in regard the Iewes sinned of a set malice and rather against knowledge then of ignorance For they had been often taught and instructed but they insolently reiected all admonitions In which respect they were much lesse excusable then those to whom the Prophets were not sent For as no man aliue can pretend any cause of ignorance No man can pretend ignorance so yet the Iewes much lesse and those to whom the word of the Lord hath been published who for this cause shall haue a sharper sentence of condemnation pronounced against them then and shall be more seuerely punished then any other Hee sets downe the meanes of this call namely that hee had exhorted them by his Prophets For by the clause I spake hee repeates one and the same thing twice according to the custome of the Hebrewes as wee noted before To hearken to the Lord is to obey his word for it were to little purpose to lend an eare vnlesse vvee follow that which the word propounds vnto vs. For otherwise what difference is betweene vs and the Asse who wags his eares God will be heard with the heart Prou. 23.26 As for a fained audience he vtterly reiects it Now he shewes the cause why they would not come at his call surely they stopped their eares against wholsome doctrine For the beginning of obedience is to bring with vs a desire to learne Before mine eies is as much to say as before my face which phrase of speech he vsed a little before Euery man sinnes before the eies of the Lord neither can any auoid his presence But it is properly said that we sinne before his eies Who is said to sinne in Gods eies when being called by him wee stand not in awe of his sacred presence for he is neerest to those whom he calles by his Prophets yea to such it may be said that he shewes himselfe visibly Therefore so much the more detestable is their impietie and worthy of the more stripes who as it were with whorish foreheads despise God who in such familiar manner summons and calles them vnto him Now by the latter end of the verse it appeares that the Iewes are not condemned for any enormous sinnes but chieflie in respect of their new found deuotions by which they corrupted the seruice of God For albeit they were forward enough in hunting after their forged sacrifices thinking thereby to obtaine Gods fauour yet himselfe pronounceth that he abhorres all such endeuours because there is nothing but pollution therin It is not permitted to euery one then to follow that which seemes good in his owne eies We must not follow that in Gods seruice which seemes good in our eies but we must haue an eie to that which God approues of and not turne therfrom no not an haires breadth Well we see that this vice hath not raigned in one age onely namely that men haue followed their fond appetites and haue worshipped their owne inuentions in stead of God when the question hath been touching his pure seruice But how great delight soeuer men take herein sure it is the Lord protests that hee contemnes and abhorres it Vers 13. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold my seruants shall eate and yee shall bee hungrie Behold my seruants shall drinke and yee shall be thirstie Behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed 14. Behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall crie for sorrow of heart and shall houle for vexation of mind Hypocrites distinguished from the faithfull THe Prophet here distinguisheth yet more clearely hypocrites which hold a place in the Church only from his true and lawfull children For though all will needs take vnto them the title of Gods children yet he shewes that many were to be chased out of the house that those who proudlie insulted ouer Gods people should be frustrated of their hope because it was vaine false And we are to note well the remarkable opposition which is here put betweene Gods seruants and those that falsely glorie in his name For he shewes that their vaine titles their boasting and false perswasions should stand them in no stead These words they shal eate and drink signifie felicitie and a prosperous estate in this present life For it is as if he had promised to haue such care ouer the faithfull that they should want nothing Obiect But it seemes the Lord here promiseth his seruants more in words then he performes in deedes For are they not often hungrie and thirstie whilest the wicked ouerflow in all sorts of good things and abuse them to excesse and riot I answere Ans that Christs kingdome is here noted out vnto vs vnder these figures for otherwise we cannot comprehend it For which cause the Prophets are wont to borrow similitudes fom earthly kingdoms in which when the subiects flow in wealth and in the inioying of all blessings there Gods liberalitie is to be espied by which also wee ordinarily iudge of his fatherly loue towards vs. Note But because it is not expedient that the faithfull should fixe their hopes vpon earthly commodities it is enough for them that they take onely some little taste of them the better to vphold their faith And if it so fall out that they bee now and then pressed with wants yet by feeling the benefit of contentation with a little they cease not for all that still to acknowledge God for their father and to taste of his liberalitie Nay The faithfull richer in their pouertie then the greatest Kings in their superfluitie shall I say more euen in their very pouertie they are oftentimes richer indeede then Kings and great Lords of the earth But although the wicked enioy neuer so much yet are they the only miserable people in the world because they cannot enioy their wealth with a good conscience The Prophet therfore hath respect to the right vse of Gods gifts For such as serue him purely receiue from him as children from the hand of their father all things needfull for this life present But the rest as vsurpers and theeues take whatsoeuer they possesse by stealth and robberie No riches nor abundance can satisfie the wicked No â—iches can satisfie a wicked man they are alwaies in distrust and trembling their consciences will neuer giue them rest The Lord you see then promiseth no more here then hee truely performes neither must we iudge of this felicitie by outward appearances This wil be better perceiued by the words following where hee speakes of reioycing and giuing thankes For no doubt the Prophets meaning is to say that contentment consists not in the inioying of abundance Contentment consists not in abundance but in tranquillitie peace and gladnesse of mind because all things are vnsauorie to the vnfaithfull But the godly take more pleasure in the feeling of Gods fatherly loue then in all the pleasures of the world Our chiefe felicitie In the meane
to this place that this prudencie might also be placed amongst the gifts of the holy Ghost And this effect also agrees particularly vnto the person of Christ to wit that he is wise and prudent to gouerne his owne boyond al that the capacitie of any of the faithfull is able to comprehend First we are to note the similitude of the verbe To smell which signifies that Christ shall so abound with iudgement and discretion that he shall not neede to apprehend any thing either by sight or hearing because hee shall be able by his onely smell to discerne the most secret and hidden things The most part of the expositours take the particle In the feare of the Lord as if all the affections of the heart should bee discouered before Christ so as hee should be able easilie to iudge who are the true seruants of God But let the readers consider if the sense would not agree better to say that the feare of God is taken heere for a certaine rule of iudgement For the Prophet doth of set purpose distinguish the heauenly iudgement of Christ from the iudgement of men to the end we might know that the outward appearance of holinesse or integritie is nothing at all approued before him The sense then is that when we come before the tribunal of Christ he will not onely examine things according to the outward actions as men doe in ciuill policie but the life is there examined and squared out according to the rule of true pietie Neither indeed is it fit for men to bee the searchers of the heart and we shall often see that there is onely a vaine appearance in those whom we shall esteeme honest men but Christ iudgeth not by the outside because he knoweth and soundeth the vttermost and hiddenest secrets of the heart His iudgement then is far different froÌ„ mans iudgement who though they bee neuer so expert and wittie doe yet too foolishly oft times ouershoot theÌ„selues Thence it followes that none can be the true seruants of God but those whom Iesus Christ approueth Now they cannot bee approued of him vnlesse they shew a pure and vpright heart for we cannot deceiue him by any false and vaine appearances Vers 4. But with righteousnesse shall he iudge the poore and with equitie shall he reprooue for the meek of the earth and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shal he slay the wicked HEere he teacheth that Christ shall be the protectour of the poore To whom these graces formerly mentioned doe propeâ—ly appertaine or rather hee shewes who they are to whom the grace of Christ properly appertaines to wit to the poore and meeke that is to those who being humbled vnder the sense of their owne miserie haue throwne to the ground this high and proud conceit of themselues wherewith men are vsually puffed vp till being meekened by the word they haue learned to humble themselues The Prophet heere protests then that Christ will not be the defender and protectour of all in generall but of those who acknowledge themselues poore and destitute of all good things And this Iesus Christ himselfe shewed to the Disciples of Iohn Baptist when he told them that the Gospell was preached to the poore Mat 11.5 For all are not indeede indifferently capable of this doctrine All are not not capable of this doctrine but those onely who being stripped of all ouerweening of the flesh haue their recourse to this heauenly saueguard and protection There is heere then a close opposition to wit that Christ gouernes not the rich that is to say those who are blowne vp wiith a false opinion of themselues because that howsoeuer he cals al men vnto him yet notwithstanding the most part refuse to subiect themselues vnder his gouernement for they are the poore onely which suffer themselues to be guided by him This text admonisheth vs to strippe our selues quite and cleane of all pride and to put on the spirit of meekenesse and modestie if wee desire that Christ should rule vs vnder his hand Behold heere then the spirituall pouertie which the Prophet recommends to all the members of Christ which is not to be swollen with an ouerweening bâ—t truely to be humbled with the feeling of our pouertie and miserie to the end we may depend vpon Christ onely Hauing once resolued throughly vpon that this King and faithfull protectour will take care of our saluation and will defend vs euen to the very end against all our enemies we also heere learne who they be that he calles vnto him Come to mee all you saith he that trauaile and are heauie laden Matth. 11.28 Needfull it is then that we trauaile and be pressed vnder the weight of our burthen if wee will feele and haue experience of his succour Wee haue also to obserue the order which the Prophet keepes heere for first hee placeth pouertie and afterwards meeknesse or gentlenesse We must be poore before we can be brought to meekenesse because we must be poore before wee can bee brought to be meeke and lowly As long as we thâ—nke our selues to be any thing being puffed vp with a vaine confidence of our owne worth our heart forthwith ouerfloweth into all pride and conceitednesse so as wee cannot be humbled nor brought into any order but when we once know our own miserie then we beginne to abase our selues and being weake and oppressed wee are forced to sigh vnder the burthen He heere describes then the condition of Christs people In the former verses the Prophet did set forth the nature 〈◊〉 of Christ as he is the King of his Church heere he describes the qualities and condition of his subiects as heeretofore hee had set forth the nature of their King whence also we are to learne that all doe not indifferently partake in these excellent gifts of the holy Ghost wherewith Christ was adorned as we haue seene heretofore but the poore and humble onely Now this word to iudge signifies gouernmeÌ„t the principall part whereof is that Christ makes vs partakers of those gifts which hee hath receiued of his Father to the end hee might liue in vs and we in him And shall smite the earth In this place the Prophet extolles the efficacie of the word which is the royall scepter of Christ For the rod of the mouth is as much to say as a verball scepter and in the second member speaking of the breath or spirit of the lips hee repeates the selfesame thing as if he should say Christ shall not neede to borrow strength from others to beate backe his enemies and to ouerthrow whatsoeuer is contrary to his dignitie and Empire for his onely breath or word shall be sufficient thereunto Now this may be a generall sentence seeing it is of necessitie that the faithfull doe first die to the end they may bee renewed into a spirituall life And in this sense Rom. 15.16 the
of Egypt Behold the Lord rideth vpon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moued at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the middest of her THE burden of Egypt Heere the Prophet prophecieth against Egypt because she was the refuge vnto which the Iewes fled as soon as they saw any danger neere For hauing forsaken the Lord The reason why this burden is pronounced against Egypt in whom they should haue reposed all their helpe they looked for no succour at all vnlesse they had it from the Egyptians And therefore it behoued that this Nation also should be brought low so as there should no riches nor strength remaine any longer in it to deceiue the Iewes withall who as long as Egypt flourished because it was well peopled and furnished with all prouisions contemned the Lord or at the least made verie slight reckoning of his promises There was a twofold euill then in this matter first that whereas they should haue rested vpon God onely they were puffed vp with this vaine confidence in Egypt secondly in that the Lord no sooner visited them with his rods but they by and by fortified themselues with the power of the Egyptians against the same as if they had beene able to ouercome his iudgements by setting the arme of flesh against them whereas they ought rather to haue taken occasion by them to haue turned wholly vnto God But the Prophet wil handle this matter more largely hereafter in the 30. and 31. Chapters Behold the Lord rideth This maner of speech is found in other places of the Scripture as in the 104. Psalme verse 3. but onely in generall But Isaiah applies it heere vnto this prophecie because the Egyptians thought themselues so well fenced on euery side that God could no way finde a gap open to enter into their Country Hee derideth this their foolish ouerweening then and against that sets the high and mighty power of God who is borne or carried vpon a swift cloud by means whereof he will easily enter in vpon them neither shall any of their fortresses or bulwarks be able to keepe them out Now because the riches of Egypt had not onely bewitched the Iewes but their false religion also therefore the Prophet doth in like manner taxe their sottishnesse in this behalfe because God would make all their helpe which they looked for from idols to vanish and come to nought also I forbeare to spend time in shewing the vanitie of their childish conceits which some haue dreamed of touching the idols of Egypt to wit that Christ made them fall downe when he fled thither in his infancie for it deserues no refutation at all Yet haue they abused this place to proue this goodly fiction as also many places more like vnto it and yet the Prophet meant no such matter For hee speakes of that discomfiture which the Assyrians gaue the Egyptians shewing how it ought to be attributed vnto God and not vnto fortune as profane men are wont to doe Hee shewes then that this is a iudgement of God by whose hand all things that fall out in heauen and in earth are guided and gouerned Now he telles them that their idols shall fall that is to say that they shall profit the Egyptians nothing at all although they put their confidence in them thought to be in safetie vnder their protection For it is not to be imagined how much this people was addicted vnto superstition The Egyptians grosse idolaters insomuch as they worshipped cats oxen crocodiles yea onions and all kindes of plants So as there was nothing to which they attributed not some diuinitie His meaning is to say then that the power of all these false gods which the Egyptians had taken for their patrons shall fall to the ground Hauing therefore shewed that the Egyptians doe rest in vaine vpon their superstitions hee therewithall also beates downe the proud imaginations which they had conceiued in regard of their earthly powers By the word heart he means the magnanimitie which should quaile at the length euen in the most valiant amongst them so as as they should not dare to enterprise any thing although they had all the furniture they could desire Thus he shewes that they shall make warre against God who will so weaken their hearts within them that they shall wax cowards when the time comes that they must enter battel with ther enemies Neither doth he say that they shall be terrified onely but he addes that it shall be in the mid â—est of all the Kingdome where was the safest quietest abiding because they were there far enough off from all assaults of the enemies The faithfull had good occasion to consider well of this when the Egyptians were at war and wee also ought to behold the same in all mutations of Kingdomes which proceedes from no other cause then the hand of God If the hearts of those who are otherwise warlike persons and haue made great proofe of their valour doe faile them if their forces bee also feebled all must bee attributed to the iust vengeance of God Vers 2. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians so euerie one shall fight against his brother and euery one against his neighbour Citie against Citie and Kingdome against Kingdome HE here describes in a more speciall manner with what calamitie God was determined to smite the Egyptians In saying Ciuil dissensions the worst calamitie that can befall a Common-wealth that he wil set the Egyptians together by the eares he meanes such ciuil dissensions which cause those to bee rent in sunder which ought to defend one another which is the most hurtfull mischiefe that can befall any Citie or people Now it was needfull the Iewes should be perswaded that God in whose hands the hearts of all men are could make the Egyptians to bee inflamed with hatred one against another by a secret instinct whereby they might bee brought to destroy themselues although they were more mightie then their enemies abroad Ciuill dissensions fall not out by chance but Gods prouidence Hence wee learne that the people neuer fall to be mutinous but the Lord sets them on to fight and make warre one with another as if a man should gather a companie of Fencers together into the market place For hee sets them agog to fight and driues them forward to hurt yea euen to kill one another So then euen as wee are to attribute it vnto God when there is friendship and loue among Citizens so also ought we to attribute it to his vengeance when one of them riseth vp against another killing and murdering one another Now by way of amplification he addes that which is yet more horrible and prodigious to wit that those who are knit together by parentage shall band themselues to destroy each other If men be worse then beasts wheÌ„ in forgetting they are created of one and the same nature
of God A carelesnes rooted in our flesh which begets a contempt of God and of this euerie one of vs hath too wofull experience both in himselfe and in others That the Prophet then might rowse vp those that were drowsie and rocked asleepe in their sinnes he garnisheth his words not as one affecting eloquence to procure credit vnto himselfe but to gaine attention of his hearers to cause the same to sink the deeper into their hearts Thence proceedes all these allusions wherewith these verses are replenished thence flowes this decking of his speech with figures thence is it that these threatnings and terrours are set forth in such varietie of words namely euen to awaken the dull and dead hearts of his auditors Now this doctrine ought to be restrained to the wicked not that the faithfull were exempt from these calamities for they often suffer with others but hauing their recourse vnto God and resting themselues wholly vpon him they are not so appalled but they get the victorie ouer all assaults whatsoeuer But the wicked which despise the iudgements of God and take a raging libertie of sinning to themselues shall alwaies be vexed and terrified without any ease or rest Where he saith the earth shall be shaken it is not meant as though it should be carried out of one place into some other but this as we haue said is to be referred vnto men and it is as if he had said There shall be neither kingdome nor gouernement In a word his meaning is to set forth those changes whereof he spake in the tenth Chapter Now it is not without cause that he saith the earth is laden with iniquitie Our selues the authors of our owne euils for thereby we perceiue that God is neuer displeased with men but wee our selues are the authors and causes of all the euill we indure God is naturally inclined to pitie and compassion and loues vs with a fatherly affection our sinnes are the cause why hee deales roughly with vs and we haue no reason at all to accuse him that smites vs. The Prophet againe tels them that there is no recouerie and some are of opinion that this was spoken to the Iewes whose commonwealth was vtterly abolished so as being scattered here and there they were scacely reputed or held for men of like condition with others But I extend it further to wit that the calamities shall be so great in the world that it should neuer bee restored to his first beautie for men labour tooth and naile to resist aduersities and are foolehardy vpon a false confidence When they haue indured some corrections Men are readie enough to feede themselues with vaine hopes they thinke leaue shall bee giuen them to take breath feeding themselues with a vaine assurance which the Prophet labours to depriue them of to the end their fond hopes might not beguile them It is also to be noted that this generall sentence takes not away the exception which Isaiah spake of before vers 13. Vers 21. And in that day shall the Lord visit the hoste aboue that is on high euen the Kings of the world that are vpon the earth THis place hath troubled many mens heads so as euery one hath descanted vpon it diuersly Some thinke it to be meant of the Sunne and starres others of the diuels which should be punished with the wicked others referre it to the Iewes whom God had beautified with a special priuiledge but I can receiue none of these interpretations The true and naturall sense as I take it is that there are no powers so high that shall be able to free themselues from these scourges of God for let them soare aboue the cloudes yet euen there shall the hand of God reach them as it is said in the Psalme Psal 139. Whither shall I goe from thy presence whither shall I flee from thy Spirit if I goe vp into heauen thou art there if I take the wings of the morning and flie to the vttermost parts of the sea yet thither wilt thou pursue mee For Isaiah calles Kings and Princes the host from aboue by way of similitude and himselfe so expounds it cleerely when he addes Vpon the kings of the earth For I am not of the mind that the words should bee seuered as if hee spake of diuers things but it is rather the repetition of the same thing againe so as the latter expounds the former vnlesse any had rather expound it thus He will come in visitation vpon the kingdomes of the earth yea euen vpon them which seeme the highest exalted aboue the common condition of men Some are so aduanced aboue others that they seeme petty Gods rather then men Now the word visit must bee referred to the punishment as it appeares sufficiently by the text Vers 22. And they shall be gathered together as the prisoners in the pit and they shall bee shut vp in the prison and after many daies shall they bee visited HEe continues on his purpose in the beginning of the verse vsing a phrase of speech by way of similitude for all were not prisoners but the Lord brought them all into seruitude as if one should keepe his enemies in safe custodie which he had subdued The Prophet brings in the Lord then like a Conquerour which holds his enemies in prison For men are wont to lay them fast whom they haue taken We know that men flee the presence of God despise him all the while he spares or giues thē any truce for this cause Isaiah saith that they shall be shut vp in prison by heapes that so their reioycing in their multitudes might cease Where he saith they shall be visited after many dayes we are not to take it simplie as a promise but as a threatning also included vnder it and that in this sense O ye Iewes you haue a long time dallied with your God by your rebellion and haue prolonged your trading in sinne too long so God will now prolong his chastisements till he haue in the end brought you though very late to a sight of your misdeeds And this course we see the Iudges of the earth often take with malefactors with whom they are displeased they admit thē not to their presence the first day but humble them first by throwing them into stinking dungeons Simile and into miserie that they may thereby breake the pride of their hearts God is said to visit the world two waies But God is said to visit the world two waies first in punishing the wicked secondly when after some chastisements he shewes his elect some tokens of his fatherlie kindnes The word visit in this place is taken To behold and thus the Prophet mitigates the rigor of his menace or threatning For the hearts of the faithfull in these cases haue need of comfort lest they should quaile and be discouraged The cause why the Prophets are wont so often to mingle consolations with their denunciatiōs in regard of
