many Learned Expositors it is held that together with the Enemies of the Jews here more especially intended not only all the Enemies of Gods Church in all Ages are comprehended which is the more probable because of the following Clause to the Islands he will repay recompence that is to the Enemies of his People in the remotest Parts and where they think themselves safest from all danger See the Note Chap. 41.1 but also their Spiritual Enemies as with respect to Christs Victory over them which Exposition indeed the following Verses seem much to favour Ver. 19. So shall they fear the Name of the Lord from the West and his Glory from the rising of the Sun c. That is By occasion of this Glorious Work of God mentioned in the foregoing Verse in delivering his People by executing vengeance upon their Enemies Men shall fear the Lord and the Name and Glory of God shall be renowned throughout the World See the Note Psal 113.3 And indeed as was hinted in the foregoing Note though this may be meant primarily of that terror wherewith all the Nations in the World in a manner should be struck upon the Destruction which God would bring on the Enemies of the Jews yet the words do so clearly seem to intend also that filial fear wherewith upon the conversion of the Gentiles the Church of Christ throughout the whole World should fear God that whereas now God was despised by his own People he should then be honoured by the Nations all the World over whence it is also that in the following words there is a Promise added of Gods aiding them against their Enemies that this doth much confirm that more general Exposition given in the foregoing Note of the revenge which God would bring upon the Enemies of his People When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood that is when-ever the Devil and his Instruments shall break in upon my Church like a Flood see the Notes Chap. 8.7 8. The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him or as it is in the Margin put him to flight that is God by his Divine and Almighty Power shall take part with his People and raise up Forces against these their Enemies wherewith he will oppose and vanquish them See the Notes Chap. 5.26 and 11.12 and 49.22 Or God with a blast of his Breath only shall cause them to flee yea the meaning may be if we understand it of the Spiritual Enemies of Gods People that he would by his Holy Spirit so assist and strengthen his People that they should be able to withstand and overcome these their mighty Adversaries Eph. 6.13 Ver. 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion c. That is God will send one that shall redeem his People out of their Bondage and Misery Now as hereby the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon was intended Cyrus was questionless this Redeemer But as this was also intended as a Promise of the Spiritual Redemption whereof the other was a Type Christ was the Redeemer And that this was intended is clear by the Apostles citing this place according to the Translation of the Septuagint to prove that certainly the Jews should at last be converted and made partakers of the Redemption that is by Christ Rom. 11.26 27. And so that is when the fullness of the Gentiles is come in all Israel shall be saved that is the generality of the Nation of the Jews As it is Written There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob For this is my Covenant unto them c. It is as if the Apostle had argued thus The Prophet Isaiah foretold that Christ should come as a Redeemer to the Church and Nation of the Jews who as yet do despise and reject him and therefore certainly there shall a time come when the Nation of the Jews shall embrace Christ as their Redeemer As for the following Words and unto them that turn from Transgression in Jacob as they are spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon they imply both that that deliverance should be wrought chiefly for the sake of that little Remnant amongst them that were reformed by their Captivity and that it should be to them only a real Mercy But as they are spoken with respect to Mans Redemption by Christ they plainly shew that none can justly challenge any Interest therein but only those that forsakeing their Sins do turn unto the Lord. Ver. 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord c. To wit with his People whom the Redeemer mentioned in the foregoing Verse should redeem My Spirit that is upon thee c. That is say some upon Christ the Redeemer And so they take it as a promise made by God the Father to Christ that his Word and Spirit should be for ever continued to his Seed concerning whom See the Note Chap. 53.10 But I rather conceive that this is spoken either to the Prophet Isaiah and then the meaning must be either 1. That this which God had now promised by him should be so accomplished that the memory of it should be continued unto all Posterity Or 2. That the Spirit which God had put upon him and that Gospel-promise which he had published should be continued to the Prophets and others that should succeed him in the Work of the publick Ministry even to the end of the World Or rather to the Church the Redeemed ones in his Zion to whom God here turns his Speech My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed c. that is My Word and Spirit shall still be with thee for thine instruction and direction unto the Worlds end there shall be always of my Messengers Prophets Apostles and other Ministers and Teachers that shall successively Preach my Word faithfully to you and my Spirit shall go along with their Ministry to make it work effectually upon you so that there shall be still a profession of my Truth among you A clear proof that though Councils may err yet the true Catholick Church shall never err CHAP. LX. VERSE 1. ARISE c. This is spoken to Zion to whom Ver. 20. of the foregoing Chapter God had promised the Redeemer should come and consequently according to what is there noted in the Type it is spoken to the Jews in the Babylonian Captivity but in the Antitype to the Primitive Church of the Jews as is evident because afterward Ver. 3. it is said the Gentiles should joyn themselves to her Arise to wit taking it as spoken to the Jews in Babylon out of the Dust that low and sad condition wherein thou hast lain for a long time rouse up thy self and enter into that happy change and advancement which thy God will now bring thee into see the Note Chap. 51.17 Shine be
world all Types and Prophesies of the Old Testament were at an end and the Doctrine of the Church was setled in an unchangeable way and thence are those expressions which the Apostles used 1 Joh. 2.18 Little children it is the last time and 1 Cor. 10.11 These things are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Again by the mountain of the Lords house some understand Christ that stone which became a great mountain Dan. 2.34 35. and upon whom the Church is built as a house upon a hill But far more probably the Church is meant hereby being called the mountain of the Lords house in allusion to Mount Zion whereon the Temple the house of the Lord was built and which was a type of the Church and truly resembled to a mountain as is noted Psal 2.6 And of this mountain of the Lords house it is said That it should be established or prepared as it is in the Margent in the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills not only because the Church should be conspicuous to all the World as a city that is set on a hill which cannot be hid Mat. 5.14 the light of the Gospel shining from thence to the enlightening of all Nations but also because it should in regard of Spiritual priviledges and glory excell all the Kingdoms and Estates that were in the world see the Note Psal 68.15 and should be setled in this condition unchangeably all Nations submitting themselves to the Church which is expressed more fully in the next words which contain a clear Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles And all Nations shall flow unto it that is they shall come in and join themselves to the Church in great numbers voluntarily of their own accord and with great vehemency and fervency of desires like so many rivers running into some one greater stream which is that our Saviour speaks of the Kingdom of Heavens suffering violence Mat. 11.12 See the Notes Psal 34.5 110.3 Ver. 3. And many people shall go and say come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob c. This is added as a farther explanation of the last clause in the foregoing verse and all Nations shall flow unto it for this that multitudes of all Nations should thus encourage one another to join themselves to the Church implys how readily and voluntarily they should flow into it As for this phrase let us go up to the mountain of the Lord c. it is suited to the situation of the Temple to which they went up on every side but yet withal it very fitly expresseth mens joining themselves to the Church which is the Heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 The Jerusalem which is above Gal. 4.26 to which when men do join themselves they ascend thereby to greater and better things than the greatest do here enjoy and therefore accordingly must take off their hearts from the low and base things of the world and ascend in their affections desires and endeavours to those that are in Heaven prepared for them Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.2 And withal observable it is that in this prediction of the calling of the Gentiles it is clearly hinted that they should join themselves to the Church of the Jews according to that Mat. 8.11 Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven 2. What a great change there should be betwixt the state of the Church under the Gospel and that under the Law in that the people that might not come near to Sinai have here free access given them to come into Sion And 3ly that the great thing that should encourage the Gentiles to come in should be that they should be there taught of God effectually which is expressed in those words And he will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem That is the Doctrine of the Gospel Some take this to be also the words of the people encouraging one another to go up to the house of God as was before expressed to wit because the word of God was there only to be found But rather they are the words of the Prophet shewing by what means the Nations should be brought thus to join themselves to the Church namely that it should be by the Preaching of the Gospel which should be first published in Jerusalem and should from thence afterward spread abroad into all the world Luk. 24.47 Act. 1.8 See the Note also Psal 110.2 Now this is mentioned as that whereby Zion should be exalted to a high degree of eminency that now the Doctrine of Salvation should go not out of Sinai but out of Zion And it implys some change that should then be in the Doctrine of the Church though in regard of the substance of it it should still be the same Ver. 4. And he shall judg amongst the Nations c. That is the Lord Christ the very God of Jacob to whose house it was said in the foregoing verse the Gentiles should go up God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 shall have the supreme power of Royal authority given him of the Father which is that Christ said Mat. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father And Joh. 5.22 The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto his Son and accordingly he shall reign as King judging and governing and protecting his people and punishing their enemies See the Notes Deut. 32.36 But now especially this is meant of that Spiritual jurisdiction and dominion he should exercise in the Consciences of his people to wit that by the Scepter of his Gospel that Law and Word of the Lord mentioned in the foregoing verse that was to go forth out of Zion he should rule and govern as a just King not amongst the Jews only but amongst the Gentiles also and should subdue their hearts to the obedience of his Kingdom and then acquit and absolve them from all their sins See the Notes Psal 2.8 110.2 3 6. And therefore it is added and shall rebuke many people which I conceive is also principally meant of his convincing them of their sins and the truth of the Gospel Joh. 16.8 whereby they should be brought to give up their names to Christ And they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks c. The meaning is that the converted Nations living as is before said under the Government of Christ though formerly warring continually one against another and seeking to devour and destroy one another should live peaceably together and laying by all thoughts and desires of being hurtful and injurious one to another should only betake themselves to such imployments as tended to the publick good and whereby they should rather promote the welfare than the hurt
Chap. 6.12 Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH And accordingly they understand this Prophecy thus that after those forementioned calamities when the stock of Davids family seemed in a manner quite withered and dead the Lord should suddenly and unexpectedly cause a Branch to sprout forth from that stem that should be beautiful and glorious which is all one as if he had said that from that family thus decayed and in a manner quite dead God would raise up to his people a Captain and Commander that should turn their sorrow into joy and bring them into a happy condition again for by this Branches being beautiful and glorious to the remnant of Israel may be meant the amiableness and the glory and majesty of Christ as well in regard of the transcendent dignity of his person being the only begotten Son of God that thought it not robbery to be equal with God and every way replenished abundantly for the discharge of his work as likewise in regard of the eminency of his office and the wonderful bliss which thereby redounded to his people he being their head and so the fountain from whence all grace life and salvation was derived to them and so the meaning in effect is this that Christ should restore the remainder of his spiritual Israel to glory and honour by his salvation and grace Again 2ly others understand this place thus That the grace and favour of God or the gifts and benefits and graces which God should bestow upon his people should spring up and be visible amongst them though before in such a desolate condition as a branch beautiful and glorious And indeed we find an expression much to this purpose Psal 85.11 concerning which see the Note there But 3ly very many of our best Expositors do by the branch of the Lord understand the Church and people of God which agreeth with that Chap. 5.7 The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant plant And 44.3 4. I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses And so they take the meaning of that which is here foretold to be this that whereas the people of God after the calamities before threatned and especially after the Babylonian Captivity should be as a piece of ground wasted and dried and parched never likely to become a people any more much less to recover their ancient splendor and glory yet after that out of these poor remainder of Israel a branch of the Lord should spring forth beautiful and glorious that is this poor despised people should as a new Church sprout out afresh and be restored to as glorious a condition as ever And however this was partly accomplished in the rebuilding of the City and Temple of Jerusalem at their return out of Babylon and more especially in their spiritual glory because they that should be preserved out of the prophane rabble that were destroyed should be purged from their Idolatry and other wickedness and so should become glorious in Gods sight yet doubtless it was principally fulfilled in the glory they attained when they became the people and Kingdom of Christ So that as is said before it is much at one whether we understand this of Christ who was the glory of his Church or of the Church in whom Christ was glorified And to be sure very fit it was that Gods people should for their comfort be put upon the expectation of those glorious days of the Gospel because even after their return from Babylon the state of the Church should be still in many regards so mean and contemptible As for the following clause And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel some understand this also of the excellency and loveliness of Christ and that he is called the fruit of the earth with respect to his manhood See the Note Psal 85.11 And others by the fruit of the earth as before by the branch of the Lord understand the Church and people of God to wit that those poor remainders of Gods Israel that should be left in the land after their return out of Babylon should again grow up to an estate of great excellency and glory like some fruit-bearing plant that should suddenly spring out of a dry parched ground and bring forth rich and goodly fruit which they chiefly apply to that spiritual glory which they should attain by Christ their promised Messias in the days of the Gospel But the most of Expositors do by the fruit of the earth here understand the rich and plenteous gifts of Gods bounty and grace which after that time the people of God should enjoy as namely 1. That the land should yield her fruit in wonderful plenty excellent and goodly under which all other things tending to their outward happiness and glory may be comprehended which whether it were occasioned by the lands lying fallow in most places so many years together during the Babylonian Captivity or by the extraordinary blessing of God upon it did tend much to their bliss and glory in outward respects whence is that Ezek. 36.35 And they shall say This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden c. See the Note also Psal 72.16 And 2ly that they should excel and become most amiable and lovely for the manifold graces of God in them the fruits of the Spirit wherewith they should be most richly adorned for thus the Scripture is wont to speak of the holiness and righteousness of Gods people as of a spiritual fruit springing from an inward principle of grace in the heart and appearing gloriously in their lives and conversation and thence is that Chap. 45.8 Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies pour down righteousness let the earth open and let them bring forth salvation and let righteousness spring up together And that Chap. 61.3 where the people of God are called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified See also again the Note Psal 85.11 Ver. 3. And it shall come to pass c. Here the Prophet sets forth what that glory chiefly was which God should confer upon his Church to wit that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem that is those that were left alive not in Babylon for many of those did chuse to continue there despising the liberty that was tendered then for their return into their own land but in Zion and Jerusalem being returned thither from their Captivity in Babylon under which may be comprehended even those that after their return dwelt elsewhere in the land because they also went up yearly to Zion to worship there shall be called holy that is shall be a holy people see the Note Chap. 1.26 when God had destroyed the wicked that were amongst them and
