conclusion which hee touched in the two former verses namely that the people should in the end bee deliuered by the Lord who will not be found contrary vnto himselfe For if hee hath redeemed their fathers and if hee hath alwaies assisted his Church in former times he will neuer suffer their successors to be ouerwhelmed whom he hath adopted We are diligently to obserue the verb Shall know for the knowledge of the name of God consists first in reiecting all superstitions secondly to know him in his word which is his liuely image and thirdly by his works We must not forge a god after our owne fantasies lusts but so comprehend him as he hath manifested himselfe vnto vs. Thus the Lord concludes then that he will effectually assist and accomplish whatsoeuer hee hath promised that the people may know their expectation is not in vaine and may heereby bee more and more confirmed in the knowledge of his name But we must remember what we haue said heeretofore touching that experimentall knowledge Experimentall knowledge which subscribes to the authoritie of the word Moreouer Gods speaking is to bee referred to his promises and his presence to his actuall power As if he should say Albeit you heare nothing now but the sound of words in which I promise you things almost incredibe yet heereafter you shall see the performance thereof for I purpose really to act that which I haue promised Hence we may gather a generall doctrine namely The promises and the execuâ—ion thereof inseparably knit together that the promises and the execution thereof are knit together with an inseparable bond As oft as Satan then solicites vs to distrust as if God had quite and cleane reiected vs let vs remember this point and let vs trust boldly in the name of our God who neuer promiseth ought in vaine and if it falles out that he performes not the same forthwith yet he will doe it in conuenient time Vers 7. How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the feete of him that declareth and publisheth peace that declareth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Zion Thy God raigneth THe Prophet confirmes the faithfull againe in the certaintie of Gods word Another confirmatioÌ„ First to giue them certaine assurance of being restored to their first freedome and next that hee might in the meane while sustaine their hearts in good hope during this sore bondage Hee speakes elegantly in the commendation of this message that the faithfull might content themselues in this calamitie with the offer of the hope of their saluation to come For indeed they were to imbrace this consolation propounded vnto them that being fortified therewith they might quietly and patiently expect an happy issue of the promise That the faithfull then might bridle their desires by patience he adornes the vvord of God vviâ—h excellent titles As if hee should say Can you be so vnthankfull as not to content your selues with this inestimable treasure of God word which brings so many commodities with it Will you let loose the raines to yourâ— vnbridled affections Will ye indeed complaine of God For his meaning is to call backe the people from their diffidence who were ouercarried through diuers allurements and would not rest securely vpon the truth of Gods word For this cause hee extolles the excellencie of his doctrine and shewes that the Lord will giue much more by it then wee can aske or thinke Besides it is plaine that hee speakes not heere of euery kind of doctrine but of that onely which is fit to yeeld consolation Hee shewes then that the seete of such as bring glad tidings from Gods mouth are pleasant and desirable Why so Because this consolation serues not onely to asswage our sorrows but brings with it inestimable ioy for he speakes heere of the doctrine of saluation and therefore he saith that by it peace good tidings and saluation is published By the word peace hee vnderstands an happy and prosperous estate but wee haue heeretofore intreated at large touching the signification of this word Saying to Zion c. Hence we gather what the beginning of this doctrine is which Isaiah publisheth and what it is wee ought principally to desire namely that the kingdome of God may be established amongst vs for if he reigne not all things must needes fall to ruine and so by consequence our estate must be miserable As on the contrary the onely way to saluation is when God vouchsafes to take the care of vs and it is also the meanes whereby wee obtaine peace how confused or desperate soeuer things otherwise are Let vs also remember that this message appertaines to Zion that is to say to the church For what haue the prophane and ignorant sort to doe with it The Apostle Saint Paul alleageth this place Rom. 10.15 to prooue that the preaching of the Gospell is of God and not of men and that it is hee who sends the Ministers which bring the glad tidings of saluation Now he vseth this gradation Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall bee saued but vve cannot call vpon him vvhom vve know not Faith giues praier entrance For what giues praier entrance but faith by which hauing imbraced God for our father we may familiarly discharge all our cares into his bosome But whereupon is this faith grounded Vpon the doctrine of the Gospell whereby the Lord manifests his loue vnto vs and for this end vseth the labours and ministry of men In conclusion therefore the Apostle addes that none is fit to preach this word vnlesse he be sent of God But it seemes as if Saint Paul wrested these words of the Prophet Obiect to serue his owne turne for hee speakes not heere of Gods sending forth of Ministers but rather how welcome their comming ought to be vnto vs. Ans I answere that the Apostle hath held this resolued principle namely that we must desire none but such as are sent of God But from whom comes this saluation Comes it from men No such matter for a benefit so excellent can come to vs from none but God himselfe He rightly concludes then that this saluation proceeds from God and not from man Vers 8. The voice of thy watchmen shall bee heard they shall lift vp their voice and shout together for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring againe Zion A continuation of the former confirmation HE continues on his speech shewing that the restauration of the people shall be such as the messenger shall boldly publish it By the lifting vp of the voice he signifies the same that he spake of before touching these words vpon the mountaines for the thing shall not be done in a corner but it shall be so manifest and apparant that all shall be smitten with astonishment Those who speake of things doubtfull mutter them out betweene the teeth and dare not lift vp their voice but this shall be no perplexed or doubtfull
bestowes all the paines and skil he hath Those who change the Prophets words here that they might not offend the eares of the readers do by an affected phrase of speech corrupt the sense and cause his words to lose that grace which otherwise is in them for in repeating the same words hee meant to signifie a variable and continuall repetition which we know is very troublesome For it is a similitude drawne as we haue said from little children whose memories the Master dares not charge with any great matter because they are vncapable of it but is faine to distill the first principles into them as it were drop by drop And for that cause he repeates the same thing once twice yea many times and is still refreshing their memories with their old lesson In a word such schollers must be alwaies fed with milke vntill they bee growne to more maturitie and ripenes of iudgement The Prophet in like manner somewhat after a quipping manner of speech vseth these words heere a little and there a little Those interpret it ill as I thinke who reade the word a little line as if the Prophet had had respect to a building that goes vp slowlie and is raised an end by lines now a little and then alittle For this had been an improper similitude and too farre fetched seeing he speakes heere of childrens first rudiments I confesse indeed that the same Hebrew word is vsed in the 18. Chapter where I haue trāslated From all parts or Line after line and so in manie other places but the circumstance of this text requires another sense as also in Psal 19.4 Vnlesse the word line or measuring instrument should agree better there yet I denie not but vnder a figure it may well be taken for instruction or rule For in as much as the rule or plummet which they vse in buildings is called by the same name as we shall afterward see in this Chapter it is no maruell if it be referred to other rules Vers 11. For with a stammering tongue and with a strāge language shall he speake vnto this people WHereas some supply that it is as if one spake it is superfluous I referre this to God then who as the Prophet saith spake in a strange language to this barbarous people This reprehension ought therefore to haue pierced them to the heart in regard that by their owne default they made him to slut and stammer who yet giues speech vnto all He threatens them not but rather accuseth them of blockishnes in that they made the heauenlie doctrine to become nothing else but a confused sound vnto them so as they receiued no benefit by it because they wittinglie stopped their eares against it The Prophet therefore compares their follie to a thing against nature in that they would not heare the voice of the Lord. Vers 12. Vnto whom he said This is the rest giue rest to him that is wearie and this is the refreshing but they would not heare SOme expoūd this sentence in many words thus If anie say vnto them This is the rest they will not heare but this is of no force neither doth it make that coherēce which it should The Prophet rather shewes why God became a barbarian as it were to the Iewes to wit because they wanted eares to heare him so that in effect he spake as vnto them that were deafe for they would not learne what this rest meant But this deafnes proceeded from rebellion for they presumptuouslie reiected all wholesome doctrine with a setled malice It was a frowardnesse doubly inexcusable then to reiect that rest which was offred them which all men also naturally desire They were too farre gone alreadie in impietie to stop their eares when God spake but their ingratitude was much more insupportable to despise so desireable a benefit with such an high hand The Prophet shewes them therefore what fruite they might haue reaped from the obedience of faith of which they depriued themselues by their owne obstinacie He blames their blindnes and ignorance then because all this proceeded from their rebellion in that they maliciously shut their eies against the cleere light which shined vnto them from heauen and loued rather to grope in darknes then to walke in the light Hence we gather that the vnbeleeuers doe willingly plunge themselues into a miserable vnquietnes of mind as soone as God tenders his word vnto them What an inestimable benefit Gods word brings if our owne infidelitie depriued vs not of it for he allures all men to partake in this blessed rest He shewes vs also the marke vnto which if we leuell the whole course of our liues true felicitie attends vs so as hauing once heard the heauenlie doctrine no man can run astray vnlesse he will doe it wittingly Oh how amiable then ought this good word of God to be in our eyes seeing it brings vs so inestimable a benefit with it when with rest and peace of conscience we may possesse so perfect a blessednes All men naturallie desire rest yet few take the right way to enioy it All will in words affirme boldly that nothing is better then to dwell in a place of rest and yet where is he that makes account of it when it is offred him Nay all in a maner shun it as if men had agreed with a common consent to liue in miserable perplexitie and continuall trembling of heart In the meane while none is to murmure and say that he sinnes ignorantlie for what is more cleere and manifest then the doctrine of God all excuses of men therefore are but in vaine In a word what is more absurd then to lay the fault vpon God as if he taught men either obscurely or confusedly Now as God here testifies that hee shewes vnto men by his word the way how to come to an assured rest so on the other side hee certifies the vnbeleeuers that the continuall broiles which are within them are the iust recompences of their wickednesse Where it followes Giue rest to him that is wearie some expound it as if God required works of charitie if so be we will find fauour in his sight and these workes are here comprehended vnder a part for the whole But as I thinke the Prophet meant another thing he rather shewes what rest it is which God affords vs for the releeuing of our infirmitie We are conuinced of great ingratitude if our owne necessities can not quicken vs vp to seeke the remedies which God freely offers vs. and certainly we are conuinced of ouer great ingratitude if necessitie which of it selfe is a sharpe spurre cannot for all that quicken vs forward to seeke this remedy This sentence of the Prophet tends almost to the same end that the words of Christ do Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are heauie laden and I will ease you So that Isaiah sets the choice of two things heere before the Iewes to wit whether they had rather
