and to rest quietly in the house for he will shew afterward that it had been their parts to haue been of a quiet spirit See now the fountaine from whence this vnquietnesse and stirring yea this their madnesse and giddinesse of head sprang Oh! They thought that the Lord was too weake for their defence vnlesse the strength of Egypt were also added thereunto For it is the propertie of infidelitie The nature of infidelitie to solicite the hearts of such as giue not honour enough to the power of God to be in continuall vexation of spirit without anie rest at all Vers 8. Now goe and write it before them in a table and note it in a booke that it may be for the last day for euer and euer HAuing conuinced the Iewes of manifest incredulitie now he would haue it signed and sealed as it were vpon perpetuall record for a witnesse vnto all posteritie to the end those which should succeed might know both how obstinate rebellious this people were as also how iustlie God inflicted his punishments vpon them We haue told you before that the Prophets were wont to gather their Sermons into certaine chiefe heads See chap. 8.1 and afterwards to fasten them vpon the gates of the Temple which being read and viewed of all at leisure the Ministers tooke them thence and laid them vp safely in Chests in the Temple and thus the booke of the Prophets were conserued and afterward gathered orderlie into volumes But when among the rest there was some rare and excellent prophesie and worthie of memorie then the Lord commanded that it should be written in greater letters the better to draw the people to the reading of it that they might mark it the more diligentlie The Lord now commands the Prophet to doe the like thereby shewing that this was no ordinarie matter but the whole to be carefullie written and very attentiuely read Yea that it should not only be read but also so ingrauen as it were in mens memories that it might neuer be raced out No doubt but the Prophet got great hatred of all hands by this prophesie in regard he was not afraid to bring them thus vpon the open stage not only to shame them among those that then liued but among the posteritie also and that from generation to generation For what can men lesse indure then to haue their wickednesses published or that the same should stand as it were vpon record in the minds of men oh they can not abide that they detest and abhorre it accounting it a most vnworthie fact Yet the Prophet notwithstanding was to goe thorow with it and to yeeld obedience vnto God albeit he thereby got the hatred of men Isaiahs constancie worthie to be obserued followed yea and it may be put his life also in danger which constancie of his we are carefullie to obserue in regard that he nothing feared the feare of men when the question was of his obedience to his God and the discharge of his dutie Then he contemned hatreds enuie hurlie burlies threats false alarums and all dangers that so he might the more freely and boldly performe that charge which was imposed vpon him In which respect it is our parts to follow and imitate his worthie example if we meane to giue eare and to follow Gods call Before them Others translate with them But the word Before agrees best for he meant to prouoke the Iewes in the sight of all by setting forth this prophesie written in a Table And hence may we gather that wicked men ought to be seuerelie reprehended and that in the presence of all albeit they storme neuer so much at it Wicked persons must be sharplie reprooued though they storme neuer so much at it as being a thing which at no hand they can away withall for howsoeuer such reprehensions and threatnings doe them little or no good yet others peraduenture may be warned thereby when they shall see them so branded with perpetuall shame and infamie Iere. 17.1 That which is recorded elsewhere to wit the sinne of Iudah is written with the penne of a diamond and grauen vpon the table of their hearts shall be fulfilled in them Neither ought they once to imagin that they shall escape albeit they contemne the prophesies by stopping their eares at the publishing of them for their wickednes shall be manifest to the view of men and Angels Furthermore in regard they did neuer willinglie repent themselues nor were ashamed of their sinnes the Lord commands a spectacle of their infamie to be erected and set vp before the eies of all for as they were wont to engraue victories or some notable things in tables of brasse so would God haue their shame noted in publike tables which the Iewes notwithstanding labored to hide and couer by their cauils For this was an extraordinarie matter as I said erewhile that the Prophet was charged to defame his owne nation by so solemne an edict for which cause it is added that it should be for the last day that so they might be had in detestation for euer or because that when the great Iudge shall appeere and sit in Iudgement and that all bookes shall be opened then the sinnes of the wicked shall be truly discouered for then the things which before lay hid and buried as it were in obscure darkenes shall be discouered and brought to light Let vs heere obserue diligentlie that the prophesies were not written for the men of one age alone Note that the prophesies were not only written for them of former times but to instruct vs and our posteritie after vs. but also for their children and all posterities which should be instructed to the end they might learne to eschew that hardnes of heart which was in their forefathers Psal 78.6.7.8 and 95.8 And that which S. Paul saith of the whole Scripture that it is profitable to teach to admonish comfort agrees also to this prophesie for we know that these points are needfull to be knowne in all times 2. Tim. 3.16 Let vs reiect then the imaginations of those franticke spirits and bad companions who affirme that this doctrine was fit for that time and not for this Let the faithfull I say learne to stop their eares at such blasphemies and to driue them farre away from them for albeit our Prophet be now dead yet must his doctrine still liue and bring forth fruit amongst vs. Vers 9. * Or For. That it is a rebellious people lying children and children that would not heare the law of the Lord. THe particle For serues as an exposition in regard the Prophet now explanes that which the Lord would haue published to all posteritie namely that the obstinacie of this people was past cure because they would not suffer themselues to be brought into any good order notwithstanding they were dayly taught and instructed Besides we may from their vaine bragges gather how much these goodly Epithites did
the midst therof and made a winepresse therein then hee looked that it should bring forth grapes but it brought forth wild grapes HE shewes the continuall care and diligence of the Lord in dressing his vine as if he should say He omitted nothing of that which is required to be in a good husbandman who aboue all things watcheth vpon his charge Notwithstanding wee are not here curiously to examine the text word by word as many doe saying That the Church was inuironed with hedges to wit with the protection of the holy Ghost to the end it might be secured against al the assaults of the diuel that the presse signifies the doctrine and that the stones signifie all troublesome errors The Prophets meaning as I haue shewed was more plaine and simple to wit that God diligently performed the office of an husbandman sparing nether paines nor cost But in the meane while the Iewes had great cause to consider in themselues with how many great and diuers sorts of benefits the Lord had enriched them When the Church at this day is set forth vnto vs vnder the similitude of a vine wee ought to referre these figuratiue speeches to the benefits of God by which he assures vs of his loue towards vs and also of the care he hath for our saluation It seemes that in the word of planting order should not bee obserued for a man should rather plant first and then close it with an hedge afterward But thus I vnderstand it that he no sooner planted his vine but he forthwith prouided all things belonging vnto it And therefore he iustly accuseth them of ingratitude and disloyaltie that they brought not forth fruite worthie the cost and paines bestowed vpon them And we are greatly to feare lest the Lord take not vp the like complaint against vs. For by how much the more the Lord shall haue enriched vs with greater benefits then they so much the more abominable shall our vnthankfulnes be if we abuse them The Lord neuer beautifies and adornes his Church in vaine or that she should onely make outward vnprofitable shews but to the end she might bring forth grapes that is to say good fruits But if we disappoint the Lord of his expectation the punishment which the Prophet here foretelles will certainely follow Wherefore the remembrance of his benefits ought to mooue and pricke vs forward with all diligence to yeeld him thanks Moreouer there is here a close opposition in the word vine thus greatly husbanded because that by so much the more we are bound to make pretious account of God his benefits as they are more rare and excellent as being pledges of his particular loue towards vs. That hee causeth the sunne to shine as well vpon the wicked as the good and bestowes all things necessarie vpon them for to feede and cloth them these are common gifts But how much more ought wee to prise and esteeme this couenant of grace which hee hath contracted with vs by meanes whereof he illuminates vs by the light of his Gospell which grace he only bestowes vpon his beloued We are therfore aboue all things to waigh consider of this care and diligence which the Lord bestowes in working daily vpon our minds and in framing vs to his owne Image Now he looked He heere complaines that the people who had beene indued with so great excellencie of gifts were wickedly and vnthankfully become degenerate and accuseth them for contempt of the louing kindnesse of God For he saith that in stead of good grapes this Vine brought foorth sowre and wild grapes Now we must not imagin that God before whose eyes all things are naked can be deceiued of his hope as a mortall man may be for in the song of Moses he publisheth with a loud voyce what the peruersitie of this people would be and that it was apparant to him euen from the beginning My beloued saith he will kick with the heele against me after she shall become fat and lustie Deut. 32.15 There is then no more vncertentie of hope in God then of repentance neither doth Isaiah subtillie dispute heere what God waited for in himselfe but how the people ought to behaue themselues least they receiue so great fauours in vayne And thus God commaunds that his Gospell should be published for the obedience of faith not that he lookes that all should yeeld their obedience thereunto but because the vnbeleeuers might be left without excuse by the onely hearing of it To conclude there is nothing which should more prouoke vs to liue holily and according to God then when the Holy Ghost compares the obedience which we yeeld vnto God to sweet and pleasant fruit Vers 3. Now therefore O inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge I pray you betweene me and my Vineyard 4. What could I haue done any more to my Vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Why haue I looked that it should bring foorth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes NOw he appoints euen those to be Iudges of his cause with whom he pleades as men are wont to do in things so plaine and apparant that the aduerse partie can haue no euasion It is a signe then that God hath gotten the better end of the staffe whē he permits those who are guilty to shew whether the matter be so or no. Now he first demaunds What could be more desired of a husbandman or good housholder then that which hee did to his Vine From thence hee concludes that they are vtterly without excuse in that he should be so wickedly defrauded of the frutes of his labours although it seemes in the second member that he complaines in himselfe that he waited for any pleasing or desireable frute of so wicked a people As it will often come to passe that we shal complaine by our selues when the euent of a thing doth not answere our hope and we are sory to haue bestowed our labour and cost vpon so vnthankfull persons whose peruersitie should rather haue kept back such benefits from them And we wil confesse that we were indeed iustly deceiued because we were too easie and light of beliefe Yet notwithstanding this sence wil be more plaine to wit seeing I haue fully discharged my dutie and haue done aboue all that could haue beene expected in husbanding my Vine whence comes it that it yeelds me so euill recompence and that in stead of the fruit which I looked for it only brings forth bitter fruit If any shall obiect now that the remedie was in God his hand if he had but only bowed the heart of the people This is but a friuolous cauill to excuse them for their consciences pricked them in such wise that they could not escape by laying the fault vpon an other For although God doe not pearce with efficacie into the hearts of men by his holy spirit to make them teachable yet shall it be in vaine for any notwithstanding to mutter that this was wanting
said vnto vs for as this people was planted so also haue we ben We ought also to call to mind that which S. Paul saith Rom. 11.24 that we were but wild Oliues and they were the true and naturall Oliue We then which were strangers are grafted into the true Oliue and are purged and adorned with a continuall care of the Lord. But what fruits bring we forth truly not onely vnprofitable but also bitter And therefore we are guiltie of greater ingratitude in regard that we are inriched and abound in benefits much more excellent And iustly is this complaint commenced against vs seeing that violence and wrongs doe reigne euery where But because the general doctrine did not sufficiently prick their hearts he describes two kinds particularly to the end hee might shew them as with the finger how far off this people were from the fruite that a good vine should bring forth Vers 8. Woe be vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there be no place that ye may be placed by your selues in the midst of the earth NOw he reprooues their insatiable auarice and couetousnes from whence frauds iniuries and violences do commonly arise For it is not a thing vnlawfull in it selfe to ioyne one field to another nor one house to another but he aimes at the heart which by no meanes whatsoeuer can bee satisfied when it is once set on fire with desire of hauing Hee describes the affection of those then which thinke they haue neuer enough neither are content how rich soeuer they be We may see that the couetous are possessed with such a greedy lusting that they desire to haue all to theÌ„selues alone think that that which others haue is their want or is taken froÌ„ them Chrysostom And therefore Chrysostome hath an elegant speech to this purpose That the couetous would gladly take away the sunne from the poore if it were in their power For they grutch their brethren the very elements which yet are common and would gladly swal ow them vp not to enioy them but because their lust depriues them of vnderstanding in this behalfe In the meane while they consider not that themselues are not able to doe any thing without the helpe of others that a man being alone by himselfe is vnprofitable they onely carke and care how to gather much together and therefore they deuoure all by their couetousnesse He chargeth the couetous and proud with such a furie that they would haue all others cut off from the face of the earth to the end themselues alone might haue it in possession and therefore there is neither end nor measure in their lust What folly and madnes is it to driue those from of the earth whom God hath placed therein with vs and to whom he giues a dwelling place common with vs The couetous dâ—siâ—e to dwell alone But a worse thing could not befall them then to haue their wish Questionlesse a worse thing could not befall them then to haue their wish Neither could they alone till the ground reape and performe other necessarie duties of this life nor yet could they administer things necessarie to themselues Also God hath so vnited men together that one hath neede of the helpe and industrie of another and there is no man vnlesse he be out of his wits who will reiect his brethren as though they were hurtfull or vnprofitable The proud also cannot inioy their glorie if they should be left alone How blind are they then who would chase and driue men away to reigne by themselues Now as touching the length and greatnes of houses the like is to be said of them as was heretofore said of fields because the ambition of those is also reprooued who desire to dwell in goodly palaces and spatious houses It is not vnlawfull for him who hath a great family to haue also a large house but when men puffed vp with pride will adde to their houses without cause onely to be at more libertie and that one alone takes vp the dwelling places which would suffice a great many then it is meerely ambition and vaine glorie which ought worthily to be reprooued For it is all one as if hauing contemned others they onely should bee lodged and that their poore brethren were worthie of no more but the couering of the firmament or that they ought to goe seeke out some other habitation Vers 9. This is in mine eares saith the Lord of hostes * Or if there be not many c. surely many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant SOmething must be heere supplied for his meaning is that the Lord is set downe as the Iudge hauing the knowledge of all these things When the couetous rappe and scrape their riches together they are blinded by their lust and thinke not that they must one day be called to an account True it is that men are neuer so besotted but they attribute some kinde of iudgement to God but they flatter themselues in such wise as that they thinke surely God regardeth not So they acknowledge a iudgement of God in generall but when it comes to the perticular there they lay the raines in the neck and suppose they should not be kept so short Also in this particle if there be not wee see a forme and maner of oath often vsed in the scripture For to the end he might the more astonish them hee speakes doubtfully as it were by sentence broken off in the mid way He might haue expressed this threatning by a full sentence but being imperfect it holds the hearer more in suspence and so it brings the greater feare with it Moreouer by this maner of oath halfe pronounced as we say the Lord would teach vs to accustome our selues to modestie to the end we take not libertie in vsing execrations What is it then that he threatneth That many houses shall be desolate This is a iust punishment whereby the Lord corrects the couetousnes and ambition of men which would not be brought to consider their end that they might haue contented themselues with a little As he who derided the insatiable couetousnes of Alexander Alexander who because he vnderstood by the philosophie of Anacharsis Anacharsis that there were many worlds sighed in himselfe Vnus pelleâ— Iuneni non sufficit orbis c. because with so much labour he had not yet conquered the gouernment of one A world saith he will not suffice Alexander he is as discontented as if he were pinnd vp in a very narrow roome or as if hee were bounded within some certaine Iland and yet when his time comes to be buried he must content himselfe with a coffin For it is death only which teacheth and constreineth vs to confesse how vaine a thing the bodie of man is We see euery day examples therof and yet who is instructed by it for the Lord sheweth vs in a glasse how ridiculous
