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
that seemes to be cast off in regard he is vnworthy to be any longer accounted among the number of Gods seruants cannot distinctly consider with a still and quiet mind what shall become of him after death but being ouershadowed with sorrowes takes from the dead the facultie of praising God as if all exercises of pietie ceased after this life because as hee thinkes Gods glorie is buried in the graue with those that should bee the witnesses of it Vers 19. But the liuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth HE comprehends not all men generally within this sentence seeing many liue who notwithstanding as much as in them is labour to extinguish Gods glory by their ingratitude so far are they off from thinking they were borne to set forth or magnifie the same But his meaning onely is that men may be true and lawfull Preachers of the glory of God as long as it pleaseth him to retaine them aliue in the world because he by his liberalitie daily hourly sūmons them to the performance of this dutie Vers 18. This opposition shews that his former speech The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee c. oght to be referred to this point namely that such as are cut off from the world where they imploy their time in praising God are by death depriued of so excellent a benefit Besides he protesteth that himsefe shall now bee one of the witnesses of Gods glory thereby shewimg a signe of his thankfulnesse for he saith hee will neuer forget such a mercie but will magnifie the Lord and preach to others what fauour hee hath tasted of And not onely to those of his owne time but to the posteritie also that they may euerie one set forth these praises and reuerence the author of so great a blessing Hence wee are to gather a very profitable instruction to wit that men haue children bestowed vpon them Vpon what condition God giues men children on condition to bring them vp in the information of the Lord euerie one indeuoring with al his might to leaue behind him for his successors some good occasions to set forth Gods praises Fathers of families therefore ought carefully to record vnto their children the mercies which God hath shewed them By the word truth wee are to vnderstand the fidelitie which God keepes with his seruants and with all those that are witnesses of his grace whereby hee manifests vnto them the truth of his promises Vers 20. The Lord was ready to saue me therefore we will sing my song all the daies of our life in the house of the Lord. HEe acknowledgeth that his deliuerance proceeded not from the industry of men but from the onely fauour of God Whereas some translate It is the Lord which can deliuer mee they expresse not the thing sufficiently it also seemes they misse the very letter for hee not onely magnifies the power of God but also his worke by which his power was cleerly manifested In a word he opposeth this his deliuerance to that death vnto which he was iudged of God for as before he apprehended him as a seuere Iudge so now he leaps for ioy in acknowledging him to be his redeemer For this cause he prepares himselfe againe to sing a song of thanksgiuing yea he calles others to him to aid him therein He mentions the Temple because there the faithfull met together Had he been but a priuat man and one of the common sort yet he was bound to haue offered a solemne sacrifice for the incouraging of others as well as for the discharge of his owne dutie He therefore being a king was to be much more carefull in bringing others with him to giue God thanks especiallie seeing the safetie of the whole Church consisted vpon his deliuerance He will therefore indeuor he saith to make it knowne to all what fauour God shewed him and that it should be remembred not for a day or two but all the daies of their liues Truly it had been a most vnworthy thing euer to haue suffered so singular a benefit to haue vanished away or to die at any time but in regard of our owne forgetfulnesse and dulnesse wee haue need to haue spurres to pricke vs continuallie forwards to the performance of this dutie Thus also hee shewes to what end God hath appointed holy assemblies Why God ordained publike assemblies euen to the end that all with one heart and mouth may praise one God in Iesus Christ and stirre vp one another to the exercises of pietie Vers 21. Then said Isaiah Take a lumpe of dry figges and lay it vpon the boile and he shall recouer ISaiah shewes now what remedie hee gaue Hezekias Others thinke it was no remedie because figs are contrarie and hurtfull to vlcers and therefore they say that the King was aduertised and by this signe more fullie instructed that this recouerie onlie proceeded from the free grace of God For example the bow in the cloudes whereby God meant to testifie that the world should neuer perish againe by the flood Gen. 9.13 seemed notwithstanding to signifie the cleane contrarie for it appeeres only when great raines gather together and are readie to drowne the whole world They thinke then that the Prophet hath of set purpose applied a remedie nothing fitting for the healing of the disease because it might appeere to all that Hezekias was healed without the help of any salues But seeing the Physitians of our times do vse plaisters of figs to ripen the Plague-sore it may be the Lord added the salue to his promise as he often doth in other cases for this medicine lessens not the promise which without the word had bin vaine and vnprofitable He also had receiued a supernaturall signe which no doubt taught him that it was God and none but he who restored his life vnto him which in his conceit was lost Vers 22. Also Hezekias had said What is the signe that I shall goe vp into the house of the Lord SOme expound this verse as if this had bin giuen Hezekias for a signe and therefore they referre it to the former sentence but it is more likely that the order of the thing is here changed which often falles out among the Hebrues so as that which should be said in the beginning comes in towards the latter end Isaiah mentions not in the beginning of the Chapter that Hezekias required this signe yet it is recorded in the holy historie that he so did 2. King 20.8 He now addes that therefore which was omitted at the first That I shall goe vp In these words his meaning is that the chiefe care of his whole life was to bestow it to the glorie of God for he desires not to liue that he might consume his daies in voluptuousnes but that he might maintaine the honour and pure worship of God Why God prolongs our dayes on earth Let vs
thereof Which are borne of me from the vvombe This similitude by which God compares himselfe to a mother that beares her child in her vvombe is very fitting for his purpose Now he speaks of the time past in which hee began to giue vnto his people testimonies of his grace vnlesse any had rather expound these wordes more strictly to wit that God hath in mercie aduanced them and borne them in his armes as a child borne of his mother Psal 22.9 10. But because God began not onely to bee a nurcing father to this people from their naturall birth but also begat them spiritually it is not amisse to extend his speech euen to that to wit that they issued as it were out of Gods wombe into newnesse of life and to the hope of the eternall inheritance If any obiect Obiect that God is euery where called a Father Ier. 31.9 Mal. 1.6 and that this title properly belongs vnto him I answere Ans that Gods loue is so incomprehensible vnto his Church that all the similitudes in the world are insufficient to expresse the same For it is a thing that hath many branches yea infinite and vnmeasurable so as if all the benefits that witnesse true friendship were gathered into one yet this affection for the greatnesse of it far exceedes all that can bee thought or spoken of No similitude or borrowed speech sufficient to expresse Gods infinit loue to his children there is no similitude therefore that can expresse his inestimable loue If we onely vnderstand it that from the time God begat them hee hath borne and tenderly nourished them in his bosome this will well sute with that which is written in the song of Moses He nourished and carried them as the Eagle doth her little ones vpoÌ„ her wings Deut. 32.11 To be short the Prophets meaning is that vnlesse the Iewes forget their originall they must of necessitie conclude that they were not begotten in vaine but that God who hath performed vnto them the office of a louing father and mother will neuer leaue them but alwaies will assist them And besides that by continuall succession of time they so felt his power that they were at no hand to doe any homage to Idols When hee mentions the remainder it is to shew Chap. 10.21 as wee noted before that the greater part by their rebellion made a defectioÌ„ from the Church and thus the hope of the redemption appertained but to a small handfull For this cause he craues audience because the vnbeleeuers were become no lesse deafe at his voice then the prophane nations Now howsoeuer the estate of the people at that time was far from perfection and that the remnant of this dispersed people was exceeding small yet the Lord commands them to consider how miraculously they were preserued and kept vnto that instant that so they should not doubt but hee would continue a louing father and mother vnto them in like manner for the time to come And in that he requires them to hearken to his speech The true and onely way to â—edresse our miseries hee shewes that the true and onely remedie of all our miseries consists in depending vpoÌ„ Gods mouth and in hearkening to the promises of his grace for then we shall haue strength enough to beare all our afflictions As on the contrary there is a wide gate set open to rush vs into despaire yea and to expect nothing but ruine and destruction when we stop our eares and will not heare his voice Vers 4. Therefore