he sets before vs that our spirits may not rest vpon earthlie things for he applies himselfe to our shallownes only to the end that his Sacraments might serue vs as ladders to climb vp vnto him by but this superstition hath peruerted and turned it to a cleane contrarie vse Vers 17. Incline thine eare O Lord and heare open thine eyes O Lord and see heare all the words of Sennacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God HEnce we gather in how great perplexitie Hezekias was for the vehemencie of his prayer discouers vnto vs a wonderfull measure of griefe so as a man may see that he indured great combates which he ouercame not without much adoe For albeit the affection and zeale of his prayer shewes the strength and power of his faith yet he therein represents vnto vs as in a glasse his passions that boiled within him As soone then as we are to indure any such assaults let vs learne from the example of this good King to oppose against the passions wherewith we are tossed that which may best serue for the confirming of our faith that by the tempest it selfe we may be brought to a safe and quiet hauen Let not the sense of our weakenes any whit astonish vs then no not when feare and dread shall presse vs aboue measure as it were For the Lord will haue vs wrestle valiantlie euen till we sweate and tremble God will haue vs wrestle till we tremble and sweate because we must not thinke to goe to heauen in a fetherbed or at ease as we vse to speake but after many combates God hath promised an happie issue to them that fight as they ought to doe which in the end he will vndoubtedlie bestow vpon vs. But why doth Hezekiah desire God to heare Thinks he that he sleepes or vnderstands not No such matter But wee are wont to speake thus in some desperat cases either when wee thinke God absent or when hee seemes to make light account of our afflictions Wee see he was so perplexed then that God as he thought had forgotten him that is to say according to the sense of the flesh for had he not beheld him present by the eies of faith he had vtterlie quailed It is as much then as if Hezekias had desired the Lord euen effectuallie and openlie to shew some worke for his saluation which he had long hoped for before in the secret of his heart But why doth he pray that God would open his eies and see It is as much as if he had said Lord let it appeare that thou hast care of these matters Now he sufficientlie shewes where his paine held him most namely he longed to see some vengeance shewed vpon these blasphemers which offred such outrage against Gods Maiestie for albeit this good King tooke great thought for the preseruation of his kingdome and people yet had he respect vnto Gods glorie aboue all other commodities whatsoeuer Hezekias respected Gods glorie aboue all things whatsoeuer And truly the aduancement thereof should touch vs neerer and moue vs more then any thing else especiallie when we know that his glorie and our saluation are things that can not be separated Thus Hezekias hauing brought forth this Tyrant vpon the stage as a blasphemous and hatefull enemie of God because Ierusalem gloried in this title The God of Iacob and in his protection he thereupon concludes that God can by no meanes cast off the Citie which he hath taken into his owne custodie vnlesse therewithall he should renounce his owne name also Seeing the Lord then of his infinit bountie is pleased to ioine his glorie with our saluation let vs hold fast these promises and let vs fortifie our selues with them namely that although the wicked goe on in a vaine hope thinking to scape scotfree whilest they blaspheme God and cast vp that poison out of their hearts which lurked before in them yet there is not a sillable thereof which he vnderstands not and he will in his due time bring them to an account for the same Vers 18. Truth it is O Lord that the Kings of Asshur haue destroyed all lands and their countrie 19. And haue cast their gods in the fire for they were no Gods but the worke of mans hands euen wood or stone therefore they destroyed them HEzekias begins here to put a difference betweene the true God and the false which we also had need diligentlie to do for the wicked that are not enlightened haue many confused thoughts of some diuinitie which by and by vanisheth away so as either they thinke there is no God at all or if there be yet they regard him not But God would not haue vs lightlie touched with some idle or vading conceit of him What knowledge of God is required to be in Christians but that we should acknowledge him to be the true God who by the brightnes of his power scatters abroad all the darknes of ignorāce It is not enough then you see to acknowledge a diuinitie of I can not tell what as prophane ones do but God ought to be so knowne and receiued that he be discerned from all Idols and the truth separated from lyes And questionlesse when he hath once cleared our iudgements all opinion of false religions which possessed our minds before will immediatlie fall to the ground And so much the rather are we to hold fast this doctrine by how much the more many please themselues in fond speculations thinking it sufficient for them if they acknowledge a God at randon Whether they ought to worship the god
Cedars thereof the firre trees therof and I will goe vp to the heights of his toppe and to the forrest of his fruitfull places SEe how the indignitie and spightfulnesse of this outrage is further amplified for the iniurie that is offered by a seruant is not so easilie put vp as when it is done by the master because the basenesse of the person makes the wrong euermore intollerable And therefore the proud ones of the world when they will threaten in the most despightfull sort they will brag that their wils shall be executed by their seruants and horsekeepers that they may make it knowne how basely they esteeme of those whom they purpose to mischiefe By this circumstance then the Prophet meant to shew how execrable this blasphemie was when Sennacherib was not content to vomit it out of his owne mouth but had set on his seruant Rabshekeh to make him rent the sacred name of God in peeces As touching that which is recited afterward in the person of Sennacherib some take it generally for the former victories which hee had wonne and by this meanes had subdued many nations as we haue said before but I had rather take it more particularly in referring it to this last siege For when he saw the whole land in a maner vnder his obeisance and the mountaines which inuironed all the Coūtry possessed by his souldiers he brags as if he had gotten all and threatens that hee will inioy the castels mount Libanon with his Cedars fir-trees and other commodities as if he should say Nothing shall let me to be master of all the forts of Iudah and to deale with the Country as I thinke good See how Tyrants glory that the good successes of their warres are in their owne hands although often constreined to acknowledge the fight to be dangerous Vers 25. I haue digged and drunke the waters and with the plant of my feete haue I dried all the riuers * Or of the siege closed in THis Tyrant proceeds here glorying still in his forces and threatens to bring so mightie an armie that the multitudes of his souldiers shall be able to drinke the fountaines and riuers of Iewrie drie By the riuers of the siege some vnderstand the riuer Shilo and the Cisterns which the besieged Iewes could not lose but they must forthwith perish for thirst Yet in the first member he seemes to affirme that he feares no want of water though the whole countrie were destitute of it because he hath men enow to digge pits In the second place he saith he is furnished with meanes sufficient to drie vp all the waters of the Citie thinking thus to terrifie the Iewes His meaning in a word is that Ierusalem will not be able to indure the siege nor be able to stand out long against him but must forthwith be constreined to yeeld Now when the wicked make their vants on this maner God sits in heauen whence at the last he will denounce his iust sentence against them The prophets drift in this narration For the Prophets discourse tends to informe vs of Gods iust and wonderfull iudgement against this Tyrant Vers 26. Hast thou not heard how I haue of old time made it and haue formed it long agoe And should I now bring it that it should be destroyed and laid on ruinous heapes as Cities defenced THe expositors for the most part expound this verse as if the Lord should say That this Tyrant neither hath done nor shall doe any thing but that he hath foretold by the mouth of his Prophet and thus affirmes that himselfe is the author of these things But I expound it otherwise to wit that Ierusalem shall be deliuered by Gods assistance because he is the protector of it and that his speech might haue the more weight he names not the Citie but vseth the pronoun demonstrait as if all other Cities were nothing in Gods account in comparison of this Others referre these words I haue made it to the deliuerance which depended vpon the secret counsell of God but whosoeuer shall diligentlie weigh the scope of the Prophets words will confesse that it is here spoken of Ierusalem God complained as we haue seene that he was so despightfullie blasphemed and yet in reciting the words of Senacherib he only mentioned Libanon and the quarters adioining now to shew that vnder the name of Libanus warre was proclaimed against himselfe he affirmes as in many other places that Ierusalem was founded with his hand and built at his command whence it followes that Senacherib could not ouerthrow it vnlesse he first plucked God downe from his throne This doctrine is often met withall in the Scriptures and wonderfull comfort is conteined in it vpon which the faithfull may at all times boldlie leane in all their trials and afflictions be they neuer so hard and difficult to be borne to wit that they shall euer be preserued vnder Gods protection because he hath elected them Gods argument in this place For thus stands the argument I haue made and formed the Church the saluation of it shall stand for euer Phil. 1.6 because I will not leaue the worke that I haue begun vnfinished but will bring it vnto perfection In a word the Lord testifies that he will goe on with his worke and will preserue it because it concernes his owne honor and our saluation Moreouer he is called the former of his Church in another sense then that in which he is said to be the Creator of heauen and earth for we are his peculiar workmanship saith S. Paul being reformed by his Spirit Ephes 1.10 of which point we haue spoken heretofore in other places This worke therefore of all others is the most excellent yea aboue the creation of the whole world Be it farre from any man therefore to affirme that he was incorporated into the Church by his owne power or industrie for it is not without cause that we are called his workemanship Ephe. 2.10 But it may be demanded why the Lord saith he formed Ierusalem long agoe Quest for there were many Cities more ancient then it I answere Ans that this ought not to be referred to the outward forme or building but to the eternall decree of God according to which he had chosen this Citie for his dwelling place For albeit it was then only said when the Arke was made This is my rest here will I dwell Psal 132.14 And by Moses I will come vnto thee into the place wherein I shall put the remembrance of my name and I will blesse thee Exod. 20.24 yet had God long before ordeined it For we were chosen before the foundations of the world were laid as S. Paul teacheth Ephes 1.4 And S. Iames saith That we were begotten by the word of truth that we might be the first fruites of his creatures Iam. 1.18 He will then conserue vs aboue all his creatures and will neuer suffer vs to perish Now as Christ is
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
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
neerer Iohn Baptist spake with more efficacie for he pointed out Christ with his finger Iohn 1.29 But because the besotted Iewes were nothing touched for the most part with the true feeling of their scattering therefore Iohn the Baptist sought out a solitarie and desart place that by the beholding of him he might awaken the drouziest of them to the hope of the promised deliuerance Iohn 1.21 In that he said he was no Prophet it was in regard of the end of his calling and of the summe of his doctrine for he was not sent to exercise any particular function for any set time but to prepare mens hearts to receiue his Lord and Master He also referres that properlie to all men which is said here touching the remouing of the impediments out of the way namely because the peruersitie of our nature the ouerthwart turnings of our vnderstandings and the rebellion of our hearts doe shut out the Lords passage and causeth vs that we can not so denie our selues as to yeeld him the obedience which we owe him Vers 4. Euery valley shall be exalted and euery mountaine and hill shal be made low and the crooked shall be streight and the rough places plaine HE both confirmes and expounds the former sentence The former sentence confirmed and expounded for he shewes that the Lord will suffer no impediment stand in his way to hinder him from redeeming and restoring of his Church wheÌ„ it seemes good vnto him These words may well be translated in the imperatiue so as the Lord should make the whole verse a charge giuen to the Prophets to prepare and make plaine the way but the difference is not very materiall let it suffice vs to haue his meaning which is that Gods hand shall preuailâ— though many difficulties and loâ—◠〈◊〉 come in the way to hinder this deliuerance Thus we may see that many hindrances present themselues as often as God once begins to worke for the saluation and succour of the afflicted God no sooner begins to worke for the saluation of the afflicted but many impediments comes in the way wherein notwithstanding his glorie shines so much the more neither is it any way hurtfull for vs. For his admirable power is manifested before our eies seeing all the forces enterprises and imaginatione of mans braine can neuer so hinder but that his decree must of necessitie come to passe for he will bring his seruants as easily ouer mountaines and through rough waies as if they passed through euen and smooth waies It is certaine that by mountaines and hils the Prophet vnder a figure meanes all sorts of obstacles for Satan neuer ceaseth plotting how to hinder our saluatioÌ„ For wheÌ„ the matter coÌ„cerne our spiritual deliuerance no doubt but these words comprehend in them all inward and outward impediments ImpedimeÌ„ts hindring vs in our spirituall course as carnall lusts and crooked affections ambition vaine confidence impatiencie c. all which do wonderfullie withstand our passage A singuler consolation but the Lord wil remoue them all for wheÌ„ he stretcheth forth his hand nothing shall be able to turne or hold vs back Vers 5. And the glorie of the Lord shall be reuealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it HIs meaning is that this worke of redemption shall be so glorious that the Lord will make it knowne to all that himselfe is the author of it and will cause his power and maiestie to shine therein It is true that they may bee perceiued in all places and in all things but he promiseth especially to reueale his glory in the protection and deliuerance of his Church and not without cause for the redemption thereof euen from the beginning vntil Christs coÌ„ming was as an incredible renuing or second creation of the world This promise therefore came in due season when Gods power which he was wont to manifest was now almost so extinct that there scarsly shined any sparkles thereof as it is said Psal 74. We see not our signes c. I say it was to good purpose that the Prophet promised theÌ„ a signe so vnwonted and memorable by which they might euidently perceiue that God had infinite meanes in his hands to helpe his Church although hee seemed to defer it for a time Hee amplifies this miracle afterwards by another circumstance that is it shall not onelie be glorious among the Iewes but also in strange Countries far remote from them for by these words all flesh shall see hee meanes that all nations vnder the Sun should know that the returne of the Iewes out of captiuitie was a worke wrought from heauen and that God spake not to them by his Prophet in vaine Wherein hee taxeth the incredulitie of men who rest not vpon Gods promises but hold all that the Prophets speake in his name for fables till they see the performance thereof with their eies By this place we are also taught what is the true means to correct our vnbeleefe The right way to correct our vnbeleefe euen to exercise our selues daily in the meditation of Gods promises that so our faith may be confirmed by all the testimonies of his loue which hee sets before vs. For thus we must ioine practise to the proâ—ises The bare view of Gods works doe proâ—â—â—â— little and therefore he sends his word to open our vnderstandings and in the second place he seales vp the truth thereof by the effect it selfe Vers 6. A voice said Crie And he said What shall I crie All flesh is grasse and all the grace thereof is as the flower of the field HE speakes heere of another voice then that which he mentioned vers 3. For hitherunto he hath spoken of the voice of the Prophets now comes in the voice of God The voice of the Prophets the voice of God yet it is necessarie to distinguish them who commands the Prophet to cry I denie not but the voice of the Prophets is also the voice of God whose instruments they are for they speake not of themselues yet this distinction is necessarie to the end wee may know when the Lord commands and when it is that the Prophets and Ministers doe execute his commandements There is a fit comparison betweene the two voices then that we might learne to receiue the message which the Prophets bring in the name of the Lord with as much reuerence as if himselfe spake vnto vs from heauen for they speake as from his mouth and as his Ambassadors vtter nothing but that which his Spirit suggests vnto them Moreouer by this preface Why the Prophet vseth this preface we are admonished that the Prophet meanes to speake of some great matter for howsoeuer he alwaies protests faithfully to deliuer that to others which himselfe receiued from the Lord yet here to stir vp the more attention hee telles vs that the words which hee pronounceth were put into his mouth by the
meaning is that this Citie was no way more excellent then the rest but in regard that God had chosen it aboue the rest to be the seate of his Sanctuarie In the next place he saith that they publish good tidings because the Priests and Leuites were there ordeined and instructed according to the rules conteined in the Law that they might be fitted to be leaders of the people and to publish the doctrine of saluation In the meane while this title wherwith God adornes his Church is well to be obserued to the end she may be knowne by some sure and infallible marke That assemblie is not to be reputed the Church where the doctrine of saluation sounds For that assemblie is not to be held for the Church where the heauenlie doctrine of glad tidings is not sounded forth and preached and in this sense the Apostle saith that she is the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3.15 For albeit God might gouerne vs well enough without the ministrie of man yet he hath imposed this charge vpon his Church into whose hands he hath committed the inestimable treasure of his word for this cause she is called hereafter The mother of all the faithfull Chap. 66.10.11.12 Hence it followes that nothing is more absurd and vniust then to see dumb Idols to boast of the name of the Church The true Church the mother of the faithfull Dumbe idols in the papacie boast in vaine of the title of the Church as they doe in the Papacie We are also aduertised that the Church is not taught of God that she should keepe her knowledge to her selfe but that she should proclaime that to others which she hath learned Moreouer she is inioined to publish this grace freely without any feare that the Prophets might know they were not to speake timerouslie as of a thing doubtfull but as those that were well assured of that truth which they set forth being fullie perswaded that God which was the author of it could not lie but his will was that the witnesses of his grace should come out of Zion to replenish the whole land of Iudeah with gladnes When he addes Behold your God In this sentence he comprehends the summe of our happines which consists in enioying the only presence of our God which brings with it the fulnes of all good things but if we be depriued of it no greater miserie can befall vs. For if we be estranged from God all things must of necessitie turne to our ruine though wee should inioy all the pleasures in the world From this circumstance it is also to be noted that nothing is more contrarie vnto faith then to tie the doctrine which the Prophets publish to the sight of our eies for themselues must needes haue been mute if they had not lifted their mindes farre aboue the world neither durst they otherwise haue bin so bold and constant to draw on others with them to hope for better things in the midst of despaire Surely when the wicked haue their swindge and that iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand when the poore Church trembles and seemes of all other the most miserable then is the time to lift vp our heads When it is the fittest time to proclaime comfort to the Church and so much the more to fasten our eies vpon the promises and to preach and publish his comfortable presence to such as will behold it by faith Vers 10. Behold the Lord God will come with power and his arme shall rule for him behold his reward is with him and his worke is before him HEe inricheth this short and latter sentence with many words because it needed some exposition and he vseth the word behold againe for the greater certentie that hee might so much the more incourage the faithfull He shewes more fully then of how great vse the presence of God is vnto vs and first he saith he vvill come vvith power which shall not be idle but such as we shall feele to be effectuall Some translate the word Lo Of himselfe which also word for word may bee turned He is mightie or reigning of himselfe Now his meaning is that God is strong enough and needes no man to helpe him The same is repeated vnder the words reward and vvorke for it is vsuall among the Hebrewes to repeate one and the same thing two waies By reward we must not vnderstand a recompence due by merit but the righteousnesse of God by which he protests he will recompence those which call vpon him in truth and with vpright hearts for those that are but meanely read in the Prophets language know that the word Secar imports so much The summe is that God will not come to make shewes onely but will manifest his power and make vs to feele it indeed And thus it would not bee amisse if the word Effect were put in stead of vvork Many expound this more wittily and descant like children vpon vvorke and reward as if vvorke were the merit to which reward must bee giuen but the Prophet had no such meaning In both words he repeates the same thing as I haue said and sets forth the fruit of the Lords comming which the faithfull shall receiue to their exceeding benefit Vers 11. Hee shall feede his flocke like a Shepheard hee shall gather the lambs with his arme and carrie them in his bosome and shall guide them with young BY this verse he shewes what this vvorke of the Lord is for in as much as he workes diuersly and infinite waies the hearer might haue doubted with himselfe what God meant to doe And thus the generall doctrine could not of it selfe haue been sufficient to haue raised vp their hope Now howsoeuer hee stands not to reckon vp all the parts of Gods office yet in these few words he signifies that his determination was to vphold and keepe his Church And therefore he compares him to a shepheard by which word hee sets forth Gods infinite loue towards vs in that hee vouchsafeth to stoope so low as to bee our shepheard Gods loue in this verse Gods power in vers 10. to be ioined together The Prophet hath in other places yea and in the former verse also armed him with a terrible and inuincible power for the defence of his Church which he will also repeat againe afterwards but here he attributes to him a more gracious title to the end the faithful might sweetly repose themselues vnder his protection Moreouer although by the word flocke he meanes the elect people whom he had taken into his custodie we are notwithstanding admonished that hee will be no shepheard but to such as with the modestie and weakenesse of sheepe and lambs are content to follow him The condition of a flocke therefore must bee considered for he will not feede wild beasts God will be no sheepheard to wolues but to such as shew the tractable and meeke nature of lambs but lambs Let vs thererefore cast off all
