respect they might well haue thought that the Lord had brought them out in vaine seeing they were now exposed to greater dangers then euer they were before After the Temple was built things succeeded no whit better for they were inuironed on all sides with mightie aduersaries who hated them most deadly and vexed them without ceasing Afterwards they were visited with sundry afflictions and persecutions so as it might seeme they were as good as ouerwhelmed and rooted out by them Yet notwithstanding God ceased not still miraculously to preserue them euen in the midst of fire and sword If we consider their poore and miserable estate and the sore trials they were put to by tyrants wee may well admire how any one of them escaped That we may the better vnderstand then how wonderfull this deliuerance was To vnderstand this last deiiueuerance of the Church aright we must looke to the histories of things begun and continued till Christs comming The Prophets still kept their eye vpon Christ and in what sort it surpassed the first wee must haue an eye to the histories of things begun and continued vntill Christs comming who then added infinite graces and benefits to the former for doubtlesse the second deliuerance was greater then the first Neither is this any constrained exposition but it agrees with the maners of speech vsed among the Prophets for they haue alwaies respect vnto the Messiah and incessantly did they fix their eies vpon him The Prophet Haggai therefore will giue vs much light for the vnderstanding of this place For he shews that when the Temple was built the olde men which had seene the excellencie of the first wept saying that this latter was nothing in cōparison of the former and hardly could they be perswaded but that God had vtterly forsaken them and that his promises were of none effect Bur Haggai to comfort them and to shew that the glory of the second Temple shall far surpasse the first albeit the outward forme of it were lesse beautifull brings them forthwith to the Redeemer saying on this manner Thus saith the Lord of hostes Yet a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth and the sea and the dry land and all nations the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hostes The gold and siluer is mine saith the Lord of hostes the glorie of this house shall bee greater then the first Haggai 2.7 As Haggai then continues the restauration of the Temple till Christs comming to which he refers the true glory of it so this deliuerance out of Babylon held on the course thereof till Christ for these things are conioined together or rather haue affinitie one with another so as it is no maruell though he say it did euery way surpasse that deliuerance out of Egypt Vers 20. The wild beasts shall honour me the Dragons and the Ostriches because I gaue water in the desert and floods in the wildernesse to giue drinke to my people euen to mine elect HE adornes the former sentence for all things standing in this confused maner it was needfull to set out Gods power in the highest termes that might be that at least the word might supplie that which seemed to be wanting in effect His meaning is then that Gods hand shall be so sensiblie felt and perceiued in this worke that not only men but vvild beasts also should be touched with a sense of it so as they should yeeld a kind of honour and thanks vnto God This prophesie therefore answers to Psal 114.3.4 where it is said That the sea saw it and fled Iordan went back the mountaines skipped like sheepe and the little hilles as lambs the earth trembled at the presence of the God of Iaakob Isaiah attributes heere the same feelings to the brute beasts in regard that by a secret instinct they should be constreined to giue place that the people might passe with more securitie And yet the reason hereof hath a larger extent to wit that they shall stand amazed at the beholding of so many miracles To be short God shewes that he will not leaue his people destitute of necessarie foode that they should be inforced to returne back through want for by this excessiue kind of speech he expresseth the incomprehensible loue of God towards the Iewes that by the power of their hope they might mount aboue all present obstacles The vse Now when we heare of these things let vs not measure his power in our distresses according to the order of nature but by faith let vs fix our eies aboue all things visible and comprehensible Moreouer lest these poore banished orphanes should lose all hope of Gods euerlasting fauor in seeing themselues thus reiected and despised of all Isaiah brings them to the remembrance of their adoption as if he should say Thinke not but that you remain the people of God still My people mine elect notwithstanding this your horrible scattering for he who hath once elected you neuer changeth his counsell As oft then as we stand in neede of incouragement to hope well let vs remember the calling of God We must in temptation oppose our vocation against our vnworthines for albeit we feele our owne vnworthines yet it ought to suffice that the Lord hath vouchsafed vs this honor to make vs his people Vers 21. This people haue I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise THe Prophets meaning is that the Lord must needs performe that which he spake before because it concernes his owne glorie to deliuer the people which he hath chosen to himselfe This appertained therefore very much to the consolation of the Iewes as if he should say Do ye thinke I will suffer my glory to fall to the ground It is ioined with your saluation Gods glorie and our saluation ioined together and therefore it stands me in hand to looke to it Be you sure therefore that all shall got vvell vvith you for I can not suffer you to perish but my glorie must therewithall be abolished also But your saluation is sure for I haue determined that you shall magnifie my greatnes for euer Where he saith he hath Created this people it is to let vs vnderstand that our regeneration is a worke supernaturall for we are to hold this principle which we haue often told you of heretofore that he speakes not here of that generall worke of his creation touching mankinde Isaiah speak not here of our common creation but of our spirituall regeneration See Chap. 29.23 but of regeneration or adoption by which God separates his Church from the rest of the world and from all the remainders of it Let no man be so bold then as to attribute this worke either to himselfe or to the merits of men but let vs from this place learne to ascribe so excellent a benefit whollie and only to the free grace of God They shall set forth my
signe which God shall giue them but at his expresse commandement euen as if I should call one to come vnto mee and hee should forthwith follow me He shewes then that Babylon shall be destroyed by the Medes and Persians no otherwise then if they should yeelde obedience to the call of God For although their ambition pride and crueltie was the motiue touching themselues which prouoked them to the warre yet God fitted them thereunto without their priuitie that they might bee the executioners of his iudgement Vers 4. The noise of a multitude in the mountaines like a great people a tumultuous voice of the Kingdomes of the Nations gathered together the Lord of hostes numbreth the host of the battel HE now addes a more liuely description by which he sets the things themselues as it were before their sight because the Prophets contented not to speake only vnlesse therewithall they did euen plainely represent the things wherof they spake for words barely and coldly pronounced after a common maner moue not so much neither doe they touch mens hearts so to the quick as fuguratiue speeches doe which represent the liuely image of things It is then as if the Prophet should say You now heare a man speake but know ye that this voice shall haue such great efficacie that by the very sound thereof nations shall be moued peoples shall make a noyse and a great sound for the great multitudes of them yea they shall cast forth fearefull cries and all to bring Babylon to ruin This cry then shall haue such force and that after my death as if that which I now threaten were presentlie before your eyes By this therefore we see of how great efficacie the word of God is when all creatures both in heauen in earth