vnto old age I am the same euen I will beare you vntill the hoare haires I haue made you I will also beare you and I will carry you and I will deliuer you I Expound this particle Vau Wherefore which wee are diligently to obserue God not onely begins but perfects the worke of his grâ—ce in vs. For thus he concludes I haue begotten you and brought you forth yea I haue borne you in mine armes whilest you were yet in your swadling clouts and therefore I will be the protector of your life euen vnto the end And thus Dauid reasons Thou O Lord diddest draw me out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers breasts I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly Psal 22.9 10. God promiseth the Iewes then that hee will alwaies be a father vnto them The Lord saith Dauid will finish the good worke he hath begun in me thy mercies O Lord indure for euer therefore thou wilt not forsake the worke of thine owne hands Psal 138 8. This word I six times repeated is of great weight in my iudgement although the interpreters expound it simply as a pronoune demonstratiue But it signifies heere not onely Gods eternall essence and that he will euer be like himselfe but it is also spoken in regard of vs shewing that wee shall alwaies find him one and the same Where hee saith vnto old age this might seeme a strange speech seeing we grow to be perfect men after God hath once drawne vs out of our childhood But let euery one examine his owne strength as he ought and we shall easilie perceiue that none of vs haue so profited but we shall still feele that God had need to vphold vs daily by his power for otherwise the most perfect would fall downe flat at euery turne Which Dauid also expresseth in Psal 71. Cast me not off O Lord in the time of mine old age forsake me not when my strength faileth J haue made you I vvill also beare you He renues the same argument againe as if hee should say God will not look to your deserts but to his owne work and therefore will continue forth his grace towards you Hence we may thus conclude Seeing thou hast not only created vs to be men but also to be thy children thou wilt doubtlesse continue to beare that affection to vs which fathers and mothers doe towards their children and wilt alwaies haue care ouer vs. Vers 5. To whom will yee make mee like or make me equall or compare mee that I should be like him THe Prophet brings in the Lord here complaining of the Iewes We must not thinke the better of Idolaters because they seeme to prosper in their sinne for distrusting his power and goodnesse as also for comparing him with Idols nay for abasing him beneath theÌ„ For in seeing the Chaldeans to haue the world at will they iudged themselues hopelesse and that the memorie of the couenant was so abolished as if there had been no God left in heauen to haue taken care of them The Lord takes vp a complaint therefore against them in that hee perceiued they attributed some power to the Idols and in so doing obscured his regall authoritie He handled the same argument in the 42. 43. Chapters and in those that follow and therefore we haue the lesse need now to insist any longer vpon euery word That they should
that thou shouldest plucke vp and destroy No power so high but it is subiect to the authoritie of Gods word and pull downe and plant Ier. 1.10 For there is no power at all that is not vnder the checke of Gods word Lastly his meaning is to bring the Iewes as it were to view the thing done for they could not without much difficultie conceiue how this change should happē vnlesse God should destroy their enemies with thunder lightning from heauen Touching this word daughter of Babylon it is a figure much vsed among the Hebrewes when they speake of Cities and nations He calles her virgin not in regard of her chastitie or shamefastnesse but because shee was tenderly and delicately entertained as virgins be and was not as yet forced nor rauished by the enemie as it was said of Zidon in Chap. 23.12 The like may be said at this day of Venice Venice and of other Cities flowing and abounding in riches and pleasures in which regard they seeme most happy in the eies of the world But they haue no lesse cause to feare the change of their estate then the Babylonians howsoeuer they seeme now to be far off from danger For thou shalt be no more that is to say those that esteemed thee happy shall reioice no more with thee for thy prosperitie Vers 2. Take the milstones and grind meale lose thy lockes make bare the feete vncouer the leg and passe thorow the floods ALl this description tends to this end Notes of extreame slauerie namely that Chaldea shal taste of a wonderfull change For this Citie which before was in great honour shall bee brought into extreme dishonout and euery way put to such drudgerie that all shall perceiue euident and apparant signes of Gods wrath therein Behold then the marks of a most seruile bondage Take the milstones and grind meale For they were wont in ancient time to put slaues of the basest and abiectest condition to the mill Their condition then must needs bee miserable when they were held no better then horses for in warre those that got the conquest handled some of their prisoners with much better respect But heere the Prophet propounds nothing before the Chaldeans but a wofull condition in all points to the end the faithfull might assure themselues that they should goe forth freely The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead Prou. 11.8 when the Chaldeans who held them captiues should themselues be captiuated Now howsoeuer we reade not that the great states of the land were thus dishonourably vsed yet it sufficed for the accomplishment of the prophecie that Cyrus suffering them to inioy some base offices made them vncapeable of any rule or authority by constraining them to cease from all honest exercises and liberall sciences And because they ouerflowed in voluptuousnesse Virgins but too curious in setting forth their haire by the lockes hee alludes to the trimmings of virgins We know they are but too curious in tricking and setting out their haire Isaiah therefore on the contrarie describes here a dressing far discrepant from the former to wit that from the head downe to the feete they should be couered with ignominie with filth and mire in stead of that braue and costly attire they were wont to weare Maidens and virgins will scarsly bee seene to passe through the streetes much lesse through high waies but the Chaldeans must passe thorow the floods and that with the thigh or leg vncouered Vers 3. Thy filthines shall be discouered and thy shame shall be seene I will take vengeance and I will not meet thee as a man THis is the conclusion The conclusion of the former sentence as if he should say As long as Babylon florished she kept her reputation and was greatly esteemed for oftentimes vnder riches and authoritie there lie many vlcers as vnder vailes which being taken away the filth is discouered to the great shame of the parties as Demosthenes speaking of Philip king of Macedon saith Whilest mens bodies are in good plight the weaknes vvhich is hidden in some of the members is not espied A saying of Demosthenes speaking of the estate of Philip king of Macedonia but if the body fall into any dangerous sicknes then all is out of order heere is a breach felt there is a sinew perished or somewhat else out of tune The same we see to happen in kingdomes Common-wealths and Cities ill gouerned for the filth and corruption which before was couered vnder the glorie of their estates A Simile being now a little troubled are discouered when their pomp and riches are taken from them then their cruelties treasons robberies periuries vniust taxes and other impieties by which they purchased to themselues honour in time of prosperitie begin to turne to their dishonour in the time of aduersitie I vvill take vengeance and vvill not meet thee as a man It is as much as if he should say Thinke not thou hast to do in this case with a mortall man whose violence thou mayst resist for in other places where mention is made of mans hand it signifies a kinde of moderation But here the Prophet shewes that the Chaldeans shall find no reliefe at all because God will vtterlie roote them out Others translate I vvill not meet a man that is to say I will accept of no man that shall intreate for them Let who will come forth and intercede for them yet I will not remit their fault neither lessen nor asswage the punishment one whit This sense agrees well but it is a little constreined in regard of the disposition of the words for thus the verb Paga which signifies to goe before must be taken in the passiue signification which cannot be Moreouer the Prophet saith not simplie that God will not be intreated but that he wil not be appeased Thus the first exposition sutes best if we consider rightlie of the order of the words yet euery one may follow whether of the senses he will for take which you list the summe will be that the Lord will race them out without pitie or mercie only this I say the first exposition likes me well because it agrees best with the text Vers 4. Our redeemer the Lord of hosts is his name the holy one of Israel The end of Gods iudgements is to manifest himselfe the redeemer of his Church THe Prophet shewes to what end God would take vengeance vpon the Chaldeans euen in regard of the peoples saluation as he said in Chap. 45.4 But this sentence hath much greater force in it in regard it comes in abruptly and as one wakening himselfe out of a dreame when he saw Babylon ruinated which before made it her trade to subdue and treade other nations vnder her feet And he shewes that this shall come to passe for none other cause but to the end the Lord may manifest himselfe to be the redeemer and auenger of