stubbornnesse and let vs suffer our selues to bee meekened if wee meane to be gathered into this sold whereof God promiseth to bee the shepheard He vvill beare them These words expresse the singular goodnesse of God who ouer and besides the vehement loue which he beares to his flocke hath respect to the vveake and feeble sheepe for then he shewes the care he hath in dealing gently with them his humanitie in approching neere vnto them and his patience in bearing them in his armes Wherein we see he omits no office that appertaines to a good sheepheard whose dutie is to haue his eie vpon all his sheepe that he may gouerne them according to their condition and to comfort them but especiallie those that are sick and infirme The summe is That God will be gentle louing milde mercifull in gouerning his seruants so as he will not require more of the weake then they are able to beare Vers 12. Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted the heauen with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in a weight and the hils in a ballance Hauing set forth Gods fatherly loue towards his little flock now he sets forth his power the second time HAuing finished his speech touching the fatherlie care that God hath for the defence of his people now he comes to set forth his power and magnifies it as farre forth as possiblie he can which yet shal moue vs very little vnlesse we looke narrowlie into the Prophets meaning An ignorant person at the first blush would say that the Prophet hath heaped vp a many of broken sentences without grace or arte but if we haue regard to his scope and end by an elegant speech he adornes the power of God seasonably because his power is the true and best stay for our faith to leane vpon Gods power the true stay and prop of our faith that thereby we may be assured he will performe his promise It is not for nought the Apostle saith that Abraham doubted not knowing that he which had promised vvas also able to do it Rom. 4.20 And in the same sense he saith 2. Tim. 1.12 I know whom I haue belieued God is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him To this belongs the saying of Christ My father which gaue them me is greater then all Ioh. 10.19 Seeing then that we haue continuallie to wrestle against distrust and that Satan is readie to circumuent vs by many fetches wee must attribute to the power of God the praise that it deserueth to the end his promises may be receiued of vs with that assurance which is requisit Now because the restauration of the people was a thing incredible to flesh and blood it was needfull that the minds of the faithfull should be raised vp farre aboue the world lest they should tie the grace of God to humane helps Wee see the Prophet not only teacheth that God is the Creator of heauen and earth The Prophet playes not the orator only in setting forth Gods power but applies it to the present occasion but whatsoeuer he recites touching his infinite power it is applied to the matter in hand which we also are to doe at this day When any aduersitie presseth vs our saluation seemes to be hidden Gods power is ouershadowed as if a cloude were come betweene vs and it we stand amazed euen as if we were vtterlie reiected and contemned of the Lord. Let vs not thinke then that this description is some light matter for if the perswasion of Gods power were well setled in our hearts The firme perswasion of Gods power well setled in our hearts would keepe vs frō being shakē of any temptation we should neuer be so tossed vp and downe neither should any calamitie be able to trouble vs. Abraham rested vpon this power as we haue said that he might with assurance imbrace that which otherwise was incredible and therefore S. Paul affirmes that he hoped aboue hope being resolued that God vvas able to performe that which he had spoken so as he neither staggered neither was he weake in the faith Rom. 4.18.19 This teacheth vs to lift vp our eies aboue the hils Psal 221.1 and that wee iudge not of things according to the outward appearance We must not iudge of things according to outward appearances but that we may indeed assure our selues that that which God hath said shall surely come to passe because he hath all things in his owne power All of vs are to rest in this but as I told you the Iewes had exceeding neede to be fullie resolued of it for they were oppressed vnder very mightie tyrants all passages were shut vp against them all hope of libertie was taken from them in a word they saw themselues euery way compassed about as in a great and hidious wildernes This consolation therefore had bin set before them in vaine if by the Prophets admonition their minds had not bin raised vp to heauen that so they might whollie rest their hearts vpon the absolute power of God without looking to inferior things When he speakes of measures which men vse in small things it is to applie himselfe to our weaknes God is faine to lisp as it were vnto vs otherwise we were not able to comprehend his incomprehensible greatnes for the Lord lisps with vs thus ordinarily taking similitudes from things vsuall amongst vs when he is to speake of his owne Maiestie that so those of shallow and feeble capacities might the better comprehend his greatnes and excellencie Wee are therefore to reiect all carnall imaginations of God because his greatnes surpasseth all creatures for the heauen the earth the sea and all that in them is with their vnmeasurablenes are yet all of them nothing in comparison of him Vers 13. Who hath instructed the Spirit of the Lord or was his Counsellor or taught him 14. Of whome tooke he counsell and who instructed him and taught him in the way of iudgement or taught him knowledge and shewed vnto him the way of vnderstanding THe Prophet now descends to speake that of Gods wisedome The Prophet hauing described Gods power and goodnes now he mentions his wisdome which in the former verses he taught concerning his power and goodnes This golden chaine is to be noted for as carnall reason doth peruerslie restraine the power of God to outward helps so doth it without reason subiect the incomprehensible counsell of God to humane imaginations and thus many things will present themselues to hinder the course of Gods works till he himselfe be exalted farre aboue all creatures If our reason may be iudge then there will be no end of doubtings Where reason is Iudge there will be no end of doubtings For as oft as it conceiues not how the Lord works this or that wee will call into question the truth of his promises because whatsoeuer surmounts our reason
benefits which we are to expect flow vnto vs only from his free grace And thus the Lord hath so adorned the Gospel and the Ministers with this authoritie How God is said to pardon by the Ministers that he reserues it notwithstanding intirely in his own absolute power Vers 26. Put me in remembrance let vs be iudged together count that thou mayst be iustified BEcause it is an hard matter to correct mens pride Mans pride not easily subdued the Lord goes on still with this argument and insists the longer vpon it that he might the better bring the Iewes to humilitie as also that he might cause them to renounce the confidence of their works He giues them libertie freely to say and alledge vvhat they can in their owne behalfe God giues vs leaue to make our defences if we thinke his accusatiōs ouerstrict to make their partie good against him vnlesse if vpon better aduice they should rather thinke it best for them to lay their hand vpon their mouth By way of yeelding so much vnto them therefore he bids them put him in minde Ironi◠a figure in speaking when one meanes contrarie to the signification of his words to mock him whom he reasoneth withall If thou hast any thing to alledge for thy selfe saith he I pray thee remember me of it Speake thou in thy turne and I will giue thee audience And by this maner of speech he gaules men more to the quick then if he should haue spoken to them in plaine termes For thus he shewes that they are more then senselesse if they dare attribute any thing vnto themselues Why so Because if libertie were giuen them to tell their faire tale they would be conuinced of their vanitie and emptines without being able to say ought for themselues That thou mayst be iustified That is to say that thou maiest get the day and goe away conqueror I therefore giue thee free leaue to say what thou canst Now this is spoken after such a kind of taunting and deriding maner Ironia as did more cut their combs thē if the Lord should haue stood to haue iudged thē in his own person according to his absolute authoritie In the meane while we must not forget the Prophets drift who was constrained to plucke this maske of merit from the Iewes that in all humilitie and meeknes they might receiue the grace of God The Prophets drift Vers 27. Thy first father hath sinned and thy teachers haue trangressed against me The Prophets argument according to some interpreters THe expositors for the most part vnderstand this place of the first Father Adam Adam others rather refer it to Abraham As if the Prophet should say You haue not onely sinned but your father Abraham Abraham also notwithstanding all the holinesse wherewith he was indued By teachers they vnderstand Moses Moses and Aron Aron which sinned albeit they were adorned with singular graces And if the case stood so with your father and teachers how much more are you sinners who are their inferiours An argument from the greater to the lesse And thus according to their sense it should bee an argument taken from the greater to the lesse But I vnderstand it otherwise for vnder this word father he comprehends not onely one or two of their predecessors but many and that by a change of the number A thing vsuall among the Hebrewes And this manner of reprehension is often found both in the Prophets as also in the booke of Psalmes for they knowing themselues to be the holy nation they swelled in pride against the Lord as if this honour had been due vnto them either in regard of the excellencie or merits of their fathers and thus the right of inheritance made them swell The Prophets therefore were carefull from time to time to discouer the iniquities of their fathers for which cause Saint Stephen Stephen who succeeded them is bold to pronounce that they had alwaies resisted the holy Ghost Acts 7.51 As if he should say You haue not begun this day to be thus wicked your fathers were as bad long agoe A Prouerbe Of an euill Crowe there is issued forth a naughtie egge But you saith our Prophet are growne vvorse then your fathers and far surpasse the wickednesse of your predecessors so as if the Lord had onely respected you as you are in your selues hee might iustly haue consumed you long since In the next place he addes their teachers to shew that the fault rested not onely in the people for euen those which ought to haue been their guides and leaders to wit the Priests and Prophets were first in the transgression and plunged them into error which followed them And thus to bee short hee shewes that there was no estate nor condition free from vices nor corruptions As if the Lord should haue said Let them goe now and brag of their merits let them alleadge any way but the least shew of reason why I should be bound to succour them and they shall find there is nothing but my free mercy If any shall obiect Obiect that it is iniustice to reproch the children vvith the offences of their forefathers because it is written The soule that sinneth shall die and The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of his father Ezech. 18.20 Ans God punisheth the children of wicked parents because they walke in their steps The answer is easie for the Lord punisheth the sinnes of the fathers vpon their children which succeeded them and yet they are not punished for the faults of another seeing themselues stand guiltie of the same crimes And when it so falles out that the Lord smites the whole body of a people hee couples the fathers vvith the children that he may wrap them all in the same condemnation Vers 28. Therefore I haue prophaned the rulers of the Sanctuarie and haue made Iaakob a curse and Israel a reproch THe letter Vau must bee resolued into a coniunction of concluding This verse containes the cause of the Iewes ruin and the verb To pollute should bee translated in the future tence though it may also bee les◠in the preterperfect Yet I had rather turne it shall pollute and to apply it to the time of the captiuitie in regard he speakes properly to those which should liue in Babylon If any had rather extend it to the diuers calamities wherewith the Lord afflicted his people and so ioine it to the captiuitie of Babylon it will not be greatly amisse And it may be the sense will runne better if we should say that hee speakes here of those things which often fell out before to the end he might warne them for the time to come not to stand too much vpon their pantables lest with shame and great dishonour they againe receiued the iust reward of their ingratitude He sets forth the cause of their ruine then in regard that both fathers and children were
Shall the clay say to him that formed it The Potter as we know hath power to make what vessell he will the Father hath authoritie to command his children and shall God haue lesse power and authoritie The Prophet therefore reproues those which contend with God in aduersitie in that they can not beare their afflictions patientlie Such must learne to giue eare to the admonition of S. Peter Submit your selues vnder God saith he and humble your soules vnder his hand Bow your necks to his yoke 1. Pet. 5.6 Striue not with him that is stronger then thy selfe if he exercise thee with diuers calamities for power belongs vnto him to gouerne vs according to his good pleasure If we stand to dispute with him No disputing with God he wil vse such inuincible arguments against vs that being conuinced we shal be inforced to giue place But if it so fall out that he doth not by and by represse our pride it is not because he is destitute of reason but because in equitie we should leaue vnto him the right to dispose of vs after his will an honor which he iustlie reserues to himselfe that his creatures presume not in the pride of their hearts to aske a reason of his doings Is there any thing more dishonorable then to reiect his iudgements when we list not to approue of them S. Paul vseth the same similitude but it is in a matter of an higher nature for he disputes about the point of Gods eternall predestination and manifests mens blind conceits who reason with God why he hath chosen some and reiected others Then he shewes that men at the least should giue God as much priuiledge as to a Potter or workeman and cries out O man who art thou that pleadest with God! Iob. 9.4 Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it vvhy hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay c. Rom. 9.20.21 Who shall dare to oppose himselfe against God S. Paul and Isaiah accords together though with some difference The Apostle then accords with our Prophet though S. Paul vseth the similitude in a different matter and of greater consequence and yet both affirme that God hath an absolute power ouer men to the end they should suffer themselues to be ordered and gouerned by him patientlie bearing all his corrections the only difference is that Isaiah speakes of things which concerne this present life and Paul of those that concerne life euerlasting Or thy vvorke it hath no hands The Prophet obserues mens vsuall formes of speaking as when we say Set to the last hand Mettre la dernier main when a piece of worke is vpon finishing and that mens hands wax feeble whilest the work is rough and vnpolished So as oft as men murmure against God for not applying himselfe to their desires they therein accuse him either of sloth or of ignorance Vers 11. Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel and his maker Aske me of things to come cōcerning my sonnes and concerning the works of mine hands command you me I Haue told you alreadie that I like not of their iudgements who knit this verse so with the former as if God giuing ouer his right should giue the Iewes free leaue to enquire more of him then a child of his father The other exposition differs not much from this to wit that the Israelites are miserable in that they vnderstood not Gods will yea in that they refused to know it and would not seeke for comfort but reiected it when it was offred in a word that their owne follie was the cause why their afflictions ouercharged them and that they could finde no consolation vnder them because they would not enquire at the mouth of the Lord. If we receiue this exposition we must presuppose that he speakes of an other kinde of inquisition For though it be a thing vnlawfull to enter into Gods secrets yet of his goodnesse hee vouchsafes to discouer to his Children so much thereof as is expedient for them to know And it is also good reason that as oft as he opens his sacred mouth we should carefully lend our care to all that which he manifests vnto vs. Now we may also see the selfe same fault at this day in our selues wherewith Isaiah reprocheth the auncient people the Iewes But it is more likely this sentence depends vpon the former so as it is an application of the similitude in this sense It is not lawfull for the sonne to contest with his father nor the clay to striue with the Potter how much lesse supportable is that libertie which mortall men take vnto themselues when they will prescribe rules vnto God how hee is to order his children for otherwise the sentence should be both doubtfull and dismembred But these two members sute very well together the pot suffers his Potter to doe what him listeth and he which is begotten of a mortall man dares not contend with his father shall not I then who am the Creator and soueraigne Father of all haue as much power ouer my creatures children If any like the first exposition better then Isaiah blames mens folly in that they neglect to aske of God or to learne from his mouth the things that may comfort them for they might easilie haue perceiued by the prophecies The best remedie wee can vse for our succour in aduersities what care God had of them and thereby might haue come to the knowledge of the end of their miseries And questionlesse the onely remedie in aduersitie is to goe and aske counsell at the mouth of the Lord and not to fix our eies vpon the outward estate of things present but in our spirits to comprehend the saluation to come which the Lord hath promised vs. For he is faithfull as the Apostle saith and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able to beare but will giue an happy issue with the temptation and will augment his graces in vs 1. Cor. 10.13 As touching that which is by and by added command you me it is not to be taken by way of an imperious authority for what haue we to command God or vrge him contrary to his will No wee are to be commanded and vrged by him for none can profit in Gods word vnlesse hee bring a modest and meeke spirit In these words the Lord offers himselfe ready to teach vs to the end vve might bee bold to aske of him concerning such things as are expedient for vs to know As if he should say Aske of mee I am ready to instruct you in things needfull for your comfort And yet because this manner of speech should be somewhat improper me thinks that the complaint whereof I spake before is the fittest to wit that God is stripped as it were of his fatherly authoritie if he be denied liberty to hold his Church vnder a profitable discipline And thus this word Command is to be
thereof Which are borne of me from the vvombe This similitude by which God compares himselfe to a mother that beares her child in her vvombe is very fitting for his purpose Now he speaks of the time past in which hee began to giue vnto his people testimonies of his grace vnlesse any had rather expound these wordes more strictly to wit that God hath in mercie aduanced them and borne them in his armes as a child borne of his mother Psal 22.9 10. But because God began not onely to bee a nurcing father to this people from their naturall birth but also begat them spiritually it is not amisse to extend his speech euen to that to wit that they issued as it were out of Gods wombe into newnesse of life and to the hope of the eternall inheritance If any obiect Obiect that God is euery where called a Father Ier. 31.9 Mal. 1.6 and that this title properly belongs vnto him I answere Ans that Gods loue is so incomprehensible vnto his Church that all the similitudes in the world are insufficient to expresse the same For it is a thing that hath many branches yea infinite and vnmeasurable so as if all the benefits that witnesse true friendship were gathered into one yet this affection for the greatnesse of it far exceedes all that can bee thought or spoken of No similitude or borrowed speech sufficient to expresse Gods infinit loue to his children there is no similitude therefore that can expresse his inestimable loue If we onely vnderstand it that from the time God begat them hee hath borne and tenderly nourished them in his bosome this will well sute with that which is written in the song of Moses He nourished and carried them as the Eagle doth her little ones vpoÌ„ her wings Deut. 32.11 To be short the Prophets meaning is that vnlesse the Iewes forget their originall they must of necessitie conclude that they were not begotten in vaine but that God who hath performed vnto them the office of a louing father and mother will neuer leaue them but alwaies will assist them And besides that by continuall succession of time they so felt his power that they were at no hand to doe any homage to Idols When hee mentions the remainder it is to shew Chap. 10.21 as wee noted before that the greater part by their rebellion made a defectioÌ„ from the Church and thus the hope of the redemption appertained but to a small handfull For this cause he craues audience because the vnbeleeuers were become no lesse deafe at his voice then the prophane nations Now howsoeuer the estate of the people at that time was far from perfection and that the remnant of this dispersed people was exceeding small yet the Lord commands them to consider how miraculously they were preserued and kept vnto that instant that so they should not doubt but hee would continue a louing father and mother vnto them in like manner for the time to come And in that he requires them to hearken to his speech The true and onely way to â—edresse our miseries hee shewes that the true and onely remedie of all our miseries consists in depending vpoÌ„ Gods mouth and in hearkening to the promises of his grace for then we shall haue strength enough to beare all our afflictions As on the contrary there is a wide gate set open to rush vs into despaire yea and to expect nothing but ruine and destruction when we stop our eares and will not heare his voice Vers 4. Therefore vnto old age I am the same euen I will beare you vntill the hoare haires I haue made you I will also beare you and I will carry you and I will deliuer you I Expound this particle Vau Wherefore which wee are diligently to obserue God not onely begins but perfects the worke of his grâ—ce in vs. For thus he concludes I haue begotten you and brought you forth yea I haue borne you in mine armes whilest you were yet in your swadling clouts and therefore I will be the protector of your life euen vnto the end And thus Dauid reasons Thou O Lord diddest draw me out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers breasts I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly Psal 22.9 10. God promiseth the Iewes then that hee will alwaies be a father vnto them The Lord saith Dauid will finish the good worke he hath begun in me thy mercies O Lord indure for euer therefore thou wilt not forsake the worke of thine owne hands Psal 138 8. This word I six times repeated is of great weight in my iudgement although the interpreters expound it simply as a pronoune demonstratiue But it signifies heere not onely Gods eternall essence and that he will euer be like himselfe but it is also spoken in regard of vs shewing that wee shall alwaies find him one and the same Where hee saith vnto old age this might seeme a strange speech seeing we grow to be perfect men after God hath once drawne vs out of our childhood But let euery one examine his owne strength as he ought and we shall easilie perceiue that none of vs haue so profited but we shall still feele that God had need to vphold vs daily by his power for otherwise the most perfect would fall downe flat at euery turne Which Dauid also expresseth in Psal 71. Cast me not off O Lord in the time of mine old age forsake me not when my strength faileth J haue made you I vvill also beare you He renues the same argument againe as if hee should say God will not look to your deserts but to his owne work and therefore will continue forth his grace towards you Hence we may thus conclude Seeing thou hast not only created vs to be men but also to be thy children thou wilt doubtlesse continue to beare that affection to vs which fathers and mothers doe towards their children and wilt alwaies haue care ouer vs. Vers 5. To whom will yee make mee like or make me equall or compare mee that I should be like him THe Prophet brings in the Lord here complaining of the Iewes We must not thinke the better of Idolaters because they seeme to prosper in their sinne for distrusting his power and goodnesse as also for comparing him with Idols nay for abasing him beneath theÌ„ For in seeing the Chaldeans to haue the world at will they iudged themselues hopelesse and that the memorie of the couenant was so abolished as if there had been no God left in heauen to haue taken care of them The Lord takes vp a complaint therefore against them in that hee perceiued they attributed some power to the Idols and in so doing obscured his regall authoritie He handled the same argument in the 42. 43. Chapters and in those that follow and therefore we haue the lesse need now to insist any longer vpon euery word That they should