yeeld obedience vnto it So much the more then ought we to be confirmed in this doctrine seeing nothing came to passe which was not foretold long time before This is the reason why he affirmes in the latter end of the verse that God will assemble diuers nations together vnder his conduct and howsoeuer they shall haue no meaning at all to execute those correctiōs which he hath ordained yet shall they do nothing but by his appointmēt euen as if some Captaine amongst vs should muster or set his souldiers in array Vers 5. They come from a farre countrey from the end of heauen euen the Lord with the * Or vessels or instrumēts weapons of his wrath to destroy the whole land HE yet more fullie confirmes that which I said erewhile to wit that the preparations of warre come not out of the earth nor by hap hazard for albeit men by their lusts raise vp those troubles which are in the world yet God hath an ouerruling hand aboue them Isaiah therefore rightlie attributes the preheminence vnto him seeing men are nothing but the weapons of his wrath Now he saith that the destroyers of the Monarchie of Babylon shall come from a farre countrie the reason is because we seldome feare any dangers vnlesse those which be very neere vnto vs. Babylon was in such wise fortified and well compassed about with so many kingdomes and prouinces which were subiect vnto it that it seemed no enemies could euer so much as approch vnto it In a word she feared no dangers at all euen as if she had been compact together and built in the cloudes In as much then as there was no danger which threatned this citie any way round about it he therefore shewes that the destruction thereof shall come from farre For although all things may seeme quiet and peaceable in our conceit hauing no controuersies at all with our neighbours yet notwithstanding God is able to cause enemies to come from the vttermost part vnder heauen Wherefore we haue no occasion to promise a secure and prosperous estate vnto our selues although we should discerne no danger neere at hand to threaten vs. If this prophesie should haue been caried to Babylon no doubt but they would haue despised it as a meere fable For let it bee granted that they would haue had some respect of the Prophets person yet would they in this their proud confidence wherewithall they were possessed haue contemned these threatnings as vaine and friuolous An example whereof wee haue readie at hand for wee at this day speake of the Turke in our Sermons yet euery one thinks they be idle tales because we thinke they are very farre off notwithstanding wee see how much ground he hath gotten in a small time in ouerrunning those which were farre remote from him and were more mightie then he The sottishnes of men is so great that they can not be awakened vnlesse they be beaten vpon till they may feele the blowes Let vs therefore set the Babylonians before vs as an example to teach vs wisdome that so we may scare the threatnings which the Prophets denounce in their Sermons betimes lest we be ouertaken with the reprobates who trusting to their tranquillitie are so astonished when the hand of God appeares and smites them that they are vtterly vnable to stand but rather fall downe senselesse and amazed Whereas he puts the whole land for Babylon he hath respect to the largenesse of the kingdome that they might not thinke to preuent the assaults of the enemies by meanes of the prouinces wherewith they were inuironed on euery side yea notwithstanding that he shewes the calamitie shall be such that it shall not only come in one way vpon them but shall be as a deluge ouerspreading a great part of the world Moreouer the Medes and Persians are here called instruments or vessels of the wrath of the Lord in a contrarie sense to that which the reprobates are so called by S. Paul Rom. 9.22 For there the Apostle opposeth the vessels of wrath to the vessels of mercie and teacheth that the free grace of God shines in the elect and his iust and seuere iudgement in the reprobate But the Prophets meaning is that the Medes and Persians are as darts in Gods hand of whom he serues his turne to execute his wrath and vengeance Vers 6. Howle you for the day of the Lord is at hand it shall come as a destroyer from the * Or of the strong or destruction of the destroyer Almightie HE followes the matter still and commands the Babylonians to howle not that he directs his speech to them as if he were in hope that it should profit them but in shewing what effect it should haue hee intermingles this maner of speech with great vehemencie He speakes of the day of the Lord after the vsuall phrase of the scripture because that when the Lord deferres his iudgements it seemes he ceaseth from performing of his office euen as Iudges do when they go not vp into their Iudgement seates Let vs then obserue this language well the reason is Doctrine we would willinglie subiect the Lord to our fancies that so he might by and by pronounce
hands of her enemies Hee iustly mockes then at their vaine and foolish confidence in regard that being puffed vp with their intollerable pride they thought themselues inuincible and out of all danger But it seemes contrarie to the modestie of the faithfull to mocke at the miserie of others a man would thinke they should rather haue compassion on them To scorne the wicked is not against modestie when our zeale is ordered therein accoâ—ding to the equity of Gods iudgements Psal 2.4 But this is not against modâ—stie when our zeale is ordered according to the equitie of Gods iudgement for by humane affection we may bewaile the miserie of those who perish through their owne folly and yet theâ—ewithall despise their pride and furie And euen as the Lord exalts himself against them scorning their beastlinesse so also hee doth in this place command vs which loue and desiâ—e his glory to contemne them not after a proud and insulting maner but as magnifying and extolling his goodnesse and power By this example then it is lawfull for vs to scoffe at Gods enemies when they are ouerthrowne and abased as at Antichrist whose power wee daily see to decay by little and little The word Madheuah which is put in the end of the verse may be translated gilt or of gold but because this word is conioyned with tyrant or exactor it is very like the Prophet speakes of the couetousnesse and insatiable desire of gold which the Babylonians thirsted after For it often comes to passe that how much the more great Empires Commonwealths and nations haue of riches so much the more doe they burne with lust of increasing and hauing Vers 5. The Lord hath broken the rod of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers 6. Which smote the people in anger with a continuall plague and ruled the Nations in wrath if any were persecuted he did not let HE now answers to the former interrogation and would not that the faithfull should any way doubt of the euent thereof but rather that they should stand astonied at such admirable workes of God For the interrogation serued to awaken vp their mindeâ— to the greater attention It is as much then as if he should haue said It came not to passe by chance or by any blinde passion of fortune that you were not still oppressed vnder a continuall bondage but you are wholly to attribute it to the prouidence of God who brake so sore a yoke of seruitude from off your neckes Now the wicked are at their wits end when they see such workes and stand amazed because they see not the reason of them but the faithfull know that this ought to bee attributed vnto God Let vs learne then to admire the workes of the Lord and let vs bee stricken with such an astonishment that we may acknowledge him to bee the author of them and let vs not in any wise passe lightly ouer the least of them Gods worâ—â— ought diligently to bee obserued but especially in the redemption of his Church but especially then when he manifâ—sts his power in the redemption of his Chuâ—ch when by his admirable strength he redeemes any one of vs from vnder the seruitude of the diuell the tyranny of Antichrist and from eternall death For these are no common workes and therefore wee may not in any sort attribute the same to the power of man or to any other causes whatsoeuer Hee ioynes the scepter of the rulers to the staffe of the wicked shewing by this repetition that an