forth thorowout all the world euen to lift vs vp into the heauens from thence the Maiestie of God shined Lastly because it was the sanctuarie of God it surmounted aboue all the world in height of excellencie Now we must note the vse of this prophesie namely that Isaiah meant to set before them a consolation whereupon they were to stay themselues in their captiuitie that howsoeuer the Temple should be destroyed and that the sacrifices should cease yea and all things should fall to the ground yet notwithstanding this hope should encourage the faithfull and that in this horrible confusion they should thus thinke True it is that the mountaine of the Lord is now desolate but yet shall shee haue her seate there againe so as the glorie of this mountaine shall surpasse the glorie of all others To the end then that they should not doubt of the euent hereof the Prophet hath pictured it forth here as in a tablet wherein they might behold the glorie of God For although the mountaine continued then safe yet was it in a manner detestable because it was brought to a miserable desolation hauing lost all her glorie in regard that God himselfe had forsaken it But the faithfull were to behold not these ruines but this vision It also sufficiently appeares by that which followes why hee speakes so highly of the exaltation of this mountaine of Zion because from thence came forth the Gospell wherein the Image of God shined Other mountaines might surmount it in height but because the glorie of God did appeare vpon it in an higher degree therfore it was also necessarie that the mountaine in which he manifesteth himselfe should bee exalted aboue others He doth not praise the mountaine of Zion then in regard of it selfe but in respect of her ornament or glorie wherewith also all the world was to be beautified Vers 3. And many people shall go and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his paths for the law shall goe forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem IN the former verse he had briefly touched the cause from whence such an excellencie should come vnto the mountaine of Zion to wit because all nations should flow vnto it as if the riuers should ouerflow with ouermuch abundance of waters now he declares the same thing adding also the reason of it For one might demand vpon what occasion so many sorts of people should flow thither by bands from countries so farre off He saith then that they shall come thither for no other end but to serue God But in the word Manie there is an antithesis for he signifies that there should not be one nation onely as before which should yeeld obedience vnto the true worship of God but that those which were altogether strangers should come to consent with like agreement in religion with thē as if he should say The Church which before was shut vp as in a corner shall now be gathered out of all parts Hee hath put many then for diuers For it is certaine that he meant not to lessen that which he had said ere while of all nations Further although this was neuer fulfilled to wit that all the people of the whole world hauing left their countrie should assemble to Ierusalem notwithstanding because the doctrine of the Gospell by which God did there gather to himself a Church indifferently from out of al the world came forth of this mountaine of Zion hee well affirmes that those who embraced the couenant of saluation with one consent of faith and ioyned themselues to one only Church should come thither The agreement also which is betweene the figures of the law and the spirituall worship is to be noted such as it began to be after the comming of Christ And they shall come First hee signifies by condition of the new Church is aboue the old because in it God appeares to be King in the person of his Sonne Againe hee also confirmes the vocation of the Gentiles for Christ was not sent to the Iewes onely to raigne amongst them but also to haue iurisdiction ouer the whole world Rebuke the people The word Iacach doth sometimes signifie to expostulate sometimes to correct also to prepare or make readie But in this place the receiued interpretation doth very well agree whereas the Prophet doth speake concerning the reformation of the Church For there is neede of correction that we may learne to submit our selues vnto God For by reason of that rebellious nature which is inbred in vs wee shall neuer profit in the word of God vnlesse we be brought vnder by violence Therefore Christ also Ioh. 16.8 from hence takes the beginning of the Gospell namely that the world might be reprooued of sin Now that the doctrine might not want increase Isaiah shews that the stubburnnes of our flesh must be broken and therefore hee assignes vnto God the part of a Iudge rebuking that hee might examine our life and by condemning our vices might reforme our manners for the better And truely we see that the Gospell is of small force but where the iurisdiction of the holy Spirit beares rule which doth bring men vnto repentance They shall breake their swords Now hee addes the fruit which should come from thence when Christ shall gather the people and nations together vnder his gouernment There is nothing more desireable then peace but although all seeme to desire it yet euery one troubleth it by his foolish lust pride couetousnes and ambition is the cause that some do cruelly rise vp against others Because then that men are naturally carried away by their euill affections to trouble and ouerthrow all things the Prophet promiseth here that such a mischiefe should bee redressed The Gospell not only sets God and man at peace together but man with man also For as the Gospell is the doctrine of reconciliation which takes away the discord betweene God and man so also it pacifies and brings men to vnitie one with another The summe is that Christ his people shall be meeke and hauing trodden crueltie vnder their feete shall studie to liue peaceablie But they haue done vnfitly which would restraine this to the time wherein Christ was borne because that after the battaile Actiaque the Temple of Ianus was shut vp as it appeares by the histories I confesse indeed that this peace which was vniuersall in the Romane Empire was as it were a signe of that eternal peace which we enioy in Christ But the Prophet meant to say more to wit that Christ so reconcileth men to God that all deadly warres being thereby appeased there should thereupon follow a healthfull peace among them For if Iesus Christ bee taken away we are not onely estranged from God but wee haue open warre continually with him which will iustly returne vpon our owne heads
from whence it is that all things are out of course in the world Furthermore Isaiah promiseth that when the Gospell shall be published there shall be an excellent remedie in the world to appease all dissensions and not onely that but all hatreds being abolished men shall be inclined to helpe one another For he saith not simplie that the swords shall be broken but that they shall bee conuerted into mattocks In which hee shewes there shall bee such a change that whereas they were wont before to vexe one another and did commit manie iniuries to the hurt of their neighbours afterwards they should entertaine peace and loue amongst themselues and should lend one another the hand for the common profit of all for mattocks and sithes are instruments fit for labour and are necessarie and profitable for the life of man He shews then that when Iesus Christ shal reigne those who in former time were carried away with a desire of doing hurt by all meanes whatsoeuer should now be helpful to others by al meanes possible Neither shal they learne to fight any more The word which the Prophet vseth signifies ei to accustome or to learne but the sense is cleare namely that they should not exercise themselues any more in those Arts that should doe hurt neither should they giue themselues to the doing of wrongs nor of wicked practises as they had been wont to doe From hence we gather that they haue profited very little in the Gospel whose harts are not brought to meeknes amongst whom charitie hath taken so little place that they take no delight in shewing kindnes one towards another But this can neuer bee brought about vnlesse the consciences of men be first appeased by God for there we must begin to the end wee may also haue peace with men There are some brainsicke bedlems which turne this place to the maintaining of a carnall libertie thereby to take away whollie from the Church the vse of the sword and from this place doe exceedingly condemne all manner of warre For example If a prince defend the people committed to him and see that none offer them wrong it is not lawfull say they for Christians to vse the sword But the answere is easie For the Prophet vnder a similitude speaks of the kingdome of Christ shewing that it is a kingdome of peace to reconcile men one with another through a mutuall good will And it is a similitude much vsed in the Scripture where the thing signified is shewed by the signe as in Luk. 22.36 it is said Let him that hath no sword buy one It was not the purpose of Iesus Christ to prouoke his seruants to fighting but he signified thereby that the time of war drew neere So on the other side it is said that swords shall cease or shall be applied to diuers ends when hatreds and debates shall cease and that those who were enemies before should be reconciled Obiect But some may replie that in the time of peace and tranquillitie there is no vse of the sword I answere Ans that peace hath so much strength amongst vs as the kingdome of Christ beares sway and doth flourish and that in these two things there is a mutuall proportion And would to God that Christ might raigne wholly amonst vs for then peace also should bee in his full strength But in regard that wee are yet farre off from the perfection of this peaceable kingdome wee must alwaies thinke of the goings forward of it They are therefore too fond which consider not that the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ hath but his beginning here Moreouer God gathers not his Church together that is to say a companie of the faithfull to the end they should bee separated from others but the good are alwaies mingled with the bad and which more is the good are not yet come to the marke and are farre off from the perfection which is required of them Wee must not seeke then the full accomplishment of this prophesie here on earth it is enough if we tast the beginnings of it and that being reconciled to God in Iesus Christ we keepe amitie together and abstaine from all doing of wrong Vers 5. O house of Iacob come yee and * Or we wil. let vs walke in the light of the Lord. HE sharpely prickes forward the Iewes by setting before them the example of the Gentiles For seeing that in publishing the Gospell God meant to iudge all nations from the mountaine of Zion that he might ingraft them into the bodie of his chosen people it was a very strange thing that the house of Iacob should reuolt from him and that whilest strangers should draw neere the household seruants should withdraw themselues who of right ought to haue held the first place and should haue led others by their example This exhortation therefore is not onely full of vehemencie but it is both a graue and a biting complaint And therefore he calles them by an honourable name O ye house of Iacob saith he come which is the more to amplifie their ingratitude that being the first borne in the Church of God they should yet notwithstanding renounce the right of the heritage which was common to them Here is a close comparison then as if hee should haue said Behold the nations which runne to the mountaine of Zion euery one exhorting and pricking forward his neighbour and they subiect themselues to the word of God and suffer it to iudge them and the whilest you Israelites that are the heritage of God what meane you to draw backe Shall the nations submit themselues vnto God and doe you refuse to haue him reigne ouer you Yea is there so great a light sprung vp thorowout all the parts of the world and will not you in the meane while bee enlightned Are there so many sweete waters running forth and will not you drinke what a madnes is this doe the Gentiles runne to them with such haste and doe you sit still When he addes and we will walke hee signifies that the light is put before their feete which with closed eyes they reiect yea they quench it as much in them is and yet the brightnes thereof notwithstanding should bee such as it should draw all nations vnto it Vers 6. Surely thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Iacob because they are full of the * Or antiquitie East-manners and are sorcerers as the Philistines and * Or tooke their delight in abound with strange children HE openly accuseth this people of the peruersitie of their nature and not only in plaine termes but as one carried away in an admiratiō he suddenly breaks off his speech and turning himselfe to God hee cries out Wherfore then should I speake to this so desperate a people whom thou hast iustly forsaken For in giuing themselues to idolatries they haue most disloyally turned away from thy word It may be also a prophesie of that calamitie which should come vpon