his free mercie but he did likewise put a forme of praier into their mouthes and a shield of defence vpon the armes of the faithfull wherewith they might repulse all the fierie darts of the diuell Vers 12. Heare mee O Iakob and Israel my called I am I am the first and * Or yet I am the last WE haue told you heeretofore why the Lord speakes of his eternitie Chap 41.4 44.6 God changeth not and therefore we are not consumed as it is in Mal. 3.6 namely to teach vs that he is alwaies like himselfe and that wee should not measure his power by the narrow scantling of our owne ell He heere calles for audience because the onelie thing that deceiues vs and makes vs wander after so many false opinions is that wee haue no eares to heare Where he saith Israel is his called he opposeth it secretly against that reprobation whereof hee spake in the beginning of the Chapter For hee there shewed that the Iewes wrongfully vsurped this title and falsly gloried therein because they shewed not themselues to bee true Israelites in deed But heere he declares that Israel is his owne called Simile as if a father in rebuking his sonne should in anger call him bastard and yet being appeased should afterward terme him his sonne Thus the Lord shewes that the Iewes were growne so degenerate that hee had iust cause to reiect them and yet albeit their vnworthinesse of that great honour he shewed them he still respects his owne calling of them which they could not abolish nor make vnfruitfull by their malice or vnthankfulnesse The particle yet in this place signifies a continuance for the Prophet meanes nothing else but that God is alwaies like himselfe that is to say he repents not nor changeth not his mind as men are wont to doe and therefore he saith that he is the first and the last Now we haue also in these words to note that Isaiah speakes not heere of God his eternall essence but applies this doctrine to our vse signifying that he will be such a one to vs as he hath euer been in times past as also that wee should remember to separate him from Idols lest our mindes being distracted by new inuentions should erre from his true feare Vers 13. Surely mine hand hath laid the foundations of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the heauens when I shall call them they stand vp together As God is vnchangeable so is he almightie THe Prophet shewes heere more plainly what his meaning was in the former vers For hauing said that God is alwaies one and neither changeth his affection nor will towards vs hee now magnifies and extolles his power in regard of his visible workes which wee daily behold And thus the Lord comming forth of his Sanctuarie doth after a sort manifest himselfe familiarly vnto vs in them Whether wee turne the wordes my right hand hath measured or hath sustained the sense will be alwaies alike neither is it needfull that we should stand much about the interpretation of the word Tipak For the word To measure notes out the admirable wisdome of God Note in that hee hath so aptly proportioned all the parts of this faire curtaine of the heauens that it should neither bee higher nor lower from the earth then it is but that they constantly keep the order prescribed them of God so as in this round and ample vastnesse wee can behold nothing deformed or misplaced If any had rather retaine the word To vphold it is also a commendation of Gods singular wisdome and power who beares vp this infinit weight and great masse of the heauens in their continuall motion and yet keepes it from tottering or reeling from one side to another But the last member where hee saith that all things stand vp together when he cals them hath some more difficultie in it For it is either to be referred to the first creation of the world or to the perpetuall gouernement thereof If we refer it to the first creation the present tence of the verb To appeare should be taken for the future tence thus As soone as the Lord commanded them to appeare they forthwith obeied according to that in the 33. Psalme vers 9. He spake the vvord and it was done But if wee accept of this exposition the word together which is added seemes not to sute well with the historie of the creation mentioned by Moses Obiect For the heauens and the earth were not created and adorned in an instant Gen. 1.2 Things were first intermingled and confused then the Lord separated them and placed them in order Ans But the solution is easie for the Prophets meaning is nothing but this that the Lord created all things by his onely will and so formed heauen and earth that they forthwith obeied his commandement And yet for mine owne part I willingly extend this sentence to the perpetuall gouernment of the world As if he should say Heauen and earth obeied Gods voice and yeelded to his absolute power so as these creatures so farre remote one from another Simile willingly consented and agreed together with an incredible harmonie neither more nor lesse then if they were turned about with one wheele And howsoeuer the space bee wondrous great betweene earth and heauen aboue yet the Lords voice was distinctly heard in euery part of them There was no need of messengers then to teach or publish his will but himselfe in an instant executes the same at his pleasure Simile Shall a man finde any Prince that can haue all his seruants by and by about him at his call No Gods power then is infinit it is dispersed far and neere and extends it selfe to all parts of the world as the Scriptures doe manifest Psa 47.1 2. and faith by experience makes vs feele Vers 14. All you assemble your selues and heare which among theÌ„ hath declared these things The Lord hath loued him he will doe his will in Babell and his * Or his worke arme shall be against the Chaldeans God permits the Iâ—wes to bring in their allegations NO doubt but the Lord directs his speech to the Iewes though hee vtters nothing heere which ought not to be knowne of all But because the heathen prophane people had no eares therefore hee summons not them to heare Wee know that the Iewes had this priuiledge aboue other nations that God manifested himselfe to them as it is said in the Psalme God is knowne in Iudah his name is great in Israel Psal 76.1 and 147.19 20. And thus their senslesnesse was the lesse excusable in that they reiected their owne happinesse For whence sprang this lightnesse and inclination to apostasie but from the little or no regard they had of this inestimable treasure of the heauenly doctrine They well deserued then to bee thus sharpely chidden and that he should thus closely tax them for their malicious and manifest conspiracies
to darken the grace of God Now it seemes the Lord permits the Iewes to bring in their allegations which they had as those who trusting to the goodnes of their cause dare thus defie their aduerse partie Bring in thy reasons and if thou hast anie metall in thee shew it The Lord then prouokes them first and bids them tell if they can whether the gods of the Gentiles haue foretold any such things or no. And this may also be applied to the Soothsaiers and Prognosticators who attributed to themselues the knowledge of things to come which they could not foresee at all And in the same sense he repeates that which followes in the verse insulng I euen I haue spoken it The summe comes to this then that the Iewes wauer yea and fall because they haue not well informed themselues how singular a grace of God it is to learne from his sacred mouth whatsoeuer is needfull to saluation In the latter part of the verse hee recites one particular namely God had foretold the end of their captiuity in Babylon True it is that he names not Cyrus as the dispenser of this benefite Cyrus but in speaking of some certaine personage well knowne he saith God hath chosen him to surprise Babel by force The word To loue is not taken heere simply but for some speciall respect and therefore he restraines it to the happy issue of his voyage And so we may say that Saul was beloued of God for some priuate end Example namelie that hee might raigne for a time and might haue the gift of prophecie 1. Sam. 10.10 But there is an higher matter to bee considered of touching the faithfull whom God loues with an euerlasting loue for hee will neuer suffer them to be separated from him Iohn 13.1 Iere. 31.3 The Prophet then meant to say that Cyrus shall vanquish Babylon because he shall vndertake that businesse vnder Gods authoritie leading not of his owne motion but after such a manner as God thrusts forward the blind and ignorant whither him listeth or as hee vseth sometimes to serue his turne of men against their wils For Cyrus is not praised for his voluntary obedience but it is rather indeed an extolling of Gods singular prouidence by which hee disposeth of all sorts of men to performe his will and to execute his decrees By arme vnder a figure familiar amongst the Prophets we may vnderstand his vvorke And thus the speech will runne better Hee shall execute his vvill against Babylon and his vvorke against the Chaldeans And wee know that the Prophets are wont to ioine Gods counsell and worke together Now he priuilie taxeth the Iewes for their ingratitude in that they would not beleeue Gods promises though hee pointed out the thing before them with his finger and spake far otherwise then did the Chaplaines of the false gods To conclude hee meant to informe the Iewes that the surprizing of Babel by the hand of Cyrus shall bee a vvorke of the Lord vnder whose direction all things shall bee so carried that the Church in the end shall be deliuered Vers 15. I euen I haue spoken it and I haue called him I haue brought him and his way shall prosper HEe brings the Iewes againe to the prophecies and attributes this honour vnto God that hauing in fit time reuealed the thing hee takes away all doublings Afterwards hee addes that whatsoeuer was foretold shall be confirmed And thus there is a double force in the doubling of these words I euen I. As if he should say It is none but the God of Israel that hath spoken these things which are hidden and to come secondly he being true and one that neuer deceiues he will vndoubtedly accomplish whatsoeuer he hath promised Isaiah then propounds two ends here vnto himselfe First that the poore captiues should wait for their deliuerance secondly being deliuered that they should acknowledge God to be the author of so excellent a benefit and not to ascribe it either to the arme of flesh or to haphazard Now he shewes that Cyrus his good successe in his enterprises shall proceede from Gods calling of him Not that he was worthy of so great a fauour neither that he obtained it by his own industry and power but in regard that the Lord vsed him as his seruant to deliuer his people For where he called him his beloued in the former verse and heere saith that he hath called and brought him I told you erewhile that it is not to bee referred to that loue of God whereby he adopts vs for his children by calling vs to himselfe Cyrus was neither loued nor called in this kind How Cyrus is said to be loued and called of God See Chap. 45.3 for howsoeuer he were indued with excellent vertues yet was he tainted with very odious crimes as ambition desire of swaying Kingdomes couetousnesse crueltie and many other vices Cyrus had a miserable end for his wofull and vnhappy end manifested sufficientlie what he was The Prophets meaning is then that God will be fauorable to Cyrus in prospering him outwardly not to adopt nor to shew him that fauor which he only communicates to his chosen The cause must be considered then for which he giues him these titles to wit that he will vse his ministrie for the deliueraÌ„ce of his Church as we haue said before Vers 16. Come neere vnto me heare you this I haue not spoken it in secret from the beginning from the time that the thing was * Or done I was there and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me God rebukes the people for their ingratitude HE directs his speech againe to the Iewes and in commanding them to draw neere he meetes them halfe way as it were gently to receiue them and yet he couertlie taxeth their reuolt shewing that they were vnfit to entertaine wholesome doctrine vnlesse they departed from their errors Surely it was a detestable fault in them to be so farre separated from God with whom they ought to haue bin so neerely conioined but their separation coÌ„sisted not so much in distance of place as in the want of consent in affections our approching then consists in a readines to heare hauing subdued our owne carnall reason But this is a worke of his owne grace for who will be readie to direct his heart vnto God Iohn 6. if himselfe draw him not J haue not spoken in secret The expositors expound this place diuerslie Some applie it to Iesus Christ whereas Isaiah had no such meaning and it stands vs in hand to auoid all wrested and constâ—eined interpretations Wrested expositions are to be auoided Others referre it to the Prophet himselfe but this sutes as badly as the former for this speech can agree to no man I thinke then that Isaiah brings in God speaking and blaming of the people touching their ingratitude in that from the beginning that is to say since the day he began first
Canaan a pledge to the Iews of their eternall inheritance Being exiled thence then they were in a maner excommunicated and cast out of Gods presence and had had no testimonies of his succour left them had not these promises relieued their miseries Now it is for vs to consider well of this their miserie for being banished farre from their Country they had neither Temple sacrifices nor assemblies Now those amongst whom at this day there is no forme of a Church vse of Sacraments nor preaching of the word they ought to thinke that God hath in a manner cast them out of his presence Let them learne then to call and cry instantlie with ardent praiers that God would plant his Church in their coasts Vers 20. Goe yee out of Babel flee yee from the Chaldeans with the voice of ioy tell and declare this shew it forth to the ends of the earth say yee The Lord hath redeemed his seruant Iakob THis is the second part of this complaint Isaiah speaks of a thing to come as if it were already come to passe by which the Lord protests that hee will deliuer his people how vnworthy or ingratefull soeuer they be For hauing told the Iewes that hee hath performed the office of a good teacher towards them and that they would not lend their eares so as by their owne default they were sent into captiuitie now in setting before them his inuincible patience he addes that he will not cease to assist them till hee hath drawne them out of their bondage Hee commands them then to goe out of Babylon where they were captiues Whence we gather that how iust cause soeuer God hath to complaine of vs yet by his inestimable goodnesse he is ready to sustaine our miseries and to aid those that are vnworthy yea such as haue frowardly resisted his grace That which is added touching the voice of ioy serues to confirme this deliuerance for hee meant to adde this confirmation to that promise which was vtterly incredible That he might remooue all doubtings then hee highly commends this benefit Declare He expresseth the greatnes of that confidence which hee meant to erect in the hearts of the Iewes for we are wont to publish that plainly and openly whereof we haue good experience and assurance but if wee doubt we dare scarse open our mouthes but remaine mute and dumbe Now Isaiah speaks of a thing to come with that resolution as if it were alreadie come to passe that the people might in their hearts conceiue the more sure and certaine confidence and therefore hee vseth this commandement which hath much more efficacie in it The vse the Iewes were to make of this commandement and moued their mindes more then if hee had told it them in bare termes Vers 21. And they weare not thirstie he led them through the wildernesse he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them for he claue the rock and the waters gushed out Isaiah puts thē in minde of their first passage out of Egypt to correct their infidelitie IN regard the Iewes saw no way open to returne home and that there lay betweene many great and vast wildernesses the Prophet alledgeth Gods power from whence he propounds some examples that so the Iewes might be dispossest of all feare doubtings He would haue them then to consider whether God was not sufficientlie able to deliuer their fathers out of Egypts bondage and to bring them through horrible deserts in which notwithstanding he furnished them with viands water and all other necessaries Exod. 16. and 17. If he were able to do the one why should they misdoubt his abilitie concerning the other The Iewes here according to their maner coine fond fables Fables inuēted by the Iewes and inuent ridiculous miracles which were neuer done nor heard of And this they doe not so much of ignorance as of impudencie whereby they giue themselues libertie to publish any thing that may carrie a faire shew though it be vtterlie senselesse But our Prophets meaning was to put them in mind of that first passage out of Egypt and of the miracles which the Lord then did For whē the Prophets meane to extoll Gods works it is their custome as we haue often shewed to mention this first deliuerance And thus Dauid setting forth the victories he obteined saith that the mountaines trembled and shooke the ayre cleft in twaine and the Lord appeared from heauen which he neuer saw notwithstanding Psa 18. but he therein followes the description of the deliuerance out of Egypt to shew that God was the author of it and that he also fortified and guided him to ouercome his enemies and that his power was no lesse manifest in this victorie then in those wonderfull signes and miracles And thus the Prophet now would haue the people consider of these wonders of old to correct their incredulitie not to be tempted with diffidence for it was the custome of Gods faithfull seruants to cast their eies alwaies vpon this deliuerance that by the remembrance of so great a benefit they might confirme euery mans heart in faith and hope We haue also told you before that they were from age to age to feele the fruit of this redemption that the Lord by a continuall progresse might still be acknowledged the protector of that people whom he had so redeemed at the first Our Prophets meaning is then that the Lord will easily ouercome all impediments and will set open the passages that are shut will furnish them with vvater in abundance that they faint not for thirst for he will worke for them as in old time he did for their fathers when extraordinarilie he caused vvaters to issue out of the rock they making their account to perish for thirst Exod. 17.6 and therefore there was no cause why they should call the assurāce of their returne into question if they would but only meditate of that power of God wherof themselues by experience had tasted Vers 22. There is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked SOme inclose these words saith the Lord A preuention in regard of hypocrite◠in a parenthesis but we may keepe this order in the text to wit That the Lord denies the peace to the vvicked vvhereof they are vnworthie Now this is expresly added lest the hypocrites according to their wont should conceiue any vaine hope in these promises for he saith they belong nothing at all to such that he might whollie exclude them from all hope of saluation But it seemes Isaiah respected some other thing for in regard the greatest part of the people ouerflowed in impietie and reiected this benefit many infirme and weake ones might stagger and be offended at their multitudes for at this day there are many weake consciences troubled when they see the doctrine of saluation contemned by the greater part of the world Seeing then there were many in great danger of stumbling he turnes their minds
yet they breake not off their course which experience might well haue taught vs. For there is not one of vs but we had long since been vtterly rooted out by the secret and open practises of our enemies had not the Lord been our defence And truly I cannot but wonder that any one Minister of the Gospell should stand safe A miracle that a faithfull Minister should stand in the midst of so many so great dangers But the cause is the Lord keepes them vnder the shadow of his hand and hides them as shafts in his quiuer that they should hot be hurt nor destroied of their enemies Vers 3. And he said vnto me Thou art my seruant Israel for I will be glorious in thee THis verse must be ioined with the former This verse depends vpoÌ„ the former For heereby it appeares that he speakes not of one man but of the whole people which the expositors haue not considered for this place neither ought to be restrained to Christs person nor yet referred to Israel onely But we must heere obserue the course of the Scriptures When the body of the Church is mentioned then Christ is placed in the middle as it were who vnder him comprehends the children of God Wee heare what Saint Paul saith The promises were made to Abraham and to his seede He saith not to his seedes as speaking of many and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 For he comprehends not the multitude of children which came of Abraham according to the flesh seeing all were not partakers of this blessing Ishmael was reiected Ishmael reiected Esâ—u reprobated Gal. 4.30 Esau was hated Mal. 1.3 and many others were cut off When the people were deliuered from vnder the captiuitie of Babylon the number of those which returned were very smal for the greatest part reiected this excellent benefit of God Where was this seede then Euen in Christ who is the head and vnder him containes the rest of the members for in him by an inseparable band is the whole seed assembled and knit together in one And in the same sense that Isaiah hath noted out Christ vnder the name of Israel so also hath he comprehended the whole body as the members vnder the head Which is no new thing For when Paul speakes of that vnion which is betweene Christ and the Church The vnion which is between Christ and his Church hauing set it forth vnder the similitude of a mans body he addes euen so is Christ 1. Cor. 12.12 And in this place the name of Christ is attributed vnto Israel that is to say to the whole companie of the faithfull which are vnited to Christ as the members to the head Afterwards the Lord giues this title to the Church which is the spouse of Christ as the wife is dignified with the name and title of her husband Now he calles Israel his seruant that is to say his handmaid the Church for shee is the pillar and ground of truth because hee hath committed his word vnto her as a pledge to keepe that by her ministerie it may be published thorowout the world 1. Tim. 3.15 In the latter part of the verse hee shewes what the end of this ministry is and why those that preach the Gospell are called thereunto of God to wit that they make his glory by all meanes to shine cleere in respect of themselues and to aduance it also among others Which Christ teacheth in the Gospell saying Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee Iohn 17.1 But doth not God shew vs a singular fauour when he appoints vs base and vile wretches to be procurers of glory vnto him Oh! let this quicken vs vp to obey him carefully and to imploy our selues faithfully in his seruice And yet the Prophet meant to expresse somewhat more namely that howsoeuer Satan and his imps lay all the plots they can yet Gods power shall ouerthrow them all so as Christ shall triumph notwithstanding gloriouslie and God his maiestie shall shine most bright in his Gospell still Vers 4. And I said I haue labored in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God THe Prophet addes a grieuous complaint heere A bitter complaint in the name of the Church yet so as he begins at the head as we haue said before Christ then with his members complaines that he hath in a manner vtterly lost his labour for after hee hath greatly praised and commended the efficacie of that word which issueth out of his mouth vers 2. now he shewes that it hath done little or no good notwithstanding so as this glory which God requires to shine in the ministrie of his word appeares very little For Christ saith he hath laboured in vaine because men wil not repent Why this coÌ„plaint is addâ—d nor turne to God by the preaching of the heauenly doctrine It was to great purpose that the Prophet added this First to teach vs that this fruit whereof he spake shall not alwaies appeare in the eies of men for otherwise we should be readie to call the truth of Gods word into question and would also be brought to doubt whether this doctrine which is reiected of so many with such impudencie were the word of God or no. Secondlie that we might bend all our forces with inuincible constancie to performe our duties and to commend the successe of all our labours vnto the blessing of God who will not suffer it to be fruitlesse in the end And thus the Prophet meant to meete with a dangerous temptation that by the rebellions of men we should not faint in the middle of our course And truly Christ so begins heere vvith a complaint that he yet comforts himselfe by and by knowing that nothing shall be able to direct him from the performance of his charge And the text would be somewhat plainer if wee reade it thus Although my trauaile be in vaine and that I haue spent my selfe vvithout fruit yet it sufficeth that my vvorke is approued of my God Vnto which appertaines that which is added but my iudgement is before the Lord. Albeit then the fruit of our labours appeare not before vs An incouragement for Ministers yet must it content vs that they are done before that God whom we serue and to whom our seruice is agreeable For Christ exhorts and incourageth the faithfull Ministers to fight valiantly vntil they haue ouercome this temptation so as setting light by the malice of men they cheerfully goe on still in their calling without suffering discontentments or carelesnesse to hinder their course If the Lord haue a purpose then to try our faith and patience so farre as that it shall seeme we labour in vaine yet must wee satisfie our selues with the testimonie of a good conscience But if this consolation take no place in vs then is it certaine that we are not