vniust tyranny cannot be established by a power imperial in any sort whatsoeuer Then by and by after he more cleerly shewes that the Monarchy of the Babylonians shall be abolished because it was vniust and tyrannicall and saith that the people were smitten with an incurable wound and extremely afflicted because they ouerflowed in all excessiue dissolutions By this we are admonished that howsoeuer God may seeme to winke at the tyranny of the wicked for a time yet that he will spare them neuer the more for all that in the latter end for they shall be destroyed euen as we know Babylon was because the Lord is iust and continues alwayes like himselfe Vers 7. The whole world is at rest and is quiet they sing for ioy 8. Also the firre trees reioyced of thee and the cedars of Lebanon saying since thou art laid downe no hewer came vp against vs. HEere he shewes how Tyrants are hatefull to all the world Tyrants hatefull to all the world for they are no sooner dead or destroyed but all leape for ioy shewing what affection they caried towards them which for feare before they dissembled Then shall you see men vtter forth their discontentments and hatreds and not men only discouer their ioy but euen the dumb creatures also as the Prophet addes afterwards speaking of the firre trees and cedars by way of amplification for as all things are ouerturned and peruerted by tyranny so also it being abolished it seemes all things are put into their perfect estate againe Now to the end the speech might haue the greater vehemencie he addes a figure called Prosopopeia by which he brings in trees speaking and reioycing that they shall stand quietlie now this tyrant is dead So then the Prophets drift is to shew that the heauenly Iudge can not indure tyrants alwayes to vsurp God will not alwayes suffer Tyrants to vsurp whom all the world detests hates Whence we may gather that albeit men be silent and dare not open their lips whilst tyrants beare sway yet the Lord notwithstanding heares their secret grones and complaints Let vs not wonder then if tyrants be cut off by such admirable meanes for it is necessarie that God who is priuie to all the outrages which they commit should fauour and assist the innocent Vers 9. Hell beneath is moued for thee to meete thee at thy comming raising vp the dead for thee euen all the princes of the earth and hath raised from their thrones all the kings of the nations EVen as before he attributed gladnes to Trees so now also by the same maner of speaking hee attributes speech to the dead For he brings them as it were out of their graues to the end they should deride the pride of this tyrant and all the words following are nothing else in a maner but most pleasant taunts and flouts For when great kings approch neere a place people tremble they go before and receiue them with great pomp and preperations so Isaiah faines that the dead shall goe before this tyrant who after his death shall descend into his sepulchre that they may do him homage but yet such as to him appertaineth Which is as much as if he should say His death shall not only be acceptable to the liuing but to the dead also so as they shal receiue him honorablie according to his deserts Vers 10. All they shall cry and say vnto thee Art thou become weake also as
also in an other place teacheth With such sacrifices God is pleased Heb. 13.10 For he neuer commanded men to offer sacrifices as if they benefit him no he needed them not but he only appointed them these exercises of pietie vnder the law now vnder the Gospell he commands vs to distribute something to our neighbours of that we possesse testifying that whatsoeuer wee employ for the reliefe of our brethren is to him a sacrifice of a sweete smell And it ought greatlie to kindle the loue of bountie and liberalitie in vs when we heare that our almes are so highlie commended and that our hands together with our gifts are consecrated vnto God THE XXIIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Behold the Lord maketh the earth emptie and he maketh it waste he turneth it vpside downe and scattereth the Inhabitants thereof THis prophesie as I take it is as it were the shutting vp of all those things which haue bin described froÌ„ the thirteenth Chapter vnto this wherein Isaiah hath not onely foretold the ruine of the Iewes and Israelites but also of the Moabites Assyrians Egyptians and others In a word he heere comprehends all in a short summe as if he had viewed all the neighbour countries that were knowne to the Iewes Some referre this to the Israelites others to the Iewes thinking the Prophet speakes of their destruction but seeing he makes mention of the world I can not be drawne to take this place in any other sense but that he now in a few words comprehends all that which he hath said of many particulars and those belonging to diuers times Whereas he in the next verse makes mention of the Priest it contradicts this that I say nothing at all although it might thereby seeme that these things should only appertaine vnto the people of God for albeit he speakes of all nations yet the Iewes alwaies deseruing to be preferred in the first place Isaiah was to regard them chieflie and principallie because it was theirs by right For he speakes of others accidentallie as you would say no maruell then if hauing touched them he mentions his owne people in a particular maner Others vnderstand this place of the whole world in generall yet so as they referre it to the last day which me thinks is too strict for the Prophet hauing threatned the Iewes and other nations in the end addes a consolation to wit that the Lord will once againe raise vp his Church making her to flourish more then euer it did now how can this agree to the last Iudgement By the word earth I thinke the Prophet meanes not the whole world but those regions which were well knowne to the Iewes as for example if we at this day should speake of things which happen in the world we should hardly passe beyond Europe much lesse should we thinke of that which is done in India because the parts on this side is our world as it were In the same Isaiah speakes of the earth and of the Inhabitants of the Countries adioyning which he and those to whom he spake knew To conclude we may limit this world whereof the Prophet speakes in this place within the confines or bounds of the Assyrians Egyptians Moabites and other nations as if he should say Hitherunto I haue spoken of diuers calamities which then were like to fall vpon many people and do yet threaten many others in particular but now behold the conclusion The Lord will spoile and ouerthrow the face of the earth with all the beautie of it Others expound the verb Bolkah he opens the earth that the enemies may the more easily enter into it but I had rather expound it He vncouers the earth because they vse to say The earth is couered or clothed all the while great multitudes of people inhabit it as also wheÌ„ it abounds with beasts and fruits contrarywise it is said to be vncouered and made bare when it hath lost her inhabitants for so she is stripped of her garment euen as if a man should be stripped out of his coates and other apparell Now this was to happen to the Assyrians Egyptians and other nations which he mentioned before as well as to the Iewes and therefore he wraps them vp altogether in one iudgement Vers 2. * Or and the pâ—iest shal be like the people c. 