referred to those which are assistants or counsellers to kings or some others If any cauiller will yet rest himselfe too obstinately in this wrangling of the Rabbins he shall do nothing else but manifest his impudencie Let vs follow that which is plaine and cleare Wonderfull We must note 1. Wonderfull These titles giuen to Christ be no vaine things that these titles be no vaine things but fitlie applied to the present occasion for the Prophet teacheth what a one Christ shall shew himselfe to be towards the faithfull Now he disputes not of his incomprehensible essence but extols his vertues whereof we shal haue experience by faith Which we ought so much the more to keepe in mind MeÌ„ are wont to content themselues wâ—th the bare name of Christ without consideration of his power because men for the most part content themselues with the bare name of Christ without consideration of his vertue and efficacie the which indeed we ought euermore chieflie principallie to weigh and consider In the first epithite he prepares the minds of the faithfull to the consideration of a very rare thing to wit that they should expect some more excellent and greater matter from Christ then that which we see in the course of Gods ordinarie workes As if he should say There are inestimable treasures wonderfull things hidden in Christ And the very truth is that his redemption farre surpasseth the worke of the creation of heauen and earth So then the summe is that the grace which God hath manifested in Christ is more excellent then all other miracles The second epithite signifies 2. Counseller that the redeemer shall come adorned and decked with all wisedome But heere we must call that to mind which I haue touched before namely that the Prophet disputes not in this place of the hidden and secret essence of Christ but of that vertue which he manifested towards vs. He calles him not Counseller then because he knowes and vnderstands all his Fathers secrets Iohn 1.18 but rather in regard he issued out of his Fathers bosome and therefore performed all the parts of the office of a soueraigne and perfect Teacher so as it is not lawfull for vs now to be wise further then his Gospell to the praise whereof also this appertaines 1. Cor. 1.24.30 Ephes 1.17 Col. 1.9 for therein the wisedome of God is fullie conteined as Saint Paul also often shewes and therein also Iesus Christ manifests and declares whatsoeuer is necessarie for our saluation and that so familiarly that he speakes no more to his disciples as vnto seruants but as vnto friends Iohn 15.14.15 The mightie God 3. The mightie God El is one of the names of God which notwithstanding is deriued from might or power so as sometimes it is added in stead of an epithite But here we may perceiue it is a proper name because Isaiah contents not himselfe therewith but hath added the epithite Gibbor which signifies strong And truly if Christ were not God it were ill done to reioyce in him for it is written Cursed is he that trusteth in man Iere. 17.5 The maiestie of God then must of necessitie shine in him that in him we may place our confidence because we can not rest vpon any creature without high sacriledge He is called the Mightie God then for the same reason that he was heretofore called Immanuel Chap. 7.14 For if in Christ we only find flesh and the nature of man our reioycing should be friuolous and peruerse and the stay of our hope should be grounded amisse and without any stedfastnesse If Christ bee God yea a mighty God â—hen wee may boldly repose our confidence in him Eph. 6.12 But if so be he shew himselfe to be a God to vs yea a mightie God then may wee boldly and securely repose our confidence in him There is also very great reason why the Prophet calles him the Mighty and Strong for we haue to fight against the diuel death and sinne enemies that are farre too mightie and strong for vs to deale withall who would quickly master vs if wee were not clothed with the inuincible strength of Christ By this epithite then wee are taught that Christ is strong enough to vphold our saluation to the end wee should desire none but him Christ is a strong God for vs. for he is God and wil shew himselfe strong for vs. This application is the key of this place and of others like vnto it to wit that we distinguish betweene the incomprehensible essence of Christ and that power by which he manifesteth himselfe vnto vs. 4. Eternall Father Eternall Father The Greeke Translator hath added To come and in my iudgement hath rightly expounded it for it sets forth the Eternitie vnlesse wee had rather say that a perpetuall and continuall order of times and seasons should agree better lest the heauenly life which is yet hidden from vs should needlesly bee restrained to this place It is true that the Prophet also comprehends that yea and admonisheth vs that Christ shall come to make his elect immortall but because the faithfull being yet in this world must passe from death to life this time to come is referred to the eternall estate of the Church The name Father is taken for Author because Christ maintaines his Church in all ages and giues immortalitie as to the whole body thereof in generall so to euerie member in particular Whence wee learne how fraile and brittle wee are being out of him For be it that wee liue very long according to the manner of men what shall become of this old age at the last Let vs therefore lift vp our mindes to that eternall and blessed life which wee possesse by faith and hope although wee see it not visibly with our bodily eyes 5. Prince of peace The Prince of peace Behold the last epithite whereby the Prophet declares that Christ shall bring full and perfect felicitie with him at his comming or rather a quiet and blessed securitie For the word peace signifies as much oftentimes amongst the Hebrews as prosperitie in regard that among all blessings none are found better or more desireable then peace The summe is that all those who will subiect themselues vnder the gouernement of Christ shall leade a quiet a happy life vnder his obedience Whence it followes that where this King raignes not mens liues are most miserable and full of troubles But herewithall wee must obserue that the nature of this peace and of this kingdome are both alike For it hath his principall seate in the consciences of men otherwise it must needes be that wee should be alwaies in conflicts and exercised through continuall assaults And therefore Isaiah doth not promise an external peace only but such a peace whereby wee may enter againe into fauour with God from whom we were vtterly estranged and enemies before Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God saith S. Paul Rom.
fight in Now the Prophet speakes of those whereupon the horsemen were mounted Vers 7. Or and that it came to passe c. And thy chiefe vallies were full of Chariots and the horsemen set themselues in array against the gates IF this be a threat it should be expounded in the time to come to wit And it shall come to passe But because the words following are put in the time past and that it appeares the Prophet speakes of things alreadie fallen out I haue not been afraid to appropriate this beginning to that which is by and by added The chiefe of the vallies is taken for faire and fruitfull Now he puts the Iewes in mind of these distresses into which they were brought by Senacherib whilest hee besieged them and whilest the enemies were before the gates of the Citie for then ought they to haue fled vnto God for succour But then did these poore Iewes runne so much the further away from him and the more shamefully did they manifest their rebellion herein shewing themselues vtterly desperate Therefore is it that hee vpbraides them with this obstinate rebellion Vers 8. And he * Or carried away discouered the couering of Iudah and thou didst looke in that day to the armour of the house of the forrest HE shewes in what anguish the Iewes were when they were thus hardlie besieged Some referre this speech vnto God others to the enemies but I had rather take it indefinitlie for he hath caried away is a phrase of speech vsed of the Hebrues that is the couering of Iudah was caried away By the word couering all almost vnderstand the Temple or the name of God it selfe vnder which the Iewes falslie bragged But for mine owne part I take it more simplie for their Armorie wherein they shut vp as in a most secret place their instruments and furniture for the warre For he calles it not a couering as if these things were not discouered to all but because they were laid vp in a place pur apart or consecrate And thus hee sets that forth which we see to happen in great hurlie burlies for then euery one runnes to his weapon bringing out the munitions for war which were hidden before The latter member is ioined with this to wit that they then searched diligentlie euery place where they might get weapons in such an extreame necessitie because the furniture for warre had been hid a long time whilest they inioyed peace Now the holie historie witnesseth that Salomon had built this house of the forest 1. King 7.2 that all the armor and instruments of warre might be laid vp there The change of the person in this word thou darkens not the sense but rather confirmes that which I haue said to wit that the Prophet recites after what maner the Iewes were letted in making preparations to defend the Citie Vers 9. And ye haue seene the breaches of the citie of Dauid for they were many and ye gathered the waters of the lower poole HE coÌ„tinues forth his discourse for whilst matters go well and that all things are in quiet men care not greatlie neither for munition nor for warlike furniture nothing but necessitie awakens men Necessitie is it which coÌ„monly awakens vs. and makes them carefull peace and rest makes vs become lazie slothfull As long then as they thought themselues free from gunshot they neglected to make vp the breaches of the walles but when the drum once stroke vp then they gaue themselues to the care of these things and to take order for letting the enemie froÌ„ getting passage By the Citie of Dauid hee meanes the middest of the Citie which was deuided into two parts which we may see in many Cities Ierusalem was enuironed with walles and ditched round about but this middle place was the strongest fortresse they had and it was called the Citie of Dauid The Temple also was fortified so as the Citie was deuided as it were into three Now Isaiah meant to say that the Iewes had almost lost all hope of sauing the Citie when they thus retired into the middlemost which was strongger then all the rest And it appeares very well by the holie historie that their case was very desperate Thus wee may also gather that the prophesies were not gathered in order so as they which put them into one volume did not stand much vpon the circumstance of the time He addes the waters were gathered for their necessitie that the necessities of those which were besieged might be supplied therewith and thus the poole serued them for a Cisterne Vers 10. And yee numbred the houses of Ierusalem and the houses haue yee broken downe to fortifie the wall HIs meaning is that they viewed the Citie narrowlie and on euery side that no house nor building might annoy the defence of it Others say that the houses were numbred that they might haue watchmen out of them but the first exposition seemes the sittest for it is confirmed by that which is added after that there were houses broken downe to repaire the walles of the Citie We make no â—eckning of these things in the time of peace and oftentimes men of meane estate will build houses euen vpon the very ramparts therefore they must be pulled downe in time of warre that from thence they may fight and repulse the enemie and also lest any should haue any secret speech with the enemie if houses were so neere the walles Vers 11. And haue also made a ditch betweene the two walles for the waters of the old poole and haue not looked to the maker thereof neither had respect vnto him that formed it * Or long agoe THe first part of this verse is conioined with that which hath been expounded heretofore for his meaning is that they were put to their plunges and so flighted with imminent danger that they were driuen to vse all meanes possible to fortifie themselues against the enemie In the second part of the verse he taxeth their senselesnes in being so taken vp with seeking after worldlie helps that they forsooke that which was the principall For whereas they should first haue had their recourse vnto God they neglected it in contriuing of ditches ramparts walles and other defences of warre and yet did their chiefe defence all this while rest in God Now then it appeares that that which I saide in the beginning is true to wit that he forctels not heere the destruction of the Iewes but only puts them in minde of that they had felt in former time that from thence he might take occasion to shew how iustlie the Lord was angrie with them because no chastisement nor correction whatsoeuer could amend them For their extreame dangers into which they were fallen ought to haue admonished them of their impietie and contempt of God but they became so much the more hardened And yet there is scarcely any man so obstinate who in time of aduersitie and especially in the middest of great