purified those that were left by his spirit these should now be a holy Nation even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem that is every one whom God had fore-appointed to survive the calamities of those times and to be found living amongst those that should return from Babylon to Jerusalem Now if it be objected against this Exposition That it was not thus with the Jews when they returned out of Babylon to Jerusalem It is evident by the story of those times that even amongst the little remnant of Gods people there were many wicked ones and therefore they were far from being all holy To this I answer That there was a great Reformation then wrought in the whole body of the people in that they were greatly purged from their Idolatry and other gross sins that were formerly rife amongst them which was a kind of shadow of that thorow Reformation which God intended to work in his Church And 2. That so far as this Prophecy hath respect to that real work of Reformation and Sanctification which is here also promised it must be intended to the intire holy change that was to be wrought in the Church in all succeeding ages which as it was began at that time of the purifying of the people of God when they were delivered out of the Babylonian Captivity and brought home to their own Country for it was to be further carried on in the days of the Gospel till at last it should be perfected at Christs second coming And if thus we understand this Prophecy then by that remnant in Zion and in Jerusalem that shall be called holy we must understand all the members of the Mystical Church who are all truly sanctified by the spirit of Christ and accordingly then the following clause even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem may be meant of such as God had decreed unto holiness here and so unto life eternal in Heaven concerning which see the Notes Exod. 32.32 Psal 69.28 and 87.6 Ver. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion c. That is of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and spiritually the visible Members of the Church Yet it may well be that the Prophet doth the rather use this expression with respect to that which he had said chap. 3.16 concerning the women daughters of Zion which had a great stroak in bringing those sad judgments upon Zion whereof he had before spoken And should this be so observable it were that the bravery and vanity wherein they had so prided themselves is here turned into filth Having before said that the remnant of Gods people should be pure and holy beautiful and glorious excellent and comely here the Prophet sheweth when and how this should be done when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion that is their manifold sins and wickedness and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof where by blood may be meant the same that was before called filth namely their vile and loathsome sins for indeed we look upon nothing as a fouler defilement than when a thing is besmeared with blood therefore the filthiness of sin is sometimes termed blood as Ezek. 16.6 I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood or else rather the blood of Gods Prophets and other innocent men which they had shed in Jerusalem or more generally their bloody oppressions and cruelties which is the more probable because this seems to be spoken with relation to the Prophets foregoing complaints concerning their bloody sins chap. 1.15 21. concerning which see the Notes there As for the following words thereby is shown how their filth and blood should be washed and purged away namely by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning for the understanding whereof we must know that by this word spirit where it is attributed to God is frequently meant in the Scripture the vertue or the fervent and vehement efficacy of every operation of God much the same that is called elsewhere the zeal of God as chap. 9.7 the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this So that in saying that their filth and blood should be washed and purged away by the spirit of judgment the Prophet means that it should be done by Gods severe judgments executed upon them whereby Idolaters and other wicked ones should be cut off and destroyed from amongst them And 2. By Gods preserving and reforming the better sort and bringing things a-again into good order in the Church and so likewise in saying it should be done by the spirit of burning he means that it should be done by a vehement zeal hot and burning like fire both for the destroying of the wicked that were amongst them and burning them up like stubble which some think also is spoken with relation to the burning of the Temple and City of Jerusalem and for the purging away of the sins of his chosen ones even as the dross is purged away by the Refiners fire But see the Notes chap. 1.25 26 27. Ver. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount-Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night c. As if the Prophet should have said When the Lord shall have purged his Church and people and shall have brought them into that glorious condition here before promised he will then as wonderfully and miraculously guide and protect them in every dwelling-place where any of them shall have their abode and in their publick assemblies where they shall meet together for the worship and service of God as he did the Israelites when he led them through the wilderness by a cloud and smoak by day that is by a cloud black and thick like smoak and the shining of a flaming fire by night concerning which see the Note Exod. 13.21 Even when there should be no appearance of any means for their preservation yet that should not hinder their protection because the Lord as he did then for the Israelites would create means for the sheltring and securing of them And indeed because God did discover such riches of grace to his Israel in the many wonders that he wrought for them in delivering them out of Egypt and in carrying them into the Land of Canaan therefore the Prophets do usually set forth all the great things that God hath promised to do for his Church by expressions that do allude to that great work And to the same purpose is that following clause for upon all the glory shall be a defence that is there shall be a sure defence over that remnant of his people of whom it was before said ver 2. that they should be brought into such a glorious condition or that the glory or glorious condition whereto God would advance his people should be secured and maintained by means of a divine protection
and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliahs Son that is in the power of these two great Kings by whose conjoined forces they made account they should certainly subdue the Jews and bring Jerusalem under their power And observable it is with what contempt these two Kings are still mentioned Rezin and Remaliahs Son see Chap. 7.4 in whose great strength these invaders of Judah did so exceedingly triumph Ver. 7. Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many c. They that understand the foregoing verse of the people of Judahs distrusting their own weak estate and desiring the aid of the Assyrian to help them against the two Kings of Syria and Israel do accordingly understand this verse of the havock which the Assyrians should make in the land of Judah to wit that since the people of Judah were not satisfied with their own defences the waters of Shiloah that go softly notwithstanding Gods express promise for their deliverance but desired the great strength of other potent Princes and that the Assyrian should be hired to come into their aid therefore God would by those forces of Assyria as with a mighty flood over-run and waste their land And accordingly they understand the last Clause And he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks to wit that the Assyrian would not keep to the Promises and Oaths and Covenants whereby he had bound himself to Ahaz when he hired him to come into his help but would break thorough them all and do them much mischief as it is said 2 Chron. 28.20 The King of Assyria came unto him and distressed him but strengthened him noâ— But now understanding it according to what is said in the foregoing Note of the people of Israel together with their associates the Syrians the meaning of the words is plainly thus Because this army of Rezin and Pekah despised Jerusalem for her weakness the waters of Shiloah that go softly therefore saith the Prophet the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many that is of the river Euphrates see the Note Chap. 7.20 meaning the Assyrian army which as a mighty strong river should presently over-run them and sweep them away for so he explains himself in the next words even the King of Assyria and all his glory that is his army consisting of many glorious Princes brave Captains and Soldiers that should make a gallant shew when they came marching into the land and in whom the King of Assyria would exceedingly glory and boast according to that which is said Chap. 10.8 13. Are not my Princes altogether Kings and he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks that is he shall come out of Assyria as a river that in a great flood swells up above all his channels and goeth over all his banks and so shall invade and over-run the whole land of Israel And how this was accomplished first by Tiglath-pileser and afterwards by his successors see in the foregoing Note vers 4. and likewise Chap. 7.17 20. Ver. 8. And he shall pass through Judah c. That is the Assyrian having over-run the land of Israel shall also break into the land of Judah He shall over-flow and go over that is as an over-flowing river he shall over-run that Country also which though it may include that damage which Tiglath-pileser brought upon Judea when he came to aid Ahaz against the Syrians and Israelites 1 Chron. 28.20 yet it must needs be principally meant of that Invasion of the Assyrians in the days of Hezekiah when Sennacherib entred the land with a mighty army and took in a manner all their fenced Cities 2 King 18.13 as is evident in the following words He shall reach even to the neck the meaning whereof is either 1. That the Assyrian army having almost over-run the whole land round about for still they are in their proceedings compared to the inundation of some great river should at last swell so high that they should come up to the very walls of Jerusalem which was their Head-city Or 2ly that they should prevail so far that all Judah should be in danger to be utterly lost being in the condition of a man upon whom a deluge of waters breaking in they rise and swell up at last to his very neck so that he hath much ado to keep his head above water and is in apparent danger of being wholly over-whelmed and drowned and indeed the like expression we find else-where used to set forth a dangerous and even desperate condition as Chap. 30.28 His breath as an over-flowing stream shall reach to the midst of the neck see also Habbak 3.13 And the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land O Immanuel that is his numerous troops and companies of Soldiers which we still usually call the wings of an army shall over-spread and subdue the whole land of Judea which is neither his nor theirs but thine O Christ see the Note Chap. 7.14 The Prophet calls it his land not so much because he was to be born there as because he had given it to be the habitation of his peculiar people his Church amongst whom he was to reign as King according to that Psal 2.6 I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion and that Joh. 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not And had setled it to be the peculiar place of his Worship Yet the drift I conceive of this turning his speech to Christ was not only to imply the indignity of the fact that his land should be so surprized and wasted by his proud enemies but also to hint this comfort to the faithful that though they should prevail far in Judea yet they should not be able to hinder the coming forth of their Immanuel there as likewise an earnest desire and hope that they should not be able to cast him out of his inheritance but that their Immanuel would protect them from the present Invasion of Râ—zin and Pekah as is afterwards expressed ver 10. and that when the Assyrian should break out in greatest rage against them Judah should not be wholly over-whelmed by them as Israel should be Ver. 9. Associate your selves O ye people c. It is in the Original peoples in the Plural number and thereby is meant both the Syrians and Israelites that were combined against Judah and Jerusalem as likewise the Assyrians that afterwards invaded Judea in the days of Hezekiah see the Note Chap. 7.18 whose army consisted of several Nations Yea I conceive it is purposely expressed in such general terms to imply that this which is here foretold should be the issue of the associations of all the enemies of Gods Church and people Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces Having made mention of Immanuel in the latter end of the foregoing verse in the confidence of
and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust As for the last words and his rest shall be glorious some understand this of Christs death and burial to wit how ignominious soever his death should be to him in the sight of the world yet he should be then and thereby exceedinlgy glorified according to that which he said when he was preparing himself to dye Joh. 17.1 Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee And indeed it cannot be denied but that this Rest of his was glorious first because he then overcame all the powers of darkness and 2ly because his name was then highly honoured by the great and wonderful things that were done at his Death and the eclipsing of the Sun c. and especially by his Resurrection honoured with the apparition of Angels and many miraculous passages and by his triumphant Ascension into Heaven and 3ly because of the great Glory given him by the Chuch for that great work of their Redemption But yet I do rather conceive that the meaning of these words in this place is either that the Rest and Peace of his Church would be very glorious or else that his Church the place where he had determined to settle his perpetual residence according to that Psal 132.13 14. The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my Rest for ever c. and that Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world and the people upon whom he had setled his love and favour should be very glorious to wit in regard of the glorious signs and effects of his presence amongst them in the abundant knowledge and eminent holiness that should be wrought in them by his word and Spirit and in the great and wonderful things that should be done amongst them for their deliverance and safegard And herein there seems to be an Allusion to that which is often formerly said That the Tabernacle and Temple was filled with the Glory of God See Exod. 40.34 35. Lev. 9.23 and 1 King 8.11 And see also the Note before Chap. 4.2 4. Ver. 11. And it shall come to pass in that day c. In the foregoing verse the Prophet foretold the Conversion of the Gentiles here now he adds that at the same time the Jews should also be converted And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time c. Some understand the first deliverance here intimated to be that of the Israelites out of Egypt and the second here promised to be that of the Jews out of Babylon But because the Jews that were delivered out of Babylon were for the generality only of the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin and here the Prophet speaks of the deliverance of his people of all the Tribes from all parts of the World and that too in the days of the Messiah that ensign that should be lifted up whereof he had spoken in the foregoing verse I rather think that this is meant of their deliverance by Christ from the spiritual Bondage of Satan Sin Death and Hell to wit that as the Lord did once before with an out stretched arm deliver the Israelites out of Egypt by the Ministry of Moses so he would the second time with great zeal again set himself to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left that is to bring home to himself by Christ those of his ancient people the Jews which shall there remain undestroyed amongst the Gentiles as being still mindful of the Covenant he had formerly made with them And this was partly accomplished in those many thousands of Jews Act. 21.20 though but a remnant in comparison of the whole body of the Nation that were by Christ and his Apostles won to embrace the Faith of the Gospel and shall be more fully performed when the main body of the residue of that Nation shall in the last days be brought in to Christ of which the Apostle speaks clearly Rom. 11.25 26. And indeed because the Prophet doth in this place first foretel the gathering in of the Gentiles to Christ in the foregoing verse and then doth here after that add this concerning the bringing in of the Jews therefore many learned Divines have thought that it is that last Conversion of the Jews that is here principally intended by the Prophet As for the places here mentioned from which the believing Jews should be gathered from Assyria and from Egypt and from Buthros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Islands of the Sea it is hard clearly to determine what all these Countrys are It may suffice us to know that upon the grievous miseries that were brought upon this people first by the Assyrians and afterward by the Babylonians many of them did of their own accord leave the Land of Judea and flee into Egypt of which Pathros seems to have been one particular Province Jer. 44.1 15. See Jer. 43.57 and 44.27 28. and so likewise into other Countrys and that many of them that were carried away Captives by the Assyrians and Babylonians might by them be sold to other Nations and so be dispersed all the world over And evident it is in Scripture that all those Countrys that bordered upon the Sea and were divided from them by the Sea were by the Jews usually called the Islands of the Sea Jer. 47.4 See also the Note Gen. 10.5 Ver. 12. And he shall set up an ensign for the Nations c. See the Note before ver 10. But this I conceive is a farther Explanation of what was said in the foregoing verse concerning the Conversion of the Jews and therefore by saying that the Lord should set up the ensign of the Gospel for the Nations either the Prophet intended that the Jews should be gathered in hereby to the Church from the Nations amongst whom they were dispersed or else that the Nations should hereby be summoned to bring in the Jews unto Christ or at least that the Jews should be converted by the preaching of the Gospel together with other Nations for that the Prophet doth principally here speak of the Conversion of the Jews And therefore by saying that the Lord should set up the ensign of the Gospel for the Nations either the Prophet intended that the Jews should be gathered in hereby to the Church from the Nations amongst whom they were dispersed or else that the Nations hereby should be summoned to bring the Jews unto Christ or at least that the Jews should be converted by the preaching of the Gospel together with other Nations for that the Prophet doth principally here speak of the Conversion of the Jews is evident by the following words and shall assemble the out-casts of Israel See the Note Psal 147.2 and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of