〈◊〉 And there shall be like people like priest and like seruant like master like maid like mistris like buyer like seller like lender like borower * Or the borower like the lender like giuer like taker to vsurie ANd there shall be like priest By these words he signifies an vtter ruine where all order gouernment and policie shall cease for whilest any Commonwealth flourisheth there is alwaies a certaine difference betweene the people and the priests well then he notes an horrible confusion Now vnder this word priest he puts the particular for the generall taking a part for the whole which is a thing very vsuall in the Scriptures although we may take the word Cohenim for those which are placed in any dignitie whatsoeuer because the Hebrues sometimes giue this name to Princes but speciallie to such as are of the blood Royall notwithstanding I willinglie receiue the figure Synecdoche before mentioned Now sithence the Prophet puts this confusion of estates among the catalogue of Gods curses shewing that when they be thus turned topsie turuie it proceeds from his fearefull indignation Good order in a Commonweâ—lth a singuler testimonie of Gods fauor we ought on the contrarie to gather how well-pleasing policie and the well ordering of all things is vnto God as also what a great fauour we receiue from him when such good order is preserued and continued amongst vs. For it being gone our life differs nothing from that of brute beasts Wee are therefore not onely to acknowledge it to be an heauie hand of God vpon vs but also to confesse our owne sinnes to be the cause Our sinnes the cause of all disorders in Commonwealths when hee confounds estates depriues vs of the word and of iudgement seates which being once put downe the comfort of our life therewithall is fallen to the ground We may also obserue hence that the Lord in executing his iudgements spares not mens persons of what calling soeuer they be What an holy calling was the priesthood which the Lord had consecrated to himselfe and adorned after a glorious manner How much did the people also glorie in it as if the continuance thereof had been vnchangeable and to haue indured for euer Yet notwithstanding euen this honourable order of men is wrapped in amongst the iudgements of God because he respects no persons Nay the more fauours wee haue receiued from him and the greater our aduancement is the more seuerely will hee correct vs if wee proue vnthankfull and abuse his benefits To this appertaines that which is here added touching masters and seruants buyers and sellers for wee know that these callings are lawfull and
are not iumbled together vnlesse it bee when God smites his people in iustice as we haue said before for in a State well managed men put a difference betweene the master and the seruant Neither can a Commonwealth long stand without buying and selling now to make the poore equall with the rich what is it else but to ouerthrow all humane societie We haue the Prophets meaning then The confusioÌ„ of estates in a kingdome a forerunner of very strange alterations as if he should say All policie shall be abolished because in these ruines the rich should be brought into extreme pouertie To conclude he here sets sorth an horrible destruction after which shall ensue a wonderfull change Vers 3. The earth shall bee cleane emptied and vtterly spoiled for the Lord hath spoken this word HE confirmes that which hee said before and withall admonisheth them that these changes shall not fall out by haphazard as they say but that it shall come to passe by the prouidence and worke of the Lord. He said expresly in the first verse that the Lord was determined to emptie the earth now he tels theÌ„ that it shall so come to passe adding a reason of it to wit because God had spoken the word and therefore it could not be called backe againe Vers 4. The earth lamenteth and fadeth away the world is feebled and decayed the * Or high proud people of the world are weakened THe Prophet holds on his speech still for all these words serue to lay forth the maner of the ruine of the whole earth that is to say so much as was knowne to the Iewes Now hee sets out this iudgement of God vnder borrowed speeches more familiarly that he might awaken the drowsie as hee is wont to doe By the high people we may vnderstand those which were more excellent then others for that was a matter of greater wonder then if some people of a base condition had been destroyed Notwithstanding if any be pleased to expound it particularly of the Iewes I will not gainesay them for albeit the Assyrians and Egyptians exceeded them in riches and power yet notwithstanding the Iewes were higher then they in regard that God had adopted them for his owne Yet the other exposition pleaseth mee better for so his meaning is that God will not onely punish them of meane estate but those also that are aduanced to honour and dignitie aboue others Vers 5. The earth also deceiueth because of the inhabitants thereof for they transgressed the lawes they changed the ordinances and brake the euerlasting couenant OThers translate The earth is polluted because the verbe Caneph signifies to be wicked both senses may agree but the verse following requires that wee expound it The earth deceiueth For hee seemes to amplifie it further by and by after when hee saith Vers 6. that the curse hath deuoured the earth There is no great hardnesse in the word Tacath whether we translate it Vnder or Because of her inhabitants Now there is a mutual traffique as it were betweene the earth and those that labour in it so as she ought to render theÌ„ that which she hath receiued into her bowels with vsurie for otherwise shee deceiues them but she yeelds a reason why she deceiues when shee laies the blame vpon the inhabitants for themselues haue made her barren by their wickednesse Mens sinnes the cause of the earths barrennesse Our sinne is the cause why the earth sustaines vs not nor brings forth her increase as God hath ordained by the course of nature His will is that shee should be a mother vnto vs to the end she may yeeld vs food now if she change her nature and course or degenerates from her fruitfulnesse let vs impute that to our owne wickednesse because we our selues ouerthrow that order which God hath set for otherwise the earth would neuer deceiue but would alwaies render vs that which she ought The cause is by and by added why the earth is become vnfaithfull and deceiues her inhabitants for is it not good reason they should be defrauded of their prouision of food that will defraud God their Father and sustainer of his honour Now he taxeth the reuolt of his nation heere in a particular manner for their fault was much more heinous and lesse excusable then all the sinnes of those which were neuer taught in God his schoole The word Thâ—rah is transferred to the law because it signifies doctrine but it is heere put in the plurall number and signifies all the doctrine that is comprehended in the law Now because the Law consists as well in Commandements as promises the Prophet addes two other words or parts of it to make his meaning the more plaine The word Chok signifies an Ordinance and by it some vnderstand the Ceremonies others Maners Wee may translate it Instructions foâ— I take it not only for Ceremonies but for all things that belong to the rules of good life Thirdly he puts the word Berith which signifies a bargaine or couenant This word is to be restrained to the couenants whereby the Lord adopting his people promised to be their God He reprocheth their vnthankfulnes then because that albeit the Lord had manifested himselfe vnto them diuers waies and had giuen them singular testimonies of his loue yet were they rebellious and wanton transgressing his lawes and violating his holy couenant Quest But why directs he his speech to the Iewes Because he knew that he was sent vnto them as their Prophet to teach them Ans Hence wee may gather what the rule of a well ordered life is The rule of a well ordered life described for it is conteined in the Law which we must precisely follow if we will approue our doings vnto God if we turne from it to the right hand or to the left we are guiltie of transgression Wee may also obserue that God would not only haue vs to thinke vpon his Lawes and Commandements in his word but also vpon his Couenant The principall part of the word consists in the promises for the principall part of the word consists in the promises by which hee adopts and receiues vs for his people Now it is not to be doubted but in these varietie of words the Prophet meant to amplifie the matter as if he should say You are whollie corrupt nothing remaines sound amongst you Why he calls it an euerlasting couenant He calles it the euerlasting couenant because it ought to be perpetuall inuiolable and to indure for euer for it ought to continue alwaies from the father to the sonne that the memorie of it might neuer be lost but might be preserued stedfast in all ages He laies forth their disloyaltie then and malice in that they durst violate the Couenant made betweene God and them and ouerthrow the things which the Lord would haue kept sure and stedfast This was odious no maruell then if the earth auenge her selfe of such an impietie by