not here of the cause of saluation neither yet what men are by nature but what God makes them to be by grace and what Citizens he meant to haue in his Church for of wolfes he can make lambs as we haue seene in the 11. Chapter But whilest we liue in this world we are alwaies farre off from that perfection which God requires and therefore we ought dayly to aime still vnto it but the Lord esteems vs only according to that good worke which he hath begun in vs The Lord accounts of vs according to that which himselfe hath wrought in vs. and accounts vs iust after he hath once brought vs into the paths of iustice For when he hath begun to correct and change our hypocrisie he doth therewithall call vs faithfull and vpright Vers 3. * Or It is an assured thought thou wilt keepe peace peace I say for they trusted in thee By an assured purpose thou wilt preserue perfit peace because they trusted in thee BEcause the Hebrue word Ieiser signifies a thing made created or a thought some translate thus Thou wilt keepe peace with an assured foundation as if the Prophet meant that those who continue constant in the tempests of this world because they rest vpon God shall alwaies continue in safetie Others turne it Thou wilt keepe peace by an assured purpose which comes almost to the same sense to wit that those who haue fixed their hearts vpon God alone shall be happie and blessed at the last For God promiseth not to be the protector of his Saincts further then they quietlie rest vpon his good pleasure without wauering But because the Prophet in one word saith It is a stable or stedfast decree let the readers consider if this be not more fitlie applied vnto God so as the sense will be The peace of the Church is built vpon the eternall and immutable counsell of God For the very principall point is that the faithfull stay themselues vpon this heauenlie decree lest they should be shaken by so many changes as dayly fall out in the world It is sure that wee ought alwaies to hope stedfastlie in God to the end wee may euermore feele his faithfulnes in keeping vs it is requisite also that the faithfull be neuer turned aside for any doubtfull or perplexed accident but ought to stick close to God only notwithstanding the fittest sense and that which agrees best with the Prophets words is that God hath purposed by an assured and immutable decree that all those which hope in him shall enioy euerlasting peace For if this stedfast purpose should be taken for the setled constancie of the faithfull it were in vaine for the Prophet to adde that reason to his speech which followeth for they trusted in thee Againe both kinds of speech would be improper to say that a cōtinuall peace should be forethought of in the conceit But this agrees very well that God will neuer deceiue vs of our hope when we trust in him Why Because he hath decreed to keepe vs for euer Wence it followes that seeing the Church depends not vpon the brittle estate of the world it is not therefore shaken nor tossed vp and downe by the sundrie changes which fall out euery day but is stayed vpon a rock firme and immoueable to wit the constant decree of God so as it can neuer be moued And thus as I take it here is a close opposition betweene the setled purpose of God and our vnsetled and wauering thoughts A close opposition betweene Gods setled purpose and our wauering thoghts for it happens euer and anon that any new assault driues our thoughts hither and thither yea there is not the least change which brings not his doubtings with it It is good therefore wee should hold this principle to wit that we doe amisse to measure Gods immutable counsell by our tottering deuices for it is said as we shall see Chap. 55. That as farre as the heauens are higher then the earth so much higher are my thoughts from yours O yee house of Israel saith the Lord. First then let vs hold this for certaine that our saluation is not subiect to change because the counsell of God remaineth sure Our saluatiō not subiect to change because the counsell of God remains sure Therefore it is the Prophet repeates it Thou wilt keepe peace peace I say thereby shewing that it shall continue and last for euer Now by the word peace he not onely meanes peace of conscience By peace is meant both inward and outward felicitie but all kinde of felicitie as if hee should say Gods grace alone shall suffice to maintaine you in all happinesse and prosperitie Vers 4. Trust in the Lord for euer for in the Lord God is strength for euermore SOme reade the second member of the verse Hope in the strong God Lord of the worlds but in regard the word Tsur is not alwaies put for an epithite but signifies Strength I reiect that exposition because it is constrained neither sutes it to the matter in hand as we shall see anon There is also as little stedfastnesse in their curiositie who from hence would proue the Diuinitie of Christ as if the Prophet should say The Lord Iehouah is in the Lord Iah For Isaiah hath put the name of God twice onely to amplifie his power He therefore exhorts the people to repose themselues vpon God first then he laid downe doctrine and in this verse hee comes to exhortation Doctrine laid downe in the 3. vers in this he comes to exhortation Doctrine exhortation must goe together For it were in vaine to tell vs our peace is in the hand of God and that he will faithfully keepe it vnlesse after such instructions doctrines we were stirred vp and prouoked to haue our parts therein by exhortations Now he not onely wils vs to hope but to perseuere in it this sentence therefore belongs properly to the faithfull who haue alreadie learned what it is to hope in God And yet they haue neede to be daily confirmed because they are weake and readie oftentimes to slip according to the sundrie occasions of distrust with which they haue to fight He commands vs not barely to trust in the Lord then but that we perseuere constantly in hope and assurance for euer The reason which he addes likewise is to be noted to wit that as Gods power We must not onely trust but it must continue for euer Our faith ought to answer Gods power which is the obiect of faith indures for euer so our faith should still looke to this perpetuitie For when the Prophet speakes of the power and strength of God he meanes not any idle power but such as is effectuall and operatiue shewing and manifesting it selfe really in vs following and bringing to a good end that which it hath begun We must alwaies fixe the eyes of our faith vpon Gods nature And yet this doctrine hath a further scope
in saying who would set him he apparently shewes that he hath iust cause to make war vpon vs and vtterly to consume vs were it not for the compassion he hath to his Church And we should also be like to thornes and vnbeleeuers vnlesse the Lord in his mercy did vouchsafe to separate vs from amongst them lest wee should perish with them If any would ioyne these two words in battell with these words who would set the sense also would not be amisse Vers 5. Or will he feele my strength * Or let him make peace with me let him make peace with me that he may make peace with me and be at one with me THe Hebrew particle is often disiunctiue and therefore this place is expounded as if it had been said Either let her feele my strength or let her make peace with me that is to say if she make not peace with me then shall she feele my strength to her great losse Others expound it a little otherwise Who will feele my strength that is to say who will represse it But I leaue this interpretation because it seemes too much constrained contenting my selfe with that which is most receiued The expositours thinke then that God threatens the Iewes as one that assaies all meanes to bring them home into the right way for God must worke vpon vs many waies in respect wee are so accustomed to abuse his patience and goodnesse And therefore he often tertifies that hee will bring vpon vs the punishment of our ingratitude which it seemes Isaiah doth in this place as if he should say If this people will not accept of my kindnesse and repent and so make peace with mee I assure them they shall feele the waight of my hand which hitherunto I haue withholden from them There may another apt sense be also gathered hence and yet somewhat differing from this As if the Lord should exhort the people to acknowledge his power by which they might be brought to seeke peace with him for whence proceedes that brutish confidence that wee feare not the anger of God but because we reuerence not his power as we ought to doe Yet had I rather take it here by way of interrogation which kind of reading we often times meete with all as thus Will hee feele my force that hee may make peace with me Simile as if a father being in some perplexitie and care for the good of his sonne should take vp a sorrowfull complaint on this manner Will not this vntoward boy indure that I should doe him good I am at my wits end I know not how to deale with him he will abide no rough handling and yet he abuseth my lenitie What shall I doe Surely I will turne him out of doores if I see no amendment and then I thinke hee will feele how great the power of a father is whereby I haue hitherto maintained him For seeing he cannot beare kind vsage I will try what seueritie will worke Will hee not at length acknowledge what mine authoritie is ouer him and seeke to bee at one with me Our miseâ—ies arise from the want of feeling of the Lords goodnesse Now wee shall the better vnderstand this if wee consider that all our euils arise from the want of being touched with the feeling of Gods goodnesse for could it once come into our mindes how many benefits wee haue receiued from his hands it would suffice to withdraw vs from all our our bad courses and wee would forthwith seeke to bee reconciled vnto him We may behold here then Note how carfull the Lord is for our welfare how carefull our heauenly Father is for our saluation as one that would make vs feele both his power and goodnesse that so perceiuing the worth of them both we might partake in the fruits of both more and more In a word he would be as familiar with vs as with his children if our owne wilfull malice did not hinder him Seeing then we wil not indure that he should deale graciously with vs must hee not needes manifest his power and greatnesse that we being humbled by the same and touched to the quicke with his iudgements we may with all meekenesse seeke vnto him and gladly sue for pardon and fauour at his hands now this is brought to passe when we conuert vnto him without faining Let vs make our accounts that if we wil make peace with God we must be at enmitie with Satan and sinne Note Gods willingnesse to be at peace with vs. for it cannot be that we should finde fauour in his sight as long as wee please and flatter our selues in our vices On the other side if wee make peace with him then must wee make full account to bee at enmitie with Satan and sinne But the doubling of the words giues vs most cleerely to perceiue how desirous the Lord is to be at one with vs for hee might haue said in a word that hee is willing to make peace with vs and readie to forgiue When then he doubles it twice Let him make peace with me I say let him make peace with mee he therein expresseth with what a willing and readie mind yea and with what feruent desire hee hastens to abolish all our iniquities Vers 6. Hereafter Iacob shall take roote Israel shall flourish and grow and the world shall be filled with fruit NOw hee shewes by the effects what this loue is whereof he spake in the former verses For the better vnderstanding whereof wee must consider the estate of this ancient people which was Gods heritage not by their deserts but by the benefit of the free adoption The Lord had iust cause to bee angrie with them so farre forth as to cast them wholly out of his sight and to roote them cleane out But hee refrained his anger Vers 2 3. because hee had to doe with his vine and inheritance For his onely meaning was that the people should acknowledge their fault and by that meanes returne into fauour with him And this is the cause why hee addes this promise to the former lest the people should despaire by being ouermuch feared with this power of God from which these rods and chastisements were threatned to proceed It is an easie matter to slip into despaire by the sight of Gods iudgements vnlesse some hope of mercie be left vs. For it is easie to slip into desperation by the sense of Gods iudgement if there be not some hope left vs of mercie Therefore he saith that Iacob shall take roote againe as if he should say I haue in deed wasted my Church and brought her almost to nothing yet shall she recouer her first florishing estate so as she shall fill the whole world for she shall increase more and more after she is recoÌ„ciled vnto me Now this similitude which is drawne from taking roote is very elegant because we are as good as plucked vp by the rootes whilest God is angrie with vs for