hee hath reiected and cast off his people This place is worthy our obseruation in the meditation whereof wee ought continually to be much encouraged yea if so be the Lord proceede so farre as that he hath turned his face away from his people and should reiect those who make profession of his name yet for all this must wee wait vpon him with inuincible patience This is the only remedie wee haue The word waiting hath great emphasis in it as if hee should say Yet notwithstanding will not I turne away from the Lord I will still perseuere in faith He yet augments the matter when he addes So I will wait Seeing our faith is wont to stagger and faint when offences doe happen It is greeuously shaken when we see our selues forsaken of our companions and that the sworne enemies of the Church doe proudly vsurpe the title of it for offences for the most part doe cause vs to turne away from God filling vs with such perplexed thoughts that we are ready to call the truth of his word into question This consolation then is very necessary as well in the calamities wherewith the Church is oppressed as in the troubles wherewith shee is tossed by the disloyaltie of others Vers 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath giuen mee are as signes and wonders in Israel by the Lord of hostes which dwelleth in Mount Zion HEere the Prophet not onely testifies that hee will wait in patience but also shewes what his constancie is proposing himselfe with his disciples and those which remained with him to open view As though hee should say Although others recoile yet Lord behold I am readie to doe thee seruice and I also bring those with mee whom thou hast vouchsafed to saue miraculously by my labours Hee shewes an inuincible manfulnesse then and protests that he will continue in the faith and obedience of the Lord although all should reuolt By Children hee vnderstands seruants and ministers following therin the vsual custome as well of the Hebrew tongue as of the Latine Now he speakes of the Disciples whom he mentioned before Whence it appeareth what their dutie is who would bee reputed the true disciples of the Lord to wit that they protest with Isaiah to be teachable and readie to hearken and that they be readie to obey as soone as the Lord shall speake The teachers also ought to bring their disciples with them and not to send them alone before them they ought to march in the first ranke and to shew them the way by their example as was said in the second Chapter verse 3. otherwise they should haue no authoritie in teaching The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.13 applies this place to Iesus Christ and from thence drawes an admonition which ought to serue vs as a sharpe spurre to the end wee should not thinke to follow Isaiah alone for our leader and Doctor but Christ himselfe and to bee so much the more encouraged to run our course with greater alacritie Which the Lord hath giuen me The Prophet shewes heere of whom it is that we hold our faith to wit of God and of his free election For Isaiah preached to all publikely admonishing euery one and soliciting all without exception to draw neere vnto the Lord but the word profited those onely which God had giuen him By the word Giuen hee meaneth those whom God drew inwardly by the secret instinct of his holie Spirit for otherwise the externall voyce should haue sounded in the eares of the people in vaine and thus it is said that the elect are giuen to Christ of God his Father Ioh. 6.37 Whereby we perceiue that the promptnesse of faith depends not vpon the will of man but that some few among many doe beleeue because as S. Luke saith they were ordained before vnto life Act. 13.48 Now God is wont to call them whom he hath predestinate and sealeth vp the testimonie of their adoption effectually in them to the end they may giue themselues to teachablenesse and obedience Such a thing is the gift then whereof Isaiah speakes in this place But this agrees fitly vnto Christ to whom the Father offereth and giueth Disciples as it is said in Iohn No man commeth vnto me except my Father draw him Iohn 6.44 Whence it followes that he is appointed our gardian to preserue vs vnder his protection vnto the end and therefore he saith That none of those whom the Father hath giuen him shall perish Ioh. 17.12 Ioh. 10.20 Signes and wonder◠Some referre this to miracles amisse for the sense is farre otherwise namely That all the faithfull shall not onely be hated but also bee had in execration so as they shall be esteemed monsters and that not amongst strangers and open enemies but euen in Israel it selfe whereof wee haue experience at this day The Papists on the one side abhorre vs more then Turkes or Iewes nay more then dogges and swine Now although this be odious yet must wee not be much astonied thereat for this prophesie of necessitie must euen now bee fulfilled The Prophet found it by experience amongst his owne people as all those haue likewise done which haue followed his doctrine But wee finde not onely this hatred towards vs in the Papists alone but euen in those who would seeme to haue profited most in the Church and the greater part of these abhor vs mocke vs and esteeme vs as very monsters onely because we trouble our selues so much and are so carefull for the saluation of the Church of Gods honour and of life eternall But yet let vs not bee afraid to put our selues into dangers to incurre hatreds enuies taunts banishments want hunger nakednesse and last of all death it selfe for all this To them indeede they are monstrous things for how cā they taste of these soueraign good things with any relish whilest they pamper themselues and are so carefull for their quiet and ease But to the end their flouts may not astonish vs we must arme our selues with this exhortation of the Prophet Now to the end hee might shew how vaine and friuolous the conspiracie of the wicked is hee stoutly triumphs ouer the pride of the whole world by placing the Lord of hostes as opposite against them as if he should say I passe nothing at all that men abhorre and detest me seeing I am assured that God is on my side When hee also addes that the Lord dwelleth in mount Zion these words carry great weight For though the people were couered vnder an infinite heape of vices and wickednesse yet they gloried as if they onely were holy to the Lord and in abusing his promises they condemned the true seruants of God which reproued them On the contrarie that the Prophets might pluck this pride vain confidence away frō them they testified that they were the Ministers of the onely true God whom this people notwithstanding falsly bragged to worship in Mount Zion Now
blesse thee or speake blessedly as if hee should say There is no greater pestileÌ„ce amongst people then flatteries which nourish al licentiousnes of dissolutions But yet I will follow that reading which I haue approued of before where wee met with the very same word Chap. 3.12 Now his meaning is that the gouernours and magistrates whose office it was to leade and hold the people in good order and in an honest course of life gaue liberty and licence to all to doe what them listed suffering them to follow vice and wickednesse and that in regard thereof they were worthily esteemed seducers and corrupters for the corruption flowed from them vpon all the people as from the head into the members The dutie of Magistrates of Ministers Magistrates and Pastors are chosen to represse the dissolutions of people to ordaine that which is good and right and especially to maintaine the honour of God If they contemne these things they are rather to bee esteemed impostors then Pastors because they bring in horrible confusion And when euery one gouernes as he lists without any order what is to be expected but some woful euent Whereas the people bee so chastised for their offences wee must not therefore say that the gouernours should looke for lesse punishment for they made none account of the charge which was committed vnto them and in so doing were the cause of all those euils When hee addes that those which are led are deuoured although by this particle his meaning is to say that wicked Princes and those who rule as they list cannot but bring all things to ruine as also because the teachers deceiue and abuse the people in stead of shewing them the right way because the people perish through their owne default yet notwithstanding he therewithall shewes that neither the one nor the other is to be excused as if the wicked gouernours should serue as a couert for their faults as commonly men are wont to imagine For if the blind leade the blind as Iesus Christ saith they shall both fall into the ditch Matth. 15.14 It being certaine that there was none of them all who was not willingly misled And therfore those onely who tooke delight to bee deceiued were deuoured by the wicked and disloyall leaders Vers 17. Therefore shall the Lord haue no pleasure in their young men neither will hee haue compassion on their fatherlesse and of their widowes for euery one is an hypocrit and wicked and euery mouth speaketh folly yet for all this his wrath * Or shall not be c. is not turned away but his hand is stretched out HEere Isaiah shewes more plainely how horrible this vengeance of God shall be against all estates So farre off is it that the guilty should saue themselues that euen children young men and widowes shall not escape although they haue been wont to spare such and that in the cruellest warres Which mercy histories doe shew hath been practised euen by the very heathen at the sacking of Cities But the Lord shewes heere that he will haue neither respect to age nor sexe Although yet another sense will not bee amisse to wit that though the battels depriue many women of their husbands and children of their fathers yet that God will not cease for all that to chastise both widowes children and fatherlesse But because this sense concernes the principall point very little I therefore stay not my selfe in it Now to the end they should not accuse God of crueltie hee therewithall shewes good cause why hee ought to be thus seuere towards them because they shall bee found wicked and therefore worthy to bee equally cast headlong into destruction and that by a most iust sentence Hypocrites I minde not to differ from the common opinion touching this word although Chanaph signifies a wicked one disloyall corrupt For it seemes he toucheth the chiefe spring and fountaine of all euils saying that there was no sparke of the true feare of God amongst them Hee speakes not of some light dissimulation then but of an inward contempt which benummes mens consciences so as they cannot be moued by any admonitions at all as if hee should say They are wholly sunke deepe in their rebellion But for as much as iniquitie drawes the hands feete and other parts of the bodie with it after it hath once gotten possâ—ssion of the vnderstanding therefore the Prophet addes Gen. 34.7 Iosh 7.15 that they aâ—e all wicked In the third place hee affirmes they ouerslowed so farre as without blushing to boast of their sins The word Nâ—balah which some translate folly hath oftentimes a larger signification among the Hebrewes for it is taken for villanie wickednesse and frensie The Prophet therefore as I thinke meant to say that they are so giuen to iniquitie that there need none other witnes to be takeÌ„ against theÌ„ then their own togues Yet for all this c. He againe repeates this sentence which indeed ought often to be repeated because it sufficeth not to be once instructed how grieuous the iudgemeÌ„ts of God are against the vngodlie seeing we easily and quicklie forget them and thereof it comes that we soone cast off all care and feare And bâ—sides a false opinion bâ—guiles and blindfolds vs which is that after God hath chastised vs only once we think his power is spent Wherfore as oft as God corrects vs it is good we hold vs to this principle namely that by the first God threatens vs with a greater calamitie The fiâ—st stroke God giues vs 〈…〉 foreâ—unnâ—r of a g eâ—ter vnlâ—ssâ— wâ— prâ—uent the sâ—me â—y timely repentance See Leuit. 26 18.21.24.28 vnlesse we repent betimes And seeing the Lord â—eiterateth this admonition so oft let vs learne thereby to set it alwaies before our eies to wit that the wrath of God is not yet appeased although it seemes he hath sharplie corrected mens iniquities What are we to iudge then when hee giues vs but a fillip and away as at this day indeed we haue been afflicted but what is it in regard of these extreme calamities wherewith this people were oppressed and yet the Prophet threatneth that the Lord prepareth new rods for them What will become of vs then Truelie the Lord will doe his office and will alwaies bee like himselfe If this terror do not awaken vs our blockishnesse is intollerable I haue translated the verbe To turne in the time to come to the end the sense might bee the more cleere for although he speakes as of a thing past yet notwithstanding he threatens a coÌ„tinual successioÌ„ of punishments to the rebellious Vers 18. For * Or vnbeliefe wickednesse burneth as a fire it deuoureth the briars and the thornes and will kindle in the thicke places of the forrest and they shall mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke THe Prophet taxeth the wicked who make a trade of discharging themselues of their faults to lay them vpon God For either they seeke starting
God not onely disposeth of that which the wicked are to doe but that hee also hath executioners at his commandement to auenge himselfe vpon their iniquities Obiect Whereas he by and by addes that the iniquitie of the fathers shal be punished by meanes hereof it may at the first seeme ouer seuere to couple the children with the fathers as touching the punishment which the fathers haue deserued and ought to beare And yet seemes it to be more hard that the punishment due to the fathers should be extended to the children and their childrens children But this absurditie may easily bee auoided Ans Exod. 20 5. 34 7. Deut. 5.9 Ier. 32.18 Ezek. 18.20 if we interpret the Hebrew word Aon Miserie because it signifies as well the punishment of the sinne as the sinne it selfe But because such sentences are found in many places of the Scripture to wit that God will visit the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children we need seeke no such euasion Neither doth the place in Ezechiel The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of his father Ezech. 18.20 crosse this For God punisheth not the innocent neither must we so vnderstand this place as if the punishment due to the ancestors were conueied ouer by God vnto the children altogether guiltlesse for the fault of the children is forth-with coupled therewithall But leauing now to speake of that vniuersall curse of all mankinde whereunto all of vs are subiect from our mothers wombes let vs take an example from some wicked one whom when God reiects with his whole race truely we haue no cause at all to complain of it For his blessing is free and it is not lawfull for vs to compell him to bestow it equally vpon all because he may dispose of his grace according to his owne good pleasure and it is the dutie of euery of vs apart to acknowledge that whatsoeuer good thing wee haue receiued it is none of our own properly nor naturally but comes vnto vs from elsewhere namely frō Gods free libealirty If so be then that he reiect any must it not also needes follow that his seede should bee accursed For what can remaine in those which are destitute of his grace but a masse of impiety And if they deserue eternal death much more are they worthy of temporall punishments for hee who expects the cutting off of his head ought much more to iudge himselfe worthy of the prison and stripes Wee must obserue this point diligently For I hold the solution of those but childish who thinke the Lord punisheth the children of the wicked with temporall punishments because of the iniquities of their fathers thinking it not vnbeseeming for the Lord to correct those that are innocent Now we know he neuer punisheth such as haue not deserued it besides he is naturally inclined to mercy But how should he spare the wicked if he should exercise his wrath against the guiltlesse This then must be held as a thing resolued to wit that all such as are destitute of Gods grace are subiect to the iudgement of eternall death Whence it followes that the children of reprobates whom the curse of God pursues are subiect to the same condemnation with their fathers And therefore Isaiah speakes not of innocent children but of the lost and desperate which it may be haue surpassed their fathers in wickednesse and therefore are iustly coupled with them and adiudged to the same punishments with them because they haue walked in their steps But some may say that then they beare their owne punishment and not that which their fathers haue deserued I grant this to be true in part but the reiection began before in their fathers for which cause they are also forsaken and cast away of God And yet their fault is not so particular as if they were not guiltie at all but being inwrapped in the same sinnes in regard of reprobation they are also liable to the same miseries and punishment I know wel enough that this solution will not satisfie those who neuer cease to dispute braule against God but if so be I satisfie the faithfull and those that are not contentious I passe not much what the rest say As for the faithfull I doubt not but they will content themselues with this solution which I dare affirme to be most true In the end of the verse som translate That they fill the world no more with enemies as if the Prophet meant to say that all the wicked are the enemies of mankind yea euen of the whole earth and therefore that the Lord prouides for the safety of all when he sweeps them from the earth otherwise it should be choked by them as with thornes and briars It seemes that this signification expresseth somewhat more because the earth receiues vs into her lap if we discharge our dutie but if wee be contemners of God it nourisheth and sustaines vs vnwillingly as her very enemies Yet had I rather follow the other signification which is more generally receiued for I thinke the Prophet meant to say that the wicked grow vp into a stocke and linage and bring forth children in great abundance so as they exceed their progenitors in number and are more glorious in shew and thence came the prouerbe that an ill weede growes apace We may thanke our selues that the wicked are so multiplied Now whereas wee behold an infinit multitude of wicked ones which haue couered the face of the whole earth as it were we may euen thanke our selues for it and yet the Lord neuer deales so seuerely with vs but hee reserues alwaies some good seede although it be very thin sowne yea he alwaies hath an eye vnto some corner of the world where he may giue his seruants some litle breathing And if he should diminish the multitude of the wicked nothing at all it is certaine they would forthwith ouerspread the whole earth By this is confirmed that which wee haue said before to wit that the children of the Babylonians were not slaine causlesse because it is here said it was to the end they should not fill the world with Cities It followes then that they were wicked and therefore cut off by the iust iudgement of God that by this meanes hee might prouide for the safetie of men and that the Lord cannot be accused of cruelty or hard dealing Vers 22. For I will rise vp against them saith the Lord of hostes and will out off from Babel the name and the remnant and the sonne and the nephew saith the Lord. NOw the Lord testifieth that he will doe that himselfe which he before had commanded others to do by the ministrie of the Prophet so that we must obserue both the one and the other Though God vse men as his instrumēts in bringing the wicked to nought yet the worke is properly said to be his owne namely that it is a worke of God when the wicked come to nought although he vse men as instruments