as hath been said For their exposition is farre wide from the naturall sense who extend it generallie to all the world because in what place soeuer we liue God maintaines vs vpon this condition that we behaue our selues vprightlie towards all The Lord indeed hath now caused his kingdome to spread into all places How farre this land of vprightnes may now be said to extend it selfe the land of vprightnes therefore is wheresoeuer his name is called vpon and thus we deserue a double condemnation if wee yeeld not testimonies of true thankfulnes by giuing our selues to pietie good works wheÌ„ God pâ—ouokes vs therunto by so many of his benefits Where he addes that the reprobates shall see the maiestie of God it is not to lessen the fault but rather to augment and increase it for it is a foolish and wicked ingratitude in men to bee carelesse of Gods glory which plainly shines before their eyes The wicked then are no way excusable for although God proclaime his name diuers waies yet in this so cleere a sunshine they see nothing Questionlesse there want not euident signes at all times by which the Lord manifests both his glory and greatnesse but their number is very small who take it to heart as we haue seene before Chap. 5.19 The Lord not onely sets forth his maiestie and glory by his ordinarie workes in nature but also by certaine signes and worthy documents wherein hee fully instructs vs as touching his iustice wisdome and goodnesse The wicked shut their eyes at it and perceiue it not albeit they be very quicke and sharpe sighted in other matters This frowardnesse and peruersitie the Prophet now reproues Others thinke hee threatens the reprobates here as if they were vnworthy to behold the workes of God Which although it be true yet seeing this member is ioyned to the rest the Prophet still reproues the sottishnesse of those who are so farre off from making benefit of the workes of God that rather they become the more senselesse by them For which cause it should not seeme strange vnto vs at this day if there be few which come to repentance albeit Gods iustice manifests it selfe so diuersly for infidelitie is alwaies blinde when it should behold the workes of God Infidelitie alwaies blind when it should behold the workes of God Vers 11. O Lord they will not behold thine high hand but they shall see it and be confounded with the zeale of thy people and the fire of thine enemies shall deuoure them THis is an exposition of the former sentence for hee enters into no new discourse but expounds that at large which he had said before in few words He said in the other verse that the wicked would not behold the maiestie of the Lord now he shewes that this magnificence of the Lord is the same which appeares in his workes For the Prophet sends vs not to the hidden maiestie of God which wee cannot behold with our eyes but brings vs to his workes which hee here represents by a figure vnder this word hand Well he accuseth the wicked once againe shewing that they haue nothing to alleage for their defence neither can they couer themselues vnder any pretence of ignorance for albeit they were starke blind yet was the hand of God made manifest enough so as nothing could hinder them from seeing of it but their owne grosse vnthankfulnesse or rather wilfull sottishnesse For many haue skill enough to pleade ignorance affirming that they perceiue not these workes but hee telles such that God hand is stretched forth not onely in such wise that it may be discerned of a small number but also farre and neere They shall see it and be confounded He makes it very apparent that this beholding is not the same whereof he spake before when hee said that the wicked saw not the maiestie of the Lord for they saw it well enough but they regarded it not Notwithstanding at the last they shall see it although too late and to their great disaduantage For hauing a long time abused the patience of God in shewing themselues obstinate and rebellious God may well suffer the wicked to take their swinge for a while but in the end hee paies them home Heb. 12.17 they shall be constrained in the end to take knowledge of his iudgements Thus albeit Caine Esau and the like who repented their sinnes too late fled from Gods presence yet in despight of their teeth they were made both to see and feele that he was their Iudge Gen. 4.13 and 27.38 Thus he often drawes some remorse as it were euen from those that despise him to the end he might cause his power to shine cleerely but such apprehensions bring them no profit at all The Prophet then so threatens the wicked whose blindnesse hee hath rebuked that he therewithall takes from them all pretext of ignorance plainely telling them that the time shall come wherein they shall know with whom they haue to doe and shall then well perceiue that this maiestie and high hand of God which they reiected made light of ought not in any sort to bee contemned For they ouerflow in all riot and dissolution with their eyes shut they flout and mocke thinking God will neuer call them to iudgement yea which more is the miseries and afflictions of the faithfull are things wherein they take great delight Thus they looke vpon vs with disdaine as if they were out of all danger hardening their hearts more more but in the end they shall know that the seruants of God haue not serued him in vaine Now that hee might the better shew that this beholding of God should not onely be vnprofitable but also hurtfull to the wicked he saith that they shall be confounded when they shall see the blessing of God vpon his people wherein they shall haue neither part nor portion In the next place he further augments the sharpnesse of the punishment in regard that these vngodly ones shall not onely be consumed with enuie when they shall see the children of God deliuered from these miseries and exalted into glory but they shall also be stricken with no lesse an euill to wit the fire of the enemies shall deuoure them The zeale of the people then in this place signifies the indignation wherewith the reprobates shall bee inflamed when they shall compare the condition of the faithfull with theirs Hee calles that the fire of the enemies wherewith God consumes his aduersaries taking this word fire for Gods vengeance for it must not be taken here for that visible fire wherewith things are consumed in this world neither yet for lightning onely but by a figure it is taken for a cruell torment for so by this word the holy Ghost is wont often to note out the extreme wrath of the Lord. Yet I denie not but the Prophet alludes to the destruction of Sodome and Gomorah Gen. 19.24 Deus 32.22 Iob 20.26 22.20 Vers 12. Lord
blessings which God bestowed vpon his people diuers waies as if he should say Thy people Lord haue felt by experience how liberall thou art by the infinite benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon them But when I consider that which by and by followes where hee saith thou hast enlarged that is to say thou hast caused thy kingdome to spread which was once shut vp within verie narrow bounds I had rather ioyne these two things together for so the latter member expounds the former and that also which followes to wit that God shall be glorified agrees very well For wee know that Gods glorie shines in nothing more then in the aduancement and inlargement of his Church Gods glory shines in nothing more then in the inlargement of his Church It is as much then as if hee had said Lord thou hadst in times past but a little handfull of people but now thou hast multiplied and increased them For the Gentiles were adopted and ioyned to the Iewes on condition that they both should make but one people And thus the Lord added an infinite number to them for the children of Abraham were gathered out of all nations We must therefore supply in this place an addition of a greater number and not of benefits in this sense Thou didst not content thy selfe Lord with that small number which once thou didst inioy and therefore thou gatheredst vnto thy selfe a people without number out of all the quarters of the world Now this belongs to Christs Kingdome which was euey where established by the preaching of the Gospell and the Prophet now extols and notes out Gods mercy touching this increasing and multiplication by the word enlarged I grant this phrase straieth not much from our common manner of speech when wee vse to speake of the inlarging of a dominion or of an inheritance yet it is not the Prophets meaning to say that the land shall become greater but that it had larger bounds and a more free habitation by meanes of the mutuall societie of the inhabitants after the pure worship of God was published euery where for the discords which were betweene the Iewes Gentiles straitned their dwellings and made them lesse free then otherwise they would haue been Wee haue here then a promise touching the vocation of the Gentiles A promise in this verse touching the vocation of the Gentiles which ought greatly to haue comforted the faithful in their exile and in that miserable scattering and banishment from the Church for howsoeuer they saw themselues wonderfully diminished and weakned yet they might without all peraduenture assure themselues that they should not onely increase to an infinit number but that strange nations also and those that were farre remote should be added vnto them Vers 16. Lord in trouble they haue visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them THis may bee well expounded of those hypocrits who neuer seeke vnto God vnlesse they be constrained thereunto by miseries and calamities But seeing the Lord also instructs the faithful by his rods and chastisements Vers 8.9 Three ends of afflictions as the Prophet hath heretofore shewed therefore I had rather referre these things simply vnto them First to the end they may know that God is iust in his iudgements Secondly that they might thereby learne to feare the Lord and euery day to grow vp in it more and more Thirdly that they might feele that the bitternesse of the medicine is taken away by the fruite which they receiue from it Thus Isaiah then speakes here in the person of the Church Isaiah speaks here in the person of the Church that so whensoeuer the faithfull should reade this sentence they might acknowledge that they were neerer vnto God in their afflictions then when they abounded in all things which their hearts could wish We are neerer God in afflictions then when we inioy all that our hearts can wish for then commonly we wax proud and forgetfull such is the frowardnesse of our nature Is it not needfull then that we should be tamed broght vnder by force of armes This meditation is very profitable to correct the bitternesse of our troubles for when we know what benefit redounds to vs by them it makes vs lesse to abhor them The word Lachash which wee haue translated Prayer signifies To murmure We are not to take this sentence then for a well framed praier but for such a one as testifieth that the heart is pent vp in great dolours as those who feele such anguish that they can scarcely open their teeth to vtter their perplexed thoughts He therefore speakes of such a praier as is pure and far from all counterfetting for when Gods seruants are vnder heauie afflictions they studie how to breathe out their sighes as witnesses of their extreme griefes In time of prosperity men can speake with open mouth but in aduersitie they are smitten downe they dare not open their lips shewing the conceptions of their hearts rather with inward grones then with words Thence proceede those sighes which cannot be expressed whereof S. Paul speakes Rom. 8.26 The Prophet then pronounceth this of the faithfull to whom indeed this doctrine ought to be restrained for albeit inward garboiles doe now and then force out groanes euen from the very reprobates yet they are hardened more and more and become so much the more fierce and obstinate Vers 17. Like as a woman with child that draweth neere to the trauaile is in sorrow and crieth in her paines so haue wee been in thy sight O Lord. 18. Wee haue conceiued wee haue borne in paine as though wee should haue brought forth winde there was no helpe in the earth neither did the inhabitants of the world fall TWo things are to be noted here principally First he compares the faithfull to women in trauaile wherein their paines are vnspeakeable as it is well enough knowne The afflictions of the faithfull therefore he saith causeth them to cast forth verie bitter and loud cries Whence we gather that the Prophet speakes not here onely of that sorrow which proceedes from the suffering of outward griefes and discommodities but rather respects those horrible vexations which sharpely wound and with incredible vehemencie assailes the hearts and spirits of the godlie Sight of Gods anger the chiefe cause of griefe See Prou. 18.14 when they feele that God is angrie with them their consciences also checking them No bodily paine therefore may bee compared with the griefe of the Spirit which is most liuely expressed by the particle before thee In the second place he goes further and exceeds the meane which is in his similitude for where paines haue no end the condition of the faithfull is far worse then is the condition of women in trauaile For being once deliuered from their sorrowes and griefes they reioice in seeing the fruite which they haue brought forth Iohn 16.21 yea they forget all the paines which they
dust and the multitude of strong men shall be as chaffe that passeth away and it shall be in a moment euen suddenlie I Will first recite the opinions of others and then that which to me seemes most probable All in a maner do thinke that this should be spokē of the enemies of the Iewes for they take the word Strangers for enemies and so they affirme that the multitude of those who should oppresse the Iewes shall be like the dust that is to say infinite But considering all things circumspectlie I incline rather to another opinion to wit that the Prophet speakes by way of contempt of the fortresses and garisons whereupon the Iewes relied For they had souldiers out of forreine Countries that were valiant vnder their pay And thus I interpret the word Aritsim which properlie signifies so much neither do I wonder a little that some of the Rabbins should take it for the heathen or wicked In regard the Iewes then drew vnto themselues diuers garisons out of strange Countries they thought they were cock-sure and out of danger The Prophet on the cōtrarie threatens that their garisons shall skirmish in vaine notwithstanding their companies be many in number for they shall be but as dust or chaffe that is to say like vnprofitable ofscourings so as they shall haue neither strength nor actiuitie Hence may we obserue No wisdome nor strength against the Lord. that be our riches or abundance neuer so much yet all shall turne to smoke as soone as the Lord shall but blow vpon it The preparations which men make last awhile it may be but when the Lord shall once but lift vp his hand all strength must vanish and become like chaffe In the end of the verse some expound that a sound shall arise suddenlie and as in a moment from the inuasion of the enemies but I rather referre this word shall be to the time that this shall endure which shall be but short as saith the Prophet for his meaning is that these garisons shal not hold out lōg but shall vanish away in a moment Men shall boast but in vaine therfore seeing God is their enemie Vers 6. Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hostes with thunder and shaking and a great noise a whirlewinde and a tempest and a flame of deuouring fire HE addes the cause why all these multitudes of garisons shall be like stubble setting it forth by a contrarie similitude For he opposeth the wrath and visitation of the Lord of hostes against these souldiers For alas how will straw and stubble be able to resist the flame of a deuouring fire How shall dust be able to abide the force of the whirlewind His meaning is then that the vengeance of God shall be so great that no preparations shall be able to withstand it And in this sense me thinks the text concurres well the parts whereof would not answere proportionablie one to another if we should follow another exposition Now by this wee learne that our enemies which assaile vs shall neuer attempt more against vs then the Lord shall permit If he then be pleased to defend vs our aduersaries can not hurt vs although they should stirre vp all the world against vs. On the contrarie is he minded to correct vs We can resist his wrath neither by weapons nor any fortresses whatsoeuer for he will sweepe them away as with a vvhirlewind yea he will consume them like a deuouring flame that leaues nothing behind it Vers 7. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against the Altar shall be as a dreame or vision by night euen all they that make the warre against it and lay siege vnto it I Expound this verse otherwise then some do The first member of this seuenth verse is explaned in the verse following who thinke that the Prophet meant to comfort the faithfull which I confesse is not without great shew of reason And so it conteines a very excellent doctrine to wit that the enemies shall be like those that dreame when the Lord shall disappoint them of their hope euen whilest they imagined they were sure of the pray But this interpretation for ought I see seemes not to agree very well with the text Sometime it falles out that a sentence sounds so goodly in shew that we are drawne to such a liking of it that it steales from vs the true and naturall meaning thereof We must not easily bee caried away to like of such a sense of Scripture as steales from vs the meaning of the Holy Ghost how goodly a shew soeuer it seemes to haue so as we neither aduisedlie consider the text it selfe nor yet take any great paines to seeke out the authors intent and purpose Let vs see then whether the Prophets meaning be as they say for seeing he still continues to denounce threatnings in the verses following I doubt not but he prosecutes his speech in this place which otherwise should be broken off abruptlie in this sentence For he rebukes and taxeth the Iewes for their obstinacie in that they durst be so bold to despise God all his threatnings To be short he reprooues their false trust and confidence by a very fit similitude saying that the enemie should suddenlie come vpon the Iewes euen at that time when they thought themselues hope of the resurrection Luk 10.27 Act. 23.8 yea the doctrine of the immortalitie of soules was vtterly abolished how could it bee I pray you but the people must become like beasts or swine For take away the hope of the eternall and blessed life from men and what shall we make of them And yet it sufficiently appeares by the testimonies of the Euangelists that such they were when our Lord Iesus Christ came into the world For at that time these things were truely accomplished according as our Prophet foretold to let vs see that these things were not vttered by him at random but that they assuredly came to passe though the wicked no doubt in his time made light account of his words Their incredulitie and blindnes therefore fully appeared when this true light came to lighten the world to wit Iesus Christ the only light of trueth the soule and spirit of the law and the end whereat all the Prophets aimed Then I say the Iewes especially had a vaile laid ouer their eyes which was figured before in Moses when the people could not indure to behold him Exod. 34.30 because of the brightnesse of his countenance But this is truely fulfilled in Christ to whom it appertaines to take away and abolish this vaile as S. Paul teacheth 2. Cor. 3.16 Vntill Christ then the vaile remained ouer their hearts vntaken away in reading of Moses for they reiected Christ to whom Moses ought to haue been referred Now in this place vnder the word Moses the whole law is to bee vnderstood which being referred to Christ the true end thereof this vaile shall then be taken away These iudgements
similitudes from things pertaining to our naturall life for they could not otherwise expresse the true felicitie of Gods children vnlesse they had done it by setting the same before vs in the image of those things which are subiect to our senses by which men are wont to measure out an happie and florishing estate The summe then is Happie people that submit thēselues to Christ their King The faithfull cease not to be happie though they suffer want that such as obey God and submit themselues to Christ their King are happie people But we must not iudge of this happinesse by the abundance of outward things whereof the faithfull many times haue little enough and yet cease not to be happie notwithstanding But these kinds of speech are allegoricall by which the Prophet applies himselfe to our capacitie that by the things which our senses can comprehend Heauenlie things are of that supernaturall excellencie that they can not now be comprehended of vs but vnder borrowed speeches wee might conceiue somewhat of those things which are beyond our comprehension which being of such an excellent nature our vnderstandings are too shallow to conceiue the least part of them When he saith the riuers in the mountaines it is further to set forth this ouerflowing of God his liberalitie wherewith he would enrich his chosen Waters vsuallie issue not out of the tops of mountaines where nothing is seene but barrennes I grant that valleys are moystned watred with the springs but you shall seldome see fountaines in the tops of hils yet the Lord promiseth to bring this to passe howsoeuer it seemes a thing vnpossible But by this phrase of speech he meanes that we shall be most happie that liue vnder the kingdome of Christ Happie men and women that liue vnder Christes kingdome so as there shall be no place whatsoeuer but he will replenish the same with all sorts of benefits Nothing so barren but he by his goodnes will make it fruitfull so as felicitie shall abound in all places Note Our eyes should see the performance of this promise if Christ might haue the full gouernment ouer vs for wee should behold his blessing on euery side if wee obeyed him with a pure and perfect heart All things would then fall out to our wish the world and the vtmost bounds thereof should be subiect vnto vs Our sparing obedience prouokes God to be sparing in bestowing benefits vpon vs. but because wee are farre off from such a kind of obedience therefore we receiue but a small taste of these benefits and so much thereof doe we inioy as we feele the growth of the new man in vs. By the day of the great slaughter he signifies and sets before them another signe of Gods fauour How Hee will maintaine those that are his in safetie against the rage of the enemie and thus the Prophet goes about to procure credit and authoritie to his former prophecie for otherwise it had been almost incredible that poore banished exiles should haue inioyed so many benefits Hee speakes here then of the slaughter of the wicked as if he should say The Lord will not onely doe you good in sauing you but hee will also destroy your enemies All the expositors almost thinke the Prophet speakes here of the discomfiture of that wicked King Senacherib when he came to besiege Ierusalem but when I weigh all things aduisedly I had rather refer it to the destruction of Babylon For albeit there was a great slaughter whē Senacherib was with shame put to flight yet this people was not at that time deliuered By this we are admonished that we bee not heartlesse Though the enemies of the Church be many and mighty yet God power will easilie ouer match them though our enemies bee many in number and haue greater strength fortresses and more garrisons then wee for the Lord can easily destroy them and yet cōserue his Church although for the time he suffer them to triumph to haue al things at their wish Let neither their power nor rage daunt vs then neither let our hearts faile vs though we be but a small number for neither their munitiōs nor fortresses neither yet their furie nor pride shall bee able to saue them from falling into the hands of the Lord. Vers 26. Moreouer the light of the Moone shall bee as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sunne shall be seuen fold and like the light of seuen daies in the day that the Lord shall bind vp the breach of his people and heale the strokes of their wound THe Prophet contents not himselfe to describe an vsuall or ordinarie state of happinesse except thereunto he adde somewhat that is extraordinarie For hee saith that the Lord will worke far aboue the order of nature in this his liberalitie Wee neuer read that the light of the Sunne was augmented vnlesse it were when it staid it selfe in the daies of Ioshua that hee might haue leasure to pursue his enemies Iosh 10.13 Also in the daies of Hezekias at whose request the Diall went backe ten degrees 2. King 20.11 But our Prophet alludes now to none of these miracles Nay more then that he meddles not with the lengthening of the course of the Sunne vpon our Horizon but of the augmentation of the light thereof vnto seuen fold more For he shews what the state of the faithfull shall be vnder the raigne of Christ otherwise we know that the Lord makes the Sunne to shine no lesse vpon the wicked then vpon the good but the question is here of such a felicitie as the wicked cannot attaine vnto There is difference between Gods liberality which extends it self vnto all and that which is onely proper and peculiar vnto the faithful as it is said in Psal 31.20 Great are the benefits which thou hast laid vp for those that trust in thee Isaiah speakes of this particular fauour which that he might the better expresse he takes similitudes from things cōmon to euerie mans eye And thus shewes that God will inlighten the faithfull with such a light that the beames of seuen sunnes put together shall be far inferior thereunto But to the end the sharpnesse of their miseries wherewith this people were soone after ouerwhelmed might not lessen the authoritie of this prophecie he addes yet another promise to wit that God will as a good Physitian bind vp or heale the stroke of his childrens wounds Whence it followes that there was a necessitie of this correction that so by these roddes the people might be prepared to come to repentance yea it was necessarie that they should be bruised and broken till they were in a mnaner brought to nothing He mentions their stroke then to shew that the wound shall be great for the people resembled a body hurt with many wounds If at any time then the Lord deales more roughly with vs then hee is wont thinke I pray you vpon these prophecies for the Lord