yet hee commands them not to cast away their confidence because their certaine and full redemption is in his hands and yet they were heerein to looke farre aboue the reach of humane reason This therefore is a very excellent place We must not cease to belieue though God for a time deferre his promise out of which we may gather how carefully we ought to beleeue God when he speakes albeit he doe no forthwith accomplish that which hee hath promised but suffers vs to languish vnder afflictions a long time Some translate the word Veze Contemned others Contemptible which I approoue of But this augments the miserie of the people when the Prophet calles them despised * Or in himselfe in soule for many are despised of others who notwithstanding are worthy of honour in regard of the graces wherewith they be indued or being puffed vp with pride cease not with an higher contempt to treade vnder their feete the contempt of others But Isaiah affirmes that the Iewes are not more despised and contemptible in the eies of others then they are in their owne Thus then hee notes out an exceeding ignominie and low estate therewithall comprehending the affliction of the Spirit to teach them that God shall come in fit time to succour them when they shall be throughly humbled I see no reason why some haue changed the number in the word nation seeing the Prophet vseth the singular number Goi it being certaine that he addresseth his speech to the posteritie of Abraham Afterwards he cals them seruants of rulers as if he should say that mightie tyrants oppressed them for by the word Moschelim he meanes those that haue so much force and power that it is an hard matâ—er to escape their hands When he saith that Kings shall see he speaks in high and glorious termes of the deliuerie of his people but in the meane while hee is contented they should bee tried in the furnace to proue their faith and patience for where were the triall of faith if God should forthwith giue that which he hath promised as we said before In the word Princes there is a repetition much vsed among the Hebrewes But we will speake it thus shortly Kings and Princes shall see they shall arise and bow downe By the verbe To bow downe he expounds what he meant by arising for wee rise vp to giue honour The summe is that the greatest Princes of the world shall bee awakened to confesse that the restauration of the Church is an excellent worke of God and worthy of respect and reuerence Because the holy one of Israel who hath chosen thee is faithfull See the cause of this great astonishment touching the honour which Princes shall performe to God to wit because they shall acknowledge his faithfulnesse and constancie in his promises God would not be held to be faithful by a bare imagination but from good experience For the Lord would not be acknowledged faithfull from a bare and naked imagination but from experience it selfe to wit in the preseruation and protection of his people whom hee hath adopted Hence therefore let vs learne not to iudge of Gods promises by our present estate but by his truth and faithfulnesse so as when we perceiue nothing but death and the graue to compasse vs round yet wee may remember this sentence by which the Lord calles vs to him euen the vile and contemptible 2. Cor. 7.6 Hence also wee are to consider how glorious and admirable a worke the deliuerance of the Church is in that it constraines Kings be they neuer so proud thinking nothing be it neuer so excellent worthy to behold them to behold to admire yea and to honour and reuerence the Lord whether they will or no. This new and extraordinary worke then is heere greatly recommended vnto vs in this behalfe For not to mention ancient histories by what meanes hath God deliuered vs out of that wofull tyrannie of Antichrist Truly wee were as those that dreame as the Psalmist saith Psal 126.1 especially if wee doe but seriously consider of the thing it selfe for the Lord hath wrought a miracle in bringing vs to doe homage vnto Christ In the end of the verse the Prophet repeates that which he touched before to wit that this people were set a part to bee the Lords But in election we must seeke the beginning of sanctification for the people were the holy inheritance because God had vouchsafed of his meere grace to chuse them Isaiah then means that secret will of God from whence sanctification flowes that Israel might not thinke they were chosen for their own deserts As if he had said The Lord which hath elected thee shewes that thou art so indeed by the effects As wee ought then to acknowledge Gods faithfulnes and truth in our saluation so must we attribute this saluation only to our free election And yet it behoues euery one that will partake in so great a benefit Neither truth nor saluation out of he Church to be a portion of the true Israel that is to say of the Church out of which there is neither truth nor saluation to be found Vers 8. This saith the Lord in an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in a day of saluation haue I succored thee and will preserue thee and giue thee for a couenant of the people that thou mayst raise vp the earth and obteine the inheritance of the desolute heritage FRom this verse we may yet more clearely gather that which we haue handled in the beginning of this Chapter to wit that the Prophet so speakes of the whole body of the Church that he begins at the head thereof And this as I haue said ought to be well obserued for the expositors haue bauked it and yet without it we shall not be able to make these verses to cohere S. Paul plainly shewes this in applying this very sentence to the whole Church 2. Cor. 6.2 But yet that which followes I vvill giue thee for a couenant of the people sutes to none but Christ only How shal we make these things agree then To wit if we shall consider that Christ is not so much his owne as ours Christ not so much his owne as ours For he was not borne neither died be nor rose againe for himselfe He was sent for the saluation of his people He seeks nothing at our hands for he stands in neede of nothing Thus then God makes his promises to the whole Church and Christ who is as it were the suretie or pledge betweene both receiues these promises and procures nothing to himselfe by them but altogether for the Churches behoofe for whose saluation he was sent He speakes not then of Christ as singling him out by himselfe but as of one that is ioined and made one with his Church for euer It is an inestimable fauor then which the father shewes vs when he heares his sonne for our sakes yea that he directs his speech to
so all generally and euery one particularly might imbrace these promises When hee commands them to lift vp their eies it is to shew that the cause which moues vs to faint is in that we doe not so diligentlie obserue the work of the Lord as we ought but suffer out eies to bee couered as it were with a vaile by reason whereof wee cannot see three paces before vs. Thence also it comes that we can hardly coÌ„ceiue any hope but are euer and anon plunged into despaire when the least troubles arise Now if this bee said of the whole Church let euery man examine his owne heart Vse to vs. and see how subiect he is to this vice and let him euer stirre vp yea awaken his spirits to behold the workes of the Lord and to rest himselfe vpon his promises with his whole heart In that he saith the children of the church shall be gathered the meaning is to bee one bodie with Christ and as one fold vnder one shepheard we must be gathered into one lap of the Church For Christ holds none other to be in the number of his sheepe but such as are ioined into one body by the vnitie of one faith Christ â—â—lds none for his sheepe but such as are made one with him by faith Iohn 10.16 Whosoeuer then vvould bee accounted among Gods children let him be a childe of the Church for as many as are separate from her shall alwaies bee held as strangers before God As a garment or ornament The Prophet shewes wherein the chiefe ornament of the Church consists Wherein the chiefest ornament of the Church consists to wit in hauing many children gathered into her lap by forth and gouerned by the Spirit of God Behold the true beautie behold the glorie of the Church which otherwise is deformed and ill fauoured yea torne and rent in pieces if she be destituted of these ornaments Heereby we see that the Papists haue great skill in discerning of the right ornaments of the Churchâ— for they please themselues in nothing but crucifixes With what ornaments the Church of Rome deckes her selfe paintings images stately buildings gold precious stones and glorious vestments that is to say in bables and puppets fit for little children But the true dignitie and glorie of the Church is all inward Psal 45.13 because it consists in the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost in a word it consists in faith and in good workes Faith and good workes the beauty of the Church Whence it followes that she is then clothed with royall robes when people being knit together by faith doe assemble into her lap and worship God in spirit and in truth Now that this promise might haue the greater weight the Lord addes an oath that he might drawes to credit the same to the end that when the Church as we thinke is at the very pits brinke we should then wait and expect her restauration Which doctrine if euer there were neede of it it is now much more For whither soeuer we turne our eies what see wee else but horrible desolations The vse to vs. What are we to doe then Let vs deliuer our soules from despaire by staying our selues vpon this oath As I liue And let not our small number dismay vs though for that cause the world despiseth and disgraceth vs. No the Lord we doubt not hath his elect scattered heere and there whom at the length he will assuredly gather into his Church Let vs plucke vp our spirits then and lift vp our eies by a true faith that wee may not onely extend our hopes to one age but to many Vers 19. For thy desolations and waste places and thy land destroied shall surely be now narrow for theÌ„ that shal dwel in it and they that deuoure thee shall be farre away HE confirmes that which went before A confirmation of the former sentence but in other words to wit that the change by him promised is in Gods hand who will cause his Church which hath a long time lien desolate and vvaste to be suddenly inhabited againe and that in such wise as the land shall not be large enough to containe so manie inhabitants He vseth a similitude of a Citie broken downe whose walles and buildings are reedified vnto which also the people flow in such troopes that the bounds thereof must be inlarged because the first circuits are too narrow for them all And thus he not onely speakes of the peoples returne from Babylon but also of that restauration wrought by Christ when the Church was not onely spread thorowout Iudea but also thorowout all the quarters of the world Moreouer he addes that succours shall be in a readinesse to defend the Church against her enemies which would molest her with outrages and iniuries These shall not be able to hurt her Why so God will driue them farre away not that the Church had euer any perfect rest in this world The Church attaines not a full rest in this world or could be exempt from all violence of enemies but howsoeuer it be God who still supports the infirmities of his seruants hath alwaies resisted the wicked repressed or vtterly defeated their plots that so the kingdome of Satan might neuer waxe great by the ruines of the Church Vers 20. The children of thy barrennes shall say againe in thine eares The place is strait for mee giue places to me that I may dwell ISaiah goes on with the same argument The same argument still prosecuted and vnder another figure promiseth the Churches restauration Now he compares her to a widow or rather to a wife that is barren to set forth the miserable and desolate condition of this people who were oppressed vnder so many euils that the memory of that nation was in a maner extinct for they were mingled among the Chaldeans who held them prisoners so as they were almost incorporated into one body with them Wee are not to maruell then if he coÌ„pares the church as a barren vvife for shee conceiued no more children in her wombe In former time the Iewes florished but now their kingdome was torne in sunder their power vtterly ouerthrowne and their name in a manner buried in obliuion when they were led into captiuitie Hee promiseth then that the Church shall come forth of these sinkes and that she who now sits solitarie shall returne to her first estate Which is signified by the word againe â—â— for thereby he assures them that God was able to render them that againe which in former time he had bestowed vpoÌ„ them though now for a season he had depriued them thereof Whereas many take children of barrennes for orphelins me thinks it sutes not with the text because widowhood and barrennes is referred rather to the person of the Church And therefore by way of amplification he calles them so who beyond all hope were giuen to her that was a widow and barren Giue place That is to say
conclusion which hee touched in the two former verses namely that the people should in the end bee deliuered by the Lord who will not be found contrary vnto himselfe For if hee hath redeemed their fathers and if hee hath alwaies assisted his Church in former times he will neuer suffer their successors to be ouerwhelmed whom he hath adopted We are diligently to obserue the verb Shall know for the knowledge of the name of God consists first in reiecting all superstitions secondly to know him in his word which is his liuely image and thirdly by his works We must not forge a god after our owne fantasies lusts but so comprehend him as he hath manifested himselfe vnto vs. Thus the Lord concludes then that he will effectually assist and accomplish whatsoeuer hee hath promised that the people may know their expectation is not in vaine and may heereby bee more and more confirmed in the knowledge of his name But we must remember what we haue said heeretofore touching that experimentall knowledge Experimentall knowledge which subscribes to the authoritie of the word Moreouer Gods speaking is to bee referred to his promises and his presence to his actuall power As if he should say Albeit you heare nothing now but the sound of words in which I promise you things almost incredibe yet heereafter you shall see the performance thereof for I purpose really to act that which I haue promised Hence we may gather a generall doctrine namely The promises and the execuâ—ion thereof inseparably knit together that the promises and the execution thereof are knit together with an inseparable bond As oft as Satan then solicites vs to distrust as if God had quite and cleane reiected vs let vs remember this point and let vs trust boldly in the name of our God who neuer promiseth ought in vaine and if it falles out that he performes not the same forthwith yet he will doe it in conuenient time Vers 7. How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the feete of him that declareth and publisheth peace that declareth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Zion Thy God raigneth THe Prophet confirmes the faithfull againe in the certaintie of Gods word Another confirmatioÌ„ First to giue them certaine assurance of being restored to their first freedome and next that hee might in the meane while sustaine their hearts in good hope during this sore bondage Hee speakes elegantly in the commendation of this message that the faithfull might content themselues in this calamitie with the offer of the hope of their saluation to come For indeed they were to imbrace this consolation propounded vnto them that being fortified therewith they might quietly and patiently expect an happy issue of the promise That the faithfull then might bridle their desires by patience he adornes the vvord of God vviâ—h excellent titles As if hee should say Can you be so vnthankfull as not to content your selues with this inestimable treasure of God word which brings so many commodities with it Will you let loose the raines to yourâ— vnbridled affections Will ye indeed complaine of God For his meaning is to call backe the people from their diffidence who were ouercarried through diuers allurements and would not rest securely vpon the truth of Gods word For this cause hee extolles the excellencie of his doctrine and shewes that the Lord will giue much more by it then wee can aske or thinke Besides it is plaine that hee speakes not heere of euery kind of doctrine but of that onely which is fit to yeeld consolation Hee shewes then that the seete of such as bring glad tidings from Gods mouth are pleasant and desirable Why so Because this consolation serues not onely to asswage our sorrows but brings with it inestimable ioy for he speakes heere of the doctrine of saluation and therefore he saith that by it peace good tidings and saluation is published By the word peace hee vnderstands an happy and prosperous estate but wee haue heeretofore intreated at large touching the signification of this word Saying to Zion c. Hence we gather what the beginning of this doctrine is which Isaiah publisheth and what it is wee ought principally to desire namely that the kingdome of God may be established amongst vs for if he reigne not all things must needes fall to ruine and so by consequence our estate must be miserable As on the contrary the onely way to saluation is when God vouchsafes to take the care of vs and it is also the meanes whereby wee obtaine peace how confused or desperate soeuer things otherwise are Let vs also remember that this message appertaines to Zion that is to say to the church For what haue the prophane and ignorant sort to doe with it The Apostle Saint Paul alleageth this place Rom. 10.15 to prooue that the preaching of the Gospell is of God and not of men and that it is hee who sends the Ministers which bring the glad tidings of saluation Now he vseth this gradation Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall bee saued but vve cannot call vpon him vvhom vve know not Faith giues praier entrance For what giues praier entrance but faith by which hauing imbraced God for our father we may familiarly discharge all our cares into his bosome But whereupon is this faith grounded Vpon the doctrine of the Gospell whereby the Lord manifests his loue vnto vs and for this end vseth the labours and ministry of men In conclusion therefore the Apostle addes that none is fit to preach this word vnlesse he be sent of God But it seemes as if Saint Paul wrested these words of the Prophet Obiect to serue his owne turne for hee speakes not heere of Gods sending forth of Ministers but rather how welcome their comming ought to be vnto vs. Ans I answere that the Apostle hath held this resolued principle namely that we must desire none but such as are sent of God But from whom comes this saluation Comes it from men No such matter for a benefit so excellent can come to vs from none but God himselfe He rightly concludes then that this saluation proceeds from God and not from man Vers 8. The voice of thy watchmen shall bee heard they shall lift vp their voice and shout together for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring againe Zion A continuation of the former confirmation HE continues on his speech shewing that the restauration of the people shall be such as the messenger shall boldly publish it By the lifting vp of the voice he signifies the same that he spake of before touching these words vpon the mountaines for the thing shall not be done in a corner but it shall be so manifest and apparant that all shall be smitten with astonishment Those who speake of things doubtfull mutter them out betweene the teeth and dare not lift vp their voice but this shall be no perplexed or doubtfull
out the doctrine of the Gospell by a like similitude I haue laid saith he the foundation as an expert master-builder and if any build vpon this foundatioÌ„ gold siluer pretious stones wood hay or stubble euery mans worke shall be made manifest 1. Cor. 3.10.12.13 I answere Ans the verse following will shew whether the Prophet meant the same thing heere or no. Vers 13. And all thy children shal be taught of the Lord and much peace shall be to thy children HEnce wee may easily collect that Isaiah spake not in the former verses of doctrine but of men The former things spokeÌ„ not of doctrine but of men whereof the spirituall building of the Church is compact I grant the Church is builded by doctrine but that is done in gathering men in and by fitting them to be liuely stones in this building 1. Pet. 2.5 See the difference now betweene Paul and Isaiah Paul referres pretious stones to doctrine and Isaiah to the gifts of the holy Ghost wherewith men are inriched and endued that of them a Church may be reared vp But the diuersitie of gifts wherewith the Lord adornes his seruants are to be obserued For all are not Saphires or Carbuncles the Lord distributes to euery one his measure according to his own wil 1. Cor. 12.11 Eph. 4.7.11 Whence wee also are to remember that whatsoeuer serues for the adorning of the Church proceeds only from the meere grace of God For if wee be Carbuncles and Saphires because wee are taught of God then it followes that we get not this honor by nature Now the Lord teacheth vs two waies namely by the externall ministrie of man and by the secret reuelation of the holy Ghost Iesus Christ shewes in Ioh. 6.45 which of these teachings the Prophet heere speakes of for he alledgeth this text and therefore we neede not seeke for a better expositor Christ the best expositor of this place It is written in the Prophets saith he And they shall be all taught of God Whosoeuer then hath heard and learned of the Father commeth vnto me If this place then should be vnderstood of the externall preaching that which Iesus Christ concludes hence would not be firme enough For this is no good consequence The Gospell is preached therefore all beleeue for many resist it others openly scorne it and some are hypocrites The elect only who are chosen to eternall life become teachable to whom properly it belongs to be accounted in the number of Christ his true disciples The Gospell I grant is preached indifferentlie both to the elect castawaies but the elect only come to Christ because they are taught of God Hence let vs conclude then that the Prophet speakes in this place of them and of none other The maner how we become preâ—ious stones fit to serue Gods spirituall building By this we may see how and by what meanes wee are made liuing and pretious stones to serue in the building of the Lords spirituall temple to wit vvhen the Lord hath squared and polished vs by his holy spirit and to the outward preaching of his vvord ioines the inward power and efficacie of the same spirit And thus we are also taught how great the peruersitie of mans vnderstanding is in that it can not be bowed nor reformed vnlesse the Lord worke vpon the same mightily by the powerfull operation of his blessed spirit Our Prophet hath conioined these two maners of teaching together to wit both the inward and the outward For he calles those the children of the Church who are taught of the Lord if they be children then haue they bin conceiued in her womb and nurced vp in her lap first with milke afterward with strong meate 1. Cor. 3.2 Hebr. 5.12.13.14 vntill they grow vp and become perfect men in Christ Iesus as Paul speakes Ephes 4.13 The outward ministrie of the word then is required if we will be his disciples Whence it appeares how absurd and blockish the rauing of those fantasticall spirits is who peruert this testimonie to ouerthrow the preaching of the word and the ministrie of the Church For children of the Church can they not be Anabaptisticall reuelations taxed vnlesse they will be nourished vp in her lap Let them goe then with their secret reuelations for the holy Ghost teacheth none but such as submit themselues vnder the Churches ministrie Well may such be the disciples and children of Satan but not of God seeing they contemne the order which hee hath established For these two points to wit the children of the Church and the schollers of God are so lincked together that those who refuse to be taught of the Church shall neuer be Gods disciples Whosoeuer refuseth to be taught of the Church shal neuer be Gods disciple I grant they must be aptly distinguished euen as Isaiah also doth lest that be attributed to men which only belongs to the power of the holy Ghost And yet they must be so lincked one to the other that we must know that in this worke God will serue his turne by man Moreouer by this verse we are taught that Gods calling works with efficacie in his elect S. Augustine S. Augustine hath prudentlie pondered this place and very fitlie applies it against the Pellagians Pellagians hereâ—iques who extolled mans free will against the free grace of God These Heretiks I grant seemed to attribute somewhat vnto Gods grace but in such sort that they left it to the free will of man either to chuse or refuse which our Papists do at this day The Papists become Pellagians who affirme that euery one may reiect or receiue this grace But all saith S. Augustine shall be taught of God His disciples therefore are taught with efficacie and follow his calling Ioh. 10.27 He also alledgeth that sixth of Iohn by vs cited before whence it manifestly appeares that it proceeds not from any free election that man hath in himselfe to be able to bow his will which way him listeth We are also to note hence what account the Lord makes of his doctrine whereby he fits vs for this building to the end we may be Pearles Saphires and Carbuncles For those that goe about to erect a Church without the preaching of the word shall rather build a Stie for Hogs then a Church for God Those that will build a Church without the preaching of the word shall rather build a Stie for Hogs then a Church for God By this also we may learne what to iudge of that infolded faith wherof the Papists tattle so much for thus they would make men to differ in nothing from brute beasts that so they might play the Merchants with them openly without controle But I trow if we be taught of God it is no reason we should resemble vnreasonable beasts It may be demanded Quest whether the Patriarks Prophets and other of the faithfull vvere taught of God vnder the law or no Ans Certainely they were But our