we must oppose against them to wit if these Ceremonies of theirs be of God then ought we to receiue them if not then is it lawfull for vs to reiect them nay we can in no wise approue of them but we therein offer wrong vnto God because mortall men doe then vsurp that authoritie which vnto him belongeth Besides God imposeth not When God imposeth any Ceremonie he addes his word vnto it nor sets signes before vs without the word for what Sacrament would it be if wee should only behold the bare signe It is the doctrine only which makes the Sacrament Let vs know then that there is nothing but plaine deceit when the word goes not before The Papists do therefore fondlie impose the name of Sacrament to their vaine Ceremonies when they are not able to confirme them by the pure Scriptures Well the Lord hath so ioined these things together that none can separate theÌ„ but withall they offer violence to the order which he hath instituted Now in that Isaiah is commanded to loose the sackcloth the most of the interpreters gather that the Prophet was at that time clothed with a mourning weede in regard that he bewailed the calamitie of Israel for sackcloth was a mourning garment as appeares by that which is said in Ioel Chap. 1.13 They say then that this was done that in bearing vpon him the garments of the guiltie or condemned he might aske pardon of God or that it could not be that his apparell and countenance should testifie gladnes because his heart was in heauines And indeed it was vnpossible but he must needs be sore afflicted in beholding so great and horrible calamities Some thinke it was his ordinarie apparell in regard that the Prophets vsed to weare a mantle as testifieth Zachariah 13.4 But this is too weake a coniecture neither hath it any shew of reason It is more likelie that he was clothed with sackcloth to expresse his sorrow For those of Iudeah were become so senselesse that they cared not a whit neither thought they that this miserie should euer be able to come neere them no nor then when their poore brethren were miserablie afflicted and scattered before their eyes nay they rather thought themselues out of all danger and made a mocke at the words of the Prophets who threatned and foretold their ruine This was the cause why Micha also complained Mich. 1.11 that none bewailed the calamitie of Israel Some also aske whether this was a thing done indeed or rather whether it were not a bare and naked vâ—sion which hee was to set forth to the people Whether the Prophet stripped himselfe naked or not The most receiued opinion is that the Prophet neuer stripped himselfe naked but that it was shewed him by way of vision onely and that but once Their reason is because he was not able to indure to goe naked the space of three whole yeeres Vers 3. both in regard of the heate and cold and of other incumbrances occasioned by the time But what hurt is it if wee should say that the Prophet couered himselfe in his house and abroad also onely that he shewed this spectacle of nakednes to the people when he was to performe his propheticall office For I am not much moued with that reason that hee could not indure the heate nor cold because God who had inioyned him to doe it When God inioynes vs any seruice he therewithall furnisheth vs with abilitie to performe the same was also able to arme and preserue him when hee did it But they bring an other reason to wit that nakednesse had been vnbeseeming a Prophet I answere that this nakednesse was no more dishonest then circumcision which spectacle in the opinion of prophane men was the most ridiculous thing that could be imagined seeing the priuie members were then discouered I doe not thinke neither would I any should that the Prophet stripped himselfe so naked but that he coueuered those vncomely parts which would haue giuen but a foule and deformed spectacle to the beholders It was sufficient that the people were taught what the Lord meant heereby and that they might be moued with it as a thing extraordinarie That also which moues mee to be of this iudgement is that which is said here By the hand or in giuing commission for albeit this maner of speech be often found elsewhere yet wee neuer meete with it in any place but it imports some hidden vehemencie by which the effect it selfe is noted out The Prophet then sets himselfe before God and in the middest of the Citizens as the herauld of the calamitie that was to come and that not by word onely but euen by a visible signe also It is to be obserued in like manner that it is not noted in the text in vaine that Isaiah did so Master Caluins iudgement touching the Prophets going naked Thus haue you mine opinion to wit that the Prophet went naked as oft as hee preached onely shewing those parts of his body which might be seene without blushing As touching the sackcloth although priuate men were wont to confesse their sinnes in time of trouble in that maner yet it is probable that Isaiah vsed this signe both by reason of his office as also to confirme his doctrine and the better to rouse the people out of their securitie If at any time it fall out that the Lord chastiseth either our selues or our brethren hee commands vs not to change our raiment neither is it needfull but we are altogether cruell and inhumane if the afflictions of our brethren the subuersion of the Church moue vs not And if it be our parts to mourne wee ought also to stirre vp others to doe the like and by our example Heb. 13. Rom. 12.15 16. to prouoke them to feele the calamitie of the Church that they may be touched with some compassion Vers 3. And the Lord said Like as my seruant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoote three yeeres as a signe and wonder vpon Egypt and Ethiopia 4. So shall the King of Ashur take away the captiuitie of Egypt and the captiuitie of Ethiopia both young men and old men naked and barefoote with their buttockes vncouered to the shame of Egypt THree yeeres Quest Why puts hee this space of time Ans Because it was granted to the Egyptians and Ethiopians of the Lord as a time of truce to the end they might come to repentance also that hee might thereby proue the faithfulnesse of his people that without delay they might pull themselues backe from seeking all vnlawfull succours thirdly to the end the Egyptians and Ethiopians might know that their ruine was not far off howsoeuer they seemed to bee in a well setled estate Moreouer the Lord meant heereby to discouer the rebellion of the wicked for doubtlesse many shewed their impietie in scoffing at the Prophets nakednesse as on the contrarie that the faithfull being moued with such a spectacle might learne
a summons to repentance Euery chastisement a summons to repentance But doubtlesse the Prophet meant to expresse somewhat more to wit that in despising the holie admonitions which were sent vnto them they were not ashamed to rise vp as it were euen against God himselfe who after a fatherlie maner beckned them vnto him There is yet greater weight in that he saith it was in the day of affliction wherein the danger pressed hard vpon them for they were admonished both by words and blowes The signes of Gods anger appeared the Prophets cryed without ceasing and yet they became neuer the better In that he names sackcloth and plucking of their haire Repentance consists not in outward Ceremonies but in the heart he notes out repentance by the signes of it for it consists neither in sackcloth in ashes nor in any externall thing but it consists in the heart Those who repent in good earnest and are displeased with themselues they hate their sinnes and are touched to the quick with such a sense and feeling of sorrow that they abhorre and detest themselues and their life past but because this can not be done vnlesse therewithall they confesse the same before men therefore he names the outward signes whereby wee giue testimonie of our conuersion now the Iewes vsed such gestures and customes at that time when they meant to shew signes of repentance Isaiah meanes then that they were called to repentance to the end they should first humble themselues before God and then that they should therewithall shew testimonies of that displeasure they had conceiued in themselues before men The signes indeed alone are nothing seeing conuersion begins at the heart and to this purpose Ioel saith Rent your hearts These outward testimonies of repentance are not acceptable vnto God in themselues and not your clothes not that he would haue these signes neglected but he shewes that they were not sufficient nor acceptable vnto God of themselues Let vs hence gather what is our dutie when the signes of Gods anger appeare vnto vs namely that our repentance ought not only to be knowne vnto God but also to men The ceremonies indeed are indifferent neither haue we any commandement to put on sackcloth nor to pluck off our haire Wherein the truth of these signes consists but we ought willinglie and in good earnest to put the truth of these signes in practise to wit an vnfeined displeasure in our selues that wee haue so displeased God a confession of our offences a broken heart and a new life For if wee iudge not our selues worthy of punishment we cannot come into fauour with God To bâ—â—ort euen as the poore malefactor bowes doâ—ne his face and clothes himselfe in vile arayment to bow the heart of the Iudges so ought we to runne in all humilitie to Gods mercy in our Lord Iesus Christ with vnfeined testimonies of our inward repentance Yet are we by the way How farforth these outward testimonies ar profitable to note the profit of these outward signes of repentance to wit that they serue as goades to pricke vs forward to the acknowledgement of our guiltinesse and to the lothing and detesting of our sinne And thus as they are spurres to quicken vs to this dutie they may be called causes of repentance and as they are signes they may be called effects For the tokens of our condemnation that wee beare vpon vs prouoke vs to a more thorow acknowledgement that we are sinners and guiltie persons and they are also effects because if repentance went not before wee should neuer be brought to vse them of a sincere affection Vers 13. And behold ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall die THe Prophet condemnes not ioy simply for wee see that Saint Paul himselfe exhorts the faithfull to reioyce with a true ioy to wit in the Lord Phil. 4.4 But hee here reproues that ioy which is contrarie to that sorrow which proceedes of repentance whereof also the same Apostle speakes in the seuenth Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians for indeede none can bee touched with repentance nor with the true feeling of Gods wrath but being sorrowfull he willingly afflicts himselfe The ioy then opposite to this sorrow is naught Luk. 6.25 Ioel 1.14 2.12 because it proceeds from a brutish blockishnesse and is iustly reproued because the Lord accurseth it Hence it appeareth then sufficiently wherefore the Lord vpbraides them with the killing of oxen and butchering of sheepe for this is not euill in it selfe neither doth it displease God but because fasting is a solemne part of repentance which wee shew before men it is therefore a signe of obstinacie and contempt of God to kill beasts and to make great merriments when we ought rather to fast Thus do men despise Gods threatnings and flatter themselues in their vices and this is the sum of Isaiahs speech But the Papists are worthily reputed ridiculous Papists ridiculous who thinke this place warrants abstineÌ„ce froÌ„ flesh Why did they not aswell forbid wine also seeing the Prophet speakes of that too But they are so far from abstaining from wine Isaiah condemnâ—â— not â—he vsâ— of meates and drinks but the abuse that contrariwise they easilie permit men for want of flesh to recompence the same with taking in of their liquor But let these toyes passe For Isaiah condemns neither the vse of flesh nor wine simply but the abuse the dissolution and pride also whereby men so harden themselues that with an obstinate heart they reiect al Gods threatnings and iudge whatsoeuer the Prophets say to be but fables Wee are to obserue this point diligently for albeit we put not on sackcloth nor couer our selues alwaies with ashes yet if true repentance be wrought in vs we shall manifest the same by such fruits as it necessarily brings forth in them that haue it In a word as hee had described repentance by the signes so hee now sets forth their inward obstinacie and hardnesse of heart by the outward testimonies of it For euen as we witnesse our sorrow for sinne by abstinence and other exercises so by our dâ—ssolutioÌ„s superfluities we shew euideÌ„t signes of a stiffe neck by which we prouoke Gods wrath more and more against vs as we reade they did in the daies of Noah Gen. 6.5 Luke 17.27 Therefore after the Prophet had taxed the excesse and intemperancie of the people in generall he names eating and drinking as the speciall wherein the Iews wholly ouerflowed as if by this meanes they had been able to giue God the repulle and to tread his threatnings vnder foote For to morow wee shall die This particle sheweth sufficiently why the Prophet so sharpely rebuked them for drinking wine and eating of flesh to wit because they scoffed and turned all the Prophets threats into iests and matter of derision Some thinke that S. Paul in alleadging
owne neckes for it came to passe by his iust iudgement that Satan drew them on by little and little with his sweete baites till hee had caught them fast in his nets But in the end it was euident that they were not onely depriued of that succour which they expected but were also sharplie corrected for their presumption and infidelitie The Prophet threatens them then that the Egyptians shall not onely deceiue them as it often falles out that the wicked either giue vs the slip when we haue most neede or doe treacherously betray those whom they haue set a gog with faire promises but that they should stand them in no stead although they did their best indeuours to keepe that faith which they had promised For let men do the vtmost they can for vs Men can doe vs no good further then it pleaseth God to blesse their indeuors for our good yet in as much as the issues of all things rests in the hands of God we shall receiue no benefit thereby vnlesse God bee pleased to adde his blessing When the Prophet spake this it was verie doubtfull and hard to bee beleeued that so mightie a people should bee vnable to giue them helpe but we ought to hold it for a sure principle A Principle that all the comforts which the world is able to set before vs shall turne but to smoke vnlesse the Lord be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs. Vers 6. The burthen of the beasts of the South in a land of trouble and anguish from whence shall come the young and old Lion the Viper and fierie flying Serpent against them that shall beare their riches vpon the shoulders of the Coltes and their treasures vpon the bounches of the Camels to a people that cannot profit HAuing inueied against the consultations of the Iewes in seeking helpe from the Egyptians he now scornes them for the large expences and great paines which they were at to bring this about and therefore he denounceth the same curse which he did in the beginning of the Chapter because they foolishly busied themselues much in trangressing Gods commandement He mentions the South because they passed thorow the South Country wherein Egypt was situated from Iudea And in regard of the way thereunto he calles the beasts and speakes to them the rather to shame men who were become senslesse and would heare no admonitions at all He therefore shewes that the effect of this prophecie shall extend it selfe to the very brute beasts seeing men did shut their eares against it For seeing this people did proudly contemne these threatnings the Prophet doth for good cause direct his speech to the Horses and Camels who though they were destitute of reason yet should they perceiue that God spake not in vaine Furthermore the Prophet shewes that Egypt vpon which this people thought to build their perfect happinesse should proue a land of trouble and affliction euen to the verie beasts The way was long and tedious yet they spared no cost to satisfie their inordinate lusts yea they were so violently ouerswayed and caried away therewith that no distance of place nor length of way could possibly coole or abate the same Now Isaiah threatens them with a speciall iudgement besides the former incumbrances which should catch hold vpon them to wit that wild and cruell beasts that is the young and old Lion should meete them Which was no new nor extraordinary accident vnto them that trauelled betweene Iudea and Egypt Therefore hee heere notes out some thing more rare and dangerous to wit that besides the sore trauaile discommodities and charges which they should be at God in his iustice would meete them with such misfortunes that in the end they should miserably perish This doctrine ought to be applied vnto vs who are too much wedded to the verie same vice for as soone as any shew of danger ariseth wee by and by hasten to vnlawfull shifts imagining that they shall doe vs good albeit we know they be condemned of God Is it not great reason then that if wee will needes partake with this people in their sin that wee also should share with them in their punishment vnlesse we preuent the same by repressing our stubburnnesse and vnbeliefe by Gods word We ought also to obserue and take heede of this folly which caries vs away in such wise that we care for no cost nor refuse any paines whatsoeuer to satisfie and accomplish our ouer great fond and furious lust Whilest we were captiues vnder the Papacie we had too wofull experience hereof trotting hither and thither Men will take great paines to fulfill their owne lusts but none at al in yeelding obedience to the Gospell and made long and wearisome pilgrimages to diuers Saints when as yet the most tedious iournies were easie and light vnto vs but now when wee should yeeld obedience vnto God and beare the light yoke of Christ wee can indure no paines at all Vers 7. * Or Surely For the Egyptians are vanitie and they shall helpe in vaine Therefore haue I cried vnto her their strength is to sit still THis verse containes in it the exposition of the former sentence for he denounceth and repeates but the same thing as it were to wit that the Egyptians shall stand the Iewes in no stead albeit they weary their bodies and empty their purses neuer so much in seeking helpe at their hands As if hee should say Egypts strength shall be vnprofitable vnto you notwithstanding they should do their vttermost and imploy all their power to that end Thus the Iewes should be vtterly frustrated of their hopes and to their great griefe should find themselues much deceiued The letter Vau here signifies For or Surely as I haue translated it In the next place he shewes that the Iewes haue nothing to say for themselues in that they were thus giddy headed to runne into Egypt and that they were vtterly vnworthy of pardon in regard they would not repent but wilfully and wittingly posted downe thither albeit they had been admonished to tarrie at home For I refer this crying vnto Ierusalem to the persō of God wherein he complaines that he did but lose his labour in seeking to reclaime them by so many and plaine admonitions therewithall shewing that it was not without good cause that he had forewarned them to sit still for he therein sought to preuent the afflictions and calamities which otherwise he foresaw would surely fall vpon them But whence I pray you sprang this vnquietnesse Truely from this that Ierusalem would not beleeue the word of the Lord. In a word he shewes that meere rebellion of heart pricked them forward to trot into Egypt Why so Because they might haue liued in safetie if they would haue taried at home The verbe to crie signifies that they were not onely admonished by words but also by stripes whence it appeares that their obstinacie and rebellion was the greater He takes sitting still here to remaine