is more then need then that the Lord succor vs this way that our feares being appeased our weaknes strengthened we may be fitted to walke on in our christian course For if we had these words Feare not Behold your God well fixed in our hearts How to be eased of fainting fits all faintings would soone vanish Men no sooner feele that God is neere vnto them but they cast away feare or at the least so resist it that they are not ouercome of it In nothing be carefull saith S. Paul for the Lord is at hand Philip. 4.5 and 6. of which senteÌ„ce we haue intreated at large elsewhere It seems also that the Apostle to the Hebrues alludes to this place Chap. 12.3 and 13. where hauing forbidden them to be grieued or discoraged with Gods correction he recites the words of our Prophet and applies this sentence to all the faithfull that so they might stirre vp themselues vnto perseuerance and constantlie to hold out vnto the end in regard they were to suffer many assaults Neither is it superfluous that the Prophet addes your God for if we be not assured that he is ours his comming shall bring vs terror rather then comfort Therefore he sets not God forth here in his Maiestie which casts downe the pride of the flesh but his grace which comforts the afflicted weake We see then it is not without cause that he thus adornes God with this title namely that he is the protector of the faithfull to retaine them in safetie Obiect If any obiect that God must needs be dreadfull when he comes to punish in his wrath I answere Ans that this vengeance is threatned against the wicked and the enemies of his Church so that albeit it be terrible vnto theÌ„ yet it shall bring consolation to the faithfull This is the cause why he addes that he will come to saue for otherwise the Iewes might haue replied What benefit shall the destruction of the enemie bring vs What shall we be the better for it Should wee delight in their calamities This is the cause I say why he saith expreslie that he will turne this vengeance and recompence touching their enemies vnto their saluation The punishment of the wicked is alwaâ—es ioined with the saluation of the faithfull for the saluation of the godly is alwaies ioined with the punishment of the wicked We shewed in the seauenth Chapter vers 4. how the faithfull are deliuered from perplexed cares by this fauor of God and by the hope of his defence For the present let vs obserue that God is readie armed with vengeance to the end his children may learne to rest vpon his help and not to thinke him idle in the heauens this is the cause of these repetitions for infidelitie hath gotten such fast rooting in vs that is not plucked vp by and by In the end of the verse there may be a double reading to wit either that God shall come with a recompence or that he will come with the recompence of God choose whether of the two you like best for the sense is all one Notwithstanding if you reade Elohim in the genetiue case Recompence shall be called the recompence of God because it properlie belongs vnto him that so the faithfull may know assuredlie that he is no lesse a rewarder then God Vers 5. Then shall the eies of the blind be lightened and the eares of the deafe opened 6. Then shall the lame man leape as an heart and the dumb mans tongue shall sing for in the wildernes shall waters * Or be digged breake out and riuers in the desert HE speakes still of the promise touching the restauration of the Church that he might comfort the harts of the faithfull who should be sharplie assaulted with the grieuous calamities of which he had foretold Now seeing Christ is the fountaine from whence this restauration springs we must of necessitie still haue recourse vnto him if we will haue the right vnderstanding of that which Isaiah saith in this place for by him alone it is in deed that we are begotten againe to the hope of the heauenlie life Now it is not vnlike but our Prophet alludes to the prophesie which we haue seene in the 29. Chapter vers 9.10 where he threatens the Iewes with a fearefull blinding of their eies and an hardening of their hearts for which cause he here promiseth that at Christes comming mens mindes shall be enlightened and cleared by regeneration whereas before they sate in darknes There is great force in the word Then for thence wee may gather that being out of Christ we are dumb blind and lame Being out of Christ we are spirituallie blind dumb and lame in a word void of all abilitie to performe any thing that is good but Christ renues vs by his spirit that in him we may recouer our true health By tongue eyes eares and feete he meanes all the faculties of our soules which in themselues are so corrupted that we can not draw thence so much as a good thought till we be made new creatures by the benefit of Christ for our eies Eyes can not see the truth our eares Eares can not vnderstand it neither can our feete Feet walke in it vntill we be vnited vnto Christ The vnderstandings of men indeed are very accute in appreheÌ„ding mischiefe We are naturallie prone and wise to do euill but to do well we haue no knowledge Iere. 4.22 their tongues eloquent and prompt vnto slanders periuries lying and vaine speach their hands and fingers but too nimble to theft and violence their feete to shedding of blood in a word all the powers both of soule and bodie not only inclined but also set on fire to doe wickedly But come we to the performaÌ„ce of that which is good euery finger is a thumbe as they say Is it not more then needfull then that wee be reformed by the power of God that thence wee may beginne to vnderstand comprehend speake and put in execution those things which God hath called vs vnto 1. Cor. 12.3 for none can so much as say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost This reformation then we see proceedes onely from the grace of Christ those therefore which are conuerted vnto him doe recouer new strength whereas before they were wholly vnfruitfull and as good as dead For out of him we are either depriued of all good things or else they are so corrupted in vs that they can be applied to no right vse but are rather prophaned by our abusing of them Mat. 1.11.5 15.3 Iesus Christ hath both fully testified and taught the truth of this point when hee gaue speech to the dumbe sight to the blind legs to the lame and impotent but that which he did to the body was but a glimpse of that which he works much more abundantly and powerfully in our soules In saying that the waters shall be digged out he addes
was bent to serue his God purely For we may wel thinke that God brought not this scourge vpon him now for his negligence excesse or wantonnesse much lesse for his superstitions or idolatry seeing at the very first entrance into his Kingdome he imploied himselfe to the vtmost with exceeding diligence to establish religion in the puritie of it What was Gods purpose herein then Surely hee meant to try the faith and patience of his faithfull seruant Vers 2. And the King of Ashur sent Rabshakeh from Lachish towards Ierusalem vnto King Hezekiah with a great host and hee stood by the conduit of the vpper poole in the path of the fullers field THe order of the historie may seeme somewhat here to be altered for hee said before that Sennacherib had taken all the Cities of Iudah vers 1. and now hee sends Rabshakeh from Lachish which he had besieged Lachish was not taken yet then But we are to note that oftentimes the course of an historie is disioynted so as that is recited last which was done first Besides the Scripture haue this figure frequēt in them as in this place where it is said that all the strong Cities were taken although some no doubt escaped which Hezekias notwithstāding was vnable to succour It seemed then that the Assyrian was become Lord of the whole land seeing nothing was left but Ierusalem in which Hezekiah was imprisoned This historie is described more at large in the second booke of Kings 18. 19. Chapters where it is shewed that Hezekiah vsed all the meanes he could to redeeme his peace for he would haue had it almost vpon any condition He gaue 3000. talents of siluer and 30. of gold which this tyrant exacted for payment whereof he was driuen to rob the Temple of the vessels that were in it and of the plates of gold which were fastned vpon the gates thereof because his owne treasure was spent But as such insatiable gulfes can neuer be filled so when he had receiued this money he then falles to demaund greater things and imposed vpon him harder conditions then the former that he might vex and afflict this good King to the full For hauing once wrought vpō his mildnes he thought the second time to draw him to whatsoeuer himselfe listed only he waited for fit opertunitie to begin warres afresh But the people no doubt for their parts had well deserued to be thus scourged for their wickednesses according as it had been before prophesied for albeit religion florished in outward shew yet their liues remained vnchanged impietie ouerflowed and their hearts were as foule within as euer they were before For as much as the people repented not of their sinnes then was it not needfull they should be chastised with the greater seueritie in regard of such a malitious obstinacie But because the measure of their iniquities was not yet full God pacified the rigor of his wrath and gaue them an admirable deliuerance when all things were become vtterlie desperate Vers 3. Then came forth vnto him Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiah the steward of the house and Shebna the Chancellor and Ioah the sonne of Asaph the Recorder MEntion was made of this Eliakim in the 22. Chapter to him the Lord promised the chiefe place in the kingdome after the death of Shebna But it seemes this was but a vaine and idle promise seeing he is sent to the enemie to sue for fauour as one being readie to yeeld and submit himselfe to the mercie of such a cruell Tyrant This might also astonish the hearts of the faithfull euen to make them call the truth of Gods promises into question Besides this good king was so destituted of good seruants that he was constrained to send Shebna with the rest though he knew him to be a disloyall traytor The word Sopher signifies a Scribe and therfore it is often taken for Teachers or such as are learned sometimes for those that keepe bookes and haue the disposing of the rowles or charters of Kingdomes I haue translated it Chancellor for it can not be referred to the knowledge of the Law we may also gather that this Shebna was in great credit though he were put from the estate of being steward or great master of the kings houshold The word Mazkir signifies a secretarie or a master of the requests Vers 4. And Rabshekeh said vnto them Tell you Hezekiah * This clause I pray you is not in Master Caluins text I pray you Thus saith the great king the king of Ashur What confidence is this wherein thou trustest THe Prophet shewes that these three Ambassadors which represented in a maner the whole state of the kingdome were not only repulsed but receiued disgracefullie galled with insupportable iniuries by the Captaine of this Tyrant For he is so impudent as to aske how Hezekias durst presume to rebell no lesse then if he had bin a man conuinced of Rebellion Some expound the particle Na I pray you but it can not well stand with the honor as you would say of so proud and insolent a Tyrant to come vnto them by way of intreatie He speakes rather like those who impose conditions vpon others who are either vanquished or are readie to yeeld themselues for feare whome such are minded to receiue to mercie which we commonlie call Sommer that is To call vpon or To Summon one But that his Summons might be of the greater authoritie this Captaine speakes in the person of his King and with big words sets forth his greatnes the rather to daunt the heart of Hezekias when he should heare he had to deale with so powerfull an enemie For his meaning was not only to say that Hezekiah was farre inferior to his Master the chiefe Monarch of the world in comparison of whom Hezekiah was to be esteemed no better then a meane Gentleman but he calles him the great King the King of Ashur that by these titles of his power and magnificence he might as it were darken the glorie of all other Kings that so all might seeme to rest in him alone Which thunderbolts had bin sufficient to haue terrified and feared the heart of Hezekiah especiallie seeing he was mued vp as I said before within the walles of the Citie out of which he could not escape much lesse was he any way able to make his partie good against the violence of this Tyrant Vers 5. I say * Or they are but words of the lips Surely I haue eloquēce but counsell strength are for the warre on whom then doest thou trust that thou rebellest against me WHereas we reade in the holie historie Thou hast said it may be expounded thus to wit that Rabshekeb makes as if hee knew Hezekiah his thoughts as if hee should say Thus thou deliberatest with thy selfe But the sense comes all to one though we reade this word in the first person for Rabshekeh speakes as one that had gaged the depth of Hezekias his enterprises and
our infirmities For our praiers teares and complaints discouer not our necessities before his eies Mat. 6.8 seeing he knowes them all before wee once begin to open our mouthes or to aske ought at his hands But we now speake of that which is profitable for vs to wit that God may shew that hee hath heard the blasphemies of our enemies so as those who haue vttered them may not escape vnpunished This is the reason and end wherefore Hezekias spread the letters of this cursed tyrant before the Lord namely to put the greater edge vpon his praiers and to kindle and inflame his zeale more and more Vers 15. And Hezekiah praied vnto the Lord saying 16. O Lord of hostes God of Israel which dwellest betweene the Cherubims thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made the heauen and the earth BEcause Sennacherib had been the instrument of Satan to shake the faith of Hezekias hee now opposeth his rampart against him to wit that God is the Lord of hosts and therefore of infinit power For there is no doubt but hee rouseth vp his spirits in assuring himselfe to obtaine that he askes when he adornes the Lord with these excellent titles Will we haue our praiers to preuaile with God let vs hold this principle that God will bee found of them that seeke him A principle euer to be held namely that God will alwaies be found of them that seeke him Heb. 11.6 But this good King had speciall need to lay hold of this sentence to wit that Gods power alwaies remaines one and the same albeit the wicked striue to lessen it by their railings scoffes and to take heart the more freely and boldly vnto him to set himselfe valiantly against the lets by which Satan indeuoured to hinder his course Now herein we may behold the heroicall magnanimitie of this good King who ceased not to resist this tyrant for the maintenance of Gods power but bare a loyall affection inwardly in his heart thereunto and also made God a witnesse of his inward affection Before he begins to frame any praier then he breaks through the fallacies whereby Satan went about to put him to the wall so that hee not onely magnifies Gods power but maintaines the soueraigntie which hee hath ouer the whole world Now hee meditates on these things the better to confirme himselfe in the assurance which he had in Gods prouidence by which all things in heauen and in earth are ordered and disposed And this foundation ought all the faithfull first to lay that so they lose not their labour in praying The Kings praier had not been of such force and efficacie if he had onely said Incline thine eare O Lord and heare c. or such like wordes as when hee keepes this principle first in his heart that God hath care ouer al the works of his hands For he perswades himselfe that God will take this cause into his owne hands and will not suffer the tyrant thus proudly to aduance himselfe but will rather speedily put him downe sith the gouernment of the whole world belongs vnto him Also seeing Sennacherib attributed that vnto himselfe which of right appertained vnto God that hee could not escape vnpunished Where he subiecteth all the kingdomes of the earth vnder Gods hand and power he applies it vnto his owne particular vse In the meane while such a title neuer agrees to any but to God onely because hee rules ouer all Kingdomes Notwithstanding he denies not but Kings Princes and Magistrates haue their iust titles yet so as thēselues be subiect vnto God maintaine his right dominion for it belongs onely to God to be King of Kings Lord of Lords as S. Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.15 Not that hee therefore abolisheth the names of Kings and Lords with their dominions but shewes that all depends vpon God onely how great or mightie soeuer they be that they should not thinke themselues haile fellow well met with him but that they ought rather to acknowledge him to be their Lord and King Kings then hold their authoritie as you see if so be they will keepe the mid way betweene God and men and will not presume to climbe higher Moreouer Hezechias gathers this title from the very creation for it is not possible that the Creator of heauen and earth should euer forsake the workes of his owne hands nay doe we not see on the contrary that he gouernes mankind by his prouidence which is the chiefest part of the world It were too absurd a thing then to limit the creation within so narrow bounds that it should onely serue as a witnesse of a certaine power of God that lasted but a while and stretched it selfe to a few things no it ought to bee extended to a continuall working in all things By this it appeares that those tyrants which will take liberty to rule as they list do therein bereaue God of his honour and therefore when things fall out otherwise then well vnto them they may iustly impute it to their owne pride and presumption Hezekias also alleageth other epithetes for the confirmation of his faith And first in that he calles him the Lord of hosts he againe extols his power but when he addes the God of Israel he notes out a more neere and particular presence for it was no small signe of Gods loue to haue taken the safetie of this people into his owne custodie Hereunto appertaines his sitting betweene the Cherubims as if he should say Thou hast placed thy throne here and hast promised protection to such as call vpon thee before the Arke of the couenant now resting my selfe vpon this promise I come to thee as to the only gardian of my safetie Exod. 25.18 But Hezekias doubtlesse had respect to the forme of the Arke which was shadowed with Cherubims Some expound these Cherubims Angels as if it were said God reignes in heauen and sits among the Angels But this exposition sutes not For it is said that he sits betweene the Cherubims because of the Arke which was thus composed Now wee know it was a true and certaine signe of Gods presence albeit his power was not shut vp within the same but Hezekias in mentioning thereof meant to affirme that God was there present because he had vouchsafed to gather his people vnto him by stretching his wings as you would say ouer them For as much then as there is a great distance of place betweene God and vs Hezekias layes hold vpon this notable pledge of adoption and yet kept he his mind free from being tainted with any carnall conceits touching Gods Maiestie whereinto the superstitious plunge themselues who striue by all meanes to draw him downe from heauen but the King contenting himselfe with faith in the promises which he had receiued concludes that he needed not to seeke farre for Gods fauorable presence Let vs obserue this phrase of speech well therefore which
teacheth vs to mount by little and little vnto heauen by the light of the promises which doe shine clearely before vs yet so that in seeking succour we imagin not that God should be absent from vs seeing he hath chosen his dwelling place in the mids of vs. For in regard that his Maiestie much surmounts heauen and earth it is not lawfull for vs to bound him within the narrow scantling of our vnderstanding yet we may comprehend him according to the small measure thereof because he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs by his word not that we must needs pull him downe from his heauenlie throne therefore but that our minds which are of themselues weake and dull might by degrees approach neerer and neerer vnto him for we haue good reason to presse with boldnes towards his highnes in regard he calles vs vnto him by his word and Sacraments And if we conceiue of these things aright the spirituall knowledge of God shall alwaies beare sway amongst vs so as wee shall not need to tye the Lord any more to stones nor stocks If the spirituall knowledge of God beares sway in our hearts we shall not need to tye his presence to stocks or stones No we shall imagin nothing of him that is earthlie or carnall for the neerer we shall draw towards him the more will we endeuour our selues to vse all lawfull meanes which he sets before vs that our spirits may not rest vpon earthlie things for he applies himselfe to our shallownes only to the end that his Sacraments might serue vs as ladders to climb vp vnto him by but this superstition hath peruerted and turned it to a cleane contrarie vse Vers 17. Incline thine eare O Lord and heare open thine eyes O Lord and see heare all the words of Sennacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God HEnce we gather in how great perplexitie Hezekias was for the vehemencie of his prayer discouers vnto vs a wonderfull measure of griefe so as a man may see that he indured great combates which he ouercame not without much adoe For albeit the affection and zeale of his prayer shewes the strength and power of his faith yet he therein represents vnto vs as in a glasse his passions that boiled within him As soone then as we are to indure any such assaults let vs learne from the example of this good King to oppose against the passions wherewith we are tossed that which may best serue for the confirming of our faith that by the tempest it selfe we may be brought to a safe and quiet hauen Let not the sense of our weakenes any whit astonish vs then no not when feare and dread shall presse vs aboue measure as it were For the Lord will haue vs wrestle valiantlie euen till we sweate and tremble God will haue vs wrestle till we tremble and sweate because we must not thinke to goe to heauen in a fetherbed or at ease as we vse to speake but after many combates God hath promised an happie issue to them that fight as they ought to doe which in the end he will vndoubtedlie bestow vpon vs. But why doth Hezekiah desire God to heare Thinks he that he sleepes or vnderstands not No such matter But wee are wont to speake thus in some desperat cases either when wee thinke God absent or when hee seemes to make light account of our afflictions Wee see he was so perplexed then that God as he thought had forgotten him that is to say according to the sense of the flesh for had he not beheld him present by the eies of faith he had vtterlie quailed It is as much then as if Hezekias had desired the Lord euen effectuallie and openlie to shew some worke for his saluation which he had long hoped for before in the secret of his heart But why doth he pray that God would open his eies and see It is as much as if he had said Lord let it appeare that thou hast care of these matters Now he sufficientlie shewes where his paine held him most namely he longed to see some vengeance shewed vpon these blasphemers which offred such outrage against Gods Maiestie for albeit this good King tooke great thought for the preseruation of his kingdome and people yet had he respect vnto Gods glorie aboue all other commodities whatsoeuer Hezekias respected Gods glorie aboue all things whatsoeuer And truly the aduancement thereof should touch vs neerer and moue vs more then any thing else especiallie when we know that his glorie and our saluation are things that can not be separated Thus Hezekias hauing brought forth this Tyrant vpon the stage as a blasphemous and hatefull enemie of God because Ierusalem gloried in this title The God of Iacob and in his protection he thereupon concludes that God can by no meanes cast off the Citie which he hath taken into his owne custodie vnlesse therewithall he should renounce his owne name also Seeing the Lord then of his infinit bountie is pleased to ioine his glorie with our saluation let vs hold fast these promises and let vs fortifie our selues with them namely that although the wicked goe on in a vaine hope thinking to scape scotfree whilest they blaspheme God and cast vp that poison out of their hearts which lurked before in them yet there is not a sillable thereof which he vnderstands not and he will in his due time bring them to an account for the same Vers 18. Truth it is O Lord that the Kings of Asshur haue destroyed all lands and their countrie 19. And haue cast their gods in the fire for they were no Gods but the worke of mans hands euen wood or stone therefore they destroyed them HEzekias begins here to put a difference betweene the true God and the false which we also had need diligentlie to do for the wicked that are not enlightened haue many confused thoughts of some diuinitie which by and by vanisheth away so as either they thinke there is no God at all or if there be yet they regard him not But God would not haue vs lightlie touched with some idle or vading conceit of him What knowledge of God is required to be in Christians but that we should acknowledge him to be the true God who by the brightnes of his power scatters abroad all the darknes of ignorāce It is not enough then you see to acknowledge a diuinitie of I can not tell what as prophane ones do but God ought to be so knowne and receiued that he be discerned from all Idols and the truth separated from lyes And questionlesse when he hath once cleared our iudgements all opinion of false religions which possessed our minds before will immediatlie fall to the ground And so much the rather are we to hold fast this doctrine by how much the more many please themselues in fond speculations thinking it sufficient for them if they acknowledge a God at randon Whether they ought to worship the god