here speaks foretelling that after all these ruins and calamities from this people or of this people there should be a present brought unto the Lord of Hosts at Zion The meaning whereof is either that many of the Ethiopians should by the Jews that lived amongst them be brought to embrace their Faith and Religion even before the coming of Christ into the world and so should bring Gifts to the Temple at Jerusalem and worship the true God there as the Ethiopian Eunuch did Act. 8.27 Or else that in the days of the Gospel they should embrace the Christian Faith and so should be brought in as a present to God joyning themselves to the Church of Christ whereof Zion was a Type the first fruits whereof we find accomplished in the conversion of that noble Ethiopian before-mentioned And thus this Prophecy seems to be the same with that Zeph. 3.10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my Suppliants even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering See also the Notes Psal 68.31 and 72.10 CHAP. XIX VERSE 1. THE burden of Egypt c. See the Notes Chap. 13.1 and 2 King 2.25 Because the Egyptians joyned with the Ethiopians against the Assyrian by way of aiding the Jews therefore the Prophet having in the foregoing Chapter foretold the ruin of the Ethiopians here he also prophecieth against the Egyptians their Associates and that still to shew the Jews their folly in relying so much upon these Nations Behold he speaketh as of a thing that was presently to come to pass and he speaks of God as of a King that with his Troops of Horse breaks in upon an enemies Country the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt As for this expression of his riding upon a swift cloud for which see also the Notes 2 Sam. 22.11 12. Psal 68.3 and 104.3 It is to imply that he should break in upon Egypt like a violent Storm suddenly speedily and irresistibly For how could their walls and bulwarks keep out him that from the clouds would break in upon them Nor is it improbable which some think that this expression of a stormy Cloud is the rather used also because in Egypt where they have no rain Zach. 14.18 Clouds were very unusual and so the more dreadful All which is doubtless meant of the Assyrians invading Egypt under Sennacherib and some say the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar with Armies that should overshadow the land like a cloud And the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence c. That is Their Vanity shall be discovered in that they shall not be able to help the people See the Note Exod. 12.12 Or they shall be broken down and dashed in pieces and carried away by the Conquerors into Captivity as our Prophet speaks Chap. 46.1 2. Yea and the meaning may be too that the Devils that were worshipped in those Idols should tremble at the great discovery of God's indignation against them And the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it That is The courage and strength of the Inhabitants of the Land shall fail even where they might think themselves surest and safest See the Notes Josh 7.5 and Psal 22.14 Ver. 2. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians c. That is I will order it so that they shall break out into Civil War amongst themselves And they shall fight every one against his brother and every one against his neighbour See the Notes before Chap. 9.19 20. City against City and Kingdom against Kingdom where by Kingdoms are meant the several Provinces whereinto Egypt was divided Now this some say was accomplished when after the death of Sethon Civil Wars arising amongst them Egypt was divided into twelve Kingdoms and then afterwards upon new dissentions Psammitichus one of their new Kings being cast out by the rest by the help of his Friends and the aid of foreign Forces which he called in he vanquished his enemies and brought all Egypt under his sole dominion For this they say was about the end of Hezekiah's or the beginning of Manasseh's reign But now others think that this is meant of those Tumults and Dissentions that arose in Egypt when the Assyrians had vanquished that huge Army of the Ethiopians and Egyptians their Associates which Tirrakah King of Ethiopia had led out against them for say they the Assyrians by the advantage of this Victory being likely to invade and subdue Egypt the Egyptians hereupon fell into intestine Combustions among themselves some of them standing for the submitting of themselves to the dominion of the Assyrian King and others opposing this with all their power But indeed what the cause was of the Civil Wars here threatned is altogether uncertain Ver. 3. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof c That is say â—ome the Egyptians shall become as dead men void of life Or say others their strength or courage within them shall fail them But I rather take the meaning to be that their understanding and wisdom should fail them for the failing of their courage was spoken of before vers 1. and see also the Note Prov. 15.13 And hereto agrees that which followeth And I will destroy the counsel thereof that is I will bereave them of all ability to advise what should be done for the securing of themselves or their State they shall be in their astonishment like so many fools or mad-men not knowing which way to turn themselves See the Notes Job 5.17 20 24. Or All their consultations shall come to nothing And indeed the more observable that is which is here threatned because the Egyptians in those times were highly conceited of themselves for their great Learning and Wisdom and were indeed for these things mightily admired throughout the world That which is translated in our Bibles And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof is in the Hebrew And the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied in the midst thereof as if the Prophet had said All their Wit and Understanding shall be drained out And herein there may be an Allusion to their folly in draining away the waters of the river Nilus whereof some think the Prophet speaks afterward ver 5 6. And they shall seek to the Idols c To wit by praying to them See the Note before Chap. 15.2 Or by asking counsel at the Oracles they had there according to that which followeth And to the Charmers and to them that have Familiar Spirits and to the Wizzards For which see the Note Chap. 8.19 And this is added as a clear evidence how void of wisdom and counsel they should be in that not knowing what to do they should thus run from one vain means to another as men that were indeed at their wits end Ver. 4. And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel Lord c. It is in the Hebrew Lords which therefore many understand of those twelve Lords that
a great part of their Wealth for pious uses as might be most for Gods Glory and for the good of his Church and people And indeed we find in the first spreading of the Gospel the Apostle Paul found some at Tyre that had already embraced the Christian Faith Act. 21.3 4. See also the Note Psal 87.4 It shall not be treasured nor laid up that is they shall not covetously hoard up all they get meerly for themselves as formerly they have done for her Merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord that is They shall lay out very much of their Wealth for the relief and support of the Ministers of the Gospel and others the poor members of Christ for though the Prophet expresseth this according to the Language of the Old Testament for them that dwell before the Lord as if he had been speaking of the Priests and Levites that did continually wait upon the Lord in the Temple yet his meaning is That when the Tyrians were once come into the Church though they should not heap up Wealth by unjust ways as formerly yet what they got in an honest way they should willingly expend it for the support of the Lords special Servants the Ministers that attend upon him in his House and others of his Houshold of Faith who are indeed a holy Priesthood to the Lord and do continually endeavour to walk with him and to approve themselves to him in all their ways yea and this the Prophet saith they should do so freely and bountifully that both the one and the other should be comfortably and sufficiently supplied with Means and Maintenance both for Food and good Raiment for that is intended in those last words to eat sufficiently and for durable clothing CHAP. XXIV VERSE 1. BEhold the Lord maketh the earth empty c. This following Prophecy some would have restrained to the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes and the Desolation which Salmanasser was shortly to bring upon it and others to the Land both of Judah and Israel with respect to the Destruction thereof first by the Assyrians and afterwards by the Babylonians But that this Prophecy is more comprehensive than so is evident by those Expresions v. 4. The World languisheth and fadeth away and verse 21. The Lord shall punish the Kings of the earth upon the earth Nor yet can it be meant as some others would have it of Gods destroying the whole World at the day of Judgment because ver 13. the Prophet addeth a passage concerning a remnant that should be delivered from this common Destruction It is therefore far more probably field by the most of Expositors that the Prophet having in the foregoing Chapters from Chap. 13. hitherto denounced many sore Judgments against Judah and Israel and the neighbour Nations round about them severally as the Moabites the Syrians the Egyptians c. doth here now denounce Desolation and Destruction against them all jointly together Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste c. as if he should have said What should I speak any longer of the Destruction of particular Cities and Countries The Lord hath purposed to bring Ruine and Devastation upon the whole earth in a manner It is true indeed that because the Prophet in foretelling this to the Jews did more especially aim at the awakening of them and the calling of them to Repentance therefore in this general denuntiation he inserts many passages with respect to them particularly who were included amongst the rest as appears ver 2 and 5. where there is mention of their Priests and Laws and Covenant But yet questionless the Prophecy is intended concerning that havock that was to be made amongst the Nations before severally threatned and it may be others also even all that were seated in those parts of the World first by the Assyrians and then by the Chaldeans and then after that by the Medes and Persians There is a Prophecy much like to this Jer. 25.9 Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste that is He will empty the earth of the Inhabitants thereof and of all wherewith it is replenished and adorned and leave it quite desolate See the Note Chap. 3.26 It is as if he had said That the earth was even over-burthened with an innumerable company of wicked wretches and therefore God would ease her of her burden and turneth it upside down which is in the Hebrew and perverteth the face thereof that is It shall be so ruinated that it shall not have the face that formerly it had and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof that is some fleeing and some being carried away Captives they shall be dispersed abroad amongst several Nations Ver. 2. And it shall be as with the people so with the Priest as with the servant so with his master c. That is The Judgments threatned shall fall upon all sorts and Conditions none shall be spared in regard of any preheminence they have above others Ver. 3. The land shall be utterly emptied c. See the Note before ver 1. Ver. 4. The earth mourneth c. That is The Inhabitants of the earth See the Note above ver 1. Or the earth it self by reason of the sad plight whereinto it is brought See the Note Chap. 3.26 And fadeth away to wit as plants that wither away See the Note Chap. 1.30 The World languisheth and fadeth away that is All the Nations round about Judea against whom the foregoing Prophecies were denounced lye desolate and forsaken See the Note upon the like Expression Chap. 13.11 and see also Chap. 16.8 The haughty people of the earth do languish that is The great and lofty ones amongst the people see the Notes Chap. 2.11 12. yet because it is in the Hebrew the heigth of the people doth languish therefore some do understand hereby the Jews whom God had advanced by spiritual priviledges above all other people Ver. 5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof c. To wit by the Blood and Carcases of men slain Or rather by the abominable wickednesses that were committed by the inhabitants as it is said of the Land of Canaan Levit. 18.25 that it was defiled by the horrid sins that were committed therein by the Canaanites In the Exposition there seems to be an Allusion to those things that by the Law of God were to be looked upon as polluted because they had touched any persons or things legally unclean By the earth some understand the Land of Israel and Judah particularly placing the Emphasis of the words in this That this land had not been kept pure as a land so peculiarly consecrated to God ought to have been But I see not why it may not still be understood as in the foregoing verses of the whole earth generally yet indeed it is very clear that though the Prophet doth here foretel Judgments that were coming upon all the Nations round about yet all along he doth still
gathered together and kept in safe custody And the meaning of this may be either 1. That they should be held and bound so fast by the Almighty Power of God in that low and base estate whereinto they should be brought that they should be no more able to extricate themselves out of it than Prisoners are able to make an escape out of some strong Dungeon where they are laid together Or 2. that they should be together carried Captives into Babylon their multitude should no way secure them Or 3. that they should be slain and laid up together in the grave the pit whereinto people are frequently in Scripture said to be gathered But now if the words should be understood this last way then the following clause and after many days shall they be visited must necessarily be meant of a farther Visitation in wrath to wit of God's delivering them up at the Day of Judgment when they should be raised out of the pit of the grave to the eternal Torments of Hell Or else that clause must be read as out of Junius we have it in the Margin of our Bibles And after many days shall they be found wanting that is they shall no more of a long time be found lifting up themselves in a way of enmity against God All which being not improbable I doubt not but that this last clause is added as a promise of Grace and Favour And after many days shall they be visited to wit in Mercy And it may be meant either 1. Of the deliverance of those before threatned from the Babylonian bondage to wit that they or their Posterity should after many years be set at liberty by the Medes and Persians See the Note Chap. 23.17 Because they had long provoked by their wickedness therefore they should be a long time kept there in sore Bondage but yet at length after many days deliverance should come Or 2. of God's visiting their Posterity in wonderful Mercy under the Kingdom of Christ by sending him into the world and causing the way of Life through him to be made known to them by the Preaching of the Gospel for that this is here included the following verse doth clearly shew Ver. 23. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed c. That is When after this execution of Divine Vengeance on his enemies in a manner all the world over God shall at last visit them in mercy as was said in the close of the foregoing verse which though it may be meant initially of God's delivering his people out of Babylon yet it must needs be principally meant of God's gracious visiting his people under the Kingdom of Christ in the days of the Gospel with such exceeding glory and brightness shall the Greatness and Majesty of God shine forth in this Kingdom of Christ that the Sun and Moon shall be ashamed to shew their faces their brightness shall be as no brightness yea as mere darkness in comparison of that when the glory of this Sun of Righteousness and Day-spring from on high shall shine forth in the world it shall darken all the glory and magnificence of all earthly states and worldly things even as a greater light doth darken the less When the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously That is when God in Christ shall in his Church gathered out of all Nations of which Zion and Jerusalem was a type reign so gloriously and discover so much of his excellent glory in their protection and spiritual Government the holiness which he shall work in them here and the glory and happiness which he shall clothe them with in Heaven hereafter and his Saints taking notice thereof shall be still admiring it and praising his name For though his ancients are only here mentioned his Magistrates and Ministers yet under these as their representatives the whole body of God's people is understood See the Notes Chap. 4.2 3 4 5. CHAP. XXV VERSE 1. O Lord thou art my God c. Some conceive this to be a Song of Praise uttered as in the person of God's Church and people yea of the Church of Believers in the New Testament God's Elders or Ancients mentioned in the close of the foregoing Chapter But I see not why it may not be as well taken as the Prophets own Doxology Being deeply affected and even transported with the consideration of those wonderful works of God foretold in the former Chapter concerning the dreadful Judgments he would execute upon the wicked both amongst his own people and all the Nations about them in a manner all the world over concerning his gracious preservation of a remnant which he would reserve for himself and especially concerning the excellent discovery he would make of his transcendent Majesty and Glory in the Kingdom of Christ the last thing mentioned in the foregoing Chapter here on a sudden he leaves his Prophetical Discourse and breaks forth abruptly as it were into a Psalm of Praise and Thanksgiving as admiring the counsels and courses of God therein O Lord thou art my God as if he should have said Whatever wicked men may do my soul shall wholly cleave to thee I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name see the Note Psal 52.9 For thou hast done wonderful things he speaks of the wonderful things which he had foretold should be done as if they had been done already and see the Notes Chap. 9.6 Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth that is that which thou didst long since foretel or thy Promises and Threatnings wherein thou didst reveal to thy people what from Eternity thou hadst determined to do thou hast most truly and faithfully performed Ver. 2. For thou hast made of a City an heap of a defenced City a ruin c. There is no just ground why this should be restrained as some would have it either to Jerusalem or Samaria or Babylon or Rome the seat of Antichrist It is rather meant generally of God's ruining the Cities threatned in the foregoing Chapter for which see the Note there ver 10. A palace of strangers to be no City it shall never be built that is Thou hast utterly ruined the stately Royal Cities of the Heathens the Seats of their great Kings and that irrecoverably too so that they shall never be built again at least not for many generations see the Note Psal 37.18 Nor in their former Splendor and Glory Ver. 3. Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee the City of the terrible Nations shall fear thee The meaning is that because of these ruins which God should bring upon Kingdoms and Cities either 1. the remaining and surviving remnant of those ruined people should be forced to acknowledg God's just hand upon them and dread his mighty power Or 2. the neighbour Nations should tremble and be afraid at the consideration of the Glory and Majesty of the great God of Heaven and Earth that had done these
great things yea even the mightiest and most terrible of them as perceiving that no strength of any people could secure them from his wrath and that this should tend much to the Praise and Glory of God Or 3. the fierce and mighty Nations that had before carried themselves most proudly and rebelliously against God being humbled by these Judgments should be converted to the Faith of Christ and so becoming God's people should praise God for his mercy to them and that not with their lips only but with their lives too as being such as should unfeignedly fear and serve him Ver. 4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress c. This is mentioned as another of the wonderful works of God for which the Prophet undertakes here to praise his Name namely that as he had destroyed those mighty ones ver 2. so he had also protected and delivered his poor weak afflicted people where by their low condition they were also made low in spirit humbled and so fit for mercy and had been as a strong Fortress to them to secure them from their enemies A refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall to wit that sorely shatters or overturns the wall or at least beats with such violence upon it that it is likely to carry all before it The deliverance of Jerusalem from the siege of Sennacherib and the Jews from their Captivity in Babylon were remarkable accomplishments of this Promise But I see no reason why the place should be restrained to either of these Ver. 5. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers c. That is Thou shalt abate or suppress and put an end to the furious commotions and triumphings of the Heathens the enemies of thy people As the heat in a dry place that is as thou dost many times abate and suppress the heat of the Sun in some dry desert where otherwise there would be no refreshing for the poor Traveller neither water to quench his thirst nor shadowy tree to be a shelter to him Even the heat with the shadow of a cloud That is as thou dost allay or suppress the scorching heat of the Sun by the interposition of some thick Cloud and somtimes by the cooling showers that fall from thence so shalt thou abate and cause to cease the burning rage and heat of the enemies of thy people against them see the Note Exod. 13.21 The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low That is their Posterity also shall be so ruined and brought down that they shall not be able to hurt God's people any more This must needs be the meaning of this last clause according to our Translation But indeed many of our best Interpreters hold that it should rather be rendred The Song or the triumph of the terrible ones shall be brought low Ver. 6. And in this mountain c. The Prophet having ended his Hymn of Thanksgiving in the foregoing verses wherein he had praised God for those wonderful things which he had foretold should be done by him doth here return again to his Prophetical discourse and sheweth what God would farther do in those glorious times whereof he had spoken Chap. 24.13 And in this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things that is Cattel and Fowl fatted usually esteemed the daintiest food A Feast of Wines on the lees that is old and strong Wines not racked but remaining still upon the lees This I conceive our Translation must needs intend And true it is that the remaining of Wines upon the lees for some time doth feed and preserve them and makes them the stronger and the more odoriferous whence is that Jer. 48.11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath setled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel Therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed Yet some I know understand hereby pure refined Wines drawn off from the dregs and lees and therefore not muddy but clear and so hold that the next words are added to explain these Of fat things full of Marrow of Wines on the lees well refined But however all this must be understood Spiritually to wit that in the Church of Christ that Mountain mentioned before Chap. 24.13 whereof Zion was a Type see the Notes Chap. 2.2 3. God would feast his people of all Nations not Jews only but Gentiles too 1. here in this life with the sweet comforts of Christ tendred them in the Gospel and Gospel-Ordinances together with the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit for which see the Notes Psal 22.26 and Prov. 9.2 with respect whereto our Saviour himself doth in like manner compare the preaching of the Gospel to a great Supper Luk. 14 1â— and to a Feast made by a King at the Marriage of his Son Mat. 22.2 â—nd 2. in Heaven hereafter with the fulness of Happiness and Joy wherewith they shall be there satisfied unto all Eternity which Apoc. 19.9 is called the Lambs Marriage-Feast and the Table in the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 2â— 30. and Mat. 8.11 wherewith God shall for ever feast his people See â—â—e Notes Psal 17.15 and 36.8 Some I know would have this understâ—od of God's destroying his and his peoples Enemies But the Context shew plainly that this cannot be here intended And though we should yield â—â— that which others indeed more probably say That the Prophet might have some respect in that which is said here to the occasion which God would give both the Jews and other Nations of exceeding great joy by their deliverance out of the Babylonian Captivity and that in expressing this he compares God to some great King making a Feast to his Nobles and Captains after some great Victory obtained by him Yet certainly this was only looked to as a Type of that greater Spiritual Feast which is here principally intended namely the Celestial Joy which he would bestow upon his people of all Nations in and through Christ first by the glad tydings of the Gospel and afterward by the enjoyment of himself for ever in his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 7. And he well destroy in this mountain c. Here the Prophet begins to recite the dainties they should have in the Feast promised in the foregoing verse that is the benefits that should redound to them by Christ And the first he mentions is that in his Church he will utterly destroy the face of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all Nations that is he will free his people from that blindness and ignorance that vail of darkness which lies naturally upon the minds of all mankind so that they cannot find the way unto Life Eternal and of which the Apostle speaking as with respect unto the Jews saith Which vail is done away in Christ 2
Cor. 3.14 Some I know by this destroying the face of the covering cast over all people do understand Christ's destroying Death and that in the expression here used there is an Allusion to the Face-cloth wherewith the faces of dead men are wont to be covered Joh. 11.44 or to the custom of covering the faces of condemned Malefactors see the Note Esth 7.8 But this of Christ's destroying Death is added in the next verse and the former therefore is rather here intended namely the freeing of his people from that ignorance under which they lay by Nature by the enlightning of the Gospel which was signified by the rending of the Veil of the Temple at the Death of Christ And all this is said should be done in this mountain as before not only because it should be done in the Church made up both of Jews and Gentiles but also because the Gospel whereby this was to be done was at first to go out of Mount Zion See the Notes Chap. 2.3 Ver. 8. He will swallow up death in victory c. That is He will destroy Death for ever as the word in the Original here translated in victory doth properly signifie so that it shall never more prevail over his redeemed ones but Christ shall reign this his last Enemy being destroyed for ever and ever Now though this was done partly by the Death of Christ whereby he abolished Death 2 Tim. 1.10 having by his suffering Death delivered his people â—â—om that Death which their sins had deserved Heb. 2.15 yet it shall chiefly bâ— accomplished at the Resurrection of the just when they shall pass into Lifâ— Eternal after which there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 for so the Apostâ—â— saith expresly 1 Cor. 15.54 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption and thâ— mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass that Saying â—â—at is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the like may be said of thâ— following words And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces to wit of his people even as a tender Mother wipes away the tears of her weeping little Child For though God doth this partly by the comforts of his Word and Spirit here yet it is not completely done till they be taken up into Heaven to which estate therefore this passage is applied by St. John Revel 7.17 and 21.4 And so likewise in the next clause And the rebuke or reproach of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth the meaning is that God would free his people from that extreme scorn and contempt which was cast upon them all the world over and from the worlds base and despightful usage of them in their continual afflicting and persecuting of them as if they were a people not worthy to live upon the face of the earth But now the accomplishment of this here principally intended is the exceeding Glory whereunto God's people shall be advanced in Heaven For when God shall take them into this blessed and glorious condition then indeed all the Inhabitants of the earth shall be effectually taken off from that vile and base esteem which they formerly had of them Many good Expositors do I know apply all this to the deliverance of God's people out of Babylon But it is only as looking upon that as a Type of this far greater deliverance promised to God's redeemed ones in and through the Lord Christ Ver. 9. And it shall be said in that day c. That is In that day when these Promises shall be accomplished the people of God shall say to wit with wonder and exceeding great joy for this is as it were the language of the Guests at the Feast mentioned before ver 6. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us c. Which may be understood 1. in the Type of the rejoycing of God's people at the Lord 's delivering them out of Babylon which they had long expected and came at last to pass according to God's Promise and their earnest expectation And taking it thus observable it is that in this expression of their present joy and confidence in God they do withal covertly judg and condemn themselves because before their being carried into Babylon by their disobeying God's Laws and seeking to foreign Princes for help in their dangers they had not carried themselves towards the Lord as now they found they should have done Or 2. of the people of God's owning Christ at his coming in the flesh and embracing him by Faith when tendred to them in the Gospel as the true God their Lord and Saviour long ago promised them with great joy because of the peace made by him between God and them Or 3. of the Churches triumphing in Christ when he shall come to judge the world and to receive them into his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 10. For in this Mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest That is His powerful Providence shall be constantly and continually over his Church to protect and bless them See the Note Psal 80.17 It is the same in effect with that of our Saviour Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world And Moab shall be trodden down under him c. That is under his feet Psal 110.1 Moab is here particularly mentioned because none were more constantly and more fiercely bent upon doing mischief to God's people than they were but under these by a Synecdoche all the wicked enemies of his people are intended Even as straw is trodden down for the dunghil to wit the worst of the straw not fit to be reserved for any other use The word which we render trodden down some translate threshed and accordingly they read this verse thus And Moab shall be threshed under him even as straw is threshed in Madmenah and then take Madmenah to be a City of Moab called Madmen Jer. 48.2 and hold that because this City being scituate in a rich Corn-country where there was abundance of straw which was the less regarded thence the Prophet useth this expression here of straw threshed in Madmenah Ver. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim c. Some hold that this is spoken of Moab with relation to the last words in the foregoing verse to wit That as the Swimmer stretcheth forth his hands to swim so he being trodden down by his enemies should in the midst of them stretch forth his hands to beg for mercy both of God and his enemies Or that he should though in vain strive with all possible endeavours to save himself from utter ruin even as a ship-wrack'd man being fallen into the Sea laboureth with all his might by swimming to escape drowning But clearly as I conceive this is spoken of God That he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth
and the wise Councels and Contrivements wherewith they had plotted to strengthen themselves against any invasion It cannot be thought that any men would say these very words For we have made lies our refuge c. unless it were in a way of flouting those to whom they spake it Only hereby the Prophet intended to turn them from their folly in trusting to those things that would certainly deceive them and prove no better than lies and falshood Ver. 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God c. Having in the foregoing verse laid down the cause of Gods high displeasure against the Jews namely because they did so obstinately and securely despise and deride all the threatnings of Gods Prophets glorying in their safe condition as if there were no fear of any evil that should come upon them Because ye have said We have made a covenant with death c. that which one would think should next follow should be the making known how severely God would proceed against them to destroy them And this indeed is added in the following verse Only first the Lord premiseth this glorious promise concerning the Messiah Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone c. and that 1. hereby to chear up the faithful amongst them against the wrath which was coming upon their State and people by putting them in mind of that foundation-stone which he had provided for the support and preservation of his Church on whom whilst they relied by Faith they should be sure to be upheld and secured in the midst of all those grievous judgments that should come upon that Nation And 2. to hint unto those prophane wretches that were so confident that no evil threatned by the Prophets should come upon them that he had indeed provided a Rock in Zion on whom relying they might have assured themselves of all peace and safety but because they had despised him and run on in ways of rebellion and wickedness all these vain stays whereon they relied with so much confidence would surely deceive them Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone see the Note Psal 118.22 a tried stone that is a sure Saviour on whom poor sinners may safely rely a precious corner-stone a sure foundation according to that Upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16.18 he that believeth shall not make haste that is they that believe this promise and do by faith rest upon this rock to wit God in Christ will wait patiently upon God for the accomplishment of it both as to the coming of this promised Messiah and as to the deliverances expected from him though the promised mercy should be deferred and delayed for a time yet they will not be impatient and grudg that it is not done nor use any unlawful means to help themselves but will contentedly wait as being fully perswaded that in due time God will make good what he hath promised In Rom. 9.33 the Apostle following the Septuagint seems to cite this place otherwise than we find it here in the Prophet As it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed But this is the same in effect and it is usual with the Apostle in citing places out of the Old Testament not so much to regard the words as the matter because they that make haste and will not wait patiently for the accomplishment of Gods promise are sure to miscarry and so in the conclusion to be ashamed of their folly whereas those that wait patiently for the accomplishment of Gods promises are sure never to be disappointed and so never to be ashamed therefore the Apostle instead of these words shall not make haste useth the same in effect shall not be ashamed And besides that which others answer is very probable to wit that as the Apostle in the first words of that place Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence doth joyn with the words here another place of our Prophet namely that Chap. 8.14 so in the latter clause also with the words here he seems to take in that also Chap. 49.23 they shall not be ashamed that wait for me Ver. 17. Judgment also will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet c. See the Note 2 King 21.13 God expresseth himself here in terms suitable to the figurative expression he had used in the foregoing verse of laying a stone to be a sure foundation for his Church and the meaning seems to be That having laid such a sure foundation as Christ was for the safety and peace of those that would believe in him he would proceed in judging his people with all judgment and righteousness in as exact and precise a manner as Carpenters and Masons are wont to do when they carry on their work by line and level against the wicked he would proceed with all just severity punishing them exactly according to their sins though withal he would be very wary to preserve his faithful ones and to carry on the building up and reforming of his Church which a company of wicked wretches had brought into confusion and the hail he alludes to that mentioned before ver 2. shall sweep away the refuge of lies that is All your vain hopes and all things whereon you vainly grounded such great hopes and the waters shall overflow the hiding place that is Your hopes of hiding your selves from the Judgments that are coming shall not secure you Both Expressions are used with reference to that vaunting speech of theirs ver 15. We have made lies our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves And the judgment here intended whereby this should be done may be the great havock that was made amongst them by the Chaldeans if not which some rather think their far geater Destruction and Desolation by the Romans Ver. 18. And your Covenant with death shall be disannulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand c. This is spoken by way of deriding that scornful speech of theirs ver 15. We have made a covenant with death c. and implies both that their present security should be turned into extream dread and terror and that notwithstanding all their vain confidence they should certainly be destroyed when the overflowing scourge shall pass through then ye shall be trodden down by it that is it shall not pass away so suddenly but that ye shall be overborn and destroyed by it Ver. 19. From the time it that goeth forth it shall take you c. That is When it once begins to break in upon you it shall not stay till it hath surprized you Whereas they had said ver 15. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through it shall not come unto us for which see the Note there to this the Lord by the Prophet here answers That they did but in vain flatter themselves
the enemy And indeed some read this last clause so burning upon all the houses of joy in the joyous City which how it was accomplished when Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians we may â—ead 2 King 25.9 Ver. 14. Because the palaces shall be forsaken c. That is The stately houses of their Kings Princes and other great men the multitude of the City shall be left that is say some They shall be left without a King or other Princes to defend them But there is rather here an inversion of words the multitude of the City shall be left for the City shall be left of its multitude according to that sad complaint Lam. 1.1 How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people See the Notes also Chap. 6.11 12. The forts and towers or the clifts and watch-towers of which see the Note 2 Chron. 27.3 shall be for dens for ever that is For a long time as indeed during the Babylonian Captivity it was so for seventy years a joy of wild asses See the Note Chap. 13.21 a pasture of flocks see Chap. 17.2 Ver. 15. Until the Spirit c. By affixing this period to the desolation before threatned the Prophet returns again to the comforting of his faithful Servants This desolation shall be in the land of Judah saith he until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high that is Until God from heaven do by his quickning Spirit abundantly poured forth upon us restore his people to a comfortable and flourishing estate and condition And this seems to import 1. That whereas they were in as hopeless a condition as so many dead men as it is said of them Lam. 3.6 He hath set me in dark places as they that be dead of old God would breathe a spirit of life into them and quicken them again which is that Ezekiel foretold in his Prophecy Chap. 37. concerning the Resurrection of the dead and dry bones 2ly That whereas they were like trees or plants that seem in winter to be quite dead God would make them alive again and cause all things to be with them in a flourishing condition again as it is with the Creatures Psa 104.30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth concerning which see the Note there And 3ly That whereas they were spiritually dead in sin God would by his spirit of Grace revive and quicken them and make them a holy people So that as the desolation before threatned may be understood to have been accomplished gradually at several times See the Note before so this period set for the reviving of them again by the pouring forth of the spirit upon them from on high may be understood likewise of several times as 1. partly of the reviving and the reformation of the state of Judea in Hezekiahs days after God had so wonderfully destroyed Sennacheribs Army Or 2ly more fully and clearly of that strange quickning and reviving of the Jewish State when that people were set free out of Babylon and coming home again to their own Country Jerusalem was rebuilt and reinhabited with multitudes of people as in former times Or 3ly and principally of the glorious change that was wrought in the Church in the days of the Gospel when God did so abundantly pour forth of his Spirit first upon the Apostles and afterwards upon the whole body of his people that embraced the faith of Christ according to that promise Joel 2.28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh c. whereupon the Church did spring up and flourish again after an unusual and unwonted manner As for that which is mentioned in the following words as the effect of this pouring forth of Gods Spirit upon them and the wilderness be a fruitful field and the fruitful field be counted for a forest See the Note Chap. 29.17 understanding it of Gospel-times the meaning seems to be That after that plentiful effusion of Gods Spirit upon his people those that were before as a barren wilderness shall become fruitful and they that before had some beginnings of Grace wrought in them should bring forth fruits in such abundance that their former life should seem but as a wilderness where no fruits were Ver. 16. Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field That is Justice shall be duly executed and men shall carry themselves justly towards those with whom they converse which also implies the true fear of God all the land over see the Note Chap. 29.17 But if we will take it as spoken mystically concerning the days of the Gospel then the meaning seems to be that both amongst the Gentiles that were as a barren wilderness and among the Jews that had been for many years his peculiar fruitful field where he was only known and worshipped when they were gathered into the Church of Christ both the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works should be continually found Ver. 17. And the work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever That is The fruit of this righteousness amongst Gods people shall be all manner of peace inward and outward with God and with men as far as is good for them and so withal a quiet recumbency upon God in the assurance of his love and provident care over them and that not for some little while only as it is with the peace of the wicked but constantly and for ever see the Notes Chap. 26.3 4. Psal 72.2 3. and 119.165 Ver. 18. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places That is By reason of Gods protection they shall dwell safely and without fear wherever they are see the Note Prov. 1.33 Ver. 19. When it shall hail coming down on the forest c. This according to our Translation must be referred to that which was said in the two foregoing verses to wit thus that Gods people should enjoy that peace and safety there promised even when it shall hail coming down on the forest that is when the judgments of God shall be poured forth upon the Heathens or the wicked of the world round about them that were as a wild and fruitless forest But yet they that understand the foregoing promises of the peace and quietness of spirit which Christians should enjoy in the days of the Gospel do accordingly also understand this when it shall hail coming down on the forest either of a storm of divine wrath that should then fall upon the Nation of the Jews who had been Gods fruitful field but were then become a forest Or else mystically that whilst true Believers enjoyed such wonderful peace the Gospel should pour forth a storm of dreadful terrors and vengeance upon the consciences of those to whom it should prove a savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6.
dissolved as we find it foretold Mat. 24.29 and 2 Pet. 3.10 and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole that is they shall seem to pass away so that the lights therein shall be no more seen than the writing in a Parchment-scrole can be seen when it is rolled up together and see the Note Psal 102.26 and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine and as a falling fig from the fig-tree to wit when they are withered and so are easily blown down Ver. 5. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven c. That is In Heaven it is decreed that my sword shall be bathed with the blood of mine enemies see the Note above ver 2. and Psal 119.89 Or the meaning may be that God from Heaven would cause a sword to be drawn against them that should be bathed in their blood according to that of the Apostle the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness Rom. 1.18 behold it shall come down upon Idumea that is upon the Edomites and all the Churches deadly enemies For these are particularly named only because they were always most bitter enemies to the Jews and their Country bordeâ—ed upon Judea and upon the people of my curse that is even upon this people whom I have accursed or and upon all other people whom I have destined to destruction to judgment that is in a way of taking Vengeance on them Ver. 6. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness c. That is It shall be filled with blood c. to wit by reason of the multitudes of them that should be slain and devoured thereby And their blood and fat are expresly named in allusion to their Sacrifices where the blood and the fat were still offered And upon the same respect is that next expression used and with the blood of lambs and gâ—ats with the fat of kidneys of rams where he terms those that were to be slain Lambs and Goats and Rams to imply that the slaughtering of them should be to them as a sweet smelling Sacrifice acceptable to God see the Note Exod. 32.29 Only I conceive that by these lesser sort of Sacrifices the inferior and common sort of people are meant of several ages and conditions young and old the poorer and richer sort For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah which was then the Metropolis of Idumea and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea that is he hath determined to keep a solemn Festival-day there which is said because on such days they used to offer a multitude of Sacrifices 1 Kings 8.63 Ver. 7. And the unicorns shall come down with them and the bullocks with the bulls c. That is Together with the inferior sort of people of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse their great and strong and mighty ones their Princes and Nobles Captains and men of War fierce cruel untameable men shall be knocked down and slain And observable it is that amongst these greater sort of Cattel appointed for Sacrifices he mentions Unicorns that never used to be sacrificed purposely to hint unto us that what he speaks here of Sacrifices was to be understood figuratively and their land shall be soaked with blood and their dust made fatness that is their land even the driest part of it shall be battened as with dung by their blood and the fat of their carcases Ver. 8. For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompence for the controversie of Zion That is It is the set time which God hath appointed for taking vengeance on those his enemies and for recompencing abundantly into their bosoms all the wrongs they had done to his people For by the controversie of Zion here is meant the controversie which the Jews had with the Edomites for the mischief they had often done them or the controversie which God would have with them on his peoples behalf Ver. 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone and the land thereof shall become burning pitch That is the streams or the land of Bozrah or Idumea In this Rhetorical description of the devastation of this Country there is certainly an allusion as often elsewhere to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha see the Notes Chap. 13.19 and Deut. 29.23 And the meaning seems to be either 1. that their Cities being set on fire should burn like pitch and brimstone Or 2. that the land should be left desolate the inhabitants and all therein being as it were burnt up that is utterly consumed and destroyed see Obad. 1.8 Or 3. that their whole Country even the most fruitful and best watered places thereof should be dry and parched as if it were all pitch and brimstone or burnt up with showers of fire and brimstone as Sodom and Gomorrha were see the Notes Job 18.15 16. Ver. 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day c. That is The burning of this land shall not be quenched It is an Hyperbolical expression signifying that the wrath of God should continually burn against them like an unquenchable fire the smoke thereof shall go up for ever that is continually for a long time from generation to generation it shall lye waste that is for many generations none shall pass through it for ever and ever that is it shall be no more inhabited but shall be desolate for ever Ver. 11. But the cormorant or the pellican and the bittern shall possess it the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it c. See the Notes Chap. 14. 23. and Psal 102.6 and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness that is the plummet or level of emptiness the ground of which expression is that in those times they used to hang a stone upon the line of the level as we now do a plummet of lead The meaning is either 1 that God would order it so that it should never be built again they that should undertake it should find the issue of their labour to be nothing but confusion and emptiness according to that of the Prophet Mal. 1.4 Whereas Edom saith We are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places thus saith the Lord of hosts They shall build but I will throw down Or 2. that God would lay their whole land utterly waste and desolate The expression here used of doing this by line and level is taken from workmen either that being to pull down some part of a building are wont by line and level to mark out how far it must be pulled down or else that having quite pulled down a building do use those instruments to see the ground be layed level But see the Note 2 Kings 21.13 Ver. 12. They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom c. That is They that are left of the Edomites shall