he is the deliuerer of his Church And when he freed Ierusalem from the siege which was after laid before it he did therein as in a glasse present also vnto the Iewes an image of their spiritual deliuerance It is he alone then which will destroy our spirituall enemies Our help stands only in the name of the Lord that made heauen and earth In vaine therefore shall we seeke other helps and remedies and in vaine shall we rest vpon our owne strength which is nothing for we shall neuer ouercome nor be Conquerors but by the leading and help of our God His yong men His meaning is that the Lord will so manifest his might against the Assyrians that the hearts of young men which are wont to be couragious shall quaile and melt as waxe For in as much as yong men haue lesse experience then those that are old they are more rash and headie But the Lord will easilie coole their heate when the houre is come in which he will deliuer his seruants See to this purpose Chap. 40. â—0 This is the cause why Isaiah made speciall mention of yong men as if he had said the flower or strength Vers 9. He shall flee for feare into his fortresse and his Princes shall be feared with the banner saith the Lord who hath a fire in Zion and a furnace in Ierusalem NOw he speakes of Sennacherib who being swallowed vp with feare should shamefullie flee into his fortresse in Nineue as into his nest He addes that his Princes who should incourage the rest of the souldiours shall be so surprized with astonishment that they shall neither dare to take vp their weapons nor to ioine issue as they say but shall flee the Standard To conclude he shewes that he is Gods Herald to proclaime this Edict that the Iewes might in no wise doubt nor dispute of the euent as they were wont as also that they might not afterward forget so great a benefit neither attribute it vnto fortune In the end of the verse if we reade as some translate Whose fire is in Zion the sense will be that God hath a power of fire to deuoure his enemies Notwithstanding I thinke the relatiue Asher is superfluous or ought to be translated in the nominatiue Qui because God is properlie called fire in respect of the Assyrian whom he will consume Now because he speakes of fire some referre it to the Sacrifices but this interpretation is farre fetched neither hath it any good ground For mine owne part I doubt not but his meaning is to say That the Lord hath a fire to consume the Assyrian or that God himselfe is as a fire so as he closely compares the Assyrian to straw or stubble He also saith that this fire is kindled and maintained in Zion and in Ierusalem that is to say in the middes of his people to shew that the wicked shall not escape vnpunished for persecuting the Church of God For they shall one day feele him their Iudge who stands in the middes of his Church which for the most part is thought to be destitute of all help The summe is that Gods vengeance is prepared for the wicked which haue not ceased to molest his people and that the Lord will not reuenge for his owne sake only but for his elects sake also Let vs reioyce in this consolation God will euermore be a consuming fire to consume the aduersaries of his Church and howsoeuer we seeme destitute of succor and exposed to all dangers yet let vs euermore assure our selues that our God will be as a consuming fiâ—e against our aduersaries THE XXXII CHAPTER Vers 1. Behold a King shall reigne in righteousnesse and the Princes shall gouerne in iudgement The Churches glory begins at the establishing of a well ordered ciuill policie HIs meaning is to say that God will yet bee good vnto his church so as he will restore it vnto the former estate Now the best way to bring it thereunto is when ciuill policie is rightly administred and all things ordered according to iustice and equitie No doubt this prophecie belongs to Hezechias and to his reigne vnder whom the Church was reformed and brought againe into her first glory for before she was miserably scattered That wicked and cursed hypocrit Ahaz had corrupted all after his own fantasie and had ouerthrowne both the ciuill and ecclesiastiâ—all policie The prophecie extends it selfe first to Hezechias Next vnto Christ of whom Hezechias was a figure The Prophet therefore promiseth another King to wit Hezechias who by his iustice and equitie should set those things in order which before were confused In a word he here sets forth the happie state of the Church as in a glasse which seeing it cannot bee erected without Christ it is therefore certaine that the things here spoken of ought to be referred to him of whom Hezechias was but a figure both touching his office and Kingdome He mentions iustice and iudgement according to the vsuall phrase of the Scripture which by these two words vnderstands a well ordered gouernment for iustice signifies equitie and moderation and vnder the word iudgement is comprehended that part of equitie by which the good are maintained and preserued from the violence of the wicked It is very certaine that the office of a good Prince A good Prince must carefully prouide for the florishing estate both of Church and Common-wealth stretcheth it selfe further then iustice and iudgement for he ought principally to vphold the honour of God and the purity of religion but the Scripture is wont to expresse the whole obseruation of the Law vnder the duties of the second table For if we abstaine from violence if as much as in vs lies we labour to releeue the poore and oppressed if we hold the band of peace one with another To abstaine from offring violence to releeue the poore to be at peace with our neighbours good signes of the feare of God It is needfull for a good Prince to haue good counsellers about him Nerua wee therein giue good testimonie that the feare of God is in our hearts from which such fruits of faith doe spring forth Vnder a part then the Prophet hath comprehended the whole But it is not without cause that hee mentions Princes Why so It is not enough that he himselfe bee a good King vnlesse hee also haue good gouernours counsellers about his person For it often falles out that the people behaue themselues leaudly vnder good Kings as we reade of Nerua vnder whose raigne euey one might doe as he listed so as the condition of many was much worse at that time then in the daies of Nero Nero. for the carelesnesse of one onely gaue occasion to many to become wicked Kings therefore ought to be furnished with good gouernors Good gouernours eies eares and hands to Kings which may be as eyes eares and hands to his body in helping him to order things aright
confidence in God Verse 10. He bragged before that he was Gods seruant sent of him to destroy the land of Iudea for which cause he promiseth vnto himselfe assurance of the victory But now the miscreant feares not to aduance himselfe against the Lord of hostes For you must know that the wicked doe not alwaies at the first chop discouer all their impietie touching their contempt of Gods maiestie Note but the Lord by degrees laies open their thoughts and constraines them to cast vp the poison which lay hid within them This wretch now then goes on further in his blasphemies and feares not to rush against the highest Maiestie as if hee were the stronger But he speakes in the person of his Master who had obtained great victories ouer many mightie nations which indeede had their gods vnder whose protection they thought themselues safe Sennacherib hauing subdued these thought also that he had ouercome their gods vpon whose help they rested Thence it comes that he puffes vp himselfe so farre in pride that he dares iustle against the liuing God yea he is caried away with such madnes that he feares not to oppose his strength against the power of the Almightie You see then that albeit the wicked seeme at the first to be farre from the contempt of Gods maiestie yet in the end they manifest that they attribute all to themselues and vtterlie exclude him In words I grant they will giue the praise of their victories vnto their gods but forthwith they sacrifice vnto their owne nets and offer incense to their yarne as Abacuk saith 1.16 which practise our hyppocrites imitate at this day For if they obtaine any victorie they by and by runne and thanke their Idols but when that is done they also thanke their owne counsels policies manhood and their forces so as a man may well perceiue that vpon the matter they attribute all their successe vnto themselues and not vnto their Idols In this his prowd boasting then he shewes himselfe to be a lyar when he acknowledged God the author of his victories On the other side it could not be but the heart of good King Hezekias must needs be wonderfullie grieued in hearing God to be thus charged with breach of his promises whē this wicked one railed thus against God and matcht him with Idols But these things are written Hezekias his patience worthie our imitation to the end we might consider the patience of this good King and also follow his example when the like shall befall vs. Haue any of the gods of the nations When he opposeth himselfe against all Gods as one that had ouermatcht them it is so farre from common sense that the wicked themselues do shudder and tremble at it and yet if the Lord doe but a little presse them he easily drawes forth of them such confessions as this When they haue premeditated what they will say then they can faine themselues Gods seruāts forsooth but soone after he inforceth them to confesse and vtter forth that which was concealed within Let vs know then that superstition is alwaies ioined with pride so as it is vnpossible but he should aduance himselfe aboue all that which is called God which in his heart acknowledgeth him not We neede not wonder then that wicked men are prowd and rebellious for it is only the pure and right knowledge of God which is able to humble our stout hearts And yet this miscreant is no way excused for casting the vanitie and feeblenes of these Idols iustly in their teeth for wee must looke at his intent and pride seeing he scornes not so much the superstition and vaine confidence of the Gentiles as through their sides to wound if he could euen the highest Maiestie Euen as that tyrant Dionysius Dionysius who resisted God and prouoked him to the fight whilest he scorned his owne Idols for against his conscience he derided the God which he could scarcely comprehend in his shallow braine The like is to be said of all other Infidels who haue mocked at false religions which they thought were of God Note we here also the other blasphemie by which the diuine Maiestie is wickedlie violated when Rabshekeh couples the true God with the false as if he were one of their consorts For what blasphemie is greater then to match the immortall God the author of all things with dunghill gods truth with lyes glorie with ignominie and hell with heauen The Lord our God is great and worthie to be praised saith Dauid yea he is to be feared aboue all gods for all the gods of the Heathen are Idols but the Lord made the heauens strength and glorie are before him power and beautie are in his sanctuarie c. Psal 96.4.5 Vers 19. Where is the God of Hamath and of Arpad Where is the God of Sepharuaim Or how haue they deliuered Samaria out of mine hands 20. Who is hee amongst all the gods of these lands that hath deliuered their countrie out of mine hand that the Lord should deliuer Ierusalem out of mine hand SOme thinke Hamath to be Antioch in Syria Arpad that Citie whence people were taken to inhabit Damascus and that Sepharuaim was situated in this countrie If these things be so then Rabshekeh recites here the ancient names of the Cities whence in times past many nations came forth but afterward they not only lost their renowme but their proper names also that such a change might the rather affect and moue them Howsoeuer it be he expreslie notes out the neighbour cities which were best knowne by name to the Iewes that the ruin of them might touch them the more neere neither do I doubt but these places were of Syria and Israel As if he should say You see these two kingdomes subdued which notwithstanding had so many gods and patrons and doe you thinke that your God can resist me The expositors take the particle Chi for an interrogation in both places Haue the gods of the nations deliuered them Shall your God deliuer you then But that the sense might runne the better I had rather translate it thus Let your God deliuer Ierusalem out of mine hand This seemes also to be spoken tauntinglie as if in scorne he should haue said Yea I warrant you your God will deliuer you as the gods of the Gentiles deliuered those that worshipped them Now this ignorance of the wicked proceeds from this they know not that God punisheth mens sinnes when aduersitie befalles them First of all then they deceiue themselues by making an ouerthwart comparison Oh I haue ouercome this or that people therefore it is I that am the efficient in this matter for they know not that God by their hands executes his wrath vpon the people whom he for their iniquities hath destinated to destruction For though they will not vtterly denie but they haue receiued somewhat in their victories from him howbeit it is but fainedly because they neither see his will nor his iustice
instinct and commandement of the holy Ghost for which cause he adornes himselfe with the title of Prophet wherein he signifies that he came not as a priuat man but as hee that was to execute the office which God had inioined him to the end Hezekias the King might know that he had not to doe with Isaiah the Prophet now The King called not for Isaiah now as with a mortall man In that he saith he came we may gather that the King called him not but let him rest at home in his house whilest hee shewed and discouered all his riches for Prophets are not wont to be called when such matters are in hand Before when calamities besieged him and that Rabshekeh had proudly and disdainfully blasphemed the God of Israel then Isaiah the Prophet was sought out and sent for to intreat him to lift vp his praier for the remnant that was left Chap. 37.4 and to giue him some word of consolation and comfort Thus the Prophets are sought vnto when aduersitie and troubles are neere or vpon vs but all things being quiet and well the Prophets are forgotten Prophets vsually sent for in extremitie but forgotten in prosperitie nay they are reiected because they trouble the feast as they say by their wholsome admonitions and seeme to fill all the company with nothing but melancholie Isaiah came notwithstanding vncalled for wherein we are behold his constancy Isaiah his constancie to be noted whose example may teach vs not to tarrie till wee be sent for by such as stand in neede of our office whilest they please themselues in most hurtfull vices and plunge themselues into perill by their lightnesse ignorance or malice It is our duties to gather the dispersed sheepe together yea we stand bound to doe it carefully though no man should require this dutie of vs. Now howsoeuer Hezekias deserued to bee sharply rebuked in that he suffered himselfe to be so soone corrupted by the King of Babylon neuer asking counsell of God The modesty of Hezekias yet the great modestie that was in him is worthy of memorie Why so He repulseth not the Prophet neither disdaines he his message as if hee had reproued him without cause but giues him a mild answer and in conclusion receiues his hard censure peaceably He had done better if he had inquired at the mouth of the Lord at the very first as it is in Psalm 119.24 Thy statutes are my counsellers but hauing failed herein vnawares it was a singular vertue in him obediently to receiue the reproofe of his fault which he had committed The first question What said these men The Prophet hits him not home at the first but prickes him gently that he might bring him by degrees to confesse his fault For Hezekias flattered himselfe and thought himselfe in as good ease as might be It was needfull therefore he should be awakened out of this his sleepe by little and little I grant this first blow was a very piercing one as if he should haue said I pray thee vvhat hast thou to doe with these fellowes Oughtest thou not much rather to haue fled from so contagious a pestilence He askes also what the summe of their message was to shame Hezekias who was ignorant of the serpent which lay hidden vnder the sweet flowers for he finds no fault with the gratulation of these Ambassadors although poison was also mingled therewithall but he aimes at the snares which the Caldeans had set to trap Hezekias his feete Notwithstanding it seemes by his answer that he was little moued by this light reprehension because he pleased himselfe too much as yet in that which he had done for he vaunts that these men were come to him from a farre Country from Babylon No doubt but Isaiah knew this Countrie well so as Hezekias needed not so eloquently to haue described the farre distance of the place but thus he flattere himselfe because ambition possessed him It was requisite therefore that his sore should bee gaged to the bottome and lansed with sharper instruments Vers 4. Then said hee What haue they seene in thine house And Hezekiah answered All that is in mine house haue they seene there is nothing among my treasures that I haue not shewed them The second question AGaine he said c. Hee continues on his couert admonition to see if Hezekias will at last bee touched and displeased with his sinne But he cannot yet win so much of him albeit it is almost incredible that the King should be growne so senslesse as not to feele such prickings For he knew wel enough that the Prophet came not as curious folkes doe to inquire of newes or to passe the time in meriment with the King but to conferre with him about some matter of importance How euer it were yet his calme answer is to be commended for he falles not out with the Prophet but modestly confesseth how all things went But no signe of repentance appeares neither confesseth he himselfe faulty for hee considered not his sinne in this his drowsinesse Ambition is so cunning a witch Ambition a deceitfull witch that shee not onely bewitcheth men with her sweete poison but takes away all their senses so as though they be admonished yet they repent not at the first onset When we therefore see this good King smitten with such a benummednesse that hee feeles no reprehensions neither can bee brought to the knowledge of himselfe wee ought by his example carefully to beware of so dangerous a plague Vers 5. And Isaiah said to Hezekiah Heare the word of the Lord of hostes 6. Behold the daies come that all that is in thine house and which thy fathers haue laid vp in store vntill this day shall be carried to Babel nothing shall be left saith the Lord. BY this iudgement heere pronounced by God we may see that Hezekias his sinne was not small howsoeuer common reason would iudge it otherwise For in as much as God keepes alwaies a measure in his chastising of men Hezekias had not faulted lightly God keepes a measure in his chastisements Ier. 30.11 from the greatnesse of the correction we may gather that this was no light offence but an horrible crime And hereby we are also admonished that men can neuer discerne aright neither of their words nor workes but that God is the onely competent Iudge thereof God the only competent Iudge both of our words and workes Hezekias shewes his treasures were they gathered together to lie alwaies hidden vnder locke and key Hee receiues the Ambassadors courteouslie Should hee haue driuen them away Hee heares their message but since the enemie of the Assyrians seekes amitie with him should he set light by such a commoditie In a word what fault is to bee found in all this if you looke to the outward act But God from whom no secrets are hid spies first of all ingratitude in Hezekias in this his gladnesse for he forgets the