not all of vs too much inclined to rebellion of our selues but we must also haue a Scholemaster to instruct vs But if we shall rightlie and aduisedlie consider of the matter Ans we shall see it was most profitable for vs that the image of this man in a maner ouerwhelmed with sorrowes lie say I made my account From this verse we may gather that Hezekias was sicke about two daies for in the former verse he said the maladie was so vehement that he looked for nothing but death That day being past he euen waits vnto the dawning of the next day following and from thence till night so as he expected death euery minute of an houre The sense then is that although hee came to the day breake yet he ranne hastily to death by continuall turmoilings for being smitten with the stroke of Gods fearfull iudgement hee makes no account to liue Man termed a daies bird by the Greâ—kes And as the Greekes when they will shew that nothing is so vaine a thing as man do terme him a daies bird so this good King puts the life of a day here for that transitorie life of a man which is but of small continuance Whereas he compares God to a lion it is no new thing albeit God of his owne nature be gentle mercifull and louing and nothing sutes better to his nature then these titles but we cannot feele this sweetnesse when we haue prouoked him by our vices and made him seuere by our rebellion Nay which is more there is not the crueltie nor sternnesse of any nor of all the bruit beasts that can so amaze or astonish vs as doth the bare mentioning of the very name of God in this case but most iustly For his strokes must of necessitie haue that efficacie in them as to bring downe all loftinesse and to humble vs to the very gates of hell that so being in a maner stripped of all comfort wee may lie gasping after it and yet in the meane while apprehend nothing but dread and horror And of such terrors Dauid speaks in Psal 22.17 where he saith I may tell all my bones Againe Psal 6.6 Psal 38. I water my couch with teares Also My soule is sore troubled Psal 6.3 And the graue hath opened her mouth to swallow mee vp Now it is needful that the faithful should sometimes bee feared in this wise by the sense of Gods iudgements that they may be so much the rather prouoked to desire his fauour Vers 14. Like a crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a done mine eies were lift vp on high O Lord it hath oppressed me comfort me HEzekias cannot fit himselfe with wordes sufficient to set forth the greatnesse of his miserie which brought him to that extremitie that he was not able to speake distinctly but to mutter forth a confused sound of words euen as those that lie at the point of death Whence it appeares that he was wonderfully perplexed seeing his griefe was so great that hee wanted words to expresse it His wordes stucke as it were in his throat nothing could bee heard but whisperings whereunto appertaines these similitudes of the crane and swallow which the Prophet here vseth Yet euen these confused voices doubtlesse doe pierce the eares of God and albeit al our senses be surprised with heauinesse and that our sorrowes haue shut vp our mouthes yet he beholds our hearts still and heares the sighes which be breathed from faith Yea often times such broken sentences are sent forth with more force efficacie then words rightly framed prouided that they proceede from the spirit of God who stirs vp in vs such gronings as cannot be expressed Rom. 8.25 There is no childe of God but in this case feeles by experience when extreme sorrow causeth his tongue to cleaue to the roofe of his mouth and his heart to be closed vp so as his praiers are but stutterings and stammerings Some translate that which followes in this sense Mine eies are sunke in but so the particle on high should not agree And therefore it is best to retaine the naturall sense which is that his eies were wasted with often and much looking or that hee ceased not to lift vp his eies on high albeit he was halfe dead or was neuer so far out of heart but he knew well that it was his dutie to wait for succour from God Let vs learne with Hezekias Hezekias his example set before vs. to lift vp our eies to the heauens and let vs also know that our God requires no great rhetorique of vs in our praiers God requires no Art of Rhetorike in the praiers of his seruants He confirmes this sentence in turning his speech by and by vnto God to desire his helpe for in regard the violence of the disease oppressed him he intreats the Lord to comfort him Some translate Answer for me which we haue thought best to turne comfort or glad mee vnlesse any had rather receiue their translation who read it Make mee to rest How euer it be he demands succour of God to the end the weight of his afflictions might not ouerwhelme him we also ought to assure our selues in this case that God will be so much the more ready to comfort vs by how much the more wee shall be pressed on euerie side with many calamities Vers 15. What shall I say For hee hath said it to me and hee hath done it * Or shall walke in trembling I shall walke weakelie all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my soule THe most thinke that these words are vttered by way of an exclamation such as proceedes from ioy as if Hezekias reioiced in hauing obtained his request but I am of another opinion For it seemes to me that hee goes on still in his complaints because hee speakes as those commonly doe who are oppressed with sorrow What shall I say He which hath said is to mee hath done it That is to say life and death are in his hands I plead but in vaine with him Iob 7.4 13.24 it is but lost labour to complaine so much as I doe Many such wordes and sentences are to be found in the booke of Iob. This therefore as I take it is the verie true sense of the place For before Hezekias looked euery way to see if any comfort would present it selfe vnto him but now seeing that God had giuen sentence of death vpon him hee concludes there is no resisting I must obey In the meane while these words are to be well weighed to wit that God accomplisheth that in effect which hee threatned in words For those say somewhat I grant but not all who expound simply thus God hath performed that which the Prophet pronounced of me Because Hezekias doth not thus barely affirme that he felt the effect of the word but setting before his eies the power of God hee puts an end to all his complaints and cries Thus Dauid in
their voice vnlesse the Lord speake not to them first and put that into their mouthes which they shall publish vnto others Thus then there is a mutuall relation betweene God and his Prophets But as I haue said these things are not to be whollie restrained to the captiuitie of Babylon no they haue a further extent and comprehend vnder them the doctrine of the Gospell in which this power to comfort is chieflie conteined for it is the proper office thereof to refresh the afflicted The proper office of the Gospell those that are brought low to quicken the dead and to reioyce such as are in heauines in a word to bring with it tidings of all ioy and gladnes GosPell that is glad tidings for which cause it is called the Gospell that is to say good newes which began not then to be published when Christ first appeared to the world but long before to wit from the time that God first manifested his fauour Daniell Daniell he first raised vp the standard to the end the faithfull might prepare themselues to returne home after him Haggai Zachari Malachi Nehemiah Ezra Haggai Zacharie Malachi Nehemiah Ezra and others after them vntill Christes comming alwaies exhorted the faithfull to be of good comfort and to hope against hope The last of them that wrote was Malachi who knowing there should be no more Prophets after him sends the people to the law of Moses that they might learne what the will of God was both touching his threatnings and promises Mal. 4.4 Now from this place we gather that which is chieflie to be sought in the Prophets to wit What is chiefly to be sought in the Prophets they set before vs the sweetnes of Gods fauor that the faithfull might conceiue hope for the time to come that they should not quaile vnder afflictions but might perseuere in prayer But the matter being alwaies incredible he calles to minde the couenant as if he meant to say That it was vnpossible for God to forget that which he once promised to Abraham Howsoeuer the Iewes then had fallen from the grace of God by their sinnes yet he auoucheth notwithstanding that he is their God still and that they were his peculier people which depended vpon his election and therefore in regard there were many reprobates among them My people he only directs his speech to the faithfull for he lets the wicked languish and consume away in their incredulitie But the godly haue here an inestimable consolation to wit that albeit they be pressed with griefe and anguish for a time yet because they put their trust in him who is the father of mercies and God of all consolation they shall in the end feele that the promises of grace were conserued and kept for them as an hid treasure to glad their hearts in due season See heere an excellent commendation of the propheticall office which serues to susteine the faithfull in aduersitie lest they should faint or sinke vnder the burthen contrariwise this place shewes that God is exceeding angrie whē he depriues vs of such faithfull teachers as may bring glad tidings to the Church whereby to refresh the wearie soule and to strengthen the weake Vers 2. * Or speake to the heart of Ierusalem Speake comfortablie to Ierusalem and crie vnto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned for she hath receiued of the Lords hand double for all her sinnes HEre God giues his seruants the Prophets a Commission and puts that in their mouthes which they were to vtter when fit time serued for to comfort the faithfull that were sorowfull And yet he stands not so much to exhort or imbolden the Prophets to discharge this their dutie manfullie and faithfullie as he is earnest in giuing of hope to the godly wishing them to possesse their soules in patience vntill the Prophets were sent vnto them with this ioyfull and comfortable message To speake according to the heart signifies nothing else but to speake that which is acceptable to vs for our heart abhorres all vnpleasant tidings but it effectuallie imbraceth and runnes as it were to meete with that which is well pleasing vnto it Now because the people were in a maner reiected and forsaken what newes could be better welcome then reconciliation with GOD whereby all their sinnes were pardoned Vnder the word Ierusalem by a Synecdoche Ierusalem signifies the Church we are to vnderstand the Church which is so euident that it needs no proofe The word crie signifies that this promise of grace shall be cleare and euident it shall sound so in their eares that all shall vnderstand for if the Prophets should mutter or whisper onely the assurance of this consolation might seeme doubtfull or weake but all doubting is taken away seeing it is to be deliuered freely and with a loud voice Her warfare is ended That her vvarfare is ended This is that acceptable tidings to wit that God hath put an and to the afflictions of his people Some take the word Tsebaab which we haue translated Warfare simply for the time as if hee should say Her time is accomplished Others thinke that the time of visitation is here noted but vnfitly because this word properly signifies among the Hebrewes a set and appointed time to finish and end some businesse or worke in But this similitude is doubtlesse taken from souldiers that haue libertie to returne home from war for he saith the end and issue of their afflictions are at hand as if hee should say God will not alwaies suffer the rod of the wicked to rest vpon the lot of the godlie but keep a measure in humbling of them He therefore compares the time of their captiuitie in Babylon to a long warfare which being ended the souldiers that vvant imploiment are sent home to their houses to liue there in peace and quiet He saith in like manner that her inquitie is pardoned Her iniquitie is pardoned because God will be so fauourable vnto them that hee will no longer in rigor pursue them this therefore is the exposition of the former words Simile For as the Physitians in healing bodily diseases doe first remoue the causes from whence they spring euen so the Lord deales with vs. The rods wherewith he beates vs proceedes from our sinnes he must of necessitie pardon them then before his strokes can cease Our sinnes must be forgiuen ere our afflictiōs can cease See Chap. 38.17 and therefore the Prophet saith that her vvarfare is accomplished because her iniquitie is no longer imputed Some take the word Anonah for miserie and say that it shall haue an end which sense also sutes well for so the Prophet affirmes one and the same thing two waies for to say that her warfare is ended and that her miseries are finished are things that haue one meaning But yet wee must hold this principle that God ceaseth to correct when he is reconciled so
any of them For he is called seruant in respect that God the Father hath not onely giuen him the charge of teaching or to doe some other thing but also in regard that hee hath called him to performe an excellent and peerelesse worke which is common to none but him Furthermore although this name be attributed to the person of Christ yet it ought to be referred to his humane nature for his Godhead being eternall and that in respect thereof he hath euer obtained equall glory with his Father Christ Gods seruant in respect of his humanitie it was necessary he should take our nature vpon him that he might submit himselfe to the obedience of a seruant And therefore Saint Paul saith that he being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with him and yet notwithstanding emptied himselfe and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant c. Phil. 2.6 Christ then is a seruant but voluntarily Christ being Gods seruaÌ„t no way impaires his dignitie DispensatioÌ„ lest wee should imagin his dignity might be somewhat impaired therby Which the ancient Doctors signified vnder this word Dispensation whereby it came to passe as they say that Christ subiected himselfe to all our infirmities The affection by which he became subiect vnto God Christs subiection voluntarie was voluntarie in the meane while it was to the end he might become our seruant also notwithstanding this his so abiect a condition hinders him nothing at all from inioying his soueraigne maiestie for which cause the Apostle saith God hath giuen him a name aboue euery name Phil. 2.9 He vseth the particle demonstratiue Behold to bring the Iewes as it were to the sight of the thing done for that which they saw in Babylon was able to haue put them cleane out of heart He wils them therefore to turne their eies from beholding things present and to fix them onely vpon Christ Some expound the verbe Tamach which signifies To stay passiuely others actiuely If we take it in the passiue the sense will bee that God so staies himselfe vpon his Christ that hee will giue him charge of all things euen as masters doe to their trustie seruants Now it is a signe of great trust which the Father reposeth in him that hee giues him charge of all things and commits into his hands his owne rule authoritie and power Yet I reiect not the actiue signification to wit I will erect or set him vp or I will establish him in his estate for that which followes immediately after I vvill put my spirit vpon him is but a repetition of the same thing He saith in the first place then I vvill stay vpon him then he shewes the maner of this stay in saying that he will gouerne him by his Spirit and thus hee shewes that he will sustaine and helpe Christ in all things and will not suffer him to fall vnder any difficulties Now it was needfull that Christ should be indued with the holy Spirit from aboue Why Christ was to bee indued with the holy Spirit in regard hee was to take vpon him that diuine office of being mediator betweene God and men for according to his humane nature he was vnable to beare the waight of so great a burthen Christ a seruant elect Elect is here taken for excellent as in other places young men which are in the flower of their youth are called men of choice Hee is called a seruant elect then because hee shall beare the message of reconciliation and all his actions shall bee disposed of by the Lord. Yet behold heere a testimonie of that loue which God hath shewed vs in his onely Son for in him the head wee may see our election shine by which wee are adopted to the hope of a better life Seeing then that there is an heauenly power dwelling in the humane nature of Christ Wee must looke vpon Christ in both his natures when we heare him speake let vs not so much looke vpon flesh blood as lift vp our mindes higher that so we may see his diuinitie shine in all his actions In vvhom my soule delights By this testimonie we may conceiue that Iesus Christ is not onely well pleasing vnto God his Father but is also that his onely beloued Sonne so as there is no obtaining of any grace but by the meanes of his intercession In this sense it is alleadged by the Euangelists Mat. 3.17 Luke 9.35 Saint Paul also teacheth that wee were reconciled with God through this his vvelbeloued one for whose sake God loues vs Ephes 1.6 According to which our Prophet shewes that Christ shall not be adorned with the vertue and power of the holy Ghost for his owne particular onely but to shed it abroad also far and wide vpon others By the word iudgement hee vnderstands a well ordered gouernment and not the sentence which the Iudge pronounceth vpon the iudgement seat for the verbe To iudge among the Hebrewes signifies to rule gouerne and direct things He addes that this iudgement shall extend thorowout all the earth as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes which promise was then new and strange for God was onely knowne in lurie Psal 76.1 so as forraine nations were excluded from any hope of grace We therefore that are Gentiles staÌ„d in exceeding need of these so cleare and euident testimonies that we may grow daily in the assurance of our vocation and calling for without these promises what assurance is left vs They nothing at all pertaine vnto vs. Christ was sent then to bring the whole world vnder the rule and obedience of God his Father Whence it appeares that al things without him are but a confused chaos Before hee comes therefore All things out of ordâ—r without Christ it is impossible to see any right order or gouerâ—â—ment among men Let vs then learne in all things to submit our neckes vnto his sweet yoke if we desire to be iustly and rightly gouerned Now we must iudge of this gouernment according to the nature of his kingdome that we liue in which as you know is not of this world but consists in the inward man Iohn 18.36 for it consists in a good conscience and integritie of life approued not of men only but of God chiefly and principally Wherein Christs kingdome principally consists The summe then comes to this that our whole life being peruerted since the time wee were altogether corrupted by the fall of Adam Christ is now towards the end of the world come vvith an heauenly power of the spirit The end of Christs comming in the flesh to change our hearts and to reforme vs into newnesse of life Vers 2. Hee shall not cry nor lift vp nor cause his voice to be heard in the streetes THe Prophet shewes after what manner Christ shall come to wit without such pompe and preparations as earthly Kings haue For when they come in trumpets are sounded on euery
and those that trust in Idols was not in vaine Moreouer it is very certaine that by the two marks which he here expresseth Two marks to discerne Idolaters by all Idolaters are meant who fix their hope in any thing but in God For albeit they bow not before their Idols yet in attributing vnto them I know not what diuinitie they take that glorie from the only true God which to him belongs for the principall part of Gods seruice stands in faith and prayer both which the Prophet expresseth in this place But it may be demanded Quest whether they were so blockish as to say to a block Thou art my God For the most superstitious haue confessed that God was in heauen neither haue they bin so grosse as to attribute a diuine nature directly to wood or stone it seemes therefore that Isaiah makes them more sottish then they are Ans I answere that all Idolaters attribute that power to their Images which belongs to God All Idolaters attribute that to Idols which belongs to God albeit they acknowledge him to be in heauen for when they trot so fast after their puppets and Idols to whom they make and pay their vowes doe we not euidentlie perceiue that they giue that to them which only appertaines to God It is in vaine then that they labour to colour and cloake brutishnes for they make gods of wood and stone and in thus doing offer extreame violence to the Lord. The Prophet therefore hath not ouershot himselfe neither hath he framed a false accusation against Idolaters because their owne vvords doe sufficientlie testifie the same to their faces when they call their Idols and Images gods Yea let it be granted that they be not heard to pronounce any such words yet their madnes may easily be discerned in that they thinke God can neither heare nor help them vnlesse they prostrate themselues before a senselesse stock and mumble vp a certaine stint of prayers before it Now these things are thus vttered to let all know that none can be saued but he which shall trust in God only Vers 18. Heare yee deafe and yee blinde regard that yee may see HE takes blinde and deafe here in a contrarie sense to that in the sixteenth verse where by this similitude he noted out those who were so destitute of counsell and ouerwhelmed with the weight of afflictions that it depriued them of all sight For by blind Blind in this place he meanes such as did shut their eies against the cleare light and would take no knowledge of Gods works By deafe Deafe those that vvould not heare but rather delighted to lie snorting in the filthines of their ignorance He condemnes here therefore the blindnes of the Iewes or rather of all men as I take it A generall blindnes and deafnes gone ouer all men For although it be true that he reprocheth the Iewes to be blind euen in seeing and deafe whilest they heard yet this also doth in part belong to the Gentiles to whom he manifested himselfe by the creatures ingraued in their minds and consciences the knowledge of himselfe and to whom also he had and should make knowne his admirable works In that he calles for audience then he giues them to vnderstand that the only cause which hinders them from comprehending Gods truth and power is their owne deafnes and blindnes mixed with a malicious vnthankfulnes For he is not wanting in giuing them sufficient testimonies of his power neither is he negligent in teaching them familiarly enough but the fault is in themselues in that they applied not their hearts to instruction nor to meditate in his word no nor yet to behold his wonderfull works so as euery one wittingly shut their eies and therfore the Prophet shewes that all the fault rested in themselues if they saw not Gods power Vers 19. Who is blind but my seruant or deafe as my messenger that I sent who is blinde as the perfect and blinde as the Lords seruant ALl expositors almost doe expound this verse as if Isaiah mentioned the outrages which the wicked are wont to belch out against the Prophets For they cast the seruants of the Lord in the teeth with the things which they haue reproued and condemned which such companions as they can not indure As if they should say Who are they I pray thee whom thou accusest of blindnes The misinterpretation of this place and and who are they thou callest deafe Take it hardly to thy selfe We know none so blinde as thou art They thinke then that it is as much as if the Lord complained thus of the Iewes I see very well that you esteeme my Prophets for no better then blinde and deafe But we shall by and by see that this interpretation sutes nothing at all with the scope of the text for the Prophet shewes afterwards why he calles them blind to wit because they saw many things but kept them not Now this can not any way agree to the Prophets let vs therfore follow the pure and natiue sense Isaiah before condemned all men of blindnes but the Iewes especiallie because they inioyed those meanes whereby they might haue a clearer sight then any others The right interpretation for they had not only that glimmering which was cōmon to all nations but had also the word sounding in their eares by which the Lord fully manifested himselfe vnto them Though the whole world besides then was blind yet these should haue had eies to see and know the Lord in regard they had the doctrine as a burning lampe to giue light vnto them Besides hee speakes to these afterwards in the sixtie Chapter Rise vp Ierusalem and bee bright for the darknes shall couer the whole earth but the Lord shall giue thee light Because the Iewes then were blind in so cleere light therefore he taxeth them by this particular reprehension As if hee should say I striue but in vaine against those which are far off from mee neither doe I much maruell at their blindnesse but this is strange that such a thing should befall my seruants who haue the cleere light shining before their eies I am as one astonished to see them deafe who haue the word continually sounding in their eares The things I teach them are so plaine and euident that the very blind and deafe may in a manner vnderstand them but alas I speake to them in vaine for I thinke there is not a more brutish and sottish people to bee found To be short whereas they should haue had the quickest sense of hearing and seeing they were the worst of all Whom I sent Isaiah descends by degrees from all men in generall to the Iewes in particular then to the Priests which were the lights of the world as it were for it was their office to interpret the Law The Priests to walke before others in a good example of life and to shew vnto them the high way to heauen Their