euen in wilde beasts who yet are gentle and louing in this behalfe howsoeuer otherwise they be of cruell and fierce natures Now in regard women sometimes proue more vnnaturall then wilde beasts yea and ouercome them in crueltie by neglecting the fruit of their bodies the Lord addes that if this should fall out that yet he will neuer forget his people For the firme and vnmoueable affection he beares vs farre surmounts the vehement loue and amitie of all fathers and mothers in the world Let vs then call to minde what Christ saith Math. 7.11 If you which are euill can giue good things to your children how much more will your heauenly father Is it possible that he should emptie himselfe of this fatherly affection No verily Men which are of peruerse natures and loue thēselues yet will not neglect their children and will the Lord the fountaine of mercie who needs nothing but giues to all men liberallie and hath not the lesse neglect his Church Wherefore howsoeuer it falles out sometimes that mothers reiect and forsake their children which yet is prodigious yet notwithstanding God who loues his children with a stable constant and perpetuall loue will neuer reiect them To conclude then Chap. 27.23 Hebr. 13.5 our Prophet heere sets out the inestimable care of God who watcheth night and day for our saluation to assure vs that he will neuer leaue nor forsake vs though we be tossed to and fro with many and great calamities Vers 16. Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of mine hands thy walles are euer in my sight Gods loue to his Church set forth by another similitude BY another similitude he sets forth this inestimable care that God hath ouer vs. We vse to say in our common prouerb That one hath that vpon his fingers ends which is seriouslie imprinted in his memorie And when Moses commands a dayly meditation in Gods law he saith Thou shalt bind them vpon thine hands Deuter. 6.8 that so they might alwaies haue Gods commandements before their eies Heere our Prophet vseth the same similitude as if he should say I can no sooner looke vpō my hands but I behold thee there I beare thee so ingrauen vpon my heart that nothing is able to blot out the remembrance of thee In a word I can not forget thee but I should also forget my selfe True it is that GOD hath neither hands nor any bodily shape but thus it pleaseth the holy Ghost to stoupe downe to our slender and weake capacities that he might the better set forth the infinite loue which he beares vs. And because the Church is in many places called the Temple or Citie of God whence also comes that similitude of building so much frequented in the scriptures Psal 102.16 Ier. 24.6 Math. 16.18 therefore the Prophet brings in the similitude of vvalles by which hee notes out the quiet and peaceable estate of the Church as if he should say I will alwaies see that Ierusalem shall florish and be in good plight Whence also we obserue that heere is set forth vnto vs a right order of gouernment and discipline A right order of discipline described whereof the Lord will be the perpetuall protector and defender as himselfe heere protests Let vs also remember that this prophesie tooke place in that wofull desolation when the walles of Ierusalem which were the liuely image of the Church Ierusalems walls a liuely image of the Church were throwne downe the Temple raced good gouernment abolished and in a word when all things were out of ioint and almost brought to vtter confusion for he promiseth that all the Churches priuiledges shall forthwith be restored to their first perfection Vers 17. Thy builders make haste thy destroyers and they that haue made thee waste are departed from thee HE amplifies that which he touched in briefe in the former verse An amplification of the former verse for his speech might haue bin esteemed ridiculous vaine concerning this continuall care that God hath ouer the Church and her walles which he now suffered to be raced to the very foundations For this cause I say he addes an exposition to wit that it is ruinated indeed but ere long it shall be reedified anew From this word builders wee may gather wherin the right way of repayring the church consists The right way to repaire the Churches ruines namely if the Lord bee pleased to send forth master Carpenters and Masons to frame it anew Secondly in driuing out the destroiers which build not but breake downe For albeit God can build vp his church without the helpe of men yet is he pleased to vse their labours and howsoeuer he finisheth the whole building himselfe alone by the secret worke of his holy Spirit yet hee blesseth the indeuors of his seruants that the same should not become altogether vnfruitfull To him we must pray and from him alone wee must expect workemen for hee is able to fit them with gifts and graces and to appoint out to euery one his taske as Saint Paul saith 2. Cor. 3.5 Thus wee are then not onely to pray that God would send forth labourers into his haruest but also that he would furnish them with power and efficacie Mat. 9.38 that they may not bestow their paines in vaine Is the doctrine of the Gospell then preached with some fruit It comes to passe by the singular goodnesse of God But this were not enough vnlesse he therwithall should driue farre off the destroiers for Satan inuades and assaults the Church by infinit waies neither wants hee his supposts and catchpoles who imploy all their forces either to slake hinder or ouerthrow the Lords building and therefore we ought continually to pray that God would still defeate all their enterprises But if that good be not done which we desire let vs accuse our selues and our owne ingratitude for the Lord is readie to bestow his benefits vpon vs in great abundance Vers 18. Lift vp thine eies round about and behold all these gather themselues together and come to thee As I liue saith the Lord thou shalt surely put them all vpon thee as a garment and gird thy selfe with them like a bride HE awakens the Church by setting her deliuerance before her eies The Church is exhorted to behold her glory in the middest of her greatest ruines to the end she might view this so glorious a worke might behold the troopes of men which should flow in vnto her on euery side Now as this gathering together serued to sustaine the mindes of the faithfull in captiuitie so was it their duties who saw it accomplished indeede to render thanks vnto God Whence it appeares that this prophecie was of good vse in both the times as well whilest their deliuerance was yet hidden vnder hope as when it was ratified by the effects And albeit also he speakes to the Church in generall yet this speech belongs to euery one in particular that
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
nation and Ierusalem for the chiefe seate of the kingdome for hee separates not the citie from the kingdome but names it by way of excellencie as being the mother citie Euen as if a Prophet at this day should be sent to speake vnto the whole kingdome of France should name the citie of Paris as the chiefe of the kingdome And it was needefull that this should be done first to the end the Citizens of Ierusalem should not exempt themselues as though they were guiltlesse or rather as being dispenced withall from being vnder any checke in respect of the greatnes of their dignitie Secondly that by meanes hereof they might be preuented from sending the Prophet backe to the Commons and countrie people But they are deceiued who would haue Ierusalem to bee named a part because it was situated in the tribe of Benâ—â—min seeing the one halfe thereof which was subiect to the successors of Dauid is comprehended vnder this name of Iudah Vers 2. Heare O heauens and thou earth hearken for the Lord hath said I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue * Or haue done wickedly against me rebelled against me ISaiah hath here imitated Moses for so it is the custome of all the Prophets to doe neither is it to be doubted but he alludes to that excellent song of Moses Deut. 32.1 in the very entrance whereof he cals heauen and earth to witnesse against the people I graunt that it is a terrible protestation for it is as much as if both of them should turne themselues to the dumbe elements voyde of sense because men had no eares to heare but were become vtterly benummed in all their senses Isaiah then speakes here as of a rare and prodigious thing which were euen enough to smite the very elements with astonishment though otherwise senselesse in themselues For what could be more horrible then to see the Israelites reiect the Lord from whom they had receiued so many benefits Those who by heauen vnderstand the Angels and by earth men doe too much lessen the force of these words and doe also take away that wherein the chiefest weight of the Prophets vehemencie lieth Now all the expositors almost doe finish the clause For the Lord hath spoken here As if the Prophet meant to say Seeing God hath opened his sacred mouth it stands all men in hand attentiuely to receiue his word And thus the sentence in appearance indeed is more full but the circumstance of the place requires another knitting together of the words namely tâ—â—t this word hearken bee referred not generally to what purpose one will but solely and onely to the next complaint And so the sense is thus Heare the complaint which God commenceth against you I haue nourished c. For he recounts such a monstrous thing as he is almost cast into a swound at the sight of it so as he is faine to call in all the insensible creatures contrarie to all order to be witnesses thereof I had rather then take these things in their proper signification because they doe better set forth the Prophets meaning And to the end that no man should wonder why he speakes thus to things without sense or reason experience it selfe not obscurely teacheth vs that the voyce of God is heard euen of the dumbe creatures yea and the very order of nature is nothing else but an obedience which is yeelded vnto him thorowout all the partes of the world to the end his soueraigne authoritie might