That of themselves unless when they are quickned and revived by the spirit of grace they are poor dying perishing Creatures unable to do any thing toward their recovery out of this Condition that so they might be fit to go out of themselves and embrace the Salvation tendred to them in the Gospel through Jesus Christ And indeed till men be made sensible of their own lost Estate they are not capable of the Consolations which ver 1. were appointed to be propounded to them Ver. 7. The grass withereth the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it c. As if he had said As these things wither away if a little sharp breath of wind doth but blow upon them See the Note Psal 103.16 so when God is but pleased in his anger to blow upon men they and all their glory are soon brought to nothing surely the people is grass that is All the people in the World are no better than grass before God whereby what is intended see in the foregoing Note Yet it may be more peculiarly meant of Gods own people to wit that even they also however they might pride themselves in their carnal priviledges had in their natural Estate no advantage in this regard above others Ver. 8. The grass withereth the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever The meaning of this may be in general that however the Plots and Resolutions of poor perishing men might come to nothing yet the Decrees and Promises of God should certainly stand firm for ever But now as this is spoken with particular respect to the Jews return out of Babylon that which was intended must needs be either that how firm soever the Glory of the Babylonian Monarchy might seem yet that should wither and be ruined but the word of promise which God had spoken concerning their return out of Babylon and wherewith he had enjoyned his Servants to comfort his people should surely be accomplished or that though the glory of the State of Judah should be brought to nothing in the Babylonian Captivity yet that should not hinder what God had spoken concerning their re-establishment again in their own land And as it hath reference to the days of the Gospel the meaning is either that Gods promise and Decree concerning the coming of Christ to redeem poor sinful perishing man should certainly be fulfilled or else that the word of Christ published by the Ministry of the Gospel and received by a lively Faith into the hearts of trâ—â— Believers should sanctifie and regenerate those poor dying Creatures and so should as an incorruptible â—eed work in them an incorruptible and immortal life and so should bring them to be everlastingly glorious in Heaven And so indeed the Apostle applieth this passage 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. Ver. 9. O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee up into the high mountain c. This may be read as it is in the Margin O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion get thee up into the high mountain and so likewise in the following words O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem lift up thy voice c. and being thus read it seems to be a repetition of the charge before given ver 1. Comfort ye comfort ye my people to wit That they should proclaim to Gods people those glad tidings wherewith they were appointed to comfort them for which see the Note there But now reading it as it is in our Text O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee up into the high mountain it is rather Zion and Jerusalem it self that is the Church of the Jews belonging to Zion the place of Gods publick Worship though now Captives in Jerusalem that are here enjoyned to spread abroad as far as they could which is implied by willing them to get up into a high mountain the glad tidings they had received concerning the liberty granted them for their return out of Babylon into their own Country And to the â—ame purpose is that which followeth O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings lift up thy voice with strength that is Cry aloud as they use to do that have good tidings to proclaim that as many as may be may hear thee lift it up be not afraid to wit as any way questioning the certainty of your tidings or as fearing any that may be enraged against your return say unto the Cities of Judah that is Those that were once the inhabitants of the Cities of Judah though now in Captivity and scattered abroad into several Countries and are now to raise up the several ruined Cities of Judah again Behold your God that is Lo you shall now see or you have now seen your God with whom your enemies have so often twitted you and of whose help you have been so often ready to despair appearing gloriously to destroy your enemies and to deliver you This I conceive is the meaning of this whole verse as it was spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon But now as it respects the accomplishment of the long expected promise concerning the Messiah I conceive Gods Zion the faithful that were first comforted with the tidings of the coming of Christ are here enjoyned to get up into a high Mountain and to lift up their voice with strength that is chearfully openly freely and confidently to spread abroad the glad tidings of the Gospel first to the Cities of Judah that is the Jews the lost sheep of the house of Israel Matth. 10.6 but then afterwards even to all Nations throughout the VVorld without any fear of those that should oppose or persecute them for so doing And this is just that which Christ said to the Apostles Matth. 10.27 28. What ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house tops And fear not them which kill the body c. And again Mark 16.15 Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every creature And thus understanding it by those words Behold your God may be meant either the Son appearing visibly in mans nature as when the Baptist pointed him out to the people Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World or else meerly his coming into the World to accomplish that great work of mans Redemption which they had so long expected Ver. 10. Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand c. This may be read as in the Margin Behold the Lord God will come against the strong that is Against the mighty enemies of his people the Babylonians Or taking it as spoken of Christ against the Devil who is called Matth. 12.29 the strong man that was to be subdued by Christ and cast out of his house But indeed the sense is the same if we read it as it is in our Text Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand for if we refer it to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon the meaning is That God
be meant of hungring and thirsting after the imputed Righteousness of Christ but rather doubtless of striving to do that which was just and right in Gods Eyes Ye that seek the Lord that is that seek to approve your selves to him and to assure your Interest in him and that seek to him in all your streights Now that which he first assays here to comfort them in is concerning the small number to which they should be brought before that deliverance and restitution of Zion should be wrought which by him God had promised them and hereby may be meant both the fewness of that little Remnant that should come home out of Babylon in comparison of the numerousness of that Nation formerly And likewise the paucity of Believers that should be found in that Nation when Christ the promised Messiah should come to them with the glad tydings of Salvation And that which he saith to encourage them herein is That he adviseth them to remember how miraculously he had formerly multiplied their Nation Look unto the Rock whence ye are hewn and to the hole of the Pit whence ye are digged That is as it is explained in the following Verse Look to Abraham and Sarah out of whose Loins you the Children of Abraham had your descent And the rather we may well think that Abraham is called the Rock and Sarah the hole of the Pit that is the Stone-querry out of which they were hewn and digged with respect to Abrahams dead Body and the deadness of Sarahs Womb Rom. 4.19 They being both in regard of Age like dry and hard Rocks so that there seemed to be no likely yea in a natural way no possibility that they should have any issue until God was pleas'd miraculously to open Sarah's Womb. Now if God did at first from such a dead Stock raise such a numerous Nation as they had been why should they be discouraged at that very small Remnant to which their Church should be brought Ver. 2. Look unto Abraham your Father and unto Sarah that bare you c. This is added by way of explaining the former Words for I called him alone that is I brought him out of Chaldea when he was a lone man one Man and Childless too yea without hope of having any Children by Sarah being barren and at last by reason of Age past any hope of Childing And blessed him and encreased him that is as in many other regards I blessed him so particularly in the mighty encrease of his Posterity so that they became as the Stars in the Heaven or the Sand on the Sea-shore for multitude and hereby is implyed that the same God that did this could likewise encrease and multiply their Church and People though they were brought to never so poor a Remnant See the foregoing Note Ver. 3. For the Lord shall comfort Zion c. To wit with manifold blessings and particularly with an abundant encrease as he did Abraham See the foregoing Notes And this may be meant both of the Jews returning out of Babylon see the Notes Chap. 12.1 and of the Church in the days of the Gospel He will comfort all her waste places that is he will raise up her City and State again and those places that lay desolate shall be inhabited again with multitudes of people And he will make her Wilderness like Eden and her desart like the Garden of the Lord see the Notes Chap. 35.1 2. But now as this is meant of the Church in the days of the Gospel it must needs intend the holy change that should be wrought in Believers and particularly the mighty alteration that should be made in the Apostatised Church of the Jews by the Conversion of a Remnant of them and by the great access of the Gentiles Joy and gladness shall be found therein thanksgiving c. see the Notes Chap. 35.10 and Psal 126.2 But as this hath respect to the days of Christ it is chiefly meant of the great joy that should be wrought in afflicted Consciences by the preaching of the Gospel Ver. 4. Hearken unto me my People and give ear unto me O my Natition c. This is spoken still to the faithful amongst the Jews Gods peculiar People see the Note above ver 1. for a Law shall proceed from me that is say some that would limit this to the Jews that were to come out of Babylon as I will bring home my People to their own Land so I will govern them there as mine own People Do not think that Religion shall be lost amongst them by their long Bondage when I have brought them home they shall be governed by my Law as formerly And accordingly they expound the following Clause And I will make my Judgment to rest for a light of the People that is I will make good my Promises to my People in the sight and to the convincing of all Nations But questionless it is that new Law of the Gospel which God here saith should proceed from him for the governing of his Church for which see the Notes Chap. 2.3 4. And so one main drift of the Words seems to be to shew how the Church of the Jews should be so exceedingly multiplied as was before said namely by the coming in of the Gentiles to them And accordingly we must understand the next Clause And I will make my Judgment to rest for a light of the People that is I will cause my Gospel to rest amongst the Gentiles as a light which the Enemies thereof shall never be able to blow out For it is not strange that the Gospel should be called Gods Judgment because it is the Rule which God hath given us to judge of Good and Evil and the Scepter whereby he governs his Church and Law and Doctrine and Judgment c. are Words ordinarily used in the Scripture promiscuously one for another Ver. 5. My Righteousness is near c. That is The time is near at hand when I will approve my self Righteous and Faithful by performing my promise of saving you out of the hands of your Enemies see the Note Chap. 1.27 And this may be meant both of that deliverance out of Babylon and of our deliverance by Christ from our Spiritual Bondage and Enemies and the last the rather because the expression here used may also imply our being made Righteous by Christ and Christs governing his Church as a Righteous King see the Notes Chap. 40.10 11. My Salvation is gone forth see Chap. 43.19 The expression here used may relate either to the making known Gods Decree to the People by his Prophets or to the approaching and going forth of Cyrus his Decree concerning the Jews deliverance And mine Armes shall judge the People that is by mine Almighty Power I will punish the Nations the Babylonians and others that oppress my Church or by mine own Power accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel Rom. 1.16 and confirmed by many miraculous Works many Nations shall be Converted and shall submit
themselves to my Government And indeed the stretching forth of his Arms seems to imply the enlarging of Gods Kingdom And hereto likewise agrees that which followeth the Isles shall wait upon me see the Notes Chap. 41.1 and 42.4 It may imply the miserable condition of the Gentiles in regard whereof it might be said that they waited for Salvation by Christ even as it is said of the bruit Creatures Psal 104.27 that they wait upon God for his giving them their Meat in due season Or rather the readiness of the Gentiles after their Conversion to obey all the commands of Christ And on mine Arm shall they trust that is they shall in all things rely on my Power and Aid Ver. 6. Lift up your Eyes to the Heavens and look upon the Earth beneath c. As if he should have said consider how wonderfully the whole fabrick of the World is by the mighty Power and provident Care of God over it upheld and preserved For the Heavens shall vanish away like Smoke and the Earth shall wax old like a Garment and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner see the Notes Chap. 34.4 and Psal 102.26 But my Salvation shall be for ever and my Righteousness shall not be abolished of all which the meaning is either 1. That though there should be never such horrid overturnings in the World God would not fail to make good his Promises in the Salvation of his People or 2. That though the whole frame of the World should at last be dissolved yet the promised Salvation should not fail but should continue for ever or 3. which most Expositors like the best that the whole World should rather be broken in pieces and come to nothing than God would not make good his Righteousness and Faithfulness in working that Salvation for his People which he had promised them which is the same with that of our Saviour Luke 21.33 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away Though Gods People may chear up themselves by seeing how God preserves and upholds the whole fabrick of the World yet in the unquestionable certainty of his Promises there is a surer Foundation of Hope and Comfort for them Ver. 7. Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness c. That is That approve and regard it that live Righteously the People in whose Heart is my Law see the Note Psal 37.31 And this is the third time that they are here called upon to hearken to what is said because it is so hard a thing to chear up those that are in great misery and sorrow Fear ye not the reproach of Men neither be ye afraid of their revilings that is when your Enemies shall reproach you for your Piety and Confidence in God fear them not no not the greatest of them Ver. 8. For the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Worm shall eat them like Wool c. That is like a Woollen Cloth or Garment see the Notes Chap. 50.9 and Psal 39.11 But my Righteousness shall be for ever and my Salvation from Generation to Generation see the Note above ver 6. And as this is meant of that great work of our Salvation by Christ the word Righteousness may have also respect to that everlasting Righteousness whereby Gods People are justified and saved Ver. 9. Awake awake put on Strength O Arm of the Lord c. The Prophet and haply in the name of Gods People doth here pray that God would exert the power of his mighty Arm which he had seemed of late to lay by by destroying his Peoples Enemies as he had promised And this may be meant both of the Babylonians and of the spiritual Enemies of Gods People vanquished by Christ who is therefore by some thought to be the Arm of the Lord here spoken of and seems purposely intended to chear the Hearts of Gods People with the remembrance of his Almighty power Awake as in the ancient days in the Generations of old that is as in times of old when thou hast often delivered thy People and destroyed their Enemies Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab see the Note Psal 87.4 and wounded the Dragon that is destroyed Pharaoh see the Notes Chap. 27.1 and Psal 74.13 14. Now because the strength of Gods Arm is unchangeable and not subject to the least decay therefore these Instances are alleadged as a sure proof that he could do the same still for his People Ver. 11. Therefore c. The Church and People of God do here chear up themselves from the consideration of those great things mentioned in the foregoing Verse which God had done for his People Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with Singing unto Zion c. see the Note Chap. 35.10 Ver. 12. I even I am he that comforteth you c. Here the Prophet speaks again to them in the name of God Who art thou that is What a vain foolish heartless Creature art thou That thou shouldest be afraid of a Man that shall die and of the Son of Man that shall be made as Grass To wit having the Eternal and Almighty God to be your Protector and Saviour See the Note Chap. 40.6 Ver. 13. And forgettest the Lord thy Maker c. See the Notes Chap. 44.1.21 that hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth see the Note Psal 104.2 and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressor as if he were ready or had made himself ready to destroy That is as if the Enemy were sure to destroy because he was fully resolved and had made ready to do it Intimating that it was their great Sin to be so overwhelmed with fear in their greatest dangers having the promise of God for their deliverance and where is the fury of the Oppressor That is say some what is become of the fury of those that formerly oppressed my People As namely of the Egyptian mentioned before ver 9 10. or of Sennacherib the Assyrian of whom see what is said before Chap. 16.4 Though they were ready to destroy did not their fury soon come to nothing And if God destroyed them is not he able to do the like to the Babylonian too But rather it is spoken with respect to the Babylonian and where is the fury of the Oppressor That is assoon as I begin to contend with him what will become of his Fury It will soon come to nothing Or it may be taken more generally that when ever the Enemies of Gods People do oppress them God can suddenly put an end to their Fury and that he will at last so perfectly deliver his People that they shall no more be in danger of being oppressed by them Ver. 14. The Captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed c. That is Gods poor People that are now Captive in a strange Country shall within a short time be delivered the time hasteneth when they