expresse voice of God Hereunto appertaines the verbe To cry The interrogation hath an emphasis here as if he should say Thou must publish this message with a loud voice that it may indeed go to the quicke But the interrogation which is added imports much for the Prophets meaning therein is that hee ranne not of his own head nor bragged of things he vnderstood not but that they were taught him at leasure and distinctly he being well aduised and very attentiue From the matter it selfe we may gather What is to be gathered from the matter it selfe that here is nothing superfluous in regard that two principall points of the heauenly doctrine are here to be handled summarilie First that howsoeuer man bee nothing in himselfe but smoke and vanitie and that all his excellencie vades and perisheth as the shadow or like the flower yet the faithfull haue good cause notwithstanding to reioice because they seeke their saluation out of themselues Secondly albeit they be strangers vpoÌ„ earth yet they are inriched with heauenly glorie because the Lord vnites himselfe vnto them by his word for our abasement ought to inflame vs with a desire to partake of Gods grace The Prophet knew well enough what he was to teach What shall I cry but he meant to rouze vp their spirits by this interrogation thereby to shew that himselfe and all his fellow seruants were constrained by this necessitie to vtter this sentence and that they could not otherwise discharge their duties well though they shuld intreat and admonish neuer so much for the truth is nothing shall bee gained by speaking if they hold any other tenure then this The word cry may signifie a libertie and euidence in the words for the Prophets were not to whisper betweene the teeth but in the hearing of all to pronounce that which they had to say roundly and to their vnderstandings yea freely and plainly to open the meaning of whatsoeuer message they had receiued Is any man called to the office of teaching What such are to doe as are called to the office of teaching then Let him alwaies thinke and remember that he must vse an inuincible freedome of speech against all difficulties that are opposed to his ministery as the Prophets and Apostles haue done without shrinking their neckes out of the coller Woe bee to mee saith the Apostle if I preach not for necessitie is laid vpon mee 1. Corinth 9.16 All flesh is grasse First it is to be noted that he speakes not here of the fragilitie of mans life onely for the words haue a larger sense that is to bring to nothing all the excellencie which men may seeme to haue in them Dauid indeede compares this life to grasse Psal 103.15 because it is corruptible and transitorie but the scope of the text shewes that Isaiah speakes not of the outward man onely How farre this phrase All flesh is grasse exteÌ„ds it selfe but also comprehends the gifts of the minde wherewith men are vsually puffed vp as wisdome valour industrie iudgement dexteritie in dispatching businesses by meanes whereof they thinke themselues more excellent then all the rest of the creatures This is better expressed by the word Chasdâ— which is by and by added which some translate Glory others Well doing but I had rather expound it grace The meaning of this word Grace by which word I vnderstand vvhatsoeuer gift it is whereby men purchase praise and honour vnto them from others Notwithstanding the passiue signification may haue place as if the Prophet should say Whatsoeuer is excellent and worthy commendation among men proceedes from the meere liberalitie of God And in this sense Dauid calles the Lord the God of his sauour Psal 59.10 by whose grace hee had receiued so many benefits as he inioied It is also very certaine that all that which is praise worthie in men is heere called by this word grace and is by the Prophet condemned euery whit of vanitie for there is a close opposition between the common gifts of nature and the grace of regeneration Many expound this of the Assyrians and refer it to them as if Isaiah meant to discharge the hearts of the Iewes from all feare by lessening or indeed by taking cleane away the power riches wit and subtile plots of their aduersaries Thus they expound it then If the force of your enemies feare you remember they are but flesh which by its own debilitie consumes it selfe away But these mens errors shall be sufficeÌ„tly coÌ„uinced anon by the very scope of the text where the Prophet applies his speech directly to the Iewes Wee are diligently to obserue then that whole man with all his faculties wherein he pleaseth himselfe is heere compared to a flower Men are easilie brought to confesse they are mortall but the difficultie is to make theÌ„ disclaime their owne carnall reason 1. Cor. 2.14 All men are easilie perswaded of their mortalitie touching this life and the prophane writers haue disputed that question at large but there is much more difficultie to plucke vp that confidence which men conceiue through a false opinion of their owne wisdome for they thinke they haue more sharpnesse of wit industrie in them then others and therefore also thinke they haue good occasioÌ„ to glory in themselues aboue others But our Prophet shewes that the rarest gift in man fades and perisheth forthwith Notwithstanding he seemes to adde a kinde of correction by way of mockage in speaking of the flower of the field for there is more beautie in a flower then in grasse It is therefore a yeelding or granting as if he should say Though men haue some outward appearance of beautie such as is in the flowers of the field yet all is but a flower â— for the beautie and grace thereof wholly vanisheth away so as their glorying and flattering of themselues in this vaine and deceitfull glittering shew is to no purpose at all Vers 7. The grasse withereth the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth vpon it surely the people is grasse THis may well be vnderstood of the beautie of the fields which the violence of one gale of wind spoiles as it is said in the hundred and third Psalme for we know that the wind is called the spirit of God in other places But I rather thinke the similitude is applied to the present purpose because otherwise the application would be obscure The Prophet then expounds his owne meaning when hee said that men with all their glory were nothing but grasse because the spirit of God will consume them in the top of their pride vvith one blast Therefore this speech must be thus râ—solued Howsoeuer it be true that men being indeed vvith excellent parts of nature may florish yet they shall know that all is but vanitie vvhen the Spirit of God shall but blow vpon them For in that they grow so besotted in their own ouerweenings it is because they neuer set themselues
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
abomination Others reade it The abomination in the nominatiue and vnderstand it that such are abominable as erect and set vp idols but I thinke it is otherwise to be vnderstood I take the verbe chosen indefinitiuely as the Grammarians speake it is often so taken in the Scriptures For when the Prophet speakes of the common people and recounts some ordinarie and vsuall thing they expresse not the noune substantiue Thus I vnderstand it then Men cannot forge idols but therewithall they also forge an abomination And surely this is a worthy text This place teacheth vs to abhor the idol and the idol maker teaching vs both to abhor idols and the boldnes of those that set them vp for this cannot be done without offering great violence to the Lord himselfe Many esteeme it but a sport but the Prophet not onely thinkes otherwise but he calles it such an abomination as God neither can nor will suffer vnpunished The word To chuse points out as with the finger The originall of idols from what fountaine idolatry springs For true religion should neuer be polluted with so many corruptions if men had not presumed to make them idols of their owne deuising Whence wee may note that all deuised and inuented worships of God are heere opposed to true pietie Vers 25. I haue raised vp from the north and hee shall come from the east Sunne shall hee call vpon my name and shall come vpon Princes as vpon clay and as the potter treadeth mire vnder foote NOw hee turnes againe to the argument which hee touched before concerning Gods prescience and power and shewes that the name of diuinitie appertaines to him onely in whom these things are to be found Touching his raising from the north some expound it of Cyrus others of Christ but I think the Prophet notes out two things here so as by north we are to vnderstand the Caldeans and by the east the Medes and Persians as if hee should say There vvill come two changes vvorthy of memorie for I vvill raise vp the Caldeans Caldeans and exalt their kingdome afterward the Persians Persians shall come vvhich shall bee their Lords and Masters Now although these things were to fall out long time after yet the Lord shewes that they were already manifest in his sight yea that hee ordained them in his secret counsell to the end the euent thereof might be a certaine token of his diuinitie Yet in the first member of the verse he denounceth iudgement to feare the Iewes in the second he sets forth mercy in testifying that the captiuitie and deliuerance of the people was his worke that all might perceiue that the prescience and power of God were things which did indeed belong vnto him The prophane nations diuide certaine offices amongst their gods Apollo Apollos Iupiter he foretels things to come Iupiter he puts them in execution another hee dispatches a businesse contrarie to that but Gods office Gods office is not only to foretell and signifie things to come but to dispose of things also according to his good pleasure For in whatsoeuer thing it be that any diuinitie shines it ought to bee ascribed to God onely and not to any other This is the cause why hee appropriates to himselfe both prescience Prescience and the execution thereof ought to be appropriated to God inseparably and the execution of the same inseparably In that hee saith he will raise vp from the north hee prophecieth as I touched before of the captiuitie to come of which there was no feare at that time because the Iewes and Caldeans were in league together in the next place hee prophecieth of the restauration of the people who had leaue of Cyrus to returne into to their Country Now who would haue imagined that things being in so good plight as then they were that such a change had been possible especially in regard the euent was to fall out long time after namely About some two hundred yeeres betweene the time of Isaiahs prophecies and the accomplishmēt thereof about 200. yeeres after the prophecies of Isaiah And yet the Lord testifies that he is the author thereof that so all might know that the Caldeans came not by chance but were raised vp of God who vsed them as his rods to correct the Iewes withall The Medes and Persians also subdued not the Caldeans by their owne power further forth then as they were led and directed by the same hand of the Lord. In this place therfore hee sets forth the greatnesse of Gods power and that so plainly that hee proues Kings and Princes to be but dung and dirt in comparison of him And thus we may yet better perceiue that the Prophet not onely respected those of his owne time but those also which should come after him for they which then liued could hardly discerne what this meant but their successors which saw it and had experience of it vnderstood it much better The end was that all might know how there was but one God before whose eies all things are naked and manifest and who gouernes all things according to his good pleasure You may perceiue then what an excellent text this is in that it shewes the perfection and certentie of Gods oracles The perfection and certentie of Gods oracles For the Iewes forged not these prophecies whilest they were prisoners in Babylon but their fathers hauing heard and receiued thē long time before their successors at last acknowledged Gods iust iudgement whereof they had been forewarned before and in the second place they also imbraced the mercy offered in that they saw God would in due time send thē deliuerance who as he is the preseruer of his Church so they felt him faithfull in his promises by good triall and experience Isaiah spake as hee was moued by the holie Ghost From this place therefore we may safely conclude that Isaiah spake not by his owne motion but that God vsed his tongue as the organ of the holie Ghost who put these wordes into his mouth The certaintie of prophecies In that he saith he shall come it signifies that whatsoeuer was foretold by Gods commandement should without all peraduenture come to passe For hee speakes of a thing to come Gods prescience and power which sets out as in liuely tables the prescience of God Secondly in adding that he is the author of these things that is to bee applied to his power To call vpon the name of God signifies nothing else in this place but to perform somewhat at Gods commandement It is true that Cyrus little thought he was imploied in the seruice of the God of Israel neither meant he to obey him but the euent shewed that the Lord marched before him by his secret power and prouidence to bring him to Babylon by continuall and incredible victories In comparing him to a Potter which treads his clay it is added because euery one thoght the strength and
side the Heralds make a great noise and crying so as a man would thinke heauen and earth would goe together But Isaiah saith that at Christs comming Christs kingdome not carnall none of this din shall be heard not so much to manifest his modestie as to teach vs that wee should looke for no outward pompe in him Secondly that by the beholding of his meeknesse by which he seekes to draw vs to him wee might run with all our might to meete him Thirdly that our faith might not languish in respect of his base and abiect condition He shall not lift vp his voice That is to say he shall make no stirres but shall bee quiet and still And surely hee was so far off from popularitie Mat. 9.30.31 that hee forbad the publishing of his owne miracles to the end we might thereby know that his gouernment and authoritie differed much from that which Kings and power of God that so we may credit that which he hath spokē accordinglie for Isaiah speakes not these things at randō but thereby meant to dispatch our minds of all scruples because nothing is impossible to God who holds the vvhole vvorld vnder his subiection but in the Chapters following we shall meete with the like phrases of speech Some translate the word El Mightie others God but the matter is not great because the sense comes all to one reckning for he describes his power and Maiestie and adornes him diuerslie with such titles to teach vs that he can easily raise vp and restore that which was falne to the earth Vers 6. I the Lord haue called thee in righteousnes and will hold thine hand and will keepe thee and will giue thee for a couenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles HE repeates the name of God againe in which we must supplie that which was said in the former verse touching Gods power All almost doe thinke that he speakes here of the end of Christes calling because he was sent of the Father to establish righteousnes among men of which before they were destitute whilest he is absent from them and being giuen to all sorts of vice and vnrighteousnes were detained prisoners vnder Satans tyranny But because the word Iustice or righteousnes extends it selfe further I leaue this subtletie neither is it said that Christ should be called to righteousnes but this phrase of speech must be resolued into the aduerb Iustly or Holily I rather thinke that Christ is called in righteousnes because his calling is lawfull and therefore shall be firme and stable Things that are not done according to a good and lawfull order can not long last for we know that things disorderedly done can not long continue vnlesse any had rather expound it that God in ordeining of Christ the restorer of the Church seekes no other cause of it then in himselfe and in his owne righteousnes notwithstanding it is certaine that this word notes out vnto vs stabilitie and is as much to say as faithfullie By the holding of the hand he meanes the Lords present help as if he should say I vvill gouerne and vphold thee in the vocation vnto vvhich I haue called thee In a word as thy calling is iust so also will I susteine and maintaine it euen as if I led thee by the hand And the verb vvill keepe which is forthwith added shewes sufficientlie what the holding by the hand signifies to wit that Christ shall be so gouerned of his Father that he will be his teacher and protector in such wise that he will succor and assist him in all things I vvill giue thee for a couenant Now he expresseth the cause why God promiseth to be the protector of Christ Moreouer he distinguisheth betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles not that they differ ought in nature or as if the one were more excellent then the other for all haue neede of Gods grace All haue need of Gods grace and Christ brings saluation indifferentlie to both but in regard the Lord had attributed the first degree to the Iewes therefore it was good reason they should be distinguished from others The Iewes more excellent then the Gentiles not by merit but by Gods free grace Before the partition wall then was broken downe they were the more excellent not by way of merit but by the free grace of God because the couenant thereof was first made with them But some may aske why Christ is named in the couenant which was ratified long before Obiect for there were two thousand yeres and more past from the time that God adopted Abraham the originall of this separation then was long before the comming of Iesus Christ I answere Ans that the couenant made with Abraham and his posteritie was founded on Christ for thus runne the words of the couenant In thy seed shal all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 The couenant was confirmed then only in Abrahams seed that is to say in Christ at vvhose comming it vvas confirmed and established by effect though it vvas done before in regard of the promise Therefore it is that Paul saith All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 who in another place is called the minister of circumcision to fulfill the promises made to the fathers Rom. 15.8 And in another place he shewes yet more plainely that Christ is our peace so as those vvho vvere furthest off are made neere by his blood and that both are by this meanes reconciled to God and made members one of another Ephes 2.17 By these places it appeares that Christ was promised not to the Iewes only but to the vvhole vvorld And here we haue againe another testimonie touching the vocation of the Gentiles Another testimonie touching the vocation of the Gentiles seeing our Prophet expreslie affirmes that he is giuen for a light to them Now he mentions the light because the vnbeleeuers were plunged in most palpable and profound darknes during the time that the Lord enlightened the Iewes only What is our lesson then Surely we are worthy to beare the blame for euer if we remaine in darknes and haue this light of life in the meane while shining before vs. For the Lord calles all vnto him none excepted and giues Christ vnto all that he may be our light It remaines then that we only open our eyes then will he alone chase away all darkenes and will illuminate our minds by the word of truth Vers 7. That thou maist open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknes out of the prison house ISaiah recites heere more at large to what end Christ shall be sent of the Father Why Christ was sent of his Father that we may the better perceiue what fruit we shal reape by the same and how necessarie his help is Now he taxeth all men of blindnes All are blind to the end wee
