vnderstanding sound iudgement Prou. 1.7 Psal 111.10 It is not for nothing thē that he saith ignorance was the cause of all their miseries for seeing true wisdome consists in the feare of God doth not the holy Ghost iustly condemne all them to bee blind earthwormes who despise God to walke after their owne inordinate lusts Ignorance excuseth not And yet such a blindnesse cannot excuse nor free vs from being guilty of malice for they that offend God doe it maliciously notwithstanding they bee hoodwincked in respect of the violences of their lusts ignorance and malice For ignorāce is for the most part ioyned with malice then are ioyned together yet so that this ignorance proceedes from a corrupt desire of the heart Thence is it that the Hebrewes call all sinnes generally by the name of ignorances and thus Moses saith Oh that they were wise Deut. 32.29 Now euery one may easily bee drawne to subscribe to this by considering in himselfe with what crooked affections he is carried away for being once depriued of the light of holy doctrine and destitute of vndestanding the diuell sets vs going with such a head strongnesse that we neither feare Gods hand nor make any account of his holy word And that he may set vs ouer bootes and all as they say in the next place hee striues to take away from vs all hope of pardon which may be referred to the whole body of this people in general For albeit that a remnāt were preserued yet the wrath of God ceased not for all that to be inflamed against the whole multitude in generall Whereas the Prophet calles God the maker and former of Israel it is not meant as in respect of the creation of heauen and earth but because he made formed Israel his Church anew by the worke of regeneration Eph. 2.10 in which sense Saint Paul saith that we are the workemanship of God Chap. 17.7 as wee also haue shewed in another place Now the reason that moued Isaiah to speake thus was to aggrauate and to amplifie the measure of their vnthankfulnes to which they were growne shewing that they were iustly punished because they dishonoured and disreuerenced that God most shamefullie who had both formed and preserued them Vers 12. And * Or yet notwithstāding in that day shall the Lord thresh from the chanell of the riuer vnto the riuer of Egypt and yee shall bee gathered one by one O children of Israel IN this place the Prophet mitigates the sharpnesse of the former sentence for it was an horrible iudgement of God vpon this people to be left destitute of all hope of fauour or mercy The Hebrew particle Vau therefore should bee translated as it was in the tenth verse Notwithstanding or Neuerthelesse it shall come to passe in that day Also the Prophet vseth a similitude wherein he compares the gathering of the Church to corne that is threshed which is afterwards separated from the chaffe But what might mooue him to vse this similitude The poore captiues were so oppressed that they appeared no otherwise then as corne that is hidden and scattered vnder the chaffe The Lord was faine to diuide that which was hidden vnder this confused heape then as with a fan This similitude therfore of threshing out the corne doth very fitly resemble this gathering By the chanell of the riuer vnto the riuer hee meanes Euphrates and Nilus for the people were driuen partly into Caldea or Assyria and partly into Egypt for many fled into Egypt when the rest were carried captiue into Babylon Thus then he foretelles how the Lord wil gather his people from all quarters not onely from Caldea and out of the whole Vers 4. For his glorious beautie shall bee a fading flower which is vpon the head of the valley of them that bee fat and as the hastie fruite afore summer which while hee that looketh vpon it while it is in his hand hee eateth it It is not an easie matter to humble such as are besotted with the pleasures of this life Denys a tyrant of Sicilia HEe almost repeates the verie same words which were in the first verse for it is not an easie matter to humble and terrifie those that are besotted with the pleasures of this life whose eyes are hoodwincked by reason of abundance and prosperitie For Denys the second a tyrant of Sicilia became so bewitched that hee was ready to fall on his nose euer and anon because hee was an excessiue eater and drinker at great banquets and thus mens mindes are intoxicated through ouer much pampering of themselues with delicates so as they both forget God and themselues The Prophet then repeates one and the same thing twice to these that were so blockish and dull of hearing to the end they might vnderstand and beleeue that which otherwise would haue seemed incredible But hee yet adornes his speech by another goodly similitude which is verie fitting for his purpose for fruits that are hastilie ripe are best esteemed in regard they come first and giue some hope of a future increase but they last not long neither are they fit to keep And besides they are fit for none but great bellied women or for childrē or else for youths which being inordinate in their appetites deuoure them by and by Now he saith that such shall be the felicitie of the Israelites as if hee should say Your prosperitie wherein you so much reioice will not last very long but will be eaten vp in an instant Now looke what Isaiah threatens to the kingdome of Israel the same belongs also to all the world For men by their ingratitude are the cause that all the benefits which the Lord bestowes vpon them cannot come to ripenesse Why so Because wee abuse and corrupt them by our naughtinesse Thence it is that we bring forth hastie fruites of small continuance which otherwise might last to nourish vs a long space Vers 5. In that day shall the Lord of hostes be for a crowne of glory and for a diadem of beautie vnto the residue of his people HAuing spokē of the Kingdome of Israel he comes now to speake of the Tribe of Iudah and shewes that in the middest of this so fearefull a iudgement of God hee will alwaies cause his mercy to be felt So that howsoeuer the ten Tribes were gone and lost yet the Lord would reserue a remnant which should be consecrated vnto him that therein the crowne and the diadem of his glory and magnificence might be found that is to say The Church shall neuer be so disfigured but the Lord wil find a means to decke her with beautie and honour Cant. 1.4 the Church shall neuer bee so mangled and disfigured but that the Lord wil find a means to crowne and decke her with honour and glorie And yet I extend not this prophecie indifferentlie to all the Iewes but onely to the elect who were miraculously preserued from death for albeit
Cedars thereof the firre trees therof and I will goe vp to the heights of his toppe and to the forrest of his fruitfull places SEe how the indignitie and spightfulnesse of this outrage is further amplified for the iniurie that is offered by a seruant is not so easilie put vp as when it is done by the master because the basenesse of the person makes the wrong euermore intollerable And therefore the proud ones of the world when they will threaten in the most despightfull sort they will brag that their wils shall be executed by their seruants and horsekeepers that they may make it knowne how basely they esteeme of those whom they purpose to mischiefe By this circumstance then the Prophet meant to shew how execrable this blasphemie was when Sennacherib was not content to vomit it out of his owne mouth but had set on his seruant Rabshekeh to make him rent the sacred name of God in peeces As touching that which is recited afterward in the person of Sennacherib some take it generally for the former victories which hee had wonne and by this meanes had subdued many nations as we haue said before but I had rather take it more particularly in referring it to this last siege For when he saw the whole land in a maner vnder his obeisance and the mountaines which inuironed all the Coūtry possessed by his souldiers he brags as if he had gotten all and threatens that hee will inioy the castels mount Libanon with his Cedars fir-trees and other commodities as if he should say Nothing shall let me to be master of all the forts of Iudah and to deale with the Country as I thinke good See how Tyrants glory that the good successes of their warres are in their owne hands although often constreined to acknowledge the fight to be dangerous Vers 25. I haue digged and drunke the waters and with the plant of my feete haue I dried all the riuers * Or of the siege closed in THis Tyrant proceeds here glorying still in his forces and threatens to bring so mightie an armie that the multitudes of his souldiers shall be able to drinke the fountaines and riuers of Iewrie drie By the riuers of the siege some vnderstand the riuer Shilo and the Cisterns which the besieged Iewes could not lose but they must forthwith perish for thirst Yet in the first member he seemes to affirme that he feares no want of water though the whole countrie were destitute of it because he hath men enow to digge pits In the second place he saith he is furnished with meanes sufficient to drie vp all the waters of the Citie thinking thus to terrifie the Iewes His meaning in a word is that Ierusalem will not be able to indure the siege nor be able to stand out long against him but must forthwith be constreined to yeeld Now when the wicked make their vants on this maner God sits in heauen whence at the last he will denounce his iust sentence against them The prophets drift in this narration For the Prophets discourse tends to informe vs of Gods iust and wonderfull iudgement against this Tyrant Vers 26. Hast thou not heard how I haue of old time made it and haue formed it long agoe And should I now bring it that it should be destroyed and laid on ruinous heapes as Cities defenced THe expositors for the most part expound this verse as if the Lord should say That this Tyrant neither hath done nor shall doe any thing but that he hath foretold by the mouth of his Prophet and thus affirmes that himselfe is the author of these things But I expound it otherwise to wit that Ierusalem shall be deliuered by Gods assistance because he is the protector of it and that his speech might haue the more weight he names not the Citie but vseth the pronoun demonstrait as if all other Cities were nothing in Gods account in comparison of this Others referre these words I haue made it to the deliuerance which depended vpon the secret counsell of God but whosoeuer shall diligentlie weigh the scope of the Prophets words will confesse that it is here spoken of Ierusalem God complained as we haue seene that he was so despightfullie blasphemed and yet in reciting the words of Senacherib he only mentioned Libanon and the quarters adioining now to shew that vnder the name of Libanus warre was proclaimed against himselfe he affirmes as in many other places that Ierusalem was founded with his hand and built at his command whence it followes that Senacherib could not ouerthrow it vnlesse he first plucked God downe from his throne This doctrine is often met withall in the Scriptures and wonderfull comfort is conteined in it vpon which the faithfull may at all times boldlie leane in all their trials and afflictions be they neuer so hard and difficult to be borne to wit that they shall euer be preserued vnder Gods protection because he hath elected them Gods argument in this place For thus stands the argument I haue made and formed the Church the saluation of it shall stand for euer Phil. 1.6 because I will not leaue the worke that I haue begun vnfinished but will bring it vnto perfection In a word the Lord testifies that he will goe on with his worke and will preserue it because it concernes his owne honor and our saluation Moreouer he is called the former of his Church in another sense then that in which he is said to be the Creator of heauen and earth for we are his peculiar workmanship saith S. Paul being reformed by his Spirit Ephes 1.10 of which point we haue spoken heretofore in other places This worke therefore of all others is the most excellent yea aboue the creation of the whole world Be it farre from any man therefore to affirme that he was incorporated into the Church by his owne power or industrie for it is not without cause that we are called his workemanship Ephe. 2.10 But it may be demanded why the Lord saith he formed Ierusalem long agoe Quest for there were many Cities more ancient then it I answere Ans that this ought not to be referred to the outward forme or building but to the eternall decree of God according to which he had chosen this Citie for his dwelling place For albeit it was then only said when the Arke was made This is my rest here will I dwell Psal 132.14 And by Moses I will come vnto thee into the place wherein I shall put the remembrance of my name and I will blesse thee Exod. 20.24 yet had God long before ordeined it For we were chosen before the foundations of the world were laid as S. Paul teacheth Ephes 1.4 And S. Iames saith That we were begotten by the word of truth that we might be the first fruites of his creatures Iam. 1.18 He will then conserue vs aboue all his creatures and will neuer suffer vs to perish Now as Christ is
void of feare as that we should thereby grow carelesse or idle but when we heare that he is neere and that he will assist vs faith must then ouercome all difficulties in the middest of eminent dangers I vvill bring thy seed from the East This place is drawne as we know out of Deut. 30.3.4 For the Prophets are the expositors of Moses and doe gather their doctrine out of his writings See his preface as we haue shewed you from the beginning Thus the Prophet applies this place of Moses then to the circumstance of the time present vnto which in this Sermon he hath a speciall respect Moses had thus foretold The Lord thy God shall cause thy captiues to returns and commands the vanquished to hold their peace Yet in that he bids them heare it is to shew that the only let that keepes men from the knowledge of the truth is The only let that keepes men from the knowledge of the truth that their minds being forestalled with error they scorne to giue eare vnto God For this contempt hinders them from comming to repentance but rather stand proudly to defend the inuention of their owne braine But the Lord was readie to haue taught them if they had had but a patient eare For where could they haue foūd a better Master But their pride and rebellion blinds them so as they can not see the truth and shuts vp their eare from hearkning to the voice of God Are they not iustly left without excuse then seeing they obstinately reiect him and will not lend their eare to his doctrine who offers himselfe in such milde sort to instruct them For if they were in any measure teachable Those that are willing to learne shall soone perceiue that the truth is grounded vpon infallible arguments Isaiah well affirmes that they should be constrained to subscribe to their owne condemnation for in truth all such as shew themselues teachable shall easily vnderstand that the truth of God is grounded vpon infallible arguments and not vpō vncertain opinions which haue their foundation in the ayre Vers 10. You are my witnesses saith the Lord and my seruant whom I haue chosen therefore ye shall know and beleeue me and ye shall vnderstand that I am before me there was no God neither shall there be after me THe Lord hauing prouoked the Gentils to disputation and hauing shewed that all that which they esteemed touching the excellencie of their Idols was meere vanitie and lies now he leaues their assemblie and brings forth his witnesses that men may know that his case is not like that of the false gods He rightly boasts then that the true witnesses take his part for the Iewes had bin taught by reuelations from heauen so farre forth as sufficed to giue them vndoubted assurance of their saluation And yet he priuily taxeth their ingratitude if so be they did not publikely and vnfeinedly protest that they had learned all things requisit for the defence of Gods glorie The truth of the prophesies must neuer be forgotten and thus indeed he also summons them to vow neuer to forget nor conceale the truth of these prophesies by meanes whereof they might be able to shew the certentie of the true religion for it had bin treacherie in them to haue defrauded so good a cause of any defence which they were able to bring vnto it Gods cause must not be left destitute of our defence By the name seruant some vnderstand Isaiah but I had rather vnderstand it of all the Prophets because there is here a change of the number This name then is giuen particularly to the Prophets whom the Lord chose to maintaine his truth and yet I doubt not but in vsing the singular number he had a speciall and chiefe respect vnto Christ Christ the end and accomplishment of all the prophesies who is the end and accomplishment of all the prophesies and it is also very sure that he is the speciall witnes that shall conuince the whole world But yet we must haue regard to the Prophets intention which is to call the Iewes indeed to be the Lords witnesses and to accuse them of ingratitude if they did not franckly professe what they had heard and seene For hauing had so many good lessons taught them from time to time they could not without grosse disloyaltie either doubt or call into question the power and goodnes of God The Church must beare witnes to Gods truth Thus then he shewes that the Church is picked out to beare vvitnes to the truth of God in which sense S. Paul calles her the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3.15 It is her office then to publish and maintaine it so as it may be receiued of the posteritie frō age to age Not that the Lord stands in need of such an aid but because it is his good pleasure neither to approue nor establish the same among men by any other meanes Isaiah therefore vnder this one word comprehends all the seruants of God who stand bound to defend their Masters quarrell but chiefly the Ministers who ought to be as the Standard-bearers and by their example to shew the way vnto others It is therefore speciallie spoken to them here though in generall he is to be held no faithfull seruant of God who so smothers the knowledge of the truth within him that he dares not auouch it before men Therefore you shall know That the Lord might not seeme to procure to himselfe witnesses of things vnknowne he addes you shall know you shall beleeue you shall vnderstand thus shewing by the order of the words Faith goes before confession that faith precedes or goes before confession If this confession then haue no deeper foundation then in the tip of the tongue and is not laid in the heart it shall be held but vaine and friuolous for the Lord neither allowes nor approues of it And yet there is some difficultie in the order of the words To know To beleeue and To vnderstand Many haue knowledge that are destitute of faith for faith is not alwaies ioined with knowledge for a man will not say that such beleeue because they know faith is often absent where knowledge is present Besides it is doubtfull in what sense vnderstanding which is here added after beliefe is to be taken as if it should differ from knowledge But our Prophet in this place shewes that there is a certaine preparation vnto faith by which God first giues authoritie vnto his word as oft as he sees a necessarie vse of that meanes I grant that faith begins at humilitie which captiues all our reason vnder Gods lore but because we imbrace not the doctrine that is offred with such an assurance as we ought therefore God confirmes it vnto vs by sundrie testimonies and by our owne experience the better to settle vs firmely in this faith In this sense the Euangelist S. Iohn shewes that himselfe and S. Peter
dwell there Moreouer Vse these things ought to bee applied to our desolate times For howsoeuer the Lord permits his Church to be raced and to lie long in her ruines without any hope at all of being restored yet let vs confirme and strengthen our hearts with these promises for it is Gods proper and peculiar office to build vp and to renue the things which for a long timc haue beene ruinated and lien rotting in a perpetuall consumption But wee haue handled this matter before in Chap. 58. Vers 5. And the strangers shall stand and feede your sheep and the sonnes of the strangers shall be your plowmen and dressers of your vines HIs meaning is that the strangers shall bee readie to obey them For in respect they were at that time diuided from other nations no man would lend them their hand And therefore hee saith that the strangers doe stand that is to say are readie prest to meete and to succour them Where he addes that they shall feede their sheepe and shall be the plowmen and vinedressers these are borowed kinds of speeches For the Prophet speakes of Christs kingdome which is spirituall and sets foorth the perfect felicitie thereof vnder these figures that we might the better conceiue of those things which are here proposed vnto vs by examples Let vs know therefore that wee shall bee truely happie when Christ shall reigne ouer vs for by meanes thereof many commodities whereof the posteritie of Adam is worthily depriued Who shall be tâ—uly happie when Christ shall reigne ouer vs. shall be restored vnto vs vnawares Vers 6. But yee shall be named the Priests of the Lord and men shall say vnto you The Ministers of our God yee shall eate the riches of the Gentiles and shall be exalted with their glory THis verse giues vs a little better light into the former for in the second part thereof Isaiah foretels that the faithfull shall eate the riches of the Gentiles and shall be exalted with their glorie The Iewes lay hold of these places with great earnestnesse and greedily deuoure al the goods of other nations as if one day they should be masters of all and glorie as if all the pompe of the world should fall to their shares But for our better vnderstanding of these things wee must especially obserue two points First that the Prophets minding to set forth the glorie and felicitie of Christs kingdome Two points must be obserued for the better vnderstanding of the Prophets borrow similitudes from things belonging to men Secondlie in speaking of the Church they so conioyne the head with the members that sometimes they rather respect him then the members Neither must we reape this fruition of other mens goods as if those which should bee conuerted vnto Christ should gripe vnto themselues riches glorie or the dignities of others for this would not stand with the rules of charitie But in respect that all things should be subiected vnder Christs dominion that so he might obtaine the soueraigne rule and authoritie ouer them This is it which I haue alreadie said to wit that the Prophet hath not so much regard of the members as of the head himselfe But when riches are brought vnder Christs power then they are called ours because he hath nothing which belongs not to his spouse the Church It is said in chap. 45.14 in the same sense that the enemies of Christ shall fall downe at his feet and make supplicâ—tion vnto him and yet this is done to the Church in whom they acknowledge Christ submit themselues vnto his doctrine See chap. 60.14 Jsaiah then shewes what the Father will giue to the Sonne who hath lawfull power ouer all the world to whom also all things ought to be subiect In the meane while we must not omit that which I touched erewhile namely that God feedes his elect liberally in this world to the end thy might feele that their estate is better then that of the infidels For howsoeuer they may want many things yet a little contents them for which they giue God heartie thankes so as their wants to them are much better then all the wealth of the world is to the wicked By the word Priests hee shewes that the condition of the common people shall bee much better then it was in times past As if he shuld say Hitherunto the Lord hath chosen you for his heritage onely but hereafther he will indue you with more excellent giftes for hee will make you Priests Now howsoeuer all the people were a kingdome of Priests Exod. 19.6 yet wee know that the Tribe of Leui onelie exercised this office Deut. 33.10 But our Prophet here testifies that afterward it shall be common to all Yet this was not manifested till Christ came I grant that the restauration of the Church began at the returne of the people out of Babylon but in the end at Christs comming the faithfull were adorned with this dignitie Hereunto appertaines that which is written in 1. Pet. 2.9 You are an holy nation a royall Priesthood But withall we ought diligently to note what this kind of Priesthood is for we must no more offer vnto God any brute beasts but reasonable men must now be offered and sacrificed to the obedience of Christ According to which S. Paul saith that hee offered vp the Gentiles by the sword of the Gospell that they might afterwards yeeld their obedience vnto God Rom. 15.19 Hence we see how childishly the Papists trifle in abusing this place to proue their priesthood Childishnes of Papists in proouing their Priesthood for the Pope and his chaplens ordaine Priests to sacrifice to Iesus Christ and not to teach his people both which Moses ioines together in Deut. 33.10 But Christ offered vp himself by an eternall redemption he only once for all hath performed this Priestly office Heb. 9.12 Minding that the fruit of this sacrifice should now be offered vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell They which vsurp this office are sacrilegious persons namely such as wil reiterate that which Christ hath by himselfe accomplished Euery one ought rather to offer himselfe with all that hee hath vnto God Rom. 12.1 that he may exercise this Priesthood as hee ought to doe Secondly the Ministers who are especially called to teach ought to vse the sword of Gods word to offer vp and to consecrate men vnto God Lastly those are indeede faithfull and true Ministers who enterprise nothing of their owne heads but boldly and vprightly put those commandements in execution which they haue receiued from God Vers 7. For your shame you shall receiue double * Or honour and for confusion they shal reioyce in their portion for in their land they shall possesse the double euerlasting ioy shall be vnto them HE confirmes the former sentence A confirmation of the former sentence where he had said that the faithful which mourned being couered with sackcloth and ashes should be sprinkled vvith the
nation and Ierusalem for the chiefe seate of the kingdome for hee separates not the citie from the kingdome but names it by way of excellencie as being the mother citie Euen as if a Prophet at this day should be sent to speake vnto the whole kingdome of France should name the citie of Paris as the chiefe of the kingdome And it was needefull that this should be done first to the end the Citizens of Ierusalem should not exempt themselues as though they were guiltlesse or rather as being dispenced withall from being vnder any checke in respect of the greatnes of their dignitie Secondly that by meanes hereof they might be preuented from sending the Prophet backe to the Commons and countrie people But they are deceiued who would haue Ierusalem to bee named a part because it was situated in the tribe of Benâ—â—min seeing the one halfe thereof which was subiect to the successors of Dauid is comprehended vnder this name of Iudah Vers 2. Heare O heauens and thou earth hearken for the Lord hath said I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue * Or haue done wickedly against me rebelled against me ISaiah hath here imitated Moses for so it is the custome of all the Prophets to doe neither is it to be doubted but he alludes to that excellent song of Moses Deut. 32.1 in the very entrance whereof he cals heauen and earth to witnesse against the people I graunt that it is a terrible protestation for it is as much as if both of them should turne themselues to the dumbe elements voyde of sense because men had no eares to heare but were become vtterly benummed in all their senses Isaiah then speakes here as of a rare and prodigious thing which were euen enough to smite the very elements with astonishment though otherwise senselesse in themselues For what could be more horrible then to see the Israelites reiect the Lord from whom they had receiued so many benefits Those who by heauen vnderstand the Angels and by earth men doe too much lessen the force of these words and doe also take away that wherein the chiefest weight of the Prophets vehemencie lieth Now all the expositors almost doe finish the clause For the Lord hath spoken here As if the Prophet meant to say Seeing God hath opened his sacred mouth it stands all men in hand attentiuely to receiue his word And thus the sentence in appearance indeed is more full but the circumstance of the place requires another knitting together of the words namely tâ—â—t this word hearken bee referred not generally to what purpose one will but solely and onely to the next complaint And so the sense is thus Heare the complaint which God commenceth against you I haue nourished c. For he recounts such a monstrous thing as he is almost cast into a swound at the sight of it so as he is faine to call in all the insensible creatures contrarie to all order to be witnesses thereof I had rather then take these things in their proper signification because they doe better set forth the Prophets meaning And to the end that no man should wonder why he speakes thus to things without sense or reason experience it selfe not obscurely teacheth vs that the voyce of God is heard euen of the dumbe creatures yea and the very order of nature is nothing else but an obedience which is yeelded vnto him thorowout all the partes of the world to the end his soueraigne authoritie might shine in all places For the elements the heauens and the earth doe their duties and yeeld obedience to the commaundement which is prescribed them and that at the least becke which God maketh to them The earth bringeth foorth her fruits The Sunne the Moone and the Starres doe finish their courses The Sea passeth not beyong the limits which God hath appointed vnto it The heauens also doe turne about to their certaine spaces Finally in all things wee may obserue a wonderfull distinction although all these creatures be destitute of reason and vnderstanding But man who is indued therewith in whose eares and heart the voyce of the Lord so often sounds as if he were wholly senselesse mooueth not neither boweth he his necke to submit himselfe to the obedience of his God The dumbe and insensible creatures then shall beare witnes against such obstinate and rebellious persons to the end they may one day feele that this obtestation was not vsed in vaine I haue nourished Word for word it is I haue made them great But because he speaketh of children wee cannot turne it better then that I haue nourished or brought vp For the Latines in stead of nourishing say to bring vp children Yet hee by and by addes other benefits wherewithall hee had wonderfullie inriched them as if he should say I haue not onely performed the office of a good father in nourishing and sustaining you in this life but I haue also taken paines to exalt you to honour and dignitie For there was no kind of fauour or mercie which the Lord withheld from theÌ„ euen as if he meant wholly to emptie himselfe As hereafter in the fifth chapter he reprocheth them saying What could I haue done any more to my vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Why the Lord might very well haue said as much to all nations seeing hee nourished and bestowed many blessings vpon them but the Israelites were his speciall chosen people whom he had adopted before the rest of the world to himselfe and intreated them as his most deere children embracing and cherishing them with a speciall care euen as in his very bosome In a word he adorned and beautified them with all manner of good things Now to applie this to our time let vs consider whether our condition bee not like or rather much better than that of the Iewes in auncient times The adoption of God obliged them to the puritie of his seruice our bond or obligation is double namely because he hath not onely redeemed vs by the blood of Christ but because he who hath once vouchsafed to deliuer vs doth still call vs also to himselfe by the preaching of the Gospell and therein prefers vs farre before all those whom he hath yet left blinded in their ignorance If we acknowledge not these things of how much greater punishment shall we be worthie for by how much the more the grace of God hath been abundantly powred forth vpon vs of so much the more ingratitude shall we be conuinced before him But thâ—y â—aue râ—belled S. Iâ—â—ome translates it They haue despised me But it appeares sufficiently by other places that the Hebrew word Pashâ—ng expresseth yet somewhat more namely that they reuolted Gâ—d testifies then that he could not hold them vnder his obedience no not by all the benefits hee could bestow vpon them But that they turned away more and more estranged themselues no otherwise then the sonne who by leauing his fathers house shewes that hee is