shall be set at Liberty Now though there seems to be an allusion in the Words to the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt concerning whom it is said Exod. 12.33 That the Egyptians were urgent upon the People that they might send them out of the Land in haste yet questionless it is meant in the type of the Captivated Jews in Babylon that the time of their deliverance was coming on apace and in the antitype of Christs delivering his redeemed ones that were in bondage to Satan bound with the Fetters of Sin and Death who should with all readiness embrace the Salvation tendered them in the Gospel And accordingly we must understand the following words and that he should not die in the Pit that is in that Pit of misery whereinto they were fallen or in those Prison-houses wherein they were kept in Babylon Or as it respects Christs ransomed ones that they might not perish for ever in the bottomless Pit of Hell nor that his Bread should fail that is that the poor Captives in Babylon might not perish there for want of necessary provision in their long continued thraldom or in their return homeward by reason of the desart places they were to go through Or as it respects those that are redeemed by Christ that they might be instructed in the mysteries of the Gospel and not want that Spiritual food of their Souls And in this too there may be an allusion to Gods care over the Israelites whom he delivered out of Egypt that they should not want Bread to eat as they travelled through the Wilderness to the Land of Canaan which seems the more probable because of that which followeth in the next Verse Ver. 15. But I am the Lord thy God that divided the Sea c. To wit The red Sea whose Waves roared to wit by reason of the violent blowing of the East Wind wherewith God divided the Waters of the Sea that so the Israelites might pass over on dry ground Exod. 14.21 Ver. 16. And I have put my words in thy Mouth c. Expositors differ much in their Judgments concerning the Person to whom this is spoken That which seems to me most probable is That it is spoken first to Isaiah as the type but then secondly under him to Christ and to all his Prophets and faithful Messengers and Ministers or as some say which is all one in effect to Christ and to his People as the Body of Christ However the drift of the words is clear Namely That this is spoken to comfort his People as before ver 12. by assuring them 1. That the Prophet spake Gods Word to them nothing but what he had enjoined him and in the very words and terms which he had prompted to him and that therefore they had no cause to question the promises that he made them And the like we must hold concerning Christ who often affirmed this that he spake nothing but what God had put into his Mouth see Joh. 3.34 and 8.26.28 And 2dly That God would secure him from all his Enemies and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand see the Note Chap. 49.2 And then to shew what should be the effect of this the following words are added that I may plant the Heavens and lay the Foundations of the Earth That is That I may hereby create a new World a new Heaven and a new Earth Now we must know that though this may be meant of the Jews deliverance out of Babylon because there was then such a change wrought amongst that People as if they had been brought into a new World and because that is usually ascribed to the Ministry of Gods Prophets which they did only declare and foretell as in that Jer. 1.10 See I have this day set thee over the Nations and over the Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant Yet certainly it is meant principally of that great change and renovation that God by Christ did actually and effectually work in the World at his coming by the Work of his Redemption and the publishing thereof by the preaching of the Gospel by means whereof the curse was taken off from the Creatures which the Sin of Man had brought upon them and all things that were before as it were broken and ruined were restored and settled in Christ and which is chiefly intended a holy Church is gathered and planted throughout the World who are reconciled to God and made new Creatures a People whose Conversation is in Heaven and who are daily fitted for heavenly Glory and say unto Zion Thou art my People That is That God might say to wit by the Prophets Apostles and others by whom it is published and by Christ by whom it was both effected and published ye that were not my People are now become my People Ver. 17. Awake awake stand up O Jerusalem c. Some think that because the Jews were at this time proud and secure and fearless of any Evil that was coming upon them like a drunken Man fallen into a dead sleep by reason of a Spirit of drunkenness and slumber that God had poured forth upon them therefore God by the Prophet doth here awaken them and calls upon them to arise and repent and turn unto the Lord. And indeed expressions much like to these are used by the Apostle in this sense 1 Cor. 15.34 and Eph. 5.14 But by the whole current of the Text it appears that this is spoken by way of comforting them Because they might disregard the promise of deliverance which God had made them by reason of that extremity of misery and oppression under which they lay therefore there is hope here given them that notwithstanding that depth of Calamity whereinto they were fallen yet God would raise them up And accordingly comparing them to a People that by drinking of the Cup of Gods wrath were fallen down and lay in a dead sleep he calls upon them to awaken and arise up Awake awake stand up O Jerusalem as if he had said There will be suddenly a happy change and therefore lye no longer O my People in so sad and disconsolate a condition which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the Cup of his Fury That is Whom God hath in his just wrath punished with great severity thou hast drunken the dregs of the Cup of trembling and wrung them out that is the whole Cup of Gods indignation even to the very bottom dregs and all which in bitter potions use to be the bitterest and those pressed and squeezed that nothing might be left The meaning is That they had suffered the whole that God had measured out to be their portion or so much that one would think their misery could not be well greater than it was And why this is called a Cup of trembling see the Notes Job 21.20 Psal 11.6 and 60.3 and 75.8 Now this may be conceived to be spoken 1. With respect to
I conceive to the vain things they vented when they did at any time undertake to teach the People even their own Dreams and not any thing which God had given them in charge However upon these men we must know the blame is particularly laid not because the People were not also extreamly wicked but because the neglect of their Duty was a main cause of the wickedness of the People Ver. 11. Yea they are greedy Dogs which can never have enough c. This may be added as another of their Sins to wit their insatiable Covetousness or else as a reason of that which was said before of them namely That they were blinded with Covetousness and they are Shepherds that cannot understand that is they know not how to order their Flocks aright see the foregoing Note they all look to their own way that is say some they all give up themselves to do every Man of them what they list or rather they are all for themselves minding only their own affairs and profit every one for his gain from his Quarter that is every one from the place of his abode even all the City over from one end to the other Ver. 12. Come ye say they I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong Drink c. This is another Sin wherewith their Watch-men before mentioned are here charged to wit Their Rioting and Drunkenness And they are brought in here enticing to and encouraging one another in this Sin and perhaps the People too to imply their obstinacy and security herein Come ye say they I will fetch Wine c. as if they had said Let Men say what they will and come what will of it we will thus take our Pleasure And so likewise in the following words and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant which do clearly hold forth a bold and desperate resolution of running on in this their excess day after day though they may also imply a scornful contempt of the threatnings of Gods Prophets as if they had said Come let us drink stoutly and fear nothing if it be well with us to day it shall be as well with us to morrow and it may be better CHAP. LVII VERSE 1. THE Righteous perisheth c. That is They dye it is spoken according to that which is outwardly seen in the Death of Men and no Man layeth it to Heart that is no man minds it or is troubled at it though it be an usual sign of some approaching Judgment when those that are the Pillars to support a Church are taken away and merciful men or Godly Men for the Word in the Original signifieth both are taken away to wit by a natural or a violent Death for some think it is spoken with respect to the Righteous that were cut off by Manassah see the Note 2 Kings 21.16 none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come to wit as Husbandmen make speed to House their Corn when they see storms coming So it was with Josiah 2 Kings 22.20 This therefore is another wickedness wherewith he chargeth not their Watch-men only as before in the close of the foregoing Chapter but the whole People in general namely That whereas many it seems of the Faithful Servants of God were at that time taken away they regarded not this warning which God gave them of those dreadful Judgments that were coming apace upon them But withall there is comfort hinted for the despised Righteous Ver. 2. He shall enter into Peace c. That is into the rest and peace of Heavenly Glory where they shall be with God perfectly freed from all the troubles of the World It may indeed be read as in the Margin He shall go in peace and then the meaning may be that they should go out of the World with quiet and peaceable Consciences and before those evil and troublesome times came of which he had spoken in the foregoing Verse they shall rest in their Beds that is in their Graves for as Death is called a sleep so the Graves are termed Beds wherein dead men lye asleep until the general Resurrection when they shall all awake and rise again their Souls being departed into Heavenly rest their Bodies shall rest quietly in their Graves see the Note Job 3.13 each one walking in his own uprightness or before him as it is in the Margin The meaning is that thus it shall be with every one that serves God sincerely see the Note Gen. 17.1 Ver. 3. But c. Having in the foregoing Verses touched upon the happiness of the Righteous that were by Death taken away from approaching Judgments here he turns his Speech to the wicked Wretches of that Generation that rejoiced in their Death rather than grieved for it and triumphed in their surviving of them and condemns and threatens them But draw near hither ye Sons of the Sorceress the Seed of ye Adulterer and of the Where as if he should have said Thus shall it be with my Righteous Servants that are cut off from amongst you but as for you the prophane Crew that survive them and applaud your selves herein draw near and hear your doom And he calls them Sons of the Sorceress with respect to Jerusalem their Mother that was much addicted to those wicked Arts and the Seed of the Adulterer and the Whore because the Inhabitants of that City were also much given to those Sins of uncleanness but especially to that Sin of Idolatry which is often in the Scripture tearmed Spiritual Adultery and Fornication see the Notes Chap. 1.21 and 2 Kings 9.22 And thus these tearms implyed that they were a Wicked and Idolatrous Generation descended from Wicked and Idolatrous Parents both by Fathers and Mothers side and especially that they were no more in Truth the Seed of Israel or Children of God than the Children which a Wife hath by an Adulterer are her Husbands Children Ver. 4. Against whom do ye sport your selves c. As if he had said When you make your selves merry with flouting and jeering at the reproof and threatnings of my Prophets consider well of it it is not poor mortal Men against whom you sport your selves but the immortal and mighty God of Heaven and Earth whose Servants they are and whose Word it is which they Preach to you see 2 Chron. 36.16 Luke 10.16 1 Thes 4.8 for that this is here intended is evident by the following words against whom make ye a wide Mouth to wit in a way of derision see the Notes Job 16.10 and Psal 22.7 and draw out the Tongue which was another gesture used of old by way of mocking as we see by that of Persius Nec linguae quartum sitiat canis Appela tantum Are ye not Children of Transgression That is say some born of Wicked Rebellious Parents as was said before Children of the Adulterer and the Whore or rather Children that are transgressors as Children of Iniquity Hos 10.9
unto thee that is whole Armies or Troops of them shall come in to thee This also in the Type many understand of the forwardness of the Nations to help the Jews at their return out of Babylon and some would have the meaning to be that Judea should become a great Mart for Merchants by Sea But the foregoing Exposition doth most clearly suit with the whole current of this Prophesie Ver. 6. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee c. That is thy Land the Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah that is the Midianites for Ephah was also of the Posterity of Midian Gen. 25.4 who inhabited Arabia see the Note Gen. 37.28 The meaning is that the Converted Gentiles should honour the Lord with their Substance and Consecrate themselves and all that they had to the Service of Christ and his Church And accordingly the several Nations are here said to bring in those things that were the choicest Commodities of their several Countries The meaning here cannot be that these Midianites Embracing the Faith of Christ should ride to Jerusalem upon Camels and Dromedaries but because in those Eastern Countries they used to ride and to carry great Burdens of Wares upon this kind of Cattel and because in those days Men used not to come empty handed to the House of God therefore the Coming in of the Gentiles their submitting themselves and all they had to the Lords disposing and their contributing of their Wealth in abundance to the Church of Christ is thus figuratively expressed that the Land of Gods People should be covered with their Camels and Dromedaries And to the same purpose is that which follows all they from Sheba shall come see the Note Psal 72.10 They shall bring Gold and Incense that is they shall also Consecrate their Wealth to the Lord yea and some would have it that under these Figuratively the dedicating of their Learning and Eloquence their Arts and Sciences to the service of Christ and his Church is also comprehended and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord that is they shall worship God And indeed this last clause sheweth plainly that the mention made in the foregoing Words of their bringing Gold and Incense with them was not with respect to Trading as some have thought but with respect to the worship and service of God Ver. 7. All the Flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee The Rams of Nebaioth shall Minister unto thee c. Because the Kedarens and Nabathaeans Ishmaelites of the Posterity of Kedar and Nebaioth dwelling in Arabia abounded in Flocks of Sheep therefore it is said that from them multitudes of these shall be brought in to Gods People And though in the Type this again may be meant of these Nations supplying the Jews that were come out of Babylon abundantly with Cattel for Sacrifices But certainly it is principally meant of the Converted Gentiles and accordingly we must understand it either that they should zealously promote the Church of Christ and the worship of God therein by contributing abundantly of their Substance thereto or that they should offer up Spiritual Sacrifices unto God for it is usual with the Prophets in speaking to the Jews to set forth the Worship of the Gospel under Figurative tearms taken from their Legal Service they shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar that is their Services shall be as Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and I will glorify the house of my Glory that is in the Type his glorious House the Temple built for his Glory and wherein he had appeared often with great Glory now trodden down by the Gentiles but to be raised up again gloriously at the Jews return from Babylon or rather the Church of Christ the House of God 1 Tim. 3.15 which God did many ways Glorifie but the access of the Gentiles is principally here intended see the Note ver 9. Ver. 8. Who are these c. The Prophet some think in the name of the Church who above ver 4. in this regard was called upon to lift up her Eyes and look about breaks forth here into an admiration at the multitudes of those that should come flocking into Zion And though some understand it of the Jews returning to their own Country at their deliverance out of Babylon as they do a like expression Chap. 49.21 of which see the Note there yet indeed the very words seem to hint that he speaks of the Gentiles coming in to the Christian Church of the Jews because he speaks of them as a People unknown such as were Aliens and Strangers from the Common-Wealth of Israel Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows that is the Lockers where they make their several Nests and breed their Young ones or rather the loover-holes in the Turrets or tops of the Dove-house whereby they fly into it Now the coming in of the Gentiles to the Church may be compared to the flying of a Cloud to imply their coming in from remote Countries because Clouds do many times arise in the farthest parts of the Sky and to the flying in of Doves to their windows because as Doves do usually fly home when they see a storm coming or are in danger of some Bird of prey so it should be the fear of wrath to come that should bring in the Gentiles to the Church as to a place of refuge and safety But questionless the main intent of both Similitudes is to set forth with what eagerness chearfulness and speed see the Note Chap. 19.1 and likewise in what multitudes they should come in like a huge flight of Doves that cover the Air like a Cloud or like a Cloud that sometimes will spread and cover the whole face of the Heavens Ver. 9. Surely the Isles c. That is such as dwell in remote Islands or elsewhere on the Sea-Coast see the Note Chap. 41.1 This seems to be spoken in the Person of God or Christ in answer to the wonder of the Prophet or Church in the foregoing Verse Surely the Isles wait for me that is being convinced of the danger of their natural condition by the Preaching of the Gospel they shall earnestly long to be brought home and reconciled with me and therefore it is no wonder though they come in flocking to me But see the Notes also Chap. 42.4 and 51.5 and the Ships of Tarshish see the Notes 1 Kings 10.22 and Psal 48.7 first that is the Men of Tarshish famous above others for Shipping and Navigation shall be of the first and forwardest that shall be ready to come in to me and serve me to bring thy Sons from far that is thy Children O my Church see the Notes above ver 4. and Chap. 49.22 their Silver and their Gold with them see the Note above ver 6. unto the name of the Lord thy God that is to be consecrated to God or for the Service of his Church or Temple see the Note Deut.