lippes ye know were to preserue knowledge and at their mouth men were to seeke it Mal. 2.7 The Prophet therefore complaines that those who should bee lights and guides to others were themselues as blinde as the rest Some refer the word seruant to Isaiah others to Christ and thinke that both were condemned of blindnesse But this comes nothing neere the Prophets drift for his meaning is by way of comparison to amplifie the former complaint made touching the blindnesse of the Iewes Their fault was much greater then that of other nations but the Priests were yet in the greatest fault of all who were their leaders and guides Let vs know then that by how much the more wee come neere vnto God and the higher hee shall haue aduanced vs in dignitie aboue others the lesse shall our excuse be To the same purpose he calles them perfect which indeede should haue been so for hee puts them in minde by this reproch of that perfection from whence they were fallen by so vnworthy a reuolt and thereby had shamefully prophaned that holy and glorious name of their God For seeing he gaue them a perfect rule of righteousnesse to direct them both in life and doctrine it should haue been their parts not to haue swarued an haires bredth from it Vers 20. Seeing many things but thou keepest them not opening the eares but he heareth not NOw himselfe expounds what this blinding is which he mentioned before and he shewes it to be twofold Thus we may perceiue well enough that he speaks only of the Iewes who wilfully and maliciously had choked the heauenly light The fault will bee double then when they shall appeare before Gods iudgement seat if wee shut our eies before the cleere light and stop our eares whilest he vouchsafes to teach vs by his word I grant the prophane nations are iustly left without excuse but the Iewes and others to whom the Lord so many waies manifested himselfe shall bee worthy of a double condemnation in that they would neither see nor heare God Let vs feare this iudgement then What vse we are to make of the former doctrin who haue so many worthy lights and examples shining before our eies for there is a blinding espied at this day in many and as great an hardening as was among the Iewes but the one shall bee no more excused then the other Vers 12. The Lord is willing for his righteousnesse sake that he may magnifie the Law and exalt it THat he might amplifie the offence of the Iewes hee now shewes that it was not Gods fault that they were depriued of good daies Hee said before that the miseries and calamities which they indured were the punishments of their wilfull obstinate blindnesse Now to fill vp the measure of their iniquitie he addes that by their obstinacie they had reiected all reliefe This place is diuersly expounded Some reade This verse diuersly expounded See more in the sequell The Lord would haue it so others He is gracious But I haue translated The Lord is vvilling that is to say is inclined to deliuer his people to magnifie his law and to exalt his iustice And thus God yeeldes the reason why he is ready to succour the vnworthy to wit because he is willing that his glory may be aduanced in their saluation that his iustice by this meanes may also appeare and that his law might florish in her perfect strength Now in that the Iewes were in such a distressed estate it was because they wittingly loued darknesse rather then light and to heape sorrowes vpon their owne heads rather then to obey God for had not this come betweene it was his onely desire to haue inriched them and to haue aduanced them Some expound it thus The Lord is as willing to magnifie his law and to shew his iustice in chastising the Iewes as hee was to threaten them by it and thus they refer the word righteousnesse to the punishments and plagues wherewith this people were visited of God Others translate For my righteousnesse sake and so refer it to Christ but they deceiue themselues in the word Tsidko for doubtlesse the Prophet speakes of righteousnesse minding to shew that the Lord was willing to exalt the truth of his promises and the signes of his righteousnesse in the conseruation of the Iewes if they had not shewed themselues vnworthy of so great a benefit by their owne vnthankfulnesse others thinke that the Lord is heere excused in regard it seemed hee suffered his truth to faile when his chosen people were exposed to so manie calamities and that the Prophet meant to preuent this slander by telling them that they were not thus scattered made a pray because the Lord tooke any delight therein but because he respected his iustice aboue all things The sense according to Master Caluins iudgement But for my part I expound it simply in this sense that the Lord to exalt his Law vvas readie to doe his people good that his glory and iustice might shine therein but that the people depriued themselues of such a blessing and thus made their case desperate by their owne obstinacie The cause why the Lord adornes his Church with so many fauors From hence also wee may gather for what cause the Lord adornes his Church with so many of his fauours euen that hee might magnifie his law and bring men to the seruice of his Maiestie that so his truth might shine more and more When the Prophet saith that the Lord is vvilling it is euident that he findes no cause out of himselfe but yet he expresseth it further in adding for his righteousnesse sake for he excludes all that men bring of their owne neither can hee be moued to doe good but because he is iust Adde also that no dignitie or worthinesse is to be found in any man but there was a speciall reason of this in respect of the Iewes whom hee had vouchsafed to adopt among the rest Vers 22. But this people is robbed and spoiled and shall be all snared in dungeons and they shall be hid in prison houses they shall be for a pray and none shall deliuer a spoile and none shall say Restore NOw Isaiah shewes that the people are miserable and appointed to destruction by their owne folly because they reiected God who otherwise was readie to haue succoured them but they like desperate persons reiected all remedies and sought their owne ouerthrow He so excuseth the Lord then that he vehemently reproues the people who vnkindly did cast off the Lord and turned his grace into wantonnes And yet as I haue said alreadie this is not said so much to iustifie God as bitterlie to complaine of this nation who had sworne to procure their owne ruine seeing they wilfully threw themselues into sundrie calamities If we see the Church scattered and deformed at this day let vs blame our sinnes The cause of the Churches deformitie for we thereby would not suffer
end of our election is therewithall set downe For God finding vs the very bondslaues of Satan by nature The end of election calles vs by his free grace that we being set at libertie should become his seruants notwithstanding he shews that no man is worthie in himselfe of this fauour but he which is elect For who dares brag that he hath merited so great a benefit Or what can we doe or offer vnto God We are not sufficient of our selues but the Lord makes vs sufficient as S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 3.5 His free election therefore is free and is the very foundation of our saluation Gods free election the foundation of our saluation and the seruice is but the end which we of dutie owe vnto him Now howsoeuer this be restrained to the historie of Cyrus yet thence we may gather a generall doctrine For when God causeth such diuersities of changes in the world he therby procures the saluation of his Church and wonderfullie conserues it euen in the middest of these tempests We for the most part are as blind as beetles in viewing the works of God but yet wee must hold it for a sure principle that he neuer forgets his Church A sure principle God neuer forgets his Church no not then when a man would thinke heauen and earth would goe together nay then by secret meanes he brings forth her light as the noone day that all in conclusion may indeed confesse that himselfe is the protector and defender of the same Lib. 11. Chap. 8. Iosephus Alexander the Great Iaddus the hie Priest Iosephus recites a memorable historie of Alexander the Great who hauing besieged Tyre sent Ambassadors to Ierusalem to aske the tribute which the Iewes payed to Darius Jaddus the high Priest who had sworne to pay this tribute would in no wise obey Alexander but refused to pay it him this tyrant scorning such a refusall and in a maner being readie to burst with pride determined the destruction of Ierusalem and indeed hauing ouercome Darius he fits himselfe for the execution of his deliberation The hie Priest Iaddus comes forth clothed with the Priestly robes and with other Priests met Alexander Alexander no sooner beheld them but he alights from his horse and fell downe at the hie Priests feet in signe of reuerence As all stood amazed at this as at a thing extraordinarie and cleane contrarie to his purpose thinking he had bin besides himselfe Alexander answered Parmenion Parmenion who only amongst the rest asked him what he meant that he worshipped not this man but God whose office Iaddus susteined As also that whilest he remained at Dion a Citie of Macedonia Dion a Citie in Macedonia he had seene in a dreame a man so apparelled which presented himselfe vnto him in the person of God willing him to take Asia also promising to be the conductor of his armie that he might not doubt of the victorie and for this cause he said he could not content himselfe with sufficient admirations in beholding this hie Priest Thus Ierusalem was deliuered the mouth of the Lyon stopped who thought of nothing but gorging himselfe with the pray nay she gat greater libertie of him then she inioyed before besides great gifts and large priuiledges Why this historie is alledged Now I haue alledged this historie to shew that the Church of God is preserued in the middes of all dangers by strange and vnexpected meanes for the times were then very troublesome and no one corner in the world almost remained in quiet But aboue all Iudeah seemed to be appointed vnto robberies and spoilings and yet behold the Church deliuered as it were by a miracle whilest other countries were wasted and the forme of them vtterlie changed That which is added in the end of the verse though thou hast not knowne me serues for the greater amplification not only to teach Cyrus that these his endowments were no parts of his merits but that he should not despise the God of Israel albeit he knew him not The Lord often aduertiseth vs that he preuents mens industries that he might vtterlie cast downe all high conceits of flesh and blood But he had another end in preuenting of Cyrus for if he had thought that God had giuen these victories vnto him for his owne sake then would he like enough haue scorned the Iewes yea and would haue vsed them but as his vassals and slaues The Prophet shewes therefore that Cyrus his deserts were no cause of this but that he deliuered the people out of their enemies hands because God fauored them for this poore blind Infidell would haue bin readie to haue transported that ouer vnto his Idols which was due to the liuing God because being besotted in his superstitions he would neuer haue giuen obediēce to that God willinglie who was a stranger and vnknowne vnto him vnlesse he had first of all bin instructed by this prophesie Vers 5. I am the Lord and there is none other there is no God besides me I * Or apparelled girded thee though thou hast not knowen me HE confirmes the former sentence A confirmation of the former sentence for it is no superfluous repetition Truly it was necessarie that Cyrus should be often vrged with this point that there was but one God vnder whose power all potentates and nations are tributaries that being rid by this meanes from all impostures he might be whollie turned to the God of Israel Moreouer the Prophet more expreslie shewes that no diuinitie is to be sought out of him No diuinitie to be sought out of God as if he should say Looke that thou attributest not this victorie to thine Idols neither conceiue thou any confused god in thine owne braine as foolishmen are wont to doe but be thou aduertised that it is the God of Israel only that is the author of this conquest It is like enough that Cyrus made no great vse of this sermon neither that he forsooke his Idols to cleaue to this true God yet no doubt he had many flashings in his mind which made him after a sort to acknowledge a Godhead and that this God had the whole world at his becke But howsoeuer Cyrus neglected this doctrine yet the members of the Church ought to imbrace it that they may boldly reiect all false gods I haue apparelled or girded thee This apparrelling answers to the nakednesse whereof he spake before saying The loines of Kings shall be vngirt for he is said to apparell such as he furnisheth with strength to the battell Ps 18.32 to make them conquerors Whence we may gather first that men haue no more courage then that which God inspireth them withall by the power of his Spirit Secondly that neither armor nor armies serues to any purpose if God be not for vs. Thirdly that it is he onely who gouernes all hurly burlies and giues the victory to whom it pleaseth him lest any should thinke that things fall
out to draw their prognostications from thence He derides their vaine brags then as if he should say They retire to their regions but they shall vvander in their imaginations and shall find no place of refuge If any had rather vnderstand it of their reuolt from whom Babel looked for present helpe in time of need I gainsay him not THE XLVIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Heare yee this O house of Iakob which are called by the name of Israel and are come out of the waters of Iudah which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousnesse Now the Prophet directs his speech to the Iewes NOW hee directs his speech to the Iewes whom hee chiefly respected in the whole chapter before going For he was not sent to the Babylonians but so speakes to thē that still his meaning is the Iewes should make their profit of it for whose good he was principally appointed The drift of Isaiah in this Chapter ordained to that high and excellent calling He hath foretold the ruine of Babel then to the end the Iewes might in patience and silence wait for their deliuerance and yet that the greatnesse and power of their enemies in the meane while might not daunt nor discourage them But resting securely vpō these promises they might stand with inuincible force against al temptations Now in as much as the Iewes were somewhat obstinate and would not easilie be brought to credit these promises as also that Isaiah by the spirit of prophecie wel foresaw how stiffe necked and rebellious they would proue euen in their captiuitie he therefore reproues them thus sharply Ezech. in Chap. 33 31. shewes at large how great their incredulitie was when they murmured against God and fel off the hooks making no more account of these promises then of so many fables It is not without cause then that Isaiah is so vehement shewing that they much dishonoured the Lord in that they would not rest vpon his truth He speakes to Israel but so as to Israel degenerate Israel in name and not Israel in deed Hee giues them not this title then by way of honour but rather to conuince them of their false confidence in that they wrongfully vsurped this honourable title and nothing at all answered the truth thereof in their practise For why did God dignifie his seruant Iakob with this name but because he shewed himselfe valorous and inuincible in aduersitie Which appeares by that vvrestling he had with God who pitcheth the field as it were to make warre vpon vs when hee exerciseth vs with diuers tribulations Gen. 32.28 How could this title agree then to his successors Prou. 24.10 when they fainted and forsooke their confidence in the day of aduersitie He afterwards reprocheth them in that they nothing at all resembled the holy fathers from whom they were descended By vvaters vnder a figure hee meanes the fountaine and spring from whence the Iewes issued for I allow not of the Rabbines ridiculous glosse who by the word waters vnderstand that sperm whereof children are ingendred because it is moist and waterish but it is a similitude very fitly drawne from waters which flow from a spring Now hauing taxed them for bastard and degenerate children he addes that they falsly couer the same title vnder the cloke of pietie and religion from the truth whereof they were also reuolted Now because an oath is a part of Gods worship An oath a part of Gods worship he heere puts it for the whole vnder the figure synecdoche For as the Idolaters offer God great wrong in swearing by their Idols so the true worshippers doe highly honour him in swearing by his name for thereby they protest to haue but one God whose name they thus glorie in But in this place the Prophet inueyes bitterly against the hypocrites Hypocrites taxed who had nothing in their mouthes but the name of God and tossed it continuallie vpon the tip of their tongues but in the meane while their hearts were farre off from him as it is in Chap. 29.13 for this cause he saith But not in righteousnes which word he takes heere for vprightnes and soundnes of heart without which nothing we doe is acceptable before God Or truth and righteousnes may be taken for words of one signification as if he should say There is nothing but hypocrisie and vaine shewes in all your doings you professe your selues to be the seruants of the God of truth and behold you let all the world see that you are stuffed with disloyaltie and lies Vers 2. For they are called of the holie Citie and stay themselues vpon the God of Israel whose name is the Lord of hosts An amplification of the Iewes hypocrisie HE holds himselfe to the point still and in other words refutes their vaine shewes for falsly they gloried to be citizens of the holy Citie and yet they stuck not to pollute and defile it with their leaud practises Ierusalem was worthily reputed holy in regard God had sanctified it for the place of his abode but it was prophaned with so many abuses that there was no holines at all in a maner left in it In the 15. and 24. Psalme wee see who are worthie to be esteemed the true citizens of Ierusalem but seeing the Iewes blushed not to play fast and loose with God they thought it enough to couer themselues vnder this vaile Iere. 7. of the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. Where he saith they staied vpon the God of Israel hee speakes not of a true confidence but of a malepart boldnesse For as the faithfull stay and rest vpon the Lord with their whole hearts so hypocrites doe falsly maske themselues with his name and are besotted with a vaine and fond perswasion they contemne all things yea they feare not impudentlie to disgorge this brag Tush God will surely help vs he will neuer forsake his people as if God were a softerer of such a prophane crew To be short they cast his lawes behind their backs and tread them vnder their feet and yet protest with high termes that God is the stay of their saluation But to the end they should not thinke to escape vnpunished for such dallyings the Prophet affirmes that Gods maiestie and glorie shall no whit be impeached though hypocrites indeuor to transfigure him at their pleasures For in calling him the Lord of hosts he addes it as a threatning to the end they might know that the God of Israel vnder which title they vainely couered themselues was also the Lord of hosts to punish such hypocrites and that could not indure to be thus mocked and trifled withall Vers 3. I haue declared the former things of old and they went out of my mouth and I shewed them I did them suddenly and they came to passe HE accuseth the Iewes of ingratitude Before he taxed their hypocrisie they now their