a terrible and grieuous threatning to wit that the vengeance of God is readie to sease vpon them to the end they might feele that the contemners of God shall not remaine vnpunished We must also note that there is but one only rule of well liuing that is the obedience which wee yeeld vnto God and to his word Also in these words there is a traÌ„sported sentence by a figure which wee call Hypallage because the speech should be resolued thus If you be of a readie mind and haue full consent of will to obey or else thus and yet in the same sense If ye hearken and obey me and my word Seing then that God placeth the felicitie of men in obedience it followes that our life is then well ordered when wee heare God speakâ—ng and that we obey him in all things Now wee may see how great the wickednes of men is when they vouchsafe not to lend their eare to God but reiect the felicitie which hee offereth and prepareth for them Truely their froward affections ought to bee timed to the end that whilst these poore wretches draw the wrath of God vpon their owne heads they might not wittingly and willingly cast themselues headlong vpon the edge of the sword Wee must note also that in the verse followin g which is the conclusion he threatens them with extreame ruine if so be they still continue to rebell obstinately against God The good things of the earth He meanes the fruites which the earth brings forth for the necessitie of our life For the earth seemes to bee somewhat vnkind when it brings not forth her fruites but keeps them as it were in her bosome Although I make no question but hee alludes to the promises of the law where God promiseth that he will blesse the ground of such as walke in his commandements that they may haue abundance of all good things And yet hee offereth not the commodities of this life vnto vs to the end he would stay vs in an earthly felicity which hypocrits indeed only gape after wholly imploying all their wits thereabouts but that by the contemplation thereof we should lift vp our minds to the heauenly and spirituall felicity as also that by the taste of his so great goodnes he might accustome vs to rellish the estate of eternall happines Now the ancient people were inured rather to be called by such shadowes and resemblances to the heauenly inheritance namely by the taste of earthly benefits And this difference is well to be noted that we may applie this doctrine to our vse according to that degree whereunto God hath been pleased to exalt vs. Now the Prophet would teach vs that true felicity with the complements thereof consists in the obedience of God also that the wicked in rebelling against him doe draw vpon themselues all manner of calamities and that we therfore ought to impute all the euils which we endure to our sinnes and rebellions as to the proper cause thereof Vers 20. But if yee refuse and be rebellious yee shall be deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it TThe wicked alwaies thinke the punishments which they suffer are farre greater then their fault although God deale mercifully and fauourably with them And howsoeuer they dare not wholly iustifie themselues yet notwithstanding they cease not as we haue said heretofore to accuse him of too great seueritie But the Prophet shewes how there shall bee no end of their plagues which they often suffer till they bee wholly consumed as also that there are yet more heauie chastisements prepared for them of God that they should not imagine to escape with those light fillips wherewith they were hitherto smitten The Papists wrest this place to establish their free will And thus they reason If men be happie when they will obey God then it followes that it is in their owne power to will Behold a childish argument For the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet disputes not what or how great our power of will is to good or euill but admonisheth that it is by our owne default that we enioy not the abundance of all good things and further that the necessities wherewith wee bee pinched are the iust rewards of our disobedience and rebellion Now there is great ods betwixt demanding whether a man bee able to make his will which is euill good and whether by his wicked will which is his owne by nature hee drawes vpon himselfe all the plagues which he endureth These subtile and craftie doctors therfore do vniustly and falselie ground their doctrine of free choice of good and euill vpon this place For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Because threatnings ordinarily doe not much moue such as are carried away with their inordinate desires and lusts the Prophet to the end he might awaken them from out of their so great drousines admonisheth them that this sentence proceeds not from the mouth of a mortall man but that it is come out of the mouth of the eternall God who is not mutable as men are but is alwaies as good as his word He sets the authoritie of God before them then to feare and terrifie them to the end that such among them as were fallen into a dead sleepe in their vices might earnestly giue themselues to hearken to his threatnings Vers 21. How is the faithfull citie become an harlot It was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therin but now they are murtherers TO the end the reprehension might be the more forcible and that their wickednes might be the more detestable in that this people were thus reuolted from God and from all integritie and vprightnes he cries out as if he saw some strange and vnwonted thing And surely it was an horrible change that the people whom the Lord had chosen and set apart to bee a royall priesthood to himselfe should thus fal from so soueraigne pietie and godlines into the gulfe and sincke of all sinne and wickednes But he speakes chieflie of the citie of Ierusalem which was the royall seate of the Sanctuarie of God hee complaines that she which heretofore was a faithfull gardian of iustice is now become a denne of theeues and that of an holy and chast virgin she is become an harlot To the ende therefore hee might make the bastard Iewes who were farre from the integritie of the holy Patriarks the more ashamed hee takes vnto himselfe the person of a man astonished who wondreth and reasoneth with himselfe how such a thing could come to passe Also in this word faithfull hee alludes as I thinke to the faith in mariage which the wife ought to keepe to her husband I grant that the signification of the word reacheth further but waying the circumstance narrowly I thinke it not amisse to take the word faithfull for chaste For a little after he opposeth the contrarie member calling her harlot So as being in times past a loyall wife keeping faith to her
esteeme so much of themselues as if they were gods Isaiah therefore wisely separates man from God as also the Holy ghost doth thorowout the whole Scripture For when men are considered in themselues it better appeares how fraile their condition is yea how transitorie and inconstant As soone therefore as men shall once beginne to attribute vnto themselues but the least strength whatsoeuer then must their vanitie be made knowen and discouered vnto them to the ende they may acknowledge themselues to be nothing By this onely word all the glorious titles of free will and mans merits doe fall to the ground wherein the Papists glorie against the grace of God and all that fond and foolish loue which prophane men haue of themselues is also plucked away from them Lastly we are all called home to God the author of al good things to the end wee should not think any thing excellent either in heauen or earth out of him For his praise is forthwith eclipsed if so be the whole world be not stripped of all wisedome strength and iustice in a word of all praise that so it may be giuen to God alone THE III. CHAPTER Vers 1. For loe the Lord God of hosts will take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah the stay and the strength euen all the stay of bread and all the stay of water WE haue said a little before that the Prophet goes on still with the same matter which he began in the ende of the former chapter For hee admonisheth the Iewes that how great riches soeuer they possesse yet notwithstanding they shall not bee able by any meanes whatsoeuer to hinder the wrath of God being once inflamed against them to consume all their preparations Whence it appeares that they too much ouershoote themselues who to put farre away from them all feares doe heape gather together weapons power strength of warre counsels great store of victuals and such like The particle demonstratiue Hinneh which wee haue translated Behold or Loe is not put here for the more certentie of the matter but to set forth the shortnes of the time as if Isaiah should euen set the thing it selfe before the eyes of the wicked For it often comes to passe that those who dare not openly contemne the iudgements of God do yet notwithstanding reiect them as if they touched them neuer a whit or else as if they were farre off from them What is that to vs say they or if afflictions come wherefore should wee make our selues miserable before the time when the calamitie comes vpon vs will it not then be time enough to thinke vpon it Because then the wicked digge themselues such hiding places and securely take their ease in despising the iudgements of God the Prophet doth the more neerely presse them home to the end they should not imagine that the hand of God should bee farre off also that all their staies which they promised to themselues should be but in vaine To this appertaines that where he calles God the Lord God of hosts that so his Maiestie might the more daunt their sleepie and benummed consciences For God hath no need of titles but it is necessary that our blockishnes and drousines should be awakened by the sense and feeling of his glorie Now the Prophet in the first place threatens that the Iewes shall be stripped of all abundance of victuals so as they shall be forced to die for want And by and by he will adde the same thing as touching their succours of warre and all helps of politicke order and gouernment From hence we may gather that the Iewes were so lifted vp with the prosperous successe which their affaires then had that they foolishly secured themselues as if they had been vtterly exempt from all damage or decay But Isaiah lets them know that not onely all the region shall bee smitten with the rods of God but that Ierusalem in like manner which was as it were the inuincible fortresse of the whole nation should be smitten also as if he should say The wrath of God shall not one be scattered vpon the bodie but it shall pearce also euen vnto the very heart As touching the words Mashen and Mashenah which he hath put in the masculin and in the feminine gender I doubt not but by this diuersitie he would more certainlie expresse that all kinds of staies should bee broken and therfore I haue translated strength say For I approoue not of their expositions who referre this to men because it is rather to bee vnderstoode of all helps of all kinds Notwithstanding some doubt whether the Prophet restraines this to victuals or rather whether he referres it to the other helpes and staies which doe follow a little after But it is very likely that vnder these two words he generally comprehends all things whatsoeuer which are necessarie for the sustentation of the estate of a citie or people and also that by way of explication hee names some specials The first member then hath this scope to wit that the Lord will tread vnder feete all defences and riches by meanes whereof they thought to continue safe so as there should be nothing left to succour them Secondlie he addes what the pouertie and want shall be and as we haue said he begins with food which in the first place is of al other the most necessarie helpe for sustaining mans life Now the Lord takes the strength of bread and of water away two waies first when hee takes them from vs altogether or else when he takes away their strength to nourish vs. God takes away strēgth from bread after two sorts For if God inspires not a secret vertue into thē they can profit vs nothing at all though we should haue them in neuer so great abundance and that is the reason why it is said elsewhere that he breakes the staffe of bread Ezech. 4.16 That is to say Though the Bakers giue out bread by waight Leuit. 26.26 and though it be eaten yet it shall not satisfie them any thing at all This similitude ought to be diligently obserued to the end wee may know that although the bellie bee filled neuer so full yet we shal alwaies bee hungrie It is not bread but God his secret blessing which nourisheth because the secret blessing of God which nourisheth and giueth strength is wanting But although the want wherewith the Prophet threatens the people in this place may be vnderstood of famine because God will depriue the Iewes of all kind of reliefe notwithstanding because the Prophets are wont for the most part to take these manners of speech out of the law this interpretation agrees very well For hee might simplie haue said I will take away from you bread and win◠but he expresseth a thing more secret in speaking of the stay and strength of bread and water as if he should say Although the people bee not brought to pouertie for want of meate and drinke yet God
of his excellent greatnes amongst them then if he were in the midst of many Vers 3. Then he that shall be left in Zion and he that shall remaine in Ierusalem shal be called holy and euery one shall be written * Or to life in Ierusalem among the liuing in Ierusalem HE holds on his former speech still shewing that when all the filth of the people shal be purged out then that which remaines shall be called holy Whereas some thinke that those are called holy which shall be found written in the booke of life it seemes to me an ouerstrict sense We should rather reade these two members a part All those which shal be sound in Zion shal be holy and all those which shall remaine in Ierusalem shall be written in the booke of life And this repetition is very frequent and much vsed among the Hebrues namely Ioel 2.32 when the Prophet sets forth one benefit of God by many titles as when it is said There shal be saluation in Ierusalem and remission of sinnes in Zion both which are to be referred to one end yet neuerthelesse the grace of God is the better manifested when the cause of saluation is placed in the free pardon There is the like reason in this place for he saith that the Church being washed from her filthinesse shall be cleane and that all those who haue place in her shall be truly the elect of God But yet it is certaine that this appertains not to all the visible Church in the which there are oftentimes many mingled which only cary the name of the faithfull and yet haue not any true marke of their profession yea these surmount the little flock in number for the most part euen as the chaffe doth the good corne And howsoeuer the Lord had clensed them from the chaffe in their exile in Babylon as if he had taken the fanne in his hand yet wee know that the Church was very far off frō her right hewe notwithstanding But in regard that the image of this puritie did then shine in some part which truly appeared after the sheepe were separate from the goats Isaiah according to his accustomed maner in speaking of these beginnings comprehends the continuall course of time euen to the end whē God should fully accomplish that which he had then begun We see the very same thing effected euery day for although the Church be not wholly purged from her spots by being exercised vnder the rod and correction yet notwithstanding she recouers part of her puritie when the spots are taken away So then she susteines no losse by her afflictions The Church sustaines no losse by her afflictions because that as she is diminished one way so she is much more comforted another way by casting out from her many hypocrites For example the health of a sick body can not be recouered vnlesse you first purge the rotten and corrupt humors away which is in it From hence we gather a very fruitfull consolation for wee are wont to desire a multitude and would by that iudge of the good estate of the Church Note but we should rather desire to be a small number that so the glory of God rather then of a multitude might shine in the midst of vs. But because our owne glorie carries vs away from thence it comes to passe that wee more regard the number of men then the vertues of some few Wee must also gather what the true glorie of the Church is for it then truly florisheth The true glory of the Church defined when the Saincts haue place in her and although they be few and despised of the world yet they neuerthelesse make the estate thereof florishing and desireable But because it will neuer be in this world that the Saincts should occupie the place alone in the Church Note we must patiently beare the mingling and in the meane while hold it for a singular benefit as oft as it approcheth any thing nie to this puritie We haue sayd alreadie that by those which are written in the booke of life we must vnderstand the elect of God as if he should say The prophane multitude shal be cut off who only haue their names written in the earth Now the Prophet alludes to the place in Moses in the 32. of Exod. where he desires rather to be blotted out of the booke of life then that all the people should perish But although God haue none other booke but his eternall Counsell by which he hath predestinated vs to saluation in adopting vs for his children yet this similitude agrees very well to our weaknes because our vnderstanding can not otherwise comprehend how God should know his flock in such wise as none of the elect should euer be depriued of eternall life Seeing then that God hath his chosen written the decree of adoption by meanes wherof eternall felicitie is assured vnto them is called the booke of life As touching the reprobate although for a time it seemes they be equall to the children of God yet notwithstanding they are not enrolled in this Catalogue as we see how they are driuen away when he gathers together and puts his owne apart Now the accomplishment thereof shall not be till the last day notwithstanding vnto Gods children because they are assured of their election when they perseuere constantly while the reprobate fall to reuolting it is a great comfort in calamities when being shaken with temptations we continue stedfast in our vocation Vers 4. When the Lord shall wash the filthinesse of the daughters of Zion and purge the blood of Ierusalem out of the midst thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning HE still goes on with the same doctrine for in as much as we commonly thinke that the Church receiues great hurt through the afflictions by which she is diminished the Prophet insists more and more vpō the contrary sentence And now to beate back this error he reasoneth by the contrary to wit that God rather washeth and purgeth out all the corruptions from his Church by meanes of afflictions By blood I vnderstand not only murthers and such other notorious crimes but all maner of filthinesse and vncleannesse whatsoeuer Now there is a redoubling in this similitude by which he repeates one and the same thing twice because that which before he called filthinesse in generall now he calles it blood in particular as the fluxe of blood or some such like thing In summe he shewes the fruites which these corrections bring to wit that by them our filthinesse is cleansed For whilest vngodlinesse spreades it selfe hither and thither without punishment then we grow as corrupt as others for which cause it is necessarie that the Lord should awaken vs by admonitions yea as a good Physition that he purge launce and sometimes that he seare and burne He takes iudgement for puritie to wit for the effect of iudgement when the things which were declining are
is a great vertue in deed to aske no-nothing but the word but if God be pleased to adde somewhat more vnto it it is then no vertue but a vice to reiect such an help as a thing superfluous Yea there is great iniurie offred vnto God in despising his liberalitie as if that which he doth for our sakes were vnprofitable or as if he were ignorant what things were good and necessarie for vs. Wee know that faith receiues her chiefe praise because she holds her selfe in obedience but when we will be wise in our owne conceits and despise the least thing which is of God we are abominable before him what pretence soeuer we make before men We must so ioyne faith to the word then that we despise not the helps which he offreth and giueth vs for the strengthening of our faith As for example the Lord in the Gospell offreth vs all things necessarie for our saluation for seeing by it we be ioyned to Christ the summe of all good things is conteined in it But to what end serueth Baptisme and the holy Supper then should we esteeme them as things superfluous No surely because whoso without flattering of himselfe shall take knowledge of his infirmitie which all from the least to the greatest ought to feele such an one will be willing to strengthen his faith by these helps True it is we ought to mourne and weepe that the holy truth of God which can not lie should haue need of any prop for the infirmities sake of our flesh But in regard we can not cast off this corruption from vs at the first chop whosoeuer according to his abilitie shall adde faith to the word he shall forthwith render perfect obedience to God The signes and word must not be separated where God hath coupled them together Let vs learne then to imbrace the signes with the word seeing it is not in the power of man to separate them Now in that Ahaz refuseth the signe which was offred him he therein shewed his rebellion vnthankfulnes for he despiseth that which God had presented him for his exceeding profit Heereby also it appeares after what maner we ought to require signes to wit when they are offred vs of God he then which refuseth them must needs reiect the grace of God therewithall Some franticke ones there are at this day who make no reckning of Baptisme nor of the Lords Supper thinking them abces for little children which yet they can not do but they must therewithall reiect the whole Gospell for those things must not be separate which God hath ioyned together But some wil aske notwithstanding Quest whether it be not lawfull to aske some signes of God for we haue an example thereof in Gedeon who desired that his vocation might bee confirmed with some signe the Lord granted his request and disliked not such a desire Iudg. 6.17 To this I answere Ans that although Gedeon had no expresse commandement of God to aske a signe yet notwithstanding he was stirred vp to doe it by the holy Ghost and did it not of his owne proper motion Wherefore we must not take the like libertie to our selues by abusing his example especiallie seeing the importunitie of men is so great that they make no bones to aske signes of God without end or measure Such a boldnes therefore is to be suppressed to the end wee may content our selues with those which God offereth vs. Two sorts of signes Now there are two sorts of signes some extraordinarie which we may call supernaturall as that whereof the Prophet wil speake anon and that which was giuen to Hezekiah as we shal see God willing hereafter Isay 38.7 Others are ordinarie and in daily vse as Baptisme and the holy Supper which conteine no miracle at the least which can be seene to the eye or by any other outward sense For that which the Lord miraculously works therein by the holy Ghost can not be seene but in the extraordinarie the miracle is visible to the eye Extraordinarie miracles visible Now all other signes haue the same end and vse because that euen as Gedeon was confirmed by that maruelous signe so also are we confirmed by Baptisme and the holy Supper although we see no miracle before our eyes Vers 13. Then he sayd heare you now ô house of Dauid is it a small thing for you to grieue men that ye will also grieue my God BEcause it was an intolerable wickednes to shut the gate against the power of God which should confirme the truth of the promise vnder colour of honestie and modestie the Prophet is iustlie offended and sharplie rebukes these wicked hypocrites Now howsoeuer it were an honorable thing for them to be held for the race of Dauid which had been so indeed if they had walked in the steps of Dauid yet notwithstanding he now calles them the successors of the house of Dauid rather by way of reproach then otherwise And in very deed the ingratitude was so much the more heinous because this fauour was reiected by that house out of which the saluation of the whole world should come Their originall therefore from whom they had so shamefullie degenerated was a great dishonor vnto them And wee must obserue this order heere for we ought not to begin with sharp reprehensions but with doctrine to the end men may be gentlie drawen rather then enforced by it Doctrine When the bare simple doctrine will not serue then we must adde confirmations Confirmations but if they will profit by heither of these then it is needfull to vse greater vehemencie In this maner it is that Isaiah thundreth here Reprehentions for hauing offred doctrine and signes to the king without fruit he now vseth the last remedie sharplie and grieuouslie chiding this obstinate man and not him alone but also all the house royall which was defiled with this impietie Is it a small thing He vseth comparisons betweene God and men not that those of whom hee speakes to wit the Prophets and faithfull Teachers can in deed be separated from God for they are nothing else but the instruments of the Lord hauing one common cause with him as long as they discharge their duties And the Lord testifies of them who so despiseth you despiseth me and he that heareth you heareth me Math. 10.40 The Prophet then shapes his speech according to the impietie of Ahaz and his fellowes because they thought they had to do only with men And no question but we may heare the like voyce which the wicked belch out euen amongst vs at this day Are they not men that speake vnto vs and by this meanes they thinke to make voyd the doctrine of God It being then an ordinarie thing amongst the prophane contemners of holie doctrine to speake thus the Prophet acknowledgeth indeed that they were men which had this charge committed vnto them to teach the word of God As if he should say be it that I am
a mortall man as you say I am and that you haue such an opinion of the Prophets of God yet is it a small thing for you to grieue vs but that you will also grieue God himselfe But in reiecting the signe of his admirable power which hee is readie to giue you you reiect him It is in vaine then for you to brag that you make no account of it because you haue to do with men and not with him This then is the cause why the Prophet is so moued with anger whence we perceiue the thing which I touched erewhile to wit that it is time to vse seuere reprehensions after we haue vsed all the good meanes which God hath giuen vs and haue omitted nothing of that which was our dutie then we must rush vpon them with greater vehemencie and lay open that impietie which lay hid vnder these cloakes of hypocrisie My God He said before Aske for thee a signe of the Lord thy God to wit whilest his peruersitie and rebellion was hidden now he takes it as proper to himselfe because Ahaz and those that were with him were vnworthie of the honour of so excellent a title He shewes then that God is of his side and not with these hypocrites and thus testifies what his confidence is For he shewes with what conscience he promised deliuerance to the king as if he should say I came not of my selfe but was sent of God and haue told thee nothing but out of the mouth of my God All Ministers should haue the same boldnes not in appearance only but effectuallie rooted in their hearts The false Prophets will brag too much of this but it is only a vaine and impudent iangling which they keepe with a blind confidence proceeding from presumption Vers 14. Therefore the Lord himselfe will giue you a signe Behold the Virgin shall conceiue and beare a sonne and she shall call his name Immanuel AHaz had alreadie refused a signe which the Lord had offred him when the Prophet protested against his obstinacie and vnthankfulnes Isaiah notwithstanding testifies that this shall not let nor hinder the Lord from giuing the Iewes the signe which he had promised and appointed But what signe That a Virgin should be with child This place is obscure but the Iewes themselues are partlie the cause of it who as much as in them is haue depraued the true exposition by diuers cauils For this testimonie toucheth them neere in regard it conteines an excellent prophesie of the Messiah who is heere called Immanuel and therefore haue they studied by all meanes to wrest the Prophets meaning to another sense Some of them pretend that mention is made here of king Hezekias others of the sonne of Isaiah Those which draw this place to Hezekias are too shamelesse seeing it must needs be that he was of yeeres when Ierusalem was besieged shewing thereby that they are altogether ignorant of the historie But behold the iust reward of the froward namely that God so blinds them thay they are depriued of all iudgement The like befalles the Papists at this day who oftentimes make themselues laughingstocks when they are caried away with the spirit of giddines to depraue the scriptures The pretence of those who thinke it was the sonne of Isaiah is altogether friuolous because we reade not that a deliuerer should be raised vp of the seed of Isaiah which might deserue the title of Immanuel for this title is so high and excellent that it can appertaine to no man Others thinke or at the least confesse because they will not contend ouermuch with the Iewes that the Prophet speakes of some child which should be borne then by which Christ notwithstanding was figured darkely But they bring no reasons of any weight neither do they shew who this child should be nor yet prooue it by any testimonies Now it is certaine as hath been said that this name of Immanuel can properlie agree to none that is man only and therfore we need not doubt but the Prophet speakes heere of Christ But all both Greeks and Latins which haue written vpon this text are too confident in the expounding of it for they simplie affirme that Christ is heere promised of the virgin Marie as though there were no difficultie in this place Now the knot which the Iewes would haue vs vntie is not easily done to wit that mention is made of Christ heere without any cause Thus they deale with vs willing vs to cōsider well the circumstance of the place Ierusalem was besieged the Prophet was to giue them a signe of their deliuerance to what purpose is the Messiah promised them now who should be borne fiue hundred yeeres after By this argument they thinke they haue woon the gole affirming that the promise touching Christ could stand Ahaz in no stead for assuring him of the deliuerance of Ierusalem And heere they crie victorie chiefely indeed because none haue answered them And therefore I said that the expositors hitherunto haue been too confident in this respect for it is not a thing of small importance to shew the cause why mention is made heere of the redeemer Let vs see then how we may resolue it King Ahaz refusing the signe which was offred him of God is brought at the last by the Prophet to the foundation of the couenant which euen the most wicked durst not reiect The Messiah must be borne and all looked for him because the saluation of all the people depended vpon him The Prophet then hauing rebuked the king proceeds with him againe in this maner Thou wouldest faine ouerthrow the decree of God in reiecting his promise but this decree notwithstanding shal remaine inuiolable thy disloyaltie and ingratitude shall not hinder God from being the deliuerer of his people because at the last he will raise vp his anointed And for the more full declaration of these things we must obserue the custome of the Prophets who in confirming particular promises do lay this foundation to wit that God wil send the Redeemer By this general prop the Lord euery where confirmes that which he speciallie promiseth to his people And questionlesse it must needs be that he which lookes for help and succor from God must therewithall bee also perswaded of his fatherlie loue But how should he be fauorable without Christ in whom he hath freelie adopted vs for his chosen and alwaies receiueth vs vnto mercie According to which S. Paul saith That in Christ all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 As oft then as God sent any succor to his people in old time he by and by reconciled them to himselfe in Christ And therefore when hee threatens famin pestilence or sword he sets the Messiah before their eies to giue them hope of deliuerance Seeing this is so apparāt the Iewes haue no cause to storme heere as if the Prophet should speake without cause of a thing so farre remote For whereupon did the deliuerance of
God did not so chuse his dwelling place there as if being tied to that he would therefore allow a bastard and newfound seruice but would be sought and serued there according to the rule of his word And therefore Isaiah taking the God which dwelled in Mount Zion on his side taxeth and sharpely galleth the hypocrits who foolishly and proudly bragged as oft as they cried The Temple of the Lord Ier. 7.4 because it was rather an idoll wherein they gloried contrary to Gods word Now although they snatched the promises to themselues yet they falsly alleadged them against the true seruants of God as the Papists at this day doe against vs. The Prophet then adorneth God with this title to the end hee may vnmaske those hypocrits which made no conscience vainely to oppose the name of the Temple against the expresse word of God And in this regard Isaiah now saith Take vs for monsters as it pleaseth you yet notwithstanding God will approue of his owne you cannot abhor them but you also therewithall reiect the God of Abraham and Dauid whose seruants we are Vers 19. And when they shall say vnto you Enquire at them that haue a Spirit of diuination and at the Soothsayers which whisper and murmur should not a people enquire of their God from the liuing to the dead BVt if they say The Prophet goes on with his speech to wit that all the faithfull being armed with the authoritie of God should not onely as with a buckler but as with a wall of brasse constantly resist all impietie He admonisheth them then to continue stedfast and not to be shaken if any should offer to solicite them to superstition and idolatrie Hee vseth the plurall number to shew that it was a vice common among all estates which had ouerflowed euery where as if he should say I see very well what will come to passe you shall be in great danger for those which remaine amongst you will indeuour to turne you aside from the true God because themselues being wicked will also desire to haue you become like them There withall he sheweth how wickedly they were reuolted from the law and couenant of God in that they were not ashamed to solicite others to seeke vnto Sorcerers and Enchanters whose verie names ought to haue been abominable and accursed vnto them A people Some reade this altogether in the person of the wicked as if vnder pretence hereof they would deceiue the simple to wit that there is no nation whatsoeuet without oracles reuelations but euery one asketh counsell at his gods or at least of the Magicians and Soothsayers Yet notwithstanding mee thinks the opinion of others is more sound who thinke that Isaiah teacheth his disciples how they should answere if so be any should solicite them to idolatrie And yet this doth not sufficiently open the meaning of this place for commonly it is expounded as if it were a comparison from the lesse to the greater What doe the Gentiles aske counsell at their gods which notwithstanding are falsly so called and shall wee not make more account of him whom wee know to be the true God especially seeing he hath manifested himselfe so to be vnto vs and that by so infinite testimonies Is it not a foule shame that the heathen should make more reckoning of their gods then we doe of our God But I rather expound this of the Iewes themselues who are called People by way of excellencie because they were adopted of God Neither is it materiall that the Prophet vseth the word Elohim Gods in the plural number for the same word is taken in the like sense in the singular This text is a buckler wherewith we ought to beate backe all those superstitions which glide so smoothly thorowout the world And if others doubt and stand in a mammering whether they should aske counsell at dead Idols or at Saints departed yet let vs alwaies haue this answere readie at hand That wee ought to aske counsell of God onely Now the Prophet alludes to the place in Deuteronomie where the the Lord forbids that they should goe to Enchanters or Sorcerers Deut. 18.10 And lest they should alleadge the examples of the heathen who had their Soothsayers and expounders of dreames and obserued the flying of the fowles hee addes in 15. verse that they should not want a Prophet neither should they be left destitute of necessarie doctrine It was the will and pleasure of God then that they should wholly depend vpon his word and onely learne from thence whatsoeuer was expedient for them to know and so to yeeld him loyal obedience As touching that which followes from the liuing to the dead some expound it otherwise and interpret for in stead of from and then the sense is this Will yee aske counsell at the dead for the matters of the liuing But in regard this sense is constrained it should bee more proper it may bee to expound it thus The Lord will be our master and for this end hath ordained his Prophets that wee should learne his will of them for the Prophet is the mouth of the Lord. It is not lawfull then to goe vnto the dead to whom this office was not giuen and adde hereunto also that the Lord mindes not to vse the seruice of the dead to teach vs. But yet when I haue well considered the text somewhat more narrowly I had rather translate the Hebrew word Bead From to wit frō the liuing to the dead as if he should say that one onely God ought to suffice vs as well for the liuing as for the dead Whether thou considerest the heauen the earth or the lowest parts thereof thou shalt finde that one God onely sufficeth vs. Me thinks this sense is most proper and easie The Prophet then armes the faithfull against the deuises and plots of the wicked which otherwise might haue caused them to reuolt to the end they might content themselues to haue God onely for their Master and that they should not doe him that iniurie as in forsaking his doctrine to giue themselues to other teachers but rather casting off all other things they should onely depend vpon the truth the which hee repeates and confirmes immediately Vers 20. To the Law and to the Testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them THis place is diuersly expounded For some take it to be a forme of an oath as if the Prophet should Sweare by the law that those were apostataes which drew others to the like apostasie with them But I take it otherwise namely that we are rather brought to the Law and to the Testimonie because the particle Lamed shewes that this is the true sense The Testimony is conioyned with the Law not as if they were diuers things but for the plainer vnderstanding As if hee should say To the Law which containes the Testimonie of Gods will toward you Lastly we must take the word Testimony for an