shine in all places For the elements the heauens and the earth doe their duties and yeeld obedience to the commaundement which is prescribed them and that at the least becke which God maketh to them The earth bringeth foorth her fruits The Sunne the Moone and the Starres doe finish their courses The Sea passeth not beyong the limits which God hath appointed vnto it The heauens also doe turne about to their certaine spaces Finally in all things wee may obserue a wonderfull distinction although all these creatures be destitute of reason and vnderstanding But man who is indued therewith in whose eares and heart the voyce of the Lord so often sounds as if he were wholly senselesse mooueth not neither boweth he his necke to submit himselfe to the obedience of his God The dumbe and insensible creatures then shall beare witnes against such obstinate and rebellious persons to the end they may one day feele that this obtestation was not vsed in vaine I haue nourished Word for word it is I haue made them great But because he speaketh of children wee cannot turne it better then that I haue nourished or brought vp For the Latines in stead of nourishing say to bring vp children Yet hee by and by addes other benefits wherewithall hee had wonderfullie inriched them as if he should say I haue not onely performed the office of a good father in nourishing and sustaining you in this life but I haue also taken paines to exalt you to honour and dignitie For there was no kind of fauour or mercie which the Lord withheld from theÌ„ euen as if he meant wholly to emptie himselfe As hereafter in the fifth chapter he reprocheth them saying What could I haue done any more to my vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Why the Lord might very well haue said as much to all nations seeing hee nourished and bestowed many blessings vpon them but the Israelites were his speciall chosen people whom he had adopted before the rest of the world to himselfe and intreated them as his most deere children embracing and cherishing them with a speciall care euen as in his very bosome In a word he adorned and beautified them with all manner of good things Now to applie this to our time let vs consider whether our condition bee not like or rather much better than that of the Iewes in auncient times The adoption of God obliged them to the puritie of his seruice our bond or obligation is double namely because he hath not onely redeemed vs by the blood of Christ but because he who hath once vouchsafed to deliuer vs doth still call vs also to himselfe by the preaching of the Gospell and therein prefers vs farre before all those whom he hath yet left blinded in their ignorance If we acknowledge not these things of how much greater punishment shall we be worthie for by how much the more the grace of God hath been abundantly powred forth vpon vs of so much the more ingratitude shall we be conuinced before him But thâ—y â—aue râ—belled S. Iâ—â—ome translates it They haue despised me But it appeares sufficiently by other places that the Hebrew word Pashâ—ng expresseth yet somewhat more namely that they reuolted Gâ—d testifies then that he could not hold them vnder his obedience no not by all the benefits hee could bestow vpon them But that they turned away more and more estranged themselues no otherwise then the sonne who by leauing his fathers house shewes that hee is
in to the end he may still continue a Church in the world And S. Paul also who is the best expositor of this place yeeldes the same reason for alledging it in the Epistle to the Romans chap. 9.29 he beates downe the insolencie of the Iewes to the end they should not bragge of that naked title which they bare as if it had been enough for them that they were descended from the ancient fathers in regard of the flesh For he admonisheth them that God could deale with them as hee had done in old time with their fathers but that he is still minded for his mercies sake to reserue a Church to himselfe and to what end euen that it should not vtterly perish For it is for the loue and fauour which hee beares toward it that the Lord reserueth some little seede when in regard of our rebellion hee is constrained to exercise his rigorous iudgemeÌ„ts Which sentence ought greatly to comfort vs in our extreamest calamities yea euen then when we shall thinke the Church as good as forlorne that when we see the state of things turned vpside downe so as to our seeming heauen and earth goeth together as they say yet that we euen then continue firme and inuincible touching our trust in God his mercie notwithstanding resoluing our selues that God will neuer cease to haue care of his Church howsoeuer the world goe Euen a small remnant This particle small may be referred as well to that which went before as to that which followes And therefore some translate We had been almost as Sodom Notwithstanding I had rather referre it to the former speech to declare that the number which God reserued from the common destruction was very small But some rather thinke that this is taken affirmatiuely and was therefore put to expresse the matter the more liuely which I reiect not although it may be taken in his true and natiue sense as if it had been said There shall but a small number of the people remaine Now we are to note this sentence diligently for vnles the Church haue faire and large dominions men are wont to despise her And from thence it comes that hypocrits bragge so much of their multitudes and that the weake also stagger as being dazled with their pompe and glorie It therfore appeares by this place that wee must not measure the Church by the hugenes of the multitude vnlesse we meane to esteeme more of the chaffe then of the wheate because the quantitie therof is greater But it ought to suffice vs that although the number of the faithful be verie small yet that God notwithstanding acknowledgeth them for his elect people And with this also should that consolation of Christ come into our minds Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome Luk. 12.31 Vers 10. Heare the word of the Lord O princes of Sodome hearken vnto the law of our God O people of Gomorah HE confirmes that which he had said before to wit that God his vengeance is not crueltie why so Because they had deserued a farre greater punishment And howsoeuer there was some difference betweene them and the Sodomites in regard of the punishment yet the fault was alike so as if the Lord had not pardoned them hee might euen iustly haue plagued them with the like iudgement In a word he telles them that if God doe spare it is not to the end they should conclude with themselues that their sinnes were lesse then those of the Sodomites but that they were to attribute it rather vnto the mercie of God Now there is no great diuersitie in that he attributes the name of the citie of Sodom to the Pâ—inces and the name of Gomorah to the people but it rather shewes their condition to be both alike But whereas hee repeates one thing twice this diuersitie of names hath the greater elegancie As if he shoud say The Princes and people differ no more one from another then Sodom differed from Gomorah True it is that hee alludes to the diuers degrees of men when he attributes two cities to them as it were apart but in â—egard that Sodom equals Gomorah in value wee see hee binds them vp both together as it were in one fardle The summe then is If any man wil iudge of the Princes and people he shall find them agreeing as well together in one euen as Sodom and Gomorah did That is to say there was neuer a barrell better hearing but they were as like as one egge is to another For there was no more vprightnes in the princes then in the people The Prophet begins now therfore to vnmaske the Iewes and that very iustly for as it is a common thing with all hypocrites to shroud themselues vnder merueilous pretences to the ende they may not bee espied euen so stood the case with this people who were stained with this vice aboue any other And therefore the Prophets had no sharper conflicts with them then about this matter Pride also with this bragging of fained holines reigned amongst them and they gloried no lesse in the noblenesse and excellencie of their nation then of their outward ceremonies and seruice by reason whereof this seueritie of the Prophet did greatly gall them But in as much as it was needefull to draw out their villanies into light the more they set vp their bristles the more liuely doth the Prophet thunder against them And thus must all hypocrites be serued The word of the Lord. The Prophet takes the word of the Lord and the law for one and the same thing And yet notwithstanding I doubt not but hee vsed this word law of set purpose to the end he might taxe their sottish opinion For whilest they imagined to appease God with sacrifices which they offered without faith or repentance they interpreted the law of God after their owne fantasies By which words then he admonisheth them that in alledging the authoritie of Moses he brings in no new deuice of his owne neither addes he any thing to the law but that in hearing him they should only heare the will of God whereof hee faithfully enformeth them Also that the law of God doth in no sort fauour or allow of their dealings in this point to the end they should not thinke to beguile the Lord with a false perswasion of their owne righteousnes Vers 11. What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rammes and the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the blood of Bullocks nor of Lambs nor of Goates NOw Isaiah brings in God speaking who interprets his owne meaning himselfe For it is not enough that the Lawgiuer doe command onely but that he also should adde a natiue exposition to the lawes that they be not corrupted Now it is not to be doubted but that the former sharpe reprehension was very ill taken For what could one haue spoken more boldly