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
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
ought to conceiue of such an idolatrous and barbarous reuerence let them learne it from Saint Peter S. Peter whose seat they brag to hold for hee would not suffer Cornelius the Centurion to doe him such reuerence Act. 10.26 Let them also learne it from Saint Paul S. Paul what to doe in this case who rent his garments and reiected this honour with great detestation Act. 14.14 Is any thing more absurd then to say that the Sonne of God in stead of ordaining a Minister of the Gospell should consecrate a prophane King The Pope a prophane King exercising a Persian-like pompous state vtterly insupportable But let vs remember that whilest the Church is a pilgrime in this world that shee may bee humbled and that shee may bee conformed to Christ her head shee is subiect to the crosse And if her enemies giue her any rest The Churches chiefest gloâ—y consists in humilitie yet you shall perceiue that her chiefest glory and beautie consists in modestie Whence it followes that shee is stripped of her ornaments when shee is decked with a prophane arrogancie The Prophet then by these words vnderstands nothing else but that adoration by which Princes humble themselues before God and that obedience which they yeeld to his word in the Church for we must carefully beare in mind what hath been said before to wit that the honour which is done to the Church must neuer be separated from her head The honour done to the church must neuer be separated from her head For this honour and seruice appertaines vnto Christ and if it be in any sort attributed to the Church it is in such wise that it alwaies remaines intirely to her onely head Adde also that Kings doe not submit themselues to the true religion that they should beare the yokes of men but that they might submit themselues to the doctrine of Christ Who euer he be then that reiects the Ministers of the church and refuseth to beare the yoke which God imposeth vpon all his seruants by her hand Hee is no child of God that will not beare the yoke which he imposeth vpon him by the Churches hand such a one hath no communion with Christ neither can hee be the child of God For those that vvait for me c. I take the word Ascher for a particle of rendring a reason for the words runne on so in a line that those who diuide them doe much darken the Prophets meaning For by this argument he proues that it is good reason Kings and Princes should cheerefully bow vnder Gods gouernment and need neuer be squemish to humble themselues before the Church because God will not permit any that wait for him to be ashamed As if he should say This shall be no slauish but an honourable and an amiable subiection No slauish but an honorable subiection to humble our selues before the Church Now he ioines his truth with our saluation as if he should say Let me be held neither for God nor true of my vvord if I accomplish not that which I haue promised Hence we gather an inestimable fruit For as it is impossible that God should lie or repent so is it necessarie that the stablenes of our saluation which the Prophet drawes from the truth of God himselfe should euer remaine stedfast without being moued or shaken Vers 24. Shall the pray be taken from the mightie O the iust captiuitie deliuered 25. But thus saith the Lord Euen the captiuitie of the mightie shall bee taken away and the pray of the tyrant shall be deliuered for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will saue thy children HAuing answered an obiection in the former verse God testifieth in these verses that he will oppose his power against the power of such as tyrannize ouer his Church be they visible or inuisible aduersaries which might arise in the minds of the faithfull now hee confirmes this solution yet better For it seemed a thing incredible that the Iewes should euer be deliuered from vnder the hands of so mightie an enemie who held them prisoners by the law of armeâ— and had iustly subdued them vnder bondage He addes this interrogation then as it were iâ— the person of all the common people who as it is likely had this speech rife in their mouthes to which he makes answer as wee shall see anon But first we must obserue the similitude in that the Church is called the pray of the mightie and the iust captiuitie that is to say lawfull For he is called a iust possessor which hath gotten it lawfully as in a iust war he that takes the spoile is the iust possessor of it Such was the condition of this ancient people whilest they were in exile for they lost both their Countrie and libertie together and the vanquishert vvill onelie was a law But yet we are diligently to obserue this similitude to wit that the Church should be oppressed by the tyrannie of Princes made a pray to the throte of wolues and yet notwithstanding shee should be esteemed good purchase yea esteemed a iust captiuitie What is more vniust But thus were our fathers handled and are we better or more worthy then they But let them boast as long as they list of their iust captiuitie and let them glory at their pleasure in this vaine title the Lord pronounceth them abominable cut-throtes and theeues in affirming that he will bee auenged of them and plucke the pray out of their teeth for God vseth not to ouerthrow iust poscessors Whence it followes that the dominion which they vsurped ouer Gods people was an vniust tyrannie and plaine robberie Neither could their weapons nor munitions hinder the Lord from taking from them that which they vnlawfully detained And this promise stands in force not onely against tyrants and visible enemies but also against the tyranny of Satan from which we are now deliuered by the admirable power of God I grant Satan is a powerfull aduersarie but the Lord which is stronger then he will bind him and take away his weapons and cast downe his strong holds that he may restore vs vnto liberty Mat. 12.29 Haue wee tried the power of God then in this behalfe The greater reason haue we to relie vpon his deliuerance still 2. Cor. 1.10 as oft as our enemies tread vs vnder their feete and tyrannize ouer vs with cruelties Now when he saith he will contend for our sakes first he therein brings vs to the consideration of his power that wee should not iudge of things either by common reason not yet by the strength of mans arme Wee must not look then vpon that which we are able to doe or to the meanes which we haue in a readinesse but commit the whole sum of our affaires vnto the good will of God who vouchsafes both to care for vs and to defend vs. And not onely so but assures vs that he is furnished with strong
of Christ aboue all the riches of Egypt Exod. 2.11 Heb. 11.26 Let vs with the Apostles reioyce who went from the Councell with glad hearts in regard they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke and wrongs for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 5.41 Now because it were little ioy to vs to see the wicked brought to nought vnlesse wee might inioy our freedome and safetie the Prophet shewes what our condition shall be namely neuer to be destituted of the righteousnesse and saluation of God But this comparison seemes not verie fitting when the ruine of the vngodly is opposed to his righteousnesse For it might haue been more properly and plainly affirmed that howsoeuer the wicked reioice yet they shall shortly perish and the faithfull who now resemble dead men shall liue For seeng he mentions not them at all but onely recommends vnto them the perpetuitie of his righteousnesse it might bee obiected what profit shall we haue by this that Gods righteousnesse shall remaine for euer whilest we in the meane while are ouerwhelmed with miseries But the Prophet in these words aduertiseth vs that the consolation which belongs vnto vs in afflictions must arise from hence that our health and saluation is after a sort shut vp in God For whilest men rest in themselues they cannot conceiue so much as the least dramme of hope which will not forthwith vanish And therefore he turnes our eies vnto God whose mercie indures for euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon their childrens children as Dauid saith Psal 103. In regard that our saluation then is founded on Gods mercy and truth Isaiah brings vs vnto it that all men being accounted as nothing wee may wholly trust in the saluation of the Lord. For thus we must reason Saluation is in God Saluation in God not for himselfe but for vs. not for himselfe but for vs as also his righteousnesse which hee is readie to manifest for our defence From the saluation righteousnesse of God then wee ought to gather that his seruants can neuer perish Which we haue also prooued from the testimonie of Dauid Thou art alwaies the same and thy yeeres shall not faile the children of thy seruants shall continue and their seede shall stand fast in thy sight Psal 102.27 28. Wee see then how hee applies this perpetuitie vnto Gods children who stand not by their owne strength but in God who is the rocke of their saluation Vers 9. Rise vp rise vp and put on strength O arme of the Lord arise as in the old time in the generations of the world Art not thou * that arme the same that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon 10. Art not thou the same which hath dried the sea euen the waters of the great deepe making the depth of the sea a way for the redeemed to passe ouer Gods promises must beget in vs the affection oâ— praier THe Prophet heere teacheth that when God raiseth vs vp by his promises we on the other side ought instantly to intreat him to accomplish that which hee hath promised For he giues vs not comfort to nourish vs in idlenesse but the more to inflame vs with a greater affection of praier and to a daily exercising of our faith Now the Prophet speaks heere according to our vnderstandings For we thinke that God sleepes as long as he deferres to relieue our miseries and yet the Lord beares with vs thus far that hee suffers vs to pray with such words as sauour somewhat of the infirmitie of our natures The faithfull then pray that God would arise or awake not as if he were idle or asleepe in heauen but they rather acknowledge therein their owne dulnesse or slothfulnesse in regard they cannot conceiue ought else of God as long as he deferres to helpe them Notwithstanding howsoeuer the flesh imagineth that hee sleepes and neglects our miseries yet faith lookes higher and apprehends his infinite power The Scripture therefore is wont to say In what sense God is said to wake c. that God awakes and puts on strength when he manifests some testimonies of his presence and power for without this we esteeme him either idle or asleep Now when the Prophet calles it the arme of the Lord which was then hid he sets it heere before them as if it were present that they might conclude surely our enemies could not afflict vs thus cruelly if that the Lord had not withdrawne his arme and helping hand from vs. We haue shewed you the cause of this delay in Chap. 50.1 namely for their reuolt from God By the daies of old hee shewes that they ought to remember all the wonderfull works which God had in former time wrought for their saluation For howsoeuer he seemes to sit still as one vtterly carelesse of vs yet is he the same God still who of old hath gouerned his Church and therefore can neuer now reiect or abandon those whom he hath receiued into his protection In the generations of old Wee must meditate on Gods works of old This repetition doth yet better expresse that wee ought not onely to consider what was done yesterday but those things also which were done long agoe for we must extend our thoughts euen to the most ancient generations that wee may ouercome those temptations which otherwise would seeme to ouerwhelme vs. The Prophet doth heere then gather together in one all the testimonies of Gods fauour which he hath from time to time manifested to his people that if two or three were not sufficient yet at least the great numbers of them might wholly confirme the faith of the elect Now because it was too tedious to draw a long catalogue of all hee names this first and excellent miracle among the rest namely the wonderfull deliuerance of the people out of Egypt For by Rahab I doubt not but he means proud and cruell Egypt as in the 87. Psalme I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon among those which know me Also Ezechiel calles the King of Egypt a dragon 29.3 Behold I come against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt the great dragon that lieth in the midst of the riuers Thus it sufficiently appeares and all in a maner are of the same opinion that the Prophet heere puts them in minde of that strange deliuerance of the people out of Egypt If the pride and loftinesse of Egygt was at that time brought low if the dragon was then slaine why should wee not still hope for the like Art not thou that arme The Prophet reasons from the nature of God for this cannot bee said of the arme of flesh the strength whereof be it neuer so great yet decaies and diminisheth in succession of time Milosigheth Milo who was the stoutest and strongest among many waxing old and looking vpon his arme sighed because hee felt himselfe destitute of that force which once hee inioied but it is not thus with God for his power can neuer diminish
our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed An holy complaint in the person of all the Ministers of the-Gospell WEe will not stand to speake of the diuision or rather dismembring of this Chapter for it should rather haue begunne at the 13. verse of the former Chapter And this ought to be ioined to that which was said a little before for the Prophet staies heere as it were in the middle of his speech For hauing said before that the name of Christ should be published farre and neere euen amongst strange nations and yet that he shall be so contemptible that these things shall in a sort be esteemed no better then fables he now suddenly stops in the mid way as it were and cries that none vvould beleeue him And therewithall he also expresseth his griefe to think that men should be so incredulous as to reiect their owne saluation This is an holy complaint then for his will is that all should know Christ and yet he sees but a few which beleeue the Gospell which makes him to vtter this lamentable cry VVho hath beleeued our report Vse Let vs then sigh and complaine with the Prophet yea let vs be euen greeued in our soules if wee see little fruit to come of our labours and let vs powre forth our complaints before God For thus ought the faithfull seruants of God to bee affected if they meane sincerely to discharge their duties Isaiah shewes then that the number of those shall bee very small that shall submit themselues to the Gospell of Christ for when hee cries Who vvill beleeue our preaching it is as much as if he had said That of an hundred that heare the Gospell scarcely one of them will proue a beleeuer Neither speakes hee of himselfe onelie heere but as one representing the person of all the faithfull Ministers Although God send many of his seruants then If they that haue preaching continue blâ—nd how miserable blind must they be that haue no preaching at all yet there are but a few that beleeue What shall become of them that inioy no preaching at all shall we need to wonder much at their extreame blindnes If the earth that is well husbanded brings forth but little fruit what is to bee expected from that that is vtterly barren and vnhusbanded But the Gospell loseth no whit of his excellencie though it get but few followers neither doth the smal numbers of beleeuers diminish the authoritie thereof nor yet obscure the infinit glory of it but rather so great is the mystery of it that it can hardlie find any welcome in the world for it is esteemed folly 1. Cor. 1.23 because it is far aboue the reach of their carnall reason In the second member Isaiah more cleerly sets downe the reason why there are so few beleeuers What is that The reason why so few beleeue None can come vnto God without the especiall illumination of his holy Spirit But those are deceiued in my iudgement who thinke that arme heere signifies Iesus Christ For it is a rendring of the cause why the Gospell gets mo nore attendants namely they cannot comprehend the mysteries thereof by the dexteritie of their turall wit This is a very worthy sentence therefore and it is alleadged both by Saint Iohn and Saint Paul to this very purpose Iohn saith that albeit Christ had done so many miracles yet they beleeued not that the word which Isaiah had spoken might bee fulfilled Lord vvho hath beleeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Iohn 12.37 And Saint Paul saith But all haue not obeied the Gospell for Isaiah saith Lord vvho hath beleeued our preaching Rom. 10.16 Both of them shew how we are not to wonder if that which was so long since foretold doth still come to passe that so they might remoue that scandall which otherwise would remaine in regard of this peoples reuolt who in stead of acknowledging and receiuing Christ when he came did obstinately resist him And yet Isaiah meant not to tax his own Countrymen alone with this sinne This incredulitie common both to Iewes and Gentiles but comprehends all those that shall succeed them to the end of the world for as long as Christ shal haue any kingdome on earth this prophecie must be daily accomplished And therefore the faithfull ought to be confirmed with this testimonie against such an offence Moreouer this refutes their ignorance who imagin that faith is in euery mans power because the word preached is common to all For though all be called to saluation by the ministery thereof Many called but few chosen yet the Prophet expresly affirmes that the outward voice which calles profits nothing vnlesse the particular grace of the holy Ghost concurre therewith But whence is this difference Onely from Gods secret election who reserues the cause thereof hid in his owne counsell Vers 2. But hee shall grow vp before him as a branch as a roote out of a dry ground he hath neither forme nor beautie when we shall see him there shall be no forme that we should desire him This sentence hath reference to vers 14. where it was said Wee must not iudge of Christes glorie by outward appearances but according as the Scriptures describes him vnto vs. that at the first appearing of Christ he should haue no forme nor beautie in mens eyes but before God he should be highly exalted into a soueraigne degree of honour and greatly esteemed By which wee are taught not to iudge of Christs glory according to outward appearance but by faith so to apprehend him as the holy Scriptures haue described him And therefore this particle Before him is opposed to humane reason which cannot comprehend this his admirable greatnesse He vseth almost the very same similitude with that in Chap. 11.1 where he said that a rod should come forth of the stock of Ishai for the house of Dauid was then like a withered stock of a tree which had no sap nor any appearance of beautie left And therefore in that place hee names not the house royall but of Ishai whose name was then little renowned Onely the Prophet addes heere a dry ground thereby signifying that Christ should take no force from the moisture of the earth to cause him to grow as trees doe but should increase after a supernaturall manner Those who allegorize heere and thinke that the Virgin Mary is called a dry ground in this place because shee conceiued by the holy Ghost and not by the seed of man doe misse their marke for the question is not heere touching Christ his birth but of his whole kingdome Now the Prophet saith that he shall be like a branch issuing out of a drie ground which in appearance will neuer grow to any stature For indeed if wee shall consider by what meanes Christ hath established his kingdome and what persons he hath vsed the weake beginnings and the numbers of aduersaries