him that bringeth forth an instrument for his worke and haue created the destroier to destroy THe Lord sheweth how easie it is for him to deliuer his Church from the wicked enterprises of his enemies God knowes how to work well by euill instruments for they can accomplish no more then that which hee permits them to doe yea he vseth them as his instruments to chastise his children withall Now this may as fitly bee referred to the Chaldeans as to the rest of their enemies which afterward molested the chosen people of God If wee receiue the first sense God plainly shewes that in a moment hee can chase them away whom he hath brought together and bring them downe whom hee hath exalted And if we referre it to Antiochus and his like the sense will not be much different to wit that euen those shall not hurt as they would for they shall not so much as remooue their least finger without Gods leaue Obiect But doth not the Prophet seeme to contradict himselfe For in the former verse hee said that the wicked should assaile the church vvithout the Lord and heere hee shewes that they fight as it were vnder his colours and that vnder his conduct and authoritie they waste and destroy the Church I answere Ans we must consider the opposition namely that the Lord had raised vp the Babylonians to scatter the Church for wee are to note the similitude of the deluge mentioned in the ninth verse whereby he signified an vtter destruction so as the Church was then in a maner cleane wasted by the Babylonians whom he vsed for that seruice But he there protests to moderate his indignation so as he will neuer suffer the enemy to abolish his Church againe though for a time he giue the same ouer to be chastised by their hand Indeed that is the enemies drift for they imploy the vtmost of their power and force to bring the Church to confusion and vtter ruine but the Lord represseth their rage in regard they doe it without him vers 15. that is to say VVithout his commandement Some expound that the Smith is created for his worke that is to say to practise his owne death and the destroier to destroy himselfe But I thinke the first sense is more simple where the Lord saith that hee createth the destroier it is not onely referred to their nature as they are borne men but to the act of destroying and yet wee must not lay the blame vpon God as if he were the author of the vniust crueltie which remaines in men for God consents not with their wicked will but disposeth of their indeuors by his secret prouidence and vseth them as the instruments of his wrath But we haue handled this matter in another place Vers 17. But all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise against thee in iudgement thou shalt condemne This is the heritage of the Lords seruants and their righteousnesse is of mee saith the Lord. HE againe repeates that which was noted before namely that the wicked shall lose their labours let them plot as much as they will for their violent determinations are conducted and held short by the secret counsell of God Now he vseth the particle All signifying that the wicked should haue meanes of all sorts and in great number to worke the Churches ouerthrow but all should vanish like smoke because the Lord would represse them God indeede permits them to worke their wils for the triall of the faithfull but after patience hath had her perfect worke in them he strippeth the wicked of all the force and power in which they trusted Now hauing spoken in generall of the vveapons and instruments of warre wherewith the vngodly inuade the Church The tongue a pestilent enemie hee names the tongue expresly which is the most pestilent and deadly weapon of all Iames 3.8 For the wicked content not themselues to rent and teare the seruants of God by outrages and slanders but they also labour as much as in them is to extinguish the truth of God and to alienate mens mindes from the loue of it and this ought more to pierce and wound our hearts then if we were to lose our liues an hundred times Adde also that good men are more deeply wounded with false imputations then with the deepest gash that can be giuen them with a sharpe sword and therefore we must not ouerpasse this mortall and deadly weapon of the tongue Afterwards when hee addes that these tongues rise vp in iudgement it is to shew that the wicked shall be so bold and insolent that they shall maliciously prouoke and molest the children of God yea they shall doe it in iudgement for they couer themselues vnder goodly pretences that they may make the world beleeue their cause is exceeding good As when the Papists call vs dogs heretikes and schismatikes they plead against vs in iudgement as you would say and will be esteemed the defenders of the Catholike faith though they onely be the vpholders of idolatry and lies And yet their accusations are painted ouer with such colours that so they may make vs the more odious among them who are ignorant of our iust cause But admit they assaile vs with open violence by the smitings of the tongue Ier. 18.18 or with any other weapon yet let vs not doubt but we shall be more then conquerours as this prophecie witnesseth for the victorie is heere promised vs. Seeing therefore we may be bold to relie vpon the truth of it let vs buckle our selues to the combat with a stout and inuincible courage This is the heritage Hee shewes that the Lord hath giuen this to his seruants as it were by the right of their inheritāce whereof they shall not be defrauded for as there is no title so sure as that of an inheritance so he also shewes that the seruants of the Lord ought to assure themselues of this priuiledge aboue any thing in the world besides namely of his protection and perpetuall safegard by which he defends and keepes all his from all dangers whatsoeuer Righteousnesse is heere taken for that which we commonly call Their right To conclude his meaning is Leur droit that the Lord will shew himselfe the protector of his Church that he may maintaine their innocency As oft then as men offer vs any violence let vs learne to run straightway to God for in regard we seeke to other helpes it comes to passe that wee are destituted of his defence and protection THE LV. CHAPTER Vers 1. Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money A generall summons THE Prophet here greatly magnifies and extols Gods goodnes which should be spread abroad largely and in greater abundance then was wont vpon the Church vnder the kingdome of Christ vnto whose
he be diligent industrious Destruction not farre off wheÌ„ learned and painefull Pastors are remoued and ignorant idle-bellies placed in their roomes in calling them slow-bellies he shewes there was nought in them worthie the title of Pastors When wee then are depriued of good Pastors and that either sots or cruell wolues succeed them let vs see and acknowledge Gods wrath therein and let vs assure our selues that destruction is not farre off For from thence the Prophet gathers his threatnings and denounceth desolation to the people when their Pastors are dumbe Prou. 29.18 It followes then that Pastors are ordained of God to performe the office of dogges that is to say to vvatch to scare away theeues and robbers and not to suffer them to enter into the sheepfold If dogges then stand so carefully vpon their watch and in such wise regard their Masters profit as to be alwaies watching for his safetie and will neuer cease barking at those who it may be are able to kill them ought not the sleepie and idle Pastors blush to bee ouermatched by a brute beast Vers 11. And these greedie dogges can neuer haue enough and these sheepheards cannot vnderstand for they all looke to their owne way euerie one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose 3. Couetousnesse THe third vice he reproues in these wicked Pastors is their insatiable couetousnesse Though they be idle in gouerning saith he yet they are valiant and hardie enough in supping vp the broth Some extend these words of the Prophet further namely that such rule with crueltie and this vice is expresly reprooued by â—zechiel 34.4 For false Prophets are ordinarily fierce and behaue themselues vnciuilly and barbarously ouer the poore people But hee that shall aduise himselfe well touching these words hee shall see that the Prophet taxeth their vnmeasurable auarice which hee also in the next words paints out at large Euery one lookes to his owne vvay That is to say they are diligent in their affaires Euery one seekes his aduantage In a word his meaning is that there was none but preferred himselfe first as if euery one had bin borne for himselfe onely The word Mikkatsehu is diuersly expounded for some translate To his end that is to say to his affaires but this agrees not with the Prophets meaning Others After the limits of his couetousnesse But the most naturall sense as I thinke is right which phrase of speech is also common among vs. Euery one then being giuen vnto couetousnes they drew and appropriated all things vnto themselues seeking their owne commoditie without regarding the good of others He which is giuen to inordinate lusts can neuer serue God Hence wee gather that he which is giuen to inordinate lusts can neuer serue God and vvhosoeuer he be that busies his braines to heape vp riches vvill neuer apply his mind to build vp the Church of the Lord. I know not a more dangerous blindnesse then couetousnesse A true Pastor therefore ought aboue all other vices to flee that if he will serue God faithfully Doe wee see then that the Prophet complained thus of the wicked Pastors of his time Let vs not bee troubled if the like befall vs now Vse neither let vs thinke it any new thing if wee see so few to imploy themselues in good earnest in the worke of the Lord. Vers 12. Come I will bring wine and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant HAuing reproued the couetousnesse and idlenesse of the Pastors now hee sets forth their malice and desperate obstinacie 4. Desperaâ—â— obstinacie for hee brings them in speaking and describes their wicked talke whereby we may discerne they could not be reduced into the right way neither by any admonitions nor threatnings but audaciously contemned whatsoeuer was said vnto theÌ„ In Chap. 22.13 28.15 the Prophet hath recited the flouts of scorners who inuited one another to play the epicures and drunkards whilest by the seruants of God they were exhorted to fast in sackcloth and ashes Let vs eate and drinke say they for too morrow we shall die as if they should haue said What meane these Prophets to importune vs so much Wee shall looke but with leane cheekes if wee follow their counsell These and the like blasphemies they were not afraid to vtter as we haue seene in Chap. 22. and 28. And Isaiah repeates the same complaint heere to wit that the Pastors hardened their hearts and obstinately contemned the iudgements of God Now hee reproues them not for drinking vvine and strong drinke which in it selfe is no vnlawfull thing but he taxeth their braine-sicknesse and brutishnesse which makes men proudly and presumptuously to despise the word of the Lord. The abuse of wine is condemned in other places Chap. 5. But the Prophet in this place inueighs against this frantike malapartnesse whereby they loftily combined themselues against God and trampled vnder feete all threatnings admonitions reprehensions and in a word all religion And yet no doubt but hee taxeth this horrible and hatefull vice in that they ouercharged themselues with wine and meates when they had no neede that neither shame feare nor reuerence of God or man might disquiet their meriments For it is the custome of the wicked to glut themselues with all the belly-cheere they can deuise that so they may with the greater boldnesse and intemperancie plunge themselues in their filthinesse But is it not an horrible and fearefull example to see such a contempt of God not in strangers not among the common people but in the heads and gouernours who by their godly conuersation in this holy and sacred order which was the figure of Christ should haue bin guides vnto others For the Kings and Priests bare in them his image and were types of him Wee may easily iudge how insupportable this pride is whereby men thus furiously oppose themselues against Gods word For when we come once to reiect this soueraigne and last medicine our case is desperate we are past cure because we will not suffer the Lord to bring vs againe into the right way For this cause in Chap. 22.14 the Lord vowes that this iniquitie shall neuer be pardoned Thus then the Prophet notes out an extreame impietie and let vs obserue his words diligently To morrow shall be as this day that is to say Haue we bin merry to day wee will be yet more merry to morrow let vs not pine our selues away before the time He amplifies their fault because in deriding Gods patience and long suffering they promised to themselues impunitie as if God slept or sate idle in heauen as oft as hee deferres his iudgements Men at this day indeuor to benumme and bewitch their owne consciences with such diabolicall prouerbs as these mentioned in this text Diuellish prouerbâ— that they may the more freely wallow themselues in all sorts of voluptuousnesse and take libertie to commit wicked
that nothing pleaseth him nor is approued of him but that which accords with his word Vers 7. Thou hast made thy bed vpon euery high mountaine thou wentest vp thither euen thither wentest thou to offer a sacrifice HEe repeates the same similitude againe which we haue touched before A repetition of the former similitude vers 4. For the superstitious sort commit whordome with their Idols in regard that hauing forsaken the puritie of the word they breake that holy mariage knot which God had contracted with them and sell themselues ouer vnto Satan But Isaiah meant heere to expresse somewhat more for in telling them that they had made their bed in an high place it is as much as if he had said They were become shamelesse for they cared not vvho saw their villanie no more then an impudent harlot shunnes the presence of men but is carelesse of her reputation so these committed whordome in the sight of the Sunne and being past shame ascended vp to euery high and imminent place to doe it in Hee compares Chapels and Altars to beds vpon which this cursed filthinesse is committed and men which sacrifice there to bold and brazen faced strumpets In the end of the verse he shewes without any figure what this harlotry is which he condemnes namely that they sacrificed to Idols I grant they thought in so doing to serue God but hee reiects whatsoeuer it is that men forge according to their owne lusts and detests such a lasciuious course Vers 8. Behind the doores also and postes hast thou set vp thy remembrance for thou hast discouered thy selfe to another then mee and wentest vp and diddest inlarge thy bed and make a couenant betweene thee and them and louedst their bed in euery place where thou sawest it An amplificâ—â—ion of the faulâ— HE amplifies the crime whereof hee spake before that the people should not flatter themselues in their inuentions Now it is verie likely that Isaiah alludes to Moses words wherein the Lord commanded that they should alwaies haue the Law before them that they should fixe it vpon the doore postes of the house and write it in roles to wrap it about their armes and about the fringes of their garments that they might be continually admonished of their duties Deut. 6.9 and 11.20 Numb 15.38.39.40 But contrariwise the Iews ceased not to pollute the doores and the postes of their houses with markes and signes of idolatry and left no corner nor nooke free from such defilings Thus God and his Law were reiected in all places and in stead thereof they had set vp prouocations and inticements vnto whoredome Thou hast inlarged thy bed Yet once more he repeates that which he had said before and comes to this clause againe to wit that the Iewes committed grosse adulterie with their Idols and yet thought they serued Gods but this came to passe because they neglected to follow the rules of the word Simile For it is all one as if a woman hauing forsaken her husband should goe and prostitute her selfe to the stewes and make her selfe common indifferently to all commers as if the bed were now become an open field which might containe a great troope of men For this cause he saith that she discouered herselfe vvithout him because hauing shaken off the shamefastnesse of mariage she suffered others to abuse her For God holds the place of an husband to which shee ought to haue been subiect but shee sought out new companions and brake the faith of marriage He amplifies this crime in regard the Iewes did voluntarilie present themselues before the idols as if a disloyall wife should runne after another man to haue his companie Moreouer vnder another figure he taxeth their inordinate lust in respect that one onelie glance of the eie serued the turne to carry them suddenly and dotingly away into euerie place Therewithall also he conuinceth men of rashnes who thinke themselues very sharp witted in things belonging to Gods seruice and make choice of their places where themselues list But this is a diuellish wit for the Lord will haue our eies fixed in such wise vpon him and his word that they rest closed and shut vp against all other things Vers 9. Thou wentest to the Kings with oile and diddest increase thine ointments and send thy messengers farre off and diddest humble thy selfe vnto hell HEre the Prophet reprooues another vice almost like the former It is iust that such as will not rest contented with God should wander vp and downe restleslie without reliefe for impietie begets many errors and forceth light heads that are void of Gods feare into very sore and perplexed molestations And is it not good reason that such as will not rest in God should bee restlesse or rather tossed vp and downe with whirlewinds He reprocheth the Iewes then that they vexed themselues so much and so long a time in hunting after the helpe of strangers namelie when they endeuoured to oppose the aide of the Egyptians against the Assyrians and then being defrauded of their hopes they began to trot to the Chaldeans See 2. Sam. 28.5.6.7 For when men haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie then they seeke helpe in others and not onelie wearie themselues but are a great cost and trauell to atchieue the same And whilest the Lord giues quiet sleepe to his beloued ones that they may quietly finish that they haue to doe the wicked vexe themselues for nothing They rise early and goe late to bed and eate the bread of carefulnesse as it is in Psalm 127.2 And yet in the meane while they cannot enrich themselues the value of a naile because they do nothing vnder Gods authoritie or gouerment Now the Lord punisheth them thus to the end they may wander vp and downe as men at their wits end being euer in doubt and perplexitie without euer enioying the benefit of a quiet and contented mind Vers 10. Thou weariest thy selfe in thy manifold iournies yet saidst thou not There is no hope thou hast found life by thine hand therefore thou wast not grieued HIs meaning is Men labouâ— in vaine when they follow not God that men labour in vaine when they follow not God For they vex themselues without profit as wee haue said before because whatsoeuer it be that is taken in hand contrarie to the will of God can neuer haue good successe And here hee doth wittily deride the peruerse endeuors of such as in taking much paines had rather vvaste and consume the strength of bodie and mind then vvith quietnesse to goe whither the Lord called them It is labour lost That is to say Albeit thou seest thy iournies serue thee to no purpose yet doest thou obstinately go on in pursuing thy enterprises And yet very Idiots are wont to repent when their counsels prosper not well Such then must be called peruerse and desperate Who they be that deserue to be called peruerse and obstinate who hauing experience of
and a safe abode in their Country for we know that Iudeah was situated on high aboue the regions round about and that Babylon was seated lower so as the people was hid there as within a caue And yet hee shewes more plainly what he meant by this word to mount for hee promiseth to them the possession of that heritage which was promised and giuen to the Fathers which they also should then inioy after that for a time they had been depriued of it He addes for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it that they might know for certaine that all these things should take effect But this must not only be vnderstood touching these promises but must also be referred to the former part of this Chapter For therein hee hath sharply censured the hypocrites who thought to haue made their party good against God shewing also that they were notwithstanding their plea iustly punished for their iniquities yea that it was in vaine for them to quarrell with God by opposing their vaine and vnprofitable workes to his iustice And therefore hee brings them backe to the true obseruation of the Sabbath day and shewes that all shall goe well with them if they worship the Lord purely and in the end concludes that in all these things they had not to doe vvith a mortall man but vvith the eternall God vvho is the Iudge that testifies these things THE LIX CHAPTER Vers 1. Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare 2. But your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare The Prophet maintaines Gods equall dealing against the slanders of the wicked THis Sermon is in a manner like to the former For after hee hath vnmasked the hypocrites who falsly vaunted theÌ„selues and shewed that their punishmeÌ„t is iust now hee answeres to the rest of their obiections The custome of such kind of persons is to accuse God either of impotencie or of ouer great seueritie and therefore he shewes that neither power nor vvill is wanting in God to saue those that be his but that it is their owne peruersitie that hinders him from causing them to feele his liberalitie and consequently that they did wickedly to complaine of him in vttering such slanders against him seeing that themselues rather deserued to be accused The word Behold hath great weight in it for it is as much as if the Prophet in speaking of a thing present should haue pointed it out with his finger for the greater certentie that so he might at once cut off all the cauils and replies of hypocrites Now we must supply oppositions in the words shortened and heauie as if he should say The hand of the Lord vvas once strong enough to saue his children and once his eares vvere open to heare their praiers and now hee is no changeling as if his hand were maimed or as if his eares were heauie that he should not be quicked enough of hearing The sum is that men are not to charge God with mutabilitie as if he had altered his nature but that the whole blame rested in themselues in regard that by their sinnes they had as it were shut vp the passage against his bountie and would not admit of his succour So that if themselues had not laid impediments in the way hee would haue caused them to haue felt his power and mercy as well as their fathers in times past had done And thus he drawes his argument from the perpetuall and equall constancie of God whose grace they reieced by their sins and would none of his helpe Doctrine Hence we gather that it is our sinnes only that depriues vs of Gods fauour and sets him and vs at oddes For that which the Prophet said of his time agrees to all ages for hee maintaines Gods cause against the slanders of the wicked God therefore is alwaies like himselfe and is neuer wearie of well doing his power is not lessened but it is wee our selues that shut vp the gate against his grace Obiect But some will obiect that God cannot bee preuented by mens deserts and therefore it must needes be that hee doe good to the vnworthy Obiect Ans I confesse this is true but yet I say that mens peruersitie sometimes ouerflowes so farre that it stops vp all passage against Gods benefits no lesse then if of set purpose we meant to driue him farre away from vs. And albeit hee neuer heares any but with pardon it being also our duties alwaies to bring with vs into his presence requests touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes yet hee neuer heares the prayers of the wicked We are not to wonder then if the Prophet accuseth the people for hauing reiected Gods benefits by their wickednesses and for making him vnappeaseable by their obstinacie To be short for making a diuorce by which they repulsed and turned backe the ordinary course of Gods graces Vers 3. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquitie your lippes haue spoken lies and your tongue hath murmured iniquitie He descends from the generall to particulars NOw he brings their workes to light to stop their contendings and that they should not call into question what these sins were which had made this diuision He takes away from theÌ„ all excuse then in discouering vnto them these particular vices as if their wicked life had been blazed in an open theater Now he speakes in the second person in regard that he maintaines and prosecutes the cause of God whose aduocate he is and therefore he separates himselfe out of the wickeds societie to whom now he will not ioyne himselfe although hee were not vtterly exempt from sinne But hee feared and honoured God notwithstanding and therfore had his conscience cleare He is vnfit to controle otheâ—s that is gâ—iltie himselfe of the same crimes For he which shal be tainted with the same offences cannot freelie condemne others neither shall he be fit to debate the matter because he bereaues himselfe of his authoritie by his scandalous and wicked life For we ought not to be culpable of the vices which wee reprooue in others vnlesse we meane to make the doctrine which we teach a matter of scorne and derision and our selues to bee taken for bold and impudent fellowes But on the other side when we serue our God in a pure and good conscience then hath the doctrine which we deliuer maiestie and power in it and leaues the aduersarie the more without excuse Now it is not to be held as a matter superfluous that he laies forth the vngracious life of this people thus by peece meale For men are wont to seeke out many starting holes neither can they be brought into any good order vnlesse they bee first brought to acknowledge their offences In mentioning of blood his meaning is not that they committed open murthers but thereby