is nothing else but that integritie and soundnesse of heart which is opposed to hypocrisie which also appeares by the word truth according as Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.5 that the end of the law is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfeined Moreouer Hezekias sets downe the fruits which issue from a pure heart as from the roote not onely to animate himselfe but others also especially concerning those things which might giue them any occasion of stumbling Hee staggered not then but meant to remoue the impediments which peraduenture might discourage many Againe The second rule let vs note how our life must be ordered if we desire that God should approue of vs to wit that we doe nothing vvithout his commandement And haue done that which was good in thy sight for as hee reiects and condemnes all outward shewes whereby hypocrits would bee thought iolly fellowes so esteemes he nothing at all of any newfound seruices wherein the superstitious sort trauaile in vaine thinking they merit much at his hands whilest they cast his word behind their backs But Hezekias Hezekias not onely ran but he ran well who knew that obedience was better then sacrifices 1. Sam. 15.22 saith not onely that he ran which some often doe though cleane out of the way but also that he squared his whole life to the commandements of God which onely is the competent Iudge thereof Now from this place wee may gather how much this holy personage was kindled with the affection of praier for albeit he sees nothing about him but signes of Gods wrath yet hee ceaseth not to haue recourse vnto him still God must be sought vnto by praier when hee seemes most angrie and exerciseth his faith by powring out his praiers teares in his presence which all faithfull hearts ought carefully and diligentlie to practise and that euen in their deepest distresses Vers 4. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying ISaiah went his way and left his sting behind him as they say leauing him as a dead man whom in the name of the Lord he had adiudged to die In the meane while we may gather from his song how restlesse his thoughts were or rather with how great terror he was surprised It is not easie to define of the intermission betweene the Prophets departure and his returne yet it is out of question that the promise both touching his recouery and life was not made till he had felt himselfe forlorne yea after he had a long time been tossed vp and downe with furious stormes and tempests For his faith was tried to the vtmost when God thus hid his face from him and suffered him to lie plunged in the darknesse of death yet we haue told you already that the faith of this King was not so quenched but that some sparks thereof appeared though hee were left destitute of all outward comforts For by the secret instinct of the holy Ghost he breathed out vnutterable groanes from this bottomlesse gulfe which ascended vp into the eares of the most high From whence we gather that the faithfull are so heard in the day of their distresse that the fauour of God manifests not it selfe vnto them at the first cry but hee deferres of purpose to let them feele it till hee sees they be throughly humbled Now if it were needfull that so excellent a king and seruant of God should be in a manner thus ouerwhelmed with sorrowes that he might be the better fitted and prouoked to desire Gods fauour and to sigh and grone vnto him being at the last cast and almost swallowed vp of the lower hells let vs not wonder if sometimes he leaues vs perplexed with feare and anguish and deferres that comfort long which we desire First obiection Obiect But some may thinke it strange that God forthwith called back his sentence as if he repented himselfe of that which was gone out of his lips for there is nothing lesse agreeable to his nature then to be changeable Ans I answere Hezekias was not adiudged to death in the decree and counsell of God but his meaning herein was to trie and examin the faith of his seruant Wherefore in this denunciation there must be a condition supplied A condition must be supplied in the denuntiatiō for otherwise Hezekias could neuer haue bowed the Lord nor disanulled his irreuocable decree neither by his prayers nor teares But the Lord threatned him as he did Abimeleck king of Gerar for taking Sarah Abrams wife Gen. 20.3 And as Ionas did the Nineuits Ionas 1.2 3.4 But it will be further obiected Obiect Second obiection that it is contrarie to Gods nature to speake one thing thinke another for thus his words shall lose their authoritie because men will esteeme of his promises and threatnings as things of little weight Ans But wee must iudge of the forme of these words as of the sense of those which I haue alreadie expounded GOD gaue sentēce of death vpō Hezekias because he would not that he should die neither had it been needfull nor profitable to haue sent him this message had not the remedie been neere at hand Besides as it was the meaning of God to humble his seruant with feare and astonishment that by a voluntarie condemning of himselfe he might by prayers and teares escape this chastisement so also it was no lesse his purpose to bring him low by this sharp and biting speech Thou shalt die to the end he might require life and to haue it restored as to him that was now shut vp as it were in his sepulchre The Prophet supplied an infolded condition therefore which Hezekias easily espied although he perceiued it not at the first We can not conclude then that God vsed any dissimulation here seeing he fits his speech to the capacitie and reach of the person to whom he speakes for it is no vnwonted thing with him to kill before he quicken He only then holds part of his speech in suspence He only held part of his speech in suspence that by the outward appearance of death Hezekias might by little and little be framed to newnes of life Vers 5. Goe and say vnto Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer and seene thy teares behold I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres IN his first ambassage Why God propounds his name to Hezekias in a diuers forme vers 1. he meant only to terrifie Hezekias and therefore contents himselfe with a bare propounding of the name of God * As in vers 1. before whose iudgement seat he summoned this poore guiltie person but now when hee brings message of consolation he addes a particular title * The God of Dauid thy father to shew from what fountaine this fauour proceeded as if he should say God is now mooued to shew mercie so as he will not deale extreamely with
their voice vnlesse the Lord speake not to them first and put that into their mouthes which they shall publish vnto others Thus then there is a mutuall relation betweene God and his Prophets But as I haue said these things are not to be whollie restrained to the captiuitie of Babylon no they haue a further extent and comprehend vnder them the doctrine of the Gospell in which this power to comfort is chieflie conteined for it is the proper office thereof to refresh the afflicted The proper office of the Gospell those that are brought low to quicken the dead and to reioyce such as are in heauines in a word to bring with it tidings of all ioy and gladnes GosPell that is glad tidings for which cause it is called the Gospell that is to say good newes which began not then to be published when Christ first appeared to the world but long before to wit from the time that God first manifested his fauour Daniell Daniell he first raised vp the standard to the end the faithfull might prepare themselues to returne home after him Haggai Zachari Malachi Nehemiah Ezra Haggai Zacharie Malachi Nehemiah Ezra and others after them vntill Christes comming alwaies exhorted the faithfull to be of good comfort and to hope against hope The last of them that wrote was Malachi who knowing there should be no more Prophets after him sends the people to the law of Moses that they might learne what the will of God was both touching his threatnings and promises Mal. 4.4 Now from this place we gather that which is chieflie to be sought in the Prophets to wit What is chiefly to be sought in the Prophets they set before vs the sweetnes of Gods fauor that the faithfull might conceiue hope for the time to come that they should not quaile vnder afflictions but might perseuere in prayer But the matter being alwaies incredible he calles to minde the couenant as if he meant to say That it was vnpossible for God to forget that which he once promised to Abraham Howsoeuer the Iewes then had fallen from the grace of God by their sinnes yet he auoucheth notwithstanding that he is their God still and that they were his peculier people which depended vpon his election and therefore in regard there were many reprobates among them My people he only directs his speech to the faithfull for he lets the wicked languish and consume away in their incredulitie But the godly haue here an inestimable consolation to wit that albeit they be pressed with griefe and anguish for a time yet because they put their trust in him who is the father of mercies and God of all consolation they shall in the end feele that the promises of grace were conserued and kept for them as an hid treasure to glad their hearts in due season See heere an excellent commendation of the propheticall office which serues to susteine the faithfull in aduersitie lest they should faint or sinke vnder the burthen contrariwise this place shewes that God is exceeding angrie whē he depriues vs of such faithfull teachers as may bring glad tidings to the Church whereby to refresh the wearie soule and to strengthen the weake Vers 2. * Or speake to the heart of Ierusalem Speake comfortablie to Ierusalem and crie vnto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned for she hath receiued of the Lords hand double for all her sinnes HEre God giues his seruants the Prophets a Commission and puts that