translated Secret signifies also whatsoeuer is within the bodie And thus it is an exclamation to wit my inward parts or my bowels paine me neither is it any absurditie to supplie a verb in a passionate and vehement speech When the Lord plants his Church it seemes to florish and to be out of all perill but when her owne bowels that is to say her children trouble her then is she the most grieued hypocrits aduance thēselues which toucheth her neerer then all the malice of those that are without To this appertaines these complaints Alas Alas for that doubtlesse was the Prophets meaning to the end the faithfull might not thinke their felicitie consisted in the things of this life but might rather know that they were to susteine continuall combates yea euen then when they imagined nothing could hinder them from inioying most sweet peace and tranquillitie His meaning is then to expresse an extreame passion of sorrow wherwith the Church should be inwardlie touched that is to say euen in her bowels and so much the more cause had she to lament because she could not auoid it A true saying For as one saith The Church can not flee from her home enemies neither can she rid her selfe of them This is the cause why the Prophet wants words to expresse his miserie When he speakes in the next place of the disloyall it is a sufficient confirmation of this exposition We haue too much experience and shall feele more and more euery day how great and wofull this calamitie is Whence came Poperie and all the filthie puddle but from this inward plague It is an impostume bred in the bowels of the Church The bane of the Church bred within her owne bowels which at length hath broken forth and annoyed vs with the corruption and stinch of it Whence is it also that in these beginnings of the Church which is but now in the swadling clouts as it were we see the true doctrine corrupted the discipline Discipline adulterated not only by the common people but by them also which from their good example ought to be guides vnto others Is it not because the Church hath alwaies been subiect to this euill Vers 17. Feare and the pit and the snare are vpon thee ô Inhabitant of the earth 18. And he that fleeth from the noyse of the feare shall fall into the pit and he that commeth vp out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windowes from an high are open and the foundations of the earth do shake THe Prophet heere expostulates with the people because of their sinnes See verse 14.15.16 Before he said that not one but many nations farre remote should haue cause to sing now hee comes to doctrine for I thinke this should be seuered from the former because Isaiah threatens the wicked againe to the end they might know that in the greatest felicitie of the Church they should continue to be accursed For such are wont falsly to challenge vnto themselues the promises of God when as they appertaine nothing at all vnto them this is the cause why the Prophets are wont to mingle threatnings with consolations It may be for ought we know that the Prophet made this sermon apart vpon some other occasion For neither did the Prophets themselues nor other learned men for them distinguish the Chapters we haue diuers times seene sundrie sentēces ioined together which should be separate many separated which should be ioined What was the cause thereof but ignorance Be it as you will the Prophet directs his speech againe to the wicked and threatens them with an horrible iudgement Now this description of feare pit and snare is set before them to worke vpon their affections for had he in one word told them that destruction was at hand they would haue bin little moued with it But the doubt is whether he speakes to the Iewes only or no for mine owne part I meane not to contend much about it and yet it is most likely vnto me that it appertaines also to other nations yea euen to the whole earth See vers 1.4 whereof he had prophesied before By the earth wee vnderstand those regions which were knowne to the Iewes as we touched in another place Verse 1. The sense then is The sense of this place Thou shalt be pressed with so many miseries that thou shalt not know which way to turne thee as also it is written in Amos He which flies for feare of the Lion shall meete a Beare Amos 5.19 And if he go into his house when he leanes against the wall a serpent shall bite him And in the 15. Chapter of this booke Isaiah told vs that Lions should be sent against those Moabites that escaped the warre For God hath a store-house of infinite plagues wherewith to punish the wicked God hath a store-house of infinite plagues wherewith to punish the wicked It is as much therefore as if the Prophet had said Be it knowne vnto you that you can no way winde your selues out of Gods hands for he hath mo wayes then one to auenge himselfe vpon you for your iniquities and hath skill enough to snare them that thinke by subtletie to steale away in the darke from him He that scapes the sword shall be vexed with famine and if he die not of that he shall be pressed with some other euen as if nets were euery where spread to catch you The reason which is added in the latter end of the 18. verse confirmes this exposition to wit that they can no way preuent Gods vengeance Why so for all things are at his beck from the highest heauens to the lowest depths of the earth Some are of opinion that the Prophet alludes to the deluge but as I thinke the very meaning is that Gods wrath shall be reuealed both from aboue and below as if he should say The Lord will arme heauen and earth on his side to execute his wrath vpon the sonnes of men that which way soeuer they turne their eyes they may see nothing but ruine and destruction Vers 19. The earth is vtterlie broken downe the earth is cleane dissolued the earth is moued exceedinglie 20. The earth shall reele to and fro like a drunken man and shall be remoued as a tent and the iniquitie thereof shall be heauie vpon it so that it shall fall and rise no more HE amplifies these punishments by diuers phrases of speech Now in the 20 verse he will shew the cause of this calamitie to wit that men haue pulled it vpon their owne heads by their sinnes in all the rest of the words he shewes that the mischiefe is desperate and incurable We haue said before that the Prophet vtters one and the same thing in diuers manners of speech to the end hee might awaken and wound the hearts of the people which naturally were too secure For there is a carelesnesse in our flesh which begets a contempt
any of them For he is called seruant in respect that God the Father hath not onely giuen him the charge of teaching or to doe some other thing but also in regard that hee hath called him to performe an excellent and peerelesse worke which is common to none but him Furthermore although this name be attributed to the person of Christ yet it ought to be referred to his humane nature for his Godhead being eternall and that in respect thereof he hath euer obtained equall glory with his Father Christ Gods seruant in respect of his humanitie it was necessary he should take our nature vpon him that he might submit himselfe to the obedience of a seruant And therefore Saint Paul saith that he being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with him and yet notwithstanding emptied himselfe and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant c. Phil. 2.6 Christ then is a seruant but voluntarily Christ being Gods seruaÌ„t no way impaires his dignitie DispensatioÌ„ lest wee should imagin his dignity might be somewhat impaired therby Which the ancient Doctors signified vnder this word Dispensation whereby it came to passe as they say that Christ subiected himselfe to all our infirmities The affection by which he became subiect vnto God Christs subiection voluntarie was voluntarie in the meane while it was to the end he might become our seruant also notwithstanding this his so abiect a condition hinders him nothing at all from inioying his soueraigne maiestie for which cause the Apostle saith God hath giuen him a name aboue euery name Phil. 2.9 He vseth the particle demonstratiue Behold to bring the Iewes as it were to the sight of the thing done for that which they saw in Babylon was able to haue put them cleane out of heart He wils them therefore to turne their eies from beholding things present and