he maketh it an Idoll and boweth vnto it 16. Hee burneth the halfe thereof in the fire and vpon the halfe thereof hee eateth flesh hee rosteth the rost and is satisfied also hee warmeth himselfe and saith Aha I am warme I haue been at the fire 17. And of the residue thereof he maketh a god hee boweth vnto it and worshippeth praieth vnto it and saith Deliuer me for thou art my god HEe worthily taxeth their sottishnes Experience which is the Mistris of fooles cannot make these fooles wise in heart that manifest experience it selfe cannot lead them to conclude it for a thing vnpossible that a truncke of vvood should become a god He also taxeth their vnthankfulnesse in defrauding God of his honour seeing his power may easily be discerned euen in the growth of themselues For when a man puts wood to diuers vses the bountie of God forthwith presents it selfe before his eies be it in vvarming himselfe by it or in baking bread in the ouen in rosting or heating his meate with it In a word as oft as we warme vs and inioy these benefits by our fires shall wee not be conuinced of inexcusable ingratitude if we therein consider not of Gods goodnesse who hath so prouided as to destitute vs of nothing that is needfull for vs Hereunto appertaines these words Aha I am vvarme for this speech expresseth the ioy of such as being freed from incommodities and wants begin to blesse their owne good estate But can there be a more vnworthie or vnreasonable thing committed then for men in such comfortable maner to haue the vse of Gods blessings that their hearts are therewith filled with gladnes and yet neuer to be thankfull to the author from whom they proceed nay to abuse his great riches to violate his honor No doubt in the meate that is in their kitchins and in other commodities they see that the wood is their seruant and made for their vse why then should they bow before a trunck of wood that shall resemble the shape of a man Is not God robbed of his right by such a course And when they pray to their Images rob they not the Lord of that sacrifice which he principallie requires The very prophane writers haue sometimes derided the follie of these Idolaters which durst after their owne inuention frame a god of a corruptible substance wherof they made no reckoning before Thence came this flout of the Poet Horace Horace who brings in an Idoll speaking thus I vvas the flock of a figge-tree seruing to no purpose vvhilest the Carpenter not knowing vvhether it vvere best to make me a seate to sit vpon chose rather to make me such a god as you now here see mee But such folke notwithstanding could not see the fountaine from whence this impietie sprang because they gaue not themselues to consider of that goodnes and power of the only true God which shines in all his creatures Now when the Prophets dealt thus bitterlie against Idolaters in laying forth their furie and sottishnes no doubt but they complained as if he had offred them great iniurie neither wanted they their tricks but to the vtmost coloured ouer their errors with goodly pretences to wit they confessed that the gods were in heauen as may be seene euen in their owne writings neither would they in expresse termes affirme the stone or wood was a God indeed And this shift also the Papists A shift of the Papists haue foūd out at this day against vs because they would not be condemned of so grosse a blindnes But we haue told you that the Prophet stands not so much here to debate about the simple essence of God who also were no better then an Idoll if nothing but that were giuen vnto him but the question here is touching his proprieties to wit his prescience power prouidence iustice saluation and such like which our Prophet would haue ascribed vnto him fullie and whollie And when Idolaters erect Images and runne vnto them for aid and succor supposing that God heares them also when they speake to their puppets which they set before them tie they not their saluation to the things themselues But this brutishnes proceeds frō the ignorance of the nature of God in that they imagin him to be carnall like themselues who is a pure and spirituall substance and thus they manifest the base opinion they haue conceiued of God whose glorie they reiect and prophane in likening him to corruptible and earthly things for what is more dissonant from his Maiestie then Images Nothing iarres more with Gods Maiestie then Images and yet those that worship them indeuor to inclose God in heauen and to make him stoup to their lusts The Prophet is iustly displeased then with such corruptions and therefore gaules the furious desires of these superstitious ones seeing a man can not thinke of nor vtter a thing more detestable Vers 18. They haue not knowne nor vnderstand for * Or he God hath shut their eyes that they can not see and their hearts that they can not vnderstand HIs conclusion is The conclusion that it were impossible for men indued with common reason to be thus reasonlesse if God had not shut vp both their eies and hearts For had they but a dram of wit in their heads they must of necessitie be drawne to consider how absurd a thing it is to worship a fragment of that wood which themselues had burned and with their owne eies saw it consumed to ashes before them But in as much as they neither know nor vnderstand any thing nor will bee brought to beleeue their owne senses They are become brutish that will not beleeue their owne senses a man may well conclude that they are become beasts for this ignorance wherewith Isaiah reprocheth them is as much as if hee had said They are beasts in the forme of men And howsoeuer euer many among them were otherwise sharpe witted enough yet in this behalfe they were more then sufficiently conuinced of their brutish senslesnesse The reason added in the latter member of the verse is not to lessen their fault but to shew how odious and hatefull their sinne is for men would neuer become so senselesse vnlesse God in his iust iudgement had giuen them vp into a reprobate sense Some supplie God heere others the false Prophets affirming that the people were blinded because they were seduced by their impostures otherwise they had neuer bin plunged into such grosse errors for false doctrines blind the eies False doctrines blinds the eies There are others who take it in another sense and they refer it to Satan But because the first exposition is most vsed in the Scriptures I rather allow of that to wit that God blinded them iustly Vnlesse any had rather referre it to the Idolaters themselues who wittingly are wont to put out the eies of their owne reason and in this sense there must bee a change of the number to wit
it that wil pardon such a carelesnesse as is ioined with the losse of mens soules Men busie themselues tooth and naile for the matters of this naturall life We see how busilie men bestir them when the naturall life is in ieopardie stands it not vs much more in hand then to awaken men out of the slumber of their soules which are in danger of eternall damnation especially if wee may doe it by putting forth our hand in pulling them out Moreouer it is said that he deliuers his soule which by repentance escapes out of Satans nets And in that sense we are said to saue one another when we bring men that haue erred into the right way by our holy admonitions Whence comes it then that Idolaters runne headâ—ong into perdition The cause that plungeth Idolaters iâ—â—o pâ—rdition Because they take the bridle in their teeth and wilfully rush into the same euen as the horse rusheth into the battell Lastly in the end of the verse hee shortly shewes the meane whereby men may recouer themselues out of this danger to wit in considering their owne vvorkes without flattering of themselues Note for he that pleaseth himselfe in his error and inquires not whether he doth well or no such a one shall neuer be able to deliuer his owne soule As for example our Papists will not examine vpon what reason their diuine seruice is grounded but content themselues to couer such a beastlinesse vnder the cloake of simplicitie as if God meant to haue a Church of rude asses or as if hee had not commanded vs to distinguish betweene that seruice hee accepts and that which he reiects or as if hee had not commanded vs diligently to search what his good and acceptable will is lest we should indifferently allow darknesse for light and sower for sweete For these things must bee examined by the touchstone of his written word To the law and to the testimonie Chap. 8. which if we shall doe it shall be easie for vs to escape out of the dangers if not then let vs lay the cause of our ruine vpon our selues Why so Because our meaning is to perish wilfully in regard wee will not suffer our selues to be brought into the right way or will not beare the words of exhortation Vers 21. Remember these O Iakob and Israel for thou art my seruant I haue formed thee thou art my seruant O Israel forget me not Application NOw hee applies that to the peoples vse which he hath so long insisted vpon before touching the lies and superstitions of the Gentiles wherein the ignorant deceiued themselues especially in the matters belonging to Gods worship and seruice Now hee writ not this so much for them of his owne time as for their sakes principally which were to succeede and should afterward remaine captiues in Babylon In which regard they by their long abode among the Idols were in danger to be corrupted declined from the true seruice of God if they had not been restrained by such bridles The Prophet therfore admonisheth them that howsoeuer they should be detained seuenty yeeres in captiuitie yet they should call these exhortations vnto mind thereby to sustaine their hearts in their greatest temptations Thou art my seruant Hee addes this as the reason why they should remember these promises euen to keepe themselues from this common contagion For it had been a thing insupportable for the elect people whom God had inclosed within the limits of his law thereby to separate them from others if they confusedly and indifferently should haue mingled themselues among the pollutions of the Gentiles As if he should say Wonder not you that the Caldeans are so rise in their errors neither follow their example because I haue formed thee to serue mee that is to say I haue reformed and regenerated thee that thou mightest be heire of eternall life Of this creation we haue amply spoken heretofore to wit that it appertaines to the renewing of the inward man Now the Scripture is often wont to vse this argumeÌ„t to wit You are called to holinesse and not to vncleannesse 1. Thes 4.7 Also Phil. 2.15 Walke as children of the light in the midst of a peruerse and froward nation With many the like places Hence wee gather that wee are worthy of many stripes if by our carelesnesse and negligence wee suffer that light of Gods grace wherewith he hath inlightened vs to go out because our fault will be much greater then theirs who haue not tasted of the like fauour I grant the prophane are worthily punished neither shall the excuse of ignorance be able to serue their turnes but those that haue receiued grace and haue abused it shall bee worthy to be the more seuerely chastised Forget me not His meaning is that it is vnpossible for those which were once entred into the good way to turne aside vnlesse it bee by forgetting of God For as long as the remembrance of his Maiestie remaines imprinted in the tables of our hearts neither errors nor impostures shall euer bee able to take place Errors will neuer take place in vs if the remembrance of Gods name bee thorowlie imprinted in vs. Is any reuolted from God then to turne to superstition and impietie Let him impute it to his owne malice What is the cause of apostasie then The forgetfulnesse of God for that by little and little drawes vs out of the right way till at the length we be wholly reuolted But by the remedie heere prescribed he assures them that they shall be out of danger to reuolt namely if they exercise themselues in continuall meditation for if our minds grow once carelesse heerein they gather rust as it were which infects and corrupts all knowledge of God till it be cleane eaten out Vers 22. I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist turne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee A consalatorie promise THe Lord promiseth deliuerance to his people for the truth is that our mindes cannot be raised vp to remember him as wee ought vnlesse we first feele him gracious and fauourable vnto vs. That hee might preserue his people which he had formed for himselfe from reuolting then he addes now a promise of consolation to perswade with them that this their banishment should not indure for euer for God as hee is a most patient and louing Father so mitigates their corrections When God forgiues the sinne he also remits the punishment that hee alwaies forgiues the faults of his children As touching the putting away of their iniquities it properly belonged to the captiues which for their iniquities sake suffered that punishment Hence it followed therefore that God being appeased their deliuerance was at hand for it is an argument taken from the cause to the effect An argument taken from the cause to the effect If the fault be remitted so is the punishment For the Iewes were no sooner reconciled with God
out to draw their prognostications from thence He derides their vaine brags then as if he should say They retire to their regions but they shall vvander in their imaginations and shall find no place of refuge If any had rather vnderstand it of their reuolt from whom Babel looked for present helpe in time of need I gainsay him not THE XLVIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Heare yee this O house of Iakob which are called by the name of Israel and are come out of the waters of Iudah which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousnesse Now the Prophet directs his speech to the Iewes NOW hee directs his speech to the Iewes whom hee chiefly respected in the whole chapter before going For he was not sent to the Babylonians but so speakes to thē that still his meaning is the Iewes should make their profit of it for whose good he was principally appointed The drift of Isaiah in this Chapter ordained to that high and excellent calling He hath foretold the ruine of Babel then to the end the Iewes might in patience and silence wait for their deliuerance and yet that the greatnesse and power of their enemies in the meane while might not daunt nor discourage them But resting securely vpō these promises they might stand with inuincible force against al temptations Now in as much as the Iewes were somewhat obstinate and would not easilie be brought to credit these promises as also that Isaiah by the spirit of prophecie wel foresaw how stiffe necked and rebellious they would proue euen in their captiuitie he therefore reproues them thus sharply Ezech. in Chap. 33 31. shewes at large how great their incredulitie was when they murmured against God and fel off the hooks making no more account of these promises then of so many fables It is not without cause then that Isaiah is so vehement shewing that they much dishonoured the Lord in that they would not rest vpon his truth He speakes to Israel but so as to Israel degenerate Israel in name and not Israel in deed Hee giues them not this title then by way of honour but rather to conuince them of their false confidence in that they wrongfully vsurped this honourable title and nothing at all answered the truth thereof in their practise For why did God dignifie his seruant Iakob with this name but because he shewed himselfe valorous and inuincible in aduersitie Which appeares by that vvrestling he had with God who pitcheth the field as it were to make warre vpon vs when hee exerciseth vs with diuers tribulations Gen. 32.28 How could this title agree then to his successors Prou. 24.10 when they fainted and forsooke their confidence in the day of aduersitie He afterwards reprocheth them in that they nothing at all resembled the holy fathers from whom they were descended By vvaters vnder a figure hee meanes the fountaine and spring from whence the Iewes issued for I allow not of the Rabbines ridiculous glosse who by the word waters vnderstand that sperm whereof children are ingendred because it is moist and waterish but it is a similitude very fitly drawne from waters which flow from a spring Now hauing taxed them for bastard and degenerate children he addes that they falsly couer the same title vnder the cloke of pietie and religion from the truth whereof they were also reuolted Now because an oath is a part of Gods worship An oath a part of Gods worship he heere puts it for the whole vnder the figure synecdoche For as the Idolaters offer God great wrong in swearing by their Idols so the true worshippers doe highly honour him in swearing by his name for thereby they protest to haue but one God whose name they thus glorie in But in this place the Prophet inueyes bitterly against the hypocrites Hypocrites taxed who had nothing in their mouthes but the name of God and tossed it continuallie vpon the tip of their tongues but in the meane while their hearts were farre off from him as it is in Chap. 29.13 for this cause he saith But not in righteousnes which word he takes heere for vprightnes and soundnes of heart without which nothing we doe is acceptable before God Or truth and righteousnes may be taken for words of one signification as if he should say There is nothing but hypocrisie and vaine shewes in all your doings you professe your selues to be the seruants of the God of truth and behold you let all the world see that you are stuffed with disloyaltie and lies Vers 2. For they are called of the holie Citie and stay themselues vpon the God of Israel whose name is the Lord of hosts An amplification of the Iewes hypocrisie HE holds himselfe to the point still and in other words refutes their vaine shewes for falsly they gloried to be citizens of the holy Citie and yet they stuck not to pollute and defile it with their leaud practises Ierusalem was worthily reputed holy in regard God had sanctified it for the place of his abode but it was prophaned with so many abuses that there was no holines at all in a maner left in it In the 15. and 24. Psalme wee see who are worthie to be esteemed the true citizens of Ierusalem but seeing the Iewes blushed not to play fast and loose with God they thought it enough to couer themselues vnder this vaile Iere. 7. of the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. Where he saith they staied vpon the God of Israel hee speakes not of a true confidence but of a malepart boldnesse For as the faithfull stay and rest vpon the Lord with their whole hearts so hypocrites doe falsly maske themselues with his name and are besotted with a vaine and fond perswasion they contemne all things yea they feare not impudentlie to disgorge this brag Tush God will surely help vs he will neuer forsake his people as if God were a softerer of such a prophane crew To be short they cast his lawes behind their backs and tread them vnder their feet and yet protest with high termes that God is the stay of their saluation But to the end they should not thinke to escape vnpunished for such dallyings the Prophet affirmes that Gods maiestie and glorie shall no whit be impeached though hypocrites indeuor to transfigure him at their pleasures For in calling him the Lord of hosts he addes it as a threatning to the end they might know that the God of Israel vnder which title they vainely couered themselues was also the Lord of hosts to punish such hypocrites and that could not indure to be thus mocked and trifled withall Vers 3. I haue declared the former things of old and they went out of my mouth and I shewed them I did them suddenly and they came to passe HE accuseth the Iewes of ingratitude Before he taxed their hypocrisie they now their
ingratitude in regard they distrusted GOD who had shewed them infinite testimonies of his goodnes to confirme them in a true and sound faith and thus he bereaues them of all excuse in telling them that he hath declared former things Now it seemes he speakes not only of their redemption from their captiuitie but of other benefits which the Lord had done for his people as if he should say I began of old to tell you what should ensue neither haue I promised any thing which is not accomplished but notwithstanding so many experiences you beleeue nothing that I say no not the most certaine and the infallible truth Wee may also suppose that the Prophet spake not only to those which then liued but likewise to such as were afterwards to suruiue them in the captiuitie that when the calamitie should befall them they might call to minde what was foretold them for God meant to haue this prophesie renoumed that during their exile they might know how these things fell not out by chance and therfore were to gather cōsolation thence Isaiah reprehends them sharply then in regard that albeit they knew the truth of these prophesies by the euent yet they would not acknowledge Gods hand in thē neither would they rest vpō his promises Had he not good cause then thinke you to rebuke them thus sharply and to condemne their obstinacie Yes doubtlesse For they resisted that hand which offred them reliefe and reiected his mercie they limited the holy one of Israel in that they would not beleeue that it should euer be permitted them to returne home into Iudeah Nay when the way was set wide open before them very few had any heart to returne into their countrie Others supposed that Cyrus did but dallie with them only permitting them to goe that hauing gadged and sounded the depth of their affections he might take occasion therby to oppresse them and deale the more seuerely with them not considering that those things which the Lord had foretold must of necessitie come to passe though men and Angels should withstand the same I so vnderstand these predictions then wherof the Prophet speakes that vnder them I also comprehend the ancient prophesies in which the Lord had said to Abraham that his posteritie should be led captiue and should after be restored to their first libertie Gen. 15.13 And so we must come to other prophesies of this nature by degrees which successiuely followed one anothet for euen this prophesie was many times confirmed now in one age and then in another His meaning is then that the Lord yet neuer foretold any thing but the issue and euent answered vnto the beginning God yet neuer foretold any thing but the euent was answerable to the beginning Vers 4. Because I knew that thou art obstinate and thy necke is an yron sinew and thy brow brasse The Iewes obstinacie inpudencie discouered THe Lord heere protests by his Prophet that he spake of things to come because of the peoples obstinacie As if the Prophet should say I haue done more for you then stood with my calling Not that he only bent his speech this way for wee know that the principall drift of his sermons appertaines to the godly who quietly obey and willingly giue eare But Isaiah that had to deale with a froward people rightly affirmes that God would haue vsed a most soueraigne remedie in ratifying his law by many prophecies and that successiuely one after another For as hee had foretold nothing but the truth to their fathers so he shewes that he continues still so to doe that heereby hee might batter downe the obstinacie and rebellion of this people Hee saith their necke was as an yron sinew because it could not be bowed I grant that sinewes are stiffe yet they are bowable But heere he saith nothing will bow them because they are as vntamed heifers Afterwards hee addes a brow of brasse to set forth their impudencie Two things holds vs in awe Two things keepes vs in awe first teachablenesse if we willingly submit our selues to the wholsome admonitions and instructions which shall bee tendered to vs. Secondly if being ouertaken with anie sinne wee be so touched with true remorse and blushing that wee condemne the euill committed where these two graces humilitie and shamefastnesse are wanting it is a signe of a desperate obstinacie By two arguments thē the Prophet shewes that this people was giuen vp to all iniquitie in that hee affirmes they were become vnteachable and shamelesse Notwithstanding when the Lord cannot otherwise remedie such a mischiefe yet he so farre supports our rebellion as to admonish vs of things to come And thus transforming himselfe as it were he is readie to trie all the waies hee can that hee might allure vs vnto him and set vs againe in the right way Vers 5. Therefore I haue declared it vnto thee of old before it came to passe I haue shewed it thee lest thou shouldest say Mine Idoll hath done them and my earned Image and my molten Image hath commanded them AGaine he propounds the same thing vnto them that the people being deliuered out of Babylon might acknowledge that God himselfe had done it lest they should attribute this redemption either to their Idols or to fortune Quest If it bee asked wherefore the Lord makes mention of Idols seeing the Iewes professed to worship but one God I answer Ans they were already so corrupted by ouer much familiaritie with the Gentiles and had so defiled themselues with superstitions that God was in a manner vtterly forgotten Ezechiel complaines of this in his eight Chapter vers 3. For there being carried in a vision into Ierusalem hee saw the Sanctuarie of the Lord polluted with diuers idolatries and abominations It is no maruell then if our Prophet put them in mind of God the onely author of all benefits to the end they might acknowledge their redemption to be his worke Lest thou shouldest say He meanes that the Iewes should be inexcusable if they did not confesse this benefit of being set free from bondage to proceede from Gods hand For that which was foretolde so long before came it came to passe could not fall out neither fortune nor chance Hee ioines Gods prescience then with his power shewing that he hath not only foretold these things but hath also performed them Heere then we may behold as in a glasse the frowardnesse of our owne hearts A looking-glasse wherin we may take a view of the frowardnesse of our nature which are alwaies plotting how to bereaue the Lord of his deserued praise euen as oft as he sends vs any helpe or bestowes any benefit vpon vs whereby he stretcheth out his hand to becken vs to himselfe But the world resists God in this behalfe euen with an high hand euermore attributing that to creatures which proceeds from God as in the Papacie where wee see they ascribe the benefits of God vnto the Saints departed as