he vtters a vehement speech in turning himselfe to the Patriarke and God in speaking to him that was dead testifies to the liuing that that which he had long ago promised to wit that the posteritie of Abraham which should be innumerable as the sand of the sea Gen. 13.16 22.17.28.14 should not stretch it selfe to a confused multitude who had cast off all true godlines but that there should be an inteâ—ruption in this degenerate people till that a little while after they should be renued He addes also another consolation to wit that this little handfull shall abound in iustice For we are in danger to be out of heart and to doubt of the mercie of God when we see the Church of God oppressed with such grieuous calamities so as it seemes it must fall into ruin Those who are touched with true repentance know by experience that this is the heauiest temptation of al others It was needfull therefore that the hearts of the faithfull should be fortified against it that by considering the fruit which should come vnto them from this discomfiture they might feele their griefe asswaged which fruit was this that thereby the whole earth should be ouerspred with Iustice euen as a riuer that ouerfloweth He touched this point before when he said that this remnant should rest vpon the Lord their God in truth Vers 20. The word Iustice is diuersly expounded Some referre it to the preaching of the Gospell because the righteousnes of God is reuealed froÌ„ faith to faith by it as S. Paul saith Rom. 1.17 Now the Gospell was published throughout the whole world by the ministrie of the Apostles who were as a small remnant of the Iewes Others had rather to take it thus as if this Consumption were a testimonie or witnes of the iustice of God who did so grieuouslie chastise his people But I had rather expound it more generallie thus This Consumption shall suffice to fill the whole earth with Iustice Those which shall remaine be they neuer so few shal yet suffice notwithstanding to cause the riuers to run with iustice in such wise that the whole world shall be couered therewith Vers 23. For the Lord God of hostes will make a Consumption and shall place the bounds in the midst of the earth THis repetition doth againe pluck away the meanes from these proud contemners of God wherein they flattered themselues For it was a thing almost incredible that the Iewes should perish as it were in a moment Gen. 17.7 who had so many promises made them and with whom God had contracted a perpetuall couenant it also seemed to be repugnant to the nature of God which is immutable The Prophet threatneth then that the Lord is the author of this Consumption to the end he might beate downe the pride of the wicked who trusting in their present felicitie thought themselues out of all danger and being puffed vp with this vaine confidence laughed at all admonitions and warnings God saith he shall bring your land to a desert so as in the most florishing part thereof shall be seene a consumption most like vnto a wildernes For he takes the midst of the earth for the heart of it that is to say for the places most strong and best fortified Many thinke the word Consumption should be an adiectiue but I had rather affirme that it is a substantiue according to which sense it is taken in Daniel Dan. 9.24.27 Rom. 9.28 and in other places Saint Paul alledgeth this text but it is somewhat different in words from these of the Prophet in this place to wit according to the vulgar exposition which was then most receiued Now although the Apostle spake properlie faithfullie and according to the Prophets meaning yet the words which he reciteth being drawne from the Greeke interpretation haue occasioned many to erre from the true sense of the Prophet For in regard that the Greeke translator had turned it Logos that is to say The word many haue descanted vpon the Gospel and thereupon haue affirmed that the abolishing of the law is here signified because the Gospel puts an end to the figures and ceremonies and coÌ„sequeÌ„tlie that it is a word abbreuiated compendious wherby we are discharged of the yoke of the law vnder which the people sighed But this comes nothing neere the Prophets intention for he calles consumption heere a decreasing by meanes whereof the people shall be almost brought to ruin and thereunto tend both senses namely that of S. Paul and of the Greeke interpretation also For by Word they vnderstood that which the Hebrews expresse by the word Dauar And although the Prophet hath not the word Dauar yet notwithstanding that which he hath in the text signifies a thing determined that is to say a Consumption and both of them haue one and the same meaning To conclude the Apostle repeates that in this place which Isaiah said now touching the future consumption of the people and teacheth that this prophesie was chieflie accomplished in his time when as the Iewes for their vnthankfulnes were cut off from the kingdome of God some small remnant only reserued Vers 24. Therefore the Lord God of hostes saith My people which dwellest in mount Zion feare not Ashur Hee shall smite thee with the rod and shall lift vp his staffe vpon thee after the * Or example maner of Egypt HEe goes on with the former consolation which onely appertained to the faithfull who in very deed were then a small number For many gloried in the name of God and would be taken for his people but very few there were who shewed that by their practise which they professed in word He speakes not to all then indifferently but to those onely which stood in neede of consolation For seeing they were in danger to lose all their hope when they compared their condition with others and that the kingdome also was destroyed for this cause I say it was very expedient they should bee comforted And this distinction is to be noted for otherwise it had been absurd to haue directed speeches so diuers vnto persons of one condition He addes the reason of the consolation to wit that this discomfiture shall bee nothing else but as the lifting vp of the rod which shall be onely to chastise them and not to destroy them The letter Beth is a particle of similitude The word Derec signifies example I expound it then After the example of Egypt as if hee should say Although the Assyrian be cruell and by all meanes will seeke thy ruine yet he shall not kill but shall onely smite thee Hee alledgeth the example of Egypt then Exod. 1.14 12.31 the bondage whereof was very hard and yet not deadly For in the midst of perplexities and confusions the Prophets are wont to bring the people backe to the contemplation of this redemption whereby God deliuered his chosen people miraculously from the hand of this cruell tyrant
Gospell is called the sword of the Spirit dedicated for the killing of the sacrifices but the latter part of the verse requires another sense And yet notwithstanding if any bee minded to vse a distinction heere the smiting of the earth shall be referred as well to the elect as to the reprobate Heb. 4.12 because the Gospel is a two edged sword piercing into the inmost and darkest corners of the heart and discerning the thoughts and affections but it wounds one of them after one maner and the other sort after an other For in mortifying the vitious nature of the elect it kils their lusts that they may be a liuing sweet smelling sacrifice before God but it smiteth and killeth the reprobates outright because they rot in their perdition yea it is made vnto them the sauour of death vnto death as the Apostle speakes 2. Cor. 2.16 And I could easily grant that he speakes here of both effects in deed were it not that the vse of the Hebrew tongue doth contradict it because the Hebrues doe often repeate one and the same sentence in diuers words Now it followes by and by after that Christ is armed with the breath of the lips to slay the wicked withal vnlesse some wil say that Isaiah added this second member for amplifications sake And in very deed it is much more to slay then to smite only Seeing then it is the propertie of the Gospel to humble all men generallie it is a thing accidentall in the reprobate when he strikes them with a deadlie wound Thus the Prophet should conioine the speciall to the generall thereby shewing that the wicked fall vpon the sword of Christ vnto eternall destruction because they are not consecrated to be acceptable offrings How euer it be vndoubtedlie this last member ought to be whollie restrained and referred to the wicked and therefore it was added in as much as this efficacie appeareth not at the first in the preaching of the Gospell The wicked may for a time take pleasure in contemning the word of the Gospel but in the end the Gospel shal smite them thorow vnto endlesse perdition and contrariwise many despise and â—est at it holding whatsoeuer Iesus Christ hath said in his word to be no better then a fable But howsoeuer they feele not his power by and by yet can they not escape it but at the last they shall be smitten to death therewith And yet it seemes the Prophets meaning should not be sufficientlie explaned because he not only speakes heere of the inward feeling wherewithall the wicked are touched whether they will or no but also euen of that impietie it selfe which shall be scattered and abolished by the vertue and efficacie of this scepter as the Apostle Saint Paul expoundeth it in the 2. Thess 2.3 who questionles had respect vnto this place when he spake of the ruine of Antichrist and in that place he opens vnto vs the meaning of the Prophet He shewes then that Iesus Christ shall neuer be without enemies which shall indeuor to ouerthrow his kingdome to abolish or stop the free passage of his Gospell otherwise the Prophet had said this without cause but Iesus Christ shall destroy them by the sound of his word as well euery one of them in particular as all of them in generall with their head and Captaine also Thus S. Paul sets before vs a double vse of this doctrine in an other place requiring this of a Pastor that he be not only fit to teach but also that he conuince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 For the Pastor ought not only to feede the flock but also to keepe and maintaine it against all harmes Christ performes all these things and therefore he is furnished with force of armes fit and necessarie to surmount the lies of Satan the crueltie of tyrants and all sorts of enemies It hereby appeares False doctrines can no otherwise be put to flight but by the power of the Gospel preached that false doctrines can not otherwise be abolished but by the Gospel for the Magistrate shall vse the sword in vaine which yet must be vsed notwithstanding to represse false teachers and false prophets all this I say will serue to no purpose vnlesse the sword of Gods word be first walking which we ought diligentlie to obserue against the Papists who being destitute of the word of God haue their refuge to new weapons by meanes wherof they thinke to make their partie the strongest And which is worse they are so impudent to brag that heretikes can not be ouercome by the word although both the Prophet and the Apostle Paul also establisheth none other meanes but it When the Prophet saith by the spirit of the lips we must not restraine it to the person of Christ only For this is to be referred to the word which is preached by the ministers of it because Christ works so in them that his will in their mouth should be reputed his mouth and their lipâ— as his owne lips Luk. 10 1â— that is to say when they speake by his mouth and preach his word faithfully On the other side the Prophet sends vs not heere to secret reuelations that Christ might reigne in vs but he openlie extols the outward preaching of the word and teacheth that the Gospel preached and sounded forth is a royall scepter in the hand of Christ otherwise he had vnfitlie made mention of the mouth and of the lips Whence it followeth that all those which reiect the outward preaching of the Gospel do as much as in them is to shake off or at thâ— least would pluck from Christ the scepter which he holds in his hand not that the efficacie whereof the Prophet speakes depends vpon the voice of men but in regard that Christ himselfe works by his ministers who will not haue their labour to become vaine or vnprofitable but that they should bring in the elect vnder his obedience and kill the reprobates as S. Paul glories in a certaine place that he hath vengeance readie against all vnbeleeuers and rebels 2. Cor. 10.6 Heere we must againe remember what is the nature of the kingdome of Christ The nature of Christes kingdome for as he hath neither crowne vpon his head nor yet materiall armor vpon his back no more doth he rule in the world by force of armes neither gets he himselfe authoritie by shewes and great preparations nor yet brings he his people to his obedience either by feare or constraint but the doctrine of the Gospel is his kinglie banner vnder which he assembleth the faithfull to his seruice Wherefore in what place soeuer the doctrine of the Gospel is preached Notâ— there it is certain the Sonne of God reignes but where it is reiected there is his rule and dominion abolished by the same meanes Whence it appeares how ridiculous the bragging of the Papists is when they say that the Church is amongst them only when as yet in the meane while they
signe which God shall giue them but at his expresse commandement euen as if I should call one to come vnto mee and hee should forthwith follow me He shewes then that Babylon shall be destroyed by the Medes and Persians no otherwise then if they should yeelde obedience to the call of God For although their ambition pride and crueltie was the motiue touching themselues which prouoked them to the warre yet God fitted them thereunto without their priuitie that they might bee the executioners of his iudgement Vers 4. The noise of a multitude in the mountaines like a great people a tumultuous voice of the Kingdomes of the Nations gathered together the Lord of hostes numbreth the host of the battel HE now addes a more liuely description by which he sets the things themselues as it were before their sight because the Prophets contented not to speake only vnlesse therewithall they did euen plainely represent the things wherof they spake for words barely and coldly pronounced after a common maner moue not so much neither doe they touch mens hearts so to the quick as fuguratiue speeches doe which represent the liuely image of things It is then as if the Prophet should say You now heare a man speake but know ye that this voice shall haue such great efficacie that by the very sound thereof nations shall be moued peoples shall make a noyse and a great sound for the great multitudes of them yea they shall cast forth fearefull cries and all to bring Babylon to ruin This cry then shall haue such force and that after my death as if that which I now threaten were presentlie before your eyes By this therefore we see of how great efficacie the word of God is when all creatures both in heauen in earth yeeld obedience vnto it So much the more then ought we to be confirmed in this doctrine seeing nothing came to passe which was not foretold long time before This is the reason why he affirmes in the latter end of the verse that God will assemble diuers nations together vnder his conduct and howsoeuer they shall haue no meaning at all to execute those correctiōs which he hath ordained yet shall they do nothing but by his appointmēt euen as if some Captaine amongst vs should muster or set his souldiers in array Vers 5. They come from a farre countrey from the end of heauen euen the Lord with the * Or vessels or instrumēts weapons of his wrath to destroy the whole land HE yet more fullie confirmes that which I said erewhile to wit that the preparations of warre come not out of the earth nor by hap hazard for albeit men by their lusts raise vp those troubles which are in the world yet God hath an ouerruling hand aboue them Isaiah therefore rightlie attributes the preheminence vnto him seeing men are nothing but the weapons of his wrath Now he saith that the destroyers of the Monarchie of Babylon shall come from a farre countrie the reason is because we seldome feare any dangers vnlesse those which be very neere vnto vs. Babylon was in such wise fortified and well compassed about with so many kingdomes and prouinces which were subiect vnto it that it seemed no enemies could euer so much as approch vnto it In a word she feared no dangers at all euen as if she had been compact together and built in the cloudes In as much then as there was no danger which threatned this citie any way round about it he therefore shewes that the destruction thereof shall come from farre For although all things may seeme quiet and peaceable in our conceit hauing no controuersies at all with our neighbours yet notwithstanding God is able to cause enemies to come from the vttermost part vnder heauen Wherefore we haue no occasion to promise a secure and prosperous estate vnto our selues although we should discerne no danger neere at hand to threaten vs. If this prophesie should haue been caried to Babylon no doubt but they would haue despised it as a meere fable For let it bee granted that they would haue had some respect of the Prophets person yet would they in this their proud confidence wherewithall they were possessed haue contemned these threatnings as vaine and friuolous An example whereof wee haue readie at hand for wee at this day speake of the Turke in our Sermons yet euery one thinks they be idle tales because we thinke they are very farre off notwithstanding wee see how much ground he hath gotten in a small time in ouerrunning those which were farre remote from him and were more mightie then he The sottishnes of men is so great that they can not be awakened vnlesse they be beaten vpon till they may feele the blowes Let vs therefore set the Babylonians before vs as an example to teach vs wisdome that so we may scare the threatnings which the Prophets denounce in their Sermons betimes lest we be ouertaken with the reprobates who trusting to their tranquillitie are so astonished when the hand of God appeares and smites them that they are vtterly vnable to stand but rather fall downe senselesse and amazed Whereas he puts the whole land for Babylon he hath respect to the largenesse of the kingdome that they might not thinke to preuent the assaults of the enemies by meanes of the prouinces wherewith they were inuironed on euery side yea notwithstanding that he shewes the calamitie shall be such that it shall not only come in one way vpon them but shall be as a deluge ouerspreading a great part of the world Moreouer the Medes and Persians are here called instruments or vessels of the wrath of the Lord in a contrarie sense to that which the reprobates are so called by S. Paul Rom. 9.22 For there the Apostle opposeth the vessels of wrath to the vessels of mercie and teacheth that the free grace of God shines in the elect and his iust and seuere iudgement in the reprobate But the Prophets meaning is that the Medes and Persians are as darts in Gods hand of whom he serues his turne to execute his wrath and vengeance Vers 6. Howle you for the day of the Lord is at hand it shall come as a destroyer from the * Or of the strong or destruction of the destroyer Almightie HE followes the matter still and commands the Babylonians to howle not that he directs his speech to them as if he were in hope that it should profit them but in shewing what effect it should haue hee intermingles this maner of speech with great vehemencie He speakes of the day of the Lord after the vsuall phrase of the scripture because that when the Lord deferres his iudgements it seemes he ceaseth from performing of his office euen as Iudges do when they go not vp into their Iudgement seates Let vs then obserue this language well the reason is Doctrine we would willinglie subiect the Lord to our fancies that so he might by and by pronounce
spoile of the enemies to fall vpon his elect Whence we may gather In wrath God alwayes remembers meâ—cie that his mercie will alwaies take place in the midst of his most fierce vengeance For he speakes here of the children of Abraham who albeit they were reuolted froÌ„ God and had made themselues vnworthie of their adoption yet did the goodnes of God ouercome their malice True it is they had deserued no such fauour but yet must the couenant of the Lord remaine sure and inuiolable so as the testimonie therof appeareth in this remnant although the people for their parts had abolished it whollie as much as lay in them Which we ought diligentlie to obserue that when we see no face of the Church at all The Church may seeme at sometime to be vtterlie wasted but God still reserues a small remnaÌ„t because of his promâ—se but that the faithfull seeme to be perished wee should not thinke it is therefore raced out because God is immutable who hath promised that it shall stand for euer Gen. 17.7 There shall euer be some remaine then although to outward appearance wee oftentimes behold the contrarie Vers 7. At that day shall a man looke to his maker and his eies shall looke to the holâ—e one of Israel NOw he sets forth the fruit of this chastisement The second consolation and this is the second consolation which should susteine the faithfull in their aduersities For howsoeuer they felt nothing but the wrath of God yet were they to thinke that the Lord who neuer forgets his owne would still preserue his Church for euer and withall that the corrections should be profitable to his children Hauing spoken then of the perpetuitie of the Church he also ads that afterwards men shall looke vnto God which is the most desirable good thing of all others For when we returne vnto God then the world which was laid wast before begins to be brought into his right frame againe Therefore when we are estranged from him because none of vs repents willinglie we can not be brought backe againe into the right way vnlesse he vse the spurre and corrections to driue vs forward Hereby then wee are admonished to beare our chastisements cheerefullie seeing God vseth theÌ„ as meanes to purge vs from a most deadlie apostasie For to looke vnto God God vsetâ— corrections as a speciall remedie to preserue vs froÌ„ apostacie is nothing else but hauing once turned out of the way to come into his fauor by turning againe vnto him and to put our selues vnder his protection What is the cause why men giue ouer themselues to all leaudnes Surely because they forget God What it is to turne vnto God Knowledge of God breeds reuerence forgetfulnes contempt For where the true knowledge of God is there is also reuerence of his Maiestie ioined with it and wheresoeuer forgetfulnes beareth sway there contempt must needs reigne Although this maner of speech appertaine properlie to faith as if he should say when the Israelites shall be once tamed by these sharp chastisements they shall then feele by experience that there is no succour but in God alone in which sense he presentlie addes the word maker Trulie it was a detestable senselesnes that they rested not vpon that God only who had indued them with so many excellent gifts The Prophet shewes then that they shall become wiser by being humbled vnder calamities and afflictions and shall beginne to hope in him who had bound them vnto him by so many benefits He calles God their maker not as in regard that he created all mankind but in the same sense that he calles him the holy one of Israel Although then that all meÌ„ be created according to Gods image yet Israel was properlie the worke of his hands Gen. 1.27 Exod. 19.6 because they were his holy inheritance and chosen people And this repetition is vsed to signifie the same thing according to the common custome of the Hebrue tongue He calles God holy not only because he is so in himselfe but also in regard of the effect for he sanctifies and chuseth to himselfe the children of Abraham whence it followes that the creation whereof he speakes ought to be referred to spirituall regeneration for so God is speciallie called the maker of Israel Vers 8. And he shall not looke to the Altars the workes of his owne hands neither shall hee looke to those things which his owne singers haue made as groues and images THis exposition declares more cleerely that this looking whereof he spake in the former verse is to be vnderstood properly of faith and hope For hee saith that all false trusts shall vanish when men begin once to hope in God for the very truth is no man beholds the Lord aright that forsakes not al his superstitions And therefore we are here taught to take away all impediments if we will haue accesse vnto God those therefore doe foully deceiue themselues who will ioyne him with idols as the Iewes once did and as the Papists now doe and note we also that this vice hath not reigned for a day or two in the world but alwaies Let vs theÌ„ vtterly abandoÌ„ all those obstacles that so resting ourselues vpon the only goodnesse of our God we may rightly and cleerely behold him and put our whole confidence in his mercy Now that hee might more plainely shew his detestation hee calles the false gods the worke of their hands that the Israelites being ashamed of their folly might put away and rid their hands of such a reprochfull imputation Now he spares no words in describing this sinne because they were principally defiled with it as indeed there is no wickednesse more abominable in Gods sight then it They had an infinite number of superstitions among them and had set vp idols and altars in innumerable places so as Isaiah had iust occasion to reprooue and presse this sinne home vpon them Obiect But it may bee obiected that the Altar of Ierusalem was also erected by men why should they not reiect that as wel as the rest to come vnto God Ans I answere this Altar differed very much from other Altars for albeit it were composed of lime and stone and decked with gold and siluer and made with mens hands as others were yet ought they not to respect either the matter or workmanship but God himselfe which was the author of it at whose commandement this Altar was set vp And therefore the essentiall forme as you would say which it had receiued by the word of God must be considered and none account to be made of the rest because God himselfe was the master builder of it As for other Altars howsoeuer they somewhat resembled that at Ierusalem yet were they detestable because they had receiued no authority from Gods word And the like reckoning may we make of all the inuentions of mans braine let them haue what goodly appearance soeuer of holinesse you will God
reason of that lawlesnesse which is in them For as much as the Iewes then had proudly giuen vp themselues to all dissolutenesse of life he sets Gods iust iudgement before them for ioy is then iustly cut off from vs When ioy is iustly cut off from vs. when we know not how to entertaine the benefits of God with thankfulnesse nor know not how to reioyce in him Hee is inforced then to take our delights and pleasures from vs and then to compell vs to mourne and sigh Vers 12. In the citie is left desolation and the gate is smitten with destruction BY an elegant manner of speech hee describeth the destruction of Ierusalē or of many other Cities together The beautie and perfection of Cities The beautie of Cities consists in the multitude of inhabitants they are therefore called deserts when none are left to dwell in them Now the Prophet tauntingly saith that destruction shall dwell in the Citie True it is that some translate the word Shammah Desolation but both the words come all to one sense He makes mention of the gates because a man might perceiue by them whether the Citie were full of people or no for thither they all came and there iustice was administred First then he speakes of the whole Citie in generall and then notes one particular for amplifications sake for albeit Cities be destitute of inhabitants yet some may bee seene at the gates but if they be emptie the desolation must needes be great thorowout the Citie Vers 13 Surely thus shall it bee in the middest of the earth among the people as the shaking of an Oliue tree Chap. 17.6 and as the grapes when the vintage is ended IN as much as this sentence comes in betweene the threathings and the consolation it seemes hee should onely speake to the elect and not to all the people indifferently vnlesse we will say that he describes that scattering whereby the Iewes were diuided as it were into many nations But because this should be too strict and harsh I expound it simplie that some hope is left to the other forelorne nations God in wrath remembers mercie And trulie this prophesie doth indeede properlie belong to Christ through whom it is no maruel if the Gentiles haue some part of the promise of saluation The Prophet hath alreadie vsed this similitude Chapter 17.6 but there he only mentioned the church of the Iewes telling them that a small remnant should still remaine of the holy seed lest the faithfull might thinke the Church vtterlie rooted out For as when an oliue tree is shaken there will alwaies be some left heere and there and likewise grapes vpon the vine so should there remaine an after gathering as it were of the faithfull in that great destruction wherewith the Church should be oppressed But in this place he extends this promise vnto other parts of the world according as they should partake in the same grace by the meanes of Christ Yet he therewithall addes a menace or threatning as if he should say the earth shall be left bare of her Inhabitants euen as trees and vines are of their fruit Vers 14. They shall lift vp their voice they shall shout for the magnificence of the Lord they shall reioyce from the sea HE now goes on and amplifies the consolation which he touched before for as he said in the tenth Chapter vers 22. that of this great multitude there should remaine a little handfull which should couer the whole earth so now he shewes that this small number of the faithfull which shall be left of this great vintage shall reioyce notwithstanding and sound the same so loude that it should be heard vnto the furthest regions This is done by the preaching of the Gospell for as touching the estate of Iudea it seemed to be ouerthrowne in regard that the politique gouernment was abolished warres without and seditions within had so wasted it that it was vnpossible euer to be recouered The rest of the world also was no lesse dumb in vttring these praises of God then deafe in hearing the sound thereof Now because the Iewes were the first fruits of the beleeuers I willingly grant that they be placed in the first rank A Consolation fitting the times of the Churches desolation Hence we gather a singular Consolation to wit that the Lord in a moment can restore his Church vnto a most florishing estate yea and create it of nothing for out of death he drawes life euen as often as it pleaseth him But is it not a wonder and aboue the order of nature that so small a remnant in lifting vp their voyce See vers 16. should be heard so farre off for where few are there is silence and great noise is wont to be where great multitudes are gathered together This then is the worke of God which farre surmounts nature and whatsoeuer facultie else is in man otherwise it seemes the Prophet should contradict himselfe to wit that all Iudea should be wasted and all the world brought to nothing and yet that their crie should be heard euery where This in it selfe is incredible or rather ridiculous if we measure the thing by carnall sense it is therefore as we haue said to be ascribed whollie to the admirable power and worke of God By their crie he not only meanes the voyce of gladnes which is expressed by mirth and reioycing Faith the ground of true ioy but he also comprehends vnder it trust and confidence because they shall freelie boldlie and with a loud voyce publish the praises of the Lord. Now herewithall he admonisheth the faithfull that it is their dutie to cause Gods graces in them to be magnified and not their owne By the Sea Gods mercies must not be concealed it is well enough knowne that the Iewes meane the regions farre off which lie beyond the same Vers 15. Wherefore prayse ye the Lord in the valleys euen the name of the Lord God of Israel in the yles of the sea GOds benefits ought to prouoke vs to giue him thanks which we then testifie when we vtter forth his prayses What thanks shall I render vnto the Lord saith Dauid Psal 116. for all the benefits he hath bestowed vpon me I will euen take the cup of thanksgiuing for his saluation and call vpon his name This order the Prophet keeps in this place for hauing spoken of the restauration of the Church he forthwith exhorts vs to offer the sacrifice of prayse By the valleys he meanes those Countries that are scattered and diuided as it were from the rest for those which are inuironed with mountaines are distinct and seuerall naturallie Thence it is that the inhabitants of the valleys are rude and barbarous because they seldome conuerse with others It is then as if the Prophet should haue said There is no corner of the world be it neuer so obscure and intangled but the praises of God shall be heard there He