to fix them onely vpon Christ Some expound the verbe Tamach which signifies To stay passiuely others actiuely If we take it in the passiue the sense will bee that God so staies himselfe vpon his Christ that hee will giue him charge of all things euen as masters doe to their trustie seruants Now it is a signe of great trust which the Father reposeth in him that hee giues him charge of all things and commits into his hands his owne rule authoritie and power Yet I reiect not the actiue signification to wit I will erect or set him vp or I will establish him in his estate for that which followes immediately after I vvill put my spirit vpon him is but a repetition of the same thing He saith in the first place then I vvill stay vpon him then he shewes the maner of this stay in saying that he will gouerne him by his Spirit and thus hee shewes that he will sustaine and helpe Christ in all things and will not suffer him to fall vnder any difficulties Now it was needfull that Christ should be indued with the holy Spirit from aboue Why Christ was to bee indued with the holy Spirit in regard hee was to take vpon him that diuine office of being mediator betweene God and men for according to his humane nature he was vnable to beare the waight of so great a burthen Christ a seruant elect Elect is here taken for excellent as in other places young men which are in the flower of their youth are called men of choice Hee is called a seruant elect then because hee shall beare the message of reconciliation and all his actions shall bee disposed of by the Lord. Yet behold heere a testimonie of that loue which God hath shewed vs in his onely Son for in him the head wee may see our election shine by which wee are adopted to the hope of a better life Seeing then that there is an heauenly power dwelling in the humane nature of Christ Wee must looke vpon Christ in both his natures when we heare him speake let vs not so much looke vpon flesh blood as lift vp our mindes higher that so we may see his diuinitie shine in all his actions In vvhom my soule delights By this testimonie we may conceiue that Iesus Christ is not onely well pleasing vnto God his Father but is also that his onely beloued Sonne so as there is no obtaining of any grace but by the meanes of his intercession In this sense it is alleadged by the Euangelists Mat. 3.17 Luke 9.35 Saint Paul also teacheth that wee were reconciled with God through this his vvelbeloued one for whose sake God loues vs Ephes 1.6 According to which our Prophet shewes that Christ shall not be adorned with the vertue and power of the holy Ghost for his owne particular onely but to shed it abroad also far and wide vpon others By the word iudgement hee vnderstands a well ordered gouernment and not the sentence which the Iudge pronounceth vpon the iudgement seat for the verbe To iudge among the Hebrewes signifies to rule gouerne and direct things He addes that this iudgement shall extend thorowout all the earth as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes which promise was then new and strange for God was onely knowne in lurie Psal 76.1 so as forraine nations were excluded from any hope of grace We therefore that are Gentiles staÌ„d in exceeding need of these so cleare and euident testimonies that we may grow daily in the assurance of our vocation and calling for without these promises what assurance is left vs They nothing at all pertaine vnto vs. Christ was sent then to bring the whole world vnder the rule and obedience of God his Father Whence it appeares that al things without him are but a confused chaos Before hee comes therefore All things out of ordâ—r without Christ it is impossible to see any right order or gouerâ—â—ment among men Let vs then learne in all things to submit our neckes vnto his sweet yoke if we desire to be iustly and rightly gouerned Now we must iudge of this gouernment according to the nature of his kingdome that we liue in which as you know is not of this world but consists in the inward man Iohn 18.36 for it consists in a good conscience and integritie of life approued not of men only but of God chiefly and principally Wherein Christs kingdome principally consists The summe then comes to this that our whole life being peruerted since the time wee were altogether corrupted by the fall of Adam Christ is now towards the end of the world come vvith an heauenly power of the spirit The end of Christs comming in the flesh to change our hearts and to reforme vs into newnesse of life Vers 2. Hee shall not cry nor lift vp nor cause his voice to be heard in the streetes THe Prophet shewes after what manner Christ shall come to wit without such pompe and preparations as earthly Kings haue For when they come in trumpets are sounded on euery
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
Gentiles were not couered with a cloud of miseries whilest the Iewes in the meane while enioyed their ease Seeing then the condition of the Church is separated from the state of the whole world the benefit which Isaiah possesseth the Church of in this place is spirituall As also this brightnes which he promiseth is spirituall This therefore belongs to the spirituall kingdome of Christ whereby the light of the Gospell enlightned all parts of the world Yea the strange nations were enlightned by it To this appertaines that which followeth The Lord shall arise vpon thee For albeit hee shewed that Gods fauour should appeare by manifest signes and effects yet he leaues not out that which was the principall namely that the faithfull should sensiblie perceiue that hee was their father to the end they might wait for their saluation from him Doctrine 1 Hence let vs gather that we are ouerwhelmed with darkenesse till such time as the Lord lightens vs with the testimonie of his free adoption I speake of all mankind for Jsaiah teacheth that this quickning light proceeds from God only thereby to signifie that it is the especiall gift of his owne hand Secondly Doctrine 2 we are to note that the Church only partakes of this brightnes that is the elect of God Whence it followes that it is no common or naturall gift but such a one as with which the Lord supplies the common defect of mans nature And hereby also wee perceiue that there was neuer any sparke of true light No light out of the Church but in the Church For all men besides are enwrapped with darkenesse albeit they thinke to be in the light and that they haue a great splendor neither can they be deliuered out of this darknesse but by the light of the Gospell He addes the word glorie For after the Lord hath once receiued vs into his fauour he so continues the same vnto vs that his benefits doe daily more and more flow in vpon vs with greater increases Vers 3. And the Gentiles shall walke in thy light and kings at the brightnes of thy rising vp A confirmation in this and the verse following THe Prophet now confirmes that which we were saying to wit that men haue no light of their owne but that whereby the Lord enlightens them through his word All will confesse so much but they doe not worthilie esteeme of this grace as they ought they onely take it for some common thing which appertaines naturally to euerie man but here it appeares that it is supernaturall And therefore it must be distinguished from nature as the repetition of these wordes vpon thee sufficientlie shewes First then let vs hold it for certaine that this benefit proceedes onely from God secondly that all indifferentlie do not partake hereof but the elect onely whom the Lord enlightnes by his free grace that he might exempt them out of the common rancke of other men Now this is done by Christ who is called the sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 because we are inlightned by his beames Moreouer the Prophet teacheth that the grace which was communicated vnto the Iewes shall bee spread far and wide According as the words of the couenant often sound In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed Gen. 22.18 For the light which was proper onelie to a particular nation would bring no benefit at all to others But for as much as the doctrine of the Gospell was to be spread into all parts of the world Iudea bare this light that from thence it might shine to the Gentiles who saw not one sparkle thereof before For in that he makes this light