euen in wilde beasts who yet are gentle and louing in this behalfe howsoeuer otherwise they be of cruell and fierce natures Now in regard women sometimes proue more vnnaturall then wilde beasts yea and ouercome them in crueltie by neglecting the fruit of their bodies the Lord addes that if this should fall out that yet he will neuer forget his people For the firme and vnmoueable affection he beares vs farre surmounts the vehement loue and amitie of all fathers and mothers in the world Let vs then call to minde what Christ saith Math. 7.11 If you which are euill can giue good things to your children how much more will your heauenly father Is it possible that he should emptie himselfe of this fatherly affection No verily Men which are of peruerse natures and loue thēselues yet will not neglect their children and will the Lord the fountaine of mercie who needs nothing but giues to all men liberallie and hath not the lesse neglect his Church Wherefore howsoeuer it falles out sometimes that mothers reiect and forsake their children which yet is prodigious yet notwithstanding God who loues his children with a stable constant and perpetuall loue will neuer reiect them To conclude then Chap. 27.23 Hebr. 13.5 our Prophet heere sets out the inestimable care of God who watcheth night and day for our saluation to assure vs that he will neuer leaue nor forsake vs though we be tossed to and fro with many and great calamities Vers 16. Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of mine hands thy walles are euer in my sight Gods loue to his Church set forth by another similitude BY another similitude he sets forth this inestimable care that God hath ouer vs. We vse to say in our common prouerb That one hath that vpon his fingers ends which is seriouslie imprinted in his memorie And when Moses commands a dayly meditation in Gods law he saith Thou shalt bind them vpon thine hands Deuter. 6.8 that so they might alwaies haue Gods commandements before their eies Heere our Prophet vseth the same similitude as if he should say I can no sooner looke vpō my hands but I behold thee there I beare thee so ingrauen vpon my heart that nothing is able to blot out the remembrance of thee In a word I can not forget thee but I should also forget my selfe True it is that GOD hath neither hands nor any bodily shape but thus it pleaseth the holy Ghost to stoupe downe to our slender and weake capacities that he might the better set forth the infinite loue which he beares vs. And because the Church is in many places called the Temple or Citie of God whence also comes that similitude of building so much frequented in the scriptures Psal 102.16 Ier. 24.6 Math. 16.18 therefore the Prophet brings in the similitude of vvalles by which hee notes out the quiet and peaceable estate of the Church as if he should say I will alwaies see that Ierusalem shall florish and be in good plight Whence also we obserue that heere is set forth vnto vs a right order of gouernment and discipline A right order of discipline described whereof the Lord will be the perpetuall protector and defender as himselfe heere protests Let vs also remember that this prophesie tooke place in that wofull desolation when the walles of Ierusalem which were the liuely image of the Church Ierusalems walls a liuely image of the Church were throwne downe the Temple raced good gouernment abolished and in a word when all things were out of ioint and almost brought to vtter confusion for he promiseth that all the Churches priuiledges shall forthwith be restored to their first perfection Vers 17. Thy builders make haste thy destroyers and they that haue made thee waste are departed from thee HE amplifies that which he touched in briefe in the former verse An amplification of the former verse for his speech might haue bin esteemed ridiculous vaine concerning this continuall care that God hath ouer the Church and her walles which he now suffered to be raced to the very foundations For this cause I say he addes an exposition to wit that it is ruinated indeed but ere long it shall be reedified anew From this word builders wee may gather wherin the right way of repayring the church consists The right way to repaire the Churches ruines namely if the Lord bee pleased to send forth master Carpenters and Masons to frame it anew Secondly in driuing out the destroiers which build not but breake downe For albeit God can build vp his church without the helpe of men yet is he pleased to vse their labours and howsoeuer he finisheth the whole building himselfe alone by the secret worke of his holy Spirit yet hee blesseth the indeuors of his seruants that the same should not become altogether vnfruitfull To him we must pray and from him alone wee must expect workemen for hee is able to fit them with gifts and graces and to appoint out to euery one his taske as Saint Paul saith 2. Cor. 3.5 Thus wee are then not onely to pray that God would send forth labourers into his haruest but also that he would furnish them with power and efficacie Mat. 9.38 that they may not bestow their paines in vaine Is the doctrine of the Gospell then preached with some fruit It comes to passe by the singular goodnesse of God But this were not enough vnlesse he therwithall should driue farre off the destroiers for Satan inuades and assaults the Church by infinit waies neither wants hee his supposts and catchpoles who imploy all their forces either to slake hinder or ouerthrow the Lords building and therefore we ought continually to pray that God would still defeate all their enterprises But if that good be not done which we desire let vs accuse our selues and our owne ingratitude for the Lord is readie to bestow his benefits vpon vs in great abundance Vers 18. Lift vp thine eies round about and behold all these gather themselues together and come to thee As I liue saith the Lord thou shalt surely put them all vpon thee as a garment and gird thy selfe with them like a bride HE awakens the Church by setting her deliuerance before her eies The Church is exhorted to behold her glory in the middest of her greatest ruines to the end she might view this so glorious a worke might behold the troopes of men which should flow in vnto her on euery side Now as this gathering together serued to sustaine the mindes of the faithfull in captiuitie so was it their duties who saw it accomplished indeede to render thanks vnto God Whence it appeares that this prophecie was of good vse in both the times as well whilest their deliuerance was yet hidden vnder hope as when it was ratified by the effects And albeit also he speakes to the Church in generall yet this speech belongs to euery one in particular that
so all generally and euery one particularly might imbrace these promises When hee commands them to lift vp their eies it is to shew that the cause which moues vs to faint is in that we doe not so diligentlie obserue the work of the Lord as we ought but suffer out eies to bee couered as it were with a vaile by reason whereof wee cannot see three paces before vs. Thence also it comes that we can hardly coÌ„ceiue any hope but are euer and anon plunged into despaire when the least troubles arise Now if this bee said of the whole Church let euery man examine his owne heart Vse to vs. and see how subiect he is to this vice and let him euer stirre vp yea awaken his spirits to behold the workes of the Lord and to rest himselfe vpon his promises with his whole heart In that he saith the children of the church shall be gathered the meaning is to bee one bodie with Christ and as one fold vnder one shepheard we must be gathered into one lap of the Church For Christ holds none other to be in the number of his sheepe but such as are ioined into one body by the vnitie of one faith Christ â—â—lds none for his sheepe but such as are made one with him by faith Iohn 10.16 Whosoeuer then vvould bee accounted among Gods children let him be a childe of the Church for as many as are separate from her shall alwaies bee held as strangers before God As a garment or ornament The Prophet shewes wherein the chiefe ornament of the Church consists Wherein the chiefest ornament of the Church consists to wit in hauing many children gathered into her lap by forth and gouerned by the Spirit of God Behold the true beautie behold the glorie of the Church which otherwise is deformed and ill fauoured yea torne and rent in pieces if she be destituted of these ornaments Heereby we see that the Papists haue great skill in discerning of the right ornaments of the Churchâ— for they please themselues in nothing but crucifixes With what ornaments the Church of Rome deckes her selfe paintings images stately buildings gold precious stones and glorious vestments that is to say in bables and puppets fit for little children But the true dignitie and glorie of the Church is all inward Psal 45.13 because it consists in the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost in a word it consists in faith and in good workes Faith and good workes the beauty of the Church Whence it followes that she is then clothed with royall robes when people being knit together by faith doe assemble into her lap and worship God in spirit and in truth Now that this promise might haue the greater weight the Lord addes an oath that he might drawes to credit the same to the end that when the Church as we thinke is at the very pits brinke we should then wait and expect her restauration Which doctrine if euer there were neede of it it is now much more For whither soeuer we turne our eies what see wee else but horrible desolations The vse to vs. What are we to doe then Let vs deliuer our soules from despaire by staying our selues vpon this oath As I liue And let not our small number dismay vs though for that cause the world despiseth and disgraceth vs. No the Lord we doubt not hath his elect scattered heere and there whom at the length he will assuredly gather into his Church Let vs plucke vp our spirits then and lift vp our eies by a true faith that wee may not onely extend our hopes to one age but to many Vers 19. For thy desolations and waste places and thy land destroied shall surely be now narrow for theÌ„ that shal dwel in it and they that deuoure thee shall be farre away HE confirmes that which went before A confirmation of the former sentence but in other words to wit that the change by him promised is in Gods hand who will cause his Church which hath a long time lien desolate and vvaste to be suddenly inhabited againe and that in such wise as the land shall not be large enough to containe so manie inhabitants He vseth a similitude of a Citie broken downe whose walles and buildings are reedified vnto which also the people flow in such troopes that the bounds thereof must be inlarged because the first circuits are too narrow for them all And thus he not onely speakes of the peoples returne from Babylon but also of that restauration wrought by Christ when the Church was not onely spread thorowout Iudea but also thorowout all the quarters of the world Moreouer he addes that succours shall be in a readinesse to defend the Church against her enemies which would molest her with outrages and iniuries These shall not be able to hurt her Why so God will driue them farre away not that the Church had euer any perfect rest in this world The Church attaines not a full rest in this world or could be exempt from all violence of enemies but howsoeuer it be God who still supports the infirmities of his seruants hath alwaies resisted the wicked repressed or vtterly defeated their plots that so the kingdome of Satan might neuer waxe great by the ruines of the Church Vers 20. The children of thy barrennes shall say againe in thine eares The place is strait for mee giue places to me that I may dwell ISaiah goes on with the same argument The same argument still prosecuted and vnder another figure promiseth the Churches restauration Now he compares her to a widow or rather to a wife that is barren to set forth the miserable and desolate condition of this people who were oppressed vnder so many euils that the memory of that nation was in a maner extinct for they were mingled among the Chaldeans who held them prisoners so as they were almost incorporated into one body with them Wee are not to maruell then if he coÌ„pares the church as a barren vvife for shee conceiued no more children in her wombe In former time the Iewes florished but now their kingdome was torne in sunder their power vtterly ouerthrowne and their name in a manner buried in obliuion when they were led into captiuitie Hee promiseth then that the Church shall come forth of these sinkes and that she who now sits solitarie shall returne to her first estate Which is signified by the word againe â—â— for thereby he assures them that God was able to render them that againe which in former time he had bestowed vpoÌ„ them though now for a season he had depriued them thereof Whereas many take children of barrennes for orphelins me thinks it sutes not with the text because widowhood and barrennes is referred rather to the person of the Church And therefore by way of amplification he calles them so who beyond all hope were giuen to her that was a widow and barren Giue place That is to say
blessednesse but wait for the last day which shall be the time of their resurrection wherein all things shall be fully restored And mee thinkes Isaiah meant to say so But may some say Quest Doe not the iust inioy peace in this present life For the fruite of faith is that wee possesse our soules in patience Luk. 21.19 Rom. 5.1 I answere Ans that albeit faith begets peace in our hearts yet notwithstanding wee are tossed to an fro with many waues and are neuer so secure and quiet in this life as when the Lord drawes vs home to himselfe The death of the iust then you see brings them to a sweete rest and peace because the same is precious in Gods sight Psalm 116.15 But the death of the wicked is ful of horror From this place also we may gather that our soules are immortall for were they without any sense as some brainelesse ones haue dreamed then could they not bee said to enioy any peace They are in peace and rest then because they liue in Christ Vers 3. But you witches children come hither the seed of the adulterer and of the whore HAuing spoken of the happie and peaceable death of the faithfull The cursed life and death of the wicked opposed to the blessed life and end of the godly he inueighs with exceeding vehemencie against the wicked who for all this ceased not to leade a leaud and lasciuious life without taking the death of the righteous to heart For as he hath affirmed that the faithfull are in peace so contrariwise he denounceth an vnreconciliable warre against the other Nay which more is he hath shewed that death to Gods seruants is an hiding place which defends them from the whirlewinds haile and other tempests that afterwards the obstinate contemners may bee laid open to all sorts of calamities For we must note here the opposition betweene the faithfull which walke before God and the wicked who cease not obstinately to resist him The former after death shall haue peace the latter shall bee vexed whilest they liue and after death shall feele horrible torments He summons them before Gods iudgement seate because they thought to escape by their sophistications But he shewes that they shall gaine nothing thereby because they shal be drawne before the same whether they will or no. For as they had made their hearts ouer hard so was it needfull that they should be pricked with the sharper launcers doubtlesse the Prophet could not vse too much seueritie as well to awaken their drowsinesse as to beate downe their pride Who knowes not with how great ouerweening the Iewes insult in regard of their race The Prophets therefore are vsually wont to crush this their arrogancie and hie mindednes by affirming that they were none of Abrahams children in respect they behaued themselues as bastards and such as were degenerate This is the cause why our Prophet termes them the seed of the adulterer and of the whore With which also Ezechiel reprocheth them in Chap. 16.3 saying Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite And the like phrases of speech are vsed in many other places Hosea 1.2 Thus then hee brings their intollerable pride downe to the ground and in despite of their teeth drawes them foorth into the light that they should not thinke they could escape the tribunall seate of God Vers 4. On whom haue yee iested vpon whom haue ye gaped and thrust out your tongues Are not yee rebellious children and a false seede Hypocrites vnmasked in this and the verses following THe Prophet shewes that the Iewes haue no occasion at all to glorie so much vnder pretence of their linage or stocke seeing they derided the Prophets of God Now they thought it was but with men with whom they had to deale when they reiected the word And so at this day wee see how impudently the wicked despise the doctrine of their saluation and scorne the Ministers of it and yet in the meane while couer themselues vnder a vaine shew of religion This is the reason then wherefore the Prophet presseth them so neere and reprooues them so sharply As if he should say When you thrust out your tongues on this manner against God and scorne his word doe ye thinke you haue to deale with a mortal man For these words on vvhom signifies that they sought out euasions and pretences to cloake their impietie withall For the vngodly will not acknowledge that they rebell against God no they thinke foule scorne any man should so iudge of them but yet they must bee brought out into the light and conuinced of their wickednesse And seeing there is a God they must be told that they make open warre vpon him in resisting or in reiecting his word and in esteeming no better thereof then of a fable To open the mouth and to thrust out the tongue is heere taken in one signification vnlesse that vnder these two phrases the Prophet meant the better to discouer their impudencie namely in that they thought it not enough only to reiect the Lord but they must also deride him For the inward contempt of the heart caused them to vtter forth such manifest scoffes and blasphemies so as they were not touched at all with any feare of dishonoring themselues Lastly he concludes that they are rebellious children a lying seed and therefore hath iust cause to esteeme them the sonnes of an vvhere for such a contempt could not be found in the children of Ahraham By this we learne how the wicked ought to be handled and with what seueritie they are to be reproued that they may haue no cause left them whereby to flatter themselues and the more they despise whatsoeuer is propounded vnto them in the name of God the more ought we to discouer and to manifest in all mens sight their impieties so full of sacriledge Vers 5. Inflamed with Idols vnder euery greene tree and sacrificing the children in the valleyes vnder the tops of the rocks OThers translate Who take pleasure in consolation But our Prophet takes a similitude vsed in many places of the Scriptures and very fitting to the circumstance of this place For the Lord is wont to compare lust wherewith poore and miserable Idolaters are furiously transported and inflamed to the loue of brothels for they keepe no measure at all neither will they suffer any to restraine them from their follie Now Idolatrie in Gods sight is a most hatefull kind of whoredome As touching the Hebrue word Elim some translate it Gods others okes we may take it in whether sense we will for there will be no great difference and all the expositors agree that the Prophet condemnes Idolatrie I contend not then about the words though it be very likely that one thing is repeâ—ted twice according to the custome of the Hebrues and yet it may be vnder an ambiguous word he alludes to their gods Sacrificing children Heere he presseth the Iewes neerer and shewes that they are none
for the same As if he should say The Lord will send the Iewes such seruants of his as they little thinke of now by whose ministrie he will prepare the way and bring back his people The maner of speech whereby he commands hath greater vehemencie in it then if he had spoken in the third person In that he bids them to take away the stumbling blocks he signifies that they ought not to be dismayed for the lets and impediments that lay in their way for the Lord would easily remoue them in his good time Out of the vvay of my people The hope of the returne is included in this namely that after God had brought back his people he would againe place them in the land of Canaan And therfore howsoeuer for ought they could see there was no way nor passage left for them yet would he prouide one and would breake all barres and obstacles Why so Because they had the Lords promise here for their returne and in deed it was he that brought them home in safetie Vers 15. For thus saith he that is high and excellent he that inhabiteth the eternitie whose name is the holy one I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart HE confirmes the former sentence touching the restoring of the people after the captiuitie A confirmation of the former sentence But this verse may be two waies expounded either that the Prophet preuents a doubt which might fall into the minds of the faithfull and so he mentions things opposite or that he drawes an argument from Gods nature to confirme the hearts of the weake That this may be the better vnderstood and opened first of all we know that our minds are often distracted by such thoughts as these to wit That God in deed is in heauen but in the meane while there is a great distance betweene him and vs and that he little regards vs or else lets things goe at six and seuen in the world or that hee cares little or nothing for our matters Now to correct this imagination the Prophet grants it is true that God dwels on high but yet doth not therfore cease to behold and to gouerne this world by his prouidence for he is careful of mens saluations and dwels also vvith the afflicted and with those that are of a contrite and broken heart For though the Lord be high yet he beholdeth the lowly as it is in Psal 113.3.4 and 148.6 and in other places The other sense is that God resembles vs nothing at all For we tremble in aduersitie because we measure him according to our owne capacitie and thus we mutter How can the Lord help vs seeing vve are ouerwhelmed with troubles Moreouer the afflicted are for the most part despised and neglected And thus we thinke that God is carelesse of vs because we conceiue of him according to the reach of our carnall reason But it is our parts to iudge farre otherwise of him and therfore the Prophet saith that he dwelâ— in the heauens to signifie that he is not subiect to humane affections for he is alwaies like himselfe and neuer changeth his counsell As he therefore hath once promised to restore the people to their former libertie so will he assuredlie performe it This exposition I approue of and yet rather accept of the first which is more ample and copious and also agrees with other testimonies of the holy Scriptures where these two things are often conioined namely That God dwels in heauen and yet hath respect to things below but especiallie of his children as I said erewhile Dwelling in eternitie Obiect But we grouell on the earth we are vnstable and neuer continue stayed nor setled in that which we haue once imbraced Ans and therefore hee separates God from men for in him there is not so much as a shadow of turning Iames 1.17 Contrariwise wee are not so affectioned as to haue a perpetuall care ouer such as neede our helpe I dwell in the high and holy place The holy place is often taken for the Temple but heere it is taken for heauen it selfe Why God calâ—â—â— himseâ—fe the holy one dwelling on high We see wherefore the Lord calles himselfe holy and dwelling in an high and holy place euen that hee might cause vs to know vvhat difference there is betâ—eâ—ne him and vs and betweene his nature and ours Besides we may hence collect a speciall consolation A consolatioâ— namely that the Lord will assist the poore yea and dwell in the middest of them if so be they acknowledge their miseries For the wicked shall be pressed with diuers calamities but in the meane while they cease not to remaine haughtie and vntamed Let such neuer looke to haue God dwell vvith them With whom God will dwell for those that will expect any comfort from him must be rightly humbled and brought low in their owne sight But he stoopes euen to the dead that by inspiring new life into them he may create them anew Afterwards he makes expresse mention of the humble spirit and contrite heart to let vs vnderstand that these promises appertaine to none that are rebellious and stiffe-necked in their afflictions but to such as hauing at last subdued all loftinesse of spirit shall shew themselues humble and meeke Vers 16. For I will not contend for euer neither will I be alwaies wroth for the spirit should faile before me and I haue made the breath He prosecutes the same matter still HE prosecutes the same doctrine For this was an hard matter to perswade them of in regard that in this tedious banishment they felt God as it were their enemie It was no easie matter then for them to conceiue such a taste of this grace as might cause them to take heart vnto them and to bee of good cheere The Prophet therefore meetes with this doubt and shewes that the euils which they were to indure should last but for a time and that God vvould not alwaies be wroth No doubt but hee hath iust cause giuen him to be angry but hee rather parts with his right and pardons that which he might iustly exact And thus he ioines vvith Gods vvrath that moderation vvhereby hee comforts the faithfull In wrath God still remembers mercie lest the spirit should faile For albeit he reasons from the nature of God yet this promise is particularly directed to the Church Let vs for euer then keepe this point in our remembrance in our extreamest anguishes that so we may not thinke that God will stand to contend or to plead the case with vs. When he saith that God is vvroth it is by way of yeelding so much vnto vs in respect of the weaknesse of our flesh for in aduersitie we can conceiue no otherwise of God but as of an angry Iudge and no