hath expressed the God of Israel â—o signifie that all nations should call vpon the name of the true God For though all men haue a certaine knowledge of God and that some seede of religion be rooted in their hearts yet when the question is of worshipping the true God in a right maner it either vanisheth to nothing or else they easilie fall to Idolatrie and superstitions Now the Prophet heere speakes of the true religion which should be spread thorow the world whence yet againe it appeares that he prophesieth of the kingdome of Christ vnder whose reigne the sincere truth was reuealed to forreine and profane nations Vers 16. From the vttermost part of the earth we haue heard prayses euen glory to the iust And I said My leannee my leannesse woe is me the transgressors haue offended yea the transgressors haue grieuouslie offended THis verse containes two sentences which in apperance seeme to crosse one another for the first conteines a ioyfull argument of Gods praises presently he breaks out into lamentations wherein he bewailes the disloyall behauiour of the wicked who made shipwracke of all religion and godlinesse As touching the praises of God wee haue alreadie said that hee can neither bee praised nor called vpon till hee haue made himselfe knowne vnto vs by giuing vs some taste of his goodnesse whereby we may conceiue good hope and assurance of saluation From thence come these sentences of Dauid Lord Psal 6.6 who shall praise thee in the graue In death who shall confesse thee For as long as we onely feele the wrath of God we cannot vtter his praises and therefore when the Prophet saith they shall be heard he giues vs to vnderstand that the Gospell shall be published thorowout the world to the end men may acknowledge God for their Father and wholly giue ouer themselues to set forth his praises It is to be noted that he saith from the ends of the earth because the praises of God were then bounded within Iudea and were not heard farre off but afterward they sounded euerie where When he addes glorie to the iust some take it as belonging to the person of all the faithfull in generall as if the meaning were that God shall be glorified beccause of his iustice Others reade it together thus We haue heard glory giuen to the iust God Those who thinke the Heralds of these praises are called iust doe gather a good sense but they consider not the word glorie or at the least they are constrained to put the word Reioycing in the stead of it Whereas he puts the verbe we haue heard in the preter-perfect tence and not in the future I make no doubt but he meant to reuiue the hearts of the faithful by this consolation to wit We shall againe heare the praises of God for it imports more then if he had said The praises of God shall be heard He also speakes in the first person that hee might comprehend the whole body of the Church and so drawes the faithfull to a more diligent attention We often finde the epithite Iust in the Scripture which he here applies vnto God but it belongs vnto him after another sort then it doth vnto men who are called iust in regard of that righteousnesse which is communicated vnto them for God is called iust by the effects because he is the fountaine of it Let vs now see then the substance of this congratulation and thanksgiuing Where the imputation of Christs righteousnes is felt there must the praises of God needes sound forth to wit we praise this iust God because we haue life and saluation by the imputation of this iustice vnto vs. Where the iustice of God is felt then there must praises and thankes needes follow But how incredible did these things seeme when the Prophet foretold them for the Lord was only knowne and praised in Iudea Their destruction is denounced and then followes the publishing of Gods word and praises which should sound thorowout the world Now how could these things come to passe when the people of God were destroyed Surely we may well conclude that few at that time belieued these prophecies But now that these things are come to passe is it not our duties to admire so great a miracle The Iewes were not onely scattered but almost brought to nothing yet notwithstanding one small sparkle hath been sufficient to giue light to the whole world so as whosoeuer hath been truely inlightened therewith hath made bold and constant profession of the trueth My bowels This place is diuersly expounded for some translate the word Razi Secret others translate Leannesse Those who turne it Secret thinke the Prophet meant that a double secret was reuealed to him to wit that the Lord was purposed to reward the good and to be auenged on the wicked For whilest men looke to the outward appearance and see the wicked haue all they can wish and the godly ouerwhelmed with miseries they are troubled and doubt in themselues whether the matters of this present life are gouerned by the hand of God or whether all things are guided by Fortune But such thoughts are nothing but the seedes of impietie as Salomon shewes Eccles 8.11 This therefore made the Psalmist enter in the sanctuarie of God to consider of this thing rather then to consult with flesh and blood about it Psal 73.17 Now if we follow this interpretation the sense will bee Although the iust seeme to haue lost all their labour yet this secret doe I retaine in my breast that it shal be well with them notwithstanding in the latter end and albeit the wicked thinke to escape yet am I assured they shall not goe scotfree But in regard this subtiltie seemes farre fetched I had rather expound it more simply and seeing the particle of expressing anguish is also by and by added who should let me to thinke but that Isaiah speakes here of the iust or of their reward Others expound it Leannesse as if hee should say I languish and am euen dried vp with sorrow for as the prosperitie and florishing estate of the people did as it were batton him so their miserable and wofull estate was his leannesse For the Prophet here sustaines represents the person of the whole stocke of the Iewes and because the Lord had cut it off hee had iust cause to bewaile the leannesse of it This interpretation hath some probabilitie as I haue said because Isaiah had good cause to lament the diminishing of his people which he saw was at hand And wee know that when the grace of God beganne to be published in all places then the Iewes decreased yea the successors of Abraham were as good as extinguished But let vs see whether the Prophet hath not a further drift then to the reiection of his owne nation so as he rather bewailes the inward euils wherewith he foresaw the Church should be afflicted For we may well affirme that the Hebrew word which others haue
of slaughter They thinke then that the Gentiles are called to the banquet the Iewes being made their pray as if the Lord should say I haue prepared a goodly banquet for the Gentiles to wit the Romans shall sacke and spoile the Iewes But as I thinke this sense cannot stand neither shall there neede any long refutation when I shall haue acquainted you with the true meaning Others expound it as if Isaiah should speake of Gods wrath thus The Lord will make a feast to all people he will make them drinke the cup of his wrath till they be drunken therewith But the Prophet meant nothing lesse for he goes on still to set forth the grace of God which should be manifested at the comming of Christ Vsing the verie same similitude with that in the 22. Psalme vers 26. where Dauid describes the Kingdome of Christ saying that the poore as well as the rich shall partake of this banquet and shall eate their fill by which hee signifies that no nation shall be exempt from hauing part in this benefit At the first The Iewes were first feasted alone it seemed that the Lord onely feasted the Iewes because they alone were his adopted people and entertained at this banquet as those of his owne houshold but now he accepts of the Gentiles also But now the Gentiles are partakers thereof with them and sheds forth his graces vpon all nations There is here then a close opposition when he saith to all people for formerlie he was knowne but to one nation The feast of fat things is to be vnderstood of fat beasts Some translate the word Shemanim lees or dregs but very improperlie for by this word he meanes old wines which we commonlie call old store which are better then ordinarie but speciallie in the East where they beare their age best He calles the liquors wherein no lees appeere neate and fined wines To be short it appeares sufficientlie that neither Iewes nor Gentiles are threatned in this place but that both of them rather are inuited to a goodly banket This may the better be vnderstood by the words of Christ himselfe where he compares the kingdome of heauen to a Mariage feast which the King prepared for his sonne Math. 22.2 vnto which all were indifferentlie called because they which were bidden before would not come For mine owne part I make no question but Isaiah speakes here of the preaching of the Gospell Therefore in as much as the doctrine thereof came from the mountaine of Zion he saith that all nations shall come to feast there for when God offred the heauenly food wherewith mens soules are fed vnto all the world it was as if he had erected a table for all commers The Lord now dayly inuiteth vs to fill and inrich our soules with all good things and to that end he raiseth vp faithfull teachers by whose ministrie he prepares his dainties for vs and withall giues force and power to his word that we might be replenished and satisfied As touching the word Mountaine albeit Gods messengers come not from Mount Zion to giue vs food yet by this word we are to vnderstand the Church out of which none can partake of these benefits for such dainties are not to be found in the streets nor hie waies this table is not spread euery where neither doth euery place afford vs this banket The Church is the place then where we must come to keepe this feast Now the Prophet notes this mountaine especiallie in regard God was there worshipped no where else yea both these reuelations as also the Gospell came from thence Whereas he saith this banket shall be sumptuous and royallie furnished it appertaines to the praise of the doctrine of the Gospell for it is a spirituall food to nourish and refresh our soules yea so wholesome and excellent that we neede seeke no further Vers 7. And he will destroy in this mountaine the couering that couereth all people and the vaile that is spread ouer all nations THe interpreters also varie vpō this place for some by the word couering vnderstand the shame wherewith the faithfull are so couered in this world that the glorie of God seemes not to shine in them as if he should say Albeit the faithfull be ouerwhelmed with many disgraces yet the Lord will deliuer them from them all and make their estate glorious I let passe other expositions but the true meaning as I thinke is that the Lord here promiseth to take away that vaile which held them in ignorance and blindnes These obscurities then were scattered and driuen away by the light of the Gospel The light of the Gospell scatters the darknes of ignorance Now he saith that this shall be done in the mountaine of Zion whence the light of the word in very deede shined thorowout the world as wee haue seene heretofore Chap. 2.3 This text then must be referred to the kingdome of Christ Mal. 4.2 Christ the Sunne of righteousnes for the light shined not vpon all men till Christ the sunne of righteousnes arose who tooke away all vailes couerings and wrappings Here we haue then another commendation or praise of the Gospell to wit that all darknes shall be dispersed by the light thereof yea and all vailes of error shall be taken from our eyes Whence it followes that we are enwrapped and blinded with darknes of ignorance till we be inlightened with the doctrine of the Gospell We remaine in darknes and in the shadow of death till the light of the Gospell shines vpon vs. which only is of force to giue both light and life and perfectlie to frame vs new This place also confirmes the calling of vs Gentiles for the Iewes are not only bidden to this banquet but all nations who before were ouerwhelmed as it were in all maner of errors and superstitions Vers 8. He will destroy death for euer and the Lord will wipe away the teares from all faces and the rebuke of his people will he take away out of the earth for the Lord hath spoken it THe Prophet goes on still with the matter in hand for in summe he promiseth that there shal be perfect felicitie vnder the kingdome of Christ And the better to expresse it he vseth many figures very fitting and agreeable for his present purpose Wherein true happines consists True felicitie stands not in earthlie nor transitorie things but in that which can not be taken from vs by death for in the chiefest delights the pleasure thereof is much diminished because they can not last always He ioines two things together then which make happines full and compleate first that a man may liue euer for it is a miserable thing for them to die which otherwise were once happie for a time secondly that this life be ioined with ioy for without that death seemes better then a life full of trouble calamities Further he ads that all rebuke being taken away this life
these heauenlie graces flow as S. Paul teacheth vs Ephes 1.3 Seeing therefore we now enioy these benefits whereof we haue been so long depriued let vs blush for shame that with our tongues we haue not rendred vnto Christ that glorie which is due vnto him also that we haue neglected to applie the vnderstanding which he hath giuen vs to the aduancement of his kingdome and to the furtherance of his seruice for by neglecting these things we haue manifested to all the world that his kingdome hath no place in vs. To conclude for as much as fooles are wont to be rash and headie therefore the Hebrues take hastines for follie for wise men are commonlie warie and slow in that they take in hand Vers 5. A niggard shall no more be called liberall nor the churle rich THe Prophets meaning is that all things shall be brought into their order that men should not esteeme vices vertues as they did in times past For where gouernment is confused the couetous reigne as Lords because men vsuallie iudge of vertue by power and riches Let a poore man be neuer so honest religious yea and liberall according to his abilitie yet he is generallie despised of all In an ill gouerned Common-wealth therfore all things are out of frame but the contrarie easily discouers all such iuglings For let vertue once be in request vice will forthwith be brought to light The godly also haue greater libertie to represse the pride of such as before trode all iustice and equitie vnder foote Besides in regard the Prophet speakes here touching the state and reformation of the Church the gouernment whereof is spirituall we must yet raise vp our minds a little higher that wee may refer all this vnto Iesus Christ whose peculiar propertie it is to discouer the vices that are hid and to take away the vailes impediments which change the outward face of them by reason whereof they are for the most part praised no lesse then if they were vertues indeed This hee doth by the Gospell How so Through the preaching thereof he laies those wickednesses open which before were close and secret and makes them appeare in their owne likenesse so as none shall be beguiled by outward appearances vnlesse he will wittingly close vp his eyes Will yee see the reason then why the Gospell is so generally hated of the world No man would willingly haue his secret filthie thoughts and vile actions made manifest The Philosophers dispute very well in manie places touching couetousnesse and liberality and in some sort discouer the differences betweene them but they gage not the consciences to the bottome neither doe they truly distinguish betweene the one and the other This cannot bee done but by Christs light when hee shines by his Gospell discouering the inmost secrets of our hearts bringing vs to a spirituall and willing obedience We are here therefore called to the iudgement seate of Christ who onely vnmaskes hypocrisie causing vs to see whether we be truly liberall or niggardly Vers 6. But the niggard will speake of niggardnesse and his heart will worke iniquitie and doe wickedly and speake falsly against the Lord to make empty the hungry soule and to cause the drinke of the thirstie to faile WE may also translate The wicked will speake wickedly for the word Nebalah signifies all manner of villanie or wickednes which we commonly call a man of no worth We may also translate The foole will speake wickedly and thus there should be some allusion in the words Nabal and Nebalah but the sense would be diuers Notwithstanding because he vsed the verie same word in the former verse when he spake of lawlesse persons niggards I do the rather follow this interpretation I take the word Auen for impietie for he speakes of a continued liberty to doe euill as the sequell sufficiently shewes Why so Because hee directs his speech to such as plunge themselues into all manner of leaud behauiour being without touch of breast and as it were past feeling They iest out all admonitions and scorne both God and his messengers But Christ drawes euen such forth into the light and laies that open to the view of their consciences which before lurked in secret for to him it belongs to diuide with his two edged sword of the Gospell euen betweene the marrow and the bones Heb. 4. that euery thought may lie naked and bare before his iudgement seat Our Prophet then continues on the same matter which he began to handle in the former verses Others expound it otherwise yet not so properly as I thinke for they take it to be a prouerbiall speech and expound it in the present tence The villaine speakes of villanie But if I be not deceiued the Prophet points out vnto vs an higher matter to wit that Christ who is the Iudge of the world will ascend into his iudgement seat to manifest what is in the heart of euery one For as long as he forbeares to execute the office of a Iudge all things run out of course wicked men are applauded because they carry a faire shew of vertue and the godly are counted as the of-skowring of the world But Christ will bring euery mans doings to the touchstone that sow wickednesse which before caried some colour of vertue might be discouered For which cause it is said hee hath his fan in his hand to separate the good corne from the chaffe This fan is the Gospell whereby God as a iust Iudge Mat. 3. puts the wicked as it were vpon a racke and maugre their teeth makes them to vtter their inmost thoughts Wee haue good proofe of this againe and againe The Gospell hath broght popish iuglings to light whilest wee discouer that grosse idolatry which was so masked vnder the papacie that men tooke it for Gods true worship Oh how wonderfully were the poore people wrapped in superstitions Who would euer haue thought that there had lien such horrible monsters in those times of darknesse within the hearts of men such as they are now manifested to be For the contempt of God so ouerflowed that some shewed themselues beasts rather then men But what doe the Papists Popish slanders They cry out as if we by our doctrine had let loose the bridle to men and had set open the doore to epicurisme so as it should be lawfull for any amongst vs without blushing to doe what he list But let them heare our Prophets answer who telles them that the truth of God being once brought to light vile persons will behaue themselues vilely and the wicked will then speake wickedly otherwise how should Christ be a spirituall Iudge if he did not manifest the secrets of the hearts and discouer the things that were most deeply hidden But besides the scoffes which the reprobates cast forth against God hee taxeth also their crueltie namely They make emptie the hungry soule Wherein the Prophet orderly recites the sinnes that are against the second
God apart from other nations seeing our enemies in fighting haue victorie from heauen and our God in the meane while succors not vs at all Neither is it to be doubted but the infidels also mocked these poore captiues as it appeares by other places That this calamitie then might not cause the Iewes to forget the true religion God riseth vp and saith that a greater wrong can not be done vnto him then if the faithfull being wrung by afflictions should therefore conforme themselues to the idolatries and superstitions of the Gentiles Thus then he confirmes them in the truth of his promises lest they should faint vnder the burthens which they were to susteine But the Prophet speakes not to the men of his time only as we haue said but to all their successors who were to vndergoe sharp assaults against the Idols of prophane nations vnder whom they were held captiues And in the second place they had enough to doe to shunne the euill examples and customes of those nations for it was exceeding difficult for them to continue constant being mingled among Idolaters and dayly beholding their corrupt maners To the end therefore that they might not be tainted with any vain conceit to wit that the affaires of the Idolaters prospered well in regard of the honour which they did to their Idols and false gods the Prophet I say preuents such an offence and saith that they vvere in no vvise to compare the gods of the Gentiles vvith the God vvhom they and their fathers vvorshipped for those gods were made with mens hands the matter of them being but gold siluer wood stone or such like but their God was the Creator of heauen and earth Great must the outrage be therefore against his Maiestie when the same shall be compared with things of nothing yea it is a dishonor in the highest degree if he be not exalted farre aboue the Angels or whatsoeuer is called God When S. Paul vseth this testimonie against Idolaters Acts 17.29 he peruerts not the true sense of the Prophets words but from thence hee rightlie gathers that it is a wicked thing to represent God by any similitude at all And our Prophet not only disswades the Iewes here from distrust but also therewithall condemnes the superstitions of the Gentiles shewing it to be a thing quite repugnant to the nature of God to be represented by any grauen Image And thus we see the Apostles doctrine sutes well with this place for the Prophet hauing prooued that Gods power is infinite seeing he is able to comprehend all things in his fill vers 12. at last he concludes To vvhom vvill ye liken me Make what Image you will it shall be nothing like me This is a very profitable doctrine and well worthie our obseruation for were there but this one text it were enough to refute all the inuentions wherewith the Papists are misled who permit it as lawfull to represent God by outward shapes and figures The Prophet holds it as a resolued truth that it is vnpossible to make an Image of corruptible matter that should any way be able to match with the glorie of God he vtterlie reiects the Idols themselues so farre is he off then from speaking of adoring them that he counts it euen an execrable and horrible sacrilege so much as to frame or carue them and to set them vp before God But the holy Scripture is full of such sentences Moses aduertiseth the people who were inclined to this vice You saw no similitude nor shape saith he in the mountaine only you heard a voice take heed therefore lest being corrupted you should make you any grauen Image Deut. 4.12.15 Wil we haue a right knowledge of God then Gods image is most liuely represented vnto vs in his word Let vs not frame him after our fantasies but seeke him out in his word where we shall find his Image represented vnto vs in most liuely colours Let vs content our selues with this knowledge and neuer enterprise any thing of our owne heads for other meanes as Idols Images and Idols teachers of lies and Images will neuer teach vs the truth but vanitie lies as Ieremiah very well saith Chap. 10.8 The stock is but a doctrine of vanitie And Abacuck Chap. 2.18 The grauen Image is a thing teaching lies Now whereas the Lord sometimes compares himselfe to a Lyon to a Beare a man or the like this is nothing to prooue the lawfull vse of Images as the Papists dreame A dâ—â—ame of the Papists refuted but such similitudes serue to set forth the goodnes lenitie anger or seueritie of God with other affections attributed vnto him which can not be manifested vnto vs but vnder similitudes of things familiarly knowne To conclude if it were lawfull to represent God by an Image we should then put no differeÌ„ce between him and the dunghill gods of the Gentiles and so the Prophets doctrine could not stand firme Vers 19. The workeman melteth an image or the goldsmith beateth it out in gold or the goldsmith maketh siluer plates 20. Doth not the poore chuse out a tree that will not rot for an oblation Hee seeketh also vnto him a cunning workman to prepare an image that shall not be moued BEcause publike consent in things is of great force and that it is by and by receiued for a law if a thing once please the multitude the Prophet heere fortifies the faithfull against such an error Here is therefore an occupation or preuention as they call it to wit the Iewes were to take heede how they stood amazed in seeing idolaters so carefull in their strife who should haue the gaudiest gods for if they did so they were in danger to bee seduced by them But therewithall he riseth vp in an holy indignation against the desperate follie of men who so boile in their superstitious imaginations that euery one will haue an idoll fit to please his owne humor He also shewes that no state or condition of men are free from this impietie but that the poore are as well guiltie thereof as the rich All are gone out of the way all are coâ—rupt Psal 14.3 for the rich they make them gods of gold and siluer the poore of such a tree as likes him best And thus he shewes that all sorts are carried away with an intollerable furie in desiring and seeking out some excellent thing for the seruice of their gods though the meanes to doe it withall faile them Men will haue gods forsooth that they may looke vpon The beginning of idolatry and handle Loe here the originall and fountain from whence idolatrie hath sprung For God is not neere vs in a puppet but by his word and by the power of his holy Spirit And howsoeuer in his Sacraments he represents vnto vs liuely images of his grace and spirituall benefits yet his onely drift therein is to lift vp our mindes by them to himselfe But our Prophet in the meane while derides
as they turne not an haires breadth from that path which God hath limited out vnto them Thus their wonderfull disposition shewes that God is the author and framer of them Can a man then open his eies but he shall be forced to behold the maiestie of God in the works which his hands haue wrought He bringeth out their armies by number Vnder the word armie he comprehends two things First a number in a maner infinit secondly the excellent disposing of them For a small number of men will not make an armie vnlesse there be many bands Moreouer we call not a troope of men gathered disorderly together an armie but that where there are Lieuetenants Sergants of the band Captaines Colonels and ohter leaders who are to bring their souldiers in a right aray Thus then the infinite numbers order and certaine courses and marchings of the starres doe very well deserue this name of an armie By the word number hee signifies that God hath this armie alwaies at a becke Souldiers you know loue to be wandring this way and that way and the Captaine cannot easilie get them by and by together though hee cause the trumpet to be sounded neither can hee forthwith put them in aray being assembled But it is far otherwise with God hee hath alwaies his souldiers at a becke yea by number that is to say he knowes the tale of them so as none absents himselfe He calles them all by their names This sentence is in so many wordes contained in Psal 147. Some expound it as if God knowes the number of the starres which to vs is vnknowne but Dauid and Isaiah both meant another thing to wit that God makes the stars to serue his turne at his pleasure as if one should call his seruant by his name to set him about some businesse and in the same sense it will be said hereafter Chap. 45.1 that the Lord called Cirus by name because he vsed him as his seruant to set his people at libertie In a word by this hee notes a great readinesse and obedience when he which is called by his name answers to it by and by Those who expound the member before going to wit that God knowes the number of the stars faile also in this that they thinke by the word greatnesse By the greatnesse hee hath giuen them names signifying their power office Others expound it that there is no starre which hath not his propertie and efficacie because the Lord hath giuen it them for euer Others ioine these words with the verbe shall call as if the Prophet should say The Lord is so mightie that all the starres vnderstand what he commands them But as I take it this sense agrees best to wit that God is so powerfull and mightie that hee no sooner commands anie thing but all the armies of heauen are pressed to obey him wherein we haue a singular testimonie of his greatnesse when so excellent creatures doe without difficultie subiect theÌ„selues vnto him and in receiuing his commandements witnes that they acknowledge him for their Lord and Creator The word none is by the Hebrewes applied not onely to men and women but to other creatures yea to those that are without reason as heretofore in Chap. 34.16 speaking of the birds which should inhabit stately houses he saith that none of these shall faile and the word Isch which is there the Prophet puts heere This place sets before vs the power of God and teacheth vs that there is no creature in heauen nor in earth but it depends vpon his will and good pleasure What is more absurd or vnreasonable therefore then to compare him with idols which are vainer then vanitie it selfe Vers 27. * Or Why wilt thou say or shouldest thou say Why saiest thou O Iaakob and speakest thou O Israel My way is hid from the Lord and my iudgement is passed ouer of my God NOw Isaiah complaines of the Iewes who being in a manner brought to the last cast turned their eies away from Gods promises which were the meanes of their comfort Or if you will haue it so he takes order for the time to come lest they should quaile vnder so many and so tedious afflictions as should befall them The words are in the future tence which may be resolued into the subiunctiue Wherefore shouldest thou say From the former sentence he well inferres that whatsoeuer should happen The coherence of his verse with the former the faithfull and elect people were to wait patiently vpon the Lord till he in due season should relieue them Now he reasons from the lesse to the greater The Prophet takes his argument from the lesse to the greater that seeing God alwaies holds his soueraigntie ouer all the parts of the world it is vnpossible that he should euer for sake his Church Notwithstanding it is very likely that the people in that time made many complaints and murmured against God as if hee had been carelesse of their saluation or as if he came not soone enough to succour them or else that he shut his eies as one that refused to behold them in their aduersities This vice he now goes about to correct for they thought the Lord had cast them off and so in afflictions we are also ready to thinke for we imagin that he hath reiected and giuen vs vp for a pray because he lets things in the world goe at six and seuen Iaakob and Israel By these names the Prophet puts them in mind of the Lords couenant confirmed vnto them by so many promises As if he should say Thinkest thou thou art not that people whom God hath chosen to himselfe Wherefore shouldest thou imagin that hee which cannot deceiue should contemne thy arguments or reasons For the word vvay is taken for their estate or reasons and hid is taken for contemned or vnknowne because if God withhold his help but a little wee straight way â—hinke that his prouidence reacheth not vnto vs. Some expound it otherwise to wit that the people are heere reproued because they thought to sinne without punishment and so they will haue this sentence like to that in Psal 14.1 The foole hath said in his heart there is no God But questionlesse this was the Prophets meaning Thinkest thou O Israel that God thinks not of thine affaires For hee contests against the peoples infidelitie and rebukes them sharply that hee might afterward raise them vp to hope and comfort shewing that it is vnpossible for the Lord not to regard and helpe those whom hee hath once taken into his tuition and sauegard The word iudgement which is by and by added confirmes this interpretation for we cry out for iudgement in the time of affliction when we be oppressed and wronged And it is said that God then takes our cause in hand When God is said to take our cause in hand when in taking knowledge of it hee defends and keepes vs as on the contrarie that he
Gods word Vers 28. But when I beheld there was none and when I inquired of them there was no counseller and when I demanded of them they answered not a word THe Lord hauing spoken of himselfe turns againe to the idols for in these Chapters you shall meete with these antitheses euerie where by which he opposeth himselfe against idols As if he should say I doe these things whereof I haue spoken but the idols can doe none of them because they are void of counsell wisdome and vnderstanding They can neither answer them that aske things of them nor mitigate their griefes Now in this comparison he shewes that hee can easily proue himselfe to be God First by the doctrine of the Prophet secondly by his works which are not to be found among idols Therefore it followes that they are no Gods and that we must rest our selues wholly vpon him that is the true God Besides mens eies are so dazeled with carelesnesse because they neither aske marke nor consider any thing they bewitch their owne hearts then by beholding idols and wittingly deceiue themselues for doubtlesse they should quickly perceiue the vanitie that is in them if they did warily obserue all circumstances Whence it is euident that Idolaters shall neuer bee able to excuse themselues by pretext of ignorance because they loued rather to bee blinded and to erre in darknesse then to see the light and imbrace the truth Vers 29. Behold they are all vanitie their worke is of nothing their images are wind and confusion HAuing condemned the Idols The Prophet proceedes from the confitting of Idols to tax such as honor them now hee saith as much of those that honour them As it is in Psal 115. They that make them are like vnto them and so are all they that put their trust in them He shewes then that the whole rabble of the superstitious sort are full of vanitie and haue neither wit nor discretion I grant it is hard to perswade them to it for pride which possesseth them so puffes them vp that they thinke themselues the onlie wise men of the world and those that follow not their traine the onely fooles and dizards that are in comparison of them Papists deride the Protestants The Romans contemned the Iewes How proudly doe the Papists and their subtile Doctors deride and scorne vs With what furie haue the Romans contemned the Iewes in times past What then Let not vs care for such a pride seeing God condemnes them all here of vanitie Their vvorke is of nothing He calles vvorks both the images which the superstitious forge to thēselues as also al the new found seruice wherein there is neither end nor measure when some one will bee the master and author of his owne religion These works hee calles things of nothing In the next place he proues it more plainly in calling them vvinde and Chaos that is to say confusion for so I expound the word Tohu it being so taken in Gen. 1.2 where Moses shewes that the earth was at the first without forme and a confused lumpe This place ought diligently to bee obserued against Idolaters for they thinke images were ordained to preserue and vphold religion and that mens mindes are stirred vp to deuotion by the sight of them as if God were there present they call them lay mens books Images lay mens books fit for such as are not capable of the doctrine of the Scriptures But the holy Ghost heere pronounceth that they are formelesse and confused things because they trouble and detaine mens mindes in superstition yea in such sort that all their light of wisdome and knowledge is choked and quenched by performing seruice to them To conclude hee teacheth that all images and the honor done vnto them not so only The Image and Image maker meere vanitie but those that make and follow them are nothing but meere vanitie and that wee may boldly so iudge of them THE XLII CHAPTER Vers 1. Behold my seruant I will stay vpon him mine elect in whom my soule delighteth he shal bring forth iudgement to the Gentiles IT seemes the Prophet breakes off his speech to speake of Iesus Christ but wee must call to mind what we haue said elsewhere to wit When the Prophets prophecie of any thing hard to be beleeued they forthwith mentiō Christ that it is vsuall with the Prophets in promising any thing hard to be beleeued forthwith to make mention of Christ because all the promises are confirmed in him which otherwise would be doubtfull and vncertaine All the promises are in Christ yea and Amen saith Paul 2. Cor. 2.20 For what acquaintance haue we with God What acquaintance haue we with God vnlesse Christ come betweene vnlesse this Mediator come betweene we are so far separated from his Maiestie that we can neither be partakers of saluation nor of any other benefit without Christ Now when the Lord promised any deliuerance to the Iewes his purpose therein was to lift vp their mindes far aboue the thing it selfe that so they might conceiue of better and greater things then their bodily libertie and returne into Iudeah These promises were but preparatiues to that great redemption accōplished by Christ For these things were onely as preparatiues to that great redemption which they at last obtained and which we now obtaine by Christ Iesus Yea that grace of God that shined in the returne of the people had been imperfect vnlesse he had euen then bin knowne to be the perpetuall gouernor of his Church We haue also told you before that the deliuerance out of Babylon comprehended in it the absolute and full restauration thereof It is no wonder then if the Prophets ioine this beginning of grace with Christs kingdome for they vse so to doe almost in all their sermons We must come to Christ then No helpe in God without Christ without whom there is no hearing nor helpe in God that is to say we can lay no claime to the right of being in the number of Gods children vnlesse we be grafted into that body of which hee is the head The very scope of the text therefore shewes that hee is spoken of in this place as of the head and first borne Why so Because the things heere mentioned cannot be attributed to any other then himselfe but if this reason will not suffice the Euangelists shall end the controuersie for vs. See Matth. 12.18 19 20 21. He calles Christ Gods seruant In what sense Christ is called Gods seruāt by way of excellencie for although this name belongs to all the faithfull because they are adopted for his children on condition that they sacrifice and consecrate themselues and their whole liues to his seruice and obedience yea albeit the faithfull teachers and all those who haue any publike charge in the Church be particularly called Gods seruants yet there is a speciall cause why this title agrees more properly vnto Christ then vnto