in their mouthes which they were to vtter when fit time serued for to comfort the faithfull that were sorowfull And yet he stands not so much to exhort or imbolden the Prophets to discharge this their dutie manfullie and faithfullie as he is earnest in giuing of hope to the godly wishing them to possesse their soules in patience vntill the Prophets were sent vnto them with this ioyfull and comfortable message To speake according to the heart signifies nothing else but to speake that which is acceptable to vs for our heart abhorres all vnpleasant tidings but it effectuallie imbraceth and runnes as it were to meete with that which is well pleasing vnto it Now because the people were in a maner reiected and forsaken what newes could be better welcome then reconciliation with GOD whereby all their sinnes were pardoned Vnder the word Ierusalem by a Synecdoche Ierusalem signifies the Church we are to vnderstand the Church which is so euident that it needs no proofe The word crie signifies that this promise of grace shall be cleare and euident it shall sound so in their eares that all shall vnderstand for if the Prophets should mutter or whisper onely the assurance of this consolation might seeme doubtfull or weake but all doubting is taken away seeing it is to be deliuered freely and with a loud voice Her warfare is ended That her vvarfare is ended This is that acceptable tidings to wit that God hath put an and to the afflictions of his people Some take the word Tsebaab which we haue translated Warfare simply for the time as if hee should say Her time is accomplished Others thinke that the time of visitation is here noted but vnfitly because this word properly signifies among the Hebrewes a set and appointed time to finish and end some businesse or worke in But this similitude is doubtlesse taken from souldiers that haue libertie to returne home from war for he saith the end and issue of their afflictions are at hand as if hee should say God will not alwaies suffer the rod of the wicked to rest vpon the lot of the godlie but keep a measure in humbling of them He therefore compares the time of their captiuitie in Babylon to a long warfare which being ended the souldiers that vvant imploiment are sent home to their houses to liue there in peace and quiet He saith in like manner that her inquitie is pardoned Her iniquitie is pardoned because God will be so fauourable vnto them that hee will no longer in rigor pursue them this therefore is the exposition of the former words Simile For as the Physitians in healing bodily diseases doe first remoue the causes from whence they spring euen so the Lord deales with vs. The rods wherewith he beates vs proceedes from our sinnes he must of necessitie pardon them then before his strokes can cease Our sinnes must be forgiuen ere our afflictiōs can cease See Chap. 38.17 and therefore the Prophet saith that her vvarfare is accomplished because her iniquitie is no longer imputed Some take the word Anonah for miserie and say that it shall haue an end which sense also sutes well for so the Prophet affirmes one and the same thing two waies for to say that her warfare is ended and that her miseries are finished are things that haue one meaning But yet wee must hold this principle that God ceaseth to correct when he is reconciled so
it to Pharaoh and Abimelec Gen. 12.17 and 20.3 whereof the Prophet expreslie speaketh in the 105. Psalme for the Lord rebuked and chastised them in that they durst aduenture to touch his anointed But hee speakes properlie of the victorie which he got ouer the foure Kings which led his kinsman Lot captiue with all his familie for it sufficientlie appeares by the scope of the text that he speakes not of kings or nations that were peaceable but of armed enemies who by force were subdued He afterwards amplifies the easines of this victorie and expresseth therein a great contempt when he compares Kings to dust and stubble for Abraham ouercame them without hazarding his person And therewithall we are taught to attribute this victorie to God and not to the power of man for men can not atchieue a victorie with so little adoe Vers 3. He pursued them and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet AGaine he magnifies the singular goodnes of God in amplifying this victorie by other circumstances and this is aduisedlie to be considered of vs that he should obteine so great a conquest in a countrie vnknowne vnto him It was a difficult and dangerous matter for him to pursue his enemies into regions vnfrequented for Histories record sufficientlie what aduantage is gotten by knowledge of places both by sea and land which those that frequent the warres haue euer and anon experience of But this hindred not Abraham whence it appeares yet better that he was conducted and succored by Gods hand who leades those that are his forward with boldnes Vers 4. Who hath wrought and done it He that calleth the generations from the beginning I the Lord am the first and with the last I am the same THough Isaiah propounds nothing here but the example of Abraham yet no doubt his meaning is to put the people in mind of all those benefits which the fathers in former times had receiued As if he should say Remember your beginning From whence raised I vp Abraham your father Through what waies led I him And my benefits haue not ended there for since that time I haue neuer ceased to fill you with all manner of blessings When he asks Who it is He speakes not of one fact but ads other mercies powred out vpon them many waies which the people were now to call to minde Where he saith that God called the generations from the beginning it ought to be referred to the continuall successions of the times and the word Dor among the Hebrues signifies not only the time or age of mans life but those also which liue in the same age And thus one age is distinguished from another as the fathers from the children and the grandfathers from their little ones for our successors will call vs which now liue the former or next age and that of our predecessors the old time Now because one age would consume the race of mankind if it were not supplied by the children which are borne the Prophet shewes that God multiplies men by continuall succession that so one may supplie anothers roome when it is emptie Whence it followes that his prouidence gouernes all ages Gods prouidence gouernes all ages lest we should thinke the world were ordered by fortune for wee may euidentlie perceiue that his hand and power is in the succession of one age after another But because diuers changes make vs thinke that the world goes vpon wheeles as they say therfore the Prophet contrariwise shews that these so many alterations were foreseene from the beginning The summe of all is That God rules in these varieties and changes which time brings forth God rules in all the changes which time brings forth and with a steadie hand brings that to passe which himselfe from the beginning hath ordeined I the Lord. He affirmes in more euident termes that God is the author of these benefits namely that Abraham ouercame his enemies liued so long among the wicked without harme done vnto him that he discomfited foure kings and that the Lord reuenged the wrongs he receiued when Pharaoh and Abimelec tooke his wife from him Gen. 12.9 and 14.15 and 20.18 To be short he teacheth that it is to him we ought to referre all the benefits bestowed vpon the ages following after so diuers and sundrie waies for he extended not his liberalitie towards Abraham and his seed alone but likewise to the whole world Where he names himselfe the first and saith he is with the last this appertaines not only to the eternitie of his essence but to his rule and dominion which he exerciseth ouer the whole world As if he should say Continuance of time makes me not wax old for I neuer meane to giue vp my right He is not idle in the heauens but from his high throne beholds and orders the least things Moreouer although the world forgeth vnto it selfe a world of dunghill gods yet he will lose nothing by it because he alwaies continues one and the same Vers 5. The yles saw it and did feare and the ends of the earth were abashed drew neere and came 6. Euery man helped his neighbour and said to his brother Be strong HE shewes now that the world was too vnthankfull who hauing seene the workes of God did still perseuere in that blindnesse wherewith it was possessed before In the beginning of the Chapter hee shewed that the victorie was his if they would but lend their eares to heare his plea now he addes that the Gentiles knew his power well enough and yet for all that continued obstinate and rebellious In which respect they were left without excuse Why so Because the Lord manifested himselfe so apparantly that they could not chuse but see him vnlesse they would wittingly shut their eyes lest they should behold him That he might therefore take from the nations furthest off all pretext of ignorance he saith they were abashed at the sight of his works and yet they fell to their old bias againe and forthwith wrapped themselues in many superstitious vanities and errors The summe is that they not onely beheld but were also conuinced in that this knowledge abashed them But some may obiect Obiect that the benefits which God did to Abraham could not bee made knowne to all in such wise that forraigne nations should be fully acquainted with it I answer Ans that howsoeuer he mentions none but Abraham here yet vnder him hee meant to call to mind other examples of his goodnesse which their forefathers had tasted of since that from both they might conceiue hope of deliuerance Abraham was not onely deliuered out of Caldea but God drew also all his posteritie out from the bondage of Egypt Exod. 13.16 and put them into possession of the land of Canaan He saith then that the Iles felt his power when hee deliuered and preserued his people that they might know the true God for his power plainly appeared in so many miracles Lastly he