thine euerlasting light and the daies of thy sorrow shall bee ended HEe teacheth that the Churches felicitie shall not be temporarie but eternall The Churches felicitie not temporall but eternall For he separates her from the common condition of men among whom nothing is stable nor permanent Why so Because whatsoeuer is vnder the Sunne be it neuer so well established yet is it subiect to diuers mutations and changes But the state of the Church must not be measured according to the dangers of this present life in regard shee is preserued euen in the midst of greatest stormes As if he should say Iudge not of thy saluation by outward appearances but bee thou sure that God holds that safely in his hand The Lord will bee thy Sunne so as thou shalt haue no more need of the light neither of Sunne nor Moone Feare not any change then or confusion of things for thou shalt inioy a perpetuall and an immoueable light And yet we must not take it as if the Prophet meant heereby to affirme that Gods children should be depriued of the commodities of this present life Though the felicitie of Gods chosen consists in eternall good things yet are â—hey not therefore to be depriued of the vse of temporall things For seeing the Lord hath bestowed them on all men indifferently then hath hee much more ordained them for his seruants for whose sakes euen all things were created of God in regard he hath a speciall care ouer them But the Prophet meant yet to signifie something more excellent which the children of God onely doe inioy namely that heauenly light This the wicked cannot apprehend and therefore they deadly hate it For howsoeuer they haue the light of the Sunne and other like benefits yet cannot their felicitie bee firme nor stable because they are without feeling which hinders them from tasting the principall good thing to wit that God is their Father Our Prophet therefore distinguisheth the condition of the Church and of the faithfull therein from the common estate of men in the world to teach vs not to measure it according to the changes and alterations of inferior things as also to informe vs that in the midst of the most palpable and grosse darknesse God vseth to let the light of his fatherly countenance shine vpon his children to cause them to reioice Though all the elements then should cease to doe their office or should threaten vs with an heauie looke let it suffice vs notwithstanding that God fauours vs. By the name of Sunne and Moone vnder a part hee comprehends the state of the whole world which is often times changed Vers 21. Thy * Or peoples people also shall be all righteous they shall possesse the land for euer the graffe of my planting shall be the worke of mine hands that I may bee glorified THe Prophet shewes heere wherein the true establishment of the Church consists truly when shee is separated from the godlesse and that the faithfull onely haue place in her The Church is then truly established when she is separate froÌ„ the godlesse and that the faithfull alone haue place in her But we know that hypocrites are alwaies mingled amongst the true children of God in the Church We haue also told you that the kingdome of Christ is heere deciphered out not such a one as it shall be in euery particular moment of time but in its perfection Christ at his first comming began to accomplish that which is heere said when he purged his Church in which regard he calles his Gospell a fan because by it the chaffe is separated from the wheat Mat. 3.12 And he continues still euery day to purge it and wil hold on that course euen to the day of haruest In the meane while there must be much refuse mingled amongst the good graine which in that day shall at last bee vtterly purged and clensed out Moreouer heere is a close opposition betweene that prophane and wicked troope who by their filthinesse doe pollute the sanctuarie of the Lord. Further also he seemes to mention the vocation of the Gentiles when in the plurall number he saith that all peoples shall be righteous Where hee addes that they shall inherit the land for euer I doubt not but he had respect vnto Iudea and closely opposed the time of the restauration to that of the captiuitie which was at hand As if he should say Albeit I doe banish my people out of their inheritance yet after seuentie yeeres I will bring them backe againe to possesse it for euer It is also to be noted that he restraines this promise which appertained to all the people of Zion to the righteous For thus there is a kind of correction whereby he shuts out all hypocrites who are wont vainly to vsurp snatch vnto them those titles which onely belong to the true children of God This sentence then agrees with the beginning of the 73. Psalme Yet God is good to Israel euen to the pure in heart For here the Prophet attributes the name of Jsrael which all bragged of to the true seruants of God onely And so in this place we may say as much of the word peoples to wit that little remnant which shall be purged from their vncleannesse This was not wholly accomplished among the Iewes they had the beginnings of it indeed when they were restored home vnto their Country againe that so afterwards by their meanes the possession of the whole world might be giuen vnto Gods children And as he spake heeretofore of the restauration of the Temple which was not perfect in Ierusalem but should bee extended thorow all the quarters of the world so this possession of the land must not bee restrained to Iudea alone seeing it stretcheth it selfe further off in regard all men are called to haue their part therein that so by faith they may bee the children of Abraham and consequently be made heires These phrases of speech then which are much in vse among the Prophets ought to be diligently obserued The phrases of speech vsed by the Prophets ought diligently to be obserued that we may the better attaine to their meaning and not to curtall their sentences nor wrest them to a wrong sense Their exposition then is too far fetched and farre remote from the proprietie of the Prophets language who by the land vnderstand heauen the blessed life For the land of Canaan was giuen to the children of Israel that being separated from the rest of the world as the peculiar flocke of God they might in that place serue him purely And therefore to possesse the land by right of inheritance signifies nothing else but to continue and remaine in the Church of God Where God affirmes that the graffe of his planting shall be the vvorke of his hands it serues to confirme the hope of the faithfull For in mans iudgement it was a thing vnpossible that euer the Church should bud againe for all esteemed
to know that this was done by his commandement For some might obiect Obiect How can it be that the nations who now proudly resist God should come to yeeld him obedience He answers Ans Because the Lord will proclaime your returne in such wise that they shall vnderstand how you must be restored by his commandement But as touching that he addes Tell the daughter of Zion it properly appertaines to the Prophets and Ministers of the word to whom the Lord giues this charge to promise saluation and deliuerance vnto his Church Hence wee gather that these promises ought not to be restrained to one particular time Doctrine but must bee extended euen to all ages till the second appearing of Christ For if wee beginne at the returne out of Babylon into Iudea wee must passe along still to the comming of Christ because then this prophecie was truly fulfilled and the end of the deliuerance came because the Sauiour then appeared when the grace of God was published by the Gospell In a word he affirmes that Gods voice shall one day sound from the East to the West and shall not be vnderstood of one people onely but of all Now this voice is Behold thy Sauiour commeth which we know is the proper voice of the Gospell He therefore inioines the Teachers of the Church to raise vp the hearts of the faithfull vvith the comming of the Lord though vnto the people it seemed a thing far remote But this promise belongs chiefly to Christes kingdome who fully and perfectly did accomplish these things for he indeed shewed himselfe to be the sauiour of the vvorld as we haue seene heretofore in Chap. 40.10 And lest any scruple might remaine he furnisheth the Lord with power when he shall appeare as it is in that very place which we before alleaged for hee vseth the very same words there which are heere mentioned as if he meant to shew that as soon as it should please God to stretch forth his hand the effect will in a moment appeare for whilest he either ceaseth or deferres flesh and blood esteemes him idle Wee also see that many fantasticall spirits forge I know not what diuinitie as if they meant to paint out a dead image The Prophet therefore very aptly addes the vvorke and reward before God to shew that he is the iust Iudge of the world in the time of neede Vers 12. And they shall call them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be named a Citie sought out and not forsaken HE sets forth the benefit of the Lords comming The fruit of the Lords comming namely that in shewing how his elect are as deare vnto him as his owne heritage he will make it knowne to all the world that the couenant of Adoption by him contracted with Abraham is not in vaine for this cause he calles them the holy people in regard the Lord had separated and consecrated them vnto himselfe for though he gouerned all the nations of the world yet he vouchsafed to chuse the posteritie of Abraham to haue a speciall care thereof And in this sense God meant to say that his people shal be holy when he shall appeare their sauiour and redeemer And as the people are called prophane when they be plunged in their dregs being afflicted and vexed by the scoffings of the wicked so on the contrarie they are said to be holy when the Lord shewes himselfe by effects to be the God of their saluation which came to passe in their wonderfull deliuerance for then God shewed indeed that he remembred his holy couenant touching his heritage which he had as mans reason deemed vtterly reiected and cast off For in these words sought out and not forsaken we must note the opposition betweene the time wherein the Lord sued out this diuorce against his people and that wherein he reconciled those againe vnto himselfe vvhom he had put away THE LXIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Who is this that commeth from Edom with red garments from Bozrah he is glorious in his apparrell and walketh in his great strength I speake in righteousnes and am mightie to saue A preuention of a dangerous temptation THE expositors Christian haue misinterpreted this place as if that which is heere said should appertaine vnto Christ seeing the Prophet speakes simplie of God himselfe and thus they haue made a Iesus died all ouer vvith red in regard he was thorowly bathed in his owne blood which he shed vpon the Crosse But the Prophet had no such meaning at all The true and plaine sense is That the Lord presents himselfe here clothed vvith red garments before the people to aduertise all that he vvould maintaine the cause of his chosen The naturall meaning of this verse and be auenged on their enemies For whilest the people of God were pressed with infinite miseries and that the Idumeans with the rest of their aduersaries who were as it seemed out of all danger ouerflowed in all excesse of riot it might dangerouslie tempt the Iewes to thinke either that these things were guided by fortune or that God made light account of his children or that at least he chastised them with ouer great seueritie So then if God corrected the Iewes because of the contempt of his name and religion how much more were the Jdumeans and other enemies to bee roughlie dealt withall being the sworne enemies thereof The Prophet meetes with this so cumbersome a temptation by bringing in God the auenger Psal 94.1 returning from the slaughter of the Edomites as if hee had been stained all ouer vvith their blood The force of interrogations Now this description is liuely and full of efficacie when hee saith Who is this For such an interrogation rauisheth the minds of the hearers into an admiration and affects them more then if it had been vttered in plaine termes The Prophet did the rather vse it that hee might thereby awaken the Iewes who were become drâ—uzie and besotted We know that the Idumeans were somewhat akin to the Iewes in regard they were descended from the same ancestors with them For they were thus called of Esau who was also called Edom Gen. 36.1 These hauing corrupted the pure worship of God See Obad. 10.11 though they had the same marke of circumcision notwithstanding persecuted the Iewes most despitefully And besides they exasperated the rage of other enemies against the Iewes manifesting to all what great pleasure they tooke in the ruine of this poore people as it appeares by their egging on of the Babylonians Remember O Lord saith the Church Psalm 137.7 the children of Edom who in the day of Ierusalems ruine said downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Thus then the Prophet denounceth that the Edomits shall also keepe their turne in being iudged according to their deserts that none might otherwise think but they should surely bee punished for the barbarous crueltie by them exercised against their brethren For the Lord wil
and mercies for the infinit goodnesse of God for he discouers and powres out his bowels as it were in shewing himselfe a liberall benefactor towards vs. And these said fauours are so great that wee cannot possiblie esteeme nor value them as we ought But it is no new thing to see the faithfull pressed with griefe to powre out their complaints familiarly in the presence of God charging him that hee hath shut his bowels from them I grant they retaine this principle The faithfull euer retaine this principle namely that God is alwaies mercifull that God is alwaies mercifull in regard his nature is vnchangeable and howsoeuer they impute it to their sinnes that they feele him not such a one to them yet to preserue themselues from despaire they expostulate vvith him how it can be that hee should handle them so seuerelie Yea in shewing them nothing but the signes of his wrath as if he had forgotten himselfe Vers 16. Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lord art our father and our redeemer thy name is for euer THe Lord permits vs familiarly to powre out our hearts before him A definition of prayer For prayer is nothing else but a manifesting of the heart in the presence God so as the best remedie we haue to releeue our cares and anguishes is to lay them vp in his bosome Cast thy burthen saith Dauid vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee Psalm 55.22 and 37.5 The Prophet then hauing numbred vp Gods benefits towards the Iewes whereby his power and goodnesse was sufficiently manifested and yet that men by their sinnes depriued themselues from tasting the fruit thereof he now comes to this point namely that Gods goodnesse is so great that it ouercoms mens stubbornnesse He calles him father in the name of the whole Church For all cannot call him thus The Churches priuiledge because it is a priuiledge that peculiarly belongs to the Church of God to call him father in his presence Thence we may gather that Christ as the first borne God hath neuer been called vpon as a father in the Church otherwise than by Christ or rather as the onely sonne of God hath alwaies borne the chiefe sway ouer the Church for God cannot be called father but by him And againe here wee see that the faithfull contend not with God but onely draw arguments vnto themselues from his nature whereby to ouercome all temptations and to settle their hearts in good hope Though Abraham knovv vs not Quest Some aske here why the people say that the Patriarke knew them not S. Ans Saint Ierom. Jerome thinks it was because they were degenerate and therefore were not worthie of so great an honour But I take this exposition to be ouer curious The true sense is That albeit our forefathers disauow vs yet God stil holds vs for his children and shewes himselfe a father towards vs. Those who say that Abraham and the rest of the faithfull had cast off all care touching the affaires of this life doe too subtilly wrest the Prophets words to a wrong sense I speak not of the thing in it selfe but I say these words proue not that the Saints are altogether carelesse of vs. The true sense of this place The most natiue and pure sense is this Lord we acknowledge that in regard thou art our Father it is a thing so firme and sure that albeit our fathers after the flesh should faile vs yet vvilt thou neuer cease to bee a father vnto vs Psal 27.10 So as all rights of nature shall cease rather then thou shouldest cease to shew thy selfe a father vnto vs or that thine holy adoption should bee made void seeing it is established in thine immutable counsell and ratified by the death of thine holy Sonne And yet in the meane while we may hence gather that the holy men so pray and present themselues before God that they looke not to the intercessions of others for praier is inioined them vpon this condition that wholly resting themselues in the fatherly loue of God they reiect all other confidences But if our Prophet taught the Iewes not to direct their hearts toward Abraham and Iacob who yet had receiued so many precious promises to be heard of God then is it certaine that we haue now no more cause to runne to S. Saints not to be praied vnto Peter to S. Paul and the rest then to them For this is not a priuate praier made by one or two but publike and appertaining to the whole Church in generall as if the Prophet had heere set them downe a forme of praier And questionlesse our confidence ought so to be setled vpon Gods fauour and fatherly goodnesse towards vs that we should shut our eies against all intercessions of men whether aliue or dead In a word the faithfull heere protest that they gaze not heere nor there but rest themselues in God alone Quest But some may aske now why hee onelie names Abraham and Iakob and makes no mention of Isaack Ans The reason is because the couenant was more solemnly ratified with these two heere noted I grant that Isaack had no lesse part therein then they but yet hee neither receiued so full nor so many promises Our Redeemer Redemption is heere expressed as a testimonie of this adoption for by this experiment God shewed himselfe the Father of this people And therefore the people pray vnto God and with assurance call him Father in regard he had manisted vnto them so admirable a signe of his fatherly good will which gaue them incouragement to hope well But redemption simply in it selfe would not haue sufficed vnlesse the promise had bin therewithall annexed Euen as then hee did once redeeme them so doth he promise to be their father for euer The clause from all time sets forth the stedfastnesse and stabilitie of Gods fatherly loue For we haue not deserued the name of children but in regard that his will onely by which hee hath once adopted vs for such is vnchangeable Seeing the Lord then hath an eternall name it thereupon followes that the title and grace which is thereunto conioined and flowes from this eternitie shall indure for euer Vers 17. O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies * Or wherefore hast thou turned and hardened our hearts from thy feare Returne for thy seruants sake and for the Tribes of thine inheritance BEcause these phrases of speech seeme harsh and tart some thinke the vnfaithfull are here brought in murmuring against God and blaspheming him for their malice turnes into rage whē they haue lost all hope But the scope of the text crosseth this conceit For the Prophet shewes the fruit which should proceed from these miseries and calamities of the Iewes How Because being humbled and brought low they should cease either to be proud or to please themselues in their vices They
were ashamed then that in times past they had erred so farre out of the right way and acknowledge their owne offences And to say the truth vvhen they attribute their sinnes to the vvrath of God their meaning is not to exempt themselues from blame nor to abolish their faults But the Prophet vseth a phrase of speech very ordinary For the holy Ghost is wont to say that God causeth men to erre hardens and giues men vp into a reprobate mind 2. Thes 2.11 Rom. 9.18 and 1.28 Now when the faithfull speake thus they meane nothing lesse then to make God the author of euill and of sinne as if themselues were innocent or as if they meant to extenuate their crime But they aime at an higher market and rather confesse that their sinnes haue separated them from God and is the cause vvhy they are left destitute of his holy Spirit Yea that thence is came to passe that they haue been plunged into infinit miseries Those who say that God leades vs into error by priuation that is to say in regard he bereaues vs of his spirit hit not the very white It is said that God both hardens and blinds when he deliuers men vp to be blinded by Satan who is the minister and executioner of his wrath for otherwise we should euer be a pray vnto the will of the diuell but in regard he is able to doe nothing of himselfe without Gods commandement God the author of blinding hardening yet not the author of sinne to whose beek he is subiect we truely affirme that God is the author of this blinding and hardening which also the scriptures doe witnes in many places And yet it followes not thereupon that he should be the author of sinne because he punisheth mēs ingratitude by such a blinding And thus the faithfull in this verse confesse that God hath left them but their sinne was the cause so as they still acknowledge Gods iust reuenging hand vpon them In like maner after Moses hath said That thitherunto God had not giuē the people eies to see nor an heart to vnderstand hee layes not the blame thereof vpon God but shewes the Iewes where they were to seeke the remedie of such a benummednes vvhereof they vvere conuinced Deut. 29.14 But these seeme to take another pretext heere in that they aske a reason and expostulate the matter with God as if he had bin bound to haue handled them more mildly Ans But I answere that the faithfull haue still an eye to Gods goodnes whilest they confesse that their afflictions are the iust recompences of their sinnes Some referre these words to the captiuitie as if the faithfull complained of the Lord for suffring them to languish so long a time in the same As if the Prophet should say That their obstinacie increased because the Lord gaue them no taste of his grace For the faithfull are often surprized with a very dangerous temptation when they see the wicked ouerflow in all abundance and are almost discouraged as Dauid hath well expressed it in Psalm 125. But the Prophets sentence seemes to be more generall for the faithfull acknowledge themselues to haue erred because they were not guided by the Spirit of God whereof they complaine not but rather desire that this spirit may bee giuen them by which their fathers in former times were gouerned and obtained all things prosperouslie Why hast thou caused our hearts to turne from thy feare Some translate Wherefore hast thou hardned but because this sutes not with that which followes from thy feare I had rather translate To turne backe And the verbe also signifies so much Some thinke these words returne for thy seruants sake appertaine to all the people As the Scripture indeede is wont to terme all the houshold of faith by the name of Gods seruants But I thinke it is properly to be referred vnto Abraham Jsaac and Iacob which surelie is much more probable Not that the people rested in their intercession but in regard that God had made the couenant of grace with them that they might deliuer it ouer from hand to hand vnto their successors Thus then the faithfull set not these Patriarkes before them as common persons onely but in the qualitie of Ministers witnesses or mediators of the couenant with the foundation of their faith as in that song Psal 132.1 Lord remember Dauid In which place the name of this good Patriarke is not set before the Lord as if the faithfull thought hee had been their aduocate but in regard the promise which was made vnto him touching the restauration of the eternall kingdome in his familie did appertaine to the whole body of the people How Papists wrest these words to proue their intercession to Saints The Papists snatch vp these words with great ioy as if by them the intercession of Saints were proued But by the true exposition of the place we may plainly see how easie a matter it is to answer them For it is spoken of the Fathers not as if they deserued ought at Gods hand of themselues or were now intercessors betweene God and vs but because the free couenant which not onely appertained vnto them but also to all their successors was contracted onely with them To the Tribes That is to say Returne to thy wonted fauour towards thy people By this we see that the things aforesaid tend to no other end but onely that the people doe labour thereby to prouoke the Lord to mercie after they haue laid before him their miseries and calamities How wee must come to God Here then we see the maner how we are to addresse our selues vnto God namely by putting him in minde of his former benefits and by manifesting in his sight our griefes and sorrowes Thus we must doe if we would obtaine deliuerance Of thine heritage That is because God had chosen this people as his proper portion As if hee should say What shall become of thy people if we perish Not that God was tied to this people but in respect hee had giuen them his faith by oath Thus the people durst very well vrge God with his promise and importune him by their praiers in regard hee had voluntarily obliged himselfe both vnto their fathers and to their children But now seeing all promises are ratified and confirmed in Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 and that we haue the truth of all things wee ought to bee built vp in so much the greater confidence for the couenant is not onely contracted in his hand but it is also confirmed and sealed with his blood I grant he was the mediator as well for the fathers as for vs but all things are now more cleere and manifest in regard they then stucke in many obscure shadowes Vers 18. The people of thine holinesse haue possessed it but a little while for our aduersaries haue troden downe thy sanctuarie IT is a wonder that the Prophet saith the people possessed the land but for a very little