proper to one people he shewes that the world could not otherwise be enlightned nor attaine to the participation of this benefit but in seeking this light in that word which came forth of Iudea and was heard in Ierusalem where the lampe of the Lord was kindled and from whence the Sunne of righteousnesse cast his beames that thence he might afterwards enlighten all the habitable corners and quarters of the earth As in chap. 2.3 wee haue seene That the law went forth of Sion There is no light then but in the doctrine of the Prophets so that whosoeuer they bee that recoile backe from it they falsely bragge of vvalking in this light By the brightnesse of thy rising vp hee alludes to the breake of day For as the morning star begins the day by striking thorow the heauen onely and foorthwith the sunne shines ouer all the world so the breake of day began first in Iudea whence the light arose and spread it selfe throughout the vvhole vvorld For there is no corner of it which the Lord hath not enlightned with this light He mentions kings This light belongs as well to Kings as to common persons that we should not imagine this light belonged to the common people only but to Princes and great Lords who otherwise doe much please themselues in their dignities Truely the honour which he here attributes to the Church is exceeding great seeing her brightnesse shall bee so glorious that it shall draw vnto her As the Moone drawes her light from the sunne so the Church borrowes her light from Christ kings and nations He calles it the Churches light not because shee hath any light of her selfe but in regard shee borrowes it from Christ as the Moone takes her light from the Sunne Vers 4. Lift vp thine eies round about and behold all these are gathered and come to thee thy sonnes shall come from farre and thy daughters shal be nourished at thy side BY many words he confirmes this promise touching the restauration of the Church which seemed a thing altogether incredible and therefore was a matter hard to bee beaten into the heads of the Iewes in an estate wherein things were so perplexed and confused For then none but the kingdome of Iudah stood which daily decaied till at last it fell flat to the ground Afterwards when the people were carried away captiue all things grew so desperate in these horrible scatterings and wofull ruines that as it seemed the Church was vtterly abolished It was needful therfore that this doctrine should be many waies confirmed that mens minds which of themselues are too much inclined by nature to distrust Men inclined ouermuch by nature to distrust might no longer remain intangled with doubtings For this cause then he brings the Iewes as it were to the thing done notwithstanding it were yet farre off to the end they might assure themselues no lesse of the accomplishment thereof then if the thing were alreadie effected before their eies Now hee commands the faithfull to lift vp their eies on high that is to say aboue al humane thoughts for whilest we remaine fixed to outward appearances wee cannot sauour the fruit of these promises He ads round about that they might certainlie know the people should not come from one nation alone but from all parts to
condemnes not the sacrifices but the corruptions mingled therewith namely in that the Iewes thought that God contented himselfe with vaine appearances and themselues in the meane while neglected his feare and the hauing of a good conscience Hee speakes not of the thing it selfe then but taxeth the persons who abused the sacrifices For in thus doing they offered him no better then the emptie shels His meaning brieflie is to say That God approoues of none other sacrifices but such as proceede from a pure heart and a sincere affection In the meane while it is very likely the Prophet alludes to those horrible and monstrous sacrifices of the Gentiles For they sacrificed men aliue or buried them quicke in the earth And the Romanes who thought themselues more deuout then others yea and the Iewes also abstained not from so horrible and execrable a crime Nay which more is these men in their inconsiderate zeale defiled themselues with the murthering of many children thinking therin forsooth to imitate their father Abraham Gen. 22.10 And Isaiah therfore saith that in sacrificing an oxe it was al one as if they had cut a mans throate And thus he shewes that albeit the Iewes had a religiō apart by themselues and such a one as was ordained by God yet were they esteemed no better then the prophane heathen among whom all things were filthie and vncleane Also that God approued no more of the one then of the other in regard his name was no lesse profaned by their hyprocrisie then by the superstitions Gods name no lesse prophaned by hypocrisie then by superstition of the Gentiles But in another place we haue shewed how needfull this admonition was For though the Iewes were sufficiently conuinced of all manner of abominations yet they iudged themselues in good case as long as they might lie lurking vnder this couerture The Prophet therefore meets with them in their turnings and affirmes that they shall gaine no more by thinking thus to pacifie God then if they offered vp vnto him the sacrilegious abominations of the heathen When in the end of the verse he saith yea or in truth the place may be translated two waies because the relatiue may agree as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes namely that the Iewes had mingled intangled themselues in the idolatries of the Gentiles or that they followed theit owne inuentions The first exposition is not much amisse were it not constrained for he spake not of the Gentiles before And the height of the Iewes impietie consisted in this that besides the abuse of Gods pure worship and contempt of the law they had prophaned the Temple and all other places with wicked and cursed superstitions They set vp Altars they planted groues they set foorth plaies and sights so as they walked after euery thing that was set vp to corrupt their minds Thus there was a mingle mangle of all superstions betweene them and the heathen such as is at this day to bee seene in the papacie Where wee behold many fragments patched together of all sorts of superstitions not only Jewish and heathinesse Popish superstitions Iewish Heathenish and diuellish but also newly inuented by the diuell himselfe that by meanes thereof they might vnder such goodlie shewes the more easily cosen and deceiue the world The Prophet then meant to say that both themselues and their companions deserued double condemnation because whilest they gloried in the name of God and made profession of his seruice they were not ashamed to pollute the same with the sacrileges of idolatrous nations The other exposition is not obscure and it also sutes well namely that the Iewes were addicted to follow the vanitie of their owne inuentions and so followed their abominations And thus he affirmes that such serue not God with a pure affection who at their pleasure despise him Not onely in respect that they are stuffed full of auarice hatred ambition guile crueltie and robberies but in regard that by their inuentions they had corrupted Gods seruice And albeit the relatiue ought to bee vnderstood of the Iewes yet the Prophet therewithall condemnes all the superstitions which they had borrowed from prophane nations Thus there is no great difference in respect of the thing it selfe For he only teacheth that whatsoeuer proceeded from them was filthie and abominable because they had malepertly and rebelliously shaken off Gods yoke so as impiety raigned among them in euery place Simile For how can those riuers be pure and cleane which receiue nothing but mier and durt from an impure fountaine Their choice and desire did more manifestly discouer their obstinacie for hauing wittingly cast Gods commandements behind their backes they applied their minds vnto things vtterly contrarie thereunto as if of set purpose they had determined to reiect whatsoeuer proceeded from God that they might yeeld obedience to their owne peruerse lusts Vers 4. Therefore will I chuse out their delusions and I wil bring their feare vpon them because I called and none would answere I spake and they would not heare but they did euill in my sight and chose the things that I would not THe Prophet meant to say that the