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
reproched the people touching the malice which flowed from the fathers to the children and so to their nephewes The scope of the former reprehensiōs manifested in this verse now hee shewes that they are still vpheld by Gods mercy whereas they were otherwise worthy to perish an hundred times The vse of this admonition was double for it was needfull that the faithfull should be thus sustained lest they should haue fainted in their captiuitie Besides when they had leaue to returne it was fit they should be humbled to acknowledge that their deliuerance proceeded whollie from the meere grace and good will of God And thus we see that the former reprehension tended to teach them that it was the Lords hand that drew them out of Babylon as out of a graue not for their deserts for they were well worthie to haue bin vtterlie destroyed Vse to vs. In that God spares vs then at this day and mittigates his corrections in that he remits our offences and hath any respect at all vnto vs these things whollie proceed from his free grace Why so Because we should learne to attribute none of these benefits to the merits or satisfactions of men Here then the distinction of the Sophisters falles to the ground as wee haue shewed in other places touching the remitting of the punishment Distinction of the Sophisters which they affirme not to be free because we must make satisfaction for the same vnto God But our Prophet teacheth that God freely remits it and that only for his owne names sake For he speakes here of the punishment which he might iustly inflict vpon the Iewes He had very good cause then to haue cōsumed them if he had not respected the maintenance of his owne glorie Vers 10. Behold I haue fined thee but not as siluer I haue chosen thee in the furnace of affliction God so corrects his Church that in the meane while he thereby procures her saluation THe Lord shewes that he vsed such measure in correcting his Church that therewithall he prouided for their saluation In the former verse he said that he spared or would spare them because he respected his glorie now he shewes that he hath chastised them in deed yet so that he did it for their good for he corrected them to fine them but we are not wont to trie and fine that which we mind to cast away seeing then he had none other end it followes that he did it to procure their benefit and saluation thereby Besides he mentions this triall by way of preuention lest any should obiect that Gods loue little appeared in so sharp afflictiōs The Prophet I say doth in fit season preuent such a conceit tels them that God hath skill enough to correct his Church in mercie and yet not vtterly to forsake her Moreouer he addes that he hath not fined vs as siluer Simile for then we should haue bin vtterly consumed There is some puritie to be found in siluer but in vs there is nothing but drosse and were it not that the Lord made vs siluer we should be burnt to ashes yea to nothing euen as tow or flax Corrections would draw from vs no puritie at all Corrections would rather cōsume then refine vs if God should not moderate and sanctifie them to vs. The Lord in trying of vs then hath respect to our abilitie lest he should passe measure as Psal 103.13.14 then he makes our chastisements profitable vnto vs by the worke of his owne spirit which would otherwise proue mortall and deadly vnto vs. To chuse is taken here to discerne for we ordinarily make choice of that which we desire to keepe as wee haue said Chap. 7.15 where it is said that Christ should eate butter and hony till he had knowledge to chuse the good and refuse the euill He shewes then by this word what difference there is betweene the stripes wherewith the faithfull are smitten and those which the wicked are to sustaine wherewith in deed they shall be ouerwhelmed But howsoeuer the Lord tries and smites vs yet are we acceptable in his sight A Consolation Psal 34.20 Hab. 3.2 and he reserues still a fatherly affection towards vs euen in the middest of our afflictions and in the end he brings vs forth bright as siluer and so makes our suffrings to become a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauor in his nostrils To conclude his meaning is Exod. 3.2 that God ceaseth not euen then to be good to his Church whilest he seemes to consume her to nothing Vers 11. For mine owne sake for mine owne sake will I do it for how should my name be polluted surely I will not giue my glorie vnto another HE repeates that which he said before but he addes an interrogation A repetition of that he said vers 9. with an interrogation added which the Hebrues are wont to vse when they speake of absurdities as heere Can it be that my name should be prophaned The second member I vvill not giue my glorie c. serues for an exposition of this interrogation Isaiah then amplifies that which he spake before in few words and flies an higher pitch in his stile for it is not only a bare amplification of the former sentence but rather a beautifying and adorning of it for the greater confirmation thereof Now by these words he meanes that men as much as in them is doe profane Gods name and giue away his glorie vnto creatures only the Lord in his admirable prouidence stops the course of this mischiefe and keepes his glorie vnblemished Although we by our fault then doe expose this glorie of God to contempt yet will he preserue it as long as he shall continue our protector Hence we gather a very sweet consolation to wit that the Lord ioines his owne glorie with our saluation as we haue often shewed you before I vvill not giue That is to say I will not indure that any should rob me of my glorie but this had fallen out if the people had bin vtterly consumed then would they haue scorned the God of Israel for the wicked were wont in the afflictions of the Saints to disgorge these blasphemies Where is now their God Psal 79.10 Psal 42.3 Moses also alledgeth that the Lord withheld his hand from destroying the people for the same cause I feare saith the Lord the furie of their aduersaries lest they should vvax proude and lest they should say our hie hand and not the Lord hath done all this Deut. 32.27 And questionlesse as oft as the Lord terrifies the faithfull by manifesting vnto them the signes of his heauie displeasure the only remedie then left vs is this that he will yet remember his owne couenant of grace made with vs in Christ lest he should prostitute his holy name to the outrages and blasphemies of the wicked Neither did the Prophet only stirre them vp hereby to giue thanks to God and to confesse that their prosperitie proceeded from
are therefore called vnprofitable costs For by siluer he vnderstands all industrie studie and paines of men not that God esteemes a rush of all that which wee offer him in vaine to serue him but in regard the sense of the flesh esteemes those labours very precious which we haue foolishly taken vp By the word bread hee vnderstands that which he said before touching vvaters and by labour that which he called siluer As if he should say Men wearie themselues much for nothing For when they follow their inuentions they must looke for no reward though they vex and martyr themselues neuer so much Therefore the Prophet saith that those who labour inconsiderately shall neuer be satisfied For if they forsake God to seeke out new meanes of saluation they shall neuer be filled because as Hosea saith they are fed with wind Chap. 12.1 They may well seeme to be full whilest a vaine conceit blinfolds them but they shall be like those who being swollen vvith vvind feele not their hunger And yet it were much better for them to bee so pinched with hunger and thirst that they might thereby be prouoked to cry earnestlie vnto the Lord to be filled according to that in Psalme 63.2 My soule thirsteth for thee like the dry ground But bread or water alone would not suffice to fill vs neither can our life bee sustained with one of them That is the reason then why the Prophet hath vsed diuers vvords to shew that God furnisheth vs with all things abundantly that are necessary to preserue life lest we should vse any vnlawfull shifts to succour our selues elsewhere But because euery one rusheth himselfe into error by his owne counsels and all hauing forsaken God doe vanish away in their owne peruerse imaginations the Prophet heere addes a remedy namely that we whollie depend vpon the mouth of God For whosoeuer submits himselfe vnto his word needes neuer feare that hee hath mispent his time And heere we see a wonderfull goodnesse of God in that he offers his grace though men be vnthankfull and vnworthy of it Yet notwithstanding he addes a condition for the entrance into life cannot bee made vnlesse wee giue eare vnto him And as the cause of our ruine is that we stop our eares against Gods word so the way to heauen is open vnto vs if wee hearken vnto him diligently He repeates the same admonition againe the better to moue our affections and redoubles the word Heare in hearkening And that hee might the better win vs with sweete allurements he protests the fault to be our owne if we be not fully satisfied with all sorts of good things Vers 3. Incline your eares and come to mee heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid BY this heape of words wee may the better conceiue of that which I haue said before namely The ground of Gods couenant that God omits no meanes to awaken and correct our dulnesse and yet heere is a reprehension For it must needs be granted that such are too drowzie headed who being so louingly called doe not forthwith yeelde their obedience An excellent place which shewes that our happinesse consists in that odedience which wee ought to yeeld vnto the word Now when he speakes thus his meaning is to bring vs to saluation and therefore the fault rests wholly in our selues