any had rather restraine this discontent and displeasure of God to his iudgement in regard that hee iustly condemned and abhorred this wicked people I gainsay him not As if hee should haue said God saw nothing in this people but matter of hatred whence it followes that he had no other motiue to send them reliefe but onely because hee saw that things were brought to vtter ruine Vers 16. And when hee saw that there was no man hee wondered that none would offer himselfe Therefore his arme did saue it and his righteousnesse it selfe did sustaine it THe Prophet prosecutes the same argument still The same argument prosecuted but hee laies that out more at large now which he briefly touched before For that which hee said in the former verse might peraduenture seeme obscure namely that it displeased the Lord because there vvas no iudgement In this place then hee repeates that the Lord saw there was no man that would succour the Church and he wondered at it He vseth a verbe which signifies that the Lord tooke vp an occasion of wondeâ—ment As if he should say He stood as one amazed Some translate the word Maphgia Intercessor but I thinke the sense is that no man presented himselfe to set the things in order that were confused there vvas no Physition that vvould put to his hand to prescribe a remedie for this sickenesse and therefore the Lord vvondered But it is easie to iudge why he attributes this astonishment vnto God for by this reproch he meant to shame the Iewes that so according to their custome they might not seeke out pretences to couer their sinnes withall Now in regard it was a thing incredible or rather monstrous that amongst the holy and elect people there was not a man to be found that would oppose himselfe against iniustice he brings in God as one astonied at so rare a matter that by meanes hereof they might be brought at last to wonder and blush at their owne hypocrisie For might they not worthily be taxed of detestable obstinacie if they would not blush at that which dâ—aue the Lord into this admiration and that by reason of their stubbornnes And therewithal he taxeth their hypocrisie in that they made shew of hauing pietie and holines in great estimation and yet when God came to make a diligent search there was not a iust man to be found amongst them Moreouer by this text he magnifies and extols the greatnes of Gods mercie in that he vouchsafes to pull out a people as out of the bottome of hell that were in such a pitifull plight For no doubt but the Iewes by these words were admonished by what means they were to expect their deliuerance namely euen because the Lord was willing by a miracle to saue this forelorne people Now this word to vvonder sets forth Gods fatherly care Sure it is that there are no such affections in God namely God is not subiect to humane passions that he should be astonied at new and vnwonted accidents as if they were strange to him But herein he rather applies himselfe to our capacities that being touched to the quick with the sense of our miseries we might be brought to abhorre our wofull condition When he saith then that the Lord saw it is to signifie that there is no reliefe to bee found in our industries and when he vvonders it telles vs that we are more then blockkish and senselesse in regard that we neither knovv nor regard the miseries we are in And yet that our carelesnes hinders not the Lord from working saluation of his Church So his arme brought saluation In these words he shewes that we are not to despaire albeit the helpe of man doe faile vs. We must not despaire though mans helpe faile vs. Nay all aides whatsoeuer being abolished the Prophet attributes the beginning and end of his nations saluation yea of all mankind to the free goodnesse and onely power of God Euen as then in affirming that God is powerfull enough yea almightie to deliuer the Iewes he therefore reacheth out his hand to the weake so in telling vs that we cannot so much as stir a finger towards the procuring of our owne saluation he thereby casteth to the ground all high imaginations that so being stripped of all confidence in our workes we might the more freely draw neere vnto God We must not onely marke what the Prophets say bâ—t also obserue their scope and drift This is the Prophets meaning and I would haue it well obserued For in reading the bookes of the Apostles and Prophets we must not onelie marke what they say but why and wherefore they haue said this or that In this place then we are principallie to consider whereat the Prophet aimes namely to signifie that God is of sufficient power in himselfe to accomplish the worke of our saluation that our eies might be kept from wandring here and there because our minds are too much tied to outward meanes What then but that wee repose the whole hope of our saluation in the arme of the Lord and the true restauration of the Church in his righteousnesse Bee it therefore knowne that such erre grosely who place it in any thing else seeing God borrowes nothing out of himselfe The vse of this doctrine The vse and profit of this 〈…〉 extends it selfe euen vnto vs. For albeit all helpes do sometimes faile vs yet will the Lord find sufficient succour for vs in his arme and power As oft then as outward meanes doe faile vs and that wee bee ouerwhelmed with all sorts of miseries perceiuing nothing but present death before our eies Note let vs haue our refuge to this doctrine and let vs bee well assured that God is strong enough to protect vs and seeing he stands not in need of any mans helpe let vs learne to rest our selues boldly vpon his assistance But yet we must herewithall retaine the generall doctrine To wit that the deliuerance of the Church is a worke and benefit which onely belongs to the wonderfull power of God The Churches deliuerance a benefit proceeding from Gods wonderfull power that so wee may neuer attribute any thing either to the strength or industrie of man We ought also to abhorre their pride who wrest and wring part of this praise vnto themselues which whollie belongs vnto God seeing in him alone consists the cause and effect of our saluation Arme here signifies his power and might Righteousnesse that equitie which he vseth in procuring the saluation of his chosen when he becomes their protector and deliuers them from death Whereas he saith that his owne arme obtained saluation it must not be referred vnto God neither must we reade it as if God had saued himselfe but it is to bee referred to the saluation of the Church which hee deliuered out of the hands of her enemies Vers 17. For he put on righteousnes as an habergeon and an helmet of saluation on his head
know the reason of thy deliuerance it hath proceeded from my meere good will not for thy merits or a iumbling together of secondarie causes Calamities then fall not out by chance Neither is the Lord angrie without cause Neither yet is he euer so angrie but he leaues way for his mercie Vers 11. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring vnto thee the riches of the Gentiles and * Or and their Kings led that their kings may be brought THis verse is ill expounded of the most Interpreters For they thinke the Prophet meant to say that the Church shall be in safetie vnder the fidelitie and protection of God Why so Because open doores shew that danger is fare off But me thinkes the Prophet expounds himselfe namely that the gates shall be open that riches may be brought into the citie from all parts And in as much as they are wont to beare their burthens by day the day saith he shall not suffice in regard of the continuall resort of such as shall bring precious treasures thither Wherefore carriages shall not cease in so much that the gates must be kept open day and night Where he saith that the Church shal haue the riches of the Gentiles What is meant by the riches of the Gentiles it is not to be referred to temporall commodities but to the obedience which all the world shall yeeld vnto God in his Church to which he giues that which is offered vnto him in regard he hath nothing which is not hers And their kings led I had rather retaine the participle which the Prophet vseth then to follow them who change it into a verbe for they ouerthrow his meaning in regard that he expressely addeth this because the pride of kings is such Kings naturally vnwilling to submit their neckes to Gods yoke that they will not willingly suffer themselues to bee led Nay on the contrarie standing too much vpon their owne power they wax intemperate and in stead of being led whither they ought they carrie away with them al others as with a violent flood He shewes then that notwithstanding their naturall and vntamed rebellion they shall submit themselues to God and his Church Vers 12. For the nation and the kingdome that will not serue thee shall perish and those nations shall bee vtterly destroyed A confirmation of the former doctrine THe Prophet stands much vpon the confirmation of the hearts of Gods children to assure them that they should behold the restauration of the Church one day as hee hath now described it out vnto them These thinge were altogether incredible and howsoeuer we our selues are sufficiently confirmed by the euents of these things which are manifested in all mens sight yet if wee were not gouerned by the spirit of Christ hardly should wee conceiue them in our mindes He shewes then that there is no cause at all wherefore the Iewes should doubt of the restauration of the Temple because the Gentiles should come to aide them with all their power But Isaiah regarded something more high in this place then the building of the visible Temple For his meaning is to speake of that obedience which Kings Nobles and the commons should yeelde vnto the Church when they should aduance as much as in them lay the puritie of doctrine Yea hee passeth yet further in pronouncing that the kingdomes and nations which vvill not serue the Church shall perish If such as helpe not the Church are condemned with this fearefull and terrible sentence If such as serue not the Church shall perish how shall they eâ—câ—pe that persecute her what shall we say of those tyrants who set themselues furiously against her and labour with might and maine to worke her ouerthrow If the slothfull and carelesse shall not escape vnpunished ought not the wicked to wait for some horrible vengeance seeing they striue to hinder and ouerthrow the worke of the Lord He repeates that now in the plurall number which he said before in the singular to shew that if the whole world were guiltie yet they should wholly perish For the multitude cannot free those from perishing And those nations c. that estrange themselues from God neither shall the wicked be excused if they hinder one another from comming to saluation or if they incourage one another to commit iniquitie Now it is said as we haue seene before that Kings and nations serue the Church not in regard that shee exerciseth any dominion of her selfe but because God hath giuen and committed the scepter of his word by which hee rules vnto her custodie Vers 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come vnto thee the firre tree the elme and the box tree together to beautifie the place of my sanctuarie for I will glorifie the place of my feete ISaiah vseth yet another similitude which hee brought in when hee compared the Church to a building or Citie For he recites such things as are necessarie to build withall to wit the firre tree the pine tree and the box tree all which grew in Lebanon a forrest that abounded with goodly and excellent trees His meaning is then that whatsoeuer was faire and exquisite in this forrest should be brought vnto the Church But we must refer the truth of these figures to Gods spirituall worship for he adornes his Church with the title of the sanctuarie because himselfe dwels in the midst thereof notwithstanding hee hath alwaies respect to the Temple and to the customes of those times He sets before vs then a paterne of the Temple that stood in Ierusalem that vnder the image thereof we might consider of the spirituall Temple whereof wee are the matter and the liuing stones Eph. 2.21 1. Pet. 2.5 By the place of his feete he signifies that hee so dwelles in the Temple that yet his Maiestie is not inclosed therein for he is not contained within so narrow limits There is nothing but his feete then that is to say his lowest and meanest part thereby teaching vs to aspire vp vnto heauen and not to rest fixed in these externall signes which instruct vs according to our slender capacitie According to which it is said in Psal 99.5 Worship the footstoole of his feete for he is holy Also We will enter into his Tabernacle and worship before his footstoole Psal 132.7 Not that Gods essence is diuided into pieces Gods essence not parted into pieces part in heauen and part in earth but in regard that by such helpes hee raiseth vp his seruant as it were from his feete to his head Vers 14. The sonnes also of them that afflicted thee shall come and bow vnto thee and all they that despised thee shall fall downe at the soles of thy feete and they shall call thee The Citie of the Lord Zion of the holy one of Israel HE prosecutes the same argument still For he shewes how wonderfull this worke of redemption
oile of gladnesse vers 3. Now this change of their sorrow into ioy is heere againe promised Some interpret double to bee in regard that those whom God hath redeemed should be happie before him and before men But I know not whether this exposition be solid enough or no. I had rather take it more simply then as if the Prophet should haue said The prosperitie of the Church shall be so great that it shall much exceede all the calamities and aduersities wherewith it is now oppressed If she be now then discontented with her estate shee must cast her eies towards this day in which shee shall be most happy And so Saint Paul opposeth a vveight of glory to the momentany afflictions which are suddenly gone 2. Cor. 4.17 The wicked scorne vs without measure for they seeme lustie and strong they abuse their prosperitie and tread vnder their feete the poore children of God but the Lord promiseth in short space to cause the faithfull being deliuered from vnder their tyrannie to reioice in their portion This began to be accomplished when the people returned out of captiuitie but in Christ we haue a more full testimonie of it which daily manifests it selfe and at his last comming shall be finished who will perfectly renue all things and the wicked shall be consumed to the end the possession of the world may be ours To this appertaines that which hee saith by way of yeelding or granting namely that the land is now indeede theirs For then they vaunted themselues as being Lords of the whole world but in the end they should feele that it is the proper and particular possession of Gods children Euerlasting ioy may be referred to the externall estate of the Church because God daily furnisheth them with ample matter of thanksgiuing but in regard they are constrained to swallow many anguishes and are inuironed about with all kindes of incumbrances this prophecie is not accomplished vntill the ioy of the Spirit hath gotten strength in vs and obtained the full victorie in our hearts nor till wee feele that sweete peace which passeth all vnderstanding to raigne there as saith Saint Paul in Phil. 4.7 Col. 3.15 which peace onely the Saints of God inioy when they feele liuely testimonies within them of their adoption Hee calles it perpetuall to shew how farre it differs from the ioy of the wicked 〈◊〉 â—rence 〈…〉 â—ene 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 and tâ—â—â—cked which is but of short continuance and suddenly vanisheth away yea and is conuerted into gnashing of teeth Vers 8. For I the Lord loue iudgement and hate robberie for burnt offering and I will direct their worke in truth and will make an euerlasting couenant with them Aâ— hoâ—taâ—â—â—â—â—led to 〈◊〉 â—â—â—er 〈◊〉 â—â—natioÌ„ THe Prophet not onely confirmes that which he hath promised in the name of God but also exhorts the Iewes to repentance and shewes them from whence they were to looke for saluation and with what a terrible Iudge they had to deale For he reasons from the nature of God and thence shewes after what manner they were to frame their liues that so they might not reiect this grace of God now offered them by their owne rebellion Vnder the word iudgement he comprehends all iustice and equall dealing For hee opposeth this word to those idle inuentions whereby the Iewes thought to satisfie God withall which yet were but cloakes for their wickednes But as we haue often seene heeretofore the Lord cares for none of these maskes and vaine pretences but onely requires the true puritie of the heart and hands purged from all iniquities He then that will be approued of God with all that he performes in his seruice must needs haue a pure heart and leade a blamelesse life Hating robberie for burnt offerings Whose seruice it is that God approues of Vnder a part he comprehends all the fained seruices of God And by burnt offering is vnderstood all sacrifices There is nothing then more hatefull then that men should sacrifice their robberies and cosenages vnto God or when they mingle their lies hypocrisies and filthinesses of heart therewith or in defrauding God maliciously of his right doe corrupt his pure worship But this is a vice not onely practised of that age but in all times For euery one will seeme to serue God and the wicked themselues will be ashamed to be without the appearance of deuotion in regard the sense and feeling of the diuine nature is so ingrauen in the hearts of all men that it cannot be raced out But in the meane while the most part of men doe but trifle dallie with God and labor to satisfie him with pretie gawdies and toies Isaiah therefore condemnes and detests such an hypocrisie and teacheth that the Lord rather requires mercy of vs then sacrifices Hos 6.7 Mat. 9.13 and 12.7 For wee cannot serue God vnlesse vve obserue the duties of the second table namely in abstaining from all violence and fraudulent dealing for he who either deceiues or offers violence to his neighbours doth also therewithall offer violence vnto God himselfe To bee short the Prophets meaning is to teach vs the true meanes to attaine repentance The meanes to attaine true repentance first if in casting off all hypocrisie and in reiecting all inuentions of men the seruants of God doe giue themselues to the duties of brotherly loue I vvill establish their vvork Some expound The reward of their work But I rather thinke heereby are vnderstood all the enterprises of this life vnto which the Lord promiseth an happie successe That which men purpose in themselues to doe comes not to a good end Why mens affaires hauâ— commonly ill successe either in regard they neglect to aske counsell of God or because they doe not things vnder his conduct and leading And therefore they worthily beare the punishment of their boldnesse for they either trust in their own counsels or depend vpon chances Now in any of all thesc things there is not so much as a dramme of truth but onely a deceiueable shadow of it On the other side it is no maruell if all things prosper well in their hands that are gouerned and directed by the holie Ghost and doe whollie cast both themselues and their affaires vpon the prouidence of the almightie for all prosperitie doth absolutelie flow from his onely blessing Moreouer by the word truth is vnderstood an equall course for the vnbeleeuers are sometimes puffed vp with a worldly ioy but it foorthwith vanishes into smoke In the end of the verse hee shewes the cause of this stabilitie namely God doth not only guide them with his hand for once and so away but directs them in their way continually Loe here the solid stay and vpholding of our perseuerance to wit in that he vouchsafeth to make an euerlastâ—ng couenant with vs wherein he binds himselfe voluntarily and freelie bestowes all things vpon vs albeit in truth he owes vs nothing at all Vers 9. And