Iewes should gaine nothing by seeking out goodly pretences and starting holes because God cannot bee deluded by the fained and coloured words of men For what reason is it indeede that wee should measure God according to our blind reason neither is it meete he should stand to mans arbitrement but wee must iudge of his workes by his word Gods works must be iudged of by his word J will chuse out That is to say I will so disperse the fogges and mists which they labour to spread abroad that all shall be able to discerne of the illusions They seeme now to steale away in their darke but a time will come wherein they shall bee laid open as at noone day The summe The summe is that in regard the Iewes were addicted to such a licentiousnesse that they preferred whatsoeuer pleased them before Gods commandements it shuld also come to passe that God would also take his turne at his pleasure to discouer all their iuglings Vnder the word feare he repeates one and the same thing according to the custome of the Hebrues thus I will cause them to know that they haue erred in such wise that that which they feared shall fall vpon their owne heads Whereby you see that their turnings and windings should stand them in no stead in confounding the truth with lies or to cloake their superstitions and all because the Lord hath skill enough to separate the one from the other For J haue called The Prophet doth againe condemne the obstinacie of the Iewes who could not abide that the Lord should correct them There is but on onely remedy left to tame our vices But one remedie left to tame our vices that is to hearken vnto God speaking when hee labours to bring vs into the right way But if we
that the faithfull may with the more cheerfulnesse of heart wait for this promised ioy But all the difficultie is to know of what enemies he speakes for wee may vnderstand this place of the Babylonians by whose ruine God deliuered his Church It may also bee applied to the other enemies who were entertained in the bosome of the Church And I rather incline to this latter sense though I denie not but it may be vnderstood of all sorts of enemies But hee respects the home enemies of whom he hath hitherunto spoken who reiected the voice of God sounding continually by the ministry of the Prophets Well saith hee It shall come to passe that you shall heare a more horrible voice And yet hee forthwith mitigates his speech lest this terror should discourage the seruants of God The summe The summe is that the wicked reioice in vaine when they oppose their rebellions against Gods iudgements Why so Because they shall not escape his hand Nay which more is his voice shall sound from that Temple wherein they put such carnall confidence and that the faithfull shall then receiue the fruit of their patience Would to God that we at this day did not perceiue the like contempt among the rout of hypocrites who care neither for admonitioÌ„s nor threatnings at all neither beare they any reuerence to Gods word In stead of that sweete and still voice which they now heare we are constrained to preach the voice of feare and tumult which one day shall ring in their eares but it shal be froÌ„ the mouthes of such masters as shall be of a clean contrary disposition For seeing the world is so audacious as with a sacrilegious contempt to reiect Gods word it shall bee constrained not onely to heare but also to feele an armed voice that is to say fire and blood Vers 7. Before shee trauailed shee brought foorth and before her paine came shee was deliuered of a man child God prouides for the safetie of his children whilest he chastiieth the wicked THe Prophet hauing before comforted the faithfull to the end the arrogancie and pride of their enemies with which they should be afflicted might not astonish them and after that hauing commanded them to wait constantly till the comming of the Lord now he addes therewithall that the wicked shall bee so punished that yet God in the meane while will prouide for the safetie of his chosen Neither speakes he onely of some one or two men but of the vvhole Church which he compares to a vvoman which similitude hee hath vsed heeretofore For the Lords speciall meaning is to gathet vs into a body wherein wee may haue the testimonie of our adoption as also to acknowledge him for our father and that we may be nourished vp in the Church as in the lap of our mother This similitude therefore of a mother is very apt for it signifies that the Church shall bee so restoâ—ed that shee shall haue a large and ample of-spring though for a time she was reputed for a widow and barren And hee repeates the sentence againe which hee vsed heeretofore but now hee expresseth somewhat more namely that this worke of God shall be sudden and vnexpected For he withdrawes the faithfull from all carnall conceits that they should not iudge of the restauration of the Church according to humane reason Women are wont to beare their children the space of nine moneths in their wombes then at last they bring them forth with great paine but the Lord hath another way in begetting of his children It shall come to passe saith hee that the fruit shall come into the world before it can be either perceiued or felt by any paine And that is the cause also why hee attributes the whole praise thereof vnto himselfe in regard that such a miracle farre surpasseth all the industrie of man Now hee speakes especially of a man child to set forth the courage and agilitie of these children For his meaning heereby is that such a race shall be of a noble kind and not delicate or effeminate As we also know that the faithfull are so regenerated by the Spirit of Christ that they finish their course with an inuincible courage And in this sense Saint Paul saith that they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe c. Rom. 8.15 Vers 8. Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seene such things Shall the earth be brought forth in one day Or shall a nation bee borne at once For as soone as Zion trauailed she brought forth children HE extols the greatnes of this work whereof he spake in the former verse For his meaning is that the restauration of the Church shall be admirable and extraordinarie in such wise that the faithfull shall confesse the whole worke hath proceeded from Gods meere grace and not from the order or course of nature For when men thinke of this they are like to them that dreame as it is said in Psalm 126.1 Moreouer his meaning is not that the restauration of the Church shall be perfected by and by For the aduancements thereof are tedious and diuers yea very slow in the iudgement of our flesh but he shews that the beginning it selfe surmounts the reach of al mens capacities And yet he speakes not excessiuely neither For we often see that the Church brings foorth when she was not iudged to be with child before Nay which more is whilest shee is thought to be barren shee is made fruitfull by the preaching of the Gospell in such wise that we admire at the thing after it is come to passe in respect it seemed incredible to vs before These things were in part accomplished when the people returned out of Babylon But we haue a much more euident proofe of it in the Gospell after the publishing whereof what an infinite number of children hath there been borne in the Church And haue not we in our times seene the accomplishment of this prophesie For since thirtie yeeres past that the Gospell hath been preached how many children hath the Church borne Hath not the Lord now troupes of them dispersed throughout the world Nothing was here foretold then which we see not at this day fulfilled euen with our eies Now he sets foorth the glorie of this miracle by a similitude For what people or nation came there euer into the world all at an instant For men are gathered and increased by little and little But it is farre otherwise with the Church who foorthwith brings foorth and replenisheth many places with great numbers of her children The summe The summe is that God will work so powerfully that by an extraordinary manner the Church shal haue an infinite number of children in an instant The word earth may be taken for any countrie or for the inhabitants of it Vers 9. Shall I cause to trauell and not bring foorth shall I cause to bring foorth and shall bee barren saith thy God Gods power ought