times so as it seemes all our hope is but in vaine Wee haue need to put on the whole armor of God Ephes 6.11 if we only keepe our eies fastned to the estate of present things Satan sets now vpon vs and thus begins to whisper in our eares And why doest thou hope thus in vaine What is the frute of thy faith What expects thou out of this world In a word we must be armed to wrestle thus against Satan euery day When Christ calles vs to heauen Satan indeuors to hold vs groueling to the earth We must therefore stick close to the promises which are set before vs that hoping aboue hope we may stand fast in the Lord and neuer suffer our selues to be seduced nor withdrawne from trusting in him by any allurements whatsoeuer Vers 16. Hearken not to Hezekiah for thus saith the king of Ashur * Or make a blessing Make appointment with me and come out to me that euery man may eate of his owne vine euery one of his owne fig-tree and drinke euery man the water of his owne well WHilest he deuiseth how to estrange the peoples hearts from Hezekias he therewithall entiseth thē vnto present pleasures that they may quite forget God and wait no longer vpon him As if he should say Trust not in God Trust rather in my King See how Satan playes the Sophister for in darkening Gods goodnes by his fogges and mists and masking vs with vailes of false hopes he sets vp the creatures in stead of the Creator to wrap vs vp in his nets Well Rabshekeh presents profit pleasure and ease before them by this vaine brag to wit God offers you benefits but they are far off I haue mine here in mine hand Now albeit he vseth Hezekias his name here yet vpon the matter the comparison stands betweene God and the Assyrians For Hezekiah being indeed the true seruant of God he played not the hypocrite in boasting of his trust and confidence falsly but resting vpon the immutable and vnchangeable promises hee faithfully exhorted the people as his dutie was to rest quietly vpon God Contrariwise Rabshekeh clothes his King with Gods spoiles as it were and as the seruant and vassall of the diuell indeuoured to withdraw the peoples minds from their true allegeance vnto God to all impietie To make blessing with him signifies friendly to pacifie as if he should say Fight not venture not your selues that way but yeeld your selues and submit you freely to my King Now Sennacherib not onely craues audience but would also haue them to do homage and fealtie which that he might the better draw them vnto hee couers this odious terme of seruitude with the word blessing Hee counsels them to redeeme their peace and other commodities which they inioied before at his hands by this wofull reuolt to wit that they should forsake Hezekias to cleaue vnto him Now it was the most seruile and miserable condition that might be to forsake this good King whom God had established who also bare the image of Christ for what was it else but to renounce God himselfe who had erected and set vp in the middest of them this signe of his heauenly fauour Vers 17. Till I come and bring you into a land like your owne land euen a land of wheat and wine a land of bread and vineyards NOw hee addes a condition much more vile then the former for he shewes that peace can no way be procured with Sennacherib but by yeelding themselues vnto banishment And what was that but to forsake Gods true worship to throw themselues into superstitions and willingly to cast themselues out of that inheritance which God had giuen them But in regard that Rabshekeh speaks to men desolate and such as were astonished with the present danger hee boldly challengeth of them whatsoeuer himselfe listeth to the end they may at the least procure the safetie of their liues And here wee see as in a glasse that his words are nothing else but a liuely representation of those temptations assaults wherewith Satan daily laies siege against our faith For all his practises tend onely to plucke vs away from our confidence in God by the allurements and pleasures of this world What is it not good to sleepe quietly in a whole skinne and to redeeme thy peace any way Thou wouldest be happy doth not happines consist in the plentiful inioying of all things But then especially he assailes vs thus when he sees vs in miserie then is he bold dares more vehemently sollicite vs to shake off Gods yoke but so that still he doth it with fetches and close conueiances as hee may best couer our reuolt with the shew of some good Now when he hath gotten vs in his nets so far forth that wee esteem better of things present then of those to come Satans conditiōs which he vsually addes to his temptations he addes this condition with it alwaies to wit that we will now be his seruants and runne at his becke and this we can by no meanes escape when hee hath once tickled vs with his deceitfull hopes and with the taste of earthlie things But because this word exile sounded somewhat harshly and vnpleasantly in the eares of this people it being no easie matter for them to leaue the sweetnesse of Iudea Rabshekeh willing to let them know that they should loose nothing by abandoning their Country telles them that the Country into which they shold be caried was no lesse fruitfull and plentifull then theirs And thus hee went about to dazle their eies that they might not thinke thēselues to be loosers any way by the bargaine Yet doth he finely omit that which was the principall to wit the seruice and worshippe of God the Temple the Kingdome and sacred order gouernment with other matters appertaining to the heauenly inheritance For alas without these what felicitie is there Wherefore let euery one of vs in the feare of God learne to fix the right knowledge of spirituall benefits fast in our hearts for it is not for nought that Dauid saith he would rather be a doore keeper in the house of his God Psal 84.10 then with all the delights and pleasures of this world to dwell in the tents of the vngodly For he that once suffers his heart to be glewed to the loue of earthly things is in danger thereby to depriue himselfe of true happinesse For this is that horrible iudgement whereby God often auengeth himselfe vpon mens incredulitie Let all the faithfull therefore feare before God and beware that they faint not vnder anie calamities or afflictions whatsoeuer Vers 18. Lest Hezekiah deceiue you saying The Lord will deliuer vs. Hath any of the gods of the nations deliuered his land out of the hand of the King of Ashur HEere is now another argument differing from the former by which he labours to seduc◠the peoples hearts from their allegeance to King Hezekias and from their trust and
see the execution thereof which is then performed when God sets those things in order againe which before were cut of frame and confused and when hee shewes himselfe the Iudge For then wee proue by experience that he hath indeed had respect vnto the welfare of his people Thus Hezekias askes Lord couldest thou not heare the blasphemies of Rabshekeh to reuenge the same or art thou not able to shew that the glory of thy name is deere and precious vnto thee When he calles the Lord Isaiahs God his meaning is not as if hee were peculiarly serued by one man onely neither doth he hereby cut off himselfe from the number of the faithfull but because praiers flow from doctrines this holy King speakes honourably of the Prophets ministerie and testfies that he is the true seruant of God Sometimes this relation extends it selfe further for all the faithfull doe iointly call vpon God who holds them all in the number of his people How God is said to be the God of Isaiah and Paul But he is called Isaiahs and Pauls God in regard of their particular calling Lift vp praiers This is the second cause for which Hezekias sent his Ambassadors vnto Isaiah to wit that he might also inioy the benefit of his praiers with others In which we see it is not the Prophets office onely to comfort the afflicted by setting the promises of life before them but also to pray for their saluation It is the Ministers dutie not onely to comfort his people out of the word but also to lift vp his praier vnto God for theÌ„ in their distresses What is meant by this phrase To lift vp praier Lam. 3.41 Let not the Ministers and Preachers of the word thinke that they haue discharged their duty then when they haue exhorted and taught those that depend vpon them vnlesse they adde praiers thereunto for it is all our duties so to doe But Hezekias sent to the Prophet chiefly that hee might shew the way vnto others by his example To lift vp praier signifies nothing else but to pray yet the phrase of speech is to be noted for it shewes how our affections ought to be ordered in praier The Scripture in euery place wils vs to lift vp our hearts vnto heauen for otherwise we shall pray without any due reuerence at all to Gods Maieslie Besides our blockishnesse is so great that as soone as we enter into praier there comes grosse imaginations touching the maiestie of God into our mindes so as if he should not call vs away from them vnto heauen wee would rather seeke him vnder our feete then there To lift vp praier then is so to pray that our hearts be not glued to the earth nor yet that we conceiue ought of God that agrees with carnall or fleshly conceits but attributing that vnto him which sutes best with his diuine nature also that we aspire vnto heauen with an ardensie of zeale and with all our affections It is in this sense that Dauid saith Oh let my praier come before thee as incence and let the lifting vp of my hands be as the euening sacrifice Moreouer Hezekias desires Isaiah to pray for the remnant that were left This circumstance might serue to bow the Lord not that he is to be bowed as men are but thus hee deales with vs and is contented to stoope downe to our weaknesse Be it that our case is so desperate then as we are euen at the pits brinke as they say yet must we lay forth our miseries before God that thereby wee may gather some consolation because himselfe protests Psal 9.9.18 10.17.18 that he hath respect vnto the poore and needie Yea the neerer we are to destruction with the greater affection ought we to craue his aid and assistance as wee see Hezekias here doth when all things were become desperate Vers 5. So the seruants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah 6. And Isaiah said vnto them Thus say vnto your Master Thus saith the Lord Bee not afraid of the wordes that thou hast heard wherewith the seruants of the King of Ashur haue blasphemed me AS the Prophet hath told vs before that the onely refuge the King had was to aske counsell at Gods mouth so now hee shewes that it was not in vaine because hee receiued such comfort and consolation from him as his heart desired If in our distresses wee powre out our hearts before God he will neuer disappoint vs of our hope Note By this example we are admonished that if we seeke reliefe from the Lord by discharging all our cares into his bosome wee shall neuer be left succourlesse And albeit such Prophets as Isaiah was are not alwaies to be had in the world yet will he not faile to meet those that wait for his helpe in due season and with such meanes as shall be answerable to their necessities Now Isaiah saith in the first place that he answered them in the name of God for hee affirmes that God is the author of this his message The Prophets were alwaies to haue regard that they spake nothing of their owne heads also it was necessary that God should come betweene with his authority in a matter of so great consequence Thus then our Prophet shewes that God preuented as it were the praiers of this good King The false Prophets brag much of Gods name yet falsely but Isaiah being the very organ of the holy Ghost doth iustly come in his name that sent him and in that hee forbids him in the first place to feare he therein would haue Hezekias to hold fast his confidence or at least to wait in hope and silence As oft as we heare this voice Feare not â—hat peace which faith brings forth is commended vnto vs. As oft as we heare these words feare not let vs know that peace which faith begets in vs is here recommended vnto vs for all they which in resting vpon God doe wait for deliuerance from him out of their trials such obtaine victory by their patience ouer all seares so as they inioy sweet peace in the middest of the sharpest troubles Moreouer that this good King might with the more cheerfulnesse expect a ioyfull and an happy issue our Prophet plainely shewes that God takes himselfe as a partie in this cause which he now minds to take into his owne hands for he cannot indure that the wicked should abuse his name And therefore they are to looke in the end that he will shew himselfe a iust Iudge in punishing them for the same By the word seruants hee amplifies the indignitie of the fact for had the King himselfe vttered these blasphemies it had bin a thing insupportable that the Lord of glory should haue bin so proudly disdained and reproched by a mortall man much lesse then should he indure to be railed vpon in such wise by one of his vassals And thus the condition of the person that railed makes the offence more odious Vers 7.