the fire made the vvaters to boile in regard that contrarie to their wont fires and lightnings were mingled with violent raines and tempests As if hee should haue said This fire kindled by the Lord was so fierce that it melted all things were they neuer so hard and drunke vp euen the very vvaters To this appertaines that which is added touching the melting of the mountaines before his face For hee opened a way for his redeemed euen thorow the greatest incumbrances that they met withall Hee saith also that the Israelites saw things which they neuer looked for in regard that albeit God had aduertised them and had acquainted them with many experiments of his power yet this terrible spectacle whereof he speakes greatly surmounted their capacities and vnderstandings yea and all the reason of man Vers 4. For since the beginning of the world they haue not heard nor vnderstand with the eare neither hath the eie seene another God besides thee which doth so to him that waiteth for him THis verse confirmes that which wee haue said before namelie that the faithfull desire nothing here which is strange and vnheard of but only that God would but shew himselfe such a one towards them as in times past he had done to their fathers and that hee would continue foorth his liberalitie And withall seeing it hath been his custome to succor his people and to giue them some assured testimonies of his presence that he would not now discontinue the same for the time to come that so his almightie power might still shine more and more For you must note that he so brings in the people praying vnto God that therewithall they should confirme their hope from the remembrance of the time past and with the more boldnesse might haue their recourse to the throne of grace The eie hath not seene Doubtlesse the Prophets meaning is to magnifie Gods goodnesse by mentioning these so many benefits which God in former times had bestowed vpon his people This manner of commendation also is very high and excellent when being rauished with admiration in regard thereof he cries out that there is no God but he Likewise that the things which God hath done for his peoples sake were neuer heard of before But this may be read two waies for the word God may be taken in the accusatiue or in the vocatiue O Lord none but thou hast seene the things which thou hast done to those that wait for thee But the other reading is more receiued namely They haue neuer heard nor seene such a God In this last reading the particle of similitude must be supplied for without that the sentence would bee imperfect No eare then hath heard neither hath the eie seene such a God as doth such things And thus God is here separated from idols from which the superstitious sort thinke they obtaine all blessings but they are onely the deuices of mans braine which can neither doe good nor hurt Contrariwise God deales foorth his benefits of all sorts liberallie to those that serue him It seemes S. Paul expounds this place otherwise Obiect 1. Cor. 2.9 and applies it to another sense Yea he cites it in other termes because hee followed the Greeke translation The Apostles made no scruple touching this point Ans in regard they rather respected the sentences then the words and thought it sufficient only to point out this place of Scripture vnto the reader whither they might resort to be satisfied touching the things which they taught But where S. Paul seemes to haue added of his owne Neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them which loue him this he did that his speech might be the better vnderstood For nothing is added which agrees not very well with the Prophets doctrine And that wee may the better perceiue this agreement wee must consider his drift In that place hee disputes about the doctrine of the Gospell which hee shewes doth farre surpasse all the reach of mans wit Why so Because it containes such a knowledge as is contrarie and wonderfullie farre remote from the wisdome of the flesh In a word that it is an hidden wisdome For which cause S. S. Pauls drift in alleaging this text 1. Cor. 2.9 Paul worthilie breakes foorth into this admiration in weighing and pondering of the same And our Prophet calling to mind these rare and famous works of God Obiect Ans as one astonished cries out that there was neuer such a thing heard of So concerning this grace which surmounts all the rest namely when Christ is offered vs in the Gospell we may breake foorth after the same manner and say O Lord the mercie which thou shevvest vnto thy people farre surmounts all our reason Neither eie eare hart nor spirit can attaine to such an height S. Paul then you see applies this place fitlie to his disputation neither doth he corrupt the Prophets sentence when he exalts aboue all things in the world that excellent and peculiar grace which God hath bestowed vpon his Church There yet remaines another difficultie namely that the Apostle transferres that to spirituall benefits which is here said of temporall But we may affirme that Isaiah simplie respected the cause from whence these benefits of God issued though hee therewithall had an eie to the estate of this life present For all the good things which God hath giuen vs here below for the sustaining and cherishing of our naturall life are so many testimonies vnto vs of that fatherly loue which he beares vs. The propertie of faith And it is also the propertie of faith to ascend by visible benefits to inuisible graces Thus then howsoeuer the Prophet seemes to meddle onely in matters touching their bodily deliuerance and other things appertaining to this life present yet aimes he therein at an higher marke and especially respects those benefits which in particular manner belonged to the people of God The inioying of temporall benefits should carrie vp our minds to the meditation of those that are eternall For what a sottishnesse were it if whilest we inioy benefits temporall wee should not by them mount vp to the welspring from which they flow namely from Gods meere loue and mercie Both good and bad doe indifferently inioy these common good things but that particular fauour wherewith he entertaines vs appertaines to none but to his houshold seruants Hence it is that wee not onely consider that which appeares to our outward senses but wee forthwith ascend vp to the very cause Vnto which point though neither eye nor eare can reach that is to comprehend therein the grace of adoption by which the Lord protests that hee will be our Father yet hee reueales this vnto vs by the witnes of his holy Spirit It is also very likely that the Prophet hauing spoken of a particular benefit of God takes occasion thereby to arise vnto a generall consideration For when the matter concernes the meditation
because the Prophet speaking of the filthinesse of sinnes comprehends all the Iewes without exception though there were among them many of the true seruants of God But they haue no reason so to doe for he speakes not here of euery one in particular but of the whole bodie in generall which hee compares to filthie cloutes in regard it was trampled vnder feete and extreamelie afflicted Some haue been wont to alleage this place to proue that it is so farre off from meriting any thing by our workes that euen our works themselues are infected and lothsome before God But this seemes as I thinke to be farre from the Prophets intention seeing he speakes not here of all mankind in generall but describes their complaints who being led captiues felt Gods wrath heauie vpon them For which cause they confessed that both themselues and their righteousnesses were like filthie cloutes First of all then he exhorts them to confesse their sinne and to acknowledge their offence secondlie to aske pardon And that the meanes how to obtaine the same is first to acknowledge our miserable and wofull condition and therewithall to confesse that wee therein receiue the iust recompence of our offences Wee all fade This is a very apt comparison which shewes that men wither and wanze away as soone as they feele Gods wrath Which point is notablie described in Psalm 90.5 and 103.15 and in chap. 40.6 We are rightly compared to leaues then because our iniquities are the winds which carrie vs away Vers 7. And there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy selfe from vs and hast consumed vs because of our sinnes THe Prophet confirmes that which was said before A confirmation of the former sentence For hee admonisheth the faithfull to acknowledge that they are worthie of such a reuenging hand of God how sharpe and seuere soeuer it seemed Now he mentions some capitall sinnes And because it had bin too long to haue stood deciphering them out one by one he strikes at the roote it selfe and saith that Gods seruice vvas contemned Vnder the word Jnuocation hee comprehends the whole seruice of God according to the vsuall phrase of the Scriptures For the principall part thereof is that wee call vpon God thereby testifying that our whole trust is in him It is very certaine that prayers and vowes were alwaies in vse among the Iewes but because they wanted the affection of the hart and that it was farre remote from God therefore he esteemed none of these fained deuotions Which hee yet better explaines in the particle following where it is said that none stirred vp himselfe to seeke God But all of them vanished away and fell to nothing through their owne slothfulnesse First hee shewes that the thing we ought chieflie to desire is that we may be fully conioyned with God For when we are estranged from him it must needes follow of necessitie that all things should turne to our destruction and woe Now by nature wee are exceeding idle and slothfull for which cause we haue need to be quickned vp with the spurre Seeing then that we take pleasure in our carelesnesse it stands vs in hand to hearken aduisedly to the Prophets counsell lest wee become vtterly senselesse Otherwise it will come to passe in the ende that the Lord for his part will disdaine and reiect vs. For the Prophet describes the miserable estate of this people who had no desire at all to take hold vpon God neither was there any meanes left to awaken them vp to a sincere desire of godlinesse And hast consumed vs. They complaine againe that they were ouerwhelmed with the weight of their miseries without being any thing at all relieued or cased by God For Jsaiah propounds these things in the name of the vvhole people and intreates the Lord not to suffer them to languish any longer vnder so great calamities Vers 8. But now O Lord thou art our father we are the clay * Or thou art c. and thou art our * Or former potter and we all are the worke of thine hands After the laying foorth of their miseries they crie for pardon in this and in the verse following AFter they haue bewailed their miseries with which they were almost ouerwhelmed now in plainer termes they desire the Lord to pardon and ease them of their smart and withall doe more boldly professe themselues now to bee his children notwithstanding For it was adoption onely that could raise vp their hearts vnto a liuely hope so as notwithstanding the burthen of afflictions wherewith they were pressed downe yet they ceased not for all that to rest vpon God as vpon a father This order ought to be well obserued for to attaine to a sound and sincere humilitie of heart it is needfull that wee be deiected and laid on all foure as they say But if despaire ensue let vs hasten to this consolation for seeing God hath vouchsafed to elect vs for his children it is our parts to hope that he will saue vs euen then when things shall seeme most desperate and confused Thus then in regard of the free couenant the Israelites protest they are Gods children that they might feele his fatherly good will towards them in such wise that his promises might not be in vaine By way of comparison they amplifie and set forth Gods grace in confessing that they were formed of the clay for they seeke for no excellent matter in themselues only in their originall they extoll Gods mercie who of mire and clay hath bin pleased to create them his children In the second member where God is called their former and the people the vvorke of his hands it comes all to one sense for they whollie attribute vnto God their being and the author of all they had And this is a right acknowledgment God is robbed of his glory whilest men glorie in themselues for God is robbed of his due honor whilest men glorie in themselues be it neuer so little But Isaiah speakes not heere of the common creation of men but of their regeneration for which respect the faithfull are in particular called the workemanship of God Chap. 17.7 and 19.25 and 22.11 and 27.11 and 37.26 and 43.1.15 Ephes 2.10 They heere acknowledge then a singular fauour that God hath done them first in electing them for his people and then in inriching them with so many and excellent benefits Vers 9. Be not angrie O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer loe we beseech thee behold we are all thy people THe people pray that God would mitigate both his vvrath and their afflictions Not that God euer exceeds measure but in regard they should be vtterly ouerwhelmed if he would stand to examine thē to the vtmost They pray then that their paines may be moderated As Ieremiah saith Correct me ô Lord but in iudgement that is to say in measure Ier.
nation that called not vpon my name In this verse the Prophet turnes from the Iewes to the Gentiles NOw the Prophet passeth ouer to the handling of another point of doctrine For he shewes that God hath iust cause to reiect and cast off the Iewes because neither admonitions nor threatnings would serue the turn to reclaime them from their errors nor to bring them againe into the right way But to the end they should not imagin that the couenant of the Lord should therefore be broken he addes that another people which then were of none account should come to him and that his name should bee honoured and magnified in the places where he was vnknowne before The Iewes thought this very strange and iudged thereof altogether contrary to that couenant which God had contracted with Abraham namely that such a grace should be communicated to any other nation then to his posteritie But the Prophet meant to plucke this vaine confidence away from them to the end they should not imagin that God was onely tied to the posteritie of Abraham For the Lord bound not himselfe vnto them but vpon a certaine condition which if they happened to breake they were to be held as traitors and disloiall and so by consequence depriued of the fruit of this couenant Besides the couenant was not onely made with Abraham and with his posteritie according to the flesh but also with all such as should bee ingrafted into the familie of this Patriarke by faith But it shall be more conuenient for vs to beginne at the second verse that so wee may the better vnderstand the Prophets meaning for there the cause of this reiection is expressed Vers 2. I haue spread out mine hands all the day vnto a rebellious people which walked in a way that was not good euen after their owne imaginations Heere hee shewes the reason of their reiection HEre hee accuseth the Iewes and complaines of their ingratitude and rebellion wherein he shewes that they haue no occasion giuen them to affirme that the Lord offered them any wrong if he made others partakers of the same grace with them The Iewes proudly insulted against God as if their merits had been the cause of their election But for this their insolencie and vnthankfulnesse the Lord reiects them as vnworthie and vpbraides them that hee hath but lost all his time in stretching foorth his hand vnto them to draw and vnite them to himselfe For by stretching foorth of the hands he signifies a dailie summoning of them Now the Lord is said to stretch foorth his hand diuers waies For hee drawes vs to him either by his workes or word but he principallie respects the latter in this place The Lord neuer speakes vnto vs but hee therewithall stretcheth foorth his hand to vnite vs vnto himselfe and causeth vs to feele that hee is neere vnto vs. Yea he so manifests his fatherly loue so willingly accepts of vs that if we yeeld not obedience vnto his voice we ought iustly to impute the same to our owne frowardnes Moreouer the clause all the day long aggrauates the fault greatly namely that God ceased not for the space of many yeeres together to send his Prophets one after another yea as it is said in Ier. 7.13 and 35.14 He rose early and stinted not his care and paines vntill the euening First hee calles them rebellious or disobedient Next he shewes what this rebellion was to wit Nothing displeaseth God more then when wee follow our owne inuentions the people walked after their owne imaginations for nothing is more displeasing vnto God then when men are giuen to follow their owne reason which he will haue vs to renounce that wee may be fit to comprehend the true doctrine The Lord heere protests then that he was not to be blamed for not vpholding the peoples good estate and that he fauoured them not as he was wont but that themselues through their folly had reuolted and loued rather to sticke to their owne inuentions then to follow him Now hauing spoken of this reiection it remaines that wee come to touch the calling of the Gentiles The calling of the Gentiles who succeeded in the roome of the Iewes for it is not to be doubted but hee speakes thereof in the first place Now the Lord had long before prophecied of this by Moses so as this was not to seeme any new thing As they haue prouoked me saith the Lord to ielousie with that which is no God and haue stirred me vp to wrath by their vanities so also will I moue them to ielosie by that which is no God and will prouoke them by a foolish nation Deut. 32.21 In a word the Prophet now pronounceth the same threatning which Christ thundered forth afterwards Matth. 21.43 when the time of their blinding drew neere The kingdome of God saith he shall be taken from you and shall be giuen to a nation that vvill bring forth the fruits of it Where hee saith in the former verse that God manifested himselfe to them that asked not after him it is to shew that the Gentiles were preuented with this grace of God without giuing him any occasion to receiue them into fauour either by merit or yet by any worthinesse at all of theirs Which manifestly agrees with that place which we haue alleaged out of Deut. 32. where Moses calles them a foolish nation Wherefore vnder this generall title he makes it apparant what men are before the Lord hath preuented them by his free grace for they neither call vpon him seeke him no nor so much as thinke vpon him This place then ought to bee well noted The key that opens vs the doore into Christs kingdome to establish the certaintie of our vocation which is as it were the key which opens vs the doore into Gods kingdome By this our consciences are quieted and appeased which otherwise would alwaies hang in doubt and be in perplexities were they not vpheld by such testimonies Wee see then that this was not written at a venture nor vpon some sudden motion namely Our vocatiō long since prophecied of that wee are called the people of God and are so accounted because it was thus foretold long since by many prophecies S. Paul from this place ingeniouslie disputes to prooue the calling of the Gentiles and saith that Jsaiah cries and boldly pronounceth that the Gentiles were called by the Lord Rom. 10.20 How so Because our Prophet expressed more here then the circumstance of his times would permit Thus then by this text we perceiue that wee were called by an eternall decree of God long before the thing it selfe came to passe In that he twice repeates Behold me behold me he further confirmes that God will manifest himselfe so familiarlie vnto strange and prophane nations that they shall be well assured of his dwelling in the middest of them And questionlesse it was needfull that this so vnlooked for a change should be thus
any of that honour which is due vnto God See here an excellent place to conuince such as will needes maintaine superstitions by succession of yeeres as if an old error were to be held for a law Vers 8. Thus saith the Lord As the wine is found in the cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I doe for my seruants sakes that I may not destroy them whole God neuer threatnes so seuerely but he leaues some hope of pardon for the faithfull THe Prophet here moderates his former sentence For otherwise it had been a thing too seuere that the iniquities of the fathers should thus be called to mind to the end the Lord might destroy their children with them Yea this might so haue affrighted the faithfull that it had been enough to haue driuen them from all hope of saluation We ought then you see to stand carefullie vpon our watch and to consider for what cause the Lord is displeased with vs. For his meaning is so to astonish vs as that therewithall hee would draw vs to himselfe and not thereby to throw vs headlong into despaire Hee leaues some hope for the faithfull here then lest they should waxe fainthearted and in proffering them refreshing hee allures them to repentance of which he reaped neither pleasure nor profit He confirmes this by a similitude Simile As if a man minding to plucke vp a vine yet finding some fruitfull branch thereon he spares and reserues it euen so will the Lord take heed how he pulles vp those in whom he finds any sap or vigor In the fifth Chapter he complained that the people was vnprofitable yea worse than that for they brought forth sower fruits Jsaiah retaines the same similitude but he applies it otherwise For howsoeuer the people were like vnto a bastard and barren vine yet there remained some fruitfull branches which the Lord would not suffer to perish But this may be taken two waies either that the Lord will preserue his people for the elects sake or that hauing rooted out the reprobates he will saue the faithfull There is great difference betweene these two interpretations As touching the first wee know that the wicked are sometimes spared for the godlies sake God sometimes spares the wicked for the elects sake whom the Lord will neither destroy nor wrappe vp in one common calamitie with them And this is manifest enough by diuers examples in the holy Scriptures The Lord would haue spared Sodom and Gomorah had there been found but ten righteous persons there Gen. 18.32 All those which were in the ship with S. Paul to the number of 276. persons were giuen him of God and saued from shipwracke that so the power which he shewed in his seruant might be the more euident Act. 27.32 The Lord blessed the house of Potiphar and made him to prosper in all things for Josephs sake who dwelt in his familie Gen. 39.5 Many like examples there be which euery one may collect by himselfe But I rather approue of the other exposition namely that the Lord so punisheth the sinnes of his people that yet notwithstanding he hath respect to his beloued ones and wrappes them not vp all in one and the same ruine Neither is it his meaning onlie that the faithfull shall bee saued but that there shall be a remnant left in the middest of whom God will haue his name called vpon And this is worth the noting For he shewes that the remnant shall be very small in comparison of that great multitude which was then in the land as wee haue seene in Chap. 1.9 Now whereas the faithfull are often punished with the wicked let vs not thinke God doth them any wrong For the Lord will easilie find faults sufficient in euery one of vs to afflict and punish vs. Besides his meaning is to instruct and awaken vs by his rods for being knit The faithfull must not murmur if God sometimes wrap them vp in the same iudgement with the wicked and as it were grafted into the body of a people it is no wonder if we be smitten with the same blowes in regard we are members that haue drawne infection from the same In the meane while God moderates these chastisements lest hee should vtterlie teare vp the chosen plants Vers 9. But I will bring a seed out of Iacob and out of Iudah that shall inherit my mountaine and mine elect shall inherit it and my seruants shall dwell there An explanation of the former sentence THe Prophet explanes the former verse in other words and shewes that the Lord will reserue a seede vnto himselfe which shall call vpon his name We must not iudge of the Churches estate by outward appearance For he hath been wont so to chastise his people that hee hath still continued a Church in which his truth and pure religion might bee kept For which cause also S. Paul calles her the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Wee are not to iudge of the Church then by the estate of things here below seeing there is nothing stedfast in this world but by the counsell of God who cannot endure to see her either ouerthrowne or destroyed Let vs carefullie remember this then that so no calamities ruines nor desolations of the Church may astonish vs. He calles those inheriters of the mountaines who being set free from vnder their captiuitie should returne home againe into their countrie Iudeah was full of mountaines as we know Againe hee expounds that which might seeme obscure for hee signifies that the Iewes should returne vnto their first estate and that by right of inheritance they should inioy that land out of which they had been exiled For soone after Iudeah was exceedingly wasted but the Lord protests that it shall not continue so long For the greater confirmation whereof he briefly mentions the couenant by which this land was ordained for them to possesse as their heritage Thus albeit they were a long time retained as prisoners yet this word heritage serued to put some life into them that they might come to an assured cōfidence touching their being repossessed thereof But it is to be noted that this grace is restrained to the elect and true seruants of God lest all indifferentlie should presume to applie the same vnto themselues Vers 10. And Sharon shall bee a sheepfold and the vallie of Achor shall be a resting place for the cattell * Or for of my people that haue sought me BY these figures he meanes nothing else but that the land which was waste shal be againe inhabited For we haue here a secret comparison thus howsoeuer after the banishment of her inhabitants into a farre cuntrie shee should remaine solitarie and empty yet shall shee againe be inhabited and that in such wise as there shall be abundance of flockes and heards of fruitefull pastures and commons and should also furnish them in plentifull manner with all things