for wee contemne this sauing quickening word Moreouer if God should onely command vs to doe that he hath inioined vs hee should therein shew vs the way indeede how to obtaine life but yet without any profit to vs. For the law as it comes forth of Gods mouth is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3 7. but when he calles vs to himselfe and adopts vs for his children when he promiseth remission of sinnes and sanctification this causeth them which heare to receiue life of him We are thē to consider what kinde of doctrine it is that hath life in it that we may therein seeke our saluation From this place also we gather that there is no hope of saluation vnlesse we be obedient to God and his word and by this all men are conuinced so as they can pretend no cause of ignorance for he that vouchsafes not to heare shall neuer be able to alleage one sound reason for his owne defence But as I haue said these repetitions set forth the patience of God in calling vs. For he summons vs not for once only but if he perceiue that we be slow he admonisheth vs the second yea the third time that he might ouercome our stubbornnes He reiects not those then at the first which disdaine him but after he hath many times allured them Furthermore heere is expressed the nature of faith The nature of faith when he commands vs to come vnto him for wee must so heare the Lord that the fruit thereof may also follow Those also who receiue the word of God in faith do cast away their lusts and reiect the world wherewith they were fast bound that they may willingly draw neere vnto God and that with much ioy and gladnes of heart Yet faith can not be conceiued without hearing Rom. 10.17 that is to say without vnderstanding of the word and therefore he commands vs to encline our eare before we come When mention shall be made of faith then Gods word the ground of faith let vs remember that it must be ioined to the word in which it hath her foundation Where he addes and I vvill make a couenant some demaund Quest whether God had not made a perpetual couenant with the Iewes before for he seemes to promise a new and vnaccustomed thing heere I answere Ans he promiseth no new thing but that which God had before contracted with the people and therefore it is but a renuing and a confirmation of the couenant to the end the Iewes should not thinke that Gods promise was abolished though they saw thēselues so long banished For whilst they were driuen out of that countrie which was promised and giuen them being without the Temple and without the sacrifices and had no marks at all left but the couenant of Circumcision who would not haue thought but that God had vtterly shaken them off Isaiah then hath fitted this phrase of speech as you see to the capacitie of the people that they might know how the couenant of God made with their fathers was firme stable and eternall and neither mutable nor temporarie He signifies the same thing by the mercies of Dauid but by this clause he shewes that the couenant is free because it hath its foundation laid in nothing but in the meere goodnes of God As oft then as wee meere with this word Couenant in the Scriptures Couenant and mercie must alwaies be matched together wee must therewithall call to minde the word mercie or grace Now he pronounceth he will be faithfull therein and forthwith he signifies that
oppressed called to minde the ancient times in vvhich the Lord manifested his power for the preseruation of his people Whereas some referre this vnto God as if he had wrestled with their obstinacie and had rather gratified the vngratefull thē leaue that worke imperfect which hee had begun this seemes harsh and too far fetched The Prophet rather recites the sighes and complaints of this poore people after by chastisements they had learned how miserable a thing it is not to bee vnder Gods protection By the Shepheard he meanes Moses Neither see I any reason why it should be translated in the plurall number rather then in the singular He also expresseth the means by which he guided the sheepe namely in that hee was indued with singular graces of the holy Spirit for to put his Spirit in the middest of him is as much to say as to manifest the power of his Spirit Others had rather referre it vnto the people Neither contradict I their opinion but in regard that God had chosen and ordained Moses to be the conducter of his people it is he principally of whom it is said that the holy Spirit vvas put vvithin him Now this Spirit was giuen him for the good of the whole people that he might be an excellent Minister of Gods grace and might see them at libertie And so by consequence the power of the Spirit of God appeared in the middest of all the people Vers 12. Hee led them by the right hand of Moses with his owne glorious arme diuiding the waters before them to make himselfe an euerlasting name HEe heere prosecutes that miraculous deliuerance of the people He goes on in describing the peoples deliuerance out of Egypt who vnder the conduct of Moses were brought out of Egypt and also continues to recite the complaints which might happily come into the mindes of the faithfull We see heere two things ioined together to wit the right hand of Moses and the glorious arme of the Lord. Who so vseth mans trauaile that his praise and glory ought at no hand to be lessened or darkened for these things were so done vnder the conduct of Moses that they ought wholly to be attributed to the power of God As at this day when it is said that the Ministers of the Gospell remit sinnes which yet belongs to God onely doth this diminish ought from his authoritie and Maiestie 8. Cor. 3.5 Truly no for they are but instruments who bestow their paines for God to whom all the glory thereof must be attributed Alas what could the sillie hand of man haue done if the arme of the Lord had not fortified it For this cause in the end of the verse hee expresly addeth that God at that time wrought after so admirabe a maner to make himselfe an euerlasting name whereof seeing it is vnlawfull to despoile him so it shall bee no more lawfull to attribute the least part of praise vnto a mortall man Vers 13. Hee led them thorow the deepe as an horse in the wildernesse that they should not stumble 14. As the beast goeth downe into the * valley the Spirit of the Lord gaue them rest so didst thou lead thy people to make thy selfe a glorious name THis is added to amplifie and set forth so great a benefit These verses are added as an amplification of the former He also conioines similitudes thereto to expresse this so great and admirable a power of God namely as the horse in the desert and as the beast in the plaine that is to say hee led his people as nicely as one doth an horse vpon the downes For the word desert signifies not that desert of Param where the people were by the space of fortie yeeres but according to the common phrase of the Hebrew tongue it signifies the pastures where sheepe and heards of beasts walke at their pleasure Which yet better appeares by the verse following where in stead of desert he names the plaine And so one and the same sense flowes from them both namelie that the people walked ouer deepe pits vvithout stumbling as horses doe in the wildernesse In a word his meaning is to teach that the red sea did no more let or hinder the people from passing ouer through the middest of deepe places then if they had walked vpon a plaine and leuelled ground In v. 12 he called his name euerlasting and here he calles it glorious but the sense is one The people then obiect against the Lord that if hee once made himselfe a glorious name then he ought still to haue the same care Otherwise it will come to passe that the remembrance of the benefits which hee in former time bestowed vpon their fathers would vanish quite away Vers 15. Looke downe from heauen and behold from the dwelling place of thine holinesse and of thy glorie Where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and of thy compassions They are restrained from me The application of the whole HAuing mentioned the benefits of old in the name of all the people now hee comes to applie the same vnto his purpose and intreates the Lord that hee would looke downe from heauen vpon them Looke dovvne c. By these words hee signifies that the power of God is not diminished though it appeare not at all times alike For there must be an opposition supplied namely that God had then as it were hid himselfe neither shewed he himselfe such a one towards them as hee had done towards their fathers As if they had said Albeit O Lord that we see no tokens of thy presente but that thou hast withdrawne thy selfe from vs as if thou wert shut vp in heauen so as thou seemest vtterly to neglect vs yet vve beseech thee vouchsafe to looke dovvne once againe from heauen and from the dvvelling place of thine holinesse behold our miseries How to distinguish betweene vnbeleeuers and the faithfull See how we ought to separate the vnbeleeuers from the faithfull who acknowledge God to bee both mightie and mercifull yea euen then when they can discerne no signes at all either of his power or bountie And thus they cease not to call vpon him still though he hides himselfe farre away from them For the Lord neuer ceaseth to haue care ouer his people seeing without wearinesse hee orders and gouernes all the parts of the world VVhere is thy zeale By this interrogation it seemes the faithfull after a sort vpbraid the Lord in regard hee is no more touched with his vvonted zeale toward them or that his power is diminished But the Prophet hath another meaning For hee mentions these benefits as I haue said heretofore because he meant therby to confirme the harts of the faithfull in good hope thereby also teaching them that God is alwaies one and the same and neuer puts of the bowels of compassion towards his Saints And this will be euident enough by the which followes He takes the multitude of bowels