and those that trust in Idols was not in vaine Moreouer it is very certaine that by the two marks which he here expresseth Two marks to discerne Idolaters by all Idolaters are meant who fix their hope in any thing but in God For albeit they bow not before their Idols yet in attributing vnto them I know not what diuinitie they take that glorie from the only true God which to him belongs for the principall part of Gods seruice stands in faith and prayer both which the Prophet expresseth in this place But it may be demanded Quest whether they were so blockish as to say to a block Thou art my God For the most superstitious haue confessed that God was in heauen neither haue they bin so grosse as to attribute a diuine nature directly to wood or stone it seemes therefore that Isaiah makes them more sottish then they are Ans I answere that all Idolaters attribute that power to their Images which belongs to God All Idolaters attribute that to Idols which belongs to God albeit they acknowledge him to be in heauen for when they trot so fast after their puppets and Idols to whom they make and pay their vowes doe we not euidentlie perceiue that they giue that to them which only appertaines to God It is in vaine then that they labour to colour and cloake brutishnes for they make gods of wood and stone and in thus doing offer extreame violence to the Lord. The Prophet therefore hath not ouershot himselfe neither hath he framed a false accusation against Idolaters because their owne vvords doe sufficientlie testifie the same to their faces when they call their Idols and Images gods Yea let it be granted that they be not heard to pronounce any such words yet their madnes may easily be discerned in that they thinke God can neither heare nor help them vnlesse they prostrate themselues before a senselesse stock and mumble vp a certaine stint of prayers before it Now these things are thus vttered to let all know that none can be saued but he which shall trust in God only Vers 18. Heare yee deafe and yee blinde regard that yee may see HE takes blinde and deafe here in a contrarie sense to that in the sixteenth verse where by this similitude he noted out those who were so destitute of counsell and ouerwhelmed with the weight of afflictions that it depriued them of all sight For by blind Blind in this place he meanes such as did shut their eies against the cleare light and would take no knowledge of Gods works By deafe Deafe those that vvould not heare but rather delighted to lie snorting in the filthines of their ignorance He condemnes here therefore the blindnes of the Iewes or rather of all men as I take it A generall blindnes and deafnes gone ouer all men For although it be true that he reprocheth the Iewes to be blind euen in seeing and deafe whilest they heard yet this also doth in part belong to the Gentiles to whom he manifested himselfe by the creatures ingraued in their minds and consciences the knowledge of himselfe and to whom also he had and should make knowne his admirable works In that he calles for audience then he giues them to vnderstand that the only cause which hinders them from comprehending Gods truth and power is their owne deafnes and blindnes mixed with a malicious vnthankfulnes For he is not wanting in giuing them sufficient testimonies of his power neither is he negligent in teaching them familiarly enough but the fault is in themselues in that they applied not their hearts to instruction nor to meditate in his word no nor yet to behold his wonderfull works so as euery one wittingly shut their eies and therfore the Prophet shewes that all the fault rested in themselues if they saw not Gods power Vers 19. Who is blind but my seruant or deafe as my messenger that I sent who is blinde as the perfect and blinde as the Lords seruant ALl expositors almost doe expound this verse as if Isaiah mentioned the outrages which the wicked are wont to belch out against the Prophets For they cast the seruants of the Lord in the teeth with the things which they haue reproued and condemned which such companions as they can not indure As if they should say Who are they I pray thee whom thou accusest of blindnes The misinterpretation of this place and and who are they thou callest deafe Take it hardly to thy selfe We know none so blinde as thou art They thinke then that it is as much as if the Lord complained thus of the Iewes I see very well that you esteeme my Prophets for no better then blinde and deafe But we shall by and by see that this interpretation sutes nothing at all with the scope of the text for the Prophet shewes afterwards why he calles them blind to wit because they saw many things but kept them not Now this can not any way agree to the Prophets let vs therfore follow the pure and natiue sense Isaiah before condemned all men of blindnes but the Iewes especiallie because they inioyed those meanes whereby they might haue a clearer sight then any others The right interpretation for they had not only that glimmering which was cōmon to all nations but had also the word sounding in their eares by which the Lord fully manifested himselfe vnto them Though the whole world besides then was blind yet these should haue had eies to see and know the Lord in regard they had the doctrine as a burning lampe to giue light vnto them Besides hee speakes to these afterwards in the sixtie Chapter Rise vp Ierusalem and bee bright for the darknes shall couer the whole earth but the Lord shall giue thee light Because the Iewes then were blind in so cleere light therefore he taxeth them by this particular reprehension As if hee should say I striue but in vaine against those which are far off from mee neither doe I much maruell at their blindnesse but this is strange that such a thing should befall my seruants who haue the cleere light shining before their eies I am as one astonished to see them deafe who haue the word continually sounding in their eares The things I teach them are so plaine and euident that the very blind and deafe may in a manner vnderstand them but alas I speake to them in vaine for I thinke there is not a more brutish and sottish people to bee found To be short whereas they should haue had the quickest sense of hearing and seeing they were the worst of all Whom I sent Isaiah descends by degrees from all men in generall to the Iewes in particular then to the Priests which were the lights of the world as it were for it was their office to interpret the Law The Priests to walke before others in a good example of life and to shew vnto them the high way to heauen Their
certaine that wee shall feele by wofull experience that the miserie which befell these is common to all rebels Vers 25. Therefore hee hath powred vpon him his fierce wrath and the strength of the battell and set it on fire round about and hee knew not and it burned him vp * Or but he put it not vpon his heart yet hee considered not BEcause Gods chastisements which had begun to seize vpon them and were afterward to be finished in their captiuitie were very grieuous therefore the Prophet sets forth the vehemencie of them by these similitudes For he saith that the Lord will powre out his vvrath as if some thunder-clap should fall vpon their heads with great violence or as if the vvaters should ouerflow and make great breaches thorowout a whole Country as the waters gushed forth hastily in the deluge after the windowes of heauen were broken and that the bottels thereof were set open Gen. 6.11 In the next place he vseth an other figure saying that God will gather together his forces to fight vvith this people and to assaile them to the vtmost If any vnderstand this of the enemies which the Lord raised vp against the Iewes I gainsay him not for it is certaine that they came forth by Gods iust iudgement For what was Nebuchadnezzer but Gods rod Yet I rather thinke it should bee taken by way of similitude to wit that God entred by violence as an enemie armed and powred out his fierce vvrath vpon them Now he hath diuers means to fight against vs God hath diuers means to correct for hee corrects his people sometimes by plague sometimes by the sword sometimes by famin and therefore I thinke that in this similitude hee comprehends all sorts of afflictions wherewith the Lord smites his people And if wee thinke them now and then too sharpe We must set the vglie shape of our sins against the bitter taste of our afflictions let vs consider the vglinesse of our sinnes and we shall perceiue that they be not excessiue neither that he is too seuere and rigorous in punishing vs. And he knew it not He cries out againe against this grosse sottishnes wherewith the Iews were so possessed that they could no way feele their misery neither could they so much as lift vp their eies to heauen to acknowledge Gods hand which smote them But he put it not vpon his heart This phrase of speech signifies to consider of a thing seriously and diligently for if we thought vpon it and had it vvell grauen in our hearts that God is the Iudge and that hee iustlie chastiseth vs wee should forthwith repent The world at this day is pressed vnder manie calamities there is almost no corner thereof exempt from his wrath Gods iudgements abouÌ„d in euery place but no man layes â—heÌ„ to heart yet who knowes it or puts it vpon his heart Doe not all band themselues furiouslie against him with an vntamed rebellion it is no maruell then if he lay on loade and powre out his wrath on euery side vpon the mad world which desperately opposeth it selfe against him THE XLIII CHAPTER Vers 1. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee ô Iaakob and he that formed thee ô Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine WEE can not well tell whether this verse depends vpon the former or is separated from it For the Prophets whose writings are left vnto vs distinguished not their Sermons into certain Chapters so as we should be able to define of euery dayes Sermon Yet me thinks this doctrine is ioined to the former so as hauing shewed himselfâ— very angry against the Iewes euen to threaten their destruction he meant now to sweeten this sharpnes For the Lord hath euermore respect to the faithfull neither is impietie at any time so ouerspread but hee reserues a small remnant which hee keepes from falling into such extremities because he cares for their safetie and therefore the letter Vau should be resolued into a particle aduersatiue thus Yet will the Lord leaue some consolation to the faithfull which shall succeed This place therefore is to be well obserued How this verse depeÌ„ds vpon the former for albeit the whole world should conspire to roote vs out and that Gods wrath should burne on euery side about vs and that we were brought to deaths dore yet if there doe but two or three of the faithfull remaine we ought not to despaire seeing the Lord speakes thus vnto them Feare not The word now which the Prophet here vseth hath great weight for it signifies that the calamitie is present or very neere at hand In a word that it is the time wherin all things shall seeme desperate and forlorne yet euen then God will neither cease to comfort his elect nor sweetly to asswage their sorrowes that so in the greatest of their extremities they may haue a firme and an inuincible faith Hereunto appertaine these Titles of Creator and Former without which these prophesies would haue bin vtterlie vneffectuall Now we may gather from other places that the Lord speakes not here of that generall creation This creation must be applied to regeneration which is common to vs with other men when we are borne dead in trespasses and sinnes but of our regeneration into the hope of eternall life in which respect we are also called new creatures and in this sense S. Paul saith that we are Gods vvorkmanship Ephes 2.10 as we haue sufficientlie shewed heretofore In this sense he also calles himselfe the former as if he should say I haue not formed my Church in which my glory clearely shines to bring so excellent a worke to nought Whence we may obserue The Church hath nothing in her selfe to boast of that the Church hath nothing in her selfe whereof she can boast but of Gods grace to which all these gifts wherewith she is adorned ought to be attributed That which is added for I haue redeemed thee may be as well referred to the time to come as to that which was past for the first deliuerance out of Egypt gaue them hope of that which was to come but albeit he speakes of the future deliuerance from Babylons captiuitie yet the verb which is put in the time past sutes well in respect the Lord hath in his secret counsell alreadie redeemed vs before the effect thereof extends it selfe vnto vs. Minding therefore to testifie what he had decreed in himselfe to wit to deliuer his Church which seemed as good as forlorne he fitly vseth the time past saying I haue redeemed thee To call by name What it is to be the called of God signifies to receiue one into a neere band of familiaritie as when God adopts vs for his children What is the reason of this speech Surely the reprobates are so reiected of him that it seemes he forgets their names in which respect the Scripture saith that he knowes them
praise Although the Prophets meaning be as I haue said to shew that the people should be deliuered in regard it neerely concerned Gods glorie yet from this place we also learne The end of our election vocation that the end of our election is the setting forth of Gods glorie in all things I grant that the reprobates are instruments of this glorie but it shines in a farre diuers sort in vs for we are chosen as S. Paul saith that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Exod. 14.4 and 17.18 and he hath also predestinated vs to adopt vs in himselfe by Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glorie of his grace Election wherewith he hath freely accepted vs through his beloued Ephes 1.4.5.6 Hereunto appertaine the words of Peter where he saith We are a chosen generation and that vve should shew forth the vertues of him vvho hath called vs out of darknes Vocation into his maruelous light 1. Pet. 2.9 And Zacharie sings That we are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies to serue our God in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life Luk. 1.75 Here ye see the end then both of our election and calling which is that we being consecrated and set apart for Gods vse as it were wee might praise and honor him as long as wee haue any being in this world Vers 22. And thou hast not called vpon me ô Iacob but thou hast * rather wearied me ô Israel WIth this priuie rebuke he confirmes that which was said in the former verse God saues none for his merits sake to wit that the merits of the people had no way moued him to deale so graciouslie with them This deliuerance therefore was to be ascribed to his free goodnes For proofe The proofe hereof he saith Thou hast not called vpon me vnder which word he cōprehends the whole seruice of God This phrase Called vpon me expounded whereof prayer was a principall part And thus he takes a part for the whole according to the vsuall maner of the Hebrues Now the Lord manifests it sufficientlie in other places that Inuocation is a speciall part of his worship Prayer a speciall part of Gods worship for hauing said in the fiftieth Psalme that he reiects sacrifices and ceremonies he presentlie addes Call vpō me For this cause the Scripture mentions this exercise of prayer when it notes out the marks of Gods worship For Moses minding to shew that the same was againe restored saith that then men began to call vpon the name of the Lord Gen. 4.26 I take the particle Ci in the second part of this verse for a coniunction aduersatiue thus God require◠a willing obedience Psal 110.3 But thou hast rather wearied me Others translate For thou hast trauailed as if he should say Thou hast done that which I commanded thee vnwillingly which comes all to one For as the Lord requires obedience so would he haue his seruants to performe the same cheerfully and readily Hee loues a cheerfull giuer as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 9.7 but those that serue him by halues or by constrains cannot properly be called his seruants neither doth he accept of them nor of such seruices To shew then that the Iewes had not worshipped as they ought to haue done hee saith they did it vnwillinglie If any had rather haue it an exposition of the former member and so translate it thus Thou hast not called vpon me O Israel because thou hast yeelded me but a forced and constrained seruice I gainsay him not because the difference is not great as touching the sense Yet if it be taken as I haue translated it I thinke it is neerer to the Prophets meaning and the opposition containes also in it a rendring of the cause Will we haue our seruices acceptable vnto God then The vse let vs yeeld him a frank and willing obedience Vers 23. Thou hast not brought me the sheepe of thy burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured mee with thy sacrifices I haue not caused thee to serue with an offering nor wearied thee with incense SOme may demād why the Prophet should thus reproch the Iewes Obiect seeing it is apparent that they were very diligent in offering sacrifices according to the ordinances of the Law Some refer this to the captiuitie during which time they could offer no sacrifices though they had bin willing so to haue done Why so Because it was vnlawfull to offer them any where but in Ierusalem Ans for which respect their sacrifices could not be acceptable vnto God But I rather take it as a generall reproch for whilest the people had opportunitie to sacrifice yet they could alleadge no merit nor worthinesse as if God had been any way beholding vnto them for the same for there was neither faith nor obedience to bee seene in their sacrifices But faith God lookes rather to our faith and obedience then to our sacrifices as we know and obedience are things which God chiefly lookes vnto without which nothing we doe is or can be pleasing in his sight They wanted therefore integritie of heart their hands were full of blood they were wholly defiled with robberies and deceit iustice and equitie was banished far from them Albeit then that they brought their beasts euery day vnto the Temple and offered them there yet hee rightly affirmes that they offered none of these things to him because God accepts of no sacrifices which are separated from the truth and so offered them to another and not to him for all he required was that by these outward meanes his people should exercise their faith and obedience But these being wanting what worth was there in the sacrifices Hence wee gather that the Prophet speakes here of no new thing but continues that which hee began to teach in the former verse to wit that hee reiects all hollow and seruile seruices Vers 24. Thou boughtest me no sweet * Or caneh sauour with thy money neither hast thou made me drunke with the fat of thy sacrifices but thou hast made mee to serue with thy sinnes and wearied me with thine inquities BY the word Caneh he meanes that wherewith they made the precious ointment which was seldome vsed High Priests The Tabernacle The Arke The Instruments as is recorded in Exod. 30.25 For therewith were the high Priests the Tabernacle the Arke of the couenant with the instruments thereunto appertaining annointed Hee saith then Albeit thou shouldest lay forth thy money to buy me of that odoriferous ointment thou shalt but spend it in vaine if thou lookest that I should accept of it For all their labour was lost because they aimed not at the right marke God esteemed none of all these ceremonies as long as they were separated from faith and the vprightnesse of the heart and a pure conscience Where he
time freely added new benefits to the former He vvill help thee Others supplie the relatiue Ci as if he had said Thy helper notwithstanding it seemes best to reade it apart and the sense had bin clearer if we had read it in the first person I vvill help thee but the difference is not great The summe of the whole comes to this If God haue regenerated vs he will surely help vs. that he which is the Creator of the people will be readie to succor them when the appointed time is come In which regard it is free for euery one to rest in the exposition he thinks best yet I had rather follow the plaine and the lesse constrained sense without supplying any thing The word Ioshurun is diuerslie expounded for some would deriue it of Iaschar which signifies To be vpright or To please others deriue it otherwise but I agree rather with those who translate Beloued deriuing it from the verb aboue mentioned Moses also hath giuen this title to the Israelites in his song Deut. 32.15 for howsoeuer some translate the Hebrue word there vpright as in this place yet the old translation agrees best which reades it My beloued is waxed fat Now our Prophet adornes his people with this name to the end that by the remembrance of benefits past they might conceiue good hope for the time to come A generall and perpetuall rule For the faithfull are to hold this as a generall and perpetuall rule that by mercies formerlie receiued they ought to expect no lesse fauors for hereafter otherwise we should sauour too much of ingratitude and should shew our selues not to rest at all in the promises which if they were soundly and deeply imprinted in our hearts would worke a setled peace and tranquillitie of spirit not to make vs idle but to chase away al inordinate feares and distrust For which cause he once againe repeates Feare not ô Iaakob whereunto also belongs that consolation of Christ Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flock for my Father takes pleasure in you and will giue you the Kingdome And questionlesse among so many dangers which threaten vs with death on euery side there is no remedie more soueraigne to appease our feares then this sentence A soueraigne remedie to appease our feares namely that God vouchsafeth so farre forth to fauour vs that we shall be euerlastinglie saued by him By the word Beloued then he giues them the better to vnderstand that their saluation depends vpon the grace and good will of God who reserues and attributes whollie to himselfe all that which is found praise-worthie in his people Vers 3. For I will powre water vpon the thirstie and floods vpon the dry grouÌ„d I will powre my spirit vpon thy seed and my blessing on thy buds HE continues on the same argument In the forme verse he promised them help here he describes the meanes and therewithall shewes wherein this promised help shall stand We must still keepe in mind therefore that these prophesies are to be referred to those wofull and dolefull times whereof mention hath bin made before to wit when all things were confused the people forsaken and all the promises of God seeming as if they had been of none effect the Prophet therefore meets with these doubts and compares the people to a drie and thirstie ground which hath no moysture left in it which similitude Dauid vseth Psal 141.6 to set forth his miserie Now howsoeuer they were ouerwhelmed with sorrowes and had lost all vigor yet lest their hearts should faint within them in these extremities they were to set these and the like sweete sentences before them And wee also are to haue our recourse to such promises as oft as dangers beset vs on euery side The vse for vs. so as we can see nothing but present death ready to swallow vs vp quick and by this meanes shall we remaine more then conquerors But it is required that we be such as haue a sense and feeling of our thirst and pouertie that so our fainting and parched soules may cheerefullie receiue refreshing from these floods By the word spirit he tels vs what is signified by vvaters and floods The spirit is also called vvater in Ezech. 36.25 but in a diuers sense For when Ezechiel attributes the name of vvaters to the holy Spirit he calles them pure vvaters hauing respect to the purgations vnder the Lawe Isaiah will afterwards likewise call the holy Spirit vvater but in another respect to wit in that it giues streÌ„gth and vigor to fainting soules by his secret and inward power But here the Prophets words haue a further extent for he not only speakes of the spirit of regeneration but there is an allusion to that generall vertue which it sheds into all the creatures whereof the Psalmist speakes Psal 104.30 When thou sendest forth thy spirit they are created This word Spiriâ— here not only signifies the spirit of regeneration but that generall vertue which it sheds into all the creatures and thou renuest the face of the earth Now as Dauid there in the first place shewes that all the parts of the world are reuiued by that secret power which God breathes into them so afterwards he attributes vnto the Lord a sufficient abilitie forthwith as soone as it pleaseth him to renue the whole frame of heauen and earth that it should not fall to ruine In the same sense doth our Prophet call vvater the sudden restauration of the Church as if he should say the restoring therof is in the hand of God as well as it rests in him by dewes or showers to fructifie barren parched grouÌ„ds Thus the Spirit is compared vnto vvater because without it all things would fade and wither with drouth he it is also that reuiues the world by a secret sprinkling of it with his power and redresseth the barrennes that proceeds of heate and drouth whereby the earth recouers a new face as it were which is yet further amplified by the word blessing added in the end of the verse Vers 4. And they shall grow as among the grasse and as the willowes by the riuers of waters This verse is an amplification of the former THere is nothing contained in this verse but that which I haue alleadged out of the hundreth and fourth Psalme to wit that when God sends forth his Spirit then the whole face of the earth is renued and the things which were before parched vp with heate shall beginne to wax greene and florishing euen as the hearbs sprout after they haue been watered by the dewes from heauen He amplifies his speech by these similitudes and shewes more plainly that it shall be no lesse difficult for God to repeople his Church a new which was barren and deformed in regard of the wofull estate in which shee was then to giue the earth power to bud and bring forth gâ—asse and hearbs Moreouer albeit hee speakes not properly heere of regeneration
but the punishment which they suffered for their transgressions ceased Now in these words there is hid a close exhortation to repentance not onely to moue them to sigh vnder the burthen of their afflictions but to acknowledge them as iust recompences of their iniquities whereby they had prouoked God vnto wrath As oft then as he handles vs roughly We should not desire so much the remouall of our punishments as the blotting out of our sins The fond distinction of the Sophisters met withall againe touching the remitting of the fault and retaining of the punishment Simile wee must not craue so much to be disburthened of this our sorrow and miserie as rather to beginne at the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that God would not impute them vnto vs. And heere wee haue cause giuen vs againe to meet with that fond distinction of the Papists who confesse that the fault indeed is forgiuen but not the punishment By the similitude of the cloud hee meanes that the Lord would no longer continue to pursue them in his wrath nor to correct them in his displeasure because their sinnes being put out of his sight the punishment was therewithall also abolished For you see that in a faire day the clouds which before darkened the light of the Sunne from vs are vanished and gone Let vs therefore reiect these diuelish inuentions of men whereby they labour to ouerthrow this comfortable doctrine of the free remission of sinnes seeing it flatly crosseth the doctrine of the holy Prophets This clause which is added returne to mee may be taken two waies either that the Lord thereby exhorts them to repentance or that therein he giues them hope of deliuerance but both expositions may sute well We haue told you that it is vsuall in the Scriptures to exhort to repentance as oft as it mentions our deliuerance for the Lord purposeth by this meanes to draw vs to himselfe that hee might thereby fit vs for the receiuing of his benefits But because the people were in a manner past hope of their deliuerance in respect of their owne infidelitie wee may take these words as a confirmation that from thence the people might vndoubtedly conclude in themselues that they should returne As if the Lord should haue said I know you thinke me to be far from you in this your distresse yet be of good cheere for I am mindfull of you still Now this latter exposition pleaseth me best because as I thinke it sutes best with the text For the Prophet aboue all things studies how to confirme these poore captiues in the promises yea and if it were possible to ingraue them in their hearts Well he commands the Iewes to turne vnto the Lord howsoeuer their long exile hindered them from hoping that he would be their redeemer As if he should haue said Though I seeme to be far from you and to neglect you yet be not discouraged for I am resolued to redeeme you Vers 23. Reioice yee heauens for the Lord hath done it shout yee lower parts of the earth brast forth into praises yee mountaines O forrest and euery tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Iakob and will be glorified in Israel HEe now exhorts the Iewes to giuing of thanks An exhortation to thanksgiuing not onely as a testimonie of their dutie but also to assure them the more fully of their deliuerance And thus he brings the people as it were to the thing done no lesse then if they had seene their deliuerance before their eies For such maner of speeches doe affect vs much more then if the promises were deliuered in naked and bare termes Seeing then the people might stand in some doubt of their returne because they languished long in their miseries and were almost consumed in them the Prophet awakens them and not onely frames them a song fit for the paying of their vowes but also shews that this worke of God shall bee so glorious that the very heauens and the earth with all the insensible creatures shall admire the greatnesse and nouelty of it Ye mountaines sound forth praises We may well interpret yee high heauens and thou earth below sing praises but because he makes mention of the mountaines he cals those the lower parts of the earth which are euen as the plaines and vallies to the end that all Countries on which side soeuer might be incited to celebrate and magnifie the name of the Lord. He addes afterwards that this work which all the creatures are called to behold and admire is the redemption of his Church for that is comprehended vnder Iakob and Israel and signifies that Gods glory shall wonderfullie shine therein Besides we are to consider that which I haue said elsewhere to wit that their returne is not simply set out heere but the end thereof also is comprehended vnder it for they were redeemed out of their captiuitie vpon condition that God in the end might gather vnder one head to wit Christ a Church composed of all nations vnder heauen Vers 24. Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer and he that formed thee from the wombe I am the Lord that made all things that spread out the heauens alone and stretched out the earth by my selfe A description of Gods power NOw the Prophet will forthwith according to his custome fall into a description of Gods power because the promises would little moue vs vnlesse the doctrine of Gods power were also added to remoue all doubts and scruples out of our hearts For it often falles out that by our obstinacie and distrust wee diminish both the goodnesse and power of God in attributing lesse vnto the same then we ought for which respect the Prophet heartens on the faithfull by the excellent titles afterwards mentioned to the end they might hope aboue hope And yet he begins with the commendation of the goodnes and fatherly affection which God beares his Church to the very end for the setting forth of Gods force and power would moue vs but little if himselfe should not therewithal draw neere to confirme vs in the assurance of his goodnesse Wee must not begin at his Maiestie then nor mount so high for feare of being ouerwhelmed but this loue of his by which he graciously drawes vs vnto him must be imbraced of vs also The title of redeemer in this place is referred to the time past in regard that the Iewes who were once redeemed out of Egypt as out of a bottomlesse gulph and that by a miracle almost incredible ought from the remembrance thereof to be confirmed in hope of the euerlasting continuance of it from age to age Hee calles himselfe their former in the same sense which we haue often expounded it before Regeneratiō to wit because in regenerating those by his Spirit whom he adopts he makes them new creatures And thus by the way he puts them in mind of the benefits they had already receiued that from thence they might conclude that God would be sure