delightes in vs as in children and not as in men of a ripe age let vs willingly acknowledge our condition to bee such that so we may gladly accept of these consolations For doubtlesse it is a signe of Gods infinite goodnesse towards vs when he is thus pleased to support our infirmities Vers 13. As one whom his mother comforts so will I comfort you and yee shall bee comforted in Ierusalem 14. And when ye see this your heart shall reioyce and your bones shall florish like an Hearbe and the hand of the Lord shall be knowne among his seruants and his indignation against his enemies IT is wonderfull to see how long the Prophet insists vpon this renouation The first member of this verse is expounded before in vers 12. for it might seeme that he had spoken fully of it before But for as much as hee could not sufficiently expresse the great loue and affection which God beares vs nor content himselfe to haue spoken of it therefore it is that hee redoubles and repeates one and the same thing so often When he saith they shall be comforted in Ierusalem it may be expounded two waies For the meaning may bee that the faithfull shall be glad when they shall see the Church restord or the Church being restored that shee will endeuour to comfort her children The first exposition seemes more copious but we ought to haue an eie to the Prophets meaning and not to that which carries a faire shew only In the first place he makes God the author of this consolation And hath he not good cause yet notwithstanding ads in the second place that it shall be in Ierusalem by whom it was to be administred You see then that this comfort is not offered nor giuen to the prophane contemners who care not what becomes of the Church but to those who out of a true affection of godlines doe manifest themselus to be her children The verbe to see expresseth a sure experience that the faithfull should not doubt of the euent but fully imbracing this prophesie they might patiently endure for a time their mothers barrennesse He illustrates this by a similitude when he saith that their bones shuld receiue new force and vigor euen as dead hearbs waxe greene after winter Now hee speakes of the bones which become withered with sorrow as Salomon saith Prou. 17.22 as on the contrarie Ioy is wont to replenish and reuiue them Thus he notes out a vehement and an incomparable ioy and it seemes he alludes to that sorrow which had almost dried vp the bones of the faithfull in captiuitie in so much that they were become withered and like dead men The Lord therefore comforts them and promiseth that his Church shall flourish and abound in all blessings Afterwards that he might giue them better assurance hee commands them to lift vp their minds vnto God who will then manifest his succour It is added afterward that the hand of the Lord was not alwaies reuealed but remained couered for a time as if he had been vtterly carelesse of his chosen For in appearance it seemed hee had reiected them seeing Daniel and other good men were carried away captiues no lesse then Zedekias When the Sunne should shine againe vpon them then there should bee manifested such a difference betweene the godly and the wicked that his hand which before was as it were hidden should now euidently appeare because hee will no more dissemble the matter nor suffer the wicked any longer to take their full swinge but will openly shew what great care he hath ouer his Church Haue our enemies gotten the start of vs then haue they made their part the stronger so as wee seeme for a time to be forsaken and left destitute of all helpe Vse Yet let vs not faint nor be discouraged for a day vvill come wherein the Lord will reueale himselfe and will set vs free from vnder the tyraâ—nie and violence of the enemies Vers 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire and his charets like a whirlewind that he may recompence anger with wrath and his indignation with a flame of fire THe end of this description is that when the faithfull should see their miseries to serue in stead of a may game to the wicked whereat they would laugh their fill yet they should not therefore turne from the right way nor be discouraged For the Prophet meant not onely to gall the wicked who are wont to be daunted with no threatnings whatsoeuer but scorne all that is told them but he therewithall comforts the faithfull to assure them that they should be in good case being vnder Gods protection as also that they should not ioine in league with the wicked though all things fell out according to their desires Thus then it is to the faithfull especially to whom the Prophet hath respect to the end they should content themselues with Gods grace and protection But it cannot well be affirmed whether he heere comprehends the last iudgement with those temporall iudgements wherewith the wicked begin heere to be punished withall For mine owne part I nothing doubt but this iudgement is comprehended with those punishments which are onely forerunners of eternall death The Lord vvill come This beganne to take effect at that time in which the people being carried into Babylon God shewed his vengeance vpon the domestike enemies of his Church Afterward when the time of their deliuerance was accomplished then hee incountred with an outstretched arme with the prophane nations and neuer ceased to giue them diuers signes of his comming by which he shewed himselfe present to his people and came in fire to iudge his enemies Lastly wee know that he vvill come in flaming fire at the last day to reuenge himselfe vpon all the wicked 2. Thes 1.8 2. Pet. 3.7 But this place must not bee restrained to the last iudgement vnlesse we also comprehend the rest therewithall Notwithstanding hee opposeth these threatnings especially against the hypocrites as wee shall see heereafter which were among the Iewes Now these metaphors are much vsed in the Scriptures for we cannot otherwise comprehend this horrible iudgement of God vnlesse the Prophet should vse these similitudes taken from things in common vse amongst vs. The Prophets labour thereby to touch our sences to the quicke that so being mooued with the true feare of God wee should not enuie the estate of the wicked for whom so horrible and fearefull a vengeance is prepared By this we may see how fond and vnfruitfull the speculations of the Sophisters Fond speculations of Sophisters are who stand to dispute about the qualitie and sharpnesse of this fire seeing the drift of the holy Ghost is vnder these borrowed speeches to set forth the horrible iudgement of God because otherwise wee are not able to imagin nor comprehend the same And this appeares yet better by the word sword which he vseth in the next verse for there is the same reason to be
prophaned 48. 11 Why the wicked see not Gods glory 26. 10 Gods glory aduanced in the destruction of the wicked 63. 3 Glory taken for saluation 62. 2 God is robbed of his glory whilest men glory in themselues 64. 8 Gods glory ioined with our saluation 48. 11. and 64. 12 Gods glory must be sought in him onely 45. 25 Christs glory hidden 52. 14 Christ shall be glorified and his Ministers though the wicked be not bettered by their ministerie 49. 5 Wee must not iudge of Christs glory according to carnall reason 53. 2 Gluttonie condemned 5. 11. 22. and 62. 13. and 38. 3 God What God wee must worshippe and acknowledge 21. 17 God eternall 40. 28. and 43. 13. and 48. 12 Why he is said to hide himselfe 45. 15 No accepter of persons 55. 1. and 56. 36 Why called Isaiahs friend 5. 1 In what sense author of all things 42. 24. 45. 7 God is not the author of euill 19. 14. and 45. 7. and 63. 17 Whether the author of mens blinding 19. 14 The author of Babels ruine 13. 17. and 14. 5 Author of Ierusalems ruine 22. 5 Author of peace 32. 17 Onely author of our purgation 6. 7 Bountifull by nature 1. 19. 24. 19. 40. 28. 63. 10. 64. 4 Gratious by nature 55. 7 8 The comforter of his Church 51. h6 The creator of all 37. 15 Why called Isaiahs God 7. 13. 51. 21 Why called the holy one 1. 2. 6. 40. 25. 43. 15 Why called God of Israel 21. 10 Why called Lord of hostes 3. 1. 14. 22. and 21. 10. and 51. 15 54. 5 God the onely teacher of his Church 2. 3. and 8. 19. and 30. 21. and 41. 21. and 48. 17. and 54 13. God the only Lord by nature 11. 15 Onely conducter of the faithfull 35. 9 Why called the former of Israel 17. 7 Why compared to a lion 31. 4. and 38. 13. and 40. 18 And why compared to a mother 42. 14. and 46. 3. and 59. 15. and 63. 9. and 66. 12. Why called the mighty one of Israel 1. 24. and 30. 29 Why compared to fire 33. 15 Why called the mightie one of Iacob 60. 16 God faithfull and true 42. 9. and 49. 7 Creator of Israel 17. 7. and 22. 11. and 27. 11. 43. 1. and 45. 11 Enemie of the proud 2. 11 Iudge of the whole world 3. 13. 5. 16. 19. 14. and 21. 15. and 22. 14. and 33. 22. and 59. 12. God the onely Lawgiuer 33. 22 God the onely King ibid. Onely wise 31. 2 Onely Sauiour 43. 11. and 65. 8 Onely husband of his Church 57. 8 God mercifull 54. 10. and 55. 7 Almighty 41. 22 The creator of his Church 22. 11 The feeder of his flocke 14. 30. and 44. 6 How he is neere vs 55. 6 How we must seeke him 9. 13. and 30. 4. and 55. 6. and 65. 10 In what sense said to be first and last 41. 4. and 44. 6 King of Iacob and Israel 41. 21. and 43. 15. and 44. 6 Alwaies like himselfe 2. 3. and 14. 1. 27. and 26. 4. and 31. 5. and 41. 9. and 44. 6. and 46. 4. and 48. 12. 16. and 51. 6. 9. and 59. 20. and 63. 7. God the feare and dread of his people 8. 13 The perpetuall protector of his Church 37. 35. and 54. 14 True in all things 14. 26 The chiefe minister of his word 50. 8 A most iust reuenger 9. 19 Why he is said to hasten his worke 21. 16 He workes three waies by men 10. 5 How he workes by Satan 19. 4 How he handles the reprobate 16. 3 Why he handles the obstinate so seuerely 1. 7 God drawes men to him by two meanes 65. 2 How he appeared to the fathers 6. 1 God heares two waies 37. 4 Why he doth good to his Church 42 21 How God created all things together 48. 13 Why he deferres his helpe 42. 14. 51. 9 Why he deferres to punish the wicked 10. 3. and 13. 6. and 18. 5. and 26. 21. and 28. 24 25. and 63. 4. 65. 6. and 66. 18. God teacheth two waies 54. 13 He heares two waies 65. 24 Onely one true God 47 8 How he blindes and hardens men 19. 14. and 44. 18. and 63. 17 He can manifest his power euery where 14. 25 God hath a speciall care of his elect and faithfull ones 1. 17. and 8. 14. 11. 11. 13. 1. 14. 1. 5. 7. 14. 25. 30. 32. and 15. 1. and 16. 3 4. 17. 3. 13. 14. and 18. 4. 7. 21. 1. 12. 26. 1 4 7. 27. 2. 3. 30. 25. 31. 5. 33. 2. 37. 7 9 30 31 35. 41. 10 18. 42. 14. 43. 3 7. 45. 4 12 18. 46. 3. 48. 16. 49. 9 15 16 24. 51. 3 6 22. 54. 17. 57. 1. 58. 11. 5. 59 18. 60. 2. 62. 12. and 63. 9. and 65. 8. God dwels alwaies in his Church 10. 19 How God driues men into error 63. 7 He beholds the heart 1. 16 Neuer angry causlesly 24. 19 Why he sweares and that by himselfe 14. 24. 45. 23. 62. 8 God speakes after the maner of men 1. 24. and 5. 3. 6. 8. 14. 22. 43. 24. and 48. 18. God cannot hate his chosen 27. 4 God commands two waies 10. 6 He punisheth mens impietie two waies 29. 11 How God raignes 51. 4 Why hee reiects the ceremonies which himselfe hath commanded 1. 11 How God sanctifies his chosen 8. 14 God robbed of his honour in the Papacie 43. 11 God al-sufficient in himselfe 40. 10 The faithfull content themselues with one God onely 8. 7 19. 10. 21 How he is said to rise 2. 19. How he handles the wicked 9. 12 In what time he comes 50. 2 God calles two waies 44. 7 God allures men to repentance by two meanes 22. 12 How and how far he serues himselfe of the wicked 7. 18. 10. 5. 15. 13. 3. 17. 14. 21 22. 21. 7. 27. 7. 36. 19. 43. 14. 45. 7. 54. 16 17. God sometimes chastens the wicked by degrees 24. 22 God loues his chosen with an infinit loue 40. 3. 42. 14. 43. 4. 46. 3. 49. 11 15. 53 10. 59. 18. 65. 19. 66. 12 14. How great Gods authoritie is 45. 9 To whom God promiseth succour 42. 16 Gods loue to his Church 1. 9 Gods secrets must not be searched into 14. 26 His counsell must not bee ballanced by our reason 26. 3 His counsell manifested in his word 46. 12 His counsell vnchangeable 14. 27. and 38. 4. and 65 15 What his purpose is in requiring sacrifices 1. 11 God a wonderfull workeman 10. 7 God rules all actions 10. 15 Why God is said to hold in the Ministers with his hand 8. 11 God wil be a sanctuary to such as sanctifie him in their hearts
times so as it seemes all our hope is but in vaine Wee haue need to put on the whole armor of God Ephes 6.11 if we only keepe our eies fastned to the estate of present things Satan sets now vpon vs and thus begins to whisper in our eares And why doest thou hope thus in vaine What is the frute of thy faith What expects thou out of this world In a word we must be armed to wrestle thus against Satan euery day When Christ calles vs to heauen Satan indeuors to hold vs groueling to the earth We must therefore stick close to the promises which are set before vs that hoping aboue hope we may stand fast in the Lord and neuer suffer our selues to be seduced nor withdrawne from trusting in him by any allurements whatsoeuer Vers 16. Hearken not to Hezekiah for thus saith the king of Ashur * Or make a blessing Make appointment with me and come out to me that euery man may eate of his owne vine euery one of his owne fig-tree and drinke euery man the water of his owne well WHilest he deuiseth how to estrange the peoples hearts from Hezekias he therewithall entiseth thē vnto present pleasures that they may quite forget God and wait no longer vpon him As if he should say Trust not in God Trust rather in my King See how Satan playes the Sophister for in darkening Gods goodnes by his fogges and mists and masking vs with vailes of false hopes he sets vp the creatures in stead of the Creator to wrap vs vp in his nets Well Rabshekeh presents profit pleasure and ease before them by this vaine brag to wit God offers you benefits but they are far off I haue mine here in mine hand Now albeit he vseth Hezekias his name here yet vpon the matter the comparison stands betweene God and the Assyrians For Hezekiah being indeed the true seruant of God he played not the hypocrite in boasting of his trust and confidence falsly but resting vpon the immutable and vnchangeable promises hee faithfully exhorted the people as his dutie was to rest quietly vpon God Contrariwise Rabshekeh clothes his King with Gods spoiles as it were and as the seruant and vassall of the diuell indeuoured to withdraw the peoples minds from their true allegeance vnto God to all impietie To make blessing with him signifies friendly to pacifie as if he should say Fight not venture not your selues that way but yeeld your selues and submit you freely to my King Now Sennacherib not onely craues audience but would also haue them to do homage and fealtie which that he might the better draw them vnto hee couers this odious terme of seruitude with the word blessing Hee counsels them to redeeme their peace and other commodities which they inioied before at his hands by this wofull reuolt to wit that they should forsake Hezekias to cleaue vnto him Now it was the most seruile and miserable condition that might be to forsake this good King whom God had established who also bare the image of Christ for what was it else but to renounce God himselfe who had erected and set vp in the middest of them this signe of his heauenly fauour Vers 17. Till I come and bring you into a land like your owne land euen a land of wheat and wine a land of bread and vineyards NOw hee addes a condition much more vile then the former for he shewes that peace can no way be procured with Sennacherib but by yeelding themselues vnto banishment And what was that but to forsake Gods true worship to throw themselues into superstitions and willingly to cast themselues out of that inheritance which God had giuen them But in regard that Rabshekeh speaks to men desolate and such as were astonished with the present danger hee boldly challengeth of them whatsoeuer himselfe listeth to the end they may at the least procure the safetie of their liues And here wee see as in a glasse that his words are nothing else but a liuely representation of those temptations assaults wherewith Satan daily laies siege against our faith For all his practises tend onely to plucke vs away from our confidence in God by the allurements and pleasures of this world What is it not good to sleepe quietly in a whole skinne and to redeeme thy peace any way Thou wouldest be happy doth not happines consist in the plentiful inioying of all things But then especially he assailes vs thus when he sees vs in miserie then is he bold dares more vehemently sollicite vs to shake off Gods yoke but so that still he doth it with fetches and close conueiances as hee may best couer our reuolt with the shew of some good Now when he hath gotten vs in his nets so far forth that wee esteem better of things present then of those to come Satans conditiōs which he vsually addes to his temptations he addes this condition with it alwaies to wit that we will now be his seruants and runne at his becke and this we can by no meanes escape when hee hath once tickled vs with his deceitfull hopes and with the taste of earthlie things But because this word exile sounded somewhat harshly and vnpleasantly in the eares of this people it being no easie matter for them to leaue the sweetnesse of Iudea Rabshekeh willing to let them know that they should loose nothing by abandoning their Country telles them that the Country into which they shold be caried was no lesse fruitfull and plentifull then theirs And thus hee went about to dazle their eies that they might not thinke thēselues to be loosers any way by the bargaine Yet doth he finely omit that which was the principall to wit the seruice and worshippe of God the Temple the Kingdome and sacred order gouernment with other matters appertaining to the heauenly inheritance For alas without these what felicitie is there Wherefore let euery one of vs in the feare of God learne to fix the right knowledge of spirituall benefits fast in our hearts for it is not for nought that Dauid saith he would rather be a doore keeper in the house of his God Psal 84.10 then with all the delights and pleasures of this world to dwell in the tents of the vngodly For he that once suffers his heart to be glewed to the loue of earthly things is in danger thereby to depriue himselfe of true happinesse For this is that horrible iudgement whereby God often auengeth himselfe vpon mens incredulitie Let all the faithfull therefore feare before God and beware that they faint not vnder anie calamities or afflictions whatsoeuer Vers 18. Lest Hezekiah deceiue you saying The Lord will deliuer vs. Hath any of the gods of the nations deliuered his land out of the hand of the King of Ashur HEere is now another argument differing from the former by which he labours to seduc◠the peoples hearts from their allegeance to King Hezekias and from their trust and
confidence in God Verse 10. He bragged before that he was Gods seruant sent of him to destroy the land of Iudea for which cause he promiseth vnto himselfe assurance of the victory But now the miscreant feares not to aduance himselfe against the Lord of hostes For you must know that the wicked doe not alwaies at the first chop discouer all their impietie touching their contempt of Gods maiestie Note but the Lord by degrees laies open their thoughts and constraines them to cast vp the poison which lay hid within them This wretch now then goes on further in his blasphemies and feares not to rush against the highest Maiestie as if hee were the stronger But he speakes in the person of his Master who had obtained great victories ouer many mightie nations which indeede had their gods vnder whose protection they thought themselues safe Sennacherib hauing subdued these thought also that he had ouercome their gods vpon whose help they rested Thence it comes that he puffes vp himselfe so farre in pride that he dares iustle against the liuing God yea he is caried away with such madnes that he feares not to oppose his strength against the power of the Almightie You see then that albeit the wicked seeme at the first to be farre from the contempt of Gods maiestie yet in the end they manifest that they attribute all to themselues and vtterlie exclude him In words I grant they will giue the praise of their victories vnto their gods but forthwith they sacrifice vnto their owne nets and offer incense to their yarne as Abacuk saith 1.16 which practise our hyppocrites imitate at this day For if they obtaine any victorie they by and by runne and thanke their Idols but when that is done they also thanke their owne counsels policies manhood and their forces so as a man may well perceiue that vpon the matter they attribute all their successe vnto themselues and not vnto their Idols In this his prowd boasting then he shewes himselfe to be a lyar when he acknowledged God the author of his victories On the other side it could not be but the heart of good King Hezekias must needs be wonderfullie grieued in hearing God to be thus charged with breach of his promises whē this wicked one railed thus against God and matcht him with Idols But these things are written Hezekias his patience worthie our imitation to the end we might consider the patience of this good King and also follow his example when the like shall befall vs. Haue any of the gods of the nations When he opposeth himselfe against all Gods as one that had ouermatcht them it is so farre from common sense that the wicked themselues do shudder and tremble at it and yet if the Lord doe but a little presse them he easily drawes forth of them such confessions as this When they haue premeditated what they will say then they can faine themselues Gods seruāts forsooth but soone after he inforceth them to confesse and vtter forth that which was concealed within Let vs know then that superstition is alwaies ioined with pride so as it is vnpossible but he should aduance himselfe aboue all that which is called God which in his heart acknowledgeth him not We neede not wonder then that wicked men are prowd and rebellious for it is only the pure and right knowledge of God which is able to humble our stout hearts And yet this miscreant is no way excused for casting the vanitie and feeblenes of these Idols iustly in their teeth for wee must looke at his intent and pride seeing he scornes not so much the superstition and vaine confidence of the Gentiles as through their sides to wound if he could euen the highest Maiestie Euen as that tyrant Dionysius Dionysius who resisted God and prouoked him to the fight whilest he scorned his owne Idols for against his conscience he derided the God which he could scarcely comprehend in his shallow braine The like is to be said of all other Infidels who haue mocked at false religions which they thought were of God Note we here also the other blasphemie by which the diuine Maiestie is wickedlie violated when Rabshekeh couples the true God with the false as if he were one of their consorts For what blasphemie is greater then to match the immortall God the author of all things with dunghill gods truth with lyes glorie with ignominie and hell with heauen The Lord our God is great and worthie to be praised saith Dauid yea he is to be feared aboue all gods for all the gods of the Heathen are Idols but the Lord made the heauens strength and glorie are before him power and beautie are in his sanctuarie c. Psal 96.4.5 Vers 19. Where is the God of Hamath and of Arpad Where is the God of Sepharuaim Or how haue they deliuered Samaria out of mine hands 20. Who is hee amongst all the gods of these lands that hath deliuered their countrie out of mine hand that the Lord should deliuer Ierusalem out of mine hand SOme thinke Hamath to be Antioch in Syria Arpad that Citie whence people were taken to inhabit Damascus and that Sepharuaim was situated in this countrie If these things be so then Rabshekeh recites here the ancient names of the Cities whence in times past many nations came forth but afterward they not only lost their renowme but their proper names also that such a change might the rather affect and moue them Howsoeuer it be he expreslie notes out the neighbour cities which were best knowne by name to the Iewes that the ruin of them might touch them the more neere neither do I doubt but these places were of Syria and Israel As if he should say You see these two kingdomes subdued which notwithstanding had so many gods and patrons and doe you thinke that your God can resist me The expositors take the particle Chi for an interrogation in both places Haue the gods of the nations deliuered them Shall your God deliuer you then But that the sense might runne the better I had rather translate it thus Let your God deliuer Ierusalem out of mine hand This seemes also to be spoken tauntinglie as if in scorne he should haue said Yea I warrant you your God will deliuer you as the gods of the Gentiles deliuered those that worshipped them Now this ignorance of the wicked proceeds from this they know not that God punisheth mens sinnes when aduersitie befalles them First of all then they deceiue themselues by making an ouerthwart comparison Oh I haue ouercome this or that people therefore it is I that am the efficient in this matter for they know not that God by their hands executes his wrath vpon the people whom he for their iniquities hath destinated to destruction For though they will not vtterly denie but they haue receiued somewhat in their victories from him howbeit it is but fainedly because they neither see his will nor his iustice