angry Iudge if they looked towards the earth they saw nothing but tokens of his wrath to present themselues about them on euery side so as they could hope for nothing that was good Isaiah therefore confirmes their faith and commands heauen and earth which promised nothing but threats and terrors to bring forth iustice and saluation which kind of speech hath greater weight in it then if God himselfe had promised that this should haue come to passe For the elements who are ready prest at Gods commandement are in this sense said to receiue and vnderstand the charge inioined them of God Thus then the sentence runnes all with a breath which would be but abrupt if this verse were to be vnderstood of praier Now this phrase of speech is vsuall in the holy Scripture as in the Psalmes The mountaines shall bring peace to the people by Iustice Psal 72.3 Truth shall bud out of the earth and righteousnesse hath looked downe from heauen Psal 85.11 Also mercy and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other In thse places Dauid describes the kingdome of Christ and the felicitie thereof shewing that righteousnesse and peace mercy and truth shall raigne therein together And the very same thing the Prophet toucheth in this place Now he alludes to those meanes that serue for our ordinarie food for our naturall life is sustained and maintained by bread and the fruits of the earth in regard we stand in need of such helpes But the earth will not be sit to bring forth these fruits vnlesse the heauens doe refresh the same by often raining downe vpon it out of the cloudes that afterwards it may become fertile and bring forth fit nourishment both for man and beast By the word iustice Iustice he meanes nothing else but the faithfulnesse of the Lord whereby he defends and conserues his Church in as much as he causeth iustice to distill from the heauens that is to say a right order of gouernment the fruit whereof is saluation Saluation a fruit of Iustice For he speakes heere of the deliuerance of the people out of Babylon in which deliuerance the Lord shewed himselfe to be the protector of his Church Now hauing attained the naturall meaning of the words we must thence descend to Christs kingdome The Kingdome of Christ whereunto these words ought indeed to be referred for God hath not limitted these promises within the compasse of a few yeeres but continued on his benefits euen to the very comming of Christ in whom all these things were absolutely fulfilled no doubt then but the eternall iustice and saluation brought by Christ is heere set before vs but wee must first restraine this exposition to the returne of the people out of captiuitie Vers 9. Woe bee to him that striueth with his maker * Or let the pot contend against the pots the potshard with the potshardes of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou or thy worke it hath none hands 10. Woe vnto him that saith to his father What hast thou begotten or to his mother What hast thou brought forth THis place is diuersly expounded The first exposition of this place for some vnderstand it of Balthazar who as we see in Daniel lifted vp himselfe proudly against God in prophaning the holie vessels of the Temple but this is too constrained an exposition The second â—he second exposition may seeme more probable to wit that the Lord giues and grants more to his chosen then a father will doe to his children or a workman to his worke for those who expound the words thus thinke that the Prophet speakes heere by way of comparison in this sense If a sonne should rise vp against his father and contend with him should he get any audience No for a father will keepe and retaine his owne authoritie and in this behalfe would iustly reiect his sonne The like would also fall out if the clay should rise vp against the Potter Yet God permits vs to contend with him and offers himselfe freely to satisfie any of our demands and thus they ioine the tenth and eleuenth verse together thinking that the patience of God appeares in that he deales thus fauourably with vs and humbles himselfe more then mortall men are commonly wont to doe towards their children I grant that this exposition hath more colour then the former but both of them are farre wide from the Prophets intention The third and most naturall exposition The simple and plaine meaning of the Prophet therefore as I thinke is this that Isaiah here represseth mens complaints who murmure and pleade against God in the time of aduersitie This admonition therefore came in due place to teach the Iewes willinglie to receiue the consolation offred that they might be fitted to beare the crosse patientlie and with a setled mind for as oft as God holds vs in suspence Murmurings aâ—ising from flesh and blood the flesh solicits vs to grudge on this maner Wherefore doth he not rather that which we would haue him to do What meanes he to vex vs thus in deferring his help so long Now that the Lord might beate back such a presumption he saith Shall the pot contend with the potter Shall a sonne pleade with his father And shall not I then much more deale with you as it pleaseth me What remaines then but to beare his stripes patientlie For it is our duties to let him freely execute his office and by no meanes to withstand his soueraigne power and authoritie As touching the word Wo I take it for a particle of expressing him that rebukes and corrects Let the pot striue vvith the pots That is to say let euery one striue with his equall as we vse to say in our common prouerb Let the pot cleaue the pots of the earth For in sending men to their like he taxeth their boldnes and presumption for not considering that in contending vvith God Pâ—ouerb they sought nothing else but how to plunge themselues into their owne ruin As if he should say Doe yee know with whom yee haue to doe Let them know that God will euer be stronger then man and they shall be constrained in the end to giue place But if they so farre forget their owne brittlenes that like Giants they dare scale the heauens then shall they proue by experience it may be when it is too late that they medled with their match and that they haue contended with their Maker who can easily dash his vessels in pieces one against another yea and beate them to pouder as the potter doth the vessels which he hath formed Some expound the word Kerasim workemen or potters and vnderstand it thus Shall the pot rise vp against the potter But they take one letter for another to wit shin for sin which they might easily doe I had rather therefore follow the common reading and content my selfe with this sense
blessednesse but wait for the last day which shall be the time of their resurrection wherein all things shall be fully restored And mee thinkes Isaiah meant to say so But may some say Quest Doe not the iust inioy peace in this present life For the fruite of faith is that wee possesse our soules in patience Luk. 21.19 Rom. 5.1 I answere Ans that albeit faith begets peace in our hearts yet notwithstanding wee are tossed to an fro with many waues and are neuer so secure and quiet in this life as when the Lord drawes vs home to himselfe The death of the iust then you see brings them to a sweete rest and peace because the same is precious in Gods sight Psalm 116.15 But the death of the wicked is ful of horror From this place also we may gather that our soules are immortall for were they without any sense as some brainelesse ones haue dreamed then could they not bee said to enioy any peace They are in peace and rest then because they liue in Christ Vers 3. But you witches children come hither the seed of the adulterer and of the whore HAuing spoken of the happie and peaceable death of the faithfull The cursed life and death of the wicked opposed to the blessed life and end of the godly he inueighs with exceeding vehemencie against the wicked who for all this ceased not to leade a leaud and lasciuious life without taking the death of the righteous to heart For as he hath affirmed that the faithfull are in peace so contrariwise he denounceth an vnreconciliable warre against the other Nay which more is he hath shewed that death to Gods seruants is an hiding place which defends them from the whirlewinds haile and other tempests that afterwards the obstinate contemners may bee laid open to all sorts of calamities For we must note here the opposition betweene the faithfull which walke before God and the wicked who cease not obstinately to resist him The former after death shall haue peace the latter shall bee vexed whilest they liue and after death shall feele horrible torments He summons them before Gods iudgement seate because they thought to escape by their sophistications But he shewes that they shall gaine nothing thereby because they shal be drawne before the same whether they will or no. For as they had made their hearts ouer hard so was it needfull that they should be pricked with the sharper launcers doubtlesse the Prophet could not vse too much seueritie as well to awaken their drowsinesse as to beate downe their pride Who knowes not with how great ouerweening the Iewes insult in regard of their race The Prophets therefore are vsually wont to crush this their arrogancie and hie mindednes by affirming that they were none of Abrahams children in respect they behaued themselues as bastards and such as were degenerate This is the cause why our Prophet termes them the seed of the adulterer and of the whore With which also Ezechiel reprocheth them in Chap. 16.3 saying Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite And the like phrases of speech are vsed in many other places Hosea 1.2 Thus then hee brings their intollerable pride downe to the ground and in despite of their teeth drawes them foorth into the light that they should not thinke they could escape the tribunall seate of God Vers 4. On whom haue yee iested vpon whom haue ye gaped and thrust out your tongues Are not yee rebellious children and a false seede Hypocrites vnmasked in this and the verses following THe Prophet shewes that the Iewes haue no occasion at all to glorie so much vnder pretence of their linage or stocke seeing they derided the Prophets of God Now they thought it was but with men with whom they had to deale when they reiected the word And so at this day wee see how impudently the wicked despise the doctrine of their saluation and scorne the Ministers of it and yet in the meane while couer themselues vnder a vaine shew of religion This is the reason then wherefore the Prophet presseth them so neere and reprooues them so sharply As if he should say When you thrust out your tongues on this manner against God and scorne his word doe ye thinke you haue to deale with a mortal man For these words on vvhom signifies that they sought out euasions and pretences to cloake their impietie withall For the vngodly will not acknowledge that they rebell against God no they thinke foule scorne any man should so iudge of them but yet they must bee brought out into the light and conuinced of their wickednesse And seeing there is a God they must be told that they make open warre vpon him in resisting or in reiecting his word and in esteeming no better thereof then of a fable To open the mouth and to thrust out the tongue is heere taken in one signification vnlesse that vnder these two phrases the Prophet meant the better to discouer their impudencie namely in that they thought it not enough only to reiect the Lord but they must also deride him For the inward contempt of the heart caused them to vtter forth such manifest scoffes and blasphemies so as they were not touched at all with any feare of dishonoring themselues Lastly he concludes that they are rebellious children a lying seed and therefore hath iust cause to esteeme them the sonnes of an vvhere for such a contempt could not be found in the children of Ahraham By this we learne how the wicked ought to be handled and with what seueritie they are to be reproued that they may haue no cause left them whereby to flatter themselues and the more they despise whatsoeuer is propounded vnto them in the name of God the more ought we to discouer and to manifest in all mens sight their impieties so full of sacriledge Vers 5. Inflamed with Idols vnder euery greene tree and sacrificing the children in the valleyes vnder the tops of the rocks OThers translate Who take pleasure in consolation But our Prophet takes a similitude vsed in many places of the Scriptures and very fitting to the circumstance of this place For the Lord is wont to compare lust wherewith poore and miserable Idolaters are furiously transported and inflamed to the loue of brothels for they keepe no measure at all neither will they suffer any to restraine them from their follie Now Idolatrie in Gods sight is a most hatefull kind of whoredome As touching the Hebrue word Elim some translate it Gods others okes we may take it in whether sense we will for there will be no great difference and all the expositors agree that the Prophet condemnes Idolatrie I contend not then about the words though it be very likely that one thing is repeâ—ted twice according to the custome of the Hebrues and yet it may be vnder an ambiguous word he alludes to their gods Sacrificing children Heere he presseth the Iewes neerer and shewes that they are none