can they vse it in the defence either of themselues or their people but by his commission For if he be pleased to dispoile them of their principalities they cannot defend the same against him neither by force nor by any meanes else whatsoeuer And I vvill open the doores before him By this phrase the Prophet meanes that fortresses cannot resist God which in generall termes all will confesse but yet they cease not for all that to trust in their towers of defence For when Cities are enuironed with thick walles The strongest Fortâ—fications too weake when the strong God minds to redeeme his chosen and that the gates are fast shut euery one thinks himselfe in safetie contrarywise the Prophet shewes that all fortifications are vnprofitable and that the stopping vp of passages are but in vaine when the Lord will open the vvay to their enemies Now howsoeuer it is not to be doubted but the gates were shut and surely barred yet because Cyrus marched with an incredible swiftnes through all places where he came as if all Cities had giuen him way the Prophet rightly affirmes that all impediments shall be remoued Vers 2. I will goe before thee and make the crooked straight I will breake the brasen doores and burst the yron barres 3. And I will giue thee the treasures of darknes and the things hid in secret places that thou mayst know that I am the Lord which call thee by name and name thee though thou hast not knowne mee THese two verses depend vpon the former These two verses depeÌ„ds on the former but in a word they shew that Cyrus shall easily ouercome and that in short time because the Lord shall prepare the way for him for this cause he promiseth that the crooked way shall be made straight in respect that God will take away all obstacles Now because money is the sinew of warre Money the sinew of warre and that Cyrus was to passe ouer the poore barren mountaines of Persia Isaiah tels him that the treasures which before were hid should fall into his hands that being enriched with the spoile he might furnish himselfe with all necessaries for by treasures of darknes he meanes treasures hidden and buried deeply in the earth Now it appeares plainly by the histories how these things came to passe for after Cresus king of Lydia Cressus king of Lydia was taken who was the richest king in the world Cyrus recouered great treasures A man would neuer haue supposed then that he could haue made such a generall Conquest had not the cause of so good successe been heere expressed to wit that the Lord called him forth and guided him in his iourney that in him he might manifest a notable signe of his power for so much that thou mayst know imports Cyrus no true conuert I grant that Cyrus knew as we haue said that God was the God of Israel and did greatly reuerence him yet he became no true Conuert for all that neither did he imbrace the true worship according to the ordinances of Gods law This therefore was a particular knowledge to wit so farre forth as he assisted the Church for whose deliuerance he was ordeined It was needful then that he should be in some measure touched with this knowledge Cyrus was not indued with a sauing knowledge in regard of this worke of God which he had to performe He speakes not of that knowledge then by which we are enlightened or of the spirit of regeneration but of a particular knowledge such as the prophane and vnbeleeuers haue Which call thee by thy name Some barely expound this phrase of speech that Cyrus was thus called of God before he was borne But we haue said heretofore Chap. 43.1 that by these words the Prophet meant another thing namely that God calles those by name whom he chuseth and ordeineth to execute some speciall worke in which respect he separates them from the common multitude for this signifies a neerer and a more familiar calling And in this sense it is said that the good shepheard calles his sheepe by name Iohn 10.3 because he knowes them distinctlie But aboue all this agrees to the faithfull whom God accounts his flock and of his familie which grace he neuer vouchsafed to Cyrus But in as much as he appointed him to be a speciall Leader in such a speciall seruice he stamped him as it were with rare and singular notes of his power And thus much touching the cause why this title of Calling is giuen vnto him These words The God of Israel must be well obserued because the superstitious are wont to attribute their victories to their Idols And in that sense Abacuk saith That euery one sacrificed to his god Aba 1.16 They runne riot then in their talke and forge such a diuinitie as it pleaseth them to conceiue of in stead of acknowledging the only and true God Now all that which is heere said of Cyrus may be applied vnto vs in a farre better sense to wit that we frame not to our selues such a knowledge of God as fits our owne appetites but that we separate him so from Idols that he may only be rereceiued and acknowledged of vs in one Iesus Christ out of whom we can worship nought but an Idoll nay the very Diuell himselfe Out of Christ we can worship nothing but an Idoll nay the Deuill himselfe In this respect then let our knowledge surpasse that which Cyrus had to wit let vs reiect all superstitions and idolatries that wee may serue him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life Vers 4. For Iaakob my seruants sake and Israel mine elect I will euen call thee by thy name though thou knowest not mee HE shewes the reason why Cyrus shall prosper thus happily in all his enterprises euen for the conseruation of Gods people As if the Lord should haue said Thou shalt obteine a glorious victorie but it shall be more in respect of mine elect then of thee for for their sakes it is that I haue subdued kings and nations vnder thine obedience By these prophesies then the Prophet meant to comfort the Iewes lest they should despaire in the middes of so many calamities and yet no doubt he also meant to teach Cyrus that hee was beholding to the Iewes for all his conquests that by meanes hereof he might be enclined to vse them with the better respect In the second part of the verse there is a repetition which amplifies the reason very much and on the other side the Prophet shewes by what right the Israelites came to be Gods seruants euen because it pleased him freely to elect them For it is not in the power of man to make himselfe the seruant of God It is not in the power of man to make himselfe Gods seruant or to obteine such an honour by his owne free will This word elect therefore is added as an exposition of the former member and yet the
vpon the assured accomplishment of it Vers 12. Heare yee mee yee stubborne hearted that are farre from iustice The rebellious nature of the Iewes described HE sharply rebukes the Iewes againe who would neither giue credence vnto God nor receiue any consolations at all in their aduersities This was a galling reprehension which no doubt went very neere the quicke but they well deserued it in regard neither threatning nor promise of God were it neuer so sweete and amiable was auaileable to tame them These two epithetes which he heere vseth are to be noted whereby hee giues vs to vnderstand that the afflicted and miserable shut vp the passage of Gods helpe from them by their owne rebellion For by their murmurings and grudgings they shake off the feare of God and in thus doing rush themselues headlong into such desperate courses that they make open war vpon him Now he speakes to the Iewes who were readie to burst with malice and pride notwithstanding afflictions oppressed them to the vtmost And thus hauing shaken off the feare of God they fell into opē raging which I would to God many among vs were not guiltie of who wax worse by their calamities Thus then they would accept of no remedie nor medicine at al to cure their euils If any would haue the word iustice to bee taken heere for Gods succor as in the verse following I leaue it free for them so to doe for it is no strange thing to see the obstinate who repell God and reiect his grace to bee vnable to rest vpon his sweete promises or not to suffer that any should doe them good albeit helpe bee offered them Vers 13. I will bring neere my iustice it shall not be farre off and my saluation shall not tarry for I will giue saluation in Zion and my glorie vnto Israel An oppositiō betweene the iniustice of man and the iustice of God IF any had rather retaine that which I was saying to wit that such as are farre from iustice and vncapeable of Gods grace are here called to repentance the sense will bee all one but if wee say that the Iewes were farre from iustice in regard they were giuen vp to a dissolute behauiour as men past grace then there is an apt opposition betweene the iustice of God and the iustice of men Although the Iewes then were farre from iustice and had cast off all studie of pietie yet God affirmes that his iustice is neere As if he should say I must confesse incredulitie is a maine let and hinderance yet shall it not hinder me in the end from manifesting the force of my truth What though some did not beleeue saith Paul shall their vnbeliefe make the truth of God without effect God forbid Rom. 3.3 Yea let God bee true and euerie man a lier And to say the truth if he did not ouercome mens stubbornnesse by his goodnesse wee should incontinently perish For which of vs receiues the bounty of God or his grace when hee offers the same as wee ought Why God withdrawes his fauour from vs for a time Doth hee withdraw his mercy or his truth from vs It is for no other cause but for that we be farre from iustice Contrariwise though we resist him yet he drawes neere vnto vs that he may manifest his iustice albeit we be vtterly vnworthy of it Yet he doth this in such wise as the wicked receiue no fruit at all by it For the Prophet comprehends not those cursed apostataes as if this saluation promised belonged vnto them but onely affirmes that God hath meanes ready to make his iustice appeare But heere it is needfull for vs to consider in what state this people stood to whom this speech was directed They were all in a manner tainted with the sinne of infidelitie and those that rested vpon the promises were but very few All are gone out of the way euen the elect sometimes shewed themselues but too obstinate so as they seemed to be no lesse infected with this contagion then the rest He taxeth them all in generall then as well to conuince the reprobates as to gall the elect and to bring them into the right way But he chiefly sets himselfe against the rebels as I haue said who obstinately and stubbornly reiected all hope of grace And my saluation Heereby it appeares what he meant by the word Iustice to wit the help and succour of God promised in fit and due season to his people He takes iustice and saluation then for one and the same thing because it is an excellent testimony of Gods iustice when he conserues and protects his distressed ones It is not added superfluously that it shall not be far off and shall not tarrie Note Gods great clemency for heerein he expresseth Gods exceeding great mercie in that he will finish the course of his iustice albeit the people should resist the same And vvill put The letter Vau is heere put for a particle of rendring the cause thus For I vvill put Now this is a confirmation of the former sentence as if hee should say Seeing the Lord hath once determined to saue Ierusalem shee cannot be disappointed of such a benefit He ioines his glory with the saluation of the faithfull as also Saint Paul takes the word glory Gods glory and our saluatiō lincked together for mercy Eph. 1.6 and 3.16 For then Gods glory shines fully when he drawes his children out of the bands of death and sets them at libertie because hee will haue the saluation of his Church and his iustice to be conioyned with an indissoluble knot THE XLVII CHAPTER Vers 1. Come downe and sit in the dust O Virgin daughter Babel sit on the ground there is no throne O daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more be called Tender and delicate Gods decree put in execution NOw Isaiah sets that downe at large which hee mentioned before touching Gods counsell and the execution thereof For hee speakes heere in plaine termes of Babylons fall Babylons fall because there was little or no hope that the people should euer returne as long as the Babylonicall Monarchie florished He therefore conioined these two things together to wit the ouerthrow of this Monarchy and the peoples deliuerance which should insue For the statelinesse of this Citie was vnto the poore Iewes as a deepe graue in which they were buried but when the Lord opened it then the peoples first life was as it were restored to them afresh In that hee commands her to come downe it hath greater weight in it then if he had directly threatned she should come downe for thus he speakes with authoritie as if he were alreadie set in a throne of iudgement for he spake nothing but what he had warrant from God to deliuer and therefore hee boldly pronounceth what should happen And this commission wee see the Lord gaue to Ieremiah Behold I haue set thee this day ouer kingdomes and nations
These words then Art not thou that arme must be read with a certaine vehemencie for the Prophet shewes that the Lord is the same which he was wont to be in regard he continues alwaies one and the same Now howsoeuer Isaiah recites not all the miracles which God did when he deliuered his people from vnder the bondage of Egypt yet he meant in a word to comprehend whatsoeuer Moses expresseth at large that the Iewes being admonished by this briefe sentence might from thence call to minde after how manie waies God did then manifest his power Hee mentions the red sea which was dried vp not onely for the rarenesse of the miracle but because all the former miracles tended to this end that the people being now set free from an vniust oppression and tyrannie might passe out of Babylon into the land of promise and therefore hee makes expresse mentiō of the way which was opened for the redeemed From this example we may consider what a one God hath been towards vs that thence we may conclude that he will for the time to come bee alwaies like himselfe as plainlie appeares by the coherence of the text Vers 11. Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come with * O◠a song ioy vnto Zion and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flee away An amplification NOw hee shewes that more plainly which he briefly touched before for hauing recited the wonderfull workes of God whereby in times past hee manifested his power in Egypt for the deliuerance of his people hee concludes that neither the high rockes nor the bottomlesse gulphes no nor the gates of hell themselues shall be able to let him from bringing backe his people out of Babylon Now the better to confirme and apply this he calles them the redeemed to teach them that God intitles not himselfe to bee the sauiour of his people but for their sakes and also to assure them that he will shew such a testimonie of his power for their deliuerance as hee once did in regard the cause is now the same Vnto Zion That is to say vnto that place where he once appointed his name to be called vpon that so hee might assure them that the Temple should be reedified and Gods pure worship established For when the Iewes who were in Babylon were to looke for that deliuerance which their fathers formerlie had in regard God was also the redeemer of their children they had yet a priuiledge aboue their fathers because God had chosen Mount Zion in which he had promised to rest for euer Psal 132.14 But because the worke of God promised heere by Isaiah was extraordinarie therefore he exhorts the people to thanksgiuing The word Rinna may be simply taken for ioy but because it often signifies that praise which wee yeeld vnto God in the acknowledgement of his benefits I had rather take it for a song in this place The Prophets meaning is then that there shall be an vnwonted and an vnexpected change so as the faithfull shall haue an exceeding cause of ioy and thanksgiuing In saying that euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon their heads he alludes vnto those crownes and garlands of flowers wherewith they were adorned at banquets He addes that they shall obtaine ioy meaning thereby a firme and solid ioy Lastly for amplifications sake hee saith that all sorrow shall flee away and this was to confirme them against that ordinary feare which men haue namely when as all their ioy in a moment is turned to mourning And yet heerewithall the Prophet admonisheth them to wait patiently for that happy issue which he hath promised though for a while if neede bee they are in heauinesse and sorrow Vers 12. I euen I am he that comfort you Who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse THe Lord not onely promiseth saluation and grace heere to the Iewes A complaint against the peoples inordinate feare proceeding from infidelitie but complaines that they would not belieue his word neither would they make that account of his power which they should haue done For what an vnworthy thing is it that the threats of men should so terrifie vs as to make vs set light by the promises of God who is ready to manifest his power that so at the least wee might be fortified against all assaults Wee shew our selues flat contemners of God then when we nourish in our selues an inordinate feare of men Whence it appeares how odious a thing it is to make a tumult in our mindes by reason of mens threats when God calles vs to rest quietly in him Truly the ingratitude of men is too grosse if in hearing that God is of their side they conceiue not hope from so many famous promises to cry with boldnesse If God be with vs who can be against vs Rom. 8.31 That is the cause then that when dangers appeare they stand as men amazed and attribute more power to a mortall man to harme them then to God to help them He iustly reprocheth the Iewes then that they had fortified thēselues no better with these promises and that by them they were no better armed against all dangers For what greater dishonor can we doe vnto God then to call the truth of his promises into question which yet falles out when men so affright vs that we can not quietly rest in the things reuealed This repetition I I am hath great weight because he that promiseth this consolation is true neither can the forces nor deceits of men defeat him of his purpose Who art thou c He shewes how fraile transitorie vaine and brittle mans nature is the better to bewray the sottishnes of this people whilest they preferred bubbles a smoke and shadowes to the strong God But withall he shews that men can not be ouerwhelmed with feare as long as they retaine within them the remembrance of Gods power Doe wee then stand amazed when dangers approch Prou. 24.10 It is a signe that we haue forgotten God and therfore he addes Vers 13. And forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath spread out the heauens and laid the foundations of the earth And hast feared all the day continuallie because of the rage of the oppressor which is readie to destroy Where is now the rage of the oppressor We must beware how we feare the creature aboue the Creator See Chap. 43.15 IT is not enough to imagin that there is one God but wee must acknowledge and imbrace him by faith In calling himselfe a maker it must not be referred to the generall Creation but to spirituall regeneration as we haue noted before in diuers places And in this sense Paul calles vs the vvorkemanship of God because he hath created vs vnto euery good worke Ephe. 2.10 If we remember then the worke of our Creation and adoption from this
are therefore called vnprofitable costs For by siluer he vnderstands all industrie studie and paines of men not that God esteemes a rush of all that which wee offer him in vaine to serue him but in regard the sense of the flesh esteemes those labours very precious which we haue foolishly taken vp By the word bread hee vnderstands that which he said before touching vvaters and by labour that which he called siluer As if he should say Men wearie themselues much for nothing For when they follow their inuentions they must looke for no reward though they vex and martyr themselues neuer so much Therefore the Prophet saith that those who labour inconsiderately shall neuer be satisfied For if they forsake God to seeke out new meanes of saluation they shall neuer be filled because as Hosea saith they are fed with wind Chap. 12.1 They may well seeme to be full whilest a vaine conceit blinfolds them but they shall be like those who being swollen vvith vvind feele not their hunger And yet it were much better for them to bee so pinched with hunger and thirst that they might thereby be prouoked to cry earnestlie vnto the Lord to be filled according to that in Psalme 63.2 My soule thirsteth for thee like the dry ground But bread or water alone would not suffice to fill vs neither can our life bee sustained with one of them That is the reason then why the Prophet hath vsed diuers vvords to shew that God furnisheth vs with all things abundantly that are necessary to preserue life lest we should vse any vnlawfull shifts to succour our selues elsewhere But because euery one rusheth himselfe into error by his owne counsels and all hauing forsaken God doe vanish away in their owne peruerse imaginations the Prophet heere addes a remedy namely that we whollie depend vpon the mouth of God For whosoeuer submits himselfe vnto his word needes neuer feare that hee hath mispent his time And heere we see a wonderfull goodnesse of God in that he offers his grace though men be vnthankfull and vnworthy of it Yet notwithstanding he addes a condition for the entrance into life cannot bee made vnlesse wee giue eare vnto him And as the cause of our ruine is that we stop our eares against Gods word so the way to heauen is open vnto vs if wee hearken vnto him diligently He repeates the same admonition againe the better to moue our affections and redoubles the word Heare in hearkening And that hee might the better win vs with sweete allurements he protests the fault to be our owne if we be not fully satisfied with all sorts of good things Vers 3. Incline your eares and come to mee heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid BY this heape of words wee may the better conceiue of that which I haue said before namely The ground of Gods couenant that God omits no meanes to awaken and correct our dulnesse and yet heere is a reprehension For it must needs be granted that such are too drowzie headed who being so louingly called doe not forthwith yeelde their obedience An excellent place which shewes that our happinesse consists in that odedience which wee ought to yeeld vnto the word Now when he speakes thus his meaning is to bring vs to saluation and therefore the fault rests wholly in our selues for wee contemne this sauing quickening word Moreouer if God should onely command vs to doe that he hath inioined vs hee should therein shew vs the way indeede how to obtaine life but yet without any profit to vs. For the law as it comes forth of Gods mouth is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3 7. but when he calles vs to himselfe and adopts vs for his children when he promiseth remission of sinnes and sanctification this causeth them which heare to receiue life of him We are thē to consider what kinde of doctrine it is that hath life in it that we may therein seeke our saluation From this place also we gather that there is no hope of saluation vnlesse we be obedient to God and his word and by this all men are conuinced so as they can pretend no cause of ignorance for he that vouchsafes not to heare shall neuer be able to alleage one sound reason for his owne defence But as I haue said these repetitions set forth the patience of God in calling vs. For he summons vs not for once only but if he perceiue that we be slow he admonisheth vs the second yea the third time that he might ouercome our stubbornnes He reiects not those then at the first which disdaine him but after he hath many times allured them Furthermore heere is expressed the nature of faith The nature of faith when he commands vs to come vnto him for wee must so heare the Lord that the fruit thereof may also follow Those also who receiue the word of God in faith do cast away their lusts and reiect the world wherewith they were fast bound that they may willingly draw neere vnto God and that with much ioy and gladnes of heart Yet faith can not be conceiued without hearing Rom. 10.17 that is to say without vnderstanding of the word and therefore he commands vs to encline our eare before we come When mention shall be made of faith then Gods word the ground of faith let vs remember that it must be ioined to the word in which it hath her foundation Where he addes and I vvill make a couenant some demaund Quest whether God had not made a perpetual couenant with the Iewes before for he seemes to promise a new and vnaccustomed thing heere I answere Ans he promiseth no new thing but that which God had before contracted with the people and therefore it is but a renuing and a confirmation of the couenant to the end the Iewes should not thinke that Gods promise was abolished though they saw thēselues so long banished For whilst they were driuen out of that countrie which was promised and giuen them being without the Temple and without the sacrifices and had no marks at all left but the couenant of Circumcision who would not haue thought but that God had vtterly shaken them off Isaiah then hath fitted this phrase of speech as you see to the capacitie of the people that they might know how the couenant of God made with their fathers was firme stable and eternall and neither mutable nor temporarie He signifies the same thing by the mercies of Dauid but by this clause he shewes that the couenant is free because it hath its foundation laid in nothing but in the meere goodnes of God As oft then as wee meere with this word Couenant in the Scriptures Couenant and mercie must alwaies be matched together wee must therewithall call to minde the word mercie or grace Now he pronounceth he will be faithfull therein and forthwith he signifies that
question it is profitable for vs to bee touched with this feeling which ought to bring vs to repentance This phrase of speech then must wholly bee referred to our weakenesse and not vnto God For the Spirit shall be clothed againe Heere he renders a reason wherefore the Lord will not contend for euer but this place is diuersly expounded Among other expositions this seemes to agree best that the Spirit is clothed with the body as with a garment In which regard the body also is called the Tabernacle or dwelling place of the Spirit If we receiue this exposition there will be a double sense for some referre this place to the last resurrection and say that the soule shall bee clothed that is to say after it shall depart from the body shee shall returne the second time into it as into her house And thus it should be an argument from the greater to the lesse thus I will raise the dead bodies wherefore then should not I put you into a better estate though you seeme as good as dead The other sense which some others follow will be better and lesse constrained for this interpretation touching the last resurrection seemes far remote from the scope of the text I haue compassed the Spirit in vvith the body As if hee should say It is I that haue created men you must thinke that I will haue a care of them then But I should thinke that the Prophet mounts higher for he teacheth that the Lord handles vs thus mildly and graciously because hee knowes and is well acquainted with our frailtie and infirmities This doctrine is confirmed vnto vs by many other places of the Scriptures but amongst the rest out of Psal 103.13 14 15. Euen as a father pitieth his owne children so is the Lord compassionate ouer such as feare him He knowes whereof we be made he remembers we are but dust Man is like to grasse he florisheth as a flower of the field In Psal 78.38 39. it is said in the same sense But he being mercifull forgaue their iniquities and destroied them not He often called backe his anger and suffered not his vvhole displeasure to arise for he remembred they vvere but flesh and a vvinde that passeth avvay and returneth not againe And me thinkes the Prophet meant thus much in this place as if the Lord should haue said What should I doe trying my force against a little vvinde or breath or against a leafe or grasse which vanisheth in a moment and withers away as soone as it hath felt the heate of the Sunne Some expound the verbe Iaatok Shall faile and this agrees well enough to this place for our Spirit must needes faile as soone as the Lord doth begin to manifest his power against vs Psal 104.29 But not to stand vpon the signification of the words we see I hope what the Prophets meaning is for he shewes that God spares vs and vseth great lenitie towards vs in correcting our vices because he respects our infirmity and meanes to support and relieue it Vers 17. For his wicked couetousnesse I am angry with him and haue smitten him I hid me and was angry yet he went away and turned after the way of his owne heart A complaint HEre he complaines of the desperate obstinacie of the people and shewes that the Lord had exceeding iust cause to punish them thus so as they could not complaine of his ouer great seueritie For his lusts Others turne it For his auarice And in this sense if you vnderstand it of auarice it is by a figure called Synecdoche taken as a part for the whole For couetousnesse is the roote from whence other vices spring But we may take it generally for all lusts For the Lord was wroth against so many wickednesses wherewith the Iewes were stained and punished them seuerely for them But he speakes expresly of lust to shew that they were chastised not so much for their manifest and open sinnes as for that they were guiltie before God For this sufficeth to all mens condemnation that God is the Iudge of thoughts So as he will not onely punish notorious iniquities but also the secret inordinate and wicked lusts and affections of the heart Besides hee aduertiseth them that they are iustly smitten that by feeling their guiltinesse they might humblie sue for pardon I haue smitten him and hid my selfe The meaning of these words is that his grace stood a farre off and was hidden from them for a time But he speakes according to our opinions For we apprehend God as an enemie and angrie with vs when he punisheth our offences as we haue said before And doubtlesse it is needefull we should thus conceiue of him and apprehend him that thereby we may be brought to acknowledge our sinnes which we will neuer do in good earnest neither will we be effectuallie touched with the horror of them vnlesse we consider and be assuredly perswaded in our minds and consciences that we haue thereby prouoked the wrath of God against vs. Now as it is expedient that we be brought to repentance by this meanes Beware of being ouerwhelmed by desperate sorrow yet let vs beware that we be not ouerwhelmed with sorrow in imagining either that God is irreconciliable or that he will haue no more to doe with vs. Thus then the Prophet mitigates these excessiue feares and forbids vs to measure God according to our owne ell For albeit he chasten vs yet ceaseth he not to beare a gracious loue and fatherly affection towards them whom he hath adopted But he vvent his vvay This is the rebellion which the Prophet taxeth and reproues namely that the people amended not by their stripes but obstinately perseuered in their wickednes and therefore he shewes they were growne past cure in regard the violent remedies which God vsed could not bring them back into the right way Vers 18. I haue seene his waies and will heale him I will leade him also and restore comfort vnto him and to those that lament him THe Lord here on the contrarie magnifies his mercie Our maladies incurable if the Lord should not preuent vs by his grace in regard that he is fauorable to this so obstinate and rebellious a people and in preuenting them of his meere bountie and compassion As if he should say I haue indeuored to bring them to repentance by my rods and chastisements euen whilest they pursued their lusts but they haue shewed themselues obstinate and incorrigible so as I haue spent all my labour in vaine I might therefore if I would iustly destroy them yet had I rather heale and saue them But this can not be effected vnlesse I manifest my great and infinite mercie Well I will therefore withdraw my corrections You see then that our Prophet by degrees amplifies and sets forth Gods mercie whom he brings in as a careful Physition be thinking himself of the aptest and fittest medicines to cure this peoples maladies But they are incurable vnlesse
wee see with what argument the Prophets must furnish themselues to preserue their constancie to wit that the Lord is faithfull who will in the end accomplish that which he hath promised albeit he deferre for a time The word Kings serues for amplification as if he should say Not onely the cōmunaltie and meaner sort should see and admire the glory of God but that euen Kings themselues who were wont proudly to contemne that which in it selfe is precious and honourable for their owne glory so blindes them and their greatnesse so bewitcheth all their senses that they cannot willingly ackonwledge any dignitie but their owne Kings do not willingly acknowledge any dignitie but their owne The new name is taken heere for magnificence for the people were in such wise scattered and dispersed that there was no certaine body of them to be seene but seemed as vtterly forlorne I grant the multitude of them which were carried into captiuitie was very great yet in respect they were mingled here and there among the Babylonians they were rent one from another as a body diuided into many peeces so as they could not well bee said to retaine so much as the name of a people any longer which also they had beene forewarned of But at their returne home they beganne to bee knit into a bodie againe and thus recouered that name of which they had been depriued Notwithstanding new is taken for vnaccustomed As if the Prophet should haue said your glorie shall bee singular and such as was not heard of before Which we know in processe of time came to passe For this handful of people which inhabited the country by way of entreatie were not able to get vnto themselues such a magnificence by any greatnesse or signes of honour but at length after the preaching of the Gospell the name of the Iewes was both knowne and renoumed Now Isaiah confirmes that which was hard to bee beleeued by adding that God should be the author of this glorie For it was not in the power of man thus to raise vp the poore Church being then couered ouer with shame and dishonour 1. Sam. 2.8 but God who raiseth the needie out of the dust was able in a moment to adorne and beautifie his Church with new honour For example was there so much as any face of a Church to bee seene amongst vs within these 40. yeeres The Lord had indeede a small seede scattered here and there but it was so confused and couered that there could be no visible Church of God perceiued And yet hee gat his Church a name when it pleased him to gather the same by the preaching of the Gospell This so admirable a worke of God then ought to confirme vs in this point namely that God wil neuer vtterly abandon his church For albeit the wicked do rent teare vs in peeces with cursed speakings God will neuer forsake his Church and that they slander and abhorre vs endeuouring by all meanes possible to make vs an abomination in the eies of the world yet let vs remember that they cannot plucke Gods righteousnesse from him but that he will make our glorie to shine here below seeing hee hath been pleased to write our names in heauen Luk. 10.20 Others expound this more subtillie namely that in stead of being called Israelites they should be called Christians But I rather suppose that the former sense sutes best with the scope of the Prophets text as also with that language which he is wont to vse Moreouer we ought dilligently to obserue and marke these phrases of speech which are peculiar vnto the Prophets that wee may acquaint our selues with their stile In summe Jsaiah meant to say that the people which seemed to be rooted out shall be restored and shal receiue a nevv name not from men but from God Vers 3. Thou shalt also be a crowne of glorie in the hand of the Lord and a royall diadem in the hand of thy God HE prosecutes the same argument The same argument further prosecuted which wee are not to wonder at For to iudge thereof according to humane reason what man could euer haue conceiued in his mind or by hope expected a thing of so great consequence Besides his meaning was by these words to raise vp the hearts of the faithfull to looke towards the kingdome of Christ which it behooued him to beautifie and adorne with these glorious titles by how much the more it was then obscure and farre remote from them For it was needfull to preuent a twofold danger lest the Iewes in seeing themselues so farre recoiled backe from their first dignitie should neither despise the grace of God nor rest themselues in these small and first beginnings And thus in setting light by Christ they should suffer themselues to be glued onelie to the commodities of this life present It is the Prophets drift then as you see to aduertise the Iewes that their returne home shall be as a preparatiue to this honour which they were to looke for in the manifestation of Christ in the flesh As touching the first member these poore banished exiles and bondmen could apprehend nothing at al but matter of despaire in considering the outward estate of things yea after they were returned and settled in their countrie yet they proceeded but slowlie forward in building of the Temple Hee therefore stirres them vp to looke vnto God that from him they might expect that glorie which now was hidden in respect of mans reason And in as much as they were assured that they were deare and precious in his sight that they should content themselues therewith till he should more liberallie endow them by the hand of Christ He calles the Church the crowne of God in respect that he will haue his glorie to shine in vs. Wherein wee haue great cause with admiration to consider of the inestimable goodnesse of God towards vs who though we are by nature corrupt and vncleane and more vile then the filth in the chanell yet he vouchsafes so to adorne vs God inestimable goodnesse singularlie set foorth as to make vs the diadem of his kingdom Let vs be prouoked then by this goodnes of God to hunger and thirst after holinesse of life that so his image may daily bee reformed in vs more and more Vers 4. It shall be no more said vnto thee forsaken neither shall it be said any more to thy land desolate but thou shalt bee called Hephzi-bath and thy land Beulah For the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall haue an husband HE now meetes with a difficultie which might trouble the minds of the faithfull The preuentiod of an obiection whilest they saw themselues reiected and left destitute and yet in the meane while had these glorious titles giuen them of a crowne and a diadem For might not these titles seeme ridiculous seeing the Iewes were hated and abhorred of all nations yea now and then their enemies trampled