a similitude taken from Tabernacles which were commonly vsed in that country The Church then is compared to pauilions Why the Church is compared to a tent because she hath no setled habitation in this world for she seemes to be fleeting and a pilgrime in regard she is subiect to be often transported hetner and thether by reason of her diuers changes And yet I doubt not but he aimes at that first deliuerance according to the custome of the Prophets at which time the Israelites dwelt vnder tents the space of fortie yeeres for which cause they euery yeere celebrated a solemne feast of Tabernacles by the commandement of God Leuit. 23. from 33. verse to 43. Obiect But some will obiect that the building which the Ministers of the word do reare vp is so firme that it ought not to be compared to tents Ans The Church compared to a tent rather in respect of her outward then of her inward estate I answere that this similitude of Tabernacles is rather to be referred to the outward estate of the Church then to her spirituall or inward estate for the true building of the Church is the very kingdome of God which is not vnstable nor like vnto pauilions And yet the Church ceaseth not for all that to be transported hether and thether in regard she can find no sure resting place in this world But she is more firme then a rocke touching her inward estate for in respect she is vpheld by the impregnable power strength of God shee boldly contemnes as dangers Shee resembles tents also because she is not built vpon riches nor earthly forces In the next place the Prophet addes the reason why he commands her to spread abroad the cords to inlarge her pauilions namely because a little place would not containe that great multitude of people which God would gather together in one from all parts Now in as much as Iudeah was wasted with ruines and desolations which had befallen it therefore hee saith that the desolate Cities shall bee inhabited Vers 4. Feare not for thou shalt not be ashamed neither shalt thou be confounded for thou shalt not be put to shame yea thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and shalt not remember the reproch of thy widowhood any more HE heere confirmes as before the hearts of the faithfull A confirmation and speakes to the whole Church for the calamitie was vniuersall and her estate was almost vtterly ruinated Now he bids her be of good cheere and addes the reason namely that her deliuerance should be so famous that shee should not be confounded As if hee should haue said Though now for a while thy case be desperate yet thy matters shall succeed prosperously for those that trust in the Lord shall not be confounded as the Psalmist saith Psal 25.2 Chap. 49.23 He repeates it twice be not ashamed that is to say Hope still and trust confidently For such blush for shame who being frustrated of their hopes are forced to hang dovvne the head Then hee addes the like reason to the former in the word Ci for I take it heere as before for a particle rendring the cause so as it is one and the same sentence repeated in diuers wordes vnlesse you will that the first member be referred to the inward affection and the other to an outward cause But the plainest sense will be that there is in both a promise touching an happy and ioyfull issue As if hee should say Thy calamitie shall haue an end But thou shalt forget thy shame This is a confirmation of the former member by which he vnderstands the calamities that should befall the Church when she should begin to grow for the felicitie shee should afterwards inioy would vtterly deface the memory of them Wee told you ere while Vers 1. that shee is called a vvidovv in respect that at this time God had forsaken put her away frō him Chap. 50.1 Vers 5. For hee that made thee is thine husband whose name is the Lord of hostes and thy redeemer the holie one of Israel shall bee called the God of * Or all the world HEere he renders a reason why shee shall forget all the sorrowes and afflictions which she sustained before namely Reasons by which he confirmes the former consolations because God would accept her into his fauor againe for the captiuitie was a kind of diuorce as we haue shewed in Chap. 50.1 Now he saith he that made thee shall be thine husband for so the words should be so construed Hee calles himselfe the maker or creator of his Church not onely because hee hath created her with the rest of the world Creation taken for regeneratiō but in regard hee hath vouchsafed to adopt her for his spouse which prerogatiue is as a new creation Now albeit the Iewes were fallen from their excellencie in regard men are apt by and by to decline out of the right way if they be not regenerated by the power of the holy Ghost yet their spirituall creation was not wholly defaced for the memorie of the couenant remained still by meanes whereof God also created them anew Where hee calles himselfe the Lord of hoster it is to be referred to his power in which we haue cause to reioice if wee be his children for the greater his power is and the more renowned his name is the greater is our glory as long as hee accounts of vs as of his children and that we boast not of such a title in vaine Now the Prophet amplifies this benefit when he shewes that God doth vs the fauour to admit vs into the place of his vvife for so we may indeed lay claime to this his almightie power Thy redeemer He attributes this name to himselfe that hee might the better confirme the people in good hope and also to assure them that notwithstanding the first deliuerance out of Egypt seemed to bee abolished when they were now carried away captiue yet they shall be so restored that they shall well perceiue Gods grace shall not be fruitlesse The verbe Shall be called may be either referred to the redeemer or to the Holy one or to them both For mine owne part I willingly refer it to both to wit The holy one of Israel shall be called thy redeemer and the God of the vvhole earth Hee mentions all the earth that is to say the whole world for before the name of God was onely knowne in Iurie Psal 76.1 but after the publishing of the Gospel the Gentiles were also called to one hope of saluation with them God is now the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Iewes Rom. 3.29 With whom he hath assembled vnder his dominion the Gentiles also who before were farre off Vers 6. For the Lord hath called thee being as a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit and as a young wife when thou wast refused saith thy God HE meetes with a doubt which might haue
troubled the mindes of the faithfull A preuention of an obiection vnder this grieuous seruitude for they seemed to be so reiected of the Lord as if they were to expect nothing but vtter ruine The Prophet therefore admonisheth them betimes not to quaile though they were forsaken because God according to his wonted fauour is inclined to bee reconciled with them againe yea and to recouer them out of their graues Hee calles her a young maried vvâ—fe or wife of youth that by this similitude he might the better confirme the peoples hope for the new maried couples are easilier reconciled then those that haue dwelt long together Yong yeeres and tender loue Simile allures young folkes to keepe amitie And thus he shewes that God will be easilie pacified As if he should say I grant thou art now diuorced from me but the diuorce shall not long hold but the Lord will be at one with thee yea of his owne accord he will allure thee to be reconciled Vers 7. For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee 8. For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer THe Prophet now expounds the former sentence at large An exposition of the preuention and shewes the maner of this diuorce to wit that the Church shall be shortly restored to her first estate Now he sets forth this mercy of God very excellently and thereby asswageth the dolour which might presse downe the hearts of the faithfull for it was not enough to put them in hope of some kinde of restauration vnlesse they were therewithall assured that God would also be quickly appeased We are out of heart by and by and quaile if so bee the Lord be not neer presently to reach forth his hand vnto vs. And therefore after Isaiah hath mentioned the Churches restauration hee forthwith addes that her reiection shall not long indure but that God will haue compassion on her vvith euerlasting mercy When he saith he forsooke his people it is as much as if he had confessed it to bee so for God hath in such wise adopted vs that mens disloialtie cannot frustrate the same Why so Because he is faithfull and will neuer therefore finally reiect or forsake his elect God neuer forsakes his people See 1. Sam. 12.22 Lam. 3.31.32 This reiection then must bee referred to our apprehension and to our seeming in outward appearance for vvee thinke God hath cast vs off vvhen vve neither feele his presence nor protection And yet it is necessary we should taste the bitternesse of Gods wrath as the wife whom her husband hath put away laments her estate that we may know he hath iust cause to deale so seuerely with vs. But on the other side it is as needfull that we forthwith should drinke a deepe draught of his mercy which being infinite and euerlasting will make all our afflictions seeme light yea and of short continuance in respect of that As often then as calamities doe presse vs downe let vs haue our recourse to this consolation We may also note that this was said and that truly of the whole body of this people who had made this diuorce by their iniquities Chap. 50.1 And howsoeuer God did not indifferently receiue them all to grace but that remnant which he had chosen yet there is no absurditie nor inconuenience at all in it that he directs his speech vnto all Hee repeates the same thing againe in the next verse that it might take the deeper impression in the hearts of the faithfull as also that no aduersitie might too much dismay them And had he iust cause to doe so Yea doubtlesse for in this horrible darknesse the poore captiues could not easilie behold the louing countenance of the Lord. And howsoeuer that which is heere said for a moment in mine indignation is properly to be vnderstood that God in fit season brought his banished home againe into Iudeah yet thence wee may gather a generall doctrine namely that the afflictions of the Church are but for a short space when we lift vp the eies of our mindes to the eternall blessed life For we must remember the admonition of Saint Paul to wit that all the afflictions of the faithfull are light to beare and ought to be esteemed very short if wee looke to that eternall waight of glory which is laid vp for vs in heauen 2. Cor. 4.17 Rom. 8.18 And if this comparison come not betweene daies will seeme vnto vs as long as yeeres If we set not the eternall weight of glory against our momentany afflictions daies will seeme to vs as long as yeeres Neither were there any reason to compare seuentie yeeres captiuitie to a moment if the continuall progresse of Gods fauour were not opposed vnto it Vers 9. For this is vnto mee as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I will not bee angry with thee nor rebuke thee As God satisfied himself with one deluge so hee will satisfie himselfe with this last waste of the Church THis may bee read two waies first as wee haue translated This is to me as the daies of Noah but the matter is not great The principall therefore is to haue an eye to the Prophets meaning for the expositors haue but roued a farre off at it as I thinke They expound in generall termes that the Lord by oth promised Noah there should neuer be any deluge againe and that this oath should remaine for euer for without this the good man might haue trembled and feared death at the next shower of raine that had fallen but that the Lord had sworne to him is should neuer come to passe And thus when afflictions are at hand wee may iustly feare to be ouerwhelmed by them vnlesse the Lord had promised that his Church should bee preserued in safetie But as I thinke this should be restrained to the captiuitie of Babylon for hee compares this captiuitie to the deluge which then deformed the face of the whole earth so as the Church seemed to be vtterly wasted the people were all in a maner carried away and transformed into a strange nation the kingdome and gouernment were ouerthrowne their bondage was extreame and no man would haue imagined but that their memorie and name had been wholly blotted out And questionlesse that which our Prophet said in the first Chapter came to passe namely that if the Lord had not left a small remnant they should haue been like to Sodome and Gomorah It is not without cause then that he compares this captiuitie to the vvaters of Noah that is to say to the deluge For which cause I am of their opinion who reade For this is to me as the vvaters because this reading seemes more solid as
of Gods workes the faithfull are wont to ascend from one kind of them to the consideration of the whole in generall And therefore this onely example of so wonderfull a goodnesse of God might well rauish the Prophets mind so high that in his meditatations he considered of this infinite abundance of blessings laid vp in heauen for the faithfull Yea we manifestly perceiue that this honourable commendation comprehends vnder it the free couenant by which the Lord adopted vnto himselfe Abrahams posteritie into the hope of eternall life The summe of all comes to this The summe of this verse that seeing the goodnesse and power of God is so great we ought not to distrust him but our confidence ought so to be setled thereupon that we should assuredly relie vpon his helpe And to this belongs these excellent benefites which the Prophet heere mentions Vers 5. Thou didst meete him that reioiced in thee and did iustly they remembred thee in thy waies behold thou art angry * Or and. for wee haue sinned yet in them is continuance and wee shall bee saued In this and in the verse following the Iewes bewaile their miseries HE prosecutes the same argument For the people bewailes their miserable condition in regard they felt no reliefe nor ease in their aduersitie though God was wont to be so good vnto their forefathers The faithfull then speake vnto God on this sort Thou vvere vvont to meet our fathers but thy fauour is now turned away from vs and it seemes thou vvilt be no more appeased seeing vvee gaine nothing by calling vpon thee For vvhence comes this aduersitie but from this that as if thou vvere now become changeable thou shewest thy selfe otherwise to vs then thou diddest to our fathers in times past In the next place they confesse they were iustly chastised because they had sinned The best fence against afflictions I haue heretofore shewed that there is nothing better for vs in afflictions then to remember Gods benefits and not only those whereof we haue had experience but those also which are recorded in the Scriptures For we can not be fenced with a buckler that is more thick nor large then it against all kind of temptations Those who thinke these words him that reioyced and did iustly should be read together as if he should say Thou diddest meete them which serued thee willinglie and delighted in well doing doe ill expound this verse as I thinke I rather thinke that by the reioycers those are vnderstood who are ioyfull in prosperitie in regard the people were then in sorrow and heauines For there is a close opposition thus Thou wert wont in times past to meete our fathers before they were pressed with any griefe and diddest glad them at thy comming but now thou art farre off and suffrest vs to languish with griefe and discontentment To this belongs that which is added That they remembred God because they enioyed his present grace and felt him both the author and vpholder of their saluation Thus by the vvaies of God he vnderstands all prosperitie be it that he was more neere vnto them by handling them tenderly and cockering of them as his children or in regard that he naturallie is inclined to doe good But because he hath said that God was wont to meet him that did iustly the remembrance may be referred to the loue of pietie To wit that they gaue themselues carefullie to the seruice of God in which sense these words are the exposition of the former member which is a thing vsuall with the Prophets who are wont to confirme their speeches with many words To remember God signifies to be so sweetly allured with thinking on him that we wish for nothing besides and place our whole felicitie in him For there is nothing which more reioyceth vs then the remembrance of his mercie as on the contrarie if we feele him angrie then the remembrance of his name is terrible vnto vs. And vve haue sinned The Prophet renders a reason of that aboue said for they murmur not against God because they felt him otherwise to them then he was towards their fathers but they lay the whole blame vpon themselues Hence let vs learne neuer to thinke of the afflictions wherewith the Lord visits vs vnlesse therwithall we call our sinnes to remembrance that so wee may both acknowledge our faults as also confesse that we are iustly chastised The word perpetuall may either be referred to sinnes or to the vvaies of the Lord. To sinnes thus Although we haue bin obstinate in our sinnes and worthie to be an hundred times condemned yet hitherunto we haue bin saued through thy mercie If we referre it to the vvaies of God he renders the reason wherefore the people were not consumed to wit in regard the waies of the Lord are firme and perpetuall and because there is no end of his mercies And this sense I thinke agrees best to this place Some supplie that perpetuitie was founded in the waies of the Lord. But I had rather take the words simplie as they sound as Dauid in the 30. Psalme saith That the Lords anger indures only for a night but he is appeased and shewes mercie for euer for he is not prouoked nor violently carried away with anger as men are but hee continues constant and stedfast in his fauour and in well-doing But yet we haue not attained the Prophets full meaning for he saith that the people are saued who in the meane while were led into captiuitie as into a sepulchre wherein they bewailed their miserie And therefore I take the time past for the future tence to wit vve shall be saued for Wee haue bin saued for it is rather a wish or praier then an affirmation The faithful then boast not of that they haue obtained but rather in complaining of their pouertie they haue their recourse to Gods perpetuall mercies They extoll that then which they desire and not that which they had already attained Vers 6. But wee haue all been as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes is as filthie clouts and we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the wind haue taken vs away THe faithfull continue their complaint For they lament their miserable estate because God regarded them not Moreouer the Hebrewes agree not about the exposition of these words filthie cloutes Notwithstanding it is certaine that they signifie a base and vile thing of no price Yea such a thing which in regard of the lothsomnesse thereof stinkes in mens nostrils But two things are here to be noted first that the faithfull confesse they haue offended and are iustly punished Secondly that they cease not to complaine touching the weight of the blowes which they receiued Not by way of pleading against God but to mooue him vnto compassion Simile As when a malefactor would endeuour to pacifie his Iudge he laies foorth all his miseries and calamities before him Many vexe and wearie themselues here