the Lord preuent vs for his owne mercie and truths sake Let his rods be neuer so sharp and biting yet can they not draw vs to repentance vnlesse the Lord worke it in vs by his holy Spirit Alas without it wee are in danger to grow the more obstinate and hard hearted Reade Exod. 7.8.9.10.11 and 12. Chapters In this people therefore we may behold the image of mans corrupted nature therein the better to take knowledge of our owne obstinacie and rebellion against God as also what remedies are the meetest to heale our spirituall sicknesses so as being sick nay halfe dead yet wee may recouer health and be brought into the right way and therein remaine Our Prophet shewes herewithall Perseuerance the only worke of God that perseuerance in a good course is the only worke of God whereupon followes a great consolation which yet wee can not haue nor faith neither if repentance be wanting for such as are not at oddes with themselues in regard of their sinnes can neuer conceiue ought but Gods wrath terrors and despaire Wee are carefullie to obserue the order then which Isaiah keepes heere for he doth not rashly adde a consolation to the healing because such as recouer their health do therewithall recouer ioy of heart whereof they were before depriued When he addes and to those that lament him he seemes especiallie to note out the faithfull who were few in number as it appeares by the Prophets complaints who make sharp and bitter inuectiues against the drouzines wherewith this people was whollie possessed He speakes to those then who being guiltie of common offences were constrained to weepe in regard of the griefe which pressed them neere and lamented not only the calamities of the people but also in pitifull sort mourned vnder the sense of Gods wrath whilest others plunged themselues in their voluptuousnes Vers 19. I create the fruit of the lips to be peace peace to them that are farre of and to them that are neere saith the Lord for I will heale him An expâ—sition of the former sentence THis is the explication of the former sentence namely by what meanes the Lord would comfort this people to wit by promising and offering them peace for by the fruit of the lips he signifies that they shall heare such good newes of peace as shall reuiue and reioice their hearts And as I take it he speakes of the publishing of that peace which was committed first to the Prophets then to the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospell as Saint Paul teacheth 2. Cor. 5.20 Wee are Ambassadors for Christ saith he and doe beseech men to be reconciled vnto God The repetition of the word peace serues not onely for the greater confirmation but it also signifies a continuall progresse of it As if he should say You heare nothing now but terrible threatnings the doctrine of grace and saluation is as good as buried for you are vncapeable of it your obstinacie is such that you must bee thundered against with terrors and menaces but one day I will restore vnto you the doctrine of peace and I will open the lippes of my Prophets which shall puplish the same in your eares To those that are farre off This was added in regard the people who were carried away captiue thought that these things appertained not vnto theÌ„ because they were farre off but such as were left in the Country might happily inioy this fruit for their exile was vnto them as a kind of reiection But the Prophet protests that euen they shal taste of this grace though they be farre remote Lastly the effect is added namely that God would heale the people that is to say would keepe them safe and sound Hence we gather that which I touched but erewhile to wit that whatsoeuer appertaines to the true and perfect felicitie of the Church is the free gift of God It seemes Saint Paul had an eye to this place in Eph. 2.17 where he saith that Christ hath brought peace to those which were neere and to those a farre off Now hee speakes of Iewes and Gentiles for the Iewes were neere because God had made a couenant with them and the Gentiles were farre off in regard they had no part in this couenant Obiect But it seemes our Prophet speakes onely of the Iewes I answere that the Apostle retaines the Prophets true meaning Ans if all be well considered for the Iewes are said to be farre off heere because they seemed to be banished out from the house of the Lord and in this respect their condition was like to that of the Gentiles Seeing then that during the time of their banishment there was no difference betweene them and the Gentiles Saint Paul had iust cause to put them both in one ranke and therefore makes them paires and thus applied that to the Gentiles which our Prophet had said touching the Iewes as in like maner he applies the place of Hosea Chap. 1.10 to the Gentiles Rom. 9.26 Vers 20. But the wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt HAuing spoken of that peace which the faithfull should inioy A denunciation against the wicked he on the contrarie denounceth against the wicked continuall warre and perpetuall troubles and garboiles of conscience wherewith they should be vexed And the rather that the faithfull for their parts might the better prize this excellent benefit of peace as also that the wicked might know that this peace is so promised to Gods children that their condition shall no whit be bettered by it But in regard these doe often vainly and falsly pretend the name of God and glory in it as a cloke to couer their wickednesse withall therefore the Prophet shewes that they shall haue no cause to reioice heerein or to attribute any thing to themselues in regard of this promise because they can haue no part in this peace It should bee little to their good then though God shewed mercy to his people receiued them into fauour or that hee gaue men authoritie to publish peace vnto them This similitude of the sea is elegant and verie fit to expresse the disquietnes of the wicked For the sea troubles it selfe and is tossed with hideous tempests though the windes be calme the vvaues iustle one against another with great violence and breake with a verie terrible noise and so the wicked are vexed with a secret worme which cleaueth fast to their consciences for they are in continuall terrors by reason of the gnawing and stings thereof which is a torment that surmounts all the rest and the most cruell hangman that is to be found in the whole world The furies of hell harrie and pursue the wicked not with burning Torches as the Poets faine but through anguishes of coÌ„science and yâ— tormeÌ„t of their wilfull rebellion for euery one of theÌ„ is affrighted and extremely tortured by his owne iniquitie their wicked cogitations amaze them and cause them
to rage and the guilt and scruples of their consciences astonish them He hath very aptly then compared the wicked to the raging sea He that would escape and auoid these tempests and horrible boiling of spirit let him beware how hee reiects this peace which the Lord offers him There is no meane betweene these two for vnlesse wee abandon all our lusts to entertaine this peace we must of necessitie be continually tormented and vexed after an horrible maner Vers 21. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked THe Prophet confirmes the former sentence namely A confirmation of the former denunciation that the wicked shall gaine nothing in seeking this peace for they shall haue alarums rung in their eares on euerie side and in regard that God makes warre vpon them therefore they shall but lose their labour to hope for peace I grant the vvicked would with all their hearts inioy peace yea they much desire it For what seeke they else in this world but to be secured and to rocke their consciences asleepe that they may take their fill of pleasures and giue themselues ouer without checke vnto all lasciuiousnesse They indeuor to banish frō them al thoughts of Gods iudgements What course the wicked take to attaine peace and would faine become senslesse and these they take to be the true meanes whereby to obtaine peace but they shall neuer this way inioy it for till they be reconciled vnto God in Christ their consciences will euer be galling them and they shall not cease to be molested with the accusations thereof And thus hee brings in God the onely author of peace who by this terrible sentence takes from the Iewes their peace and calles him his God opposing it against their vaine glory who falsly couered themselues vnder such titles For they could not be said to haue any knowledge of God whilest they reiected both his Prophet and doctrine and therefore Isaiah is bold by Gods expresse commandement to proclaime open warre against them THE LVIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Cry aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes This Chapter depends vpon the former THis present Chapter was ill diuided in regard this is knit vnto the former so as if we will vnderstand the Prophets meaning wee must reade this as if there were no breking off Isaiah hath testified that the people should be so chastised that yet some hope of peace remained fot them Now hee confirmes this doctrine and teacheth that the Lord hath charged him to cry out of the throte A plaine gosier or as wee commonly say in our speech with open throte To what end Forsooth to shew the people their sinnes Neither speakes hee onely of the lifting vp of the voice but of that vehemencie and seueritie of speech whereof hypocrites stand especially in need as if God thundered vpon them from heauen For they flatter themselues in their vices if they be not rounly dealt withall and bee forced to come into the light nay no good is to bee done vpon them vnlesse they bee laid vpon with maine blowes Where he addes spare not it is a forme of speech much vsed among the Hebrewes I speake and will not hold my peace as we also commonly say Cry without ceasing We haue told you that the Prophet speakes not heere simply of the sound of the voice Crie sans espargner but signifies a sharpe biting kind of reprehension wherewith hypocrites must be galled to the quicke as for example if the Prophets should onely propound the Law of the Lord and shew wherein the rule of a well ordered life consists should fall into the praise of Gods worshippe and without any vehemencie reprooue iniquities what would hypocrites haue been the better for such a cold manner of preaching For their consciences are so drowsie that they cannot be awakened but with loud and shrill cries A cold maner of preaching then would doe them no good vnlesse they were sharply pressed and thundered vpon with terrible threats Saint Paul imitating the Prophets hauing proued all mankind guiltie and worthy of death he riseth vp with great vehemencie against such as had some appearance of holinesse and yet abused Gods patience Behold saith he thou art called a Iew and restest in the Law and gloriest in God thou knowest his will and approuest the things that are excellent being instructed in the Law Thou takest vpon thee to be a leader of the blind a light to such as are in darknesse an instructer of the ignorant and an instructer of them that lacke discretion hauing a forme of knowledge of the truth in the Law But thou which teachest others teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest another should not steale yet doest thou steale c. Rom. 2. Against such in conclusion hee denounceth iudgement and the horrible vengeance of God because they abused Gods goodnesse and gloried in his name in vaine Likewise in this place the Prophet taxeth the Iewes in particular who gloried in the name of the Lord and in the meane while rose vp in armes against him This is the course then that must be taken with hypocrites who content themselues with an outward maske of holinesse if wee meane to discharge our duties profitably and as we ought And euen as the Lord hath exercised his Prophets in this combat so mus◠wee also at this day be in like maner exercised that we may not feare the faces of hypocrites nor content our selues to haue reproued them lightly in two or three words but to cry aloud with might and maine against them But may some say If the Lord command such to be reproued for their sinnes Obiect to whom he promiseth peace then no doubt but his meaning was to leaue them some hope of saluation and yet it is out of question that this speech is directed to the reprobates against whom before he proclaimed open war I answere the faithfull were then few in number for a small remnant only imbraced this peace which was offered them When Isaiah then giues hope of a peace neere hand he had respect to that little flocke when he proclaimed warre that was to terrifie the multitude who were reuolted from God and contemned all admonitions For the state of the people was such that nothing was sound nor pure among them as we haue seene in chap. 1.21 He mentions the house of Jacob in regard the most of the people were corrupted Now this distinction in the Prophets Sermons is diligently to be noted of vs in that they now speake to the whole bodie of the people and by and by restraine their speech to a small number of the faithfull But it is not without a very sharpe and biting reproch that hee calles those his people and the children of Iacob which were degenerate from their originall and had shamefully reuolted from the faith of the Patriarks This