giuen of it Vers 16. For the Lord will iudge with fire and with his sword all flesh and the slaine of the Lord shall be many HEe addes nothing different from the former A confirmation of the former denunciation but onely confirmes the former sentence and shewes that this iudgement shall be terrible lest any should thinke the matter hee speakes of were of small consequence Thus then he amplifies this horror the more to terrifie the wicked as also to cause the godly to keepe themselues in all puritie and integritie by withdrawing themselues from the societie of the godlesse And that therewithall they should also patiently beare the iniuries and cruell assaults of the enemies vntill God shewed himselfe with his reuenging hand from heaueÌ„ to execute his vengeance Now he thâ—eatens the destruction of all men in such wise that there should be great heapes of dead bodies And this hee added expresly in regard that impietie raigned in euery place and the faithfull were sharplie assailed in respect of the wickeds prosperitie For as our mindes are variable so wee suffer our selues to bee carried away with bad examples and the multitude puts many toies in our heads as if the same were of sufficient force to withstand the hand of God The Prophet corrects this peruerse feare of ours for by how much the more impietie and the great troopes of the wicked beares the sway so much the more will Gods wrath be inflamed to burne the hotter so as the numbers and plots of the wicked shall not hinder the Lord from wrapping them also vp in the same ruine Vers 17. They that sanctifie themselues and purifie themselues in gardens * Or in a fountaine which is in the midst behind one tree in the middest eating swines flesh and such abominations * Or and. euen the mouse shall bee consumed together saith the Lord. The persons noted to whom this vengeance belonged NOw he notes out these enemies as with his finger against whom he said Gods ire should be inflamed For it was hard to discerne whether hee spake of forraine and open enemies or whether hee directed his speech to the contemners of God who notwithstanding were mingled among the godly And therefore he taxeth the false hearted Iewes which had reuolted And I doubt not but in the first place hee gauls the hypocrites and next of all the wicked that is to say those who ouerflowed in their inordinate lusts which is meant by eating of swines flesh The hypocrites sanctified themselues that is they smoothed ouer things vnder the pretext of holinesse by which meanes they beguiled many They purified themselues in gardens That is they polluted themselues with diuers superstitions And yet by such inuentions they thought to make themselues the purer in Gods sight Others without any dissimulatioÌ„ despised God and all godlinesse It is a generall sentence then vnder which he comprehends all idolatries as well such as manifested their wickednes in all mens sight as the others who couered and cloaked the same vnder diuers shadowes When hee addes by a garden vvhich is in the midst some expositors supply a pond or fish poole as if in the midst of the garden there had beene some holy water put to wash in But the other sense agrees also well in regard that as euery one had his god apart so did he also chuse out some one tree among others Vers 18. For I will visit their workes and their imaginations for it shall come to passe that I will gather all nations and tongues and they shall come and see my glory A confirmation of the former sentence HEe confirmes that which hee said in the former verse namely that all the wicked should be punished to the end that howsoeuer the Lord was content to let them alone for a while to worke their wils yet should the faithfull be well assured to behold the day of their vengeance and that this should be as it were a pteseruatiue to let them from being carried away with the streame of the multitude The Lord testifies heere that he so sees and notes their vvorkes that it shall bee manifested by the effects one day that none could flee from the regard of his eies Some take it as if the wicked were able to doe nothing without Gods permission which senteÌ„ce is true in it selfe but yet it sutes not with this place And euery one may see it to be farre fetched and wide from the Prophets â—eaning for he onely confirmes that which he said before to wit that the hypocrites and notorious offendors should bee punished at the last because God kept a register of all their imaginations deliberations and wicked actions So as they should gaine nothing in the end by their shifts as if it were vnpossible to bring them to iudgement Because the time is come We haue heere the confirmation of that which hath been said for hee shewes that the time drawes neere in which hee will call all nations together and adopt them as one people vnto himselfe after he hath reiected the hypocrites and the open vvicked ones The Iewes were proudly conceited of themselues and contemned all nations besides as vile and prophane But the Lord protests heere that hee will adopt them that they may partake of his glory whereof the Iewes had made themselues vnworthy Truly this is an excellent place Doctrine in which we are taught that God is bound to no people in the world but that it rests in his will freely to chuse whom it pleaseth him and to reiect the vnbeleeuers whom in times past hee had called to himselfe Which doctrine Saint Paul discourseth of at large in Rom. 10.19 and 11.25 where hee shewes how wee are grafted as into an emptie stocke after the Iewes by their infidelitie had been reiected Isaiah threatens them now with it as if he should say I would not haue you so simple as to thinke that God can want a people seeing you forsake him and thereby make your selues vnworthy of his grace For there are others in the world besides you and in the meane while he will shew himselfe to be your Iudge and will make you feele at length that he cannot alwaies suffer his patience to be abused And they shall come For being grafted in by faith they shall come together into the Church with the true Iewes who had not forsaken the true adoption For the Iewes being neere vnto God it was needfull that the Gentiles should be made one with them that so the discord being remoued they might be ioined into one body To see the glory of the Lord is nothing else but to inioy the grace which hee had shewed vnto the Iewes For this was one speciall priuiledge the Iewes had namely that they beheld Gods glory and had with them the signes of his presence Now he saith that the nations which were depriued of such benefits should see and behold this glory in regard the Lord was minded to
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
respect they might well haue thought that the Lord had brought them out in vaine seeing they were now exposed to greater dangers then euer they were before After the Temple was built things succeeded no whit better for they were inuironed on all sides with mightie aduersaries who hated them most deadly and vexed them without ceasing Afterwards they were visited with sundry afflictions and persecutions so as it might seeme they were as good as ouerwhelmed and rooted out by them Yet notwithstanding God ceased not still miraculously to preserue them euen in the midst of fire and sword If we consider their poore and miserable estate and the sore trials they were put to by tyrants wee may well admire how any one of them escaped That we may the better vnderstand then how wonderfull this deliuerance was To vnderstand this last deiiueuerance of the Church aright we must looke to the histories of things begun and continued till Christs comming The Prophets still kept their eye vpon Christ and in what sort it surpassed the first wee must haue an eye to the histories of things begun and continued vntill Christs comming who then added infinite graces and benefits to the former for doubtlesse the second deliuerance was greater then the first Neither is this any constrained exposition but it agrees with the maners of speech vsed among the Prophets for they haue alwaies respect vnto the Messiah and incessantly did they fix their eies vpon him The Prophet Haggai therefore will giue vs much light for the vnderstanding of this place For he shews that when the Temple was built the olde men which had seene the excellencie of the first wept saying that this latter was nothing in cōparison of the former and hardly could they be perswaded but that God had vtterly forsaken them and that his promises were of none effect Bur Haggai to comfort them and to shew that the glory of the second Temple shall far surpasse the first albeit the outward forme of it were lesse beautifull brings them forthwith to the Redeemer saying on this manner Thus saith the Lord of hostes Yet a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth and the sea and the dry land and all nations the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hostes The gold and siluer is mine saith the Lord of hostes the glorie of this house shall bee greater then the first Haggai 2.7 As Haggai then continues the restauration of the Temple till Christs comming to which he refers the true glory of it so this deliuerance out of Babylon held on the course thereof till Christ for these things are conioined together or rather haue affinitie one with another so as it is no maruell though he say it did euery way surpasse that deliuerance out of Egypt Vers 20. The wild beasts shall honour me the Dragons and the Ostriches because I gaue water in the desert and floods in the wildernesse to giue drinke to my people euen to mine elect HE adornes the former sentence for all things standing in this confused maner it was needfull to set out Gods power in the highest termes that might be that at least the word might supplie that which seemed to be wanting in effect His meaning is then that Gods hand shall be so sensiblie felt and perceiued in this worke that not only men but vvild beasts also should be touched with a sense of it so as they should yeeld a kind of honour and thanks vnto God This prophesie therefore answers to Psal 114.3.4 where it is said That the sea saw it and fled Iordan went back the mountaines skipped like sheepe and the little hilles as lambs the earth trembled at the presence of the God of Iaakob Isaiah attributes heere the same feelings to the brute beasts in regard that by a secret instinct they should be constreined to giue place that the people might passe with more securitie And yet the reason hereof hath a larger extent to wit that they shall stand amazed at the beholding of so many miracles To be short God shewes that he will not leaue his people destitute of necessarie foode that they should be inforced to returne back through want for by this excessiue kind of speech he expresseth the incomprehensible loue of God towards the Iewes that by the power of their hope they might mount aboue all present obstacles The vse Now when we heare of these things let vs not measure his power in our distresses according to the order of nature but by faith let vs fix our eies aboue all things visible and comprehensible Moreouer lest these poore banished orphanes should lose all hope of Gods euerlasting fauor in seeing themselues thus reiected and despised of all Isaiah brings them to the remembrance of their adoption as if he should say Thinke not but that you remain the people of God still My people mine elect notwithstanding this your horrible scattering for he who hath once elected you neuer changeth his counsell As oft then as we stand in neede of incouragement to hope well let vs remember the calling of God We must in temptation oppose our vocation against our vnworthines for albeit we feele our owne vnworthines yet it ought to suffice that the Lord hath vouchsafed vs this honor to make vs his people Vers 21. This people haue I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise THe Prophets meaning is that the Lord must needs performe that which he spake before because it concernes his owne glorie to deliuer the people which he hath chosen to himselfe This appertained therefore very much to the consolation of the Iewes as if he should say Do ye thinke I will suffer my glory to fall to the ground It is ioined with your saluation Gods glorie and our saluation ioined together and therefore it stands me in hand to looke to it Be you sure therefore that all shall got vvell vvith you for I can not suffer you to perish but my glorie must therewithall be abolished also But your saluation is sure for I haue determined that you shall magnifie my greatnes for euer Where he saith he hath Created this people it is to let vs vnderstand that our regeneration is a worke supernaturall for we are to hold this principle which we haue often told you of heretofore that he speakes not here of that generall worke of his creation touching mankinde Isaiah speak not here of our common creation but of our spirituall regeneration See Chap. 29.23 but of regeneration or adoption by which God separates his Church from the rest of the world and from all the remainders of it Let no man be so bold then as to attribute this worke either to himselfe or to the merits of men but let vs from this place learne to ascribe so excellent a benefit whollie and only to the free grace of God They shall set forth my
to the Lord for a name and for an euerlasting signe that shall not bee taken away AGaine hee extolles Gods power which should appeare in the peoples deliuerance for he teacheth that there shall be such a change that the way shall bee made verie easie for their returne Some expound this allegorically and by thornes vnderstand that such as indeuour to hurt and hinder others should now become firre trees that is to say bearing fruit and bringing profite to their neighbours but this exposition is too curious I denie not but these things indeed appertaine to Christs kingdome and therefore ought to be spiritually vnderstood For the Prophet beginnes at the returne from Babylon and comprehends the whole estate of the Church vntil the manifestation of Christ to the world But it doth not therefore follow that this allegorie is any thing to the purpose because Isaiah speakes of the peoples returne into Iudea For that they might the better passe the Lord promiseth to remoue all impediments out of the way and would furnish them with all things necessarie that so they might bee free from all annoiances And so when Christ promiseth the benefit of our redemption he therewithall takes away whatsoeuer thing might hurt or hinder the same nay he turnes it wholly the contrarie way that out of euery euil we might draw some good All things fâ—llout for the best to them that loue Goâ— for all things turne to the best as Paul saith to them that loue God Rom. 8.27 And thus God vseth the most hurtfull and dangerous euils as remedies to purge the faithfull that they may not giue ouer themselues to the loue of the world but may bee made the more liuely and ready to performe the will of their Master When he addes that this shall be for a name to tâ—â— Lord it is to shew the end of the Churches restitution namely that Gods name might bee the more praised among men and that the memory thereof might florish and bee conserued And therefore hee addes for a signe that is to say for a testimonie or for a perpetuall memoriall Although the Church floate then and bee diuersly tossed among these waues and tempests yet seeing the Lord is purposed that the memorie of his name shall last for euer hee will both defend and maintaine her THE LVI CHAPTER Vers 1. Thus saith the Lord Keepe iudgement and iustice for my saluation is at hand to come and my righteousnesse to be reuealed In the former-verses God hath manifested the signes of his fauour towards vs now he shewes what duties wee owe to him THIS is a notable place For the Prophet shewes what God requires of vs as soone as he manifests the signes of his fauour or promiseth to bee recoÌ„ciled vnto vs to the end our peace may be assured The thing he requires of vs is such a conuersion as changeth both our iudgements and affections so as hauing forsaken the world wee forthwith aspire vnto heauen and therewithall hee requires the fruits of repentance Vnder the words iudgement and iustice hee comprehends all the duties of charity which consists not onely in abstaining from euill but in doing good to our neighbours according to our abilities And this is the summe of the second table The summe of the second Table in the obseruation wherof we giue testimonie of our pietie if there bee any at all in vs. The Prophets alwaies bring vs thither God often tries our loue to him by our iustice towards men for by this meanes it will quickly appeare what we are within and the true integritie of the heart is thus discerned from those outward ceremonies wherein hypocrites please themselues as wee haue shewed heeretofore Now he renders a reason and forthwith shewes the beginning from whence all must frame themselues to newnesse of life namely that in as much as Gods iustice is at hand to bee reuealed to vs we in like manner ought to present him with ours The Lord calles himselfe iust and saith that iustice is his not that hee holds it shut vp in himselfe but because he sheds it abroad vpon men He also calles that his saluation by which he deliuers men from destruction Besides howsoeuer these words be directed to the Iewes that with a sincere affection of heart and with an vnfeined desire of godlines they might shew themselues thankfull to their redeemer yet it also belongs to vs all in generall for the whole world is lost in it selfe vnlesse it recouer saluation in God Let vs also note this exhortation for thereby we are taught to be so much the more moued to the true feare of God as we are neere vnto him and therefore Saint Paul admonisheth the faithfull to cast off the workes of darknesse and to put on the armour of light because our saluation is neerer vs then wee be aware of Rom. 13.12 Vers 2. Blessed is the man that doth this and the sonne of man which layeth hold on it he that keepeth the Sabbath and * Or violates it not polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from doing any euill To the dâ—ties of the second Table vers 1. he now addâ—s those of the first IN calling them blessed who hauing imbraced this doctrine doe submit themselues vnto God walking in vprightnes he closely insinuates that there are many deafe or vnteachable But to the end their peruersitie or sluggishnes might not discourage the faithfull he recommends his exhortation to them by the fruite which comes thereof That the faithfull then should not recoile back but casting off all impediments they might readily prepare themselues to walke vprightly he cries out that such only are blessed to whom grace is giuen to be thus wise-hearted Obiect In the former verse we haue said that the duties of the second Table were compâ—ised vnder the words of Iustice and Iudgement But heere he mentions the Sabbath which appertaines to the first Table Ans I answere as I haue touched before that such as liue innocentlie and iustlie with their neighbours doe giue good testimonie of their sinceritie towards God It is no wonder then if after the Prophet hauing spoken of the second Table The duties of both Tables must goe together he now mentions the first because they must be ioined both together In a word Isaiah meant to say that he shall be an happie man who submits himselfe vnto God in the obseruation of the whole law for to such an one the righteousnes and saluation of God belongs vers 1. But because men wander and erre in their imaginations and seeke diuers meanes how to draw neere vnto God the Prophet shewes that there is but one way namely when we studie how to order and rule our liues according to the Decalogue Besides heere is an excellent place for it teacheth vs that nothing is pleasing vnto God but the obseruation of his commandements Quest If it be asked whether men can obtaine righteousnes and saluation by works
Ans the answere is easie for the Lord offers vs not saluation as being preuented by our merits nay he rather preuents vs but he offers himselfe freely to vs and only requires that wee draw neere vnto him Seeing then that of his owne good will he calles vs to himselfe and offers his righteousnes freely we are to take heed that we depriue not our selues of so great a benefit Now because the Sabbath as it appeares by Moses and Ezechiel Exod. 31.13.17 Ezech. 21.13 was the principall signe of Gods seruice therefore by the figure Synecdoche it containes in it selfe all the exercises of pietie a part being taken for the whole We must vnderstād the Sabbath then with all his circumstances For God rests not himselfe contented with the outward ceremonie neither delights he in our idlenes but he requires that we freely renounce our selues that with hart and hand we may yeeld him absolute obedience The Prophet also addes another Synecdoche in the end of the verse That keepeth his hand c. to note out charitie The summe is That God is not serued aright vnlesse true pietie and innocencie of life goe together as also vnder these two parts he hath distinguished the maner of well liuing In a word here is an exposition of that true righteousnes which is contained in the law of the Lord that in it we may rest for in vaine shall any man seeke a way of perfection out of it This then ouerthrowes all deuised worships and all superstitions Vers 3. And let not the sonne of the strāger which is ioined to the Lord speak◠and say The Lord hath surely separate me from his people neither let the Eunuch say behold I am a drie tree THe Prophet shewes that this grace of God shall be such A preuention of an obiection that those who were farre off from him before and against whom the gate was shut should now obtaine a new estate or should be placed againe in their right And thus he meets with their complaints that they should not say they were reiected vnworthie aliants or shut out for any infamous note because the Lord would take away all lets and impediments Now this may be as well referred to the Iewes whose temporarie reiection had made thē like to strangers as to the prophane nations and for mine owne part I referre it both to the one and to the other that so it may agree with the prophesie of Hosea J vvill call them my people vvhich vvere not my people Hose 1.10 Moreouer when he saith that they shall be ioined to the Lord it is to admonish them that this consolation only appertained to such as followed the voice of Gods call For there were many Eunuches to whom the Lord shewed no mercie and many strangers which were not ioined to the Lord. This promise therefore is restrained to those who being called should obey Vnder strangers and Eunuches he notes out all such as seemed vnworthie to be reputed among the number of Gods people who once had chosen them for his peculiar inheritance and afterwards banished them out of his land Other nations were shut out of his kingdome as it appeares in euery place of the holy Scripture Saint Paul saith in the Epistle to the Ephesians Chap. 2.12.13 that the Gentiles had nothing to do in the Common wealth of Israel but were strangers from the couenants of promise without hope and vvithout God in the world but now in Christ Iesus saith he you which were once farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ Thus then the Gentiles might in the beginning doubt whether this benefit of adoption belonged vnto them or no seeing it was properly appropriated to the Iewes And therefore wee see how the Apostles auoided this thing though the Lord had commanded them to preach the Gospel thorowout all th◠world Mark 16.15 For they thought the doctrine of the Gospell should haue been prophaned if they should indifferently publish it as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes And the same scruple might also trouble the minds euen of the elect people in regard their banishment out of the holy land was a signe vnto them of their reiection The Prophet therefore wils them to remoue all such doubts as these out of their heads Vnder the word Eunuch by the figure Synecdoche hee comprehends all those that bare any note of infamie vpon them which might be an occasion to separate them from Gods people For it seemed that the Eunuches and such as had no children were reiected of God and excluded out of the promise wherein he had said to Abraham that his posteritie should be as the starres in the heauens and as the sand of the sea Gen. 15.5 and 22.17 In a word he withdrawes all men from the consideration of themselues that they may wholly fix their mindes vpon the calling of God that thus they might imitate the faith of Abraham who considered not his body now dead neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe so as to enter into any dispute with himselfe through his owne incredulitie touching the power of God but aboue hope beleeued vnder hope Rom. 4.18 19 20. The Prophet then speakes to the vile and contemptible lest they should be discouraged because as Saint Peter saith God is no accepter of persons Acts 10.34.35 but in euery nation he that feareth God and vvorketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Vers 4. For thus saith the Lord vnto the Eunuches that keepe my Sabbaths and chuse the thing that pleaseth me and take hold of my couenant A confirmation NOw followes the confirmation For the faithfull seruants of God which kept the Sabbath and cleaued to the righteousnesse of the Law should haue place in the Church although they were Eunuches or had any other impediment And thus it seemes the Prophet abolisheth all the externall markes and visible ceremonies wherein the Iewes onely gloried The dignitie of the new Church is not externall but spiritual For the dignitie of the new Church is not outward but spirituall and albeit the faithfull haue no appearance of glorie before the eies of worldlings nay they are rather despised and wronged by them yet are they of precious esteeme in the sight and presence of God When he ioines obedience to the obseruation of the Sabbath thence we may easilie gather that in speaking of the day of rest hee had not so much respect to the bare cetemonie as to a perfection of holinesse Where againe he imposeth bands vpon the faithfull that they should not start the least step from the duties of the whole Law for it is not permitted them to chuse any thing that likes them but that which God hath reuealed to be pleasing and acceptable to him Hypocrisie and inconsiderate zeale therefore are here cōdemned Hypocrisie and inconsiderate zeale condemned in that God opposeth his commandements to mens inuentions and inioines them to take sure hold of his couenant Vers 5. Euen