to know that this was done by his commandement For some might obiect Obiect How can it be that the nations who now proudly resist God should come to yeeld him obedience He answers Ans Because the Lord will proclaime your returne in such wise that they shall vnderstand how you must be restored by his commandement But as touching that he addes Tell the daughter of Zion it properly appertaines to the Prophets and Ministers of the word to whom the Lord giues this charge to promise saluation and deliuerance vnto his Church Hence wee gather that these promises ought not to be restrained to one particular time Doctrine but must bee extended euen to all ages till the second appearing of Christ For if wee beginne at the returne out of Babylon into Iudea wee must passe along still to the comming of Christ because then this prophecie was truly fulfilled and the end of the deliuerance came because the Sauiour then appeared when the grace of God was published by the Gospell In a word he affirmes that Gods voice shall one day sound from the East to the West and shall not be vnderstood of one people onely but of all Now this voice is Behold thy Sauiour commeth which we know is the proper voice of the Gospell He therefore inioines the Teachers of the Church to raise vp the hearts of the faithfull vvith the comming of the Lord though vnto the people it seemed a thing far remote But this promise belongs chiefly to Christes kingdome who fully and perfectly did accomplish these things for he indeed shewed himselfe to be the sauiour of the vvorld as we haue seene heretofore in Chap. 40.10 And lest any scruple might remaine he furnisheth the Lord with power when he shall appeare as it is in that very place which we before alleaged for hee vseth the very same words there which are heere mentioned as if he meant to shew that as soon as it should please God to stretch forth his hand the effect will in a moment appeare for whilest he either ceaseth or deferres flesh and blood esteemes him idle Wee also see that many fantasticall spirits forge I know not what diuinitie as if they meant to paint out a dead image The Prophet therefore very aptly addes the vvorke and reward before God to shew that he is the iust Iudge of the world in the time of neede Vers 12. And they shall call them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be named a Citie sought out and not forsaken HE sets forth the benefit of the Lords comming The fruit of the Lords comming namely that in shewing how his elect are as deare vnto him as his owne heritage he will make it knowne to all the world that the couenant of Adoption by him contracted with Abraham is not in vaine for this cause he calles them the holy people in regard the Lord had separated and consecrated them vnto himselfe for though he gouerned all the nations of the world yet he vouchsafed to chuse the posteritie of Abraham to haue a speciall care thereof And in this sense God meant to say that his people shal be holy when he shall appeare their sauiour and redeemer And as the people are called prophane when they be plunged in their dregs being afflicted and vexed by the scoffings of the wicked so on the contrarie they are said to be holy when the Lord shewes himselfe by effects to be the God of their saluation which came to passe in their wonderfull deliuerance for then God shewed indeed that he remembred his holy couenant touching his heritage which he had as mans reason deemed vtterly reiected and cast off For in these words sought out and not forsaken we must note the opposition betweene the time wherein the Lord sued out this diuorce against his people and that wherein he reconciled those againe vnto himselfe vvhom he had put away THE LXIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Who is this that commeth from Edom with red garments from Bozrah he is glorious in his apparrell and walketh in his great strength I speake in righteousnes and am mightie to saue A preuention of a dangerous temptation THE expositors Christian haue misinterpreted this place as if that which is heere said should appertaine vnto Christ seeing the Prophet speakes simplie of God himselfe and thus they haue made a Iesus died all ouer vvith red in regard he was thorowly bathed in his owne blood which he shed vpon the Crosse But the Prophet had no such meaning at all The true and plaine sense is That the Lord presents himselfe here clothed vvith red garments before the people to aduertise all that he vvould maintaine the cause of his chosen The naturall meaning of this verse and be auenged on their enemies For whilest the people of God were pressed with infinite miseries and that the Idumeans with the rest of their aduersaries who were as it seemed out of all danger ouerflowed in all excesse of riot it might dangerouslie tempt the Iewes to thinke either that these things were guided by fortune or that God made light account of his children or that at least he chastised them with ouer great seueritie So then if God corrected the Iewes because of the contempt of his name and religion how much more were the Jdumeans and other enemies to bee roughlie dealt withall being the sworne enemies thereof The Prophet meetes with this so cumbersome a temptation by bringing in God the auenger Psal 94.1 returning from the slaughter of the Edomites as if hee had been stained all ouer vvith their blood The force of interrogations Now this description is liuely and full of efficacie when hee saith Who is this For such an interrogation rauisheth the minds of the hearers into an admiration and affects them more then if it had been vttered in plaine termes The Prophet did the rather vse it that hee might thereby awaken the Iewes who were become drâ—uzie and besotted We know that the Idumeans were somewhat akin to the Iewes in regard they were descended from the same ancestors with them For they were thus called of Esau who was also called Edom Gen. 36.1 These hauing corrupted the pure worship of God See Obad. 10.11 though they had the same marke of circumcision notwithstanding persecuted the Iewes most despitefully And besides they exasperated the rage of other enemies against the Iewes manifesting to all what great pleasure they tooke in the ruine of this poore people as it appeares by their egging on of the Babylonians Remember O Lord saith the Church Psalm 137.7 the children of Edom who in the day of Ierusalems ruine said downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Thus then the Prophet denounceth that the Edomits shall also keepe their turne in being iudged according to their deserts that none might otherwise think but they should surely bee punished for the barbarous crueltie by them exercised against their brethren For the Lord wil
oppressed called to minde the ancient times in vvhich the Lord manifested his power for the preseruation of his people Whereas some referre this vnto God as if he had wrestled with their obstinacie and had rather gratified the vngratefull thē leaue that worke imperfect which hee had begun this seemes harsh and too far fetched The Prophet rather recites the sighes and complaints of this poore people after by chastisements they had learned how miserable a thing it is not to bee vnder Gods protection By the Shepheard he meanes Moses Neither see I any reason why it should be translated in the plurall number rather then in the singular He also expresseth the means by which he guided the sheepe namely in that hee was indued with singular graces of the holy Spirit for to put his Spirit in the middest of him is as much to say as to manifest the power of his Spirit Others had rather referre it vnto the people Neither contradict I their opinion but in regard that God had chosen and ordained Moses to be the conducter of his people it is he principally of whom it is said that the holy Spirit vvas put vvithin him Now this Spirit was giuen him for the good of the whole people that he might be an excellent Minister of Gods grace and might see them at libertie And so by consequence the power of the Spirit of God appeared in the middest of all the people Vers 12. Hee led them by the right hand of Moses with his owne glorious arme diuiding the waters before them to make himselfe an euerlasting name HEe heere prosecutes that miraculous deliuerance of the people He goes on in describing the peoples deliuerance out of Egypt who vnder the conduct of Moses were brought out of Egypt and also continues to recite the complaints which might happily come into the mindes of the faithfull We see heere two things ioined together to wit the right hand of Moses and the glorious arme of the Lord. Who so vseth mans trauaile that his praise and glory ought at no hand to be lessened or darkened for these things were so done vnder the conduct of Moses that they ought wholly to be attributed to the power of God As at this day when it is said that the Ministers of the Gospell remit sinnes which yet belongs to God onely doth this diminish ought from his authoritie and Maiestie 8. Cor. 3.5 Truly no for they are but instruments who bestow their paines for God to whom all the glory thereof must be attributed Alas what could the sillie hand of man haue done if the arme of the Lord had not fortified it For this cause in the end of the verse hee expresly addeth that God at that time wrought after so admirabe a maner to make himselfe an euerlasting name whereof seeing it is vnlawfull to despoile him so it shall bee no more lawfull to attribute the least part of praise vnto a mortall man Vers 13. Hee led them thorow the deepe as an horse in the wildernesse that they should not stumble 14. As the beast goeth downe into the * valley the Spirit of the Lord gaue them rest so didst thou lead thy people to make thy selfe a glorious name THis is added to amplifie and set forth so great a benefit These verses are added as an amplification of the former He also conioines similitudes thereto to expresse this so great and admirable a power of God namely as the horse in the desert and as the beast in the plaine that is to say hee led his people as nicely as one doth an horse vpon the downes For the word desert signifies not that desert of Param where the people were by the space of fortie yeeres but according to the common phrase of the Hebrew tongue it signifies the pastures where sheepe and heards of beasts walke at their pleasure Which yet better appeares by the verse following where in stead of desert he names the plaine And so one and the same sense flowes from them both namelie that the people walked ouer deepe pits vvithout stumbling as horses doe in the wildernesse In a word his meaning is to teach that the red sea did no more let or hinder the people from passing ouer through the middest of deepe places then if they had walked vpon a plaine and leuelled ground In v. 12 he called his name euerlasting and here he calles it glorious but the sense is one The people then obiect against the Lord that if hee once made himselfe a glorious name then he ought still to haue the same care Otherwise it will come to passe that the remembrance of the benefits which hee in former time bestowed vpon their fathers would vanish quite away Vers 15. Looke downe from heauen and behold from the dwelling place of thine holinesse and of thy glorie Where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and of thy compassions They are restrained from me The application of the whole HAuing mentioned the benefits of old in the name of all the people now hee comes to applie the same vnto his purpose and intreates the Lord that hee would looke downe from heauen vpon them Looke dovvne c. By these words hee signifies that the power of God is not diminished though it appeare not at all times alike For there must be an opposition supplied namely that God had then as it were hid himselfe neither shewed he himselfe such a one towards them as hee had done towards their fathers As if they had said Albeit O Lord that we see no tokens of thy presente but that thou hast withdrawne thy selfe from vs as if thou wert shut vp in heauen so as thou seemest vtterly to neglect vs yet vve beseech thee vouchsafe to looke dovvne once againe from heauen and from the dvvelling place of thine holinesse behold our miseries How to distinguish betweene vnbeleeuers and the faithfull See how we ought to separate the vnbeleeuers from the faithfull who acknowledge God to bee both mightie and mercifull yea euen then when they can discerne no signes at all either of his power or bountie And thus they cease not to call vpon him still though he hides himselfe farre away from them For the Lord neuer ceaseth to haue care ouer his people seeing without wearinesse hee orders and gouernes all the parts of the world VVhere is thy zeale By this interrogation it seemes the faithfull after a sort vpbraid the Lord in regard hee is no more touched with his vvonted zeale toward them or that his power is diminished But the Prophet hath another meaning For hee mentions these benefits as I haue said heretofore because he meant therby to confirme the harts of the faithfull in good hope thereby also teaching them that God is alwaies one and the same and neuer puts of the bowels of compassion towards his Saints And this will be euident enough by the which followes He takes the multitude of bowels
space seeing 863. yeres were expired since they began to possesse it and 1400. yeeres and more since Abraham entred into the land of Canaan But the promise must be considered in which it was said that Abrahams posteritie should inioy the land as an euerlasting possession Gen. 17.8 and 48.4 This was but a little vvhile therefore if it be compared vvith eternitie The people of God then obiect this short time vnto him not as accusing him of breach of promise but to put him in mind of his couenant and that he should rather haue respect to his owne goodnesse then to the chastisements which they had iustly deserued And after this manner the ancient Church complaines in Ps 102.23 24. that her strength was abated in the way that her daies were shortened and therefore praies that God vvould not cut her off in the midst of her daies because the fulnesse of time depended vpon the comming of Christ Our aduersaries This complaint was much more grieuous namely that the wicked prophaned that land which God had consecrated vnto himselfe And the truth is this went neerer to their hearts then all the rest of their miseries And good reason for we ought not so much to respect our selues as Gods seruice and religion And this is the end of deliuerance to wit that there might be a people which might praise and worship the Lord purely Vers 19. Wee haue been * Or a long time as they ouer whom thou neuer barest rule and vpon whom thy name was not called THe Prophets sense may admit two expositions For some take this place as if the people obiected vnto God that they were chosen when other nations were reiected and that this couenant was ratified from the time of old The other exposition which I rather follow is this that the people complaine and reply vnto God that there is no difference betweene them and the heathen in regard they had no succour nor refreshing at all in their aduersities which they hold to be an absurd and an vncomely thing This is a notable sentence and very worthy of memorie for heere wee see it is lawfull for vs to powre out our complaints vnto God when afflictions presse vs aboue measure and to set our calling before him to mooue him to succour vs thereby testifying what great difference hee makes betweene vs and strangers Ouer vvhom thy name is not called vpon This comes all to one sense For the peoples meaning is that Gods calling ought not to bee abolished And indeed it is not the Lords will that wee should call vpon him in vaine for praiers are vnprofitable and vanish in the aire vnlesse the Lord haue respect vnto vs. Heere note also one marke of the Church namely A note of the Church that Gods name is there called vpon The wicked cannot call vpon him because there is no accesse vnto him but by his word of which Faith brings forth praier they haue no knowledge and the refore faith is neuer separate from praier For where faith is there is also praier and if it be not there let vs know for a suretie that there is no faith nor hope at all Oh that thou wouldest breake the heauens and come downe Master Caluin makes this part of the 19. verse and that the mountanes might melt at thy presence OH that thou vvouldest breake The Hebrew particle as I take it comprehends a wish For though it hath many significations yet the scope of the text shewes that this agrees better to this place then any other For the faithfull heere enter into a more ardent praier as often it falles out when in the sharpest afflictiōs a set forme of words would want sufficient vehemencie to expresse our desires He saith that God breakes the heauens when hee suddenly shewes some memorable and rare signe of his power And the reason of this maner of speech is not onely in regard that men being in great distresse are wont to lift vp their eies to heauen from whence they expect helpe but because miracles also make way for them by breaking the ordinarie course of nature Now it seemes that God is shut vp in heauen whilest hee neglects to succour vs and lets all things in the world to goe at six and seuen For this cause then it is said that he opens and breakes the heauens vvhen he giues vs some signe of his presence at such a time as vve iudge him to be farre remote from vs. But these things are spoken according to our naturall reason as is also the clause That thou wouldest come downe for what neede is there that God should change his place Hee applies himselfe thus to our weakenesse that we might the better comprehend that which is said to vs of him That the mountaines vvould melt That is to say Oh cause thy Maiestie and glory to appeare in such wise as the elements being astonished at the feeling thereof might bow to giue way vnto thee as shall bee declared more at large by and by THE LXIIII. CHAPTER That which in our bookes is made the beginning of this 64. Chapter is in the Commentarie annexed to the last verse of the 63. Chapter where you shall find it expounded Vers 2. As the melting fire burned as the fire caused the waters to boile that thou mightest declare thy name to thy aduersaries the people did tremble at thy presence 3. When thou didst terrible things which wee looked not for thou camest downe and the mountaines melted at thy presence A confirmation of the former wish in this and in the verse following WEe may reade all this in the future tence or in the subiunctiue As if hee should say Lord if thou wouldest come downe the people would tremble at thy presence thine aduersaries would forthwith melt away But I thinke it to be more natiue as I haue turned it for it is very sure that the Prophet alludes heere to Mount Sinai Exod. 19.20 where the Lord manifested himselfe openly vnto the people Hence also it appeares how vnaduisedly this Chapter was distinguished seeing the contents thereof is recited for the confirmation of the former vvish which should haue been placed in the beginning We haue elsewhere seene that when the Prophets mention the reliefes which God hath giuen to his people they still bring in testimonies concerning the deliuerance out of Egypt Note And as oft as they speake of this historie they therewithall comprehend whatsoeuer benefits God bestowed vpon his people not onely when hee deliuered them from vnder Pharaohs tyrannie and appeared vnto them in mount Sinai but that also when by the space of 40. yeeres he furnished them in the desert with all things necessarie who hauing subdued and wasted their enemies did put them in quiet possession of the land of Canaan To bee short they comprehend all the testimonies whereby in times past he shewed himselfe gracious to his people and terrible to their enemies The Prophet saith that
because the Prophet speaking of the filthinesse of sinnes comprehends all the Iewes without exception though there were among them many of the true seruants of God But they haue no reason so to doe for he speakes not here of euery one in particular but of the whole bodie in generall which hee compares to filthie cloutes in regard it was trampled vnder feete and extreamelie afflicted Some haue been wont to alleage this place to proue that it is so farre off from meriting any thing by our workes that euen our works themselues are infected and lothsome before God But this seemes as I thinke to be farre from the Prophets intention seeing he speakes not here of all mankind in generall but describes their complaints who being led captiues felt Gods wrath heauie vpon them For which cause they confessed that both themselues and their righteousnesses were like filthie cloutes First of all then he exhorts them to confesse their sinne and to acknowledge their offence secondlie to aske pardon And that the meanes how to obtaine the same is first to acknowledge our miserable and wofull condition and therewithall to confesse that wee therein receiue the iust recompence of our offences Wee all fade This is a very apt comparison which shewes that men wither and wanze away as soone as they feele Gods wrath Which point is notablie described in Psalm 90.5 and 103.15 and in chap. 40.6 We are rightly compared to leaues then because our iniquities are the winds which carrie vs away Vers 7. And there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy selfe from vs and hast consumed vs because of our sinnes THe Prophet confirmes that which was said before A confirmation of the former sentence For hee admonisheth the faithfull to acknowledge that they are worthie of such a reuenging hand of God how sharpe and seuere soeuer it seemed Now he mentions some capitall sinnes And because it had bin too long to haue stood deciphering them out one by one he strikes at the roote it selfe and saith that Gods seruice vvas contemned Vnder the word Jnuocation hee comprehends the whole seruice of God according to the vsuall phrase of the Scriptures For the principall part thereof is that wee call vpon God thereby testifying that our whole trust is in him It is very certaine that prayers and vowes were alwaies in vse among the Iewes but because they wanted the affection of the hart and that it was farre remote from God therefore he esteemed none of these fained deuotions Which hee yet better explaines in the particle following where it is said that none stirred vp himselfe to seeke God But all of them vanished away and fell to nothing through their owne slothfulnesse First hee shewes that the thing we ought chieflie to desire is that we may be fully conioyned with God For when we are estranged from him it must needes follow of necessitie that all things should turne to our destruction and woe Now by nature wee are exceeding idle and slothfull for which cause we haue need to be quickned vp with the spurre Seeing then that we take pleasure in our carelesnesse it stands vs in hand to hearken aduisedly to the Prophets counsell lest wee become vtterly senselesse Otherwise it will come to passe in the ende that the Lord for his part will disdaine and reiect vs. For the Prophet describes the miserable estate of this people who had no desire at all to take hold vpon God neither was there any meanes left to awaken them vp to a sincere desire of godlinesse And hast consumed vs. They complaine againe that they were ouerwhelmed with the weight of their miseries without being any thing at all relieued or cased by God For Jsaiah propounds these things in the name of the vvhole people and intreates the Lord not to suffer them to languish any longer vnder so great calamities Vers 8. But now O Lord thou art our father we are the clay * Or thou art c. and thou art our * Or former potter and we all are the worke of thine hands After the laying foorth of their miseries they crie for pardon in this and in the verse following AFter they haue bewailed their miseries with which they were almost ouerwhelmed now in plainer termes they desire the Lord to pardon and ease them of their smart and withall doe more boldly professe themselues now to bee his children notwithstanding For it was adoption onely that could raise vp their hearts vnto a liuely hope so as notwithstanding the burthen of afflictions wherewith they were pressed downe yet they ceased not for all that to rest vpon God as vpon a father This order ought to be well obserued for to attaine to a sound and sincere humilitie of heart it is needfull that wee be deiected and laid on all foure as they say But if despaire ensue let vs hasten to this consolation for seeing God hath vouchsafed to elect vs for his children it is our parts to hope that he will saue vs euen then when things shall seeme most desperate and confused Thus then in regard of the free couenant the Israelites protest they are Gods children that they might feele his fatherly good will towards them in such wise that his promises might not be in vaine By way of comparison they amplifie and set forth Gods grace in confessing that they were formed of the clay for they seeke for no excellent matter in themselues only in their originall they extoll Gods mercie who of mire and clay hath bin pleased to create them his children In the second member where God is called their former and the people the vvorke of his hands it comes all to one sense for they whollie attribute vnto God their being and the author of all they had And this is a right acknowledgment God is robbed of his glory whilest men glorie in themselues for God is robbed of his due honor whilest men glorie in themselues be it neuer so little But Isaiah speakes not heere of the common creation of men but of their regeneration for which respect the faithfull are in particular called the workemanship of God Chap. 17.7 and 19.25 and 22.11 and 27.11 and 37.26 and 43.1.15 Ephes 2.10 They heere acknowledge then a singular fauour that God hath done them first in electing them for his people and then in inriching them with so many and excellent benefits Vers 9. Be not angrie O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer loe we beseech thee behold we are all thy people THe people pray that God would mitigate both his vvrath and their afflictions Not that God euer exceeds measure but in regard they should be vtterly ouerwhelmed if he would stand to examine thē to the vtmost They pray then that their paines may be moderated As Ieremiah saith Correct me ô Lord but in iudgement that is to say in measure Ier.
manifest himselfe vnto all without exception Vers 19. And I will set vp a signe among them and will send those that escape of them vnto the riuers of Tarshish Pul and Lud and to them that draw the bow to Tubal and Iauan Iles a farre off that haue not heard my fame neither haue seene my glory and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles THis may be taken two waies namely An amplification of the former sentence either that God giues a signe or that hee markes his with some priuy token to the end they might escape safe and sound The first exposition is most receiued But some childishly descant heere vpon the signe of the Crosse The signe of the Crosse others referre it to the preaching of the Gospell and both of them as I take it are wide from the marke For hee rather seemes to allude to that which was done at the going forth and deliuerance of the people as Moses describes it in Exod. 12.12 And to that which is said in Reuel 7.4 namely that the Lord marked all such as should be saued when his wrath should bee powred out vpon the whole world as those in Egypt escaped whose doore posts were marked with the blood of the Passeouer Thus he shewes that none but the elect can escape the wrath of God vpon whom this marke is stamped In a word the Prophet amplifies that which hath been already said touching the fearefull and horrible iudgement of God which should light vpon the wicked for it should consume all if he marked not some He promiseth then to reserue a small number out of this generall ruine of the whole people This I take to bee the true meaning of our Prophet according to which hee said in Chap. 1.9 and 10.22 that the Lord would reserue out of this generall deuouring flame a little remnant He addes that some of these shall bee his heraulds to magnifie his name among the Gentiles And we know that the doctrine of saluation was published farre and wide by the Ministerie of a few sillie men By Tarshish he meanes Cilicia and vnder that comprehends all the coast of the Mediterraneum sea which lay opposite to the lād of Iewrie Others thinke that this word signifies Africa and Cappadocia but I rather rest in the former exposition Some by Lud vnderstand Lybia and others Asia And by those that draw the bow the Parthians because they were good archers Vnder Tubal and Jauan some vnderstand Italy and Grecia and by the Iles hee signifies vnknowne regions For vnder this word the Iewes comprehend all the nations that lay beyond the sea as we haue noted before Which haue not heard He meanes that the knowledge of God shall bee spread through the whole world for the Greekes Italians Parthians they of Cilicia and other nations knew nothing of the pure religion nor of Gods true worship To bee short the whole world was wrapped in deepe dungeons of darknesse and therefore the Lord promiseth that his glory shall be knowne euery vvhere But there is great weight in the word Gentiles for at that time the Lord was onely knowne of the Iewes but now hee hath manifested himselfe vnto all Vers 20. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering vnto the Lord out of all nations vpon horses and in chariots and in horselitters and vpon mules and swift beasts to Ierusalem mine holy mountaine saith the Lord as the children of Israel offer in a cleane vessell in the house of the Lord. HEere hee cleerely expounds that which was said before namely An exposition of the amplificatiō that all those which shall escape and suruiue the rest shall bee notwithstanding their small number Priests vnto God and shall bring sacrifices vnto him from all parts Now he alludes to the ancient ceremony of the Law though he therewithall shewes the difference which should be betweene these oblations and the sacrifices ordained by the Law for heere he institutes new sacrifices and a new priesthood And a◠he affirmed that all nations should be gathered vers 18. so now he shewes that the Priests by him established shall not trauaile in vaine because the Lord will adde a gracious issue vnto their labours He calles them brethren who were strangers before wherein hee hath respect to that new coniunction which is made by faith Others draw another sense from this place which I doe not altogether reiect namely that when God shall gather a new people from among the Gentiles then the Iewes who were scattered here there should be gathered together againe which also came to passe But yet this seemes to agree better if we referre it to the vocation of the Gentiles in regard that the differēce being thē taken away a brotherly coniunction beganne to be betweene all those whom the Lord had purposed to adopt vnto himselfe for his children Abraham was the father of one nation and yet all that descended from him after the flesh were not reputed his children for the Ishmaelites and the Idumeans were reiected He was then a father of many nations Gen. 17.5 vvhen God adopted and ioined vnto him by couenant the Gentiles to the end they should follow the faith of Abraham Thus we see wherefore the Lord calles vs the brethren of the Iews Gentiles become brethren of the Iewes whereas before we were strangers and farre remote from the Church of God for before hee did cast out the false brethren and reprobates from their place We are to note this fruit which issueth from the labours of such as indeuour to serue the Lord faithfully namely that they thereby reclaime their brethren from all pernicious errors to bring them to God who is the fountaine of life And this consolation ought to cheere them vp and to fortifie them euen in the midst of all the calamities and afflictions which are incident vnto them The Lord will not suffer one of his to perish Happy is our condition then when after a sort he makes vs sauiours of our brethren From all nations His meaning is that there shall bee no more difference betweene Iew and Gentile because God will breake downe the partition wall and will set vp his Church in all nations Thus was that saying of Dauid in Psalm 2.8 touching Christ accomplished Aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the vtmost bounds of the earth for thy possession In that hee mentions the holy mountaine he applies himselfe to the custome of those times For God was worshipped in the Temple at Ierusalem But the Temple hath now spread it selfe ouer all the world 1. Tim. 2.8 in respect that it is lawfull for all men in al places to lift vp pure hands vnto God so as all difference of place and persons is now remooued and taken away He speakes also of the oblations add sacrifices which were offered in the temple though the sacrifices which wee are now to offer bee much