onely desire to bee at peace Vers 5. They hatch Cockatrice egges and weaue the spiders webbe he that eateth of their egges dieth and that which is troden vpon breaketh forth into a Serpent THe Prophet passeth on further comparing the Iewes not onely to vvomen A comparison taken fâ—om venomous beasts but also to venomous beasts the better to signifie that whatsoeuer proceeded from them was dangerous and deadly First then hee saith that they hatched Cockatrice egges Simile As a Viper then cannot but hatch a venomous egge so were they so defiled and stuffed with iniquitie that they brought forth nothing but poison By the Spiders vvebbe he meanes that they were so fruitlesse and emptie of goodnesse that by the onely appearance of goodnesse they beguiled euery one And thus he paints out the wicked with two colours as it were First that all their works manifested the corruption of their nature Secondly that they were profitable for nothing neither were they readie to shew themselues louing amiable charitable and faithfull to those with whom they conuersed I am not ignorant that this place is otherwise expounded by some namely that whilest the wicked are weauing the webbe of other mens destruction they ouerthrow themselues and thinking themselues very wise doe notwithstanding plot their deuices in vaine And thus are caught in their own nets and fall into the pit which they digged for others Psal 7. 9. But mee thinks the Prophet meant to expresse that which I haue touched to wit that the wicked alwaies euery vvhere and in all things are mischieuous and neuer profitable to any Whosoeuer shall haue to doe with them shall taste their venome and that they sting to death Heereunto belongs that which hee saith namely that deadly poison is in their egges and that if one doe but tread vpon them a Serpent by and by issueth forth Vers 6. Their webbes shall be no garments neither shall they couer themselues with their labours for their workes are workes of iniquitie and the worke of crueltie is in their hands A repetition and confirmation of the former similitude HEe both repeates and confirmes one and the same thing namely that they euermore are hurtfull to mankind whatsoeuer they enterprize or execute because of set purpose they haue all duties of charitie in abomination Heere then is a signe of a nature wonderfully corrupted namely to be so wholly giuen vp to commit euill that no hope is left of reaping any fruit from their life who desire to be vtterly void and stripped of all iustice Others expound that they striue to get riches and to be aduanced to honors but all to no purpose Yet I had rather plainly expound it thus that none of them should couer himselfe vvith his vvorkes because his vvebbe is altogether composed of rotten and vnseruiceable stuffe Now hee repeates one and the same thing in diuers phrases of speech to shew that theit vvorkes should be vtterly fruitlesse Wee are borne to doe our neighbours good according to our power and to be doing of somewhat that may serue for the common good These are wild beasts then and not worthy the names of men seeing they are so industrious to hurt and so prouident as to do nothing that is of any worth Last of all without any figure hee addes that they are giuen and as it were dedicated vnto iniquitie Vers 7. Their feete runne to euill and they make haste to shed innocent blood their thoghts are wicked thoughts desolation and destruction is in their pathes HE here diuers waies describes vnto vs an image of an hatefull impietie Namely when men are so farre past grace and destitute of all feare of God that they rush into all kind of wickednesse as the horse into the battell and ouerflow in cruelties roberies and outrages They râ—nne saith he because they are strong and ouerbold to commit wickednesse Now hauing spoken before of the hands and tongue now he also addes the feete to shew that they are their crafts Masters in all sorts of mischiefe So as no member of their bodies was exempt from acting some iniquitie For some vse violence but they can restraine their tongues Others againe who resemble a certaine rauenous bird called an Harpie A bird called an Haâ—pie content themselues with the first pray they meete withall The Prophet then confesseth that those of his nation were light of foote to spoile and rob By the word desolation hee signifies that wheresoeuer these cormorants came they fared like sauage and wild beasts who rauin and deuoure all they meete withall and leaue nothing remaining So as by their terrible course they scatter and cause all beasts to flee which dare not come neere them Plinie Plinie takes vp the like similitude touching Domitian Domitian who tyranized like a cruell beast And the same may we see to be in all these blood thirstie ones whom all the world flees as from furious and vntamed wild beasts And thus their waies become desolate and solitarie when they will suffer none to haue any fellowship with them Vers 8. The way of peace they know not and there is none equitie in their goings they haue made them crooked paths whosoeuer goeth therein shall not know peace SOme take this word peace too nicely for peace of conscience in respect that the wicked are euermore vexed But the Prophet so brings them to Gods iudgement that yet in the meane while by transgressing the second table he shewes that there was neither faith nor charitie in them In a word that they were void of affection The way of peace saith he they know not Why so Because their wooluish minds had bereaued them of this Justice and equitie which two vertues vphold humane societie and cause men to dwell quietly and friendlie one with another For iustice and integritie nourisheth peace Iustice and integritie nourishe peace But if euery one with furie rusheth violently vpon his neighbour in offering them open wrong there open warre is proclaimed For wee can by no meanes maintaine peace in the midst of vs vnlesse euerie one in particular squares al his doings by the rules of equitie He expresseth this more fully by the word iudgement As if he should say Peace cannot be maintained without equity wheresoeuer they came they were a terror to all because they had cast off all vprightnesse The last member may be taken two waies either that whosoeuer walkes in them shall also be farre off from peace Or He which falles into the hands of the vvicked shall feele their cruelty and murtherous minds Both expositions may agree well and as I thinke we need not much contend about it And therefore after the Prophet hath spoken generally before and shewed that the fault was not in God that the Iewes prospered no better in their enterprises now he descends to the particulars wherein he more fully declares how they had reuolted from God and so made themselues vnworthie of
worshipped in her that the ministrie of the word may florish and be aduanced there and that she may thereby retaine some discipline Discipline which may serue as a bridle to curbe euery one And yet herewithall that the faithfull must remember it is a more blessed thing to giue then to take Act. 20.35 that thus they may be instructed to beare pouertie patiently to the end they may inrich others with their spirituall riches Lastly he addes that that which for a time was hidden shall be discouered namely the Iewes should know that they were not elected in vaine in regard they should feele by experience that God was carefull of their saluation Quest But some may aske if they knew not this before they were led captiue I answere Ans this banishment resembled a thicke and grosse darknesse which comparison also our Prophet vsed in the beginning of this chapter Seeing then that vnder this grieuous seruitude they could behold neither the power nor glorie of God he now drew them into the open light Faith and experience distinguished Not that faith failes in afflictions but because the feeling thereof is one thing and experience another Whilest we seeme forlorne then faith soares vp aloft farre aboue the present miserie and those thicke mists with which we be enwrapped And if God be pleased to restore vs to our perfect estate then wee perceiue the thing not by the eies of faith but by experience it selfe loe here that manifest knowledge whereof hee speakes As if he should say after I shal haue dealt liberally with you you shall then see by the effects that I am your redeemer He doth of set purpose vse the title of the mightie one of Jacob in regard he had formerly often shewed himself to be such an one towards them And that not onely Jacob himselfe had many waies felt Gods power by experience but that his successors also had prooued that it was in him in whom they were to seeke assured helpe Thus then hee calles him mightie to the end they might acknowledge that God would be the same for euer towards them which in times past hee had been to their fathers Vers 17. For brasse I will bring gold and for iron will I bring siluer and for wood brasse and for stones iron I will also make thy gouernment peace and thine exactors righteousnesse The excellencie of Christs spirituall Temple discribed THe Prophet alludes to the building of the old and ancient Temple and compares it with the spirituall and heauenly As if hee should say When you shall bee carried away captiue then you will bewaile the ruine of the Temple but I will so worke that you shall build it after a more excellent manner In stead of brasse then I will bring gold and in stead of iron siluer for wood brasse and for stones iron As if he had said All shall bee full of magnificence and glorie in that second Temple which shall succeed the first Now we know that this prophesie was neuer accomplished in the externall restauration of this people Nay it is certaine that the beautie of the second Temple was farre inferior to the first Ezra 3.12.13 It followes then that the Prophet who in spirit saw the true redemption recites not only that which should fall out presently after the returne of the people but publisheth the excellencie of the spirituall Temple which is the Church of Christ we must therefore come by a direct line as it were vnto Christ if wee will attaine the true meaning of this prophesie In his kingdome these things were fully accomplished and the dignity of the first Temple was much surpassed For the Lord shed abrode the gifts of his holie spirit which farre excelled either gold siluer or precious stones Wee may now then see the Temple built of precious stones as it was in Chapter 54.11.12 As concerning the word superintendance others tanslate tribute Neither do I doubt but the Prophet meant closelie to compare the miserable seruitude vnder which the people should be held with that excellent dignitie to which they were afterwards aduanced For to peace and iustice he opposeth the exactors who vniustly tyrannised ouer them whilest the Iewes were vexed with the couetousnesse and crueltie of the Babylonians Now he shewes that the exactors being cut off there shall be no other superintendancie then peace and iustice This was more fullie accomplished when we were deliuered from the tyrannie of the diuell by Christ For by his Gospell he erected a kingdome of righteousnesse which is not yet finished But wee are to wait for his last comming to see the perfection thereof and yet in the meane while to content our selues with these first fruits Vers 18. Violence shall no more bee heard of in thy land neither desolation nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call saluation thy walles and praise thy gates HE here more largely expresseth that which we haue said namely An amplification of the former doctrine that in describing the happie estate of the Church hee priuilie opposeth the miseries and calamities wherewith shee had been diuerslie afflicted thereunto For which cause hee promiseth that in time to come shee should no more be vexed by them I grant notwithstanding that many euils befell them after their deliuerance What of that Yet the people were neuer so vtterly wasted but some forme of a Church still remained and by meanes hereof they enioyed peace feeling by experience that God kept and defended them by his power Wee must not take it then as if the Prophet in these words promised them to be exempt from all trouble and encumbrance But this consolation was added by way of comparison in regard of the miseries to come to wit that the Lord will spare his Church which shall be in safetie vnder his protection And questionlesse in the course of their deliuerance they euidently perceiued some testimonies of this peace which the Prophet doth here so highly extoll To bee short we must alwaies remember that which we haue so oft repeated namely that wee feele all these things in part onely because the kingdome of Christ is not yet accomplished And thy gates He alludes to the building of the Temple or of the Church as we haue said elsewhere and shewes that her safetie shall not consist in towers walles or other enclosures and that howsoeuer humane helpes should faile her yet should shee haue sufficient safetie and quiet contentment in God alone But to the saluation of the Church he ioyneth praise or ioy for being now in perfect safetie shee should reioyce whereas before during her oppression she lay trodden vnder foote in an hopelesse silence Vers 19. Thou shalt haue no more Sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnesse of the Moone shine vpon thee for the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and thy God thy glorie 20. Thy Sunne shall neuer goe downe neither shall thy Moone bee hid for the Lord shall be