more in that place of Luke where our Saviour is said to have read this Text out of Isaiah which is not here to set at liberty them that are bruised of which therefore some say that it had been added in the Margin of the Septuagint by way of explaining the foregoing words and so was read also by our Saviour Ver. 2. To proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord c. That is the set time when God would accept of his People into his favour again which though it might be intended of the time appointed for the deliverance of his People out of Babylon yet questionless it is principally meant of that set time appointed by God the Apostle calls it the fullness of time Gal. 4 4. Wherein God was pleased of his own free Grace upon satisfaction made by Christ to tender unto poor Sinners forgiveness of Sins and full Reconciliation with himself by the Preaching of the Gospel which is indeed a time welcome and acceptable unto those poor Souls that lay groaning under a heavy burden of Sin 1 Tim. 1.15 and Rom. 10.15 See the Note Chap. 49.8 It is probable that in the words there is an allusion to the year of Jubile which was a Type of the Days of the Gospel for which see the Notes Lev. 25.10 c. And the day of Vengeance of our God that is the time when our God will take vengeance on the Babylonians the Enemies of his people or Mystically when Christ will destroy the Spiritual Enemies of his People Satan Sin and Death and so rescue his PeoPle out of their Bondage See the Notes Chap. 59.17 18. Yet some understand it of the day of Judgment when God will cast all the Enemies of his Church together with Satan into Eternal Damnation To comfort all that Mourn to wit with the glad tydings formerly mentioned And to the same purpose are all the several Expressions added in the following Verse Ver. 3. To appoint unto them that Mourn in Zion to give unto them Beauty for Ashes c. That is goodly and beautiful Garments instead of Ashes wherein they sat and wherewith they sprinkled themselves in Times of Sorrow See the Note Chap. 58.5 The Oyl of Joy for Mourning See the Note Psal 45.7 and 104.15 The Garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness that is such Garments as Men are wont to praise for their Beauty and Bravery or such Garments as Men are wont to weare on Festivals and times of Triumph when thy meet together to praise God for some great Mercies that they might be called Trees of Righteousness that is that those that were as Trees cut down to the ground or spiritually dead might sprout up again and flourish and both be and be esteemed a Righteous People The planting of the Lord that he might be Glorified See the Note Chap. 60.21 Ver. 4. And they shall Build the old wastes c. See the Notes Chap. 58.12 and 60 10. Ver. 5. And Strangers shall stand and feed your Flocks c. that is you shall be in such a prosperous condition that the Heathens whether taken in War or bought or hired by you shall chearfully and readily serve you even in the meanest and most servile Imployments and see also the Notes Chap. 14.1 2. But now as this is spoken with respect to the Days of the Gospel many Learned Expositors understand it thus that even from amongst the Gentiles many should be raised up that should be Teachers in the Church of Christ Ver. 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord Men shall call you the Ministers of our God c. Some I conceive without any just ground would have this understood particularly of the Priests and Levites thus that they should be no more despised and abused as they had been in Babylon it is like above the other Captives but that they should be highly esteemed amongst the People as the Priests of the Lord and the Ministers and Servants of God for questionless the Prophet speaks here as before to the whole people of the Jews and accordingly the intent of the words is to shew them that however basely they had been used and esteemed in Babylon yet 1. When God delivered them from thence they should be honoured abroad and in as great repute as if they had been all Priests a Holy People consecrated to Gods Service and in special favour with God See the Notes Exod. 19.6 And 2. When they came to Embrace Christ in the Days of the Gospel they should be advanced to be Priests unto God in a more peculiar and Spiritual manner as it is said Revel 1.6 That Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father even to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to him see Rom. 12.1 and 15.16 Heb. 13.15 and 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye shall eat the Riches of the Gentiles See the Notes Chap. 60.5 6 7.1.16 and 45.15 And in their Glory shall ye boast your selves that is in their Riches and all that shall be Glorious amongst them their Learning Eloquence Gifts and Graces and in a word in all the Glory which from them shall redound to you But see also the Notes Chap. 49.18 and 60.9 Ver. 7. For your shame you shall have double c. That is as it is spoken to the Jews with respect to their Captivity in Babylon for the shame you underwent in the Land of your Captivity ye shall have double Glory that is abundant Glory see the Note Chap. 40.2 For this seems to be added with reference to the last Clause of the foregoing Verse And in their glory shall ye boast your selves or a double portion for the Dammages and Losses ye had formerly sustained And thus some conceive that the following words are added by way of explaining these and for confusion they that is the Jews the person is changed as often elsewhere in this Prophet for the reproach they underwent shall rejoyce in their Portion that is in their returning to and possessing again that Land which God had of old given them for their Portion and Inheritance therefore in their Land they shall possess the double that is double Glory as is before said or a double Portion in the Land to wit in regard of the extraordinary Blessing of God upon that which they enjoyed or in regard of the large extent of each ones Portion in comparison of what they formerly held because there was but only a small Remnant of them that returned a Tenth of them only Chap. 6.13 the greatest part of them being wasted and destroyed partly by the Sword and Famine in their own Land before they were carried away Captives and partly in their Captivity by reason whereof they that returned had the First-borns Portion a double Portion Everlasting joy shall be unto them See the Note Chap. 35.10 Well but now there was but only a beginning of the performance of this promise in the deliverance of Gods People out of Babylon and their return
believing Jews or Zions Watchmen before mentioned ver 6. the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel are here called upon to go out of her Gates to make way for the Gentiles to come into the Church Again others understand it of the Jews encouraged hereby to press and throng in through the Gates of Jerusalem which though formerly broken down or burnt should at their return ftom Babylon stand open before them ready to receive them And under this Type they conceive that the flocking in of the Gentiles on all sides to the Church is comprehended see the Notes Chap. 26.2 and 60.11 But because in the following Words there is mention made of preparing the way for the Jews return out of Babylon it is not so probable that their pressing into the Gates of Jerusalem should be here set before that it may be rather thought that the Jews are here pressed to hasten speedily and to go through the Gates of the several Cities where they were in Captivity and to get away to their own Country which indeed agreeeth well with that which is said elsewhere see the Notes Chap. 48.20 and 52.11 Yea and some too think that it may be spoken to those to whom the following Words are directed prepare you the way of the People cast up cast up the high-way gather out the Stones for which see the Note Chap. 40.3 lift up a standard for the People see the Note Cap. 49.22 Ver. 11. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the World c. To wit that which follows say ye to the Daughter of Zion see the Note 2 Kings 19.21 Behold thy Salvation cometh that is thy Redemption and Deliverance or thy Saviour that shall deliver thee for that this last is at least implied is evident by the following Words behold his reward is with him c. Now as this is spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon the meaning is either that the Lord had by the Proclamation of Cyrus enjoyn'd all Nations should give liberty to his People to return home to their own Land which agrees well with that expression of Cyrus in his Proclamation Ezra 1.2 Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth c. or else that the Lord by the wonderful manner of that deliverance of the Jews would cause all Nations even to the end of the World to understand that it was done by his Will and Command But now as it is spoken with respect to that great Work of Mans Redemption by Christ whereof the other was a Type the meaning is that the Lord had by the preaching of the Gospel Proclaimed unto all Nations the coming of the promised Messiah that so they might come in and joyn themselves to his Church and indeed that passage say ye to the Daughter of Zion behold thy Salvation cometh is expresly applyed to Christ by the Evangelists Math. 21.5 behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him see the Note Chap. 40.10 Ver. 12. And they shall call them the Holy People the Redeemed of the Lord c. That is upon their miraculous deliverance men shall own them to be the People whom God had Sanctified and set a part to himself to be his own peculiar People see the Note Exod. 19.6 and whom he had made a Holy People and redeemed out of the power of their Enemies see the Notes Chap. 4.3 and 60.21 and thou shalt be called to wit thou O Zion sought out that is of her Husband that had cast her off see the Notes Chap. 34.6 7. Or one over whom God took special care to look after her and recover her when she was lost Or the meaning may be that she should be sought after as one that was in high esteem to wit by the Gentiles that should seek to joyn themselves in one Church with her and so it should be no more said of her as formerly it was this is Zion whom no Man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 A City not forsaken that is neither cast off by God nor left desolate without People as formerly she seemed to be see the Note above ver 4. CHAP. LXIII VERSE 1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom c. Having in the foregoing Chapter Ver. 11. spoken of the Lords coming to save his People as of a thing ready to be done immediately say ye to the Daughter of Zion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his reward is with him c. Here the Church say some or the Prophet rather as if he had seen in a Vision this great Saviour of his People the Lord God like some great Prince coming from the Slaughter of his Enemies whom he had vanquished in Fight with his Garments all stained with their Blood breaks forth into this expression of admiration who is this that cometh from Edom with Died Garments from Bozrah and that still to assure Gods People that it would not be long ere he would come and deliver them by destroying their Enemies It is questioned by Expositors why it is said that he came from Edom and from Bozrah which was the chief City of Edom. That which was commonly said by the Ancients that the Prophet speaks this of Christ ascending triumphantly into Heaven after his Bloody passion cannot certainly be here intended because it is expresly said afterwards ver 3. that his Garments were Red not with his own Blood but with the Blood of his Enemies Nor is there much probability in that which is said by others that because Edom signifieth Red and Bozrah signifieth a Vintage nothing else is intended by saying that he came from Edom and Bozrah but that his Garments were Blood-red like one that having trod a Winepress hath his Garments all over besprinkled with the Blood of the Grapes it is therefore far more probable which some others say that it is to be understood Literally concerning the destruction of the Edomites that were always bitter Enemies to the Jews Psal 137.7 Or rather that the Edomites are put for the Enemies of Gods People in General especially the Babylonians and that because the Edomites had been successively in all Ages professed deadly Enemies to the Jews and so had manifested themselves to be when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians and by reason of their near Neighbourhood were best known to them see the Notes Ch. 34.5 6. This I conceive is the genuine meaning of the place that this is spoken of God coming like some Victorious Prince from the destruction of the Babylonians and other his Peoples Enemies having his Garments besprinkled with their Blood yet I question not but that under these Victories of God over the Babylonians and other Enemies of his People Christs Victories over their Spiritual Enemies were also Typified As for the following Words they contain a farther Description of this great Saviour of his People this that is glorious in his Apparel that is Clothed with