Christians from hypocrites 26. 8 Church The Church Christs rest 11. 10 The mother of the faithfull 40. 9. 66. 11 What the true Church is 33. 22 Compared to a building 54. 12 To a citie 60. 10. 13 To a widow 49. 21 To a woman that brings forth 66. 7 To a tent 54. 2 To a fanne 41. 16 To a vine 3. 13. 5. 1. 7. 27. 2 Why said to publish good tidings 40. 9. 41. 27 A most sure refuge 26. 1 Contemptible in the world 1. 9 Why the crowne of God 6â— 3 Gods perpetuall mansion 11. 10. 49. 6 She must not be measured by her multitudes 1. 9. and 4. 3. Why called miserable 51. 21 She is the worke of Gods hands 17. 7. 19. 25. 22. 11. 27. 11. 29. 23. 37 26. 43. 1. 44. 2. 21. 24. 54. 5. 64. 7. She onely partakes of Gods blessings 65. 20 Why called barren 54. 1 Why called a widow ibid. She is Gods wife 1. 21 The Citie of God 49. 16 What Church is in the Papacie 11. 2. 36. 6. 22. The Church wonderfully conserued in the world 1. 9. 7. 17. 29. 18. 37. 26. 51. 6. Why she cannot be abolished 1. 27. Why she is not forthwith deliuered 57. 21 She onely obtaines remission of sinnes 33. 24 Why she is preferred before all the world 37. 26 In what sense she is said to be vncleane 43. 28. and 47. 6 How sanctified 62. 12 Her infancie and perfect age 54. 2 Her extreme calamitie 51. 18 The meanes how she may be gathered 2. 3 Her condition must not be iudged of according to her estate in this world 37. 27 Her ordinarie condition 8. 7 33. 20 Her condition miserable in outward shew 6. 13. 51. 23. Her true establishment 60. 21 Her dignitie inward 49. 18. 56. 4. 62. 3 God is in her 45. 14 In what sense her children are called bastards 51. 18 Her fruitfulnesse 66. 8 Her felicitie perpetuall 60. 19 She hath alwaies had some forme 54. 9 No forme of her left where prophecies cease 41. 27 Wherein her true glory consists 4. 3. 49. 18. 60. 6 She hath two sorts of enemies 41. 12 Domesticall 24. 16. 41. 12. 66. 25 And these the worst 25. 10 Her enemies shall be sharply punished 31. 9. 34. 8. 49. 29. 63. 1. 6â— 25. Her restauration promised 1. 25. 11. 10. 24. 13 14. 27. 13. 28. 16. 29. 18. 32. 1. 35. 1. and 40. 1. 15. 43. 5. 46. 11. 51. 11. 5â— 1 2. 58. 12. 60. 4 62. 4. 65. 17. 66. 7. 8. 22. The true way to procure her restauration 49. 17 Her restauration a manifest argument of Gods power 44. 26 And onely appertaines to God 11 11. 16. 5. 28. 16 29. 18. 23 31. 7. 32. 15. 41. 20. 42. 16. 44. 3. 49. 19 24. 52. 9. 56. 8. 60. 21. Onely founded vpon the kingdome of Christ 4. 2 Her deliuerance a speciall worke of God 31. 8. and 49. 7 Her conflict continuall 43. 2 How she is said to haue a new name 62. 2 Her ornaments 49. 18. 54. 13 Her peace 11. 13 Her perpetuitie 17. 6 7. and 28. 5 and 29. 18. 37. 26. 43. 1. 45. 18. 53. 8. 54. 10. 55. 13. and 65. 8 9. 66. 22. Her inlargement Gods peculiar worke 1. 25. 60. 16. 21. 66. 7 Her complaint 49. 4 Her true reformation 2. 4. 32. 5. 8 Her deliuerance an admirable worke of God and his onely worke 49. 7. 54. 12 Her saluation eternall 45. 1. 51. 6 Ioined with the ruine of the wicked 59. 18 Her certaine victory 11. 14 Her estate among the Iewes how much deplored by Isaiah 29. 7. 46. 13 What honor belongs to her 45. 49. 23. 60. 3 To forsake her is to renounce eternall life 34. 4 Dangerous to forsake her for feare of afflictions 21. 11 Ornament of the Popish Church 48. 18 The Church sustaines no losse by her afflictions 4. 3 Her true glory ibid Wee must impute her wants to our owne wickednesses 5. 6 Why God keepes her low 8. 7 Her calamities must thorowly affect vs 22. 4 To chuse to discerne 7. 15. 48 10 Also to be accepted 58. 5 The difference betweene the circumcised and the vncircumcised taken away 56. 7 Vse of circumcision 52. 1 Cities of Gods holinesse what 64. 9 Citie of Dauid 22. 9. 29. 1. 33 20 Citie of Ierusalem double 22. 9 Citie of iustice 1. 26 Cilicia called Tharsis by the Hebrewes 33. 1 Opposed to Tyre 23. 6 In what sense the faithfull terme themselues clay 64. 8 Common-wealth how it may be well gouerned 3. 4 and 32. 1 How wee ought to esteeme of the communion of Saints 63. 7 Things spoken by comparison 2. 22. 43. 18. 54. 9 10 13. 60. 16 Gods commandements called paths and why 2. 3 We must distinguish betweene two sorts of commandements 10. 6 Compassion commended 20. 2. 22. 4 Complaints of the faithfull vnder the Papacie 26. 13 Complaint of the faithfull 63. 15 Complaint of the Church 49. 4. 63. 15 Complaints of hypocrites 1. 18 Complaints of Papists touching the abolishing of their diuine seruice 36. 10 The company of the wicked to be eschewed 33. 15. and 59. 5 Brotherly concord commended 11. 6 It flowes from pietie 19. 23 Vpon what conditions to be desired 19. 18 Mens condition out of Christ miserable 49. 8 9 Condition of Pastors 50. 6. 51. 8 Condition of the Iewes miserable 3. 12 The condition of the wicked wofull 3. 11. 5. 18. and 15. 2. 21. 12. 28. 20. 57. 2. 20. Condition of the faithfull happy 4. 6. 30. 26 Condition of the faithfull miserable in appearance 26. 19. and 33. 20. and 41. 14. 49. 7. and 51. 23. 54. 3. Confidence in man vaine 2. 22. 29. 5 Confidence of hypocrites vaine 1. 28. 10. 20 22 Confidence in Idols vaine 8. 21 Confidence of the Israelites false 17. 9 Of the Iewes 30. 17 Of the Egyptians 19. 1 Of the Iewes 20. 1. 22. 3. 29. 1. 30. 1 2. 66. 1 Of the Philistines 14. 29 Confidence ought to be placed in God 7. 4. 8. 12. and 17. 8. 26. 19. 30. 15 16. 31. 1. 33. 20 21. and 36. 15. 42. 13. 17. 43. 6. 50 11. 51. 12. 57. 13. 59. 16. Confession a fruit of faith 26. 19 Confession of sinne necessary 64. 5 Outward confession required in Gods true seruice 19. 18 Auricular confession a deuice of the Papists 38. 15 Coniunction of God with the Church 60. 11. and 65. 19 Coniunction of God with Idols in the Papacie 17. 8 The wicked alwaies miserable because they
cannot inioy their goods with a good conscience 65. 13 A good conscience how necessary 58. 4 A quiet conscience onely proper to Gods children 32. 18 A wicked mans conscience neuer quiet 65. 13 Peace of conscience a fruit of the Gospell 2. 4 An euill conscience alwaies flees Gods presence 31. 2. Alwaies vnquiet 32. 18 How sleepie consciences must be awakened 58. 1. 8. 13 The conscience of Papists 32. 18 An euill conscience discouers it selfe in the countenance 2. 11. and 3. 9 A generall consent a shrewed temptation 8. 11 Consolation for the faithfull 1. 25. 28. 4 2. 5. 17. 6. 13. 7. 4. 19. 8. 10. 17. 9. 1. 10. 5. 12. 22. 24. 26 11. 1. 12. 3. 14. 14. 24. 28. 32. 15. 9. and 16. 14 17. 61. â— 14. 18. 4 5. 19 18. 21. 1. 15. 16. 22. 11. 23. 17. 24 13. 14. 22 23. 25. 10. 26. 12. 13 21. 27. 4 28. 16. 25. 29. 21 22. and 30. 19. 21. 29. 31. 9. 32. 15. 33. 5. 35. 5. 37. 26. 40. 1. 8. 29. 41 8. 9 10. 14. 43. 1. 14. 25. 44. 2. 48. 11. 49. 24. 50. 10. 51. 1. 17. 21. 52 9. 54 11. 55 6. 57. 15. 59 15. 63 4. 7 65. 8. 66. 2 5. Consolations for the poore 10. 2 Consolations added to threatnings 4. 2 5. 17. 27. 6 A consolation for good Princes 22. 23 To whom consolation belongs 40. 7 Whence it is to be drawne 37. 2. and 40. 8 and 50. 4. 11. and 51. 8. 16. 52. 9. and 57. 18. and 66. 11 Conspiracie taken in good part 8. 12 Conspiracie of the Papists 44 11 Constancie of the faithfull 8. 12. 56. 2 Constancie of Pastors 8. 16. and 29. 21 and 50. 7 The constancie of Isaiah 8. 18. and 30. 8. and 39. 3. 5 Contempt of Gods word the perfection of all euill 5. 24 Contentment consists not in abundance 65. 13 Continencie a rare gift 19. 21 God lookes that our conuersation should answere our vocation 63. 8. and 43. 21 Conuersion of the Egyptians to God 19. 19. 21 Conuersion a kind of resurrection 19. 22 What men are without conuersion 65 25 No saluation without conuersion 59. 20 The conuerted ought to labour the conuersion of others 2. 3 Conuersion of the heart and change of the life must goe together 55. 7 Conuersion what 19. 13. and 28. 16 How corne and wine is said to be ours 62. 9 Corrections benefit vs nothing vnlesse God touch our hearts by his holy Spirit inwardly 1. 25 A signe of desperate malice not to benefit by corrections 9. 13 When God begins to correct he makes not an end by and by 1. 7 Necessitie of Corrections 25. 3 God corrects in measure 27. 8. and 64. 9 Couenant of God cannot be disanulled 7. 14. and 19. 25. and 24. 5. and 45. 25. and 55. 4. and 59. 20. and 65. 1. Couenant of God free 55. 3. and 61. 9. and 64. 7. Couetousnesse condemned 1. 23. and 5. 8. 23. and 33. 15. and 57. 17. Cursed of God 5. 10 Exceeding hurtfull in Iudges 1. 23 God will create Ierusalem a reioicing 65. 18 God creates new heauens and a new earth 65. 17. and 66. 22 The end of our creation 29. 23 Creation taken for regeneration 17. 7. and 19. 25. and 27. 11. and 37. 26. and 43. 1. 15. 21. and 44. 2. 21. 24. and 51. 13. and 54. 5 and 64. 9. and 66. 22. God the creator of all 37 15 In what sense God is called the creator of Israel 43. 15 The confusions which are among the creatures the fruits of our sinnes 65. 25 All the creatures are vnder Gods command 11. 15 All creatures are ready armed against the wicked 13. 10 The creatures grone in regard of our offences 65 17 If insensible creatures bee moued at Gods voice much more we 6. 4 All creatures at Gods becke 55. 12 Many depart from Christ because of the crosse 53. 5 Christs gouernment laid on his shoulder fained to be his crosse 9. 6 Signe of the Crosse 66. 19 Crueltie alwaies ioined with impietie 51. 23 Crueltie of the Assyrians 30. 31 Of the Babylonians 13. 11 Of the Medes 17. 17 Of Babylons King 14. 17 Of the Moabites 15. 1. 16. 3 Of Satan 49. 24. and 59. 17. and 66. 3 Of Sennacherib 33. 7 Cup of wrath taken in a double sense 51. 17 Curiositie ought to be auoided 9. 4 Cyrus called of God and how 48. 15 Named a long time before he was borne 44. 28 In what sense he is said to obey God 41. 25 Gods hired souldier 43. 14 How said to be fauoured of God 44. 14 Why called anointed 45. 1 How he builded Ierusalem 45. 13 Very vicious 48. 15 Whether he became a conuert 45. 1 His prosperitie proceeded from God 48. 15 D DAmascus a capitall Citie of Syria 7. 8 The ruine of Damascus 17. 1 Darius the seruant of God 21. 9 Darius signifies a lion 21. 7. 8 Darius an herauld of Gods iudgement 21. 9 Darknesse taken for affliction 8. 21. 50. 10. 18. and 58. 10. and 59. 9. Dauid a figure of Christ 37. 35. 55. 3. 4 Why Dauid called Gods seruant before hee was borne 44. 1 Why Dauids name is sometimes put for Christ 2. 4 Citie and house of Dauid what it is 7. 2. and 22. 9 Daies of a tree what 65. 21 In what sense it is that daies will seeme yeeres 54. 8 What the day of the Lord signifies 13. 6 Day put for time prefixt 22. 5 Why the day of the Lord is called terrible 13. 9 The Iewes began their day at Sun setting 30. 29 Death of Christ the cause and fountaine of life 53. 8 Fruit of Christs death 53. 5. 11 Death often noted out by the word Graue 53. 9 In what sense it is said the dead sing the praises of God 38. 18 Whether the dead know our necessities 29. 22 Delicacie the ruine of the Roman Empire 2. 16 Deliuerance of the Church admirable and Gods proper worke 31. 8. 49. 7 Difference betweene the deliuerance out of Egypt and Babylon 52. 12 See Redemption Deafenesse of the Iewes proceeded from their rebellion 28. 12 Why God deferres to succour his people 33. 9 Demosthenes alleaged 47. 3 Denys the second how he became blind 28. 4 Denys the tyrant a contemner of religion and his impietie 36. 18 What a miserie it is to be depriued of the vse of holy things 48. 19 Deserts for medowes 63. 13 Desert taken for Chaldea 21. 1 When descriptions are necessarie 21. 3 Disloialtie of the Israelites 17. 9 Disloialtie of Senacherib 33. 8 Diuination condemned 19. 12. 44. 25 Papists will not haue their diuine seruice examined 44. 20 Complaints of Papists touching the abolishing of their diuine seruice 36. 10 Deuotion of Papists what 1. 14 Superstitious
prophaned 48. 11 Why the wicked see not Gods glory 26. 10 Gods glory aduanced in the destruction of the wicked 63. 3 Glory taken for saluation 62. 2 God is robbed of his glory whilest men glory in themselues 64. 8 Gods glory ioined with our saluation 48. 11. and 64. 12 Gods glory must be sought in him onely 45. 25 Christs glory hidden 52. 14 Christ shall be glorified and his Ministers though the wicked be not bettered by their ministerie 49. 5 Wee must not iudge of Christs glory according to carnall reason 53. 2 Gluttonie condemned 5. 11. 22. and 62. 13. and 38. 3 God What God wee must worshippe and acknowledge 21. 17 God eternall 40. 28. and 43. 13. and 48. 12 Why he is said to hide himselfe 45. 15 No accepter of persons 55. 1. and 56. 36 Why called Isaiahs friend 5. 1 In what sense author of all things 42. 24. 45. 7 God is not the author of euill 19. 14. and 45. 7. and 63. 17 Whether the author of mens blinding 19. 14 The author of Babels ruine 13. 17. and 14. 5 Author of Ierusalems ruine 22. 5 Author of peace 32. 17 Onely author of our purgation 6. 7 Bountifull by nature 1. 19. 24. 19. 40. 28. 63. 10. 64. 4 Gratious by nature 55. 7 8 The comforter of his Church 51. h6 The creator of all 37. 15 Why called Isaiahs God 7. 13. 51. 21 Why called the holy one 1. 2. 6. 40. 25. 43. 15 Why called God of Israel 21. 10 Why called Lord of hostes 3. 1. 14. 22. and 21. 10. and 51. 15 54. 5 God the onely teacher of his Church 2. 3. and 8. 19. and 30. 21. and 41. 21. and 48. 17. and 54 13. God the only Lord by nature 11. 15 Onely conducter of the faithfull 35. 9 Why called the former of Israel 17. 7 Why compared to a lion 31. 4. and 38. 13. and 40. 18 And why compared to a mother 42. 14. and 46. 3. and 59. 15. and 63. 9. and 66. 12. Why called the mighty one of Israel 1. 24. and 30. 29 Why compared to fire 33. 15 Why called the mightie one of Iacob 60. 16 God faithfull and true 42. 9. and 49. 7 Creator of Israel 17. 7. and 22. 11. and 27. 11. 43. 1. and 45. 11 Enemie of the proud 2. 11 Iudge of the whole world 3. 13. 5. 16. 19. 14. and 21. 15. and 22. 14. and 33. 22. and 59. 12. God the onely Lawgiuer 33. 22 God the onely King ibid. Onely wise 31. 2 Onely Sauiour 43. 11. and 65. 8 Onely husband of his Church 57. 8 God mercifull 54. 10. and 55. 7 Almighty 41. 22 The creator of his Church 22. 11 The feeder of his flocke 14. 30. and 44. 6 How he is neere vs 55. 6 How we must seeke him 9. 13. and 30. 4. and 55. 6. and 65. 10 In what sense said to be first and last 41. 4. and 44. 6 King of Iacob and Israel 41. 21. and 43. 15. and 44. 6 Alwaies like himselfe 2. 3. and 14. 1. 27. and 26. 4. and 31. 5. and 41. 9. and 44. 6. and 46. 4. and 48. 12. 16. and 51. 6. 9. and 59. 20. and 63. 7. God the feare and dread of his people 8. 13 The perpetuall protector of his Church 37. 35. and 54. 14 True in all things 14. 26 The chiefe minister of his word 50. 8 A most iust reuenger 9. 19 Why he is said to hasten his worke 21. 16 He workes three waies by men 10. 5 How he workes by Satan 19. 4 How he handles the reprobate 16. 3 Why he handles the obstinate so seuerely 1. 7 God drawes men to him by two meanes 65. 2 How he appeared to the fathers 6. 1 God heares two waies 37. 4 Why he doth good to his Church 42 21 How God created all things together 48. 13 Why he deferres his helpe 42. 14. 51. 9 Why he deferres to punish the wicked 10. 3. and 13. 6. and 18. 5. and 26. 21. and 28. 24 25. and 63. 4. 65. 6. and 66. 18. God teacheth two waies 54. 13 He heares two waies 65. 24 Onely one true God 47 8 How he blindes and hardens men 19. 14. and 44. 18. and 63. 17 He can manifest his power euery where 14. 25 God hath a speciall care of his elect and faithfull ones 1. 17. and 8. 14. 11. 11. 13. 1. 14. 1. 5. 7. 14. 25. 30. 32. and 15. 1. and 16. 3 4. 17. 3. 13. 14. and 18. 4. 7. 21. 1. 12. 26. 1 4 7. 27. 2. 3. 30. 25. 31. 5. 33. 2. 37. 7 9 30 31 35. 41. 10 18. 42. 14. 43. 3 7. 45. 4 12 18. 46. 3. 48. 16. 49. 9 15 16 24. 51. 3 6 22. 54. 17. 57. 1. 58. 11. 5. 59 18. 60. 2. 62. 12. and 63. 9. and 65. 8. God dwels alwaies in his Church 10. 19 How God driues men into error 63. 7 He beholds the heart 1. 16 Neuer angry causlesly 24. 19 Why he sweares and that by himselfe 14. 24. 45. 23. 62. 8 God speakes after the maner of men 1. 24. and 5. 3. 6. 8. 14. 22. 43. 24. and 48. 18. God cannot hate his chosen 27. 4 God commands two waies 10. 6 He punisheth mens impietie two waies 29. 11 How God raignes 51. 4 Why hee reiects the ceremonies which himselfe hath commanded 1. 11 How God sanctifies his chosen 8. 14 God robbed of his honour in the Papacie 43. 11 God al-sufficient in himselfe 40. 10 The faithfull content themselues with one God onely 8. 7 19. 10. 21 How he is said to rise 2. 19. How he handles the wicked 9. 12 In what time he comes 50. 2 God calles two waies 44. 7 God allures men to repentance by two meanes 22. 12 How and how far he serues himselfe of the wicked 7. 18. 10. 5. 15. 13. 3. 17. 14. 21 22. 21. 7. 27. 7. 36. 19. 43. 14. 45. 7. 54. 16 17. God sometimes chastens the wicked by degrees 24. 22 God loues his chosen with an infinit loue 40. 3. 42. 14. 43. 4. 46. 3. 49. 11 15. 53 10. 59. 18. 65. 19. 66. 12 14. How great Gods authoritie is 45. 9 To whom God promiseth succour 42. 16 Gods loue to his Church 1. 9 Gods secrets must not be searched into 14. 26 His counsell must not bee ballanced by our reason 26. 3 His counsell manifested in his word 46. 12 His counsell vnchangeable 14. 27. and 38. 4. and 65 15 What his purpose is in requiring sacrifices 1. 11 God a wonderfull workeman 10. 7 God rules all actions 10. 15 Why God is said to hold in the Ministers with his hand 8. 11 God wil be a sanctuary to such as sanctifie him in their hearts
wee should bee of being corrupted with idolatry 44. 14 Idoll ministers 56. 10 Roman idoll 60. 14 Idols matches to kindle Gods wrath withall 1. 31 Things of nought 2. 8 They must bee vtterly reiected 17. 8. and 30. 22. and 31. 7 How they are said to be made of nought 41. 24 The works of mens hands 2. 8. and 17. 8. 31. 7 The trust in idols vaine 8. 21 Their Oracles how ambiguous and deceitfull 41. 9 22 Their vanitie how great 41. 29. 46. 2 Idumeans and their beginning 63. 1 Sworne enemies of Gods people 63. 1 2 Their ruine foretold 34. 1 10 11. 63. 1 Iehu prophaned Baals altars 30. 22 Iereboam hath many followers 22. 23 Ierusalem miraculously saued 10. 32 Why called the Citie of God 45. 13 Why called the daughter of Zion 1. 8 Why called Citie of vanitie 24. 10 How said to be formed of old 37. 26 How she is said to haue plaid the harlot 1. 21 In what sense called virgin 37. 21 How her foundations are said to bee euerlasting 44. 7 Iewes Iewes originall 41. 4. 43. 27. 51. 1. 65. 7 Apostataes 1. 4 Bold in forging fables 37. 36. 40. 31. 48. 21 Corrupters of the Scripture 49. 6 Why called a nation spoiled 18. 2 A paterne of cursing 65. 15 Their children degenerate 29. 22. 31. 6. 48. 1 and 57. 3 How enemies of God 1. 24 Inexcusable 2. 5 3. 31. 4. 40. 28. 42. 20. 44. 8. 48. 5. 50. 1 2. 65. 12. 66. 4. Defiled with the corrupt customes of the Gentiles 2. 6. 48. 5 The first borne in the Church of God 14. 2. 19. 25 Why compared to a worme 41. 14 They leaned vpon the power of the Egyptians 19. 1. 30. 1. 31. 1 Why it is said they offered no sacrifices to God 43. 23 Their afflictions diuers 1. 2 Their apostacie 1. 2 4 21. 5. 24 Their insatiable couetousnes 2. 5 Their blinding 6. 10. 29. 10 11. 42. 19 Their wilfull blinding 42. 21 Their wofull condition 3. 12 Their false confidence 30. 17 Their rebellion and obstinacie 1. 5. 6. 9 10. 9. 8 13. 22. 6 7. 29. 7. 30. 1. 31. 1. 48. 4. 49. 6. 57. 10 17. 59. 1. 65. 2 5. 66. 4. Their distrust 30. 1. 49. 14 A fable of theirs touching Senacherib 37. 38 Their vaine confidence 20. 1. 22. 3. 29. 1. and 23. 1 2. 66. 1 Their boasting 57. 4. 65. 15 Their hypocrisie 20. 13 20. 30. 10. 58. 3 Their pride 22. 3. 65. 15 Idolatry 1. 29. 2. 8 Impudency 48. 3 Infidelitie 65. 3 Ingratitude 1. 2. 2. 5. 5. 2. 22. 11. 24. 5. 26. 10. 27. 11. 28. 7. 29. 22. 31. 1. 41. 9. and 46. 8. 48. 3. 50. 3. 63. 8. 65. 3 Their desperate malice 1. 4 Their diseases incurable ibid Their fathers how wicked 43. 27 Their prerogatiue 19. 25. 22. 1. 42. 6. 61. 9 Their presumption 30. 12 Headinesse 20. 2. 26. 2. 29. 1 Their sottish brutishnesse 29. 9. 42. 22 25. 57. 10. and 60. 9 Their superstition 65. 11. 66. 3 Carelesnesse 1. 7. and 28. 9 Equalitie of Iewes and Gentiles 45. 23 Why the Iewes were discontented with their estate 8. 6 Titles giuen the Iewes to their disgrace 7. 13 Prouoked by the Gentiles 2. 5. 55. 6 Ignorance voluntary condemned 5. 13 Whether it be the cause of all euils 5. 13 Ignorance excuseth not 27. 11 A learned ignorance 6. 4 Why the Hebrewes call all sinnes ignorance 27. 11 Of a simple and an affected ignorance 5. 13 Nothing more vnseemly in Ministers of the word then ignorance 56. 10 Iim 13. 21 An abomination to erect and set vp Images 40. 18 Images held to be lay mens bookes 2. 8 And what fruit they reape by them ibid A wicked imitation 57. 5. and 66. 3 Immortalitie of soules 57. 2 Impatience must be corrected 16. 5 Impenitencie how displeasing to God 22. 14 A great sinne ibid. Implicit saith of the Papists what 52. 15 Imprecation of the faithfull against the Babylonians 13. 12 Incredulitie a dangerous sicknes 42. 8 It onely prouokes God to wrath 45. 24 The punishment of it 6. 10 Signes of infidelitie 40. 5 Infidelitie cause of trouble in the mind 30. 15 Infirme how they must be supported 42. 3 Ingratitude a detestable vice 44. 21 It ought to be eschewed 60. 15 Inhumanitie flowes from the contempt of God 59. 3 Inhumanitie condemned 16. 4 Innocencie of Christ 53. 9 Good intents of Papists confuted 66. 4 God reiects our good intentions if they bee not warranted by his word 65. 7 Vse and force of interrogations 23. 9. and 43. 19. 48. 11. and 51. 19. and 57. 6. and 63. 1 12. All inuentions of men condemned 1. 29 Why men please themselues so much in their inuentions 1. 12 Nothing angreth God more then when we follow our owne inuentions 65. 2 Inuocation of Gods name accompanied with true repentance 19. 22 Inuocation put for Gods whole seruice 64. 6 Very necessary in the faithfull 41. 17. 55. 6 Inuocation of Saints departed confuted 65. 24 True ioy flowes from Gods fauour 12. 2 6. See Faithfull Wicked Isaiah the kinsman of Christ 5. 1 Exposed to the outrages of the wicked 50. 4 Why he was commanded to walke naked 20. 2 A Prophet appointed for the Iewes 1. 1. and .6 and 23. 18 He bewailes the desolation of the Church in pitifull maner 22. 4 Why hee bewailes the calamitie of the Churches enemies 16. 9. In what sense he termes the Idols prophaned 30. 22 Why hee separates himselfe from the crew of the wicked 42. 24. 59. 3 How he is said to command the Medes and Persians 13. 2. 21. 2 He speakes in the person of another 16. 9. and 21. 3 He represents Gods person 21. 2 Why hee preacheth to the afflicted Iewes of his time 1. 7 How he is said to see God 6. 1 Why called Gods friend 5. 1 His authority confirmed 6. 8. and 7. 11. and 13. 2. 16. 13. 50. 4 His inuincible constancie 8. 8. and 22. 17. and 25. 1. and 30. 8. and 39. 3. 5. and 62. 1. Whether his nakednesse was vnbeseeming him or no 20. 2 His vocation newly confirmed 6. 1 Isaiah the sonne of Amos 1. 1. and 2. 1. and 13. 1. and 20. 2 Israel a name most honourable 1. 3 Named by way of dishonour 4. 7 Israel double 43. 6 Cause of the Israelites ruine 17. 10 Their false confidence 17. 9 Their ingratitude 17. 9 10 Their disloialtie 17. 9 Their pride 28. 1 Italians and the signes of their sorrow 15. 2 Iudah put for the whole nation 1. 1 Iudeah and the ruine thereof foretold 22. 1 Why called the valley of vision 22. 1 Iudea full
drift to wit that he gathers together and reckons vp all these apish toyes to the end the ambition and dissolution with the great varieties thereof might be so manifest that there might no excuse bee brought for defending of them Also it were too great an impudencie to affirme that whatsoeuer women deuise in their foolish braine beyond the bounds of common honestie should be counted and esteemed as necessarie for couering the bodie For how many things are they which he here recites which are neither required for nature necessitie nor for honestie To what purpose serues these bracelets earings chaines and other iewels whence it appeares that such a superfluous heape could not bee excused with any pretence whatsoeuer It is therefore an immoderate superfluitie which must either bee repressed or restrained for that oft times they fall out to bee whorish intisements whereby to weaken the heart and to inflame it with wanton lusts No meruaile therefore if the Prophet be so earnest against this vice and denounceth such fearefull iudgements against it Vers 24. And in stead of sweete sauour there shall be stincke and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of a dressing of the haire baldnes and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning in stead of beautie IT is certaine that this region abounded with sweete smels and wee neede not doubt but they were very inordinate in the vse of them as in other things We see that euen the nations very farre off from the East did not abstaine from excesse herein for there was no cost nor long distance of places which could hinder them from it How much more did the excesse herein ouerflow then thinke wee in the place where such things were in abundance whereby doubtles one might see lust enflamed and dissolutions augmented more and more He signifieth then that they did many waies abuse these ointments and perfumes For men are ingenious in pursuing their lusts and yet can neuer be satisfied In stead of a girdle a rent Others translate Ripping or vnloosing that is to say the Lord will vngird them Now he meant to oppose two things greatly contrary one to another to wit that as the women walked being curiously girt and adorned so they shall now walke torne and naked He also opposeth to dressing of the haire baldnes because they did not weare their heare modestly but in all dissolutenes Also against a stomacher a girding of sackcloth Now whether it were a belt or some other kind of girdle it is certaine that the Prophet meant to decipher out some ornament which was in great estimation Also he opposeth burning to beautie For delicate braue women are afraid to go often into the sunne for feare of being sun-burnt and yet he saith notwithstanding that this shall happen vnto them In a word as well men as women are here admonished how soberly they are to vse all the gifts of God as well in their diet and apparell as in all their other behauiour For the Lord cannot away with excesse and it must needes be that he auenge himselfe vpon it by sore and grieuous punishments when men will not be brought into order by light corrections Vers 25. Thy men also shall fall by the sword and thy strength in the battell 26. Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit vpon the ground NOw he turnes his speech towards Ierusalem and to all the kingdome of Iudah Hauing therefore shewed that the whole bodie is infected and corrupt and that there is no part free frō contagion hath not spared so much as the very women he returnes vnto a generall doctrine Now yee know it were not conuenient that there should bee giuen to euery woman many husbands Besides that which followes in the next place did not appertaine to this people only Now hee sets before them the manner of their chastisement in telling them that al the strength of the people shall bee brought downe by warres And from thence followes the mourning of the gates which he foretelles shall come to passe when these discomfitures shall fall out We know that in that time they kept their assemblies in the gates So then euen as the gates did as you would say reioyce in the multitude of the Citizens so they are said also to mourne when there should be such an horrible wast and consumption of them Notwithstanding I denie not but that hee compares Ierusalem to a desolate woman bewailing her widowhood For it was the manner of those that mourned to sit vpon the ground as also this people were addicted to many more ceremonies then our manner of life will beare The summe notwithstanding of his speech is that the citie shall remaine without inhabitants THE IV. CHAPTER Vers 1. And in that day shall seuen women take hold of one man saying Wee will eate our owne bread and we will weare our owne garments onely let vs be called by thy name and take away our reproch HEE still followes the same matter and no doubt but this Sermon was made together with the former And therfore we must not separate this verse in any wise from it By this circumstance hee more fully expresseth what that ruine and destruction which he had before threatned against the Iewes should bee For vnlesse threatnings be redoubled against hypocrits either they will play the deafe men or else they will extenuate them in such sort as the seueritie of God shall not touch them to the quicke He here shewes then by the effect what horror of imminent destruction shall come vpon them to the ende they should not promise an escaping from it at their pleasure as if he should say Thinke not that a little skirmish shall lessen your number in some part but it is rather an extreame ruine which threatens you so as there shall scarsely one husband bee found for seuen women And hereunto appertaines the word shall take It is a thing contrarie to the modestie of a woman to goe and offer her selfe of her owne accord to a man Now the Prophet saith that they shall not onely doe so but that there shall be seuen women which shall lay hands vpon a man to take hold of him so small shall the number of men be That which immediatly followes doth yet amplifie this extreame wast when they say We will eate our owne bread c. For seeing it is the proper office of the husband to prouide for his wife and familie the women doe seeke husbands with vnequall and base conditions when they discharge them of all care of getting their maintenance There must needs bee a very small number of men left then when many women hauing cast off all shamefastnes are not onely constrained to content themselues with one husband but doe also agree to get their owne liuing and desire no more but that the husband will keepe the faith of mariage with them Let thy name be called vpon vs. We
may render it in another sense Let vs beare thy name For when the woman comes into the family of the husband shee takes his name and loseth her own 1. Cor. 11.3 in as much as the husband is her head and therefore her vaile is a signe of her subiection As Abimelech said to Sara Abraham thy husband shall be the couering of thine head Genes 20.16 But if the woman marrie not she remaineth couered vnder the name of her family Now it sufficiently appeares by the 48. chapter of Genesis that this is the true sense of this manner of speech where Iacob blessing his nephewes saith Let my name and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac bee called vpon them that is to say Let them be of our stocke partakers of the couenant neuer shut out thereof as it came to passe in Esau and Ismael Gen. 25.23 21.10 Cato and Martia The prophane authors also speake after this manner Martia desiring to returne againe to Cato as it is in the second booke of Lucanus saith Giue me only the bare title of mariage let it bee lawfull to write vpon my Tombe Martia wife of Cato Now they say Take away our reproch because it seemes that they beare some reproch when they find no husbands not onely in that it seemeth they are despised as vnworthy but because it was a singular blessing of God among the ancient people to haue posteritie and therefore the Prophet saith they shall not onely haue neede with care to bethinke them how to auoid this reproch but shall vse all possible perswasions to attaine thereunto Lastly he signifies that the destruction shall bee such that almost all husbands shall die Vers 2. And in that day shall the bud of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall bee * Or in excellencie and renowme excellent and pleasant for them that are escaped of Israel THis consolation is added in very good season in regard that the faithfull might haue bene vtterly discomforted with the newes of such an horrible waste and might doubt in themselues how the couenant of God could stand fast in this so great a ruine of the people For there is great differēce betweene these two things that the people shall be as the sand of the sea for multitude and yet notwithstanding that they shall be so rooted out by an horrible ruine that there shall be no dignitie nor glorie at all remaining in those that shall escape no not so much as a glimpse of any name Isaiah therefore according to his custome as also the rest of the Prophets preuents the mischiefe in due time and moderates the terror by adding this consolation to the end that the faithfull should assure themselues that notwithstanding all these things the Church shall be saued and that by this meanes they should fortifie their hearts in good hope Euen as then in the second Chapter he disputed touching the restoring of mount Zion so now also he promiseth that a new Church shall spring vp euen as a bud or sprig shooteth vp in the field which was vndressed before They do commonly expound this place of Christ and so much the rather is this opinion receiued as it seemeth to haue some colour by the sentence of Zachary Zach. 6.12 Behold a man whose name is Branch Which is also further confirmed in that our Prophet speakes not barely of this branch but with addition of honorable as if it had been the meaning of the Prophet to speake of the Diuinitie of Christ And after when the Prophet addes the fruit of the earth they referre that to his humane nature But when we shall consider all things aduisedly I doubt not but he taketh the bud of the Lord and the fruit of the earth for an abundance of most ample and vnwonted grace which abundance shall recreate the affamished for he speakes euen as if the earth after a waste should be so barren and dry that it should neuer promise any bud to come out of it thereby to cause the grace of God to be the more longed for in so sudden a fruitfulnes as if seared and barren fields should bring forth grasse beyond all hope This maner of speech also is much vsed in the scriptures to wit that the gifts of God shall bud out of the earth as the Psalmist saith Truth shall bud out of the earth and righteousnes shall looke downe from heauen Psal 85.12 Also hereafter in the 45. Chap. The earth shall open and saluation shal fructifie It appeares by the course of the text that this is the true meaning of the place for Isaiah addes in the words following that the deliuerance of Israel to wit this handfull yet remaining which the Lord will saue from this destruction shall be the glorie and beautie of this bud Also the word Pheliath which they commonly turne Deliuerance is collectiue in this place as in many others But yet there may be a double exposition either that those which shall be deliuered shal be a fruit of glorie and a bud of honour or that the graces of God shall bud amongst them The first exposition likes me best because it seemes the Prophet addes the explication in the verse following when he sayth That those which shall remayne shall be called holy Questionlesse the Prophets meaning is to say that the glorie of God shall appeare clearely when a new Church shall be borne as if hee should create a people of nothing Those who draw and restraine this place vnto the person of Christ make themselues a scorne to the Iewes as if for want of testimonies of scripture they should pull in places by the eares to serue their turne For there are other places of scripture by which wee may more clearely prooue that Christ is true God and man so as it is no neede to coyne proofes thereof from hence But yet I confesse that the kingdome of Christ is heere spoken of vpon which the restauration of the Church is grounded Neuerthelesse let vs obserue that this consolation is not sent to all indifferently but onely to the remnant which should be drawne out of death as it were by wonderfull meanes Againe lest the consolation might seeme to bring but cold comfort if it had ben only sayd that a small number should be deliuered he speakes of an exceeding glorie and excellent brightnes to the end the faithfull might assure themselues that they should receiue no hurt by this their deminishing because the Church of God takes not her dignitie frō the multitude but from puritie which is when God shall gloriously and excellently beautifie his faithfull ones with the gifts of his Spirit Whence we ought to gather a most profitable doctrine namely that howsoeuer the faithfull be small in number and that they be like brands taken out of the fire yet notwithstanding that God will be glorified in the